I could listen to Thomas talk philosophically about hifi all day long. It's like he just opens his mouth and out pours a conscious stream of his thoughts, digging down into the many different ways to view a product. I really don't know if that's the best way to say it, but he's so unique in his style and I just love to listen to him. Ty Thomas 👍

@dilbyjones

Жыл бұрын

He knows his stuff

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Lol, thanks a lot Joseph, you made my day better.

@latheofheaven

Жыл бұрын

I could listen to Thomas read the ingredients on a Ramen box...

@rolandlickert2904

Жыл бұрын

Im not surprised I own a integrated amp D and with the right speakers they sound great .Had a few system in my over 50 years of HiFi journey and technology is moving fast. Im looking forwards not backwards and at my age you looking for convenience,practically,all in one box will do the trick to me. Lets be honest once you 74 years old your hearing is not as good as when you were younger.Great to see gear for an affordable price that will be interesting particularly for the younger crowd

@Smood47

Жыл бұрын

He is an audiophile monk listening to full range speakers at the top of a mountain and you have to do a pilgrimage to see him.

That’s what I love about you Mr. Galion…your ability to put things into perspective in a thoughtful easy to understand manner. ✌️

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Thanks, I just hope people can understand that they need to manage their expectations properly in function of the price. This will not outperform high end integrated amp but for the price, it is very good especially to those who are not sensitive to glare.

Get a HIFI Mug at www.youtube.com/@ThomasAndStereo/store Latest Galion Video on tube rolling: kzread.info/dash/bejne/dYdttqmIor3dd7A.html Non-affiliated link: hifi-express.com/products/sabaj-a30a-power-amplifier

Your insight is great, there are so many options and doing it neatly/simply as possible is desireable. Your idea of a valve preamp was on my mind which can be added or removed easily given the desire.

I am using this amp for the last 2 years now .. no issues .. it sounds great all the time. it's reliable.

@yonahangelov1973

3 ай бұрын

Hi! I have that amp because of this review since last summer, but I'm not quite satisfied. Would you tell me what speakers are you using? I listen to it in a small room and I contemplate on Focal Theva 1... What do you think?

You've been able to insert excitement back into audio for me and that's a difficult task

I have the SabaJ A30a paired finally with Elac unified reference 62 speakers. I love the system.

Nice Job Thomas thanks for the video

Wow!! Interesting! Thank you!

I've been listening to the new Peachtree GaN1 - it's phenomenally transparent and replaces my high end system at less than the cost of the interconnects alone.

@deepee1544

Жыл бұрын

Hello, is the GaN1 an integrated amplifier?

Very informative and differentiated statements!

great review my friend , thanks

Excellent review, May give one ago in the future.. Thank you for the heads up. Regards Antony. Warrington England..

Spot on opening sentiments.

Hey Thomas, thanks for the great Video. I just ordered the A30a from HiFi Express :)

@ThomasAndStereo

10 ай бұрын

Hope you enjoy it!

Yes on tone controls!

I have one of these Thomas It's Super Incredible

Thoughtful Review ... Good For You

I love the lii audio speakers

Well said and prediction.

Thanks for a great vid.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

The most useful thing any prospective audiophile can do is to listen to a variety of high end systems even if they can’t afford them. It provides a useful reference when they evaluate components to acquire. This is one of the reasons why I find Thomas to be a use source of information especially since he elicits the opinions of his high end audio friends. But if one can experience at least some of what high end audio can provide it will make Thomas’s reviews even more relatable.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Yes, the hard part is for me to talk about this amp objectively. If you spent a lot of time with high end gear, it is really easy to pick this amp apart. In fact, I shared that on my patreon page. However, if we stand back and look at the big picture, we can give a more objective view.

Happy little known companies are getting air time with guys like you Thomas, it’s one of my favourite things to hear about when good companies making amazing products get some recognition. Doesn’t sabaj have a class d monoblock too?

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

I am not sure but it would be interesting.

