Singxer SA-1 Review (Balanced Headphone Amp)

[raif71]

When this amp was only 1 day old at my house, I was unhappy because I could see a lot of dirt through the gap of the case.

I worry because I enjoy listening to the amp especially after setting it to high gain. I'm using it with Senn 6xx series, hd800 and Sundara

 

[Roland68]

Dust can come in through the side openings of the amp. Also, I'm worried that ants, spiders or other bugs go inside via the side slits and make a home in the amp

But that could be "exciting" for the animals ...
Perhaps you can tell by the "grill smell" which animal it was.

 

[Roland68]

Does anyone know how much K the potentiometer has in the SA-1?

 

[Rantenti]

Do we have any numbers on the crosstalk of the Singxer SA-1? Curious to know if its imaging accuracy and separation surpass Topping A90, which published their crosstalk figures.

 

[khark]

Do we have any numbers on the crosstalk of the Singxer SA-1? Curious to know if its imaging accuracy and separation surpass Topping A90, which published their crosstalk figures.

 

[Roland68]

Is the chart for Balanced or SE?

Perhaps the question is too vague.
Which input and which output on the SA-1 was used?

 

[TheTalbotHound]

Balanced in Balanced out i'm guessing.

 

[alexcoitus]

Hi-Z is best when used with high gain and equalization for my LCD-2

 

[nnitr]

Does anyone know if it is fine to only use the on/off switch on the back and not the one in the front? Thanks in advance.

 

[Celty]

Does anyone know if it is fine to only use the on/off switch on the back and not the one in the front? Thanks in advance.

My understanding is that the front toggle switch has positions that set the amp to headphones, preamp out, or standby "Off" mode. The rear rocker switch, is a true On/Off switch. I don't think there is any reason to not use either front or rear switches.

 

[Billy Budapest]

First, apologies for sounding snarky, you don't necessarily know. Now quote: "But the USA makes almost no consumer electronic parts", WAS the context, you also said: If this was USA, it would means that it containt PARTS that are from abroad.

Just pointing out that USA is, by a good margin the largest semiconductors components manufacturer in the world. Sure, no debate that for everything else, assembly, mechanical parts, Plastic molding, etc, etc, etc, Asia is far far ahead, but it is not the point you first made!

It’s funny, a crapload of plastic molding is done in the U.S.—compression press molding, injection molding, blow molding, etc. It is a huge industry.

 

[tom.chen]

My understanding is that the front toggle switch has positions that set the amp to headphones, preamp out, or standby "Off" mode. The rear rocker switch, is a true On/Off switch. I don't think there is any reason to not use either front or rear switches.

yes,you are right.

 

[bequietjk]

Slightly off topic but seeing that the channel imbalance isn't exactly a straight line, for music production how much of an issue would this be and is there a way to balance the channels via software?

 

[Roland68]

Slightly off topic but seeing that the channel imbalance isn't exactly a straight line, for music production how much of an issue would this be and is there a way to balance the channels via software?

The software doesn't know what position the volume knob is in. Channel inequality fluctuates along the way, but it is especially strong at the beginning and at the end.
You could swap the potentiometer for one with SMD resistors.

 

[NPWS]

Hi,
I have D90SE pairing with Singxer SA-1, I've tried several times to listen between Line out Type : RCA out only, XLR only and RCA+XLR using USB from my PC using foobar, turnout that RCA only have bigger power, more clear and everything than XLR only or RCA+XLR, using XLR it should have more power yes?
XLR only was the same with RCA+XLR, to my ear.
RCA only was bigger power than all of them : XLR only or RCA+XLR.
I know RCA only on d90se = 2.5V
XLR Only = 5V
RCA on RCA+XLR = 2V
XLR on RCA+XLR = 4V

from what I heard on my SA-1, RCA out only have more power than XLR only, for example I drive my hifiman he400i using RCA only I set the volume on my SA-1 between 10 / 11 o'clock, but when I switch to XLR only I have to adjust the volume to 1 / 2 o'clock to get the same amount of volume match as RCA out.
I always set my SA-1 on low gain, when I switch to high gain, its still the same, RCA out only was always have bigger power.

