WolfX700 Measurement of Topping A90 Headphone Amp

[Martin]

One question about the A90. I use a DAC with both a headphone setup and a preamp feeding amplifiers and my speakers. I would prefer not using a switch box and its associated cables or having to move cables depending upon whether I’m using headphones or speakers.

Can the A90 pass through an unaltered signal between its XLR inputs and XLR outputs? I.e., zero gain and no volume control.

Thanks,
Martin

 

[JohnYang1997]

One question about the A90. I use a DAC with both a headphone setup and a preamp feeding amplifiers and my speakers. I would prefer not using a switch box and its associated cables or having to move cables depending upon whether I’m using headphones or speakers.

Can the A90 pass through an unaltered signal between its XLR inputs and XLR outputs? I.e., no volume control.

Thanks,
Martin

Just set volume to max when you use it as pass through.

 

[MRC01]

The performance of AP is certainly limiting that particular test. With extra test equipment like low noise preamp between the amp and AP, I would expect about 106dB of SNR at 50mV.

Wow - this is the best measuring headphone amp I have ever seen, especially at 50 mV. Congrats!
I will keep my eyes peeled for this at Amazon and other locations.

 

[saadi703]

Can this amp supply ample power to Hifiman Susvara headphone with 60ohm impedance and sensitivity of 83db (80.6 / 1mw measured?).

 

[JohnYang1997]

Can this amp supply ample power to Hifiman Susvara headphone with 60ohm impedance and sensitivity of 83db (80.6 / 1mw measured?).

This amp can drive susvara to 120dB.

 

[Martin]

Just set volume to max when you use it as pass through.

Does it add gain to the output or is it acting like a passive preamp?

Thanks,
Martin

 

[Veri]

Does it add gain to the output or is it acting like a passive preamp?

Thanks,
Martin

Gain will be -9 0 +9, so middle gain maxed out will be unity gain. It's not passive but at this performance, it might as well be...
It's probably closest to zero distortion amp, yet.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Does it add gain to the output or is it acting like a passive preamp?

Thanks,
Martin

It will act as a buffer in that scenario. Don't worry it will have less noise and distortion than anything fed into it.

 

[Martin]

Gain will be -9 0 +9, so middle gain maxed out will be unity gain. It's not passive but at this performance, it might as well be...
It's probably closest to zero distortion amp, yet.

It will act as a buffer in that scenario. Don't worry it will have less noise and distortion than anything fed into it.

Alrighty then... Thanks

 

[jae]

@JohnYang1997 Will there be a new 2-in-1 design any time soon? Topping DX9 Pro?

 

[saadi703]

This amp can drive susvara to 120dB.

Wow amazing. So this can drive even the hardest to drive headphones. Thanks so much for the reply. I really appreciate it. How does this amp compare to Monoprice Monolith 887 when it comes down to driving Susvara? Can 887 also drive the susvara to 120db?

 

[rurika]

Well, I think after A90 the next one might be P90 as Mr.JohnYang said in the previous post.

Look at the marketing point of view. Dx90 will not announce until A90 released atleast 3-4 months. The fastest of Dx90 might be Q4 of this year.

All of this just my fantasy opinion so please take it with the grain of salt.

 

[saadi703]

This amp can drive susvara to 120dB.

How to calculate this? Any formula?

 

[mslim]

Massdrop THX 789 is now 299. Price competition is heating up.

 

[Vantavimeow]

is the A50S moving to 4.4mm balanced?

 

[Veri]

is the A50S moving to 4.4mm balanced?

yep

 

[Sean_S]

Will this amp drive 13ohm 92dB/mW well? How much power at .01% THD? Thanks. These are Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed specs. Using my ears only, the Drop THX789 seems to fall apart at more than moderate volume.

 

[Human Bass]

Will this amp drive 13ohm 92dB/mW well? How much power at .01% THD? Thanks. These are Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed specs. Using my ears only, the Drop THX789 seems to fall apart at more than moderate volume.

Easily.

I have the same pair and my humble fiio q5s can run them fine in balanced with half watt, the A90 has close to 12x the power.

 

[Pillars]

Maybe. We have installed large heatsink on the chip for cooling. The first surge of heat will be sinked by the PCB copper area. The mid term heat is sinked by the heatsink which lowers the thermal resistance to ambient hence reduce the rising speed of the die temperature. For the long term, the chassis is not vented so it's not for long term heavy loading.
In all THX based headphone amps, there's no other heatsinking other than using the PCB copper area. It should be enough for regular use but the chip can get hot under heavy load condition like review testings. We better be safe right?

So long as you use TIM between the chips and heatsinks, sure. The Topping DX7s lacked this.

 

[Pillars]

Will this amp drive 13ohm 92dB/mW well? How much power at .01% THD? Thanks. These are Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed specs. Using my ears only, the Drop THX789 seems to fall apart at more than moderate volume.

I'd suspect the headphone would give out much quicker then the 789.