@jungtarcph

Жыл бұрын

I would say they are quite a big company, but yes and cool with affordable audio! Wish it had a preout for being used as dac & preamp or powered sub with filter

@michaelbooth6007

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo I have the Sabaj 10a model amp which can be bridged for higher power output ( class d ). I bought two 10a's and I would describe the output sound in a similar fashion as Thomas's description here.

Хорошая компетентная подача материала. Однозначный лайк.

Yes I agree Let's bring back tone controls Ido miss them

Very nice work

BRAVO TOMAS

You do great videos

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Glad you like them!

What’s with hearing the saliva! Picky eater amp! Man, this episode is a blast! Loved it!

I bought one. At first i was a bit disappointed playing it off bluetooth or through analog and then i plugged it in with the usb. Holy crap the amp came alive. I use it with the loudness 2 or 3 eq with a bump on the treble. Thanks thomas. Ur comments in the burson video made me confident that i was at the worst going to get an amp worth $400 and now im enjoying music.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

What was even more suprising is that it actually sounds its best with DSD files.

@fungt89

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo yeah i though there was no way theres a difference between dsd and flac but listening to a jamiroquai album everything is better from the seperation to the detail of the double bass. More investigation needed but i mighg be a dsd fan now 🎉

@deepee1544

Жыл бұрын

May I ask, what is your source connected to USB?

@youtubiers

Жыл бұрын

How does it sound with pcm music upsampled to DSD via PC?

I just bought one to give it a shot. Hope it works well with my ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2. 🤞 Thanks for the great review as always.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

As long as you understand that it is a fun amp to listen to, not refined like the SMSL A1, and have your expectations managed, you should be fine. Let me know how that combo sounds, I am curious too. do let it break in a bit.

@dannydrugable

Жыл бұрын

How did it work?

I bought an emotiva basx a2 for 450, and it is excellent

Thank you for this review. Really helpful., I am looking for a " fun" but capable affordable speaker amp.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it!

It doesn’t need a DAC because it IS a DAC. This type of amp is also known as a power DAC. It takes the digital signal and modulates it and feeds it to the power output chips directly.

@jacobcarstens

Жыл бұрын

I guess that’s why the analog input actually needs an ADC before the amplification stage, not just because of the DSP - fascinating

@timlamadrid1988

Жыл бұрын

@@jacobcarstens Exactly!

@cameronkrause4712

Жыл бұрын

good reply!

@kalunvinka

Жыл бұрын

Well, DAC is a chip. There are different tiers of chips. It is as much as saying your computer has a onboard video chip and you do not need an separate graphics card.

@Luca84v

Жыл бұрын

So it is not possible to add an external DAC right?!

14:55 to 15:10 Thomas practicing to be the badass protagonist in the next blockbuster movie. Your reviews are great, Thomas.

Hello Thomas, I thoroughly enjoy your informative and unbiased videos. I have a question about speaker matching since you give the impression this amp can be a little finicky in that department. My speakers are the Infinity Reference R253 towers and they sound great with my relatively inexpensive AIYIMA A08 PRO TPA3255 Class D amp. Should I expect similar and hopefully improved results with the A30a? Thank you and I'm looking forward to your reply.

Man…these reviews are always forward thinking, considerate of options, and on the money 🙏🏼 My hope is that affordable improvements will still apply to the separates and not solely focus on all - in - one box solutions. I would still want to pair my current preamp with some highly refined and modern - yet affordable - mono blocks down the line.

@phantomplastics6582

Жыл бұрын

Try the Kinki Studio EX-B7 monoblocks. You can get them used at a nice price.

@madmatt151

Жыл бұрын

Try the Sabaj A20a, they can be run at mono and at $200 each would be same as this

@riccitone

Жыл бұрын

@@madmatt151 Those a pretty cool! Most reviewers say they’re ok sounding. Would be nice to try in a second system. Currently running a GoldNote PA 10 with an SPL Elector and loving it. I’m thinking something down the line that would eventually rival that SMSL class a amp, or most any amp above the 1-2k mark for that matter. It won’t be long!

