Topping LA90 Discrete bit.ly/3oKCZGg Aiyima A07 Pro amzn.to/3LoadV0 Fosi Audio BT20A Pro amzn.to/3He2JRR Intro graphics by johnvilardi.com Support the Channel by Shopping on Amazon amzn.to/3W8vsgK Cheap Audio Man Store Front shop.howl.me/cam Join the best hifi community out there! patreon.com/cheapaudioman TRY ROON roonlabs.com/r/RTmYWdCP9kitqouBa5pcIw Tidal Deal bit.ly/3siuqSF Amazon Unlimited Music Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9 Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt Best Buy Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH amzn.to/3GkNaop CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5
I left the 5-star review on Amazon. I took a gamble based on the glowing reviews of the LA90. The way I see it, this amp (and the non-discrete model which is now disco) in one fell swoop push the performance envelope by 10db AND cut the price of top dog by 2/3, into the range of "mid-fi" stuff hawked for similar money at Best Buy. Sure, it may blow up in a few years, but I'm prepared to take that risk based on this math. What I'm most blown away by is the staging... Even with very modest Gallo CL-2s, everyone who's listened so-far has shut their eyes. You simply can't help it.
Audio Science Review has glowing reviews of this amp, in both versions. In fact it pretty much tops all the amps they have measured so far, and they have measured many. As far as measurements are concerned, this amp is pretty much flawless, so no wonder it sounds this good.
One of the biggest sellers to me buying my Arcam Amp is not only the great sound, but also Quality control and a 5 year warranty.... For el cheapo stuff, support doesn't matter much but If i'm spending over $500 dollars, Warranty and support comes into play. I'm not wasting my money on sketchy Chi fi.
Smart man. Thats why stuf from the 60s and 70s is so sturdy and great; people bought quality once and held on to it for years. Now, we buy 20 pre amps in 5 years and none of them work anymore after 10.
@@roybrolsbeak Technology was not moving as fast back in those days and people were not making things in anticipation of them being outdated within a year or two. That was also their monopoly on the market. Also most of these Chinese manufacturers are very young comparatively and have already caught up with companies that have been going for 50 years plus….we were warned about advances in technology and a huge growth in knowledge a very longtime ago and sadly people laughed and didn’t believe…it’s happening though. Also who really has the room for super-systems with speaker built like coffins and cables as thick as a baby’s arm? All that to get the best sound is just something that is only a reality for the extremely rich and again are they happy there…I doubt it…otherwise why didn’t they stick with the gramophone?
@@roybrolsbeak I am not sure that a receiver or old skool amp from that era would last much longer today with everyday use unless you had it recapped etc…so would that be worth it…again it probably just comes down to sentiment and or nostalgia really not necessarily quality.
@@Panslapper everyone can do what they want, but technology isnt moving that much faster. Its just that with the internet and all the hype marketing is at its finest. People believe everything that gets hyped up. Doesnt mean that when a lot of products come out that they are all that much better than the last one. Also i believe people back in the day were just easily satisfied with something good. We are all chasing perfection, that fomo hitting hard. Just buy once cry once and enjoy real life stuff instead of shopping all day. Ok i rest my case.
@@roybrolsbeak I think waiting is key. It’s easier these days to be more impulsive as we have a lot more sensory information almost everywhere we look these days. Let’s face it money is everything to most and if we can save it and get better for it then that is a common goal. It’s easier to sell these days too so turnover speed has vastly increased over the last decade or two. This all comes into effect and much of against your philosophy of buy once, cry once but still I am quite settled on my Denon amp and have always found Denon very easy to settle on especially my PMA600NE but in a honesty I shook that up this week with this BRZHIFI 3255XLR. I sort of wanted my Aiyima A07 to do that but it just didn’t due to the chassis size. The sound quality on the BRZHIFI is excellent, especially with the Muses8820d op amp which in turn can be bettered again with the Muses 01 which I have a hunch may beat the Denons famous low end whilst delivering better instrument separation and detail for half the price. In regards to longevity I would give any amp a 5 year lifespan regardless of make before caps need checking. Most caps have a 1000 to 2000 hour lifespan, the latter being in more high end stuff so really a 5 year refresh is fairly sensible if you want to maintain a fresh sound in theory at least as I have never owned an single amp longer than 5 years and don’t think I would really want to unless I was willing to get it serviced but again by that time in the world of tech 5 years is almost an entire lifetime.
C'mon Randy it not just the wattage in numbers but the current capability of an AMP and this AMP could be one among them for its outstanding performance. RCA could be better, but not necessary as one who owns this amp should have an XLR capable source as well. And to add, I never had a problem with topping till date. Topping is the Topper when it comes to Chi-Fi Brands. Peace All..
That was a great reverse heel turn you did about 3/4 of the way through. I kinda don’t like it. It doesn’t have much power. There have been quality issues with some products. THIS THING SOUNDS FANTASTIC! Well done!
The power connector is used a lot in pro audio studio equipment, it's a great connector to use when you don't want the device to loose power (for example if some one tugged on a cable)
Appreciate your review. I Was an early (nearly immediate) adopter of the A90 + D90 MQA + all balanced XLR... went through not 1, not 2, but 3 failed A90 amps. One channel would die/buzz... Dealing with Apos for returns was nightmarish. Perhaps the worst customer service I've experienced. (Other than trying to cancel SiriusXM.) Finally abandoned the A90 and bought a SingXer SA-1 that has worked without issue. I know some reviewers love the LA90 so I appreciated your take. Thanks!
Wow, great intro video part picking up the pieces! Rough and rattling and still making serious fun out of what you see for the grim future. Very profound!
Thank you for this informative review. This amp has very a positive rating from many others and I was in my FOMO mode until this review. I will now probably hold off acquiring this piece of equipment. I'm glad you appear to be recovered. Stay well and all the best.
After many combinations I own this chain: tidal hifi to wiim mini streamer to topping e50 dac to aiyima a07 Amp to klipsch rb81 ii. Absolutely incredible sound. The little A07 is AMAZING.
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I run Tidal HiFi on My moto g1 to a Nobsound Q3 DAC, then amplify thru a Fosi TB10d and moving two Jamo S801. Poormans HIFI! Outstanding to My ears.
Good combination! Maybe try a pair of Muses 8820d op amps from an official seller in the A07…and will be an further improvement for little outlay if you are using the original op amps that came with the A07.
@@Panslapper yeah but those original Texas inst. OP-amps are good, more than people believe. It's not some cheap bad components. The sound is so well balanced, so punchy, never harsh as my e50 used to sound, vocals are gorgeous. I listen to music now. PS soon I'll go bi-amp with a a07-pro just to see what happens!
@@xetstex I agree that the A07 out of the box does sound good but the Muses 8820d makes it sound better. It’s not an expensive op amp either and it’s the 4th in line with the 01,02,03 being their flagship op amps. I am very impressed with it myself and intend to put a couple into my A07 soon.
