Sabaj A30a announced

[ohnonotagain]

I don't think so. The amp stage of the A30a is unlikely to perform better from a dynamic range point of view than the A300.

Overall, if the A30a performs like the VMV A2 (which we all assume it does), it’s a substantially better amplifier. Take a look at the A300 review. Scroll down to the comparison chart; the A300 is towards the bottom of the green range while the A2 is the last of the “excellent” blue category.

 

[daniboun]

I don't think so. The amp stage of the A30a is unlikely to perform better from a dynamic range point of view than the A300.

I think we could have an idea by reading here
Since the A2 use the same architecture as the Sabaj A30A .

SMSL VMV A2 Review (Stereo Amplifier & DAC)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the SMSL VMV A2 stereo "desktop" DAC and amplifier. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $999. VMV is the higher-end brand in SMSL lineup. The look and feel of the A2 is similar to the latest line from SMSL: It looks nicer though in...

audiosciencereview.com

SMSL A300 Stereo Amplifier Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the SMSL A300 stereo class D amplifier. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $196. The A300 is slick looking with flush volume control and switches. Alas, I am not a fan of the blue LED display from aesthetic point of view. It is nice...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[antcollinet]

I think we could have an idea by reading here
Since the A2 use the same architecture as the Sabaj A30A .

SMSL VMV A2 Review (Stereo Amplifier & DAC)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the SMSL VMV A2 stereo "desktop" DAC and amplifier. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $999. VMV is the higher-end brand in SMSL lineup. The look and feel of the A2 is similar to the latest line from SMSL: It looks nicer though in...

audiosciencereview.com

SMSL A300 Stereo Amplifier Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the SMSL A300 stereo class D amplifier. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $196. The A300 is slick looking with flush volume control and switches. Alas, I am not a fan of the blue LED display from aesthetic point of view. It is nice...

audiosciencereview.com

I stand corrected - around 3bits of additional dynamic range, and 14dB Sinad difference.

Both though, likely to be inaudible from a sound quality difference point of view.

 

[ohnonotagain]

I stand corrected - around 3bits of additional dynamic range, and 14dB Sinad difference.

Both though, likely to be inaudible from a sound quality difference point of view.

Yes, and those measurements don't tell the whole story. Look at how the A2 has a perfectly flat frequency response across the audible range, and the power versus distortion graph showing equal performance across the frequency range.

All that without connecting the amplifier up to an actual speaker, where the post-filter feedback will compensate for the changes in speaker impedance across the frequency range - and, whilst that hasn't been measured, based on my experience and that of others on this thread, I suspect the difference is audible. I'd test it if I knew how to do so reliably.

 

[newaudioguy]

Thanks for the educated responses. As you guys mentioned the A30a has higher bit rate and greater range when plugged in via USB than the A300 (only 16 bit) but in my laymen brain I did not know if that higher bit rate and wider range was even able to be reproduced by mass manufactured passive speakers that cost less than $1k.

 

[daniboun]

Thanks for the educated responses. As you guys mentioned the A30a has higher bit rate and greater range when plugged in via USB than the A300 (only 16 bit) but in my laymen brain I did not know if that higher bit rate and wider range was even able to be reproduced by mass manufactured passive speakers that cost less than $1k.

I think that with all these tips you should also consider the question of the budget. The Sabaj A30A is 3 times more expensive than the A300. In any case you have all the elements to decide)

 

[newaudioguy]

Sabaj is having a "sale", A30a for original $450 price.

 

[renoxd]

Would be nice to have improved Sabaj A30a with no issues and in black version

 

[newaudioguy]

I think the sabaj a30a looks amazing, I really want to buy it.

I'm just worried about having the subwoofer issue which seems to be the only deal breaker. Are they pretty good with customer service regardless if you purchase from Amazon, hifi Express, or ali Express?

The other issue is requesting the adjustable filter extend <70hz seems like a nice to have however it's still completely acceptable. Is there anything else that might be a deal breaker?

 

[ModDIY]

I think the sabaj a30a looks amazing, I really want to buy it.

I'm just worried about having the subwoofer issue which seems to be the only deal breaker. Are they pretty good with customer service regardless if you purchase from Amazon, hifi Express, or ali Express?

The other issue is requesting the adjustable filter extend <70hz seems like a nice to have however it's still completely acceptable. Is there anything else that might be a deal breaker?

I have no problem with the sub output. 70hz works well with my speakers. About the difference in bass volume versus speaker level, I use the optical input with Wiim Pro, so I leave the volume of the A30a at a fixed value of 60. The power of the sub is adjusted once because then I only uses the volume of my cell via the Wiim Home and/or Tidal Connect apps.