Thanks for your review and opinion. I would like to own a Sabaj A30a, but they are very scarce.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

No stock at HIFI express?

Hi, Thanks for another interesting video. I’m your LS50 review you mentioned that they needed a “smooth” amp to counter their brightness/harshness. Would this qualify?

The block diagram means among other things that it converts an analog signal to digital and is then able to process it with bass/treble controle, etc.

great review, i was wondering how would the Sabaj A30a compare to rogue sphinx

Fantastic review as always. Thanks. What is speaker cable you are using in this setup?

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

It is a DIY speaker cable that cost almost as much as the amp!

Hi, I have been following your channel for some time and I really like your reviews. I just bought the Sabaj a30a amplifier. Do you think that the Kef LS50 would work well with it?

I'm merely 5 years old into the hobby and I had played countless budget gears, once I gave up a hegel 95 for a similar chinese digital amp which was my greatest mistake. Thomas is absolutely spot on that such amp is really for fun. IMO they severely lacks air and life in the vocals. But they do shine on TV watching, it's really impactful and dynamic. So you have been warn, stay away if you love vocalist songs

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Forsure if you go from a $2k Hegel 95, you will be disappointed. The Sabaj does not have air nor does it excel in vocal. As yo said, fun and dynamic. NOW, if you want something that might make you go 'What!', try the SMSL A1, that is probably the exception to the rule in the world of budget chinese amps.

@HungryEatNow

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo I'm not looking to fried an egg with my equipment lol...

@alanrogs3990

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo What do you think of Opera Consonance?

After your review of the A1 i got one, that work's beautiful with my lS3/5 , now Im thinking of buying the Sabaj to integrate a SW to the system and do some tinkering just for fun ... after i finish the comment ill order my Sabaj.Thank you again ,for making this hobby enjoyable and fun , without emptying (totally ) our pockets .

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Thanks, this Sabaj is not at the same level as A1 in terms of sound quality. It is ok to buy it as long you understand that you are getting a different kind of sound and that is maybe what you are looking for. It is more fun but not as refined and airy.

@kouichi4

Жыл бұрын

Are you using 11 or 15 ohms version with the A1? Did you use it with a preamp?

@daniellustgarten5857

Жыл бұрын

@@kouichi4 11 ohms , use it with the DAC as a Pre-Amp , but the sound is really good, and Im an expat and my previous system was Nara amp. preamp and Avant-Garde 1 horns for speakers , and the incredible thing is that I don't miss it...

@geevee1045

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo Can you tell us, is the SMSL VMV A1 also at a higher level in sound quality than the Schiit Aegir? Which do you prefer between those 2 amplifiers? And pls ignore the fact that the Aegir needs a volume controlled source. And thank you for your thoughtful guidance Thomas. Your website reviews are very interesting, unique and informative, as always.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

@@geevee1045 I only heard the Aegir for 5 minutes so I don't know. Now Loic who had both told me, if you just use one, he felt the SMSL sound was better. Sorry, that is all I know.

Add prosound dsp and yeah

Yay! A movement to bring back tone controls!! How could anyone have ever been *against* them to begin with (provided you can switch them out)? I'll sign that petition.

@latheofheaven

Жыл бұрын

Uh Oh... Looks like we need another intervention! 😁

@williamdirks5805

Жыл бұрын

@@latheofheaven For me, or for Thomas?

@latheofheaven

Жыл бұрын

@@williamdirks5805 For everyone concerned! 😀

The color of the amp should match the speakers spec for many audiophiles BUT a well made amp normally doesn't colored the sound at all. The most important feature for an amp is how it handle power. A lot of amps are too light in power to handle speakers properly.

Try a 1F aluminium polymer capacitor across the speaker terminals see how that sounds, that might get rid of the glare you don't like, possibly might need to put a resistor in series with the capacitor something like 14-20 ohms 5 Watts if it knocked it down too much!!