I have similar, WiiM mini to Schiit Modi 3, to Ayima 07 to Klipsch RP600M. I took my Audiolab power amp out of the chain to try the Ayima and it’s been there ever since. It’s really that good. Another thing I like is you can keep the Ayima running all day with almost no heat or power usage.
Great review! I have just received mine. So far I have not been disappointed. Love how it sounded. Tempted to get a second one even though so far the power is sufficient at high gain for my speakers. Many thanks!
You're right about the topping products actong up. I've owned the Topping TP-60 for a good five years now and likes to act up at times. Likes to give the good ol' blue flashing light for no reason. Other than that it's my longest running amplifier. And sounds killer when it wants to work. My reference system is Emotiva stealth DAC, Emotiva basx 2 channel power amp and Emotiva phone pre. Love the channel. Keep up the killer work.
The things you see as negatives like the captive power connector and the XLR/TRS combo jacks I find to be very useful. In this price range, a lot of your associated components are going to have those balanced interconnects anyway. Would you be happy if it only had RCA's?
For a company that has "traditionally" been focused on good measurements - quoting the power rating at 10% distortion - is weird. Like the original LA90 was based on a similar/identical output chip to the AkitikA GT-102 Z4 that you reviewed, I hope you can review the discrete GT-104. It is phenomenal sounding!
I'm using a Pre90 preamp with an LA90 Discrete (poormans benchmark like setup) with amazing results. Super transparent and clean sound. High sensitivity Triangle BR03 speakers help with the low output of the amp.
Could you please try to match your volume level to the volume of the ads? After setting a comfortable volume, I (and others, surely) then get BLASTED by the ads. And it's always a surprise, because you never know when they will appear. Not pleasant. I'd even call it offputting.
You are right Randy.. balanced is not exactly required for quality, low noise performance. An unbalanced input, if designed properly, can be happily just as quiet. So many audio products are under designed with insufficient features, and costly without them, and they always have excuses as to why they didn’t add the extra features. I can guarantee you that a “premium” is charged due to implementing a discrete design with longer bill of materials..
anyone who has worked in a studio will recognize the way topping is set up the back of this amp. it's strange to do this on a consumer product. for those who aren't familiar with this and are curious: studios are set up with trs balanced cabling. this allows for long cable runs with minimal bleed through distortion. if you use a power brick it is usually equipped with a locking connector to prevent it from being accidentally unplugged. something like this amp would be left on 24x7 and hidden somewhere out of reach studios have racks full of equipment that are often shared between rooms or rolled around on carts. you plug a trs (old style 3 pin headphone connector) plug into the rack to add it to that room's setup. if you need to use a piece of consumer gear with rca connectors, you buy a unbalanced to balanced convertor box. i used to use aphex 124a's in my studio.
I'm shooting out the LA90 Discrete with the Fosi ZA3. The LA90 Discrete is more transparent, but almost too flat and not as fun. I was listening to Nora Jones, Metallica, and a Ravel M.61 played by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Each time, I preferred the Fosi. It was more musical and more engaging, to my ears, albeit with a smaller sound stage and not quite as good imaging. More oomph and dynamism with the Fosi, quite to my surprise. My chain is PC to Prism Titan DAC to power amp to Klipsch RP600M II speakers. I welcome similar/alternative opinions in reply.
I'm really leaning into this amp. In fact I'd like two. I'd also like the DAC Preamp with the ESS Pro chip x 2 to round it all off. AUD$3600 for the three, with the hope that it'll be my last big purchase. I'm 76 so it probably will be. I've read many of the reviews and this combo seems a good way to go rather than an integrated at the same price point. Now, where is the Mrs, I need to tell her the bad news.... We just shouted ourselves a pair of Focal Kanto 2's, so I'm hoping the above combo will easily improve on the SMSL AO200 amp currently in service... I like your vibe Randy, terse sometimes but always to the point...
$800 ??! There are so many other name brand amps/integrated amps (that are in this price range) that I would consider before I thought about buying this thing...
I'm biased I bought the Sabaj A30a and I think its better value all ends up, just the amp side is top notch . The topping is incredibly clean but in ever diminishing values it's going to be a tough sell compared to other affordable units .
I got the Sabaj A30a as well and I don't have anything of comparable price to compare it to, but it does a great job of bluetooth streaming and amplifying, and with no need for a DAC. For an affordable all in one unit, it's fantastic. Makes a great base for a second system/office system on a budget if someone already has a higher end 2 channel setup in another room.
Extreme low THD usually means massive feedback loops. Good steady state testing but not good for sound! 60VDC, 4A? 60x4=240W max consumption from the PS for both channels and all other circuits. If you could deliver that full 4Amps to a single 8 ohm load (I^2R=P) you get a max of 128W. Now add the 2nd channel and all other circuitry.
*sigh* I've been with you a long time. And it's always enjoyed your content. But I don't understand how the cheap audio man and a $900 paperweight can even be talked about in the same video. It just doesn't make any sense to me and I noticed that you have strayed in this direction as opposed to a couple years ago.
Apos has support...eventually. Took like a month and a half for them to agree to replace a defective amp and that includes two weeks where they just ignored my emails.
Randy, the production quality of your videos are seriously awesome! However, I do really enjoy going back to watch the older ones. Great video! Thank you! I'd love to see you review the Mission 778x Integrated Amplifier. Maybe Mofi can send you one? I think this one killer!
@@cheapaudioman ESS9018 dac in the Mission but no idea how it sounds as still very little online about it. Andrew Robinson said it was very good but won’t review for some reason.
No RCA inputs? Really all I needed to hear. Limited connectivity, limited sale. Especially when the design of a component is engineered to require the purchase something else from the same manufacturer if you want something as simple as to connect a component of your choosing. Plus it's got limited "juice".
A few months back I was looking to upgrade my computer/desktop system. I started out with ifi. I would not recommend ifi to Osama Binlauden. I heard about Topping and became very interested. I'm glad I kept the daddy war bucks in the bank. Then I discovered Cheapaudioman and 2 other hifi reviewers on youtube. I value their opinions, so much so that I have narrowed my search to brands. And the best part they are made in the U.S.A.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with criticizing a product when it’s priced the way it is, especially when there’s not a big jump in quality from things that cost much much less. *Also if you’re gonna spend this kind of money on something, you might as well spend it on an American product.
@@joanfrederick9176 Honored to Have Served, Being Hearing Impared with Tinnitus and Service Connected I seek the Best Audio Equipment Affordable to be able to Enjoy My Music - Gotta Love The Cheap Audio Man's suggestions on many Items
Those threaded power cord connections are great except if there are vibrations, not a problem for an amp but i have a 2 wire generator switch connection with the threaded type connection, the nut at the back of the fitting vibrates undone !
I really appreciate the nice shots of the product! Normally you swing them around your head like a spazzy orangutan for the whole video and I have to try in vain to pause to have a look at an out of focus image😂. Keep up the good work, I love this channel.
