Topping Pre90 Review (preamplifier)

[delgesu]

Is the pre90 output stage strong enough to drive 5 meter xlr ->active speakers, or is 5m too long?
Thanks!

 

[staticV3]

Is the pre90 output stage strong enough to drive 5 meter xlr ->active speakers, or is 5m too long?
Thanks!

5m is fine.

 

[Jimbob54]

Thnx to all, although still bit confused, Topping says it converts, and for @ZestClub and me doesnt seem to work.

Yes i tested it, and it is not just a drop in dB but RCA in/XLR out sounds lot more dynamically constricted. Night and day to RCA all the way.
It makes me concerned if the amp's XLR input is ok. This amp has RCA/XLR switch and I actually 1st tried Pre90 XLR withouth switching to XLR on the amp. Thinking back it sounded similarly bad. With the XLR switch on amp it sounds bit better, more depth, but kind of too much - all is somehow quite in the background but bit more noisy than RCA.
I am about to sell the amp since i can't really test it cos I only have Pre90, and just sold the XLR cables today. (DIT) Ok i just ordered standard Amazon XLR to check what is the diff.

Someone asked about the remote - i had a (black) Pre90 before and sold it, remote was really bad, this Pre90 one is silver and remote is much better, the angle is greater compared to the previous one, although still not perfect, but i doubt this depends on the color of the Preamp

I wonder if the xlr level signal was exceeding the input sensitivity of the amp? Did you ever say what the amp was ?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Is the pre90 output stage strong enough to drive 5 meter xlr ->active speakers, or is 5m too long?
Thanks!

5m is fine.

So is 10m.

 

[delgesu]

Thank you!

 

[tuannguyetxm]

i have Dac Teac NT505x (with volume ) and pre 90, which volume setup better ?

 

[wizardofoz]

You have both, try both and see which if any you prefer. Job done.

I really don’t know why people ask such questions when it’s their own ears and brain they need to satisfy.

 

[kolestonin]

I am noob and I am maybe entering in unknown territories so feel free to correct me.

My understanding is that almost all DACs(there are a few with analogue volume controls but most don't have) require full volume in order to get the best out of them.
Below maximum volume their ability to expose detail is reduced because they have digital volume control.
Meaning that the number of bits they output is only maximum at maximum volume and at low volume SINAD and dynamic range will be reduced.
I remember, when doing my research before buying Pre 90, I had read that each bit not used on the output reduces dynamic range by 6dB.
Above was the only reason, as I mostly listen in low volume, I added a preamp in my chain so I hope it's valid

But if it's valid, why you will want to use a DAC as volume control when you already have a quality preamp as Pre 90?

 

[tonapo]

I am still enjoying my pre 90, all apart from the remote which is not great. Its quite tricky to line up, and I think, not helped my set-up, as the right hand-side of the pre-amp is mildly obscured by the left speaker, so the signal does not get through. My solution, other than living with the remote, has been to use a logitech remote I had lying around. It works better, but it is not 100% a solution, in part because it is puppy chewed, and a whole controller just for volume feels wrong. Has anyone else use a different remote?

 

[DHT 845]

Has anyone else use a different remote?

Simple learning one for 5 bucks... It has greater strenght than original, but it's not ideal either...

 

[DHT 845]

Has anyone else use a different remote?

I suppose there is an easy way to additionally increase the power of such a remote control. The remote control has an IR diode emitting infrared light, invisible to the eye. However, despite the fact that it is invisible, there is some objective "brightness" of such a diode, which is crucial for the DAC's receiver. Therefore, the power of the diode in the remote control should be increased (current flowing through IR LED), most likely by reducing the series resistor connected to the diode (current limiting resistor). Maybe the remote control will run on batteries for a shorter time, but it will work much better... I'll try it with that cheap learning remote to father improove it's performance. Unless it turns out that the IR LED is connected without a resistor, but as far as I know, LED's are always connected via a resistor...

 

[Kal Rubinson]

You should try an IR extender to intercede between the Topping's IR remote and IR receiver.

 

[glc650]

You should try an IR extender to intercede between the Topping's IR remote and IR receiver.

This is what I (have to) do in order to use a lot of my devices (consistently without issues and not just Topping) with my Harmony Hub and iTach. There are all kinds of wired and wireless IR extenders and blasters you can get too. I use a wireless one to send signals across the room to a couple of IR devices. I use wired extenders with almost all of my other IR devices to ensure commands aren't missed.

 

[DHT 845]

There are 2 resistors on the RC, I am not sure which one is responsible for infrared LED current

 

[DHT 845]

...

 

[zengwendian]

Hey @amirm I'd like to know if the performance of the Topping A90 Discrete for preamp use is the same as the performance of the PRE90's? If I already own the A90 Discrete, would it make sense to buy the PRE90 or not? Also, would the sound quality be different?

 

[Rhamnetin]

Hey @amirm I'd like to know if the performance of the Topping A90 Discrete for preamp use is the same as the performance of the PRE90's? If I already own the A90 Discrete, would it make sense to buy the PRE90 or not? Also, would the sound quality be different?

Although I'm no Amir, the answer is 100% no. In terms of sound quality, the fully transparent Pre90 will sound no different than the fully transparent A90 Discrete serving as a preamp. Although the A90 Discrete's preamp performance wasn't measured in the review here, it should be very similar to the headphone amp performance in terms of SINAD and frequency response.