ARCAM SA20 HDA 🎵🖤🎵 MY EXPERIENCE

[@MrKockie69]

I have the sa20 about 2 years now, and never used different filtersettings. It just sounds right to me the way it is.

[@mattia_599]

I just bought Arcam SA20 and I like it a lot. I am from a Cambridge CXA81 which only lasted 5 months! The Arcam is better than the Cambridge, especially in the bass. Also the mids are really excited :)

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

Thank you for sharing your experience

[@Edin8140]

Thanks

[@funcionyforma]

How do you compare the trebble bewtwwen the SA20 and the CXA81?

[@mattia_599]

Similar

[@IrenESorius]

I totaly LOOOOVE my Arcam SA20 with my Triangle Signature Thetas. A marriage made in sound heaven. 💖🥰💖

[@spill_the_beans365]

I like the idea of class G. I agree with the looks concerning the front panel. A 2 knob unit like the A25 without a display would look better.

[@charlesclifton1006]

I want to thank you for this. I learned about Arcam through you in a previous video. You were not reviewing the (older) Arcam but simply referencing it. In any case, another reviewer recently reviewed the SA 10 and that really got my interest. Further research has now peaked my curiosity relevant to the SA 20. I love mid to low volume and it sounds like you are saying that this amp (SA 20) is a stellar performer for such. With out detail I will say that everything I am hearing from you tells me that this is definitely the amp I want to buy. Now, my challenge is .... which speaker? Obviously I want to hear the sound signature of the SA 20 ... I know that now beyond a doubt.

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

Thanks my friend. I appreciate it. I would pair the SA20 with the Aria 926 by Focal

[@charlesclifton1006]

@@DigitalPhilosophers Hmmm. That's very interesting ... thank you.

[@joaquinbarreto9398]

I heard the JBL SA750 which is pretty much he same thing on JBL HDI towers. It was just too sweet sound king to me but the longer I listened the more I liked. I left the auditioning room surprised at the fact that I could see myself falling in love with it. I have JBL 4309 now I’m thinking about getting this unit.

[@alexxsanders6341]

hello, is there a big difference with the arcam sa30? Power level and sound quality? THANKS

[@cglarsen26]

Well done, unique insight. When you say it is amazing for low and mid volume listening, could you estimate what the upper limits of mid volume means in SPL? ex. 75 db?

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

I will measure it and answer again…

[@Anand.Asrani]

Well said Mate , I am intrigued & will have to experience this Amp SA20 & the Aria's personally ...Keep Sharing ..

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

What a combo 🤩

[@Anand.Asrani]

@@DigitalPhilosophers Yes even I think the bright Arias and warm Arcam should sound Alive & Beautiful !!

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

@@Anand.Asrani Absolutely! I wish I would have kept the Aria to pair it with the SA20

[@Anand.Asrani]

@@DigitalPhilosophers Even mee 😂😂

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

I will upload the video of the filters next Saturday.

[@steventsimtsos4029]

Did you sell the technics speaker ? I adored those beauties!

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

Unfortunately yes. And yes, I adore them too🤩 Their open midrange and holographic imaging of instruments etc. are on another level

[@nc3419]

For those of you who have tried a SA20 and returned/sold, what didn't you like about it or its dac?

[@thepub245]

I am using an SA20 with Q acoustics 3050i's. Sounds very good and speakers wouldn't be fully broke in yet.

[@Jake-go2lq]

What would you suggest this or the Vincent SV-500 for Klipsh speakers?

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

This is a matter of taste. Tonally the SV-500 is more neutral.

[@caznrod]

Lieber D. Phil. (erlaube mir in deutsch zu schreiben), danke für deine persönliche Einschätzung, ich überlege mir einen solchen SA20 zu kaufen, vor allem weil die Preise jetzt zurück gegangen sind und, weil der dazu passende Player SACDs abspielen kann, auch dieser ist im Moment vergünstigt zu haben. Du erwähnst den Look, den ich auch etwas "bieder" finde, aber eben, auf die inneren Werte kommt es schlussendlich an, ABER: du wurdest schlussendlich "erhört"! Der neue Look der Arcam Linie finde ich top, hoffe dir gefällt er auch, musikalische Grüsse aus der Nordwestschweiz 🙂

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

Hallo in die Nordwestschweiz! Ja, die inneren (klanglichen) Werte bleiben unterm Strich das wichtigste und diese stimmen bei Arcam ohne Zweifel. Zudem haben sie jetzt auch meinem Geschmack nach elegante Gehäuse für die neue Radia Serie entwickelt. Hut ab.