Here's the reason that there are no RCA connectors. In order to bridge a stereo amp, you need to feed it a balanced signal. Balanced and single ended operation is not compatible. Its both or nothing. Either you have to figure out a way to make your single ended component balanced, or your balanced component single ended, before they can work together. I'm simplifying a bit here because there are different ways a component can be balanced, and there are some design choices that can be made under each different method. Someone is going to say, you can use an adaptor, because I've used them in the past and it worked for me, so it will work for everyone. Using an adaptor will force the signal to be single ended, and most adaptors connect the number 2 pin to ground. The second you plug that adapter into a balanced component you create a short circuit. You'll definitely hear a loud noise, and you have the potential to damage your equipment. I should also point out how balanced and SE connectors are labeled in reference materials. Its something the industry needs to change because its very misleading. A 2 conductor, single ended connector is labeled positive (+) and negative (-). And we all know what means. Hot (signal) and cold (ground). A balanced, 3 pin connector is labeled +, - and ground. This is very misleading. The + and - pins on a balanced connector represents polarity, not power and ground. What that means is the + and - pins are both hot, or signal, even the one that's labeled with a - symbol. The ground pin is the only negative. And this is why you have to make sure you know exactly what you're doing when you start playing with adaptors. I've never used one of these amps, but looking at the connections on the back, everything about it says not to plug a 2 pin connector into it. If you are operating the amp in stereo mode only, you may be able to use an rca/xlr adapter. However, if it doesn't tell you this in the owners manual, call the company before you do it. The issue with the specs and the 10% distortion is nothing shocking. Power amp specs have always been a disaster. There's no standard that companies have to go by when rating an amps power, so they are left to do it however they see fit. One companies 10 watts can literally be another companies 20 watts. Its been going on for decades. If you take 10 different amps, all rated for the same power and measured them the same way, every one would be different. The only way you can get really low thd numbers with modestly price equipment like this, is on a test bench under artificial circumstances. It should also be mentioned that bridging an amp is usually not in your best interest unless you really need the power. Bridging a stereo amp doesn't make it a mono amp. Its a bridged stereo amp. When you bridge an amp, it changes the way it sees resistance. Basically, its half. What the amp used to see as a 4 ohm load, is now a 2 ohm load. This is very hard on the amp. It has to do a lot more work to do the same thing when unbridged. Each situation is different, so bridging an amp may work out OK for you, or not. Each case is different. If you are buying an amp thinking you may need to bridge it, I would say to just save up and get a more powerful amp. If you already have 2 stereo amps, or can borrow some, consider doing a vertical biamp instead. You'll get more power, but not as much as bridging, however, you will get a lot better sound quality. If you have 2 stereo amps, its a great option because you won't need a crossover.
you won't damage anything if you do it the right way which is to buy a proper line level converter box. the question is why would you want to go through all that for home audio system?
@@AbsoluteFidelity Why? Because you like the company? The same rules apply to this amp as any other. An amp will sound different depending on how hard you make it work. Bridge an amp and it works twice as hard. There's nothing to argue. How much of a change you'll hear from bridging will vary. Every case is different. If you have a speaker that's starved for power, the system may sound better. However, in most cases it doesn't. Why not just buy an amp that has enough power to begin with? At best, this amp is an entry to mid level product. You're only going to get so much out of an $800 amp. The only time it makes sense to bridge is if your amp has output or auto transformers, like most tube amps or some solid state amps like McIntosh. Or you can buy something that can take extreme amounts of punishment, like a Bryston, but it will cost you.
@@AT-wl9yq no, because measurements do not show an audible difference before and after bridging. There is nothing to argue. And there is not a question in this world as ignorant as "because you like the company?".
@@aworminmybook8234 Both balanced and single ended signals in relation to products like we are discussing here are already line level. The only time you need to convert a signal to line level is if its not line level, like a mic or turntable. The type of device to do what you are suggesting is typically called a direct box. DI boxes are typically used in the pro audio world to make it possible to use balanced and SE gear. And you are right in that you wouldn't want to use something like that in a home audio system. 99% of pro gear isn't really balanced. They use point to point balancing for compatibility purposes and to eliminate noise in long cable runs. On a typical piece of pro gear, it usually has a DI type box on each of the inputs and outputs. Its just internal. Its a very cost effective way to get some of the effects of a balanced circuit. Most home gear is fully balanced. That's when the whole component is balanced through the entire signal path. This sounds better, but its very expensive because you have to double up on all the components in the signal path. As for the amp in this video, I have no idea if its fully balanced. It should tell you in the owners manual. Its probably not, because its so cheap, but you never know. The Chinese are very good at making low cost gear with features usually found on more expensive products.
I like the Fosi and Aiyima for second system but the truth is that good sound doesn't come - too - cheap. If you take a look at chi-fi products it always turns out that their top products costs the same or more than the amps (poer, pre, integrated) and dacs all over the world. But that's reality somewhere: lots of rooms and environment where it's enough. There's a room for improvement but at least it sounds good. Not great but good enough in those environments. However, when you really want to enjoy the music it always costs money. There are some overpriced products for sure but it's really hard to get a decent - todays measures - integrated amp under 900 euro, for example (there are some treasures like Atoll IN80 but it's rare).
In my experience every product category has a point where the correlation between price and sound falls apart completely. Its like wine, where if you buy 10 random bottles over 50 dollars it will probably include the best wine you ever tasted, but that probably wont be the most expensive one.
I'd go Nuprime STA-9 stereo Class D amp with torodial power supply and regular power cord. A well established company that used to be Nuforce. Made in Taiwan. They use their own power module.120 watts into 8ohms and 4ohms...no bullcrap power ratings. Want more power? Get 2 and bridge them 290 watts. $949. You'll forget about the Topping;)
I have a Topping E30 dac in service in my office which is better than the soundcard in my computer. But doesn't stand up to the real dacs in my main system. I tried the TP22 in my office when my legacy Denon receiver died. Didn't like it at all, guess I was spoiled. Replaced with a refurbished Yamaha A-S501($300) it's very close to the old Denon. Don't think I could lay out $800 for a Topping product, so many class AB amps in this price range available.
Regarding your comment comparing to the McIntosh... I find myself always comparing pricier amps to my Denon PMA-600NE. For some reason that amp has"the stuff." To my surprise, my Denon was dethroned by a Marantz NR-1606 (predecessor to your NR-1711) which sounds similar to the Denon but with a higher notch of clarity.. HOW?? One would think with all the money going into 2 channel (vs. all the extra's in the Marantz), the Denon would be superior to the Marantz. But A-B'ing thru the One Little bear revealed the Marantz's superiority. These receivers are very underrated for stereo listening. I plan to sell the Denon in favor of a Maratnz NR-1711 to use as my main amp for low level listening and a pre-amp (since it has pre outs) for something new down the road. Just thought I'd share and one up your rec. of the Marantz NR-1711. Great work, I owe you a million likes. I'll start now :) Cheers!
Well, if you use it in mono mode and get two of them there is more than enought power in my humble opinion. The big question then is if there is a better stereo integrated amp at the price of less than two LA90's.
