Sabaj A30a announced

[gmetro]

i was alluding to delta76's post and thinking that sabaj is one of them. i consider it as empirical evidence that should work both ways. i agree that they will gain credibility if they release an update. for me however, the opposite is also true, where if they don't release an update, their credibility will be blemished.

Well I suspect @peterwen has left us. Let's try contacting the company directly and sharing their response here to find out what's happening

 

[Zek]

Well I suspect @peterwen has left us.

 

[TonyJZX]

i think you give them too much credit

the reality is that these guys will rely on rapid development cycles and then rapid replacement for this years "next best thing"

I dont doubt there may be an a30a 2023 edition... or they may just go a new a40a

the japanese do the same so why wouldnt they?

in the end the current unit does what was advertised and it does it quite well so they're not going to go to the trouble of 'fixing' stuff when they can 'fix' it with an "a40a"


btw. Peter will be back when there's an "A40A" to be had... same with mandy smsl... I mean... have you worked with the advertising folks in your company?

needy folks who will show their face when a product is out... they'll ghost you in the quiet lulls though

 

[ModDIY]

Hi,
I come back to you about the volume problem of the subwoofer output of the A30a.

I hadn't noticed this problem before. With pop rock or electronic music, when I turned the volume up really loud, the bass that came out was perfect for me, because I like the extra power in the bass.

But today, listening to a recording of a piano concerto, the problem came out clearly and unequivocally. Indeed, as mentioned by many here, at low volume the bass is very quiet and even set back, but as soon as I raise the volume to a level that is a little more realistic, but much less loud than live in a concert hall, the bass clearly takes over, it gives the feeling as if the loudness is ON.

For me this is not acceptable and especially since there is a programmable DSP. My opinion is that if Sabaj does not give feedback here, it is not because they are not able to correct it, but rather because the Sabaj company has decided to no longer invest in this model.

It is all the more unfortunate that if their products are selling well, it is partly thanks to the members and readers of the ASR forum.

I will write to Sabaj and ask them if they intend to fix this bug, and if so when will they produce a new version.

 

[ModDIY]

Hi,
I come back to you about the volume problem of the subwoofer output of the A30a.

I hadn't noticed this problem before. With pop rock or electronic music, when I turned the volume up really loud, the bass that came out was perfect for me, because I like the extra power in the bass.

But today, listening to a recording of a piano concerto, the problem came out clearly and unequivocally. Indeed, as mentioned by many here, at low volume the bass is very quiet and even set back, but as soon as I raise the volume to a level that is a little more realistic, but much less loud than live in a concert hall, the bass clearly takes over, it gives the feeling as if the loudness is ON.

For me this is not acceptable and especially since there is a programmable DSP. My opinion is that if Sabaj does not give feedback here, it is not because they are not able to correct it, but rather because the Sabaj company has decided to no longer invest in this model.

It is all the more unfortunate that if their products are selling well, it is partly thanks to the members and readers of the ASR forum.

I will write to Sabaj and ask them if they intend to fix this bug, and if so when will they produce a new version.

A member of the forum pointed out to me that the 2 other members who complained about the linearity had not the same problem as me, that it was the opposite, at high volume there was a lack of bass towards the subwoofer. So what I wrote before, don't take it as cash. I'll do some more tests and get back to you. Thanks

 

[GiBo61]

i think you give them too much credit

the reality is that these guys will rely on rapid development cycles and then rapid replacement for this years "next best thing"

I dont doubt there may be an a30a 2023 edition... or they may just go a new a40a

the japanese do the same so why wouldnt they?

in the end the current unit does what was advertised and it does it quite well so they're not going to go to the trouble of 'fixing' stuff when they can 'fix' it with an "a40a"


btw. Peter will be back when there's an "A40A" to be had... same with mandy smsl... I mean... have you worked with the advertising folks in your company?

needy folks who will show their face when a product is out... they'll ghost you in the quiet lulls though

Unfortunately I completely agree with what TonyJZX wrote. I have just one comment: Sabaj is a small brand with a tiny market share, one way to be appreciated and gain new customers would be to follow what Linkplay Technology is doing with the Wiim Mini and Pro streamers, which are constantly updated also based on user requests and reports. Obviously the situation here is different and more complicated: an amplifier does not require constant updates and the procedure for updating the firmware is anything but trivial. Having Sabaj in hand a convincing and competitive product like the A30a, if they could improve it further with small firmware modifications they could count on a wider base of users willing to advertise their product on the internet by word of mouth and to buy new Sabaj models in the future. Probably in this case a single further firmware update would be enough to make a good amplifier a great one.