Highly interesting vid to myself as for 10'ish or more yrs, i'd often looked on eBay & saw in increasingly more of these 'knock off circuit designs of well regarded older gear' ... classic designs of the past & long past interested me as i started hi-fi listenening with great sounding vintage valve gear that was cheap s/h (until eBay prices went astronomical for genuine vintage Leaks, Radfords, Marantz, Quads etc, etc. & the other vintage classic makes) Most of those ads thsnkfully had good close-ups of their inners i.e. the most interesting part, the circuit & components inside. I've seen Chinese made Dartzeeling power-amps, Marantz pre's, Krell KSA'50 power-amp 'inspired' designs (tho with relatively tiny transformers compared to the original 2 x 1'KVA trannies) & pre-amps with phono stages designed on 'EAR' phono amps etc etc & always wondered how close they matched the original circuit designs they are based on. One thing I noticed was some models using the two halfs of one double triode** for each stereo channel (**e.g. 12AX7, 12AU7, etc, or ECC81 to ECC85's equivalents) where the originals used 2 double triodes, one for each channel, with each of their 2 internal triode sections paralleled which litterally halves that stage's output impedence (which is a fine & noble practice, but with the extra cost) Tho not all knock-offs did this in their pre amp sections. I feel I have a good handle on this gear now, I once considered that shang-Xeng (?) with the silly little valve window, and the Marantz knock off pre's looked good inside but I ended up spending triple on a few forum's well regaurded Ming Da 2A3 pre-amp, 2006 design, the newer ones with same model number are completely different & I wouldnt have bought that (with daft pseudo ballanced input trsnsformers but no ballanced output? Great video, & great subject indeed.

Hi Thomas, thanks for the sharing, can ask if your convenient to seggest integrated amp is best to pair with q acostic 3010s for room size of 3m by 4m room? Thanks 😂😂😂

First of your videos since I last left a message

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Welcome back.

Do you have any ideia how this compares vs the smsl sa400 (in terms of sound)? And with the vmv a2, also!

Thomas, thank you for this review. I'm considering buying this amp, but I have klipsch speakers that need a relatively smooth and warm amp to sound best Would the sabaj be a good fit ?

@JoseFerreira-zb7wh

9 ай бұрын

go for the smsl vmv a1 instead!

It would be interesting if you A/B them with Sabaj A10d 2022 dac and their A10 or A20 amp

Danke!

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Thanks a billion.

@techmed-rainer

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo You're welcome! Though I consider "a billion" a bit overwhelming 😉

Nice review and comparison. Do you think mentioned amps will work/sound better with a dedicated preamp between them and a DAC, like the Topping Pre90? Some DACs have better performance at full 5v, for example, Topping D90SE & SABAJ A20d.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

For me, it might be too bright that combo. We are dealing with budget class D (digital amp) and I would try to make it as smooth as possible, not as revealing as possible.

@javiermiranda3474

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo thanks Thomas. I think you talked about the combination/pairing, but I was referring to the use or not of a preamp with such amps (or in general)

@waldoyew4247

Жыл бұрын

What about ifi zen blue v2 will that pair well?

Could you suggest some affordable speaker wire to use with an amp and speakers like this. I switched to canare 4s11, it opened up my midrange and added bass but the space and top end sparkle are gone. My music doesn't seem to have the same since of excitement, its a suttle but noctiable difference.

만세^^ 아주 유용한 앰프 ^^

as a frugal audio enthusiast, this is right up my alley!

I was thinking of getting the IOTAVX SA3 for my BRO3s but I'm not sure anymore. I know SA3 is neutral, balanced, and mature sounding (Zero Fidelity), but I like exciting/dynamic-sounding amps as long as the top end is not harsh and the bass is not boomy, has texture, and doesn't bleed into the mid-range.

This would pair well with a tube preamp ?

