Topping Pre90 Review (preamplifier)

[SoySalsaPicante]

I sit 4 Meters away from mine - it works.

If yours is not working return it.

You have a genuinely huge listening space!

I sit nearly three meters away. It works, but needs too much effort to aim it correctly for it to work. Installing the IR repeater device helped, but it's still not nearly as easy to use as other common device remotes that take no thinking whatsoever to work.

 

[kolestonin]

The remote control is unacceptable, but far from 'non working'.

What made a huge difference for me was switching to discrete presses (one press per step), as suggested by another member here, instead of holding the button down continuously until reaching the desired volume. Using it this way completely changed my experience and I would say I had almost no frustrations since then.

As for the clicking sounds: I do hear the mechanical relay clicks from the unit itself when adjusting volume, which is expected behavior. However, those clicks are not transmitted through the speakers in my case. I’ve used this device for about three years now, and across three different pairs of speakers, I’ve never had relay noise come through the audio signal.

 

[SoySalsaPicante]

I did not have the relay sounds coming out through the speakers either.

 

[mocenigo]

I sit 4 Meters away from mine - it works.

If yours is not working return it.

it usually does, when one points perfectly straight. I installed a cheap IR repeated and now it works as good as it gets for an IR remote.

 

[mocenigo]

Another problem are the "clicks."

When you go volume up or down, you can hear CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK.

The problem is, those clicks are also being heard through the speakers.

Ok, this is *very* weird. Something must be broken in the device, since one should not hear the clicks through the speakers.

 

[dcolak]

Ok, this is *very* weird. Something must be broken in the device, since one should not hear the clicks through the speakers.

You don't hear it with music, but try playing 40Hz test tone and start changing the pre-amps volume at the same time. In my case, I do hear "clicks" through the speaker.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

I think I would expect some amount of clicking through the speaker when changing volume. Even if the relays are very fast, there will either be a brief silence or a small splat.

 

[JohnnyNG]

As for the clicking sounds: I do hear the mechanical relay clicks from the unit itself when adjusting volume, which is expected behavior. However, those clicks are not transmitted through the speakers in my case.

Same here.

 

[dcolak]

I think I would expect some amount of clicking through the speaker when changing volume. Even if the relays are very fast, there will either be a brief silence or a small splat.

It sounds like a splat Got me scared a bit, I was testing 40Hz output under power and the "splats" came out rather loud through the mids and tweeters.

I hope they don't burn the tweeters.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

It sounds like a splat Got me scared a bit, I was testing 40Hz output under power and the "splats" came out rather loud through the mids and tweeters.

I hope they don't burn the tweeters.

Impulses, unless they tear something or often relatively benign since they don't convey a lot of power.

I suspect what's happening is that we are all very unable to hear 40Hz, so you turn the gain up and then hear broadband splats, usually masked by music.

 

[mocenigo]

You don't hear it with music, but try playing 40Hz test tone and start changing the pre-amps volume at the same time. In my case, I do hear "clicks" through the speaker.

Ok, I will try. However, if it does not break anything, then it us harmless.