Sabaj A20d 2022 Review (DAC & Headphone Amp)

[Here2Learn]

Anybody (or @amirm) got any idea why the Sabaj A20d Amir pictured is not the same chassis as the Sabaj A20d shown at the Audiophonics website?

Sabaj A20d on Audiophonics

 

[delta76]

Anybody (or @amirm) got any idea why the Sabaj A20d Amir pictured is not the same chassis as the Sabaj A20d shown at the Audiophonics website?

Sabaj A20d on Audiophonics

It's older version. The version reviewed is 2022

 

[Here2Learn]

It's older version. The version reviewed is 2022

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[respice finem]

It's older version. The version reviewed is 2022

Oh, quite different, and a bit confusing IMHO. The current one should then be at least "ver. 2.0" or so.

 

[Sukie]

I hear you, but the Benchmark is made in America and these days I just can't bring myself to send money to China. Just me..

Do Benchmark use all American components? If not then you're sending money globally including, I suspect, to China.

 

[Steve H]

Rob Watts and the like won't be happy about these devices... They're ruining their business...

Sorry the last six years of Chord Electronics financial statements tell a different story.

 

[Chilli]

Any channel balance measurement, @amirm ?
Was assuming the vol is chip controlled so not as much point measuring? But wasn't sure.
I would be using it to drive hypex and wasn't sure whether to chuck my sabaj a10h between or not.
Great result. I am blown away. This is one of the best devices measured all around. Display looks much better than the a10d 2022, but you pay for it.

 

[amirm]

Any channel balance measurement, @amirm ?

I don't measure channel balance in this class of product. Usually it is insanely good. I only measure it in pre-amp/power amplifiers where it can be degraded a lot.

 

[KeithPhantom]

None of these super-clean amplifiers and DACs have DSP, and that is something that I feel that is lacking in these products. I use an iPad as my main computing device and my phone is an iPhone, thus I can‘t do DSP on device. I am relegated to use the Qudelix 5K (like 80 dB SINAD), that as far as I know, doesn’t measure as excellently as my DX3 Pro+, but it has DSP. If they could make something that measures pretty good with DSP (at least 10-band parametric EQ with fully customizable values) at a lower price than RME, it would me a instant buy for not just me, also for many.

 

[Trell]

None of these super-clean amplifiers and DACs have DSP, and that is something that I feel that is lacking in these products. I use an iPad as my main computing device and my phone is an iPhone, thus I can‘t do DSP on device. I am relegated to use the Qudelix 5K (like 80 dB SINAD), that as far as I know, doesn’t measure as excellently as my DX3 Pro+, but it has DSP. If they could make something that measures pretty good with DSP (at least 10-band parametric EQ with fully customizable values) at a lower price than RME, it would me a instant buy for not just me, also for many.

The DSP of the RME ADI-2 DAC FS is the main reason I bought it, compared to the competition.

The DSP&FPGA, that has many useful features, is expensive both in components but also GUI as well as other software.

A clone of the RME might not be that much less expensive, especially if you include service, support and documentation.

 

[KeithPhantom]

The DSP of the RME ADI-2 DAC FS

At least 10-band parametric EQ with fully customizable values. 5 isn’t enough for me. I actually wouldn’t mind paying more as an investment, but that is the requirement that RME has not met yet in my books.

 

[Trell]

At least 10-band parametric EQ with fully customizable values. 5 isn’t enough for me. I actually wouldn’t mind paying more as an investment, but that is the requirement that RME has not met yet in my books.

There are seven now, if you don’t want to use bass/treble tone controls, but still less than your required ten.

More PEQ bands is a common wish for the RME. We’ll see if the upcoming ADI-2/4 has upped that.

For me the Dynamic Loudness feature was the selling point as Genelec GLM takes care of room EQ, and for headphones just pulling down Beyerdynamics treble peak is enough.

Of course, these are just my preferences, nothing more.

 

[TuteTibiImperes]

Headphone amp is cleaner than $3000 Benchmark HPA4 (just a bit less powerful though)

Pretty significant power deficit, a little less than 1/3rd the power output of the HPA4, very clean though.

I really hate desktop products using 4.4mm as a balanced headphone out instead of XLR though.

 

[KeithPhantom]

There are seven now, if you don’t want to use bass/treble tone controls, but still less than your required ten.

More PEQ bands is a common wish for the RME. We’ll see if the upcoming ADI-2/4 has upped that.

For me the Dynamic Loudness feature was the selling point as Genelec GLM takes care of room EQ, and for headphones just pulling down Beyerdynamics treble peak is enough.

Of course, these are just my preferences, nothing more.

I’d love to try some of the Dynamic Loudness. Yeah, I like my headphones to follow the strict Harman OE curve.

 

[Trell]

Pretty significant power deficit, a little less than 1/3rd the power output of the HPA4, very clean though.

Worth recalling that doubling the power is “only” 3 dB louder, though, so depending on headphones the power might be enough as it’s quite powerful already.

 

[Trell]

I’d love to try some of the Dynamic Loudness. Yeah, I like my headphones to follow the strict Harman OE curve.

RME implemented Dynamic Loudness very well. You select at which volume level it’s fully used and that will be reduced as you turn up the volume where at 20 dB increase it has no effect. You can also configure max bass and treble to apply, independently, from 1 to 10 dB. This for each output. Tone controls are still available as well for quick adjustments.

For lower volume levels, which is the vast majority of my listening, it’s really great. The source material varies as well so easily accessible tone controls are useful.

 

[regan]

The DSP of the RME ADI-2 DAC FS is the main reason I bought it

Why not minidsp flex or shd?

 

[Trell]

Why not minidsp flex or shd?

I wanted a DAC/HPA combo for desktop usage, if that’s what you’re asking. The devices you mention does not have dynamic loudness either, as far as I know, and that is something I wanted.

For room EQ I chose Genelec monitors and a subwoofer with GLM support. The actual filters are stored in the monitors as well as the subwoofer.

 

[AndreaT]

The look is very similar to Daniel Weiss products—at 1/10th the price!

Ehm…I beg to differ. Weiss Engineering products are superbly built and outstandingly designed. Yes, true, there is a hint of Weiss in it. There is a hint of Bentley in the Genesis car design too. However I wonder if Sabaj does have the same truly perfect support of their products like the one offered by Mr.Weiss, from my personal experience.

 

[Garrincha]

Ehm…I beg to differ. Weiss Engineering products are superbly built and outstandingly designed. Yes, true, there is a hint of Weiss in it. There is a hint of Bentley in the Genesis car design too. However I wonder if Sabaj does have the same truly perfect support of their products like the one offered by Mr.Weiss, from my personal experience.

Well, the Weiss DAC may look a bit nicer, have better material and costumer support. But it is hardly imaginable that it measures significantly better, if at all. And it costs more than 20 times as much as this one. If this is worth the design and support? I doubt the Sabaj will break 20 times in the lifetime of the Weiss.

Furthermore, the car analogy never quite works for audio. A Ferrari may cost 10-20 times as much as a Fiat, but looks nicer, drives faster and is technologically more advanced in almost every aspect. Here it is more like you get the Weiss DAC in a Porsche body but with the same beetle motor (or you get the Sabaj in a beetle body with a Porsche motor).