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 !