I will tell you why it's XLR and not something else. Without it, it wouldn't measure that well. You can't reach that level of THD with RCA 😅 I guess it's also true for this strange kind of XLR plugs, they are needed for these crazy low noise values.
That lil' metal tune you chose to transition between segments at the beginning had me impressed and rockin' out!!! Thanks for the great videos brother!!!!
Who's buying this and why? Yamaha's R-N803d is like $749 with a high quality 100w x 2 amp, a built in streamer, phono input, sub-out, on board dac that doesn't suck, a remote and rca inputs!
How ‘bout this: Buy two for mono locks; Kerr- three volume controls engaged, and then you’ll have individual Gain controls for each channels - even better than a balance control on a preamp. Cool idea, right?
Great vid as usual, I especially like the part where you state that this amp is actually worth 8 times the price, seems like most reviews won’t straight up admit that it’s worth the price when compared to stuff like the aiyma, thanks again!!!
Topping is cool, but the price is unrealistic. I'd go to the used market and purchase a carry audio solid state amp. It has that tuby sound with a lot of power.
Thanks again for great content Randy, how would you reckon they'd pair with the Elac's Debut Reference? i'm so tempted to click the buy haha.. i currently have them with a Yamaha S301 and they sound amazing, had them previously powered by the Aiyima A07 until it broke but the Yamaha gave an instant improvement on sound as soon as i turned it on..
@@joanfrederick9176 hey man, thanks a lot for your reply, appreciate it.. what you're saying makes sense i should've specified that i also have a desktop system, Fosi BTA20 powered, so looking to upgrade that one.. how's that 801 sounding? i'm not planning on getting a bigger than 2.1 system but do you have any idea if sound "improves" that much vs 301?
As I got the Topping L70 headphone amp to be partner with my WiiM pro plus and Marantz PM 68 hmm I ask myself to maybe buy another amplifier. You said the Yamaha AS301 is bang for the bucks, so should I go for the Yamaha or a Topping or maybe Naim chinese clone? I don´t know any vintage amps 😞 The LA90 is hmm not cheap (ok not expensive compared to other) but a there are lot contenders in that price range. my speakers have 88dB
Hey Randy, do you think this would pair well with Wharfdale Linton Heritages? My current setup is the classic Audiolab 8000S as pre-Amp with two Arcam Alpha 8 power amps driving KEF Q-35s. My sources are a refurbished Lenco GL78 turntable with an Ifi Zen Phono amp and for the digital realm I have an Audiolab M-DAC (don't judge me🙂) with a Wiim Mini Streamer. Despite my love of the Audiolab, I think its time to modernise the amp and speakers as I bought the above all from new so most of that kit is getting on for over 30+ years old. The LA90 Discrete would be a good match as both my DAC and phono amp have balanced outputs. NB my system is in a large room.
I never get that far with my modest set up which is around 45-50 watts per channel in total. I get to around 20 watts before I start to recognise it as loud. Anything after that is only possible with an empty house. 25 watts is pushing it as far as neighbours are concerned here in the UK which maybe why most UK amps probably dropped to around 35-40 per channel in the later 80s. Before then 100 watt amps were quite common. Outdoor raves were banned sound the same time too, the famous Section 28 Bill of Law came into play and it was louder and more powerful than any amp indoors and out.
@@Panslapper sounds like UK has alot of control, here the US apartments are like that but homes you can make noise usually between 7am and 10pm of course you try not to be rude though either.
@@jakep8484 Any loud noise, such as music past 11.00 pm till 07.00 am is against the law here in the UK which myself now mostly out of my own youth actually don’t mind, I prefer a good nights sleep these days and sometimes look back at my teens and think, what a twat!
Hey, I just watched a review from DMS and he really liked the JBL 306P MkII 6.5 inch Powered Studio Monitor. What do you think about them? They're $169 a piece now at Sweetwater.
they are pretty good. i sold them to build my own speakers.... I had a hard time getting much better (JBL 308 plus 310 sub) within 1000 USD... My own speakers will be 1200 just in materials.
Yeah, pretty good but not great and for around £100/$ more you could go for the Adam Audio T7V which are better. Also to get real bass from the JBL you really need to go for the 8 inch version. They are known for being a bit light on the bass which I will add is unusual for JBL.
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I left the 5-star review on Amazon. I took a gamble based on the glowing reviews of the LA90. The way I see it, this amp (and the non-discrete model which is now disco) in one fell swoop push the performance envelope by 10db AND cut the price of top dog by 2/3, into the range of "mid-fi" stuff hawked for similar money at Best Buy. Sure, it may blow up in a few years, but I'm prepared to take that risk based on this math. What I'm most blown away by is the staging... Even with very modest Gallo CL-2s, everyone who's listened so-far has shut their eyes. You simply can't help it.
This is what I LOVE about you. Total honesty even if it hurts!
Absolutely love my LA90… It’s was born to be an STAX electrostatic amplifier with the usual converters…
Audio Science Review has glowing reviews of this amp, in both versions. In fact it pretty much tops all the amps they have measured so far, and they have measured many. As far as measurements are concerned, this amp is pretty much flawless, so no wonder it sounds this good.
They are topping fan boys. No matter what quality issues or what other brand measures/sounds better, they wet their pants over topping.
@@scottlowell493 numbers are numbers... it doesn't matter what you had to say
One of the biggest sellers to me buying my Arcam Amp is not only the great sound, but also Quality control and a 5 year warranty.... For el cheapo stuff, support doesn't matter much but If i'm spending over $500 dollars, Warranty and support comes into play. I'm not wasting my money on sketchy Chi fi.
Smart man. Thats why stuf from the 60s and 70s is so sturdy and great; people bought quality once and held on to it for years. Now, we buy 20 pre amps in 5 years and none of them work anymore after 10.
@@roybrolsbeak Technology was not moving as fast back in those days and people were not making things in anticipation of them being outdated within a year or two. That was also their monopoly on the market. Also most of these Chinese manufacturers are very young comparatively and have already caught up with companies that have been going for 50 years plus….we were warned about advances in technology and a huge growth in knowledge a very longtime ago and sadly people laughed and didn’t believe…it’s happening though. Also who really has the room for super-systems with speaker built like coffins and cables as thick as a baby’s arm? All that to get the best sound is just something that is only a reality for the extremely rich and again are they happy there…I doubt it…otherwise why didn’t they stick with the gramophone?
@@roybrolsbeak I am not sure that a receiver or old skool amp from that era would last much longer today with everyday use unless you had it recapped etc…so would that be worth it…again it probably just comes down to sentiment and or nostalgia really not necessarily quality.
@@Panslapper everyone can do what they want, but technology isnt moving that much faster. Its just that with the internet and all the hype marketing is at its finest. People believe everything that gets hyped up. Doesnt mean that when a lot of products come out that they are all that much better than the last one. Also i believe people back in the day were just easily satisfied with something good. We are all chasing perfection, that fomo hitting hard. Just buy once cry once and enjoy real life stuff instead of shopping all day. Ok i rest my case.
