How Does the Topping LA90 Amplifier Stack Up to Naim and Sansui? It May Surprise You!

[@johnsoriano3812]

Awesomeness! Seeing the presentation with a vintage Sansui is really cool. Thank you for this.

[@MODAC]

Thanks John. Nice little amp.

[@gregorypatton360]

Nice review. I do like its form factor. I just ordered a mini gan5 amp from class d audio. It puts out 200 wpc into 8. Made with ganfet tech. Theyre selling for around 700 brand new.

[@Audfile]

This has better specs than that one, and so does the Starkrimson monos for the same price. This has way better specs actually.

[@lwdp74]

Reason I bought my LA90 was sound. Felt I could accept the power limits and buy a product with the sound quality of more expensive units. So far I’m very impressed and will not be returning it. It’s very telling of source material and has steered me to many tweaks to optimize my sources ending with Mac Mini and Bit Perfect running USB up to 196 kb 24 bit right into my dac. It would be easier to use an optical connection that sounds good but not as good as USB. The Topping LA90 is recommended by me so far.

[@marcusbrsp]

Technically, you don't *need* to get the Topping PRE90, or any other pre-amplifier, to remote control LA90. You could also control the volume with several DACs that has the "act as a preamp" functionality.

[@MODAC]

Yes, I am aware. Thanks.

[@jaegervand2112]

Sure, but the typical digital volume control on dacs sound terrible, especially on lower volume. You need proper analog components.

[@SacreDro]

This is the most cleanest amp ever.

[@CinemaDemocratica]

Randy The Cheapaudioman had serious mechanical reliability problems with his LA90, or I think he probably would have kept it.

[@marksinthedark2011]

Thanks for another great video

[@MODAC]

You bet

[@daniellustgarten5857]

Beautiful ,honest and clear review, as usual, I would recommend you to try the VMV A1 with is the "audiophile" line of SMSL , a nice and small kind of class A amplifier , I use it with a tube pre_amp and a pair of LS3/A5 speakers (11 OHMs)

[@MODAC]

Fantastic. Thanks. Looking into it.

[@whocares0503]

@@MODAC I use the SMSL A to power my Klipsch RP600MIIs and I am QUITE pleased! Though I use a Luminious Audio Technology Passive preamp, it's not needed for most things

[@noahman27]

Nice video. Thanks!

[@richardmoloney689]

Nice gear. Nice vid. Thanks.

[@barrybrennan2135]

Will you be reviewing the Spring 3? Thanks

[@MODAC]

Yes, I will.

[@simocreations]

My current system consists of a nait5si. Linn Sara’s and a cheap old Sony cd player. Id like to look into a streamer. I use my iPhone but even streaming ultra lossless it’s still no match for the cheap cd player

[@MODAC]

You need a proper streamer and separate DAC. I got a WiiM mini streamer for Xmas and am hugely impressed. Only $99! Also look into latest Schiit Modi DAC. Excellent value and I believe you will find it sounds better than an old CD player.

[@SacreDro]

CD players are above in terms of sound vs streamers.

[@MODAC]

Not my experience. Especially with a decent separate DAC.

[@marcusbrsp]

A decent streamer is worth the investment. There are plenty of them on the market right now. If I did not get the Silent Angel Munich M1T in the beginning of the year (a purchase I am very happy with), I would probably order an Eversolo DMP-A6. The big (touch) display on that looks very appealing. But, like I said, there are many interesting one's on the market right now.

[@jerrypartington3650]

Quiet a rare speaker the Linn Sara and a challenge for most amplification, get the source amplification and positioning right, on Sara stands hard up against the wall, and they are phenomenal, otherwise they'll never really work properly. Definitely get the best streaming source you can afford, garbage in garbage out.

[@turbomustang84]

My vintage Polk speakers were barely driven by the Topping .. Maybe with more efficient speakers it would have been better unfortunately I don't have any

[@beaverish]

Don't know why people are so obsessed with these ChiFi amps with inflated specs. For the same amount of money, I could get a Yamaha AS-801 with more power and inputs. Don't get me wrong, I am not hating on Chinese amps since I have owned a fair share of amps from Topping and SMSL. The problem is that their products are now creeping up in the upper price range. I feel like they are no longer offering the same value like they once were a few years back.

[@marcusbrsp]

Chinese companies seem to be in the forefront right now, pushing the latest Hi-Fi technology to the market. Yes, their prices may be going up a bit but so is the quality and the level of the products. And, I still think it is the most affordable way to enjoy the latest Hi-Fi. I feel that when you buy high quality products from well-established brands, you pay a lot for the brand (and their marketing) and you do not necessarily get a superior product.

[@beaverish]

@@marcusbrsp Newer doesn't always mean better. If that was the case, people would've gotten rid of tubes long ago. I am still happy with my 6 years old DAC even after trying out DACs that came out recently costing 3-4x.

[@sonusancti]

The preamp subtracts or the pot itself. Best handled by external preamp. Another important question is how a mono pair w/ quality preamp would sound on the Maggies.

[@MODAC]

I’m sure it would be great.

[@Poppinwheeeeellllllieeeeez]

Ever hear of Fons turntables? One locally for 100.00

[@mikeuk4130]

Yes, made by Fergus Fons. I think it was a CQ30, made in Scotland.

