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New Sabaj a10h a Worthy Topping L30 Competitor?

Thomas_bati

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All modes produce distortion. In all cases it is below audible limits.
When looking at numbers only then a higher input level in lower gain shows less distortion than lower level with higher gain.
In practice it's all about audibility levels.
So in terms of quality, I shouldn't be afraid to take advantage of high gain?
 

solderdude

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it's no problem. You can use high gain when the volpot is at maximum and you still want/need to go louder.
 

WondrousHippo

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Ah, I regret not checking L7 before buying this thing.

Is that power supply noise something that could be fixed by a better power supply, or is it an internal issue? It sucks because "headphone amp with remote-switchable outputs" is a thing that is shockingly hard to find! I use my Emotiva Stealth DC-1 as my entertainment center setup, but having to enable headphones by plugging them in is very annoying for me, a very lazy man
 

_thelaughingman

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Ah, I regret not checking L7 before buying this thing.

Is that power supply noise something that could be fixed by a better power supply, or is it an internal issue? It sucks because "headphone amp with remote-switchable outputs" is a thing that is shockingly hard to find! I use my Emotiva Stealth DC-1 as my entertainment center setup, but having to enable headphones by plugging them in is very annoying for me, a very lazy man

I've had the A10 for a month now and i can hardly hear or discern the power supply noise when it's on. I certainly don't suggest getting a different power supply such as those available at Amazon and co to replace the factory one since most of those do have similar coil noise issues. Unless you're listening to your music in a incredibly quite room and can pick up the noise from the power supply than this amp wont work for you.
 

Thomas_bati

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Honestly with the Sabaj and my sensitive akg k371 I only hear noise with high gain. In low gain and medium gain, dead silence.
 

half_dog

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Honestly with the Sabaj and my sensitive akg k371 I only hear noise with high gain. In low gain and medium gain, dead silence.
That's the thing, with L30 I can't hear anything even in high gain and maximum volume if nothing is connected with a Moondrop Starfield. But I can hear a faint noise when an external DAC (E30, D10s and KTB) is connected - no noise with a Galaxy S9.
 

Thomas_bati

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That's the thing, with L30 I can't hear anything even in high gain and maximum volume if nothing is connected with a Moondrop Starfield. But I can hear a faint noise when an external DAC (E30, D10s and KTB) is connected - no noise with a Galaxy S9.
I have here with me an L30 topping, connected to a Smsl sanskrit mkii. I did some tests to have a term of comparison and to explain it here. I took with me the first sensitive earphones I had at home, a pair of Akg found in the Samsung Galaxy s10. Dead silence with all gains. Maybe only at the maximum volume of High gain I can perceive something, maybe ultra sounds or stuff from 15khz upwards.
 

Diable

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In a way it's a nice cute relay resistor headphone amp, but the performance won't be on L30 level. Most of the real estate is used for the volume control after all. The head-amp looks like a very basic TPA6120A2 implementation with what looks like a NE5532 buffer(?), no feed-forward/nested feedback for lowest distortion? I mean it's probably 'fine' but not comparable performance level that begun with the THX AAA stuff.

As long as the distortion is inaudible more zeros behind the . makes no difference.
 

Veri

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As long as the distortion is inaudible more zeros behind the . makes no difference.
It is noisy with sensitive earphones. L30 isn't. So unless you don't use any, and want the resistor volume control, this isn't really "better" but rather meh.
 

WoodyLuvr

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It is noisy with sensitive earphones. L30 isn't. So unless you don't use any, and want the resistor volume control, this isn't really "better" but rather meh.
What is currently the best measuring and smallest sized head amp (no DAC) with resistor volume control? The SMSL SH-9 perhaps?
 
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Chrise36

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It is noisy with sensitive earphones. L30 isn't. So unless you don't use any, and want the resistor volume control, this isn't really "better" but rather meh.
As a preamp with this volume control would you suggest it? I want to pair this with a D50S and NC 252 monos which are 90 to 95 SINAD. SINAD probably will not be affected i think.Headphones are Beyerdynamic custom AKG 240 and Marantz HPM 2 and a set of Technics DJ 1200 from my youth. Also considering Hifiman 4xx or AKG K701 will it drive these?
 

Veri

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As a preamp with this volume control would you suggest it? I want to pair this with a D50S and NC 252 monos which are 90 to 95 SINAD. SINAD probably will not be affected i think.Headphones are Beyerdynamic custom AKG 240 and Marantz HPM 2 and a set of Technics DJ 1200 from my youth. Also considering Hifiman 4xx or AKG K701 will it drive these?
All of those headphones seem trouble free really. Get it if you want relay-clicking volume control :)
 

_thelaughingman

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What is so wrong with a relay clicking volume control? I don’t get the fuss over it.
 

Veri

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What is so wrong with a relay clicking volume control? I don’t get the fuss over it.
? No fuss it's a feature. Some might like a relay volume some might rather have an analog knob or digital one.. it's a matter of preference and relay resistor volume is usually quite a bit more expensive.
 
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Chrise36

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All of those headphones seem trouble free really. Get it if you want relay-clicking volume control :)
Οκ thanks i will wait a bit for any problems to be sorted and to become available from known stores in Europe.
 

Diable

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It is noisy with sensitive earphones. L30 isn't. So unless you don't use any, and want the resistor volume control, this isn't really "better" but rather meh.

Im not saying or implying it's better. Sound wise both are distortion free with typical headphones, so call one better because it has a extra 0 makes no sense to me.
 

Grangerm

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I just bought the Sabaj, connected to a 10th mkii sanskrit. I have a couple of akg k371s and a couple of k702s. What is your listening volume? It seems to me that I have to raise it a little too much. For example the k702 I cannot listen to them in 0db gain. There is a problem? Also in the k371, which are very sensitive headphones, I have the volume set to -35db in 0db gain.
Have you found the three gain settings buried in the menu system?
 
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