@@roybrolsbeak I think waiting is key. It’s easier these days to be more impulsive as we have a lot more sensory information almost everywhere we look these days. Let’s face it money is everything to most and if we can save it and get better for it then that is a common goal. It’s easier to sell these days too so turnover speed has vastly increased over the last decade or two. This all comes into effect and much of against your philosophy of buy once, cry once but still I am quite settled on my Denon amp and have always found Denon very easy to settle on especially my PMA600NE but in a honesty I shook that up this week with this BRZHIFI 3255XLR. I sort of wanted my Aiyima A07 to do that but it just didn’t due to the chassis size. The sound quality on the BRZHIFI is excellent, especially with the Muses8820d op amp which in turn can be bettered again with the Muses 01 which I have a hunch may beat the Denons famous low end whilst delivering better instrument separation and detail for half the price. In regards to longevity I would give any amp a 5 year lifespan regardless of make before caps need checking. Most caps have a 1000 to 2000 hour lifespan, the latter being in more high end stuff so really a 5 year refresh is fairly sensible if you want to maintain a fresh sound in theory at least as I have never owned an single amp longer than 5 years and don’t think I would really want to unless I was willing to get it serviced but again by that time in the world of tech 5 years is almost an entire lifetime.
C'mon Randy it not just the wattage in numbers but the current capability of an AMP and this AMP could be one among them for its outstanding performance. RCA could be better, but not necessary as one who owns this amp should have an XLR capable source as well. And to add, I never had a problem with topping till date. Topping is the Topper when it comes to Chi-Fi Brands. Peace All..
That was a great reverse heel turn you did about 3/4 of the way through. I kinda don’t like it. It doesn’t have much power. There have been quality issues with some products. THIS THING SOUNDS FANTASTIC! Well done!
Good thing Joan, plenty of other amps for you to buy. Sleep well.
The power connector is used a lot in pro audio studio equipment, it's a great connector to use when you don't want the device to loose power (for example if some one tugged on a cable)
At $800, I'll choose one of the Schiit amps.
This measures much much better than my $800 Schiit Vidar.
@@EvanZamir well ain't that some schitt...lol😅
Appreciate your review. I Was an early (nearly immediate) adopter of the A90 + D90 MQA + all balanced XLR... went through not 1, not 2, but 3 failed A90 amps. One channel would die/buzz... Dealing with Apos for returns was nightmarish. Perhaps the worst customer service I've experienced. (Other than trying to cancel SiriusXM.) Finally abandoned the A90 and bought a SingXer SA-1 that has worked without issue. I know some reviewers love the LA90 so I appreciated your take. Thanks!
Glad you are still alive and well Randy!! The CAM saga continues 👏 👏
Wow, great intro video part picking up the pieces!
Rough and rattling and still making serious fun out of what you see for the grim future.
Very profound!
Thank you for this informative review. This amp has very a positive rating from many others and I was in my FOMO mode until this review. I will now probably hold off acquiring this piece of equipment. I'm glad you appear to be recovered. Stay well and all the best.
After many combinations I own this chain: tidal hifi to wiim mini streamer to topping e50 dac to aiyima a07 Amp to klipsch rb81 ii. Absolutely incredible sound. The little A07 is AMAZING.
I run Tidal HiFi on My moto g1 to a Nobsound Q3 DAC, then amplify thru a Fosi TB10d and moving two Jamo S801. Poormans HIFI! Outstanding to My ears.
Good combination! Maybe try a pair of Muses 8820d op amps from an official seller in the A07…and will be an further improvement for little outlay if you are using the original op amps that came with the A07.
@@Panslapper yeah but those original Texas inst. OP-amps are good, more than people believe. It's not some cheap bad components. The sound is so well balanced, so punchy, never harsh as my e50 used to sound, vocals are gorgeous. I listen to music now. PS soon I'll go bi-amp with a a07-pro just to see what happens!
@@xetstex I agree that the A07 out of the box does sound good but the Muses 8820d makes it sound better. It’s not an expensive op amp either and it’s the 4th in line with the 01,02,03 being their flagship op amps. I am very impressed with it myself and intend to put a couple into my A07 soon.
I have similar, WiiM mini to Schiit Modi 3, to Ayima 07 to Klipsch RP600M. I took my Audiolab power amp out of the chain to try the Ayima and it’s been there ever since. It’s really that good. Another thing I like is you can keep the Ayima running all day with almost no heat or power usage.
If I had the money I'd buy one for sure. Love my Topping DAC.
Great review! I have just received mine. So far I have not been disappointed. Love how it sounded. Tempted to get a second one even though so far the power is sufficient at high gain for my speakers. Many thanks!
You're right about the topping products actong up. I've owned the Topping TP-60 for a good five years now and likes to act up at times. Likes to give the good ol' blue flashing light for no reason. Other than that it's my longest running amplifier. And sounds killer when it wants to work. My reference system is Emotiva stealth DAC, Emotiva basx 2 channel power amp and Emotiva phone pre. Love the channel. Keep up the killer work.
The things you see as negatives like the captive power connector and the XLR/TRS combo jacks I find to be very useful. In this price range, a lot of your associated components are going to have those balanced interconnects anyway. Would you be happy if it only had RCA's?
For a company that has "traditionally" been focused on good measurements - quoting the power rating at 10% distortion - is weird.
Like the original LA90 was based on a similar/identical output chip to the AkitikA GT-102 Z4 that you reviewed, I hope you can review the discrete GT-104. It is phenomenal sounding!
10% distortion at 1khz only, not even 20hz-20khz both channels driven
I once had a car audio amp rated at 5 watts into 4 channels at like 0.005% THD. It was brilliant. One of the best car amps I've ever heard.
I'm using a Pre90 preamp with an LA90 Discrete (poormans benchmark like setup) with amazing results. Super transparent and clean sound. High sensitivity Triangle BR03 speakers help with the low output of the amp.
You cannot say Triangle BR03 it's forbidden .... 😅😅
Just got a topping E30 II DAC good product 🙂
Could you please try to match your volume level to the volume of the ads? After setting a comfortable volume, I (and others, surely) then get BLASTED by the ads. And it's always a surprise, because you never know when they will appear.
Not pleasant. I'd even call it offputting.
It seems Topping’s new PA7 Plus blows this out of the water - so much power and so much cleaner! Would love to see a review of that.
You are right Randy.. balanced is not exactly required for quality, low noise performance.
An unbalanced input, if designed properly, can be happily just as quiet. So many audio products are under designed with insufficient features, and costly without them, and they always have excuses as to why they didn’t add the extra features.
I can guarantee you that a “premium” is charged due to implementing a discrete design with longer bill of materials..
