Sabaj A10h Review (Headphone Amplifier)

[spigot]

Sabaj @peterwen should realize that people prefer orange and not blue LED......

I prefer blue, it's relaxing. Orange is a disgusting, nagging, puke-like colour. It's jarring. I want to glance at a display and for it then to blend. What kind of monster(!) wants anything orange anywhere - it's orange. Ooh look, what's that in my peripheral vision when I'm listening to music that's the only thing that's that particular colour in the entire room? Orange? Fffuuuu.....! Conversely, blue tops all preference charts for everything because it's serene. Keep orange for traffic cones.

Actually, there is some orange (temporarily) in this room, it's the handle to some scissors. Orange because it makes them easy to spot in a drawer. Because orange is obvious. God, I hate orange when I'm trying to relax...

 

[WondrousHippo]

Can pream function be used with the headphone still plugged in?

Yes it can, you can manually switch the outputs.

Amir, did you run any measurements on the preamp output? Curious for the measurements on those if it's transparent. I think I preferred the JBL LSR305 in balanced from a worse SINAD DAC compared to running preamp with this but as we know...subjective impressions lie!

 

[milan616]

Everyone fighting over blue and orange!

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[ReaderZ]

$120 and has a stepped relay vol control? I want one now!

 

[Hugo9000]

I like green, like Nakamichi used on their 7-series back in the late 1980s.

Blue lights are cheap and awful. KMART blue light special! YUCK. (We still need a vomit emoji on this forum haha!)

 

[amirm]

General question about headamp reviews please @amirm . When you do the listening tests, are you always EQ the headphones ?

I know you are just listening to ensure good clean power rather than the impact the amp has on the sound , but perhaps new readers might think it’s the amp bringing the powerful bass etc etc .

It is almost always without EQ. If I want to continue listening I turn on EQ. You are right that there is no bass imparted from the amplifier. In my comments, I am talking about native amount of bass the headphone is providing.

 

[amirm]

Amir, did you run any measurements on the preamp output?

I did not. In this class of product it always has the same performance as the headphone out.

 

[frankschwab]

@amirm Would you consider running a channel separation vs frequency at (varying levels) sweep on this unit? We know they are using DPDT relays which handle both channels for the 256 level (2^8 ) volume so there may be some capacitive coupling between channels.

I don't know why this isn't part of the normal battery of tests.

 

[Toku]

Everyone fighting over blue and orange!

View attachment 147234
View attachment 147235​

I definitely want you to stop using the blue display!
Besides being hard to see, blue is not good for the eyes.

 

[solderdude]

Anyone seen what's below the relay add-on card ?

 

[gvl]

Anyone seen what's below the relay add-on card ?

Tubes? For the good sound, you know.

 

[peterwen]

I definitely want you to stop using the blue display!
Besides being hard to see, blue is not good for the eyes.

There are also representatives who like blue upstairs @spigot

 

[Foxenfurter]

There are also representatives who like blue upstairs @spigot

I thought you were referring to the blue rinse brigade! - Older ladies who dye their hair for the uninitiated.

 

[Lupin]

Undeniable great objective performance and features at a spectacular price point.
Still I can't agree with the aesthetic design language of any Sabaj device.

To add to the blue versus orange discussion.. I think both are just fine but personally slightly favor orange.

ps.
Seen the Sabaj A20h headphone amplifier?
Someone over at Sabaj thought it is a perfect idea to have all headphone connectors in the back..
I just don't see the appeal of their desgins.

 

[Jimbob54]

Undeniable great objective performance and features at a spectacular price point.
Still I can't agree with the aesthetic design language of any Sabaj device.

To add to the blue versus orange discussion.. I think both are just fine but personally slightly favor orange.

ps.
Seen the Sabaj A20h headphone amplifier?
Someone over at Sabaj thought it is a perfect idea to have all headphone connectors in the back..
I just don't see the appeal of their desgins.

View attachment 147271

If its good enough for Mola Mola.......

https://www.mola-mola.nl/tambaqui.php

 

[Jave]

@JohnYang1997 - any plans to implement such stepped relay volume control in one of your future amps?

 

[Pdxwayne]

It is sold out in Amazon.....A good review here indeed can help with sales...

 

[shrimp_dude]

I like green, like Nakamichi used on their 7-series back in the late 1980s.

I have a Sony 700ES amplifier from the 80's that should have a nice green power light... however it is a dull yellow now. Green would be nice.

 

[Swtoby]

I received this unit today. Regarding ground loop concerns, I don't hear any hum in preamp mode at max volume into a Crown XLS 1502 with Vandersteen 2 speakers. In headphone mode I did hear some hum with an IEM at max volume. But this was at a volume I would never use. Overall, it passed my own noise and hum tests, but can' t match the JDS Labs EL Amp II, which exhibits no hum at all at max volume with the same gear. But factoring in the convenience of remote volume control, the hum is not a practical concern with the Sabaj for my purposes.

 

[Lupin]

If its good enough for Mola Mola.......

https://www.mola-mola.nl/tambaqui.php

Everything Mola Mola is over hyped and nothing more then seriously overpriced pieces of garbage that even roaches don't want to get to close to. That Mola Mola even can excist is a fundamental failure of the human race.