Sabaj A20d 2022 Review (DAC & Headphone Amp)

[808lab]

Sorry I misinformed you. I meant power button and not switch.

It's been awhile and I've been upgrading further. I bought a Topping A90 Discrete and use the A20d as a DAC/pre-amp. Funny enough the Topping A90d has a USB-C input for Firmware upgrade, which does not work USB-C to USB-C either. Shenzen hasn't gotten USB-C to USB-C to work properly and as intended in general apparently. As long as USB-C to USB-C doesn't work I would have much preferred USB-A or B on the DAC side as PC/MAC usually have USB-C these days (USB-C seems to be the future)

It's however an amazing combo if you want clean, neutral, transparent sound. And the silver chassis match perfectly, so much so that I'm certain it's done by the same manufacturer. I bought Focal Clear (OG) as well when I felt the headphones was holding it back and the sound then was stunning!! I'm running it balanced all the way now btw. It's so detailed. If I was mixing a record I would definitely have used this set up. It's so revealing. I would say it's as close to end-game as you can come when it comes to clean, analytical, neutral sound if you consider price vs. value. This set up is around $2500 and it's worth every penny. It's astonishing. For pure listening pleasure I would probably suggest something warmer sounding and relaxed as this is so detailed I could not get any work done while listening to this set up and work at the same time... Sabaj A20D + Topping A90D + Focal Clear OG is awesome!!

What’s your impression after other 2 months with this beautiful setup?
I’m looking to the same combo a90d/a20d

 

[JLV]

Hello.
I need your help.
After I have updated the firmware with the latest update sent by SABAJ, I have no sound when playing via bluetooth.
Any solution?
Thank you.

 

[Chilli]

Hello.
I need your help.
After I have updated the firmware with the latest update sent by SABAJ, I have no sound when playing via bluetooth.
Any solution?
Thank you.

Have you contacted Sabaj?
Did you check the aerial is screwed in well?
Can you roll back the update with an older version? I haven’t done a firmware update since purchase.
Have you tried a reset?

 

[JLV]

Have you contacted Sabaj?
Did you check the aerial is screwed in well?
Can you roll back the update with an older version? I haven’t done a firmware update since purchase.
Have you tried a reset?

Hi,
thanks for your reply.
I'm sending the DAC back.
After the update I had the bluetooth issue and when I roll back with the original firmware I had distortion and intermittent playback with DSD files.

 

[Hxx]

just curious about this dac, the USB C to USB C compatibility issue has it been fixed?

 

[Eddie_Vanjovi]

This and the M500 mk3 basically perform the same. Is there any real reason to get the M500 mk3 over this?

 

[Jimster480]

This and the M500 mk3 basically perform the same. Is there any real reason to get the M500 mk3 over this?

Not unless you need the different port configuration or whatever

 

[Dodgexander]

I tried posting this in the feedback thread but it doesn't seem as popular as this thread so I'll give it a go here.

I bought this from Hi-fi express (@peterwen) and waited patiently for it to arrive from China. Overall impression is good and I enjoy using my headphones with the DAC/H.AMP

However I want to also use this to power my Klipsch The Fives on my computer. My setup is used for everything, not just music but video games and movies too.

Sadly when I'm using the speakers either connected via RCA>RCA or RCA>AUX there is sometimes drop outs for a second here and there with the sound. These can happen anywhere to as often as every 5 mins to as little as once a day.

These drop outs do not happen when using the headphone output and only when using the A20d as a pre amp.

The cut outs also do not occur when I've tested my speakers with an older DAC and they do not occur when my speakers are connected to the computer themselves via USB.

The really odd thing about this issue is that it seems to mainly occur during gaming. When listening to music I haven't experienced any cut outs at all.

Does anyone have any suggestions or similar experience? I have tried installing the drivers from the website but it doesn't help.

I have still been experiencing these dropouts and created an audio clip to test it. Can someone using the RCA outs test if there's also dropouts for them too?

https://soundcloud.com/tim-sudall%2Ftest
For the record, instead of using a fixed volume output, using adjustable and lowering it to 70 on the Sabaj A20d 2022 seems to make the problem go away. Similarly, increasing the adjustable volume output higher makes the problem return. I'm trying to figure out if this is an issue, I need to fix with Klipsch/Sabaj or if it's pretty normal.

