Very sometimes, buying a element is the hardest a part of writing the overview. Usually, that’s not the case. Most instances, one telephone name to the suitable particular person at a producer or distributor will begin a overview in movement, with the element arriving at an agreed-upon time. But with Topping issues haven’t been really easy. Unlike most producers who’re primarily based in nations apart from the United States, Topping has no U.S. distributor. Instead, all Topping merchandise are shipped straight from China through DHL; the corporate has no bodily presence within the U.S. Instead, it depends on Internet retailers similar to Amazon and Apos Audio to deal with U.S. gross sales. So, as an alternative of sending out overview samples, Topping assigns that job to its retailers. And whereas my contact at Apos Audio assured me a number of instances that I used to be “on the listing” to obtain a Topping LA90, after many emails forwards and backwards over greater than a month, I used to be nonetheless no nearer to getting a unit in my arms for overview. That’s what occurs when there are too few overview samples on the market on the earth.
I can depend on one hand the variety of instances I’ve bought a element earlier than I accomplished writing and delivering a overview. The Topping DA90 SE was the primary in a lot of years. I additionally broke down and bought the primary of the 2 Topping LA90s I’ve in my possession. (Why two? Read on.)
It was an impulse buy. I used to be perusing The Music Room’s choices (it’s a web-based retailer which makes a speciality of used and refurbished high-performance audio), and I got here throughout a “like-new” Topping LA90 for $794. Out of curiosity I went to the Apos web site to see what the present new value was. At this level, I used to be stunned when Apos Audio’s price-match AI introduced me with a value of $804 as an alternative of the same old new value of $899. So…I purchased it. Five days later it arrived.
After a few days listening to it in my nearfield system, I contacted Apos Audio to see if Topping provided an business lodging for a second LA90 and its PRE90. They did. But in contrast to corporations that use brick-and-mortar retailers, Topping’s pricing doesn’t enable for the same old 40% or 50% low cost off listing value. They provided a 15% low cost. I took it. A second LA90 and a PRE90 arrived every week later.
The Question of Reviewer Bias
All my readers are human (I hope), and as people all of us have our private biases. As a reviewer I’m effectively conscious of my very own predilections. In the introductory video I did just lately for The Absolute Sound’s YouTube channel, I enumerated a number of of them. Another bias I have to acknowledge is that I’ve a distinct stage of attachment to and affection for elements I personal versus ones which were loaned for overview. It’s the primordial mine versus not-mine, I suppose…and since I do know myself effectively sufficient to acknowledge my inclination, I counter it by being much more important of elements I personal than of ones which might be loaned for overview. Does that stage the enjoying discipline? Maybe, however be forewarned that I’ll take some additional area to notice all the LA90’s potential shortcomings.
Tech Tour
The Topping LA90 amplifier ranks as distinctive for a number of causes. The first motive it’s particular is that in contrast to most new energy amplifier designs from China and elsewhere, the LA90 is an Old School Class AB linear amp as an alternative of a Class D or different digital variation thereof. Given its extraordinary specs, I inquired concerning the nature of the design by way of suggestions. The response from Topping’s design staff (routed by way of Apos Audio) was that “the suggestions construction is just like [that of] our headphone amplifiers. The S/N determine is obtained by way of cautious designs of energy provide, resistor selections, and different fundamentals of design goodness.” Well, okay, then…
The LA90 has extra changes than your run-of-the-mill energy amplifier. You can change the achieve from 9.5dB to 19.5dB through a change on the again of the amplifier. This change places a resistor in entrance of the primary amplifier stage. Why would you need to decrease the achieve? Depending in your preamplifier’s achieve, you might discover that the decrease achieve places the preamplifier’s output right into a extra linear area.
Even 19.5dB of achieve is on the low facet for an influence amplifier. Most are likely to hover round 26dB, and a few just like the Clones Audio 25P ship 30dB of achieve. When you couple the achieve with the ability output, which relying on whose numbers you employ sits between 50 and 60 watts per channel in stereo into 8 ohms, you’ve got what most would contemplate a lower-power amplifier, particularly when in comparison with the ability amplifier choices from Krell or Boulder.
One solution to get the LA90 as much as a extra respectable energy output is to transform it from a stereo amplifier right into a mono amplifier; each channels might be bridged collectively to make an amplifier able to 180 watts into 8 ohms, in keeping with producer’s specs. Now you’ve got two mono energy amplifiers able to driving most medium-sensitivity loudspeakers efficiently.
