Sabaj 500w ICE amps - the budget friendly amp?

[Enkay78]

Things are starting to get interesting in the power amps from the Chinese. After the Topping PA5 with good measurements, it's Sabaj now offering very VFM balanced input amps.

Now this is really getting interesting. (Hint compare with emotiva amps)






Now I wonder whether these amps will be worth buying.....it's brigeable. So 2 amps is 40k.

 

[Jith77]

Don’t think it’s a local website.

 

[Enkay78]

That’s true.

It’s hifiexpress. It’s also available on aliexpress.


The moot point of the OP is the product offering. Last time I know peachtree was offering IA with similar ICEPOWER but at prices >1 lakh rs.

 

[k_vijay12]

I placed order. I had been trying to get these modules n case them using DIY route. Finally found readymade at affordable price point. No shipping charges either. Paid $260

Hoping this is a genuine product!

 

[k_vijay12]

Idea is mainly to power a passive sub in mono mode

 

[Kannan]

I placed order. I had been trying to get these modules n case them using DIY route. Finally found readymade at affordable price point. No shipping charges either. Paid $260

Hoping this is a genuine product!

Do update how much duty is charged

 

[k_vijay12]

Btw, these are from old generation icepower 125asx2 modules. After new model was launched, these are going cheap. About $135 each module. Diy casing is available at $100 from ghentaudio. So essentially $235. As finished product it is $260. Not bad I think.

Plus this has both mono n stereo mode switching which is a great flexibility to have. This module is also used in xtz 12.17 sub.

An ultra luxury brand Bel Canto has dual monoblock stereo amplifier using 2 of these modules for $3000.

 

[raghupb]

That’s true.

It’s hifiexpress. It’s also available on aliexpress.


The moot point of the OP is the product offering. Last time I know peachtree was offering IA with similar ICEPOWER but at prices >1 lakh rs.

Try Parasound.
The ZoneMaster series is based on ICEPower
NC200INT is Pascal Audio

Cheers,
Raghu

 

[Enkay78]

Try Parasound.
The ZoneMaster series is based on ICEPower
NC200INT is Pascal Audio

Cheers,
Raghu

The attraction is the price/performance.

I feel this products price is highly VFM

 

[k_vijay12]

Can you guys suggest an appropriate DAC to use with this amp... Mostly till I plan to use for passive sub, will be connecting to my tv and use as stereo. Does tv outputs hav in built dac?

Not keen on spending much. Give idea of pricing please. Thanks

 

[venkatcr]

Can you guys suggest an appropriate DAC to use with this amp... Mostly till I plan to use for passive sub, will be connecting to my tv and use as stereo. Does tv outputs hav in built dac?

Not keen on spending much. Give idea of pricing please. Thanks

Depends upon where you take the output from from the TV. If you take the output from the headphone output, yes it will come as an analog signal with enough energy to drive your headphones.

HDMI, Optical, USB are all digital output and would need an external DAC.

Remember, the Sabaj is a power amp. So you would need a DAC that is also a pre-amplifier. Something that generates 2 Vrms output.

Cheers.

 

[spirovious]

Remember, the Sabaj is a power amp. So you would need a DAC that is also a pre-amplifier. Something that generates 2 Vrms output.

It has analog volume adjuster in front though

 

[k_vijay12]

Depends upon where you take the output from from the TV. If you take the output from the headphone output, yes it will come as an analog signal with enough energy to drive your headphones.

HDMI, Optical, USB are all digital output and would need an external DAC.

Remember, the Sabaj is a power amp. So you would need a DAC that is also a pre-amplifier. Something that generates 2 Vrms output.

Cheers.

Right now the power amp has only one component-in .... So from TV i can choose to connect using audio out from component-out or headphone jack. If i use headphone jack, my tv doesnt have setting to run TV speakers paralelly. So if i use this route only stereo mode from amplifier. If i use component out - i have options in settings to paralelly use both stereo output and tv speaker output.

Do you mean to say - if i use the above analog options , i dont need a DAC ??

I can use TV as direct streamer using the apps . Presently i use an integrated amp which has inbuilt DAC using Toslink. Never used Amp and DAC seperately. even from my Macbook, i use BT headphones occassionally fr music as i usually have work meetings.

 

[venkatcr]

It has analog volume adjuster in front though

And it does take 280mV input. Very confusing. They don't advertise it as an integrated amp. ICEPower sells power amp modules separately as well as an integrated one with a pre-amp and two power amp modules. This one is not. So I am not sure what this is.

Cheers

 

[venkatcr]

Do you mean to say - if i use the above analog options , i dont need a DAC ??

If you use the analog options from the TV, the signal you get would already have been DACed by the TV. Why would you need another DAC in the path?

 

[k_vijay12]

Got it. I m hoping the sound quality wd be near same if I use the digital out or through analog out. Or digital out with dac is always better?

 

[venkatcr]

If you like the sound that comes from the TV, that is what you will get through the amp, at higher volume and better clarity. You will be amplifying the sound as well as playing it through better speakers.

Try that first. If that works to your taste, you are good to go. If not, you can always get a DAC later.

Cheers.

 

[k_vijay12]

If you like the sound that comes from the TV, that is what you will get through the amp, at higher volume and better clarity. You will be amplifying the sound as well as playing it through better speakers.

Try that first. If that works to your taste, you are good to go. If not, you can always get a DAC later.

Cheers.

Thanks for the input. Right now i feel my stereo amp is underpowered and not driving my KEF Q300 properly , These speakers need significant power to shine. Hoping this would improve.

 

[k_vijay12]

Do update how much duty is charged

Paid 1740 in total (1150 for customs duty + 500 handling charge + 90 on tax)

 

[k_vijay12]

Depends upon where you take the output from from the TV. If you take the output from the headphone output, yes it will come as an analog signal with enough energy to drive your headphones.

HDMI, Optical, USB are all digital output and would need an external DAC.

Remember, the Sabaj is a power amp. So you would need a DAC that is also a pre-amplifier. Something that generates 2 Vrms output.

Cheers.

As per manual it has - "Built-in audiophile pre-stage circuit, 1 set of RCA line input" so essentially preamp is built-in i suppose. But needs a DAC for Digital source.