[@TheIoMeroMero]

Hi! I've been watching your videos and comments and would like to ask... For the Sonus Faber Lumina II (warm sound with a touch in the highs) would you recommend Arcam SA20 or the Audiolab 6000A? Thanks in advance

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

Just with these infos I would choose Audiolab.

[@TheIoMeroMero]

@@DigitalPhilosophers thanks!!

[@nc3419]

Considering this amp as a smaller, lighter replacement from my Hegel which is overkill for the speakers I use but it really makes them sing. In comparison to my other amp which is a Keces e40 which is also a great little amp, the Hegel makes my speakers sound more live, more resolution, bite on instruments like horns, piano and voices. The Keces is still nice, an easy listen but doesn't match the experience of the Hegel which is expected. Just wondering if the Arcam SA20 would be a bridge between the sounds. The Keces pre section has been stated to sound rather class A but can sound rounded off bit still better than most amps at or even higher priced to it. The Hegel, well, does it as it should. The Arcam at low to moderate levels is supposedly where the magic happens and is stated by some to sound very holographic (for 2 channel) while still having impact, resolution and retaining smoothness. Its only when you turn it up where the secondary rail comes into play that it seems to lose its SQ and bass becomes sloppy, etc. I am using Dali Opticon 1s and these respond to better gear with more resolution, punch and detail while providing some depth of stage. I guess there are other speakers that do these things better but would cost alot more and I prefer smaller units. I would like to try SF Lumina someday but not alot of small speakers that perform well for both music and movies that can provide a more lifelike sound albeit in a smaller and lighter stage. For apartment living, that's what I need. Anyone have any thoughts on how the Arcam may fit in? Negatives are as stated, it isn't a looker but is small and light enough. Some have shown concern with build quality and reliability but that can be any brand I suppose where those that had issues will complain while those that don't you never hear from. Just miss when you could walk into a hifi shop and listen for oneself.

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

The build quality is flawless with my unit. If your speaker is thin sounding this amp will quite likely be one to listen to.

[@suburbia2050]

The new Arcam A25 certainly looks better ;) (I just ordered the SA20 because there are some good deals on it now)

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

Yes the new series looks better imo too

[@nc3419]

I read someone's opinion that they preferred both the Arcam SA-20 and an introductory Hegel over some other amps in comparison with the Arcam being more holographic sounding. I think Hegel (I own a h160) is fantastic though overkill for the speakers I own and wonder what the tradeoff would be by going to the Arcam SA20. I find the Hegel smooth yet powerful, impactful while giving enough response to voices, horns, piano, etc to sound more like a live session (much smaller scale on small speakers) while my other amp is more rounded, less resolving but still sounds better than most anything under a grand US$. Trying to bridge the gap in a small and lighter package. I could keep the Hegel, try something else probably at similar or more money and still not get better results but maybe the Arcam, for my needs and SPLs (low to moderate) may suffice. Just concerned with reliability and if it really outperforms in its retail price level, now discounted as its the outgoing model. Any thoughts? I use Dali Opticon 1 and might consider Opticon 2 or Lumina series down the road. Amphion and a few others considered. Typiclly I like resolving small speakers with a bit of treble, so not usually looking at warm speakers. Also tried Quad S2 which had a very unnatural 2D sound, flat stage, no depth at all. So getting as much depth, sufficient width is a target for speakers, amp, and source player. I do not feel the Hegel presents a flat stage but depth of stage isn't its greatest strength.

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

The SA20 is amazing at low to mid volumes.