Inexpensive elements (something underneath $1000) normally come within the equal of a plain brown wrapper—an oblong black or silver-metal mission field. The LA90 avoids that pitfall. Its chassis is made of 5 separate CNC-machined aluminum sections (they don’t name it billet aluminum regardless that, like billet, it’s machined reasonably than forged), designed to permit for max thermal circulation, in order that as an alternative of a fan or stable high-mass heatsinks, the LA90 makes use of slotted warmth fins that enable for air circulation in a manner that stable heatsinks can’t.
Topping may be very a lot a “numbers store,” by which I imply it prides itself on the excellent specs its merchandise ship. Even its least costly DAC has numbers any high-end producer would envy. The LA90 boasts a complete harmonic distortion and noise (THD+N) of 0.00008% at 20 watts into 4 ohms. Count these zeros…that’s greater than fairly good. Between its THD+N and revealed sign to noise (S/N) of 143dB in mono mode, you’ve got an amplifier that ranks up with the easiest energy amplifier specs, such because the Benchmark ABH-2.
Setup and Ergonomics
As I famous within the technical tour, the LA90 can be utilized a number of alternative ways. I’ve tried all of them. First, I put in the LA90 in my nearfield pc desktop system as an built-in amplifier, with the amount management each out and in of the circuit. Used as a stereo amplifier the LA90 had no hassle efficiently driving Audience 1+1 and Falcon LS 3/5A loudspeakers in my reference nearfield system. With extra power-hungry transducers, such because the ATC SC-7 II, the LA90’s 50 watts had been barely lower than what was wanted. But when two LA90 amplifiers had been used on the ATCs in a nearfield setup, there was sufficient present to energy the SC-7 IIs properly.
When used inside arm’s attain as a desktop built-in amplifier, the LA90’s lack of a distant management gained’t be an excessive amount of of an inconvenience. But if you wish to use the LA90 as an built-in amplifier in a room-based system, the absence of a distant may offer you some further train. (When used as a primary energy amplifier with the amount disabled, the distant was, clearly, not a problem.)
When it comes time to change the LA90 from stereo to monoblock, along with shifting a change you need to connect a jumper cable between one pair of the amplifier’s speaker outputs. The provided cable matches tightly, which is nice, however its inflexible strain-relief collars must be rigorously angled in order that the cable doesn’t both stick up in a manner that partially blocks different cables or all the way down to contact the shelf floor underneath the amplifier.
Another ergonomic quirk: The LA90 amplifiers in mono mode can get sizzling and are higher off positioned with as a lot area as attainable round them. That’s as a result of they depend on thermal cooling programs to direct air laterally by way of their chassis. If you need to put them facet by facet, I counsel leaving open area round them and elevating them on footers to permit airflow underneath the amplifiers to scale back inner temperatures.
The exterior energy provide for the LA90 is nearly as heavy because the LA90 itself. It’s a beefy 64 volts and 4 amps. It additionally will get heat throughout operation. Its AC energy cable employs a easy two-prong/figure-8 connection. And whereas you may get some beefy AC cables with that termination, they aren’t as frequent as the same old IEC type. I used the inventory AC cords, which had been lengthy sufficient to maintain the ability provide away from some other cables and in a well-ventilated spot. I do know that for some of us the concept of an exterior PS reasonably than an inner one is “cheaping out,” however given the LA90’s thermal design I can’t assist however really feel that placing the ability provide in a bigger chassis with the remainder of the amplifier would have merely elevated the worth and decreased the amplifier’s efficiency.
I take advantage of balanced cables at any time when attainable, so I had no points with the LA90’s all-balanced enter configuration. But in case you have already invested in some high-quality single-ended RCA cables, you might have to get some RCA-to-XLR or RCA-to-TRS adapters to interface with the LA90.
Even when the amp is in bridged mono mode, you may, if you want, have the amount management within the circuit. While it’s comparatively unusual to see a quantity management on most energy amplifiers bought within the U.S., my expertise with Ali Express-sourced energy amplifiers is that together with a quantity management (normally an Alps Blue Velvet) on a primary energy amplifier is frequent in China. If you propose to run an over/underneath amplifier setup with one LA90 amp set in mono on every tweeter and a much bigger stereo or mono energy amplifier on the midrange/woofers (in a two-way system with separate speaker connections for the tweeter and midrange/woofer), with the ability to regulate the LA90’s output would make it simple to stability the degrees between radically completely different gain-level amplifiers, if wanted.
Sound
My present energy amplifier choices embrace a number of Class A Hood-based designs, a Pass 150.8 class A/B, Texas Instrument chip amps from LSA and Clones Audio, in addition to a number of different Class D amps utilizing Sanyo chips or ICE modules, however nothing in my assortment sounds fairly just like the Topping LA90. It is solely probably the most sonically invisible energy amplifier I’ve heard and comes closest to the best of a straight wire with achieve.
