Sabaj A20d 2022 Version Owners Feedback

[Dodgexander]

I contacted Sabaj and they were able to replicate it with volume turned up and High Gain. They asked me to change to Low HPA Gain and that resolved my problem.

Great! Hopefully they can fix it in an update. I use my headphones with low gain so no wonder I couldn't find the problem.

 

[deuch]

I got it from facebook https://www.facebook.com/sabaj.official
[email protected]

Will try it thx !

 

[quigz1968]

Hi Everyone:

My first post!

I took delivery of the A20D this past week. I was in the market for a new/better DAC for some time now and I was leaning toward the Schiit BiFrost, but based on Amir's analysis and the overall, almost unanimously great feedback, I went with the Sabaj. But, I digress...

I am listening to this via the RCA outs into my integrated amp. It sounds wonderful! However, when using Foobar, if I select Wasapi Event, the sound is garbled and slow and sounds like it is under water. If I switch to Wasapi Push there are no issues. The same exact thing actually happens with some (not all) of my "Bic Lighter" style dacs like the Monoprice Monolith.

My questions are: 1) Any idea why this is happening? 2) Should I care? Is there enough meaningful difference between Event and Push I should be concerned?

Thanks in advance!

 

[deuch]

Will try it thx !

No answer too

 

[nsfgp]

Hi Everyone:

My first post!

I took delivery of the A20D this past week. I was in the market for a new/better DAC for some time now and I was leaning toward the Schiit BiFrost, but based on Amir's analysis and the overall, almost unanimously great feedback, I went with the Sabaj. But, I digress...

I am listening to this via the RCA outs into my integrated amp. It sounds wonderful! However, when using Foobar, if I select Wasapi Event, the sound is garbled and slow and sounds like it is under water. If I switch to Wasapi Push there are no issues. The same exact thing actually happens with some (not all) of my "Bic Lighter" style dacs like the Monoprice Monolith.

My questions are: 1) Any idea why this is happening? 2) Should I care? Is there enough meaningful difference between Event and Push I should be concerned?

Thanks in advance!

@quigz1968 Welcome to ASR. Forget WASAPI drivers if you can and get away from all these window's crap. All modern Chinese DAC works best with the Thesycon USB drivers for the XMOS usb chip. First thing you should do is install latest Foobar 1.6.13 (V2 Beta is fine but no need). (Your old Foobar WASAPI components are all obsolete now anyway just FYI.) Download Sabaj's driver. Select the ASIO driver for your Sabaj as Output in Foobar. Set to 32bit output format on the same output screen. That should take care of all your PCM needs.
If you want to venture into DSD then you need to install 2 additional components and some configurations needed. I posted info on those earlier in another thread need to find it.
You have a great DAC ... have fun.

 

[quigz1968]

@quigz1968 Welcome to ASR. Forget WASAPI drivers if you can and get away from all these window's crap. All modern Chinese DAC works best with the Thesycon USB drivers for the XMOS usb chip. First thing you should do is install latest Foobar 1.6.13 (V2 Beta is fine but no need). (Your old Foobar WASAPI components are all obsolete now anyway just FYI.) Download Sabaj's driver. Select the ASIO driver for your Sabaj as Output in Foobar. Set to 32bit output format on the same output screen. That should take care of all your PCM needs.
If you want to venture into DSD then you need to install 2 additional components and some configurations needed. I posted info on those earlier in another thread need to find it.
You have a great DAC ... have fun.

This is great advice - I am going to try this (hopefully) this weekend!

 

[topazzo]

Someone can post the newest windows driver? website is down...

 

[tinytempo]

Does anybody have any luck getting this thing to work via USB-C on a Mac? I have a 2021 MacBook Pro, and the A20d does not get recognized by any software I use (Roon + Audirvana).

 

[Dodgexander]

I contacted Sabaj and they were able to replicate it with volume turned up and High Gain. They asked me to change to Low HPA Gain and that resolved my problem.

Did you have any luck getting a fix for this?
I seem to have discovered my DAC is cutting out via my speakers with a very specific repeated tone in a game I play. I can only assume it's the same cut out you've been seeing with headphones.

 

[quigz1968]

A big "thank you" to @nsfgp for his advice upstream in this thread. I downloaded the XMOS driver and also updated Foobar components as needed and all is well at the moment.

Now can someone kindly educate me on the available PCM Filters? Specifically, what each one seeks to accomplish and what may be the most preferable? Seems Fast Linear is the default? I did some quick comparisons earlier and I am not sure the differences I heard were not placebo effect. For example, I thought Fast Minimum had more snap and perhaps less bass. Or maybe not

-Fast Linear
-Slow Linear
-Fast Minimum
-Apodizing
-Fast Hybrid
-Brickwall

 

[mexicanking]

Did you have any luck getting a fix for this?
I seem to have discovered my DAC is cutting out via my speakers with a very specific repeated tone in a game I play. I can only assume it's the same cut out you've been seeing with headphones.

No, I think changing it to low gain was the resolution they. I didn't hear anything more re a firmware update.

 

[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.

 

[lorez]

Hi, I just received the a20d 2022 but I cannot find the ASIO driver on the website. Anybody can please share it?

 

[lorez]

Solved. Sounds pretty much the same as my RME Babyface Pro Fs audio interface. Which is good. I'm listening using the Focal Elegia.

 

[Deleted member 58421]

In the last few days I bought both the Sabaj A20d and the D5. I’m using a Bluesound Node Gen3 as a streaming transport, via USB.

Interestingly I can’t seem to put the Bluesound into Fixed output when connected to the D5, but when I connected the A20D the A20D put the Node into fixed, the app told me that the A20D did so.

I will look into this more but wondered if anyone has relevant information they were willing to share.

Thanks.

 

[729926317]

I just wanted to confirm with people that the adjustable DPLL settings worked for me tonight.
As you might know, above, I am using this after an hdmi extractor from the Apple TV. Tonight I was getting some drop out every 5 to 10 seconds which manifests as a small silent gap and a quiet click. Turning the DPLL setting to a higher number removed this immediately.
I feel that a dac could or should be tested for compatibility, and the troublesome hdmi extractor should be a stress test or flexibility test.

I meet a similar issue, when I use usb connected to my macbook thorugh a usb-hub, it drop out every several minutes which also manifests as a small silent gap , and it does not appare if I change to use other usb device such as ipad to connect a20d. Now I think a bigger dpll may fix this...

 

[729926317]

Thank you so much.

I meet a issue about a20d, when I use usb connected to my macbook(m1 pro) thorugh a usb-hub, it drop out every several minutes which also manifests as a small silent gap , and it does not appare if I change to use other usb device such as ipad to connect a20d. Can you help me check with this. a bigger dpll may help？

and I find a20h amp do not have a 2022 version, do you guys have a plan for new version amps?

 

[Chilli]

I meet a similar issue, when I use usb connected to my macbook thorugh a usb-hub, it drop out every several minutes which also manifests as a small silent gap , and it does not appare if I change to use other usb device such as ipad to connect a20d. Now I think a bigger dpll may fix this...

this sounds more complex Because of usb and the hub. Can you run it ok without the hub? try not to use long cables and make sure the connections are secure. Are there any comp experts here?

 

[RejectedName]

Hi newbies here, anyone facing bluetoooth not discoverable on the a20d suddenly when try to reconnect?

 

[Dodgexander]

I have still been experiencing dropouts with my Klipsch The Fives 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.