Topping A90 or Topping Part Deux

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by Scubadude, Jul 15, 2020.

  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    You should try 0.00x% THD vs amps which are 0.000x% THD. More open loop sounds better.
     
  2. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I have a source, but do we really want to get one? Do we really need yet another overpriced (key word here) 0.000x% THD cookie-cutter design based on yet another chip, this time based on the ubiquitous TPA6120A2? I already know what will happen. Two people will sign up for the loaner and I will have wasted a day taking measurements no one cares about.

    Sure, folks familiar with the stuff will already know that it will be welcome change from the sterile sounding 789. I can acknowledge that.

    And by the way, did anyone, other than myself who hinted at it, mention the sterile presentation of the 789? Seemed like folks thought it was the next coming and jumped right on it. Ditto when JDS Atom came out.

    This is the same old same old, but with a different twist. Great measurements, slight changes in tonality, and as @k4rstar said, just as flat and boring sounding. With a twist: higher and higher pricing. The A90 should be no more than $200.

    FWIW, I will take Magni 3+ over any of the 0.000x% THD stuff. Heck, I'd take the 3+ over Jot too.
     
  3. Wolvebain

    Wolvebain New

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    I'm not sure what your actual comparison to the A90 is, but as I mentioned, I am enjoying really loving and enjoying the A90 :headbang:

    What do you find about the A90's sound, that is:
    ?
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    What are your other points of reference?

    I immensely enjoyed my first CHA47 chip-based amp too when I first built it on a breadboard.
     
  5. Wolvebain

    Wolvebain New

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    :) I asked first :D
     
  6. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Pretty much every amp on the planet. I've heard everything, almost. I'm sure I will get to the A90 eventually.

    Google search my three top favorite SS amps and recommended amps for HD800. Those amps mentioned and the Magni 3+ (already mentioned in this thread), don't sound flat and boring.
     
  7. Wolvebain

    Wolvebain New

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    Me too


    But, I'm still don't seeing what you listed as what you heard as 'flat and boring sounding' in the A90.
    Maybe it was your source or cables?
     
  8. Case

    Case Anxious Head (Formerly Wilson)

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    You do realize whom you are talking to, right?
     
  9. Wolvebain

    Wolvebain New

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    Someone who 'apparent actually' heard the A90, and found it 'flat and boring sounding'... and thinks that it's using THX architecture whilst it's using NFCA..... (am i hot or cold?)
     
  10. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Flat and boring list (partial, many more I don't remember):
    --
    JDS Atom
    Magni 3 Heresy
    789 (+ sterile)
    Benchmark AHB2 (+ sterile)
    HDDVD600/800 (+ homogenized)
    Lyr 1/2 (slamming, but boring)
    CMA400
    KGSS
    Loxjie P20
    AK players (the models with the Cirrus chip)
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2020
  11. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    You cold. Never said it's using THX architecture. You said that.

    I did say it's another one of those 0.000x chip designs, TPA6120 much less, of which are are many opamps / buffers that sound better today.

    What's NFCA? The National Fastpitch Coaches Association?
     
  12. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    No you haven't. This is obvious.

    Did your avatar just change into a sea lion? Strange.
     
  13. Wolvebain

    Wolvebain New

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    I was wondering what you were referring to in your suggestion...
    NFCA, you must have heard a Nested Feedback Composite Amplifier before..

    BTW, you haven't actually heard a Topping A90 head.amp (yet?), have you ? :)
    Cos I don't see it in your 'Flat and boring list':
    Yes, I have.
    And be nice to the avatar, it's more a Mortal Kombat Wolf:D
     
  14. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophileâ„¢

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    Without knowing what great-sounding OPT amps or equivalents sound like, any assertion about a specific SS amp sounding might be meaningless. Subjective expressions such as boring, flat, unengaging, sterile, plastic, metallic, etc would be very much so.

    And that's my experience, too. When I knew only cmoy, o2, and jotunheim several years ago, I had zero complaints of jot and couldn't understand well what the experienced ears complained about it. Even with such experience, arguments can vary depending on how one is schooled from diverse experience -- shortly, "what ideal amps should sound". So I believe explicitly showing where you're coming from could be more convincing.

    I still like jot, but now I know how not to over-praise it (while still presenting my love).
     
  15. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Eventually I'm sure I will, but magic 8-ball is right 90% of the time. We've been burned before on hosers recommending A-GD and Topping stuffs (a lot of Topping stuffs recently), so going to take a break from those brands so we don't keep throwing money away from our community warchest for loaners. I'd rather hit the Geshilli or Schiit stuff for the 0.000x school of gear because they are properly priced and don't contribute to China hegemony and their goal to make Koreans, Japanese, and Filipinos speak Mandarin by the year 2050 and obey the corpse of Xi Jin Ping. There's just a lot of product on my list that's far more interesting (better sound or value) and lower risk (better resale value or actually even sell-able, A-GD S19 cough cough).
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2020
  16. Wolvebain

    Wolvebain New

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    I get you, bud :)
    But, I'm not trying to convince anyone... Just gave my feedback on how it sounded from experience.
    I am not a gear-slave, but am gear agnostic... I could list the studio gear I've heard and used, or the commercial headphone amps from Schiit, Lake People, Woo Audio, SPL, blaaa, blaaa, blaaa... But, that was not the context of the post or the thread.


    Ahh..
    So it was just assumption / guess. Okay.... Makes sense now.
     
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    No, you are not sharing. You are being an ass / sealioning.

    Sharing would be a few words on how the A90 compares to the other stuff you've supposedly heard like the Phonitor, Violectric, etc.
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2020
  18. Senorx12562

    Senorx12562 Case of the mondays

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    'twas inevitable.
     
  19. Case

    Case Anxious Head (Formerly Wilson)

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  20. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Better now than later. Not in the mood today to engage in good-faith only to receive snark wrapped in smileys in return.
     

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