Even with my most delicate loudspeakers, a pair of 93dB Omega single-driver prototypes, the Topping’s base noise stage is so imperceptible that even with my ears almost imbedded within the driver I hear no sound in anyway, with no distinction between the sound of the amplifier when turned on or off. Nothing. You’re most likely considering: “Big woo! I can get the identical end result with my XXXX amp and my XXX audio system.” But, belief me, it’s not the identical. The LA90 disappears extra fully than any amplifier I’ve ever heard earlier than. By disappearing, I imply that it seems that there may be much less of a way of “amplifier” affecting the sound. Instead, the music is introduced in a manner that seems like a extra direct connection between the supply and my ears.
I’ve a quiet listening room. It measures solely 35dB on my sound-pressure meter in A-weighted mode. In the previous I’ve rejected some very high-quality gear as a result of it was merely not quiet sufficient for my room. The LA90, even in high-gain mode (which was the way it was used, besides when put in in a nearfield setup), added completely no further noise, and when coupled to the Schiit Freya S in passive mode, I may flip up the amount controls to most and nonetheless hear completely nothing by way of the Spatial X-2 loudspeakers (86dB sensitivity) even with my ear an inch away from the tweeter. If it wasn’t for the LA90’s front-panel LED, I wouldn’t have identified it was turned on!
Ranking probably the most spectacular facets to the LA90’s sound, the primary must be the extra ease in listening. The lack of low-level noise imbues your entire soundstage with a quieter background than I’m accustomed to listening to, even with quiet amplifiers just like the Pass 150.8, which solely produce the slightest hiss (you want to put your ear extraordinarily near the tweeter to listen to it). There had been a number of heretofore-undecipherable throwaway strains within the background of some Billie Eilish’s singles that I hearken to commonly. Through the LA90 I may make out phrases that even by way of headphones had beforehand been a blur. Was I stunned? You wager.
The second most spectacular sonic attribute was the LA90’s readability all through its frequency vary. Even within the decrease midrange and higher bass, which normally have probably the most points with homogenization, sluggishness, and murkiness, by way of the LA90 these frequencies had a stage of element and lack of constriction that made music refreshingly simple to listen to and decipher.
In his current overview of the Pear Blue Audio Odar turntable, Robert Greene writes: “As it occurs, that is true about audio usually. Low-distortion electronics additionally sound non-aggressive inside a given bandwidth.” I agree. While nonetheless lightning quick, the LA90’s higher frequencies don’t get arduous or brittle even throughout dynamic peaks. I observed this clearly alone dwell recordings. The violins and brass throughout fff passages of my recording of Mahler’s Third Symphony from Mahlerfest 2013 (co-recorded with Jerry Bruck of Posthorn Recordings) remained musical even throughout massed dynamic peaks. Flutes and piccolos had been candy reasonably than piercing.
This Mahler recording additionally demonstrated the extraordinarily correct picture placement throughout the soundstage. Not solely was lateral placement exact, however the layering of devices, with the brass barely increased (they had been on risers) and farther again on the stage, was simple to listen to. The LA90 does the 3D factor (on recordings that comprise the spatial data) in addition to any solid-state Class AB amplifier I’ve heard.
Vocals by way of the LA90 have a outstanding readability coupled with pure heat. The Punch Brothers’ newest launch Hell on Church Street has a tune referred to as “Orphan Annie.” After an acoustic bass introduction that captures the essence of acoustic bass tonality, Chris Thile’s vocals start. Through the LA90/Spatial X-2/JL Audio Fathom f112 system, the sound of his voice had an arrestingly sensible character. I’ve been round Chris at workshops and jams, so I do know what his voice feels like; this recording, by way of this technique, had a stage of veracity that would, in J. Gordon Holt’s phrases, “produce goosebumps.” Also, should you hear in a quiet room, you may even hear the rustling of clothes because the musicians transfer across the microphone.
Although I take advantage of a pair of JL Audio f112 subwoofers with the Spatial X-2 loudspeakers, I’ve the system arrange in order that the Spatial X-2s obtain a full-range sign with none crossover truncating their low frequencies. Turning off the JL subs let me hear how the LA90 was supporting the bass. Again, I used to be struck by the readability, particularly within the midbass area, the place the low ranges of synthesizers mixed with guitars and keyboards compete and battle on many pop releases. On Finneas’ “Partners in Crime” from Blood Harmony, the fluttery synth half had a stage of texture and internal element that was simple to luxuriate in.
