Louis evaluations the Singxer SA-2, a second-gen desktop headphone amplifier that includes a completely balanced Class A topology and 10W of output energy. It’s presently priced at €495 excl. VAT.
Disclaimer: I obtained this pattern in change for my trustworthy opinion. Headfonics is an impartial web site with no affiliate hyperlinks or standing. I thank Magna HiFi for this chance.
Click on right here to learn extra concerning the amplifiers beforehand reviewed on Headfonics.
This text follows our present scoring pointers, which you’ll be able to learn in additional element right here.
Singxer SA-2 Evaluation
Abstract
The Singxer SA-2 is an pleasurable desktop headphone amplifier that may fulfill the reference fanatic as a lot as being pleasurable for somebody who’s in search of a robust amplifier with a contact of musicality.
Execs
Highly effective output for demanding headphones.
Very low noise ground.
Strong building.
Cons
Inconvenient placement of the ability button and achieve switches.
A variety of actually good audio gear is being launched from the east, together with our subsequent product up for assessment. On my desktop sits the €495 (exc. VAT) Singxer SA-2, the sequel to the SA-1 and the SA-1 V2 desktop amplifiers from Singxer.
Singxer are based mostly in Guangzhou, China, and was based in 2011. I’m stunned that I didn’t discover out about them till final yr.
In case you go searching, they make a whole lot of gear, beginning with headphone amplifiers, DACs, USB purifiers, digital interfaces, and specialty cable assemblies.
Their motto is “bridging silence and sound”, so I’m anticipating transparency and a silent working amplifier foremost.
That’s what many of the audiophiles are in search of these days anyway. An amplifier that stays out of sight whereas it’s presenting the audio enter feed.
How does it carry out and evaluate to the likes of the Topping A90 and SMSL SH-X? I came upon in my full assessment under.
Options
I take into account the Singxer SA-2 a robust, however easy headphone amplifier with a few intricacies.
For instance, the SA-2 has a relatively unconventional placement of the achieve operate alongside a low-Z and high-Z output impedance selector, which is a uncommon characteristic. The whole lot else is customary fare.
It wears the identical clothes because the SA-1 in all respects. All of the buttons, headphone output faucets, quantity knob, and the identical I/O with preamp performance carry over, apart from one swap, which was added to the combination.
So what has modified from the SA-1? The swap is a brand new floor or elevate characteristic that resides on the rear panel. It’s a trivial characteristic, till you choose up hum from interconnected elements inside the identical loop.
Hum will be a difficulty as a result of floor loops, and this was Singxer’s approach of addressing it. I can point out another fashions with an identical characteristic.
Or maybe we will say that Singxer simply needed to be aggressive since there are some amplifiers on this worth vary and sort which have the characteristic.
Amplification
The SA-2 can run in pure Class A, however in accordance with their literature, it stays working in Class A solely above 64Ω. It’s a hybrid design nonetheless.
The Singxer SA-2 is able to as much as 10 watts @32Ω, and 15 watts @ 20Ω, however not in Class A operation, since these figures are decrease in Class A to nearly 800mW at 32Ω.
The SA-2 makes use of a Singxer proprietary design that makes use of high-current ON output transistors and a copper block for environment friendly cooling.
Circuitry optimizations have been additionally made, together with a brand new DC servo design, which guarantees to deliver noise ranges down even additional in comparison with the older SA-1.
Virtually twice as a lot energy was additionally obtained on the headphone outputs as with the earlier mannequin, all whereas sustaining a cool working temperature. Personally, I by no means felt this amplifier go previous lukewarm.
Design
Singxer determined to make use of the identical cookie-cutter on the SA-2 as a result of, as beforehand acknowledged, nothing has modified visually. Even the slit-like vents on the facet panels remained.
To be trustworthy, the general design is sort of old-fashioned. It’s a plain black chassis, however I need to say, it’s one of many utmost high quality, for the reason that steel is thick and heavy, and is completed with a black coating that’s happily not such a fingerprint magnet. Effectively, just a bit bit.
The chassis sits on 4 color-matched ft, giving the chassis a elevate for some under-chassis air flow. Not that it wants a whole lot of air flow as a result of it appears to run cool on a regular basis, surprisingly so for a Class A amplifier.
The amount knob is silent in operation, each mechanically and electrically, however it’s relatively agency and stiff to function. That’s in all probability as a result of tight tolerances, which I’m all for, however it must be simpler to function.
One other nitpick I can give you is that firms that insist on mounting an influence button on the rear panel ought to at all times mount it on the outer facet, not behind the ability wire and previous the fuse holder.
So while you attain behind the unit to interact the ability button, it’s important to by some means wiggle your well past the ability wire to get to the ability button.
It’s a small element that will have improved ergonomics in a way. You possibly can at all times go away it on on a regular basis and use the front-mounted standby swap.
I/O
Once more, customary fare. Three headphone faucets upfront, and a rear I/O panel with two inputs and two outputs.
The entrance panel homes a 4-pin XLR connection, a 4.4mm Pentaconn, and a regular 6.35mm connection, which, by utilizing an adapter, can be utilized with 3.5mm-equipped headphones or IEMs alike.
