Review and Measurements of Sabaj D5 DAC & Amp

[Veri]

This thread is really being polluted by rather off-topic discussion about golden samples/measurement cheating etc..
Ideally we should be talking about the D5 specifically here

 

[Krunok]

If one Mfr is cheating and publishing wrong AP results, .....I mean, such a behaviour will happen only once if it wasn't a (big) mistake. After a 2nd "mistake" this Mfr is done.

Compare measurements of Audio-gd products with those published on their site and see for yourself.

It is not a rare case to find that ASR measurements don't correlate with the manfucturers specs. In most cases manufacturers specs are close but are quite incomplete.

 

[Krunok]

Never heard audio-gd measured on AP and published AP figures. In these cases ASR is using different equipment.

That is not an excuse - all modern measurement devices should produce very similar results when same parameter is measured.

 

[Nango]

Tested by same equipment doesn't mean we get the same set of measurements.

I thought, the results cant be other than identical when using the same instruments and you know what you are doing and you can handle the equipment.

 

[Nango]

Compare measurements of Audio-gd products with those published on their site and see for yourself.

It is not a rare case to find that ASR measurements don't correlate with the manfucturers specs. In most cases manufacturers specs are close but are quite incomplete.

Yes, AP and SINAD figures seem to me to be standard since ASR exists. If I saw someone's SINAD measured with AP is different than ASR's I mean, this Mfr is over and done for me, I always trust this site, of course.

That is not an excuse - all modern measurement devices should produce very similar results when same parameter is measured.

Well, in this case the newest AP wouldnt cost 25k.

The very only advantage (if it is one) I see we have is that we will learn about when it doesn't match with their own figures. We wouldn't if they had to pay for but I think this is a very slim chance with all parties using the AP.

 

[Krunok]

Well, in this case the newest AP wouldnt cost 25k.

You are simplifying things - new AP is more expensive because of additional features and parameters it can measure, not that much about enhanced precision over a previous model.

 

[THW]

you don’t need “different methodology” for independent measurements, all that is required is for an independent third party to verify the measurements.

in fact i’d say it would even be desirable to use the same methodology just to make sure that any difference in results is not simply a result of different methodology.

 

[Bamyasi]

Matrix prodive user manuals for every products, including our first DAC DA-100plus (https://www.matrix-digi.com/pdf/DA-100PLUS_Manual_CN.pdf ).
you can find these documentations here, https://www.matrix-digi.com/en/downloads/
I think not all the Asian companies do not pay attention on these details.

@MatrixAudio I know your company is an exception, that's why I wrote "almost none"

 

[Jimster480]

Furthermore: A mfr who uses the same measurement equipment than @amirm and knows the results in advance the only thing it seeks is to get publicity from this site. I don't see the reason why such products should be reviewed here. Edit: Where is the added-value for us if results already known?

Independent review vs company claiming.
You never know if they just create a perfect scenario. This is why independent review's have to exist.

 

[dannylin]

Interesting. Comparing to SMSL and Topping, you cannot find too many information about this company Shengzhen Dahao Technology. And their website is as poor as Topping's. If you look at their websites, I believe SMSL is a much better one. Of course, we're not here to compare their websites and they're not necessarily related to their product quality but just a way to evaluate too.

Plus you cannot find too many information on Sabaj devices even on Baidu and it's not even available on Taobao.

 

[dwkdnvr]

Good news: got my D5 from Amazon promptly.

Bad News: remote control doesn't work.

 

[Nango]

Warehouse Deal?

 

[pozz]

@amirm Do you still have the unit to test for 50mV SNR?

 

[themystical]

Good news: got my D5 from Amazon promptly.

Bad News: remote control doesn't work.

Try pressing the "C" button on the remote. It doesn't work until you do that.

 

[rmo]

at this price , with this review, i have no problem buying one of these babies.

 

[rwortman]

The Green New Deal is going to kill everybody? Now that's good science.

So a DAC that needs to be on 24/7 or otherwise the sound quality is significantly worse? Er... Now granted, it's great even cold, but this is a significant design flaw. They could, I dunno, add some warm-up circuitry or something.

I would substitute measured performance for sound quality in the above statement.

 

[beefkabob]

I would substitute measured performance for sound quality in the above statement.

Keeping in mind the threshold of what we can detect, how different are the two?

 

[rwortman]

Keeping in mind the threshold of what we can detect, how different are the two?

I don't know and they review doesn't say. Not to put too fine a point on it but sound is something you hear. Amir's test equipment measures signal quality.

 

[Xulonn]

but sound is something you hear

It's more complicated than that - we can measure sound - vibrations in the air that impinge on your tympanic membranes. And we can determine from Amir's testing the liklihood of whether the measured noise or distortion of a piece of hardware will be audible.

However, we cannot measure what reaches your consciousness, or what you "perceive". People sometimes claim to hear differences, even when there are no differences, e.g. the sources are not switched in the ab testing. Also, sometimes small differences that are claimed to be heard cannot actually be identified - unless the listener knows in advance what hardware or variant in a sound system he is listening to.

 

[30 Ounce]

I’m not sure about thresholds of hearing as I went from a AudioQuest Dragonfly Red to Matrix Audio X SABRE PRO MQA and the difference is stunning. I thought the Dragonfly was at the threshold of hearing as far as all the specs go but the Matrix Audio is definitely a huge step towards audio nirvana.