Just sat down with my cup ‘o Joe and saw this video was dropped… nice.
anyone who has worked in a studio will recognize the way topping is set up the back of this amp. it's strange to do this on a consumer product.
for those who aren't familiar with this and are curious:
studios are set up with trs balanced cabling. this allows for long cable runs with minimal bleed through distortion. if you use a power brick it is usually equipped with a locking connector to prevent it from being accidentally unplugged. something like this amp would be left on 24x7 and hidden somewhere out of reach
studios have racks full of equipment that are often shared between rooms or rolled around on carts. you plug a trs (old style 3 pin headphone connector) plug into the rack to add it to that room's setup. if you need to use a piece of consumer gear with rca connectors, you buy a unbalanced to balanced convertor box. i used to use aphex 124a's in my studio.
I'm shooting out the LA90 Discrete with the Fosi ZA3. The LA90 Discrete is more transparent, but almost too flat and not as fun. I was listening to Nora Jones, Metallica, and a Ravel M.61 played by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Each time, I preferred the Fosi. It was more musical and more engaging, to my ears, albeit with a smaller sound stage and not quite as good imaging. More oomph and dynamism with the Fosi, quite to my surprise.
My chain is PC to Prism Titan DAC to power amp to Klipsch RP600M II speakers.
I welcome similar/alternative opinions in reply.
I'm really leaning into this amp. In fact I'd like two. I'd also like the DAC Preamp with the ESS Pro chip x 2 to round it all off. AUD$3600 for the three, with the hope that it'll be my last big purchase. I'm 76 so it probably will be. I've read many of the reviews and this combo seems a good way to go rather than an integrated at the same price point. Now, where is the Mrs, I need to tell her the bad news....
We just shouted ourselves a pair of Focal Kanto 2's, so I'm hoping the above combo will easily improve on the SMSL AO200 amp currently in service...
I like your vibe Randy, terse sometimes but always to the point...
Time to try the TOPPING B200 mono amps. Just found out about them.
Wonder how this compares to 2 Schiit Gjallarhorns...
According to ASR the discrete LA90 equals the measurements of the previous LA90, which is pretty incredible.
Except for below 2 ohm, so some shouldn't buy this for tougher speakers
$800 ??! There are so many other name brand amps/integrated amps (that are in this price range) that I would consider before I thought about buying this thing...
I agree ! My Rotel Tribute was the same price.. I don't get it. 😮
3:25 this socket looks like my solder iron socket. One thing is sure about it - it is solid.
I'm biased I bought the Sabaj A30a and I think its better value all ends up, just the amp side is top notch . The topping is incredibly clean but in ever diminishing values it's going to be a tough sell compared to other affordable units .
I got the Sabaj A30a as well and I don't have anything of comparable price to compare it to, but it does a great job of bluetooth streaming and amplifying, and with no need for a DAC. For an affordable all in one unit, it's fantastic. Makes a great base for a second system/office system on a budget if someone already has a higher end 2 channel setup in another room.
Extreme low THD usually means massive feedback loops. Good steady state testing but not good for sound! 60VDC, 4A? 60x4=240W max consumption from the PS for both channels and all other circuits. If you could deliver that full 4Amps to a single 8 ohm load (I^2R=P) you get a max of 128W. Now add the 2nd channel and all other circuitry.
*sigh* I've been with you a long time. And it's always enjoyed your content. But I don't understand how the cheap audio man and a $900 paperweight can even be talked about in the same video. It just doesn't make any sense to me and I noticed that you have strayed in this direction as opposed to a couple years ago.
Apos has support...eventually. Took like a month and a half for them to agree to replace a defective amp and that includes two weeks where they just ignored my emails.
Yeah, similar experience. But they replaced it eventually.
You rock sir! I'm still curious how your Schiit Tyrs sound with the Akitika preamp
Randy, the production quality of your videos are seriously awesome! However, I do really enjoy going back to watch the older ones. Great video! Thank you! I'd love to see you review the Mission 778x Integrated Amplifier. Maybe Mofi can send you one? I think this one killer!
I’ll have to check it out
@@cheapaudioman Glad to see that you are feeling better and you look healthy! God bless!
@@cheapaudioman ESS9018 dac in the Mission but no idea how it sounds as still very little online about it. Andrew Robinson said it was very good but won’t review for some reason.
Great take on it.
No RCA inputs? Really all I needed to hear. Limited connectivity, limited sale. Especially when the design of a component is engineered to require the purchase something else from the same manufacturer if you want something as simple as to connect a component of your choosing. Plus it's got limited "juice".
How does it compare to the Vidar at similar prices?
A few months back I was looking to upgrade my computer/desktop system. I started out with ifi. I would not recommend ifi to Osama Binlauden. I heard about Topping and became very interested. I'm glad I kept the daddy war bucks in the bank.
Then I discovered Cheapaudioman and 2 other hifi reviewers on youtube. I value their opinions, so much so that I have narrowed my search to brands. And the best part they are made in the U.S.A.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with criticizing a product when it’s priced the way it is, especially when there’s not a big jump in quality from things that cost much much less.
*Also if you’re gonna spend this kind of money on something, you might as well spend it on an American product.
been really curious about your take on this newer version. Would love your impressions on the TOPPING PA7 / PA7 Plus... Great review, as always!
$800 BUCKS 💵
THAT jus Slide This Arena off My Radar.
🎩 Retired / Disabled US Marine Corps Veteran on a Low Fixed Income here 😢 🇺🇸
@@joanfrederick9176 Honored to Have Served, Being Hearing Impared with Tinnitus and Service Connected I seek the Best Audio Equipment Affordable to be able to Enjoy My Music - Gotta Love The Cheap Audio Man's suggestions on many Items
PA7 or PA7+ will likely make more sense for many with lower sensitivity speakers
My Pro-Ject Stereo Box RS, which cost 1000 dollars 6 years ago, has the same power connector.
Those threaded power cord connections are great except if there are vibrations, not a problem for an amp but i have a 2 wire generator switch connection with the threaded type connection, the nut at the back of the fitting vibrates undone !
Being that it is a discrete amp, are you even allowed to talk about it? 😁
The original version was a chip amp.
Only in whispers and hushed tones. 🤫
@@ChadwickJames my lips are zipped. 🤐
I believed you spelled aloud wrong 🫠
@@xkben90 nope
It only sounds so good because you haven't heard my Burmester yet😃 Also, your face is green.
The new Fosi V3 is coming....... you have been notified, lol
I really appreciate the nice shots of the product! Normally you swing them around your head like a spazzy orangutan for the whole video and I have to try in vain to pause to have a look at an out of focus image😂. Keep up the good work, I love this channel.
Here's the reason that there are no RCA connectors. In order to bridge a stereo amp, you need to feed it a balanced signal. Balanced and single ended operation is not compatible. Its both or nothing. Either you have to figure out a way to make your single ended component balanced, or your balanced component single ended, before they can work together. I'm simplifying a bit here because there are different ways a component can be balanced, and there are some design choices that can be made under each different method.