Very interesting, thank you Thomas! Had the chance to play it with the KLH model 5? If so, how did this pairing sound? Thanks again.

@robertgruber982

Жыл бұрын

Would love to know this as well.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

No I did not but if you have a KLH Model 5, it would be a good idea to get a better amp for it. That is a great speaker.

@robertgruber982

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo I'm looking for an integrated or even pre/power seperates for about $3000 US. Been testing a few but haven't found the right one. Suggestions?

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

@@robertgruber982 If you are missing bass, why not get a subwoofer? What are you missing?

@robertgruber982

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo Not missing anything just looking for an integrated with good synergy with these speakers. The best I've heard is a Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III but don't think I want the hassle of tubes. Currently listening to a Denon 1700 NE which is nice and full but not as defined in the bass as I might like. Listened to a Rotel 1592 MKII but found it overly harsh in the upper treble. Your Macintosh 6700 would be ideal but a little rich for my blood.

From memory.. would u day this beats out the IOTAVX stack?

Did you try it with the Sibelius speakers? keen to hear how they would match...

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

No I did not! I guess I should.

Hi Exclent review Do you think it will work good with LS50 meta?

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

You should get something better for a ls50

Hello, Do you have any proposal witch amplifier will be better in the same price level like sabaj a30a?

Looks like the chip this amplfigier is built around combines most of the circuitry in to a single chip, from inputs to the outputs that connect directly to the power devices of the amplifier, thus a massive reduction in parts count.

Thomas did you compare sabaj a30a vs smsl vmv a2?! people saying that this is the same amp

The only thing that saddens me in connection with my acoustics Pioneer S71 is that the protection works at a volume level above 65. Maybe the firmware will fix it.

Sabaj a30a or emotiva ta2 does the $999 price tag justify its performance compared to the sabaj a30a?

Hi Thomas, I am from Europe and I follow your reviews since the beginning.I learned a lot about tube amps from you.After your review about Willsenton R8 I ordered it and I am very happy with it.I have a question for you.On my Willsenton I use gold lion kt77 and electro harmonix 6ca7 but on kt88 side I have the stock tubes.I want to change them.What is your recommendation between gold lion, electroakustik black diamond or chinese psvane? My speakers are Focal Aria 936. ...and last question: nos Tesla el34 are good tubes for R8? Thanks a lot Kind regards

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

KT77, you are setting the voltage as EL34 right? For R8, I remember tube rolling does not make a super significant difference. It was more the tubes in the front that made a difference for me, either only change the 6SN7 OR 6SL7. I don't know the best match for R8. I have made a video for the Galion TS120 and tube rolling. Maybe it will follow the same? kzread.info/dash/bejne/dYdttqmIor3dd7A.html

How would it pair with Wharfedale Diamond 225?

How will this pair with ELAC's debut 2.0 F6.2? Those speakers are power hungry I hear.

You need to test the bass management with a sub as it has high/low pass filter system

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

It only has low pass filter which is weird.

@zenmorris182

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo from the specs it should remove base from main speakers to stop double bass

GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN ,THOMAS 🤗 AND YOUR 😎 COOL STORIES 👍 AND SHARING YOUR HONEST OPINION, AND SHARING that this is the BEST TIME TO BE AN AUDIOPHILE 🤗💚💚💚

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

🖐

@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo 👋 HI BACK, I hope you have been busy with your work and enjoying time with your family 🤗 We just became grandparents for the first time on NOV. 3 a granddaughter ELEANOR FREYJA…ALL are doing well 😁💚💚💚

Does anyone know what speaker pairs best with the a30a klipsch rp600m, whatfdale diamond 12.2 ,polk r200, monitor audio bronze 100, q acoustic 3030i?

I am considering buying for testing my ears 👂. I believe these D class should be re classed as my days of D class mossfet feed amps are chalk and cheese with the newer chip designs that with combination of no distortions on dacs, have a competitive edge. China is literally rewriting the narrative. I have found two way speakers have some what clouded peoples perspective with flatness and too bright upper tweeter glare. A well designed three way crossover does help with the missing flatness generated by D class amps. My predictions Nad m23 is an example of what's to come take that how you like 😂

Thomas, looking at the back inputs from the link to hifi-express website, the USB input looks like USB C. Is that correct?

