There is a large difference in the American English pronunciation of the initial t in top and the intervocal t in better.
The exact same difference can be heard when saying tap water. The initial t in tap is not pronounced at all like the intervocal t in water. The latter t is pronounced exactly like the 'clipped r' sound in Spanish. Until you hear these two words spoken together in normal conversation between speakers of American English, you will not be able to mimic the sound.
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