On the other hand, I am disappointed with Sabaj's customer support.

 

[Piopio]

I stand corrected - around 3bits of additional dynamic range, and 14dB Sinad difference.

Both though, likely to be inaudible from a sound quality difference point of view.

Sabaj A30A is much better than SMSL A300. In every aspect.

 

[GiBo61]

Here in Northern Italy we have had temperatures approaching 40°C in the last two weeks. Although I mostly use the air conditioning in my music room, these days the Sabaj A30a is the amplifier of choice for my evening listening. Being a Class D full-digital amp it runs cooler than my other two main AB amplifiers (the Rotel RSX 1067 AV receiver could be used also as an electric heater in winter ).

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

Today I hung the Teufel Ultima 40 on it.
That sounds really good.
It's amazing what speaker you get for 500€!

 

[daniboun]

Teufel is making some good speakers, if you consider the price )
The Teufel Definition 5 is is really the flagship of the brand but they have stopped production...

Some measurements of the Teufel Ultima 40

The impedance is linear at 4 ohms (this is where most amplifiers deliver the most power) and exhibits only minor phase shifts.

The distortion values are also nice for a loudspeaker of this price. At lower levels (here 94 dB at 1 m distance), there is only minor distortion...
...and even at higher levels they remain within the tolerable range.

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

I'm really surprised in every respect. Nevertheless, I will now order a mic and make fr corrections with rew.
I really like the combo of Neutron Player, on the smartphone, Bluetooth connection to the Sabaj, and Ultima 40.

 

[Piotr]

While this device appears quite appealing, I'm somewhat uncertain about the absence of an HDMI eArc input. If it did include this feature, I would be inclined to make a swift purchase, as it would enable convenient control using my television remote.

Interestingly, there is an alternative product available that offers HDMI functionality and makes use of the identical chip found in the Sabaj a30a. This product is the Harman Kardon Citation Amp. Regrettably, it has been taken off the market due to numerous instances of overheating reported by users.

The trend of incorporating HDMI inputs into devices is becoming increasingly noticeable. This feature proves exceptionally convenient and aligns perfectly with the preferences of individuals who utilize stereo systems or a combination of stereo and subwoofers as their primary home audio setup. Brands such as SVS, Audiolab, and NAD are progressively integrating HDMI inputs into a wider range of their products. Therefore, the anticipation is growing for Chinese companies to follow suit and address the noticeable gap in this aspect.

 

[GiBo61]

While this device appears quite appealing, I'm somewhat uncertain about the absence of an HDMI eArc input. If it did include this feature, I would be inclined to make a swift purchase, as it would enable convenient control using my television remote.

Interestingly, there is an alternative product available that offers HDMI functionality and makes use of the identical chip found in the Sabaj a30a. This product is the Harman Kardon Citation Amp. Regrettably, it has been taken off the market due to numerous instances of overheating reported by users.

The trend of incorporating HDMI inputs into devices is becoming increasingly noticeable. This feature proves exceptionally convenient and aligns perfectly with the preferences of individuals who utilize stereo systems or a combination of stereo and subwoofers as their primary home audio setup. Brands such as SVS, Audiolab, and NAD are progressively integrating HDMI inputs into a wider range of their products. Therefore, the anticipation is growing for Chinese companies to follow suit and address the noticeable gap in this aspect.

Piotr, I assume you have already read the posts on the HK Citation Amp in this ASR forum.

 

[Piotr]

Piotr, I assume you have already read the posts on the HK Citation Amp in this ASR forum.

Certainly, it's essentially akin to the Sabaj A30a device, albeit integrated with a streamer and HDMI input. Unfortunately, the casing's design falters in terms of heat management, leading to rapid temperature escalation.

The Sabaj A30a is presently frequently available at discounted prices, prompting speculation about the potential development of a substitute model. The incorporation of eARC capability would be highly desirable in this prospective...

I am genuinely curious about how the audio quality of Sabaj stacks up when compared to considerably pricier alternatives, for instance:

Audiolab 7000
NAD 3050
Cambridge Audio Evo 75

 

[daniboun]

I think we can speculate for hours... unfortunately we will have to wait for the measurements to get a more pragmatic idea.

 

[ModDIY]

I think we can speculate for hours... unfortunately we will have to wait for the measurements to get a more pragmatic idea.

In my opinion there will be no measurement of the A30a.

Sabaj have NEVER responded to multiple firmware revision requests. Several here have sent emails and no response from them.

Sabaj make good products but null for medium and long term customer support.