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Yup

I heard the guy from Lyngdorf explain his amp, the same as shown here, on some long tube ad' or a tube vide. He said "This is better refered to as a 'Power-DAC' rather than a 'Power-Amp' " (or similar words to that precise effect) Then he explained why, all I could understand was, the D to A is done immediately before OR immediately after the power output devices, tho he said it's digital all the way to the speaker outputs, but surely, I thought ...but I'm no expert or even a reader-up of things audio-digital to dare say "there's got to be something to turn 44.1 thousand indevidual pieces of info arriving each second, info in terms of 1's & zeros or blips & spaces or light & dark intervals ...before the speakers, but wotever is going on, I've heard the Lyngdorf sound esp' good with it's room correction 'on' Very possibly on this site's test track (1of the best renditions that changed my "not liking it much" opinion. (i seem to remember, if I'm not getting mixed up) unfortunately, you can't ask questions on a tube speech so I didn't grasp how both these amps work without DACs but I did notice this budget amp sounding very good esp at it's price. I see on the block diagram, it has got a ADC on it's rca line-input like the Lyng' & the fact it scared you if even briefly is very telling, considering the big Mac's etc you're accustomed to, that's it's strongest telling point to me, along with the test track rendtion which if heard blind ...i'd never have guessed that cheap prise. "It's getting better all the time" as Lenon or MacCartney wrote /sang

Just wonder how this A30a compares with the SA400 from SMSL which you reviewed quite some time ago. I bought the SA400 a couple of weeks ago for US$569 during the 11.11 sale. Shall I regret ?🤔

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

No, I don't think you should regret it. Although I never heard the SMSL SA400, I would not be surprised it can compete or even outperform this amp. They are all quite impressive today.

@1324390

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks Thomas. I can sleep easy now... 😃Sorry that my aging memory failed me. I thought your were among those reviewers who lauded the SA400 lavishly as an excellent Clas D. It's more expensive than the Sabaj and has fewer bells and whistles.

Seems like the budget integrated I’ve been looking for. How does the klipsch rp 600m II work with it? Wanting fun\musical dynamic sound that is great at low volumes

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

I wish I had one to try.

@craigjacoway8106

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for taking the time to reply. You have a lot of honesty and integrity One day I hope to purchase your gallion amp!

Thomas thanks for the review. Do you think the Sabaj A30a will pair well with the Wharfedale Linton Heritage ?

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

The Heritage is probably a speaker good for vocal? If you HAVE to get a budget amp, I would go for the SMSL A1 in that case because it is better for vocal. Usually, you don't pair a $2k speaker with a $450 amp. It will not do the speaker justice.

@rkumarblr1

Жыл бұрын

Thank you. I currently run it with a 25W Melody valve amp, class A push pull. Was curious on which class D or digital amp would pair well as an option.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

@@rkumarblr1 if you want something that is more an upgrade to the Melody, you would need to go to the Buchardt I150. Your melody should be really good to start off with.

@rkumarblr1

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Thomas for the insight. Currently in my chain is the bluesound node N130, the latest model that I use as the streamer and a Metrum Amethyst no sampling R2R DAC, since I had already invested in it though the bluesound node is also a DAC.