 

[GiBo61]

i think you give them too much credit

the reality is that these guys will rely on rapid development cycles and then rapid replacement for this years "next best thing"

I dont doubt there may be an a30a 2023 edition... or they may just go a new a40a

the japanese do the same so why wouldnt they?

in the end the current unit does what was advertised and it does it quite well so they're not going to go to the trouble of 'fixing' stuff when they can 'fix' it with an "a40a"


btw. Peter will be back when there's an "A40A" to be had... same with mandy smsl... I mean... have you worked with the advertising folks in your company?

needy folks who will show their face when a product is out... they'll ghost you in the quiet lulls though

Unfortunately I completely agree with what TonyJZX wrote. I have just one comment: Sabaj is a small brand with a tiny market share, one way to be appreciated and gain new customers would be to follow what Linkplay Technology is doing with the Wiim Mini and Pro streamers, which are constantly updated also based on user requests and reports. Obviously the situation here is different and more complicated: an amplifier does not require constant updates and the procedure for updating the firmware is anything but trivial. Having Sabaj in hand a convincing and competitive product like the A30a, if they could improve it further with small firmware modifications they could count on a wider base of users willing to advertise their product on the internet by word of mouth and to buy new Sabaj models in the future.

 

[delta76]

My experience is not with audio, but with other thing (3d printing). There are some speculation regarding how many (not saying all, but many) Chinese manufacturers handle this

They probably know/are aware that their products won't last long. And it will be difficult to convince a customer to buy an exactly same product after the first failed. Their solution? To introduce new products very often, with some new features (and mostly same issues), so you go into endless buying/upgrading cycle. "Your amp failed, too bad your warranty ended, but we have this new, slightly more expensive product with many improvements"

I bought a20a 2022 impulsively and almost instantly regretted when I received it. well it is a fine product, but I should have saved money to buy something that last me a decade or so.

My Denon x3400h which was released in 2017 (IIRC) is still receiving updates from time to time (monthly or bi-monthly). Compare that with less-than-one-year-old product.

 

[GiBo61]

My experience is not with audio, but with other thing (3d printing). There are some speculation regarding how many (not saying all, but many) Chinese manufacturers handle this

They probably know/are aware that their products won't last long. And it will be difficult to convince a customer to buy an exactly same product after the first failed. Their solution? To introduce new products very often, with some new features (and mostly same issues), so you go into endless buying/upgrading cycle. "Your amp failed, too bad your warranty ended, but we have this new, slightly more expensive product with many improvements"

I bought a20a 2022 impulsively and almost instantly regretted when I received it. well it is a fine product, but I should have saved money to buy something that last me a decade or so.

My Denon x3400h which was released in 2017 (IIRC) is still receiving updates from time to time (monthly or bi-monthly). Compare that with less-than-one-year-old product.

Well, my Denon DRA 800H (that is very far from perfect) is 26 months and the only firmware update is the one applied the very first time I connected it to the internet...

 

[GiBo61]

Well, I made an interesting discovery. I just published a short review of my Sabaj A30a on the hifi-express store (where i bought it from, https://hifi-express.com/products/sabaj-a30a-power-amplifier) and it has been published! The review I wrote underlines the fact that a further firmware update is needed to fix a few glitches. Maybe if many of us do the same (including a picture demonstrating you actually own the Sabaj A30a) they will be considering to work on it even if I know that is much more likely that at a certain point hifi-express decides to remove this type of reviews.

 

[ModDIY]

Sorry guys, I did some further testing and finally everything is ok for me.

I mean that I decreased the volume of the sub a little bit, everything is correct for me, at low volume the bass is well balanced and if I increase the power of the amplifier a lot, the bass remains balanced.

So forget what I wrote before.

 

[ZeljkoS]

Can't connect Sabaj A30a and ZIDOO Z9X with USB cable?
1. Following this forum, I finally decided and bought a Sabaj A30a, ordered on 01/07, arrived on 01/24. I bought through "thehificat" - as it said: postage and taxes included (destination EU) - arrived without a single Chinese character on the package. Very commendable for the destination Croatia.
2. I encountered a problem with the device that I did not remove the firmware from 09/28/2022. Everything is fixed - instructions from this forum - but I'm not sure if the firmware was replaced or it already came with a new one - it says v1.12, as it said before putting the firmware.
PROBLEM - I would briefly describe it as Sabaj's disagreement with my ZIDOO z9x digital music source - which works fine with everything else. True, I succeeded with an optical cable, which does not satisfy me because I listened to everything via USB. Also, it can't connect to BT and ZIDOO is lying on top of it looking for it, looking for it!.
I used everything I know, for that simple operation - before Sabaj I had a small amplifier Fosi and SMLS DAC D-6 - they worked well! I don't have other sources for USB.
Can someone help me with advice, what to do - or the device does not work - for the destination Croatia horror.

