Topping Pre900

[staticV3]

All dempers/feets do have a different way of working i.e. design, and therefor a different outcome. Most of the time "standard" feets are not offering the highest result and can easily be replaced by more sophisticated ones. But for yourself you must find out (within your budget) what is working for you.
Personally I use these dempers: https://isoacoustics.nl/producten/orea-serie.

Again: what are they supposed to dampen? There are no moving parts.

 

[Thighsofsteel]

So, the Topping engineering team can be dismanteld now they reached the end of human hearing?

In many ways…yes. Certainly making pre amps and DACs, maybe more time on tightening up there software/firmware.
They could do with a power Purifi Power amp.
But you have produced no data that your ridiculous feet do anything other than reduce your wallet.

 

[Thighsofsteel]

Voetjes zijn ontworpen om storende trillingen te elimineren en te zorgen voor meer helderheid en focus in het geluid.

Then present evidence they actually work, rather than quoting marketing information. Please post in English.

 

[z624391]

To end this endless conversation I see myself (in your terms) as a believer and just listen. The non-believers just read and interpret the specs and hear what the specs are telling.
Both is fine with me aslong we are enjoying the music.

 

[Thighsofsteel]

To end this endless conversation I see myself (in your terms) as a believer and just listen. The non-believers just read and interpret the specs and hear what the specs are telling.
Both is fine with me aslong we are enjoying the music.

That is fine, but why did you join a group that expect evidence for any claim about hearing improvements in any hardware, never mind totally transparent hardware.

 

[z624391]

That is fine, but why did you join a group that expect evidence for any claim about hearing improvements in any hardware, never mind totally transparent hardware.

In which way is evidence provided in this group?
Next week I expect to receive the Pre900 and will shortly afterwards experience the sound of the device. I will not measure anything, just listen to some personal reference recordings and hopefully Topping make me happy again.

 

[staticV3]

In which way is evidence provided in this group?

When doing a listening test between two devices, outline how you matched levels and how large the residual difference was in dB.

No, a microphone or SPL meter/App does not suffice. A basic multimeter will though, and those are cheap.

Tell us how long the dead time was between switching and how you ensured double blind conditions.

Lastly, some sort of protocol where you keep track of each trial and if you were able to correctly identify the playing device in that trial.

You want at least 10 trials for statistical significance. More are better.

And the more you document your process with pictures or clips, the better.

 

[yinkus]

I found a new pre900 at a very good price and just had to bite, I need something to sit between my Gustard and Poweramp, with trigger out, good remote. I had to return my pre90, not sure i noticed any sound difference. not that I expected any.

 

[RETSELDRIB]

I found a new pre900 at a very good price and just had to bite, I need something to sit between my Gustard and Poweramp, with trigger out, good remote. I had to return my pre90, not sure i noticed any sound difference. not that I expected any.

Please keep us updated.

I have the Pre90 which replaced the superb Benchmark DAC2 HGC. I use(d) the pre-amp(s) mainly for turntable/ phonostage connectivity.

 

[ROY_H]

Ohhh!!! That looks...

I'm very happy with my PRE90 and EXT90 but.......thank goodness it's only in silver but what if they bring it out in black ?

 

[RETSELDRIB]

I have looked into this a little more and now realise that rca inputs (from my phonostage) into the PRE90 are then converted into true balanced signals and of course output in true balanced form into my balanced 3 way crossover into my three balanced power amps.

I can run RCA to XLR cables into the PRE900 but the signal will remain unbalanced and therefore will negate some of the advantages of the PRE900 such as improved channel separation, a hotter signal into my amps, and of course potential noise/ hum. While I aslo use a Topping D90LE DAC, my turntable use is at least 50% of my listening time. In short, moving vover to the PRE900 will be a sideways move analogue wise. I wonder if the eventual black case version will incorporate RCA inputs?

 

[ROY_H]

I have looked into this a little more and now realise that rca inputs (from my phonostage) into the PRE90 are then converted into true balanced signals and of course output in true balanced form into my balanced 3 way crossover into my three balanced power amps.