[@nc3419]

@@DigitalPhilosophersBeen flipping between amps and dacs this morning. My observations seem to be in accordance with what others state. My Keces vs the Hegel is less resolving, warmer and has a bit less life to voice and instruments, no surprises as its far less costly, less power and smaller. But for what it does, it bests alot of other equipment at or even more costly. Hooked up an Aune X8 18th ed (upgraded w/ Sparkos Op amp) with the matching Aune power supply to it and its smooth, punchy with good bass but not quite as lifelike/lively as the Hegel and its internal dac, but does scale up with better amps. The SA20 may be an inbetween bridge offering the smoothness and punch that both my amps generally have have but with better resolution while still sounding smooth. If the "lifelike"/lively is somewhere inbetween it could well be worth it. Nothing wrong with the Hegel, its more robust with a very good dac just big, heavy and I'm wanting smaller but capable. Also hooked up the Aune X8 to the Hegel and its a bit more rounded vs the Hegel. I suppose one could prefer one to the other depending on music, etc., but I noticed the added life of the Hegel adds just a bit more life to sound, sometimes a bit much so thats why one could prefer one over the other. Movies seem to have a bit more detail of the room/space but don't quite know if one is more holographic sounding vs the other. Both perform well and share more similarities than differences...and to that point, the Aune I believe uses the same ESS chipset as found in the SA20. The SA20 is stated to be more holographic sounding compared to others, also heard the Audiolab 6000A is also holographic sounding btw which I found unexpected. Perhaps by not alot but it adds to the experience. So, while it won't match the Hegel in outright authority, it could come closer in a smaller. lighter package. Don't mind the look too much even though it looks more dated. The only point of concern is the damping factor which controls bass, low damping and the bass is a lose mess, higher damping tends to give a tighter, more tuneful bass with some texture. The Hegel probably averages around 300+, the Keces has been measured at averaging 153 while the SA20 measured 60. Always heard that 80 or higher was a good df to shoot for but alot of reputable amps fall under as well. Still, probably good enough for drivers 6 inches and under, IMO. Once tried the MF m2si whose df measured 41 and bass while in abundance, was a mess. Also grainy sounding thru upper mids and highs. Class A should be smooth which is preferred. Having 2 coax inputs is nice to. The only other amp considering, though inexpensive is the Music Hall 15.3 whose df is over 130, but to look inside the unit, it looks nothing like previous models from Music Hall but reviews seem to be impressed with performance. The Audiolab seems to be an alternative too but think the SA20 could be more to my liking. At least I narrowed it down from a huge list of possible choices. Either the SA20 or A15.3 as of now. That's where I'm at. Will update if I pull the trigr.

[@pepeanguita8376]

thank you for sharing mate, so .... arcam vs vincent vs sugden .... which one to choose for moving the Velas ?

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

Arcam SA20 and Vincent SV500 on par when it only comes to sound. The DAC made me keep the Arcam. Unfortunately I didn’t hear the Vela with the Sugden.

[@pepeanguita8376]

@@DigitalPhilosophers Thank you for you response. I guess you choose the component that offers the most, all things kept equal. I can empathize with that. On the other hand, there still the need to complete my stereo pack with a streamer ... any ideas/suggestions ?

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

@@pepeanguita8376 Cambridge Audio VXN v2

[@kwokwong2444]

Is sa20 and kef ls50 meta a good combo? I have the amp I would like the sound to be more transparent! Anyone?

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

There is a KZbinr talking about the SA30 and the Meta if I am not mistaken

[@kazzzer4876]

I have this combo for me is perfect

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

@@kazzzer4876 Thanks for sharing your experience

[@Raymond-uo2rl]

Hi how do you feel about Arcam SA20 vs Nad C368? I am also planning to upgrade to Elac 403.

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

Unfortunately I don’t know how the C368 makes the Vela sound. The Arcam SA20 is good. I would rather choose the Audiolab 6000A (Play) with the Vela. That combination impressed me the most

[@Raymond-uo2rl]

@@DigitalPhilosophers Thanks. Audiolab is a bit hard to get in my area. Back to Arcam SA20, can it auto-wake from standby when you turn the music on? Do you have to manually turn it on every time? How’s your setup to stream the music?

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

@@Raymond-uo2rl I connected a streamer to a digital input on the back of the SA20 since I liked its DAC a lot. e. g. the Wiim Mini streamer is a great choice

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

… or the Airlino Plus

[@DigitalJunior2003]

The Arcam SA20 is very cheap at the moment as the new range is coming soon. Will the SA20 be better choice than the A5 for sound quality ?

