SONCOZ SGP1 Stereo Amplifier Review

[mike70]

doubt that anyone with an ASR account is into ear-gospels.

The only true "gospels": my ears/preferences, my wallet .. and the waf

No one in ASR is into "ear gospels" but your gospel is your ears and preferences? (The other facets aren't relative to SQ) ...

I don't understand it very well

 

[lashto]

No one in ASR is into "ear gospels" but your gospel is your ears and preferences? (The other facets aren't relative to SQ) ...

I don't understand it very well

someone else summarized it very well in a diff thread.

There is still stuff that measures (suposedly) "bad" but sounds "good". There is still stuff that measures (suposedly) "good" but sounds "bad". At least to my ears. Measurements are a "very good to know" for me, but not a K.O. criteria. Ears/prefereces/waf are KO-s.

 

[andrew]

You obviously don't have CD horns.

The LA90 (<2µV noise!) is the only amplifier that produces no audible noise whatsoever from my 109dB/W@1m horn tweeters at idle. With the Neurochrome (28µV noise), there is audible noise (just a bit of hiss) sitting nearfield.

I like my listening room dead silent at idle when listening to music at night. I think it's a real accomplishment that a power amplifier (200W in bridged mode) can match the noise (and THD) of the very best DACs.

YMMV.

Mani.

Are you running the LA90 in bridged mode on your horns? How does the combination sound? A fair number of amps are quiet on my midrange horn (100ddB) but then failed when driving the 108dB compression driver / horn. A Purifi class-d amp did well but still some noise when Nearfield to the horn.

 

[Head_Unit]

And get rid of the silly tagline and arrows on the meters, along with the unnecessary second SONCOZ- it's already engraved directly above.

They must have hired someone from Saleen...or Shelby...

 

[manisandher]

Are you running the LA90 in bridged mode on your horns? How does the combination sound? A fair number of amps are quiet on my midrange horn (100ddB) but then failed when driving the 108dB compression driver / horn. A Purifi class-d amp did well but still some noise when Nearfield to the horn.

I tried the LA90 on my horns when I first got them only to test how quiet the amps were. I can't recall exactly, but am pretty sure I kept them in stereo mode. But they were never intended for my main (horn) system.

I use Neurochromes with my horns. You can hear some slight hiss from the CD horn tweeter with your ear right next to it, but otherwise all is dead quiet.

It's worth mentioning that I run my horns fully active, so one amp connected directly to each driver. The amount of power bridged mode offers just isn't required, even for my upper-bass horn. The subs in my main system... now they're a totally different matter, and even a bridged LA90 would stuggle, I suspect.

Mani.

 

[Genpattonj]

Not interested in experimental products with issues that may or may not have been fixed.

Had mine since January 2024. It seems to have a huge amount of reserves. My speakers are hand built by a Company in Langley BC, Raw Acoustics. They are transmission line and he told me there hard to drive. Impedance can drop below 4 ohms and not very efficient. Tried them with a 250 watt class D. Kept shutting down at loud volume. The Soncoz just kept going, at a lower wattage it actually sounded louder. just my experience. Yes, I know this is an old thread. Sorry

 

[rdytro]

Anyone else received recent units? Retailers are claiming the issues have been fixed. Soncoz themselves don't respond to e-mails (as per usual with small chinese companies). Also, would there be any easy way to swap the LEDs illuminating the dials to a slightly less candle-light-like color temperature? Has anyone opened it up to see what they are?

Gave up on getting an AHB2 as used units all turned out to be ancient and the local distributor is awful and very expensive.

Now choosing between a Kinki Studio EX-M1 and Soncoz SGP1. On paper the Soncoz looks brilliant, but teething problems ... I believe Kinki's not dissimilar issues were all solved after the revision 2 or 3 years ago.

 

[restorer-john]

Also, would there be any easy way to swap the LEDs illuminating the dials to a slightly less candle-light-like color temperature? Has anyone opened it up to see what they are?

Unless the dials themselves are yellow (they look like they might be).

It's really unlikely they are using 2700K warm LEDs for illumination- I bet they are white/daylight 4000-6000K LEDs and the dial material is yellow. Unlikely they would be actual incandescent bulbs, but you never know.

 

[rdytro]

Unless the dials themselves are yellow (they look like they might be).

It's really unlikely they are using 2700K warm LEDs for illumination- I bet they are white/daylight 4000-6000K LEDs and the dial material is yellow. Unlikely they would be actual incandescent bulbs, but you never know.

I think you're right. Most of the unlit images I saw of it were renders rather than the real thing. Real thing does appear to be yellowish. Wish they'd gone for a cleaner white look like on the new Technics Class D amps. It looks so much prettier.

 

[Labjr]

I wouldn't buy anything from them. If they don't answer emails now, what do you think they'll do if you have issues?

 

[rdytro]

I wouldn't buy anything from them. If they don't answer emails now, what do you think they'll do if you have issues?

Nothing but I'd be buying from a local retail presence.

 

[Labjr]

Also, Soncoz is not a new manufacturer anymore. They are several years old and their CS is still terrible. Every product has had issues. They don't seem to thoroughly test products.

 

[Dougey_Jones]

Unless the dials themselves are yellow (they look like they might be).

It's really unlikely they are using 2700K warm LEDs for illumination- I bet they are white/daylight 4000-6000K LEDs and the dial material is yellow. Unlikely they would be actual incandescent bulbs, but you never know.

IDK if I've ever disagreed with a post more, lol.

There's no chance in hell they're using incandescent bulbs, but there's a great chance that they just chose 2,700k LED's because it's actually a common choice for meters and other illumination in the HiFi world. Have you not seen TEAC, Yamaha, Accuphase, Luxman meters and illumination?

 

[TK750]

Have you not seen TEAC, Yamaha, Accuphase, Luxman meters and illumination?

Of all the people to pose this question to lmao, perhaps it was tongue in cheek?

 

[TonyJZX]

in the year of our lord 2023 you would guess the Chinese have invented the safe and cheap and reliable 2,700k LED - i mean what an engineering marvel... like the mythical blue LED

 

[Dougey_Jones]

Of all the people to pose this question to lmao, perhaps it was tongue in cheek?

I was being sarcastic. But Restorer John does make preposterous statements on here quite often and rarely gets any push back.

 

[TK750]

I was being sarcastic. But Restorer John does make preposterous statements on here quite often and rarely gets any push back.

My apologies, I thought that might be the case! I will neither agree nor disagree with the second part of your statement (yes this fence is lovely)!