I like Finneas. On his Optimist album, “the 90s” just isn’t solely an excellent music, but in addition a torture check of how effectively a system can reproduce the sound of distortion. At 2:10, what sounds nearly like a sawtooth waveform on the synthesizer begins. Distortion as percussion. As the distortion builds, on some programs the sound will get more and more foggy and imprecise. Through the LA90 the distortion sounds clear. What? Even as Finneas provides further layers of distortion, every layer retains its personal id as an alternative of merging right into a miasmic complete. At 2:53, the distortion halts abruptly, and Finneas solo voice begins, bringing a soothing feeling of calm to the combo.
Competition
Yes, I understand that selecting an influence amplifier isn’t the identical as a horse race. Or is it? At a sure level it does come all the way down to: “What can I get for a way a lot?” For the worth of 1 LA90 you may get one Schiit Audio Vidar ($799), which can be a Class AB solid-state amplifier that may be bridged for mono. It has double the ability of the LA90 at 100 watts into 8 ohms, however not fairly nearly as good SNR determine at 115dB down. If you need to eat extra power, have much less energy, worse specs, however get that Class A sonic character, Schiit additionally provides the Aegir ($899), which is a Class A model of the Vidar.
If we take a look at what’s within the value vary of two LA90s ($1798), the competitors will increase. The LSA Warp One amplifier I reviewed in Issue 331 lists for $1495. It has fully completely different topology, being a Texas Instrument switching energy amplifier, nevertheless it shares the LA90’s variable-gain function, providing 4 completely different achieve choices through DIP switches. The Warp One additionally provides each single-ended RCA and balanced XLR inputs. In phrases of sonic variations, each are exceedingly clear and detailed, however compared the LA90 delivers a barely hotter higher bass and decrease midrange with some loudspeakers, such because the Falcon LS35/A. Both amps had wonderful low-level element and total readability, to the purpose the place the winner in a sonic shoot-out would rely extra on how a selected loudspeaker interacted with every amplifier reasonably than variations in intrinsic sonic character.
Although in a very completely different value class from the LA90, the Pass 150.8 ($7500), has been my major reference amplifier driving the Spatial X-2 loudspeakers. When I first connected two LA90s, I questioned whether or not the mixture could be in the identical league in total sonic high quality with the Pass Labs amplifier. While the 2 amplifiers had related ranges of element and soundstage capabilities, the Pass had extra grunt and a higher sense of energy in reserve.
Although I not have it to match on to the LA90, the Benchmark ABH-2 ($2999) shared some sonic similarities with the LA90. The ABH-2 was equally quiet and equally good at putting devices precisely within the soundstage’s lateral aircraft, however I don’t suppose the ABH-2 had the identical stage of depth recreation or fairly the identical stage of low-level decision. Through the LA90 I felt listening into the combo was simply simpler and my engagement stage deeper.
Summary
More instances than even I can keep in mind, I’ve learn audio element evaluations which conclude with “I purchased it!” This is normally the ultimate coup in most evaluations, displaying that the product was so good even the reviewer couldn’t resist it (at a 40% to 50% low cost). That’s not going to occur right here. This kind of “huge reveal” has already had its balloon popped within the third paragraph.
For most of my energy amplifier wants, one or two LA90s have been nearly supreme. Obviously, I do plan to maintain the pair of LA90 energy amplifiers I already personal, and maybe, as time passes they usually develop into extra accessible on the secondary market, I’d even decide up one other one or two, simply because….
If you’ve got mid- to high-efficiency loudspeakers that you simply love, you might discover the LA90 to be a really perfect energy or built-in amplifier to your system, too. I can simply see a single LA90 because the “summer time amp” in high-efficiency horn programs. I’d not advocate that homeowners of 2-ohm Apogee Scintillas or Theil CS3.5s, or in case you have a big room with solely reasonably environment friendly audio system, run out and purchase a pair. Some loudspeakers merely want extra energy than even two LA90s may give.
But until you’ve got a good friend who has already bought an LA90, your probabilities of listening to one or making an attempt one out before you purchase are just about nil. If you might be intrigued by the LA90’s potential, you’re going to must take a leap of religion (with a 45-day return window from Apos or 30-day from Amazon) and purchase earlier than you strive, similar to I did. So, whereas I’d normally end a overview by recommending you hear a product for your self, that’s going to be troublesome with the LA90. However, should you’re feeling fortunate (just like the signature dialog from the movie The Mask), I encourage you to take a leap of religion and provides the LA90 a strive. I significantly doubt you may be disenchanted by its capabilities or efficiency.
Specs & Pricing
Type: Solid-state Class AB amplifier
Output energy: 50Wpc into 8 ohms stereo, 180W into 8 ohms mono
Inputs: Three XLR/TRA inputs
Output impedance: <3 ohms
Dimensions: 20.5 x 22 x 9cm
Weight: 2.7 kg
Price: $899
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