How does it compare to PS Audio Sprout?

this or the smsl vmv A2 ?? thanks

I have a little Sabaj PHA3 tube headphone amplifier connected to my little iFi Zen Dac. And with high impedance headphones, like my Beyerdynamic T90, it is absolutely mesmerising.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing

I very much agree that inexpensive integrated amps from manufacturers life Sabaj, S.M.S.L., Aiyima, etc. are greatly improved over just a few years ago. I have both a SMSL SA300 and an SMSL AO200 integrated amplifier. Both use the German Infineon MA12070 chip. The SA300 uses one and the significantly upgraded AO200 uses two of the Infineon chips. The only area where I see further improvement is in the soundstage and in the room 3D 'Palpability' which I attribute to the Infineon's chip. I state that in comparison to my personal experience with the Marantz PM6006, Marantz NR1509, REGA BRIO Integrated and the Eastern Electric MiniMax Tube Integrated Amplifier. Add in GalFet transistors like the Orchard Audio amps and any amp with an MSRP of less than $2500 should be looking over their shoulders.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Yes, the Sabaj does not have that 3D soundstage when compared to my TS120. However, as you said, it should be understood that you cannot get everything at $450.

Hi Thomas, something is happening in HiFi. Is it a paradigm shift or a sea change? It is something. I got rid of my Bryston 28B3 monoblock beasts and now have a collection of Class D and some GaN Class D amps that I love. They are not missing a single thing compared to Class AB. Also besides Sabaj, Aiyima is making kick@ass gear not just for the money. Take for instance the Aiyima A07 amp. This thing is cheap and plays great out of the box. But for only $80USD you can replace the stock IC op amps with a Sparkos Labs discrete op amp and get a further non-subtle improvement. So quality is increasing and price to get that quality is decreasing.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

WOW, that is incredible! My friend has the Bryston cube and they do sound amazing. Yeah, the GaN class D is very good.

@RJ_Chicago

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo I want to be clear. I am not saying that Aiyima gear is better than Bryston. I am saying it is excellent for the money. Plus you can put the A07 in your pocket and buy it on Amazon, whereas the Bryston 28B3 weighs like 90+lbs and will kill your back or your house trying to move it. What I think IS fair to say is that my Jeff Rowland Model 125 Class D monoblocks, my AGD Audion GaN mono blocks and my Orchard Audio Starkrimson Ultra with high power upgrades do sound AT LEAST as good as the Bryston beasts. I don’t miss those beasts for a second. You can’t switch them out. They are heavy as £&@! I am a fan of Class D. Can’t you tell? 😀

WOW,CARLOS YOU ARE QUICK ON THE DRAW ✍️ FOR COMMENTS 😅

Just out of curiosity I was interested in the SVS pro sound base and now that I have watched this video in your opinion what would you prefer? Thanks for your videos I have watched for quite some time and enjoy your views

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Oh really tough choice. I think the SVS has streaming capabilities too? I remember reviewing one of the soundbase and it was also very decent.

What about pairing with the Triangle Borea BR03? Soft dome, lots of bass and high sensitivity (90dB)... Would that be a nice match? (I've recently sold my current system, all but the speakers, so I'm looking for something affordable that sounds "nice"... ☺)

@navidn1353

4 ай бұрын

that's my question too.

Ironically Kodak worked extensively on digital cameras in the mid 80's.

Will this drive Maggie’s ? I have the MC1 and D amps typically don’t have enough

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

I don't know since I did not test it. Check out my Maggie video instead. kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZmdnmJark5rKaM4.html

1st question: at 8:23 it looks like the analog signal is converted digital and the back to analog. Is there a direct/bypass mode? 2nd question: what are the options in the subout menu option? Are you able to high pass your speakers and not have “double bass”? Everyone seems to just provide low pass filter for the sub output and not high pass for the speaker output

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Sadly it has low pass filter but not high pass. I think if you put it to flat in the EQ, it bypass the DSP.

@alvintan6302

Жыл бұрын

Just put a capacitor at d speaker lead, a lot of trial n error. That's what I did with my system, is not perfect

Would love to have seen how the tone controls work (how akward to use)

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

Super simple actually.

@sdrtcacgnrjrc

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo thanks, and thanks for the review 👍🏼

The way a System/Amp is able to reproduce the human voice (male vocals with body/female voice without brittle in the highs, no harshness in sibilants) is very important to me and that’s also the weak point of all class D amps I’ve ever heard to date. The Sabaj seems not to make a leap in that regard.

