Firsty I would like to thank Aoshida HiFi for sending this loan item for me to review.
*disclaimer: This is a loan unit and was provided for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings
Gear Used:
Topping D90 > SA-1 > HiFiMAN HE6SE / German Maestro GMP400
Tech Specs / Purchase link: https://aoshida-audio.com/products/singxer-sa-1
Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The SA-1 comes in a simple brown box, it is extremely well packaged though in plenty of foam so it won’t get damaged in transit. Singxer are all about functional boxes over aesthetics, and that’s fine as they have put the focus on the product inside.
The amp itself is superbly built, with a hefty metal chassis, and good quality inputs and outputs. The machining of the chassis is flawless, there are DIP switches on the bottom to change the gain and the volume knob is smooth and has a bit of resistance to it which I like. The SA-1 also has very nice aluminium feet it sits on, small touches like this make a difference in my opinion.
Accessory wise you get a power cable and a manual, but to be fair it’s a pure headphone amp and no other accessories are really required.
Features:
The SA-1 has variable gain levels, which are switchable via the DIP switches on the bottom of the amp instead of a simple switch on the front. On the front you have the power switch that lets you select pre-amp mode or headamp mode, next to that you have the input selector (RCA or XLR) and finally you have a high-Z and low-Z switch for different impedance headphones.
On the front panel you have a 6.3mm single ended output, along with a 4.4mm balanced and 4-pin XLR balanced output. On the back you have RCA and XLR inputs and outputs so it can be used as a pre-amp.
Sound:
There are quite a few really good headphone amps in this section of the market at the moment, with my current reference being the Topping A90. The A90 excels when it comes to transparency and clarity, The SA-1 is a pure Class-A fully discrete amp yet it doesn’t have that warm tilt that some people might expect. Using the SA-1 with the HE6SE it is incredibly tight and snappy sounding, controlling the drivers with precision. Yet it isn’t quite as analytical sounding as the A90, this isn’t to say it’s particularly coloured but it sounds a little warmer with a slightly more laid back treble presentation.
The SA-1 benefits from a very black background, yet there is enough power for nearly all headphones on the market (it powers the HE6SE very well). The midrange is incredibly precise and open, with tons of detail shining through and excellent layering. The bass is tight and impactful, this comes from the output power of the SA-1. There is clearly a very well designed power supply that can provide lots of current for demanding headphones. The treble is open and airy, but without being harsh, there is a refinement up top that allows you to listen without fatigue.
The SA-1 is an incredibly linear amp in my opinion, yet one that isn’t hyper analytical, it presents whatever you feed it with poise and precision. It does have an ever so slight smoothness to it’s sound but it is the realism in the tonality of the SA-1 that stands out to me. The SA-1 isn’t quite as warm and open as the Burson Conductor 3X Performance, but it isn’t as clinical as the A90, it treads that fine line of being detailed and linear whilst also being incredibly enjoyable to listen to.
The SA-1 won’t drastically change the sound signature of the headphones you hook up to it, but it will provide them with plenty of clean power. Hooking up the GMP400’s doesn’t take away that ultra clean, studio reference sound, but it does make them sound a little more dynamic with slightly more body.
Conclusion:
It is hard to pick amps in this price range sometimes, as the differences in sound are usually minimal, and a lot comes down to personal taste and the features. The SA-1 packs a lot of flexibility into a well built chassis that is backed up with excellent sound quality, and can be highly recommended for demanding headphones.
Sound Perfection Rating: 9/10 (no remote, but excellent build and sound quality for a great price)
Have you tried the single ended output as well? Is it any good? Planning to use both single ended (gaming DAC) and balanced (music on balanced DAC)
Yes I used the single ended as well and it’s just as good as the balanced just with slightly less power (not a problem for most headphones)
Have you tested the Gustard H16? I am trying to decide between it and this SA-1.
I have this amp and the HE6SE v2 arriving in a few days. Did you have to set the SA-1 to High Gain? My chain will be ADI-2 > SA-1 > HE6SE. The ADI-2 DAC can output a lot of power so I’m hoping I can avoid switching the amp to High Gain.
Try it and see, I have a feeling it was fine on low gain when fed by a balanced DAC and using the balanced output.
Hi Zabak,
at the moment, my chain is ADI-2 > Topping A90 > HE6. I’m considering to replay my A90 by the SA-1, thus ending up with almost the same chain as you have. Are you happy with your chain?
It is not a pure Class-A, it is only to about 1W
That’s interesting, could you let me know where you found this info?
SA-1’s Class A mode:
Balanced 16 ohm load: below 500mW;
Balanced 32 ohm load: below 1000mW;
Balanced load of 68 ohms: below 3000mW;
Balanced load above 68 ohms: almost all power is Class A
As you can see, there is a lot of power before going to AB.
This info from one of Sigxer designer: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/singxer-sa-1-review-balanced-headphone-amp.23365/page-6#post-781775
Hi i have a defective SMSL SP200 and need a new amp, I have the VMV D1SE with Ananda looking at the SA-1 or the JOTUNHEIM 2 or the A30PRO opr a good amp to pair with the D1SE
It depends on what sound you want, the Topping will be very neutral and linear, I don’t have experience with Schiit sadly. The SA-1 will pair really well with the Ananda though, as long as you run it fully balanced.
Yes I’m running balance now and would like a less bright sound of the sp200 more musical and more bass warmish etc. I like Hip-hop and reggae music etc, techno electric music.