I can run RCA to XLR cables into the PRE900 but the signal will remain unbalanced and therefore will negate some of the advantages of the PRE900 such as improved channel separation, a hotter signal into my amps, and of course potential noise/ hum. While I aslo use a Topping D90LE DAC, my turntable use is at least 50% of my listening time. In short, moving vover to the PRE900 will be a sideways move analogue wise. I wonder if the eventual black case version will incorporate RCA inputs?

Are you using a Moving Coil cartridge for your phono ? If so, these are naturally balanced output so moving to balanced is the way to go !

 

[RETSELDRIB]

Are you using a Moving Coil cartridge for your phono ? If so, these are naturally balanced output so moving to balanced is the way to go !

I am using a Linn Krystal MC cartridge (LP12 Selelekt spec turntable) which have two RCA output tonearm cables which go into RCA inputs on the SPL Phonos (my phonostage) with RCA outputs into my pre90.

Even if the MC is naturally balanced then surely the RCA cables will deliver an unbalanced signal???

 

[ROY_H]

Yes they do, my point was if you have balanced inputs available on your phono preamp, why not feed a native balanced signal from your cartridge

 

[RETSELDRIB]

Yes they do, my point was if you have balanced inputs available on your phono preamp, why not feed a native balanced signal from your cartridge

ah ... I only have the SPL PHonos with RCA inputs/ outputs and not the SPL Phonos Duo version with XLR inputs. outputs

 

[ROY_H]

ah ... I only have the SPL PHonos with RCA inputs/ outputs and not the SPL Phonos Duo version with XLR inputs. outputs

Ah...OK, shame. Maybe worth thinking in the future ? Enjoy

 

[JohnnyNG]

I have looked into this a little more and now realise that rca inputs (from my phonostage) into the PRE90 are then converted into true balanced signals and of course output in true balanced form into my balanced 3 way crossover into my three balanced power amps.

I can run RCA to XLR cables into the PRE900 but the signal will remain unbalanced and therefore will negate some of the advantages of the PRE900 such as improved channel separation, a hotter signal into my amps, and of course potential noise/ hum. While I aslo use a Topping D90LE DAC, my turntable use is at least 50% of my listening time. In short, moving vover to the PRE900 will be a sideways move analogue wise.

I also use a phono stage into my Pre90 RCA and output balanced (to an active balanced setup) so that conversion is one of the things I value. Such a killer preamp.

 

[RetroStereo]

I also use a phono stage into my Pre90 RCA and output balanced (to an active balanced setup) so that conversion is one of the things I value. Such a killer preamp.

I'm using the A90D & Ext90 as a combination headphone preamp in conjunction with my Apt Holman preamp (which has its own headphone amp). I have the A90D's RCA I/O connected to the Apt's external processor loop. My D90 III discrete is connected to the A90D's balanced input. Two of the three balanced inputs on the Ext90 are for my MM Pro Mk2 phono preamp and my Revox PR99.

It's a best of both worlds: all sources (2nd TT, FM tuner & cassette deck) on the Apt are available on the Topping and vice versa. And because of the way the EPL is implemented on the Apt, there is no possibility shorting or feedback.

 

[egellings]

Supposed to drop tomorrow.

TOPPING

TOPPING Pre900 preamplifier is coming soon! ● Full-path balanced architecture Built around a four-channel reference-grade amplifier circuit, Pre900 is not only fully balanced, but fully differential...

www.facebook.com

Looking forward to one to go with my AHB2.

Careful with that; the 69Vpp that can come from that preamp could clobber the AHB2's input section, unless AHB2 has protection against that built in. To be on the safe side, I'd make a device with 2 or 3 Si diodes in series--two strings of 3 series connected diodes in parallel and in opposite directions to clamp the preamp's output level, just in case of an oops! Maybe have a little bit of current limiting resistor, say, 100 ohms in series with the diode setup. Place the diodes across the input terminals the preamp by making an interconnect cable or little adaptor box with the diodes built in. The diodes will not affect the sound since they are nonconducting during any normal music playing. I had one of these 'oops' accidents myself, and I could not hear or measure any ill effect of the diodes on the sound quality after I got things going again.