[pbirkett]

So far the build for me seems fine. The unit is solid, all ports hold nice and tight. I guess the buttons could be a little more tactile but nothing too bad. As for power hungry headphones you are likely right. X2s are 32 Ohm so I'm not surprised it can power them no problem

Wish mine was, the tiny screws at the headphone end aren’t tight enough. I’ve tried tightening them up with the smallest screwdriver I have, which just about fits, but they’ve just come loose again.

 

[pkkaou]

No buzz noise with Android phone ? Wow, interesting. May be I should get one though.

 

[Matias]

It depends on your mobile phone model: some Androids work flawlessly, others with workarounds, others no way at all (such as mine...).

 

[pkkaou]

I'm using Xiaomi Mi6 ,can powering ext.hdd with no problems. Maybe it can use flawlessly.

 

[Damikiller37]

The only issue I had with it is that if I try to use VIPER4Android FX, the USB/Dock options seemed to have no effect on the Sabaj. Not sure if I have the latest version of VIPER4Android FX so might be something to do with that. Also I'm on a custom ROM (Cypher OS; currently on a beta until they get Oreo for it) so that could be why I have no problems with buzzing and why my VIPER4Android FX isn't detecting the Sabaj.

 

[MD Alimur Rahman]

Got my Sabaj Da2 yesterday and got it all set up. First of all, WOW this thing is tiny I didn't quite notice it from the pictures but that's not a bad thing at all. It is plug and play; Windows 10 got USB Audio 2.0 drivers for it straight away. These are the options I have with those drivers:

Not going to comment too much on audio since I'll need more time with it but it definitely is a huge improvement over my on-board; drives my Fidelio X2s to insane volume with no distortion and just sounds better overall.

If you look at the packaging in the photo link below and compare it to the ones in Archimago's review of the SMSL Idea, it's literally all the same but with the branding changed. This unit comes with 3 short cables: full size USB to USB Micro, USB Micro to USB Micro and USB C to USB Micro. So again the same as Idea and they are the same cables. The unit also has the buttons, LED, and ports in the same spot. I would take it apart but I don't have a screwdriver that tiny. Also when I looked at the drivers both SMSL and Sabaj offer for these units they are exactly the same as well. I tried installing the XMOS driver and that would give me access to the usual frequencies up to 192000Hz in all the bit up to 32 but no frequencies above. I couldn't be bothered to mess around so I just uninstalled the XMOS driver since I didn't really hear any difference and the Microsoft one is just fine.

Also tried using the Sabaj with my HTC One M8 and it works fine. No random hissing or anything. Seems to deliver the same amount of power as my PC. Tried my X2s and KZ ZS5s with it. Not sure about the battery drain but I this unit for my PC so I probably won't test that.

Here's the rest of the photos including the two above: https://imgur.com/a/0dIfP

I got this unit directly from Sabaj on Amazon UK for £49.99: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0719FMRKH/ compared to the SMSL Idea which is £72.99 on Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073W4DSVH/

So you might as well grab the Sabaj or whatever happens to be cheaper for you

How the Da2 paired with your Zs5? sound quality? my one is Zs5 v1...How the Da2 paired with your Zs5? sound quality? my one is Zs5 v1...

Interested to buy Da2/Idea and hope it will work with Huawei mate 9 pro..as i'm using Fiio K1 without any issue..Hopefully a good upgrade from fiio K1 in term of sound quality. looking forward to use mostly with phone. please advise if anyone has similar setups.

Thanks in advance

 

[Damikiller37]

How the Da2 paired with your Zs5? sound quality? my one is Zs5 v1...How the Da2 paired with your Zs5? sound quality? my one is Zs5 v1...

Interested to buy Da2/Idea and hope it will work with Huawei mate 9 pro..as i'm using Fiio K1 without any issue..Hopefully a good upgrade from fiio K1 in term of sound quality. looking forward to use mostly with phone. please advise if anyone has similar setups.

Thanks in advance

I've literally listened to the ZS5s on the Da2 for like 10 mins so I'll need some more time with them. Kinda sucks since I'm used to having my ZS5s go through VIPER4Android FX and it doesn't seem to work on the Da2. I have the v1s as well; using medium SpinFit tips. Give me a couple of days, I'll give it a good listen and let you know what it's like

 

[DJRSP]

Unfortunately a must. I am left with a bunch of good looking non-mfi cables, which turned unusable after the latest iOS updates.

Hey Bobby,

When using the IDEA with you iOS devices, are you getting the volume spike issues?
or did you happen to have a solution for it?
Others suggestions here about a USB downgrade are misleading.

Thanks

 

[MD Alimur Rahman]

I've literally listened to the ZS5s on the Da2 for like 10 mins so I'll need some more time with them. Kinda sucks since I'm used to having my ZS5s go through VIPER4Android FX and it doesn't seem to work on the Da2. I have the v1s as well; using medium SpinFit tips. Give me a couple of days, I'll give it a good listen and let you know what it's like

Can you confirm that whether da2 works with spotify or tidal streaming service in android phone that you use?
also in youtube?
coz i'm concern about the compatibility issues of Da2/Idea in android..

 

[Hal Rockwell]

Wish mine was, the tiny screws at the headphone end aren’t tight enough. I’ve tried tightening them up with the smallest screwdriver I have, which just about fits, but they’ve just come loose again.

Maybe you should put a drop of Loctite in the screw hole before you tighten it.

The only issue I had with it is that if I try to use VIPER4Android FX, the USB/Dock options seemed to have no effect on the Sabaj. Not sure if I have the latest version of VIPER4Android FX so might be something to do with that. Also I'm on a custom ROM (Cypher OS; currently on a beta until they get Oreo for it) so that could be why I have no problems with buzzing and why my VIPER4Android FX isn't detecting the Sabaj.

I have a couple of different models from different brands of those tiny DACs, and viper4android seems to have no affect on any of them.

 

[MD Alimur Rahman]

I’ve now been using the Sabaj DA2 (same as iDEA) for several weeks now.

I have to say it does a good job for the £50 or so it cost. It does seem to noticeably lift the sound to a level above what the headphone jacks on typical mobile devices, and removes a good bit of the veil and provides better dynamics and a little more detail. It’s good enough in conjunction with my MT220s to use instead of my main desktop rig which is that better again, but it’s quite close really in terms of enjoyment.

A few things I’ve noticed which has probably been brought up already. It works fine on the iPad but it has a weird habit of pausing the music randomly, which unfortunately I have been unable to resolve and makes the iPad for me unusable as a primary listening device. This is particularly annoying after paying £30 for an adapter to make it fit.

On my s7 edge it again works fine, but you do have to play the music first before plugging the DA2 or you simply get buzzing. Sometimes it takes more than one attempt. However, once it locks on, it’s perfect.

It works flawlessly on my MacBook Air, so far as I can tell (I say that because I’ve only had the Mac a few days and it’s already faulty so I’m having to send it back). Just select the sound device from the volume menu and off you go.

Try plugging in the usb cable without the dac. Then start the music and when the music is playing plug in the dac to the usb cable. Thats how i got my Da2 to work. Or you can try UAPP

using this trick..does da2 work on spotify/tidal streaming and youtube app? on android phone? please confirm..thanks

 

[Trisse]

using this trick..does da2 work on spotify/tidal streaming and youtube app? on android phone? please confirm..thanks

Yep I can confirm it works with tidal. Tho I'm mostly using tidal though UAPP.

 

[MD Alimur Rahman]

Yep I can confirm it works with tidal. Tho I'm mostly using tidal though UAPP.

what android phone you r using bro? can you recommend Da2/Idea over fiio k1 as a good upgrade in term of sound quality..

 

[Trisse]

what android phone you r using bro? can you recommend Da2/Idea over fiio k1 as a good upgrade in term of sound quality..

Nokia 8 with oreo beta. Had Android 7.1 before. Works with my Samsung s6 edge too using the top I described earlier. Yeah it is a good sound upgrade. I have even tried it with my dt880 250ohm and i think it works ok.

It was my laptop Lenovo z50- 70 that got the biggest sound upgrade from the da2. The output from the laptop is unlistenable but with the da2 it sounds really good.

I use the da2 to drive my kz kz6, zs5 and tennmak pro. I think it works really good with the zs5.

When I got my zs