I'm afraid that my unit was defective. is my D90SE defective or my singxer sa-1? I dont have any other dac and amp to test with.
Thanks

 

[Veri]

Hi,
I have D90SE pairing with Singxer SA-1, I've tried several times to listen between Line out Type : RCA out only, XLR only and RCA+XLR using USB from my PC using foobar, turnout that RCA only have bigger power, more clear and everything than XLR only or RCA+XLR, using XLR it should have more power yes?
XLR only was the same with RCA+XLR, to my ear.
RCA only was bigger power than all of them : XLR only or RCA+XLR.
I know RCA only on d90se = 2.5V
XLR Only = 5V
RCA on RCA+XLR = 2V
XLR on RCA+XLR = 4V

from what I heard on my SA-1, RCA out only have more power than XLR only, for example I drive my hifiman he400i using RCA only I set the volume on my SA-1 between 10 / 11 o'clock, but when I switch to XLR only I have to adjust the volume to 1 / 2 o'clock to get the same amount of volume match as RCA out.
I always set my SA-1 on low gain, when I switch to high gain, its still the same, RCA out only was always have bigger power.

I'm afraid that my unit was defective. is my D90SE defective or my singxer sa-1? I dont have any other dac and amp to test with.
Thanks

I think it's the SA-1 and not the D90SE in any case.

Singxer SA-1 Review (Balanced Headphone Amp)

By default, SA-1 is in low gain mode. If you need to drive headphones, it is recommended to use high gain mode. You may need to read the instructions. When we use the high gain mode on the decoder SDA6-PRO (4.6V RMS output) to balance the input and output, we can even push AKG K1000 headphones...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I would assume the converter circuit is making the 2.5V input go stronger than just a doubling of voltage, resulting in more volume than using the D90SE balanced XLR output..

 

[Eldgrim]

Hi,
I have D90SE pairing with Singxer SA-1, I've tried several times to listen between Line out Type : RCA out only, XLR only and RCA+XLR using USB from my PC using foobar, turnout that RCA only have bigger power, more clear and everything than XLR only or RCA+XLR, using XLR it should have more power yes?
XLR only was the same with RCA+XLR, to my ear.
RCA only was bigger power than all of them : XLR only or RCA+XLR.
I know RCA only on d90se = 2.5V
XLR Only = 5V
RCA on RCA+XLR = 2V
XLR on RCA+XLR = 4V

from what I heard on my SA-1, RCA out only have more power than XLR only, for example I drive my hifiman he400i using RCA only I set the volume on my SA-1 between 10 / 11 o'clock, but when I switch to XLR only I have to adjust the volume to 1 / 2 o'clock to get the same amount of volume match as RCA out.
I always set my SA-1 on low gain, when I switch to high gain, its still the same, RCA out only was always have bigger power.

I'm afraid that my unit was defective. is my D90SE defective or my singxer sa-1? I dont have any other dac and amp to test with.
Thanks

If I recall correctly, the way SA-1 is designed makes the output volume the same whether you use RCA or XLR input when XLR input is double the voltage of RCA input, due to the gain on RCA being higher than XLR.

 

[Roland68]

Hi,
I have D90SE pairing with Singxer SA-1, I've tried several times to listen between Line out Type : RCA out only, XLR only and RCA+XLR using USB from my PC using foobar, turnout that RCA only have bigger power, more clear and everything than XLR only or RCA+XLR, using XLR it should have more power yes?
XLR only was the same with RCA+XLR, to my ear.

I don't understand exactly what you connected and how.
What do you mean by "and RCA + XLR using USB from my PC"?
Or with "XLR only was the same with RCA + XLR, to my ear.
RCA only was bigger power than all of them: XLR only or RCA + XLR. "
What was connected, how and to which device?

 

[Veri]

I don't understand exactly what you connected and how.
What do you mean by "and RCA + XLR using USB from my PC"?
Or with "XLR only was the same with RCA + XLR, to my ear.

D90SE has settings, XLR only, RCA only, RCA + XLR. Output.

 

[NPWS]

I think it's the SA-1 and not the D90SE in any case.

Singxer SA-1 Review (Balanced Headphone Amp)

By default, SA-1 is in low gain mode. If you need to drive headphones, it is recommended to use high gain mode. You may need to read the instructions. When we use the high gain mode on the decoder SDA6-PRO (4.6V RMS output) to balance the input and output, we can even push AKG K1000 headphones...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I would assume the converter circuit is making the 2.5V input go stronger than just a doubling of voltage, resulting in more volume than using the D90SE balanced XLR output..

is it caused by the SA-1 input impedance being too low?

If I recall correctly, the way SA-1 is designed makes the output volume the same whether you use RCA or XLR input when XLR input is double the voltage of RCA input, due to the gain on RCA being higher than XLR.

so my unit was normal?

I don't understand exactly what you connected and how.
What do you mean by "and RCA + XLR using USB from my PC"?
Or with "XLR only was the same with RCA + XLR, to my ear.
RCA only was bigger power than all of them: XLR only or RCA + XLR. "
What was connected, how and to which device?

like @Veri said D90SE has settings, XLR only, RCA only, RCA + XLR. Output.