Someone is going to say, you can use an adaptor, because I've used them in the past and it worked for me, so it will work for everyone. Using an adaptor will force the signal to be single ended, and most adaptors connect the number 2 pin to ground. The second you plug that adapter into a balanced component you create a short circuit. You'll definitely hear a loud noise, and you have the potential to damage your equipment. I should also point out how balanced and SE connectors are labeled in reference materials. Its something the industry needs to change because its very misleading. A 2 conductor, single ended connector is labeled positive (+) and negative (-). And we all know what means. Hot (signal) and cold (ground). A balanced, 3 pin connector is labeled +, - and ground. This is very misleading. The + and - pins on a balanced connector represents polarity, not power and ground. What that means is the + and - pins are both hot, or signal, even the one that's labeled with a - symbol. The ground pin is the only negative. And this is why you have to make sure you know exactly what you're doing when you start playing with adaptors.
I've never used one of these amps, but looking at the connections on the back, everything about it says not to plug a 2 pin connector into it. If you are operating the amp in stereo mode only, you may be able to use an rca/xlr adapter. However, if it doesn't tell you this in the owners manual, call the company before you do it.
The issue with the specs and the 10% distortion is nothing shocking. Power amp specs have always been a disaster. There's no standard that companies have to go by when rating an amps power, so they are left to do it however they see fit. One companies 10 watts can literally be another companies 20 watts. Its been going on for decades. If you take 10 different amps, all rated for the same power and measured them the same way, every one would be different. The only way you can get really low thd numbers with modestly price equipment like this, is on a test bench under artificial circumstances.
It should also be mentioned that bridging an amp is usually not in your best interest unless you really need the power. Bridging a stereo amp doesn't make it a mono amp. Its a bridged stereo amp. When you bridge an amp, it changes the way it sees resistance. Basically, its half. What the amp used to see as a 4 ohm load, is now a 2 ohm load. This is very hard on the amp. It has to do a lot more work to do the same thing when unbridged. Each situation is different, so bridging an amp may work out OK for you, or not. Each case is different. If you are buying an amp thinking you may need to bridge it, I would say to just save up and get a more powerful amp. If you already have 2 stereo amps, or can borrow some, consider doing a vertical biamp instead. You'll get more power, but not as much as bridging, however, you will get a lot better sound quality. If you have 2 stereo amps, its a great option because you won't need a crossover.
Bridging in the very case of this amp does not screw up the sound.
you won't damage anything if you do it the right way which is to buy a proper line level converter box. the question is why would you want to go through all that for home audio system?
@@AbsoluteFidelity Why? Because you like the company? The same rules apply to this amp as any other. An amp will sound different depending on how hard you make it work. Bridge an amp and it works twice as hard. There's nothing to argue.
How much of a change you'll hear from bridging will vary. Every case is different. If you have a speaker that's starved for power, the system may sound better. However, in most cases it doesn't. Why not just buy an amp that has enough power to begin with?
At best, this amp is an entry to mid level product. You're only going to get so much out of an $800 amp.
The only time it makes sense to bridge is if your amp has output or auto transformers, like most tube amps or some solid state amps like McIntosh. Or you can buy something that can take extreme amounts of punishment, like a Bryston, but it will cost you.
@@AT-wl9yq no, because measurements do not show an audible difference before and after bridging. There is nothing to argue. And there is not a question in this world as ignorant as "because you like the company?".
@@aworminmybook8234 Both balanced and single ended signals in relation to products like we are discussing here are already line level. The only time you need to convert a signal to line level is if its not line level, like a mic or turntable.
The type of device to do what you are suggesting is typically called a direct box. DI boxes are typically used in the pro audio world to make it possible to use balanced and SE gear. And you are right in that you wouldn't want to use something like that in a home audio system. 99% of pro gear isn't really balanced. They use point to point balancing for compatibility purposes and to eliminate noise in long cable runs. On a typical piece of pro gear, it usually has a DI type box on each of the inputs and outputs. Its just internal. Its a very cost effective way to get some of the effects of a balanced circuit.
Most home gear is fully balanced. That's when the whole component is balanced through the entire signal path. This sounds better, but its very expensive because you have to double up on all the components in the signal path. As for the amp in this video, I have no idea if its fully balanced. It should tell you in the owners manual. Its probably not, because its so cheap, but you never know. The Chinese are very good at making low cost gear with features usually found on more expensive products.
What DAC were you using mainly with the LA90 during this review?
I like the Fosi and Aiyima for second system but the truth is that good sound doesn't come - too - cheap. If you take a look at chi-fi products it always turns out that their top products costs the same or more than the amps (poer, pre, integrated) and dacs all over the world. But that's reality somewhere: lots of rooms and environment where it's enough. There's a room for improvement but at least it sounds good. Not great but good enough in those environments. However, when you really want to enjoy the music it always costs money. There are some overpriced products for sure but it's really hard to get a decent - todays measures - integrated amp under 900 euro, for example (there are some treasures like Atoll IN80 but it's rare).
In my experience every product category has a point where the correlation between price and sound falls apart completely. Its like wine, where if you buy 10 random bottles over 50 dollars it will probably include the best wine you ever tasted, but that probably wont be the most expensive one.
Now how does this compare to SMSL VMV A2 or the SMSL SA400 in terms of dynamics and sound purity?
chi fi again? how about something good instead?
Buying 2 of these units at $1600 makes no sense given what other products exist at that price point. I kit using Purifi parts would destroy it.
Or Hypex parts 😉
Nice Black Bay
I'd go Nuprime STA-9 stereo Class D amp with torodial power supply and regular power cord. A well established company that used to be Nuforce. Made in Taiwan. They use their own power module.120 watts into 8ohms and 4ohms...no bullcrap power ratings. Want more power? Get 2 and bridge them 290 watts. $949. You'll forget about the Topping;)
That looks like a really good amp
@@ufarkingicehole their products fly way under the radar. Honestly, many people are missing out on them by not giving them a chance.
I have a Topping E30 dac in service in my office which is better than the soundcard in my computer. But doesn't stand up to the real dacs in my main system. I tried the TP22 in my office when my legacy Denon receiver died. Didn't like it at all, guess I was spoiled. Replaced with a refurbished Yamaha A-S501($300) it's very close to the old Denon. Don't think I could lay out $800 for a Topping product, so many class AB amps in this price range available.
Regarding your comment comparing to the McIntosh... I find myself always comparing pricier amps to my Denon PMA-600NE. For some reason that amp has"the stuff." To my surprise, my Denon was dethroned by a Marantz NR-1606 (predecessor to your NR-1711) which sounds similar to the Denon but with a higher notch of clarity.. HOW?? One would think with all the money going into 2 channel (vs. all the extra's in the Marantz), the Denon would be superior to the Marantz. But A-B'ing thru the One Little bear revealed the Marantz's superiority. These receivers are very underrated for stereo listening. I plan to sell the Denon in favor of a Maratnz NR-1711 to use as my main amp for low level listening and a pre-amp (since it has pre outs) for something new down the road. Just thought I'd share and one up your rec. of the Marantz NR-1711. Great work, I owe you a million likes. I'll start now :) Cheers!