 

[ZeljkoS]

Continuation: problem description.
When the sound/music is started, ZIDOO TV shows the playback flow. If USB audio was on, that playback track is interrupted and the pause/play symbol is also changed. Depending on the command, the runtime will not even start. Sometimes the game with sound starts with long pauses If I switch Sabaj to OPT it won't show the stream until I start a new file. I left it on USB at the moment and the sound starts a little then stops then mumbles something like speeding up the sound on the recording then stops, and this appears after several minutes of silence

 

[GiBo61]

Can't connect Sabaj A30a and ZIDOO Z9X with USB cable?
1. Following this forum, I finally decided and bought a Sabaj A30a, ordered on 01/07, arrived on 01/24. I bought through "thehificat" - as it said: postage and taxes included (destination EU) - arrived without a single Chinese character on the package. Very commendable for the destination Croatia.
2. I encountered a problem with the device that I did not remove the firmware from 09/28/2022. Everything is fixed - instructions from this forum - but I'm not sure if the firmware was replaced or it already came with a new one - it says v1.12, as it said before putting the firmware.
PROBLEM - I would briefly describe it as Sabaj's disagreement with my ZIDOO z9x digital music source - which works fine with everything else. True, I succeeded with an optical cable, which does not satisfy me because I listened to everything via USB. Also, it can't connect to BT and ZIDOO is lying on top of it looking for it, looking for it!.
I used everything I know, for that simple operation - before Sabaj I had a small amplifier Fosi and SMLS DAC D-6 - they worked well! I don't have other sources for USB.
Can someone help me with advice, what to do - or the device does not work - for the destination Croatia horror.

I do not understand. If this is the source of your music (https://www.zidoo.tv/Product/index/model/Z9X/target/VEMg6VRC2+9KKmVViAFMcQ==.htm)l I do not see a USB out on the back of the device.

 

[Zek]

I do not see a USB out on the back of the device.

There are 2 USB2 and 2 USB3 ports on the sides.
Maybe those connections are for input only.

 

[ZeljkoS]

Thank you! Now you have confused me - USB Type-C port be used to input or output (?)! And encouraged me to search further. I said that (ten days ago) I listened via USB-C, USB (classic, maybe blue, I'm not sure) on one side, and on the other USB-C - from ZIDOOZ9X - SMLS D-6 (DAC) - analog output to the amplifier . Both the A30a and the SMLSD-6 come with the same cable (in the package) - I don't think a photo is needed. I wonder:
- Maybe the cables are just similar, but SMSL sent USB-C audio (along with its DAC), and Sabaj sent regular USB-C? If there is a difference.
- Maybe you should try with an adapter?

My second contribution is a mistake. The skipping sound was probably DSD sound at the limit of passing through the optical input and not USB. So there is no sound on the USB input.

 

[Zek]

You have to see in the ZIDOOZ9X user manual what these USB connectors are for (whether they are for signal input or output).

 

[Toku]

Thank you! Now you have confused me - USB Type-C port be used to input or output (?)! And encouraged me to search further. I said that (ten days ago) I listened via USB-C, USB (classic, maybe blue, I'm not sure) on one side, and on the other USB-C - from ZIDOOZ9X - SMLS D-6 (DAC) - analog output to the amplifier . Both the A30a and the SMLSD-6 come with the same cable (in the package) - I don't think a photo is needed. I wonder:
- Maybe the cables are just similar, but SMSL sent USB-C audio (along with its DAC), and Sabaj sent regular USB-C? If there is a difference.
- Maybe you should try with an adapter?

My second contribution is a mistake. The skipping sound was probably DSD sound at the limit of passing through the optical input and not USB. So there is no sound on the USB input.

I investigated Zidoo Z9X. HP's product description is extremely poor and difficult to understand. And the result I got is:

Zidoo Z9X is a media player for AV. There are HDMI output and OPT output for output, and it is used by connecting to a TV or AV amplifier. USB and BT on both sides of the case are probably for input.
Unfortunately, only the OPT output can be directly connected to the A30a. If you can separate the audio signal from the HDMI output, you can connect it to AUX.
However, the A30a can only input pure stereo 2ch signals. Even if it is a stereo 2ch signal, it cannot be played normally if it contains sound effect signals such as Dolby or DTS.

 

[snoopy112]

USB and BT on both sides of the case are probably for input.

According to this video Zidoo has usb audio output with native DSD support:

From Zidoo website:
Since v6.4.35
System
1. Optimized the black level details for Dolby Vision native output.
2. Added prompt for USB external audio connection.
3. Added Delete(#DEL) and Resolution(#RES) keys for RS232.
4.Optimized VS10 engine related strategy.

 

[Toku]

According to this video Zidoo has usb audio output with native DSD support:

From Zidoo website:
Since v6.4.35
System
1. Optimized the black level details for Dolby Vision native output.
2. Added prompt for USB external audio connection.
3. Added Delete(#DEL) and Resolution(#RES) keys for RS232.
4.Optimized VS10 engine related strategy.

Thank you for your wonderful video introduction.
It's wonderful that you can output up to PCM768kHz and DSD512.
Perfect match for A30a's USB input.
I downloaded the manual and checked it, but there was no explanation about USB.