The rear I/O consists of a four-set 3-pin XLR connection for left and proper inputs and outputs. One other set of RCA inputs and outputs adorn the rear panel.
The inputs are selectable upfront and use high-performance ROHM enter transistors, and the circuitry makes an attempt to keep away from EMI interference. It might be troublesome for stray interference to enter by way of the thick steel chassis.
Controls
The Singxer SA-2 employs a pure analog sign path all the best way as much as the Alps-designed quantity management. My solely criticism is the beforehand acknowledged firmness of the amount knob adjustment.
My feeling is that the general design is old-fashioned, and what makes it so are these three toggle switches on the entrance panel. I do know a number of producers nonetheless use them. Nevertheless, what I’m referring to is that there aren’t any trendy push buttons or contact screens both.
The primary toggle controls the inner amplifier or the rear outputs. What I discovered odd was that the outputs seem like lifeless when on HPA, not even a hard and fast output. However the second you place the SA-2 on pre, then the variable outputs work and are controllable by way of the amount knob.
The second toggle is a supply selector that switches between the XLR and the RCA inputs.
The third toggle is the Hello-Z or Low-Z selector that acts as an impedance match characteristic. More often than not, I left this characteristic on excessive Z as a result of I felt it supplied a smoother response.
Packaging & Equipment
I’d have anticipated the Singxer SA-2 to come back inside a nicer field, however it got here in a plain corrugated field with the Singxer identify on it and their web site location upfront.
The within has a customized foam mildew the place the SA-2 will sit throughout transport. Inside, you’ll discover the SA-2 and a heavy-duty energy wire, and that’s it. My unit didn’t even include an instruction guide or the rest.
Sound Impressions
I used the HIFIMAN HE1000 Unveiled, the HEDD Audio HEDDphone D1, the Verum Audio Verum 2, and the Sennheiser HD 490 PRO Plus. I additionally used the HIFIMAN Svanar, the ORIVETI Grand Supremacy, and the FiiO FA19 for IEM pairings.
As a DAC supply, I primarily used the Topping Centaurus, however I additionally used SMSL’s SU-X, the iFi audio xDSD Gryphon, and the iFi audio iDSD NEO 2.
Abstract
The general and common description I’d give the SA-2’s sonic character is natural-sounding and well-layered. The very first thing that hit me was the clear facet of the presentation and the tremendous quiet background, excellent for portray music onto.
The SA-2 form of will get out of the best way and lays out the supply in a reasonably nonpartisan approach because of the very low noise ground and the neutrality it in the end goals for.
One can say that right here’s one other studio-like tuned amplifier that’s clear, resolute, and spot on with regards to timbre and stability.
The SA-2 is a devoted reproducer of the supply, however it doesn’t add any flavoring of its personal. It’s a vanilla cup, maintain the chocolate sauce and nuts sort of presentation, so that you may wish to pair it with a supply that permits some coloration adjustment.
However in case you’re in search of clear neutrality, the SA-2 delivers in spades. It presents the listener with a transparent window by which the view is the supply, and a extremely dynamic listening expertise that can work for many who are additionally in search of revelation.
But it surely’s an nearly unimpressive presentation that doesn’t produce a wow issue sort of presentation. It provides you what you feed it, in a lean method with nothing added. However on the correct recording, the SA-2 can sound fairly luscious. However it’s going to chunk you in case you feed it junk.
Timbre
I’d put the Singxer SA-2 within the impartial, vibrant class so far as tonality. The excessive frequencies definitely flourish on this amplifier. The SA-2 produces an ethereal, however well-defined prime finish that blends in with the convincing midrange it additionally produces.
The midrange space additionally shines convincingly. Once more, you’ll be able to pick nuances, and it easily portrays the supply with out sounding too blunt. It does lean into musical as a substitute of a reference-type character a bit, and is well-balanced.
The underside finish is a bit impartial for me, and I usually attain for coloration from the DAC supply so as to add some additional low-end thump, for the reason that SA-2 has nothing for that.
The midrange is easy, well-controlled, and articulated, and similar to the highs, is to my liking in output ranges.
I discover the bass response is subordinate at occasions, however clear and highly effective sufficient that no distortion happens while you bump up the bass by way of coloration with an EQ, XBass characteristic, or one thing comparable, ideally a parametric EQ. Once you feed the SA-2 the correct quantity of bass, it produces a number of physique and weight.
The bass is reproduced immaculately, well-defined in a way that it produces each bass be aware distinctly.
The SA-2 is definitely an excellent monitoring amplifier because it’s very revealing. It doesn’t lose a lot element within the translation of the supply, it appears.
Staging & Dynamics
I spent hours listening to completely different feeds, or DACs as we name them, and the SA-2 confirmed a eager capability to indicate how broad the supply actually sounds. In different phrases, the Singxer SA-2 is an amplifier that reveals the general panorama of the supply’s soundstage.
In case you feed it with a DAC that portrays a smaller, private area, then the SA-2 will ship that.
It’s able to a really broad sounding soundstage with a powerful placement functionality that permits the listener to select up on small placement nuances with a minimal quantity of smear.
It could produce a holographic soundstage in case you feed it such a supply, and it may painting a large and deep quantity of depth.
Click on on web page 2 under for my really helpful pairings and chosen comparisons.
