Some listening experiences and question for Sabaj A20d 2022

[MAB]

you are definitely right that things like USB-C should just work... however lots of things are coming with USB-C connectors now but don't have all the pins wired so it only works with USB-A to USB-C....
Anyway these are small prices to pay if the device holds up and does well... The RME ADI DAC alone is 4x what I paid for my DX7. My Device is 4 years old next week and has no problems. The USB interface is broken but that is my fault.... I don't think that the RME devices would have any increase in SQ and since they also can't play MQA; I can't use them with Tidal Masters just like my DX7...
So outside of hardware EQ; it is hard to see what would be worth paying for.

Agreed, USB-C is an I/O solution, should not be a problem. I won't speculate on why Sabaj didn't get this right.
Regarding the Topping DX7 to RME ADI-2 FS comparison, let me go through my personal comparison...

• List price now is $649 for a DX7 Pro, $999 for an ADI-2 FS so the RME is 50% more than the Topping, not 4x... Yes, 5 years ago there was a $300 DX7, but 5 years ago things costed differently!!!
• Both DACs are audibly transparent so no SQ difference there. MQA is no SQ difference.
• The ADI-2 has almost 3x the headphone amp power of the DX7 Pro, which is noticeable. Even more so if you compare the original DX7.
• The headphone amp of the ADI-2 has better SINAD than the DX7, I can't hear that but some may...
• And the hardware DSP definitely adds value to me. Although I can implement DSP elsewhere, I like RME's DSP features and they improve SQ.

Based on performance and features, I consider the two devices to be in a dead heat. If I only had one easy pair of headphones to drive, I would be fine with the DX7 Pro. For 50% more the ADI-2 may or may not make sense depending on the performance and features.
The real problem is the reliability Topping and even more so the customer service from the resellers. I have 3 Topping devices, 2 have gone bad within the first year, and it seems I am not unique in my experiences with Topping reliability. As bad as the reliability statistics are, the customer service from the resellers has been off the charts bad. And it seems that I am also not unique in the crazy warranty service I got.
So, even if the ADI-2 FS was 4x the price of a DX7 Pro... If you told me the Topping had a significantly higher rate of defect than RME, and I would need to enter the Heart of Darkness for 6 months just to get warranty service, I would buy the RME product.

 

[Robocop]

Its unfair to compare past Topping product issues with the Sabaj A20D as at this time its not proven at all to be faulty. Using USB A to USB C works. USB C is relatively new but its going to become regular in application for all future devices.