[@MODAC]

Nope, but I looked them up. Nice!

[@JK-rt2jj]

I own a Fons CQ30, it is a very good turntable in fact. Not unlike Linn LP12, for it has a sprung subchassis. Its motor is DC and I like its platter; sounds much better than thinner aluminium or an acrylic platter. I play it with a Grado cartridge which picks up some low frequency noise, that’s a problem. And maybe just me, I hate the sound of the SME 3009 arm my Fons was fitted with when I first got it.

[@Poppinwheeeeellllllieeeeez]

@@MODAC I like your channel. Honest reviews. Those Rogers speakers go for noth of 5K in my area.

[@paulbaker4941]

There is an xtra 9 on the price

[@EddyTeetree]

What your calling clarity from the Topping is actually common in Chinese made amps and comes from cheap mismatched products in an unbalanced system that accentuates mid and hi frequencies making them seem clear and transparent yada yada but soon become fatiguing as our hearing attempts to sort out the mess they make of the music.

[@onionknight9431]

lower distortion and less noise are not accentuated mids/highs

[@ENGLISHISBEST]

Sansui didn't they go bust around 2014, they made tv's& loads of other average quality goods.I never really saw them as a top brand though.

[@MODAC]

Well, with a bit of research and you’ll learn what they were doing in the 1960s to the early 80s. Very highly regarded. Almost all of the classic brands were sold or bought out decades ago. They are just brand labels now. All ties cut to original ownership and engineering.

[@stackoverflow8260]

Here is 0.02$, companies that sell overkill speaker cables and very poorly measuring devices are modern day incarnation of "white van speakers" trope. My opinion is that an amplifier and the company that's producing it has no right to decide what kinda distortion and harmonics I like. They need to design an amp that is as transparent as possible and stop pushing their inability to design an ideal amplifier as ,"you don't have to measure good to sound good"! That's absolutely BS. It's the musician's job to make music and not the amplifier manufacturers'. If the amp manufacturers are hell bent on introducing harmonics and distortion, then they should put that circuitry in a separate PCB or better yet a separate small box. This gives the user to have the flexibility! I'm tired of anti-science poo poo that's going on in the audiophile community. Finally, hopefully Topping is delivering a kick in the nuts for all the American and European manufacturers and their nincompoop engineers! Finally, a very good video sir! This is my first time here.

[@MODAC]

Thanks. I see your point, but don’t agree 100%. Amp design is not just science. There is equal amount of art/creativity involved as well. Designers can do what they want with the circuits and let the customer decide if they like it. There are many paths to sonic satisfaction.

[@epi2045]

Hmmmm $899? Seems a lot for Topping.

[@MODAC]

Not really. Well made, sounds great.

[@BobFrostV]

Not really IMO. There performance in regards to distortion is better than all all of the expensive brands. Also this amp is a speaker amp unlike the majority of their other offerings.

[@Poppinwheeeeellllllieeeeez]

I would not pay that. Id consider mini tube unit or run a diy raspberry pie class D before id spend that much on an ugly looking modern BPC.

[@BobFrostV]

@@Poppinwheeeeellllllieeeeez Your unit would be far from world leading performance though.

[@Poppinwheeeeellllllieeeeez]

@@BobFrostV you arenkidding yourself if you think that topping is anywhere near class leading. A fugly modern BPC amp. Ill pass at $500 let alone $899USD.

[@flex-cx9bi]

Try playing some audio clips. Just talking is not enough.

[@MODAC]

Never gonna do that.

[@flex-cx9bi]

@@MODAC OK. Your choice. Will miss a lot of viewers if you just stay with talking only.You tube is flooded with "talkers". Need to take it to the next level to stand out.

[@airun5362]

D70s preamp is not good. Its wose than 40$ tc electronics xlr passive preamp, more over TC is worse than hand made 60$*(overall) vintage Alps 50k potenciometer with Japan XLR cables soldered to it. Ive did it all and tested for my Yamaha pc2002 amp. Now using it with selector Luxman ASIII with headphone jack. Havent heard sound better. Even 2k$ Luxman 505 or Mcintosh 2155* if not mistaken with model, didnt sounded any better, but worse. (maybe because of condition). Also tested sansui 777 and it wasnt that tube sounding as people describe it and "praying" for its sound.. was dissapointed a bit. It had dense sound a it vintage, but it was on mid-tier+ level. (may be it was also not in perfect condition)

[@geoffreydebrito7934]

I just discovered your Channel, thank you for a very enjoyable review. I happen to have my eye on the new LA90 Discrete Amplifier, which reportedly performs even better and at $100 less cost. I'm delighted to learn that the older LA90 easily handled the challenging Magnepans, as I wondered if it had sufficient power. I'm planning on pairing the LA90 Discrete amp with the new EverSolo DMP-A6 Streamer/DAC which reviewer Steve Huff has just raved about. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJ_MiKB6Yq10pbc&pp=ygUXc3RldmUgaHVmZiBwaG90byAmIGhpZmk%3D Lastly, I plan to combine the LA90 Discrete and the EverSolo with a Rogue Audio RP-1 Tube Preamp... once I've acquired the RP-1, I'll bring into the fold my near mint Yamaha PF-1000 Turntable, which I bought new in late 1984. www.thevintageknob.org/yamaha-PF-1000.html PS: I have too much gear too...