HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

My audio adventures are very often directed by patterns of obsessiveness and I find myself in another such wave, this time with the Chi-Fi manufacturer Sabaj, who are closely associated with the better-known SMSL brand.

Current tally is 3 of their products:
PHA3 tube headphone amp (under 40 euros at Amazon) - an absurdly tiny device that sounds like a million bucks with upgraded tubes.
A10h Class D headphone amp, punching well above its weight with a clear, cohesive character.
A10d 2022 DAC - a couple of years ago I would have dreamed of being able to afford a DAC this good. Now it is a budget-category unit.

So, roving further afield I started looking at their amplifiers and there are 2 models that match the distinctive styling of the 2022 model DAC, the A10a and A20a.



This is a basic stereo power amp with a single input switchable between stereo RCA or mono XLR. Mono? Yes indeed! As this little Class D amp can be run in bridged mode as a monoblock to drive separate speakers or a subwoofer.

The A10a and A20a have similar innards but the 20 is rated with a higher output. I have read of some production problems in the power supply of the 20 that have apparently now been sorted out by the manufacturer.

Reviews on the web are unanimous in praising the sound quality of these amps and their powerhouse capabilities.

Current prices on Amazon here are A10a €190 and A20a €230. Which makes a monoblock installation suddenly seem rather affordable.

The temptation has become too much to bear, so I have just pushed the button on the A10a, to try one out and see what I think. Class D amplifiers are still relatively unknown to me and it's time to give one a listen with an open mind.

The possibility of getting a second one to use in bridged mode is already being seriously considered.

Watch the skies!

It will be interesting to see what you think of it for well recorded solo piano music when compared to your NVA's...

Will try - thanks Lindsay.

I'm not expecting the liquid transparency of NVA amplifiers but I am rather addicted to getting the best out of budget gear and so far I have been very impressed with the quality of Sabaj products.

DHL have just dropped off a package and I have a day off! So the upstairs system gets a new addition and the little silver thingy on the floor is a Sabaj A10a 2022 poweramp.

It is well under freezing-point outside, so the amp was COLD and I am running it for the very first listen in place of the venerable 1985-vintage NVA A40 stereo. The Sabaj is rated at 110W per channel into a 4 Ohm load.

Firstly you notice that this tiny device has bucketloads of power, setting the volume knob at about 2 o'clock is already louder than the A40 with the same setting on the P50sa.

Clarity! There is an upfront, direct snappiness to the sound that is markedly different to the somewhat laid-back character of the old NVA warhorse.

I can already hear that the Class D circuits are warming through and the initial edginess at the top is gone, although the overall sound remains 'bright'. Imaging is impressive if a bit 2D. Ooh, there's some nice, deep solid bass in there as well!

Wonder how this will sound as monoblocks? Well I might just find out - tomorrow.

Surely the volume thing isn't so much down to the power as down to how the volume control is calibrated?
With the calibration including differences in gain.

Lindsayt wrote: ↑Tue Dec 13, 2022 2:14 pm Surely the volume thing isn't so much down to the power as down to how the volume control is calibrated?
With the calibration including differences in gain.

...and input sensitivity.

My expert technical opinion is ..

... damn loud!


The amp is designed to run off the (variable) line output from a DAC. So a passive preamp should be just fine.

Fretless wrote: ↑Tue Dec 13, 2022 3:18 pm My expert technical opinion is ..

... damn loud!


The amp is designed to run off the (variable) line output from a DAC. So a passive preamp should be just fine.

Loudness is distortion...

viewtopic.php?t=44979

Richard did not have a high opinion of Class D.

This is an informative thread. The general consensus seems to be initially impressive but fatiguing over time.

Class D amps are improving and are not as grainy or lifeless as a few years ago.

As I stated, I'm curious about how they work and sound ....

... and trying to keep an open mind.