 

[Copter]

Forget this, SMSL (parent company of Sabaj) has just released M500 mkiii, successor to ii which was in turn the same as A20d in a different enclosure (Amir has tested both and measure the same). It has improved XMOS XU-316 processor, better CK-03 clock and 6 more OPA1612A. Price is about 100$ more.

https://hifi-express.com/products/smsl-m500-mkiii

Hello

I have a DX3pro+ I compared it to the K5 ESS and I prefer the topping.
I compared by doing A/B test with selector but it's almost identical... both have a 9038Q2M (mobile version)
I love my DX3 PRO+ through Peace/EQ APO

I was 2 fingers away from taking the Sajab A20D 2022
I finally ordered the M500MKIII even though I hate the look.
I relied on the iiWi Reviews reviewer who found the sound flat on the Sajab a10D sound signature.

The M500 KIII has its 8 channels of the 9038 Pro that is really functional and wired compared to many other dacs that are only on 2 channels.
And also a true balanced output.
The amp is not a single 6120A2 like on Sajab and topping.

I love the design of the Sajab and I will probably order it to compare the sound signature with the MKIII
That said, I doubt that A20D is identical to the MKII in a different box because the PCBs don't have the same components on a very different PCB.

In my country there are 120E more for the M500MKIII and I hope I have done well? The price hurt me and I regret the case of the sajab.
- The sajab A20D 2022 has really excellent measurements but not able to know if the 9038 Pro is only connected on 2 channels like the M500MKII?
- I hope that I will have an improvement compared to my DX3 pro+ and my vulgar DT990 Edition 250 Ohm with the M500MKIII, your opinion?

 

[poxymoron]

Hello

I have a DX3pro+ I compared it to the K5 ESS and I prefer the tooping in comparison with the A/B selector but it's almost identical... both have a 9038Q2M (mobile version)
I love my DX3 PRO+ through Peace/EQ APO

I was 2 fingers away from taking the Sajab A20D 2022
I finally ordered the M500MKIII even though I hate the look.
I relied on the iiWi Reviews reviewer who found the sound flat on the Sajab a10D sound signature.

The M500 KIII has its 8 channels of the 9038 Pro that is really functional and wired compared to many other dacs that are only on 2 channels.
And also a true balanced output.
The amp is not a single 6120A2 like on Sajab and topping.

I love the design of the Sajab and I will probably order it to compare the sound signature with the MKIII
That said, I doubt that A20D is identical to the MKII in a different box because the PCBs don't have the same components on a very different PCB.

In my country there are 120E more for the M500MKIII and I hope I have done well? The price hurt me and I regret the case of the sajab.
- The sajab A20D 2022 has really excellent measurements but not able to know if the 9038 Pro is only connected on 2 channels like the M500MKII?
- I hope that I will have an improvement compared to my DX3 pro+ and my vulgar DT990 Edition 250 Ohm with the M500MKIII, your opinion?

I wouldn't give much credence to iiWi Reviews subjective nonsense. With that said, I don't think you can go wrong with your choice.

 

[Copter]

Indeed for having watched a lot of iiWi video I don't know if it's a trusted influencer?
I noted some incoherent remarks/exaggerated notament on the DX5 which will beat the MM500MKII on sound quality the headphone output I prcise.
(Headset is 90% of my use)

I hadn't noticed but the amp is also $2.
A single TPA6120A2 is therefore true symmetrical unlike the Sajab which apparently is not ?
DX3 pro+ / DX5 / sajab / M500MKIII always the same single TPA6120A2.

Should I have listened to my crush on the sajab A20D 2022 or possibly a DX5 lite, in any case I clicked with great pain on the price of the M500MKIII.

 

[Chilli]

I have still been experiencing these dropouts and created an audio clip to test it. Can someone using the RCA outs test if there's also dropouts for them too?

https://soundcloud.com/tim-sudall%2Ftest
For the record, instead of using a fixed volume output, using adjustable and lowering it to 70 on the Sabaj A20d 2022 seems to make the problem go away. Similarly, increasing the adjustable volume output higher makes the problem return. I'm trying to figure out if this is an issue, I need to fix with Klipsch/Sabaj or if it's pretty normal.

Have you tried the dpll settings?
With my hdmi de-embedder signal, the poor lock on will manifest as a click or dropout. The dpll fixes this for me.

 

[staticV3]

I have still been experiencing these dropouts and created an audio clip to test it. Can someone using the RCA outs test if there's also dropouts for them too?

https://soundcloud.com/tim-sudall%2Ftest
For the record, instead of using a fixed volume output, using adjustable and lowering it to 70 on the Sabaj A20d 2022 seems to make the problem go away. Similarly, increasing the adjustable volume output higher makes the problem return. I'm trying to figure out if this is an issue, I need to fix with Klipsch/Sabaj or if it's pretty normal.

