HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

idle curiosity has had me looking at the Sabaj A20d 2022 DAC due to being so impressed with the performance of its little brother the A10d. The A20d has top-of-the-range ESS Sabre ES9038PRO chips and a more refined output section. It is also MQA capable.



The price tag for the A20d is €490 on Amazon but then I spotted it on sale at Hifi-Express.com at only €390 with free shipping from Germany. This seller looks to be a Chi-Fi only importer as they specialise in brands like SMSL, Loxjie and Sabaj with their prices being considerably lower than Amazon. They have a shipping depot in the UK as well.

https://hifi-express.com

Unable to resist this windfall (as usual) and thanks to the instant-shopping capabilities of PayPal, an A20d has been ordered and is on its way. Like the A10d, the PCM filters and DLL sensitivity are adjustable and can be changed for taste and installation. The Sabaj DACs have been my first exposure to ESS Sabre processors and their sound signature is very different from the NOS and Wolfson-based units I have had up to now.

More about the Sabaj A20d 2022 when it arrives.

... and what fate shall befall the A10d? I hear you cry in horror! Don't worry, it is a great little device and I am far from finished with it. Last week, for the first time, I plugged the Hifiman Sundara's in to see how it works with cans and discovered that it has an excellent built-in headphone amplifier. Quite possibly the same board found in the A10h headphone amp. The Sundara's can sound a bit too delicate and airy, but the A10d gave them plenty of punch and body to go with their lovely space and detail.

Plan is, for now, to put it into the lounge headphone setup in place of the Cambridge DacMagic Plus and Sabaj PHA3 that are currently there. This 'trickle-down' of equipment might go further as I could be needing a DAC somewhere else .... (vague plan).

Onwards, upwards !

Very nice mate! I'm looking forward to your listening impressions!

Fretless wrote: ↑Tue Apr 04, 2023 10:11 am idle curiosity has had me looking at the Sabaj A20d 2022 DAC...

Mr Loverman, Sabaj!

Thanx Lindsay.

A20d is in!

Enjoy mate.

The DAC was freezing cold when it came in (minus 3C here last night) so I've had it running quietly for a couple of hours to stabilise it a bit and am having a first listen.

When swapping the A10d out I could feel that the A20d is slightly heavier, which is confirmed in the specs - 1260g Vs 1500g. A sign of extra stuff inside. The display is different too; A10d has a bold, basic matrix setup which is easy to read from across a large room, the A20d has a small but informative screen where you need to be close up to read it. There are some extra functions too - will get around to them.

Immediately you hear that the SQ of the A20d is a solid step up with a velvety crystalline character. Increased depth and space. Subtle details are more apparent and the Acer PC just has to go! Even the whisper from its fans and HDD is now too noticeable as the noise-floor of this DAC is just bizarre.

Tomorrow I'll swap the Acer for the fanless PC in the lounge. They are shutting down the electric mains in the village for a few hours in the morning for 'essential maintenance' so I won't have much else to do.

Time for work. 990kg of wood pellets for the heating system has just arrived and has to be shifted. No rest for the wicked.

Latteman wrote: ↑Wed Apr 05, 2023 10:19 am https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323865637028 ... media=COPY

Don't know anything about those - they are older models.

Do you get the feeling that there's any degree of synergy from using components from the same manufacturer, Sabaj?