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

You are correct, the SMSL A1 would make more sense for you then.

@goodsound4756

Жыл бұрын

I almost bought one, also because a friend who has one recommended it, but for my speakers I need power/current. I bought a Swiss made Rowen Absolute One amp. Hard to get outside Switzerland, but worth the chase.

I bought a Loxjie A30 based on measurements. I find it better than an early 2000s Teac and a recent Marantz AVR. In the spirit of uncluttering both are going on sale. IMO the traditional companies need to wake up.

@xcvbxcvb2179

Жыл бұрын

I had the DAC d30. Good bass and mids but flat and lifeless uppers.

@Uuur10

Жыл бұрын

@@xcvbxcvb2179 a DAC doesn't have a sound...

@yantrussart6584

Жыл бұрын

@@Uuur10 maybe it doesn't in your theoretical world, but in real life, they sure do. Go listen to stuff and come back when you know what you're talking about...

@Uuur10

Жыл бұрын

@@yantrussart6584 I have: 4 DACs, in a $100-600 range, all sounding exactly the same. People attribute roles to electronics that are the job of an EQ. Clown audiophile world 🤡

What’s your opinion for a Sabaj with LRS?

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

I personally would say get more power to drive the LRS.

Hey Thomas, do you think it would be a good match for Dynaudio Focus 160? Also for drier sounding and a bit "brighter" Dynaudio C1? If this is not a good match, what would you recommend for Focus 160 under 1K?

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

For a Focus 160, you really deserve something better than a Sabaj A30a. i personally would save up and go beyond $1k.

@ThePysmooth

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo thanks for the reply, yeah I thought you would consider my question about this amp and focus 160 and especially C1 a bit weird and not serious. I was just curious, and maybe was looking for a miracle in some cheap amp. So currently I am driving Focus 160 with Marantz SR7008 (receiver) and I would say I am pretty happy with the sound I would say (though I havent tried any other amps besides nuprime ida 8 which sounded worse) - its warm, dynamic, with enough body, and details on the top end, pretty mellow sounding speakers. Then I got C1 as an upgrade. Spent a lot of time with them. They are definitely more revealing and the twitter is more refined and you hear a lot more details BUT the big problem - I do not enjoy the overall sound with C1 as I do with Focus 160. C1 in my setup luck that warmth, mid bass and mid bass punch and due to top end and luck of warmth compare to Focus they sound quite analytical. Probably similar impressions from your video with Contour S5.4. And now I am thinking to sell them cause tuning in to my liking can cost me a lot (high power and warm amp) and I cant afford that. That is original problem. Ok I would consider to spend/afford 2K max for an amp if you think it worth try any for C1 to improve sound over Marantz? Just looking for a recommendation or short thought about it? But I suspect with my budget its probably not worth it? :) Thanks for your videos!! Paul

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

@@ThePysmooth Dynaudio are known to be hard to drive. So without enough power, you get no bass, no bass will mean top end will stand out and become bright. You will have less warmth. For me the amp is more important than the speaker. To find an amp that can do the C1 justice under $2k is hard. You need something with a lot of muscle.

@ThePysmooth

Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasAndStereo thanks for your opinion, thats what I thought and feel too now.. Its a bit easier to sell now, and after I just AB tested them again with Focus, I feel like overall in 80% I enjoy Focus more and wont have any regrets after selling C1. And also will have funds to try tubes or something else with Focus. Thank you Thomas.

@Szymek3392

Жыл бұрын

Currently I drive Dynaudio Excite x32 with Sabaj a30a and I think It is worth to check with Focus 160. It has enough power to drive x32 properly so it should be enough for 160 as well. Lately I had Roksan k3 and I think that sound from Sabaj is better controlled and this couple is better paired.

is it possible to add an external DAC or it just support his own digital?!

@ThomasAndStereo

Жыл бұрын

There is one input so you can use that for an external DAC.