Your audio clip has excessive DC content, which triggers the C200's DC protection, which results in audio stutter:


DPLL will not help with this.
Instead, use Equalizer APO and apply a high pass filter at 20Hz or so. That will get rid of the DC content:

On macOS, use SoundSource or eqMac instead.

 

[PenguinMusic]

Hi,

Just got one of those today.
Huge disapointment.

Have to crank up volume to 80 out of 100 just to get DECENT (not even loud) volume.
Is this not supposed to output 1W or more ?

Sound is super BOOMY.
If there is no bass in the song, it's nice.
As soon as there is bass, the bass eats up the rest of the message...

Will probably go back in it's package and return to ad site where it came from.

 

[Dodgexander]

Have you tried the dpll settings?
With my hdmi de-embedder signal, the poor lock on will manifest as a click or dropout. The dpll fixes this for me.

Yes, that was one of the first things I tried.

Your audio clip has excessive DC content, which triggers the C200's DC protection, which results in audio stutter:
View attachment 279425

DPLL will not help with this.
Instead, use Equalizer APO and apply a high pass filter at 20Hz or so. That will get rid of the DC content:
View attachment 279427
On macOS, use SoundSource or eqMac instead.

Thank you. I think this was the fix. As it turns out using the recommended profiles shared on here for parametric EQ also fixes this problem.
Do you know why it happens only when using my speakers and not headphones, and what do you mean by C200's?

 

[staticV3]

Thank you. I think this was the fix. As it turns out using the recommended profiles shared on here for parametric EQ also fixes this problem.

Nice.

Do you know why it happens only when using my speakers and not headphones

With headphones, you're probably reducing the DAC output via the A20d's volume knob to a point where the DC protection no longer triggers.

and what do you mean by C200's?

Got the threads mixed up. I thought this was about the SMSL C200. I'm sorry.
The DC protection thing applies to a lot of DACs and AIOs though and the fix is always the same. Remove DC content before sending the audio to your DAC.

 

[atomic garden]

There is a 2023 model now, with AK4499EX + AK4191 for $378 on summer sale. I wonder how it comepares to the 2022 version with ES9038PRO, or other DACs with ES9039M.

I was going to pull the triger on a SMSL DO300, but now with the Sabaj A20 2023 available, I'm not sure. Headphone out is good extra, hopefully with a true balanced 4.4mm now (although I don't have a balanced HP now).

Does more Op Amps make a difference in a DAC used as a pre-amp? This one only has 3, while others have 8 ou 11 commonly nowadays.

Sabaj Audio Official-Sabaj音频官网

Since the establishment of our company, we have been committed to an enterprise integrating audio product design, R&D, production, market operation and service.There are mainly three categories: decoder/headphone amplifier/power amplifier. Our company is composed of a group of members who love...

www.sabaj.com.cn

 

[BHazard]

There is a 2023 model now, with AK4499EX + AK4191 for $378 on summer sale. I wonder how it comepares to the 2022 version with ES9038PRO, or other DACs with ES9039M.

I was going to pull the triger on a SMSL DO300, but now with the Sabaj A20 2023 available, I'm not sure. Headphone out is good extra, hopefully with a true balanced 4.4mm now (although I don't have a balanced HP now).

Does more Op Amps make a difference in a DAC used as a pre-amp? This one only has 3, while others have 8 ou 11 commonly nowadays.

Sabaj Audio Official-Sabaj音频官网

Since the establishment of our company, we have been committed to an enterprise integrating audio product design, R&D, production, market operation and service.There are mainly three categories: decoder/headphone amplifier/power amplifier. Our company is composed of a group of members who love...

www.sabaj.com.cn

I was debating this or the new Loxjie with the ES9039Pro. I ordered the Sabaj 2023 since I haven't had an AKM DAC yet and want to support them after the fire they went through in the pandemic.

I can post comparisions of the 2022 to the 2023 when it arrives. I expect it to be very similar with slight upgrades.

 

[BHazard]

2023 version came in some time ago.
Impressions: It's very similar to the 2022 but with the updated XMOS chip. I'm running it Balanced through a Lokius and SMSL H300.
I like it a bit better than last year's in that it seems to have a bit more "warmth" with the AKM DAC compared to the ESS DAC.

 

[Chilli]

2023 version came in some time ago.
Impressions: It's very similar to the 2022 but with the updated XMOS chip. I'm running it Balanced through a Lokius and SMSL H300.
I like it a bit better than last year's in that it seems to have a bit more "warmth" with the AKM DAC compared to the ESS DAC.

Nice. Thanks for the comparison. I assume it has the exact same functions and system? It still has the adjustable dpll?