Would a Topping A90 or A90D be a significant upgrade from the A30 Pro?


Have been thinking about upgrading my headphone amp, which is a Topping A30 Pro. It's a pretty good amp for its price, driving my LSA HP2 headphones (got these from Underwood HIFI several years ago--I think they're made by Kennerton), delivering decent bass and excellent detail and resolution, though for me, just a bit clinical. I'm wondering if moving to an A90 or A90D would make any difference, or should I look elsewhere for something that fleshes out the sound a little more. I'm not really a tube guy and have no need of a built-in DAC. Looking in the sub-$1K range, new or used. Recommendations gratefully received. Thanks

cooper52

Well, this one seems to have fallen on (forgive the expression) deaf ears. I'd really appreciate any experiences or opinions any of you may have about these 2 headphone amps. Still giving this some thought. Thanks.

I have a DX3 Pro+ and it’s not bad, but Topping is not particularly known for “fleshing out” anything. I would contact Apos Audio and ask their advice. They sell Topping and a lot of other headphone amps, so they might be able to steer you in the direction you’re looking to go. 

If you think your current Topping is a bit "clinical" you might want to try one of the Schiit headphone amps. I have an Asgard and a Lyr 3 and think both are excellent sounding. The current version of the Lyr can be run without a tube. Schiit also just released the Kara preamp which includes a headphone amp. No tubes and it has been getting excellent reviews. 

 

Here's a long overdue update on this thread: I did finally decide to upgrade from the A30 Pro to an A90D and I'm actually pretty happy with it. It powers my LSA headphones admirably and delivers a very precise image with lots of detail. No, it doesn't warm anything up, but it still sounds less clinical than the A 30. However, IMO the difference in performance is not as great as the difference in price might suggest. I hope some of you will find this helpful.