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

I hope I will be able to answer this question as soon as I heard the new series

[@juliusleung9584]

I think the new line has a newer DAC and the Qualcomm chip supports AptX for better bluetooth streaming, and probably that's about it from what I read on Arcam website. Usually integrated amps don't have significant sound improvement from 1 gen to the next especially for those tend to keep their signature sound. I would buy the SA for a bargain price if I was not doing bluetooth streaming. Even if I do, I could get a Wiim Pro Plus and still save $$$.

[@nponep]

Hi guys. Any ideas when new models will be released?

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

@@nponep in Europe it is already available

[@michbest]

​​@@DigitalPhilosophers Arcam SA20 vs Audiolab 6000a? Your thoughts please.

[@nc3419]

I think I read that optical good for up to 96Khz so for movies and their soundtracks while coax is better for music that is higher resolution, though I mostly listen to CDs, some HDCD or SACD, some mobile fidelity so coax sufficient. If I were to stream hi rez, hooking up a better external dac/streamer to the RCA inputs should improve results so as long as the RCA inputs are decently implemented. As to spatial audio, I think many will continue to use 2 Channel with or without a sub and the time it takes for media to come out, 2 channel should be around for quite some time.

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

With a good source I would always choose coax over optical even if it doesn’t galvanical isolate like optical does.

[@nc3419]

@@DigitalPhilosophersHow is the dac in the Arcam SA20. Do you think its as good as a hi performing standalone dac up to $1K US? Does it maintain the depth of stage the SA20 is capable of?

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

@@nc3419 The most expensive standalone DAC I’ve owned is the Pro-Ject DAC Box DS2 Ultra which sounds better than the one inside the SA20 which also sounds great. The only bad sounding DAC I’ve ever heard is the one inside the Vincent SV500 hybrid integrated amp.

[@nc3419]

@@DigitalPhilosophersThanks. Based on my own experiences with dacs and the ESS 9038K2M in the dacs I own, I am familiar with the sound range. Typically middle of the road give or take as to resolution, detail, overall SQ. The one I use now, the Aune X8 sounded bland until throwing in a Sparkos Op amp which increased SQ in all areas. Still not sure where the Arcam dac fits in, probably an in-beterrn performance. I think its primarily the Amp section that's special, with a decent phono stage and servicable dac and headphone jack. Gueesing it would be more a sideways move from what I have now, perhaps a bit more from the amp but less than the dac. If I did buy, I'd probably want an external dac for better performance but not having XLR limits this with some dacs as well. So, still deciding.

[@steventsimtsos4029]

It is about double the cost of the SA10 here in the States. Not sure if that is a better buy than the little brother ? I do wish the build quality of the front input and power buttons was more robust ..

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

My unit is flawless in terms of built quality. When it comes to the sound I would even pay three times the price of the SA10 to get the SA20‘s class-G.

[@steventsimtsos4029]

@@DigitalPhilosophers Does the power button feel robust when turning on and off ? I saw a video with the reviewer pressing it on and off and it appeared not to be very firm, meaning seemed flimsy ?

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

@@steventsimtsos4029 Yes it is robust.

[@jonathanluttrell1380]

I know this is late, but I am returning my SA10 for a SA20. SA10 sounds great, but wasn't getting enough dynamics unless I was cranking it. For more efficient speakers the SA10 would be fine. I do agree the jump in price is quite significant...

[@easylaptop]

i only need streamer in this. but they like you to by st60 - 1680euro in Greece.

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

You‘re absolutely right EDIT: How about the Arcam SA30 or SA750 by jbl

[@easylaptop]

@@DigitalPhilosophers i am starting now my way in audio,and i made some mistakes. but i will learn. thank you

[@DigitalPhilosophers]

Same here 😅

[@Audiorevue]

I disagree with spatial audio, about it being the next thing. I mean they said the same thing about quadrophonic in the '70s and look where that ended up. Plus you have to look at today's demographic versus the '70s, and it's not a criticism, but the consumer in the '70s didn't mind putting in a little work to achieve sound but today's consumer just once the quick fix, the easier the better, And I don't see spatial audio being that. Because you got to have the right headphones and the right cell phone and the right hardware to support it and then what about your favorite albums?, they're not available in spatial audio so what are you listening to?