Well, if you use it in mono mode and get two of them there is more than enought power in my humble opinion. The big question then is if there is a better stereo integrated amp at the price of less than two LA90's.
I will tell you why it's XLR and not something else. Without it, it wouldn't measure that well. You can't reach that level of THD with RCA 😅 I guess it's also true for this strange kind of XLR plugs, they are needed for these crazy low noise values.
Asked Randy for this review a week ago! Thanks, I’m still loving my old LA90 and still tempted to try the Discrete.
Great review. Frank opinion which is crucial.
I'm happy with my Topping PA5.
That lil' metal tune you chose to transition between segments at the beginning had me impressed and rockin' out!!! Thanks for the great videos brother!!!!
Hi, thanks for the review. Do you think this amp would work with Wharfdale Lintons? If not, what would?
Who's buying this and why? Yamaha's R-N803d is like $749 with a high quality 100w x 2 amp, a built in streamer, phono input, sub-out, on board dac that doesn't suck, a remote and rca inputs!
How ‘bout this: Buy two for mono locks; Kerr- three volume controls engaged, and then you’ll have individual Gain controls for each channels - even better than a balance control on a preamp. Cool idea, right?
Great vid as usual, I especially like the part where you state that this amp is actually worth 8 times the price, seems like most reviews won’t straight up admit that it’s worth the price when compared to stuff like the aiyma, thanks again!!!
Topping is cool, but the price is unrealistic. I'd go to the used market and purchase a carry audio solid state amp. It has that tuby sound with a lot of power.
Not really unrealistic as it's at the top of the game. Buying 2 however isn't cheap
Looks like 3pin aviation connectors. Sometimes used on 3D printers for power
In mono & 8ohms it's 220w per.
Would love to hear the difference all extra headroom would make to speakers already not struggling with one in stereo.
Would love to hear your thoughts on NAD gear.
I am not buying anything because prices are out of control. People should start realizing they are being ripped off on epic levels.
See, there's this thing called inflation...
@@zounds13 YUP, it's killing every hobby and nessicity affordability.
@joan frederick Biden didn't set up the economy for inflation- he wasn't even in congress when all the Covid support money got queued up...
*Rolls his eyes @@joanfrederick9176
Hi Randy. And what about Home Cinema AMPS? Do you have any tips? Maybe something from Fosi?
Thanks again for great content Randy, how would you reckon they'd pair with the Elac's Debut Reference? i'm so tempted to click the buy haha.. i currently have them with a Yamaha S301 and they sound amazing, had them previously powered by the Aiyima A07 until it broke but the Yamaha gave an instant improvement on sound as soon as i turned it on..
@@joanfrederick9176 hey man, thanks a lot for your reply, appreciate it.. what you're saying makes sense i should've specified that i also have a desktop system, Fosi BTA20 powered, so looking to upgrade that one.. how's that 801 sounding? i'm not planning on getting a bigger than 2.1 system but do you have any idea if sound "improves" that much vs 301?
As I got the Topping L70 headphone amp to be partner with my WiiM pro plus and Marantz PM 68 hmm I ask myself to maybe buy another amplifier. You said the Yamaha AS301 is bang for the bucks, so should I go for the Yamaha or a Topping or maybe Naim chinese clone? I don´t know any vintage amps 😞 The LA90 is hmm not cheap (ok not expensive compared to other) but a there are lot contenders in that price range. my speakers have 88dB
Thanks!
these distortion specs some like car radio amps!
Hey cheap audio man can you do a video on the old mini hifis made by aiwa sony panasonic? And why they arent making anything like it anymore
Hey Randy, do you think this would pair well with Wharfdale Linton Heritages?
My current setup is the classic Audiolab 8000S as pre-Amp with two Arcam Alpha 8 power amps driving KEF Q-35s. My sources are a refurbished Lenco GL78 turntable with an Ifi Zen Phono amp and for the digital realm I have an Audiolab M-DAC (don't judge me🙂) with a Wiim Mini Streamer. Despite my love of the Audiolab, I think its time to modernise the amp and speakers as I bought the above all from new so most of that kit is getting on for over 30+ years old. The LA90 Discrete would be a good match as both my DAC and phono amp have balanced outputs.
NB my system is in a large room.
I have the topping pre90 and it’s pretty fucking great.
review the Sabaj A10a...you will be godsmacked
Montage...big fan
Schitt Vidar gives more, cleaner better sounding power for less. And you can buy two and run them mono for gobs o power.
A true 55 watt rms amp will drive you out of the room if turned up unless your speakers are like 80 dB or your room is huge.
I never get that far with my modest set up which is around 45-50 watts per channel in total. I get to around 20 watts before I start to recognise it as loud. Anything after that is only possible with an empty house. 25 watts is pushing it as far as neighbours are concerned here in the UK which maybe why most UK amps probably dropped to around 35-40 per channel in the later 80s. Before then 100 watt amps were quite common. Outdoor raves were banned sound the same time too, the famous Section 28 Bill of Law came into play and it was louder and more powerful than any amp indoors and out.
@@Panslapper sounds like UK has alot of control, here the US apartments are like that but homes you can make noise usually between 7am and 10pm of course you try not to be rude though either.
@@jakep8484 Any loud noise, such as music past 11.00 pm till 07.00 am is against the law here in the UK which myself now mostly out of my own youth actually don’t mind, I prefer a good nights sleep these days and sometimes look back at my teens and think, what a twat!
Is Peachtree amps too expensive for you to review?
this doesn't seem like a great value
Take a listen to the SMSL VMV A1 Class A Biased Amp. It cost a lot less, not cheap but about 1/3 less than the Topping.
Have both A1 and original LA90. Love A1 but it’s more prone to sibilance with Kef R3 and lacks juice to drive it properly.
@@siamxiii I run Klipsch RP600MIIs with that amp and I have plenty of juice for them. I agree you do need fairly efficient speakers to use the A1.
Yes those speakers are pretty bad. I can understand the sibilance. Get some Revel speakers, problem solved.
@@r423sdex These speakers are awesome with LA90.
Hey, I just watched a review from DMS and he really liked the JBL 306P MkII 6.5 inch Powered Studio Monitor. What do you think about them? They're $169 a piece now at Sweetwater.
they are pretty good. i sold them to build my own speakers.... I had a hard time getting much better (JBL 308 plus 310 sub) within 1000 USD... My own speakers will be 1200 just in materials.
Yeah, pretty good but not great and for around £100/$ more you could go for the Adam Audio T7V which are better. Also to get real bass from the JBL you really need to go for the 8 inch version. They are known for being a bit light on the bass which I will add is unusual for JBL.
40/70 watts into 8/4 ohms (stereo)
279 watts into 4 ohms (mono)
I bought a 4 channel emotiva amp class A/B for about $550. I don't see the value in this topping amp.
Monoprice Monolith Encore T6 and THX 465-T have you heard these?
Thanks for the review, but I'm still not Toppings' top fan.