Well I too now have both the Sabaj and the FiiO K9 Pro ESS version. And I think they are different, with the FiiO edging out the Sabaj. Both have dead silent backgrounds, and the Sabaj wins on the remote and display, But it loses on the bad USB implementation,
The FiiO has a choice of USB B or C and they are both implemented correctly, I like the black look with the LED around the big volume control, and I like that it is designed to stand either flat or on edge, The build quality seems better - it weighs a ton, or at least a Kilo and a half.
I had concerns at first that the THX amp section on the FiiO might sound too technical, but It just sounds clean. Iām listening to a Robert Fripp playlist on ROON right now, and it seems quite suited to the music, some of which is very electronic and some naturalistic recorded outside.
I really do need more time with both. Iāve been re-discovering some headphones that had less head time - the combination of a balanced option on both and Hart audio cables makes it very easy to switch. Right now, the FiiO is driving my Hifiman HE-560 v2. Knock on wood, I seem to have been lucky with the QA lottery on these.
Iām not sure what you mean by āvolume separation between headphone and DACā I like the gain switch on the FiiO, And while I like the remote on the Sabaj better than controlling it manually, the FiiOās simple switches appeal to my inner dummy. The Sabaj display of actual sample rate is nice to have, but the black box is elegant also.
I just received an A20h witch will be connected to the main output of my my audio interface (SSL2+ - the one that goes up to 11 oāclock ) to drive HD600, HD25 Alum, DT770/250, Audeze Sine and the expected to come DT880/600.
I will post pics in the āWhatās in the boxā thread!
I wan to ask a technical question about what might be considered correct volume output (balanced) of the interface to the amp (balanced)!
The interface has additional RCA outputs that are not going through the potentiometer. Whould this be the best way to connect it to the amp? Given that they will work on my Linux system because on windows were only possible to enable them through a DAW (if I remember correctly).
I took a quick look on the SABAJ site, and if your outputs are the same as on the a20d (they probably are) the only way to connect balanced DAC output to balanced headphone input will be though the XLR and not the RCA. Youāll want an XLR to XLR set of cables. The RCA would be a single-ended output.
Thnx for replying!
The question is if avoiding the potentiometer in rca out of the interface is better than balanced with the potentiometer in line with the amp.
And second if I do not use rca line out what would be the optimal volume setting of the interface ā¦
About the second I had the thought that because of the A20h has a resistor volume control may be set it to a high(ish) setting and control the volume from the interfaceā¦ (like the A20h is a āpower ampā)
So much of the Sabaj interface is controlled via menus. I have not checked the support PDF download of the manual. Is there a setting that will output line level from the DAC instead of through the amp? I would think that @Torq might have cogent thoughts on the trade offs, if in fact you canāt work around them.
I have not found Sabaj themselves to be very responsive to questions.
Use whatever output from the SSL2+ is most convenient.
Qualitatively itās not going to make any audible difference. The balanced outputs perform about 0.0003% better than the fixed-level RCAs, even going through the SSL2+ volume control.
If you use the balanced outputs youāll want to find the highest volume setting that doesnāt clip the inputs on the A20h (I have no idea what level of input signal itāll tolerate). Thatāll be trial and error. Good luck getting it to the same setting twice ā¦
If it was me, unless I needed to use long runs of cable, in this case Iād just use the fixed-level RCA outputs. Mostly because theyāre cheaper, standard and you wonāt have to worry about clipping the ampās inputs.
The SSL2+ā balanced outputs are TRS, so youād need TRS to XLR cables.
I already had the trs/xlr cables.
As far as I tested the inputs of the amp didnāt clip even in full output ā¦ may be the music was not very dynamic though!
What dou you think about setting the amp in a volume setting (even 0.0db) and use the interface for adjusting the volume? The A20h has a resistor volume control.
Youād lose the benefit of the relay-switched volume control on the A20h doing so.
In addition, depending on where the interface was placed, Iād be concerned about accidentally knocking its volume control and suddenly winding up with a full-strength signal. Harder to do that if the A20h is controlling the volume.
As I said, in this case, unless long cable runs were needed, Iād just use the fixed-level RCA outputs from the SSL2+ to feed the amp.
Anyone know why I canāt get any sound out of my own double ended USB-c cable. Only the one that came with the unit seems to work, with an adapter using my phone as source.
Yes. The USB on the Sabaj is probably looking for USB-2 and isnāt able to handle USB-3 or 4. This has nothing to do with the connector, USB-C. I find this happens with my iPad and MacBook Pro which both have USB-C but higher than USB-2 protocols.
You can force USB-2 with some cables or with an Audioquest Dragontail or similar in the chain. There is a FiiO USB C to C cable that works, and one that I found online. You can search the forum for USB and Sabaj in all topics and you will find the thread explaining your issue and cables that work.
It is possible, but not likely, that Sabaj will correct this with a firmware update.
That will depend on what the source is from your phone - is it high res or just something standard like an MP3 - and also what youāre using to listen with. I peeked at your profile, and you havenāt said what equipment youāre generally using. I find that Iāll first hear differences in mid and upper midrange, then soundstage, then near the top of my hearing with cymbals, bells and so forth.
What differences I hear will also depend a lot of what headphones Iām using and how much Iām paying attention. I can hear more differences with IEMs, even though I donāt care much for most IEMs. The ROSSON RAD-0, my best ānormalā (not electrostatic) headphones clearly resolve much more difference than say my Sennheiser HD-580.
But you are right that the new BT-5 is quite good, and the difference between a BT-5 connection and wired seems to me less than between a high-sample rate MP3 and FLAC.
Iām very happy with how the Sabaj performs, especially at itās price level, regardless of the implementation of the USB connection.
The source (through a Google Pixel 6 Pro) is either Tidal, Qobuz, or Spotify. My phone is rooted and using this software: [APP] Official ViPER4Android Audio Effects (FX v2.5.0.5) - New Features & 7.0 Support | XDA Forums
Something I swear by and have been using the past 10 years or so.
Iām using the Sabaj in preamp mode with either a Dark Voice 336e or Xduoo MT-604 Depending on the headphones, which at the moment are Meze 109 proās, Meze 99 classic (both with balanced cable), Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro (80), and T60RP Argons. Sometimes I go dac only into the DarkVoice.
Can anybody advise me what is the best way to connect my Sabaj A20d 2022 to my Lyngdorf tdai 1120. The Lyngdorf does not have a headphone socket and I would like to use the sabaj to connect my headphones.
The Lyngdorf does have an RCA analoq output that can be used to connect to a headphone amp.
What would be the best solution?
Apologies for my lack of knowledge Iām just starting out.
Thanks in advance.
Assuming you want to connect analog line out from a 2022 or 2024 Sabaj A20d you can use the RCA out from the Sabaj to the RCA 2 line in on your Lyngdorf.
Not the phono in. The other one.
To get from the Lyngdorf to the Sabaj - to get streaming to the headphones, it appears that you will need to use USB-C. I have the 2022 Sabaj and this will require a USB-C cable that limits to USB-2 speed. I donāt know if the 2023 fixed that. Look back in this thread for more information.
As far as I can tell from a quick peek and no experience with either one, you canāt get there from here. Both devices are meant to be the digital/DAC input source, and the Sabaj is sold as a DAC. It has no analog input like a preamp or amp. You could run the Sabaj alone as DAC + headphone amp and set the Lyngdorf aside.
Photo of the back of the Lyngdorf
(Lower left ā Analog Out, Right middle ā HDMI Out):
) to drive HD600, HD25 Alum, DT770/250, Audeze Sine and the expected to come DT880/600.
