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Sabaj A10h Review (Headphone Amplifier)

Papaya_X

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Is the potentiometer (volume control) very wobbly and seems a bit on the cheap side quality wise ?
Would it be possible to replace it ?
 

Papaya_X

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Not wobbly at all.
Ok... That's weird, I have 1x A20a et 1x A20d and both of them have a potentiometer that is not high quality (A20d even worse), it is not wobbly but there is some looseness.
 

Pdxwayne

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Ok... That's weird, I have 1x A20a et 1x A20d and both of them have a potentiometer that is not high quality (A20d even worse), it is not wobbly but there is some looseness.
I feel the click of each volume interval change when turning, but I don't feel losseness when turning.
 

roog

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Is the potentiometer (volume control) very wobbly and seems a bit on the cheap side quality wise ?
Would it be possible to replace it ?
It isn't a potentiometer, it is a rotary encoder. I mean it's not as robust feeling as the one on my Naim kit, it does have some give**, but at 35x less outlay I wouldn't expect it to be but I found it perfectly serviceable and because I use mine as a pre amp I use the remote control most of the time which I find to be very responsive.

** Edited to be more explicit.
 
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Lilith

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It has a tiny little bit play which is normal imo
 

Dennis_FL

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I addressed that in my review. If he grounds the Audio Precision outputs to the A10h, almost all of that goes away resulting in the measurements I have.
So if I place this after my DAC (Gustard X16)…..what does it mean? Do I ground the RCAs somehow?
 

Dennis_FL

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@amirm, I notice that the a10h increases the hum noise from my speakers.

With everything connected, if a10h is powered off, only very little hum from speakers (known hum from my amp). Once a10h is turned on, the hum gets much louder and I can hear the hum from speakers from 12 ft away.

In your original post, you said this:
......
As soon as I connected the AP ground to the RCA shield, it substantially reduces mains interference resulting in the above measurement.
......

I would like to do the same for my setup to see if that helps.

My source is Node2i to Gustard x16. Amp is Parasound a21. Do I connect ground from X16 to RCA shield to a10h and also ground of my amp to RCA shield to a10h?

Thanks!

I have the x16 as well. But I have barely audible hum and I think it is in the receiver or possibly my sub (sub and computer are plugged into different wall outlets). Most of my gear is plugged into a Monster power filter so I suspect the USB cable to the DAC. I have swapped subs and still get it … and the iMac I use is without a three prong ground plug. I may just run some speaker wire from the power filter to the receiver to the sub and x16 case as well.
 
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Dennis_FL

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Do you have noise issues if not you don' t have to do anything.
exacly what I wanted to hear. I do have a slight hum but it is elsewhere (see above post)
 

Dennis_FL

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Fails radiated immunity EMC test!
I get crackling noise when I move my phone over the Sabaj or even the headphone cable. Doesn't happen with Schiit Magni 3.
Is it plastic?
 

Pdxwayne

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I have the x16 as well. But I have barely audible hum and I think it is in the receiver or possibly my sub (sub and computer are plugged into different wall outlets). Most of my gear is plugged into a Monster power filter so I suspect the USB cable to the DAC. I have swapped subs and still get it … and the iMac I use is without a three prong ground plug. I may just run some speaker wire from the power filter to the receiver to the sub and x16 case as well.
So you are doing x16 to a10h to receiver? Or x16 to a10h to subs?

Someone mentioned a few days back that I could try short RCA to xlr adapter, then connect xlr to my amp. I tried that yesterday and it works. The hum significantly reduced and I can't sense it from my seat.

If your receiver or subs don't have xlr in, another member suggested using special RCA cable that should help significantly eliminate hum. This one I do not know if it works or not as I don't have it.

Something like this:
2 Foot – Directional Quad High-Definition Audio Interconnect Cable Pair Custom Made by WORLDS BEST CABLES – Using Mogami 2534 Wire and Amphenol ACPR Die-Cast, Gold Plated RCA Connectors https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ALHVUSC/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_V8BBEEX2GXMXH49VW38W
 

Pdxwayne

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X16>a10h>amp using RCA
my amp has xlr so I was thinking of trying direct from the x16
Won't hurt to try. I was using a10h as preamp as gustard said x16 volume control is lossy. To get best quality out if it, I should not use x16 volume control.
 

Dennis_FL

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Won't hurt to try. I was using a10h as preamp as gustard said x16 volume control is lossy. To get best quality out if it, I should not use x16 volume control.
I was going to use Roon for volume control. Not sure how to handle the initial power on
 

Dennis_FL

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Roland68

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Sami

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Without a proper grounding of the housing?
The case is metallic, but the front seems to be plastic only (I didn't disassemble it).
I get interference when I just put the phone close to the headphone cable (phone >1m from the amp), so maybe there is something silly happening with the grounding. Sabaj's power supply is Class II with unknown certification status.
 

Roland68

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The case is metallic, but the front seems to be plastic only (I didn't disassemble it).
I get interference when I just put the phone close to the headphone cable (phone >1m from the amp), so maybe there is something silly happening with the grounding. Sabaj's power supply is Class II with unknown certification status.
Since the power cord only has a 2-pin connection, neither the power supply unit nor the A10h can be grounded through it.
I would have to test at the weekend whether the mass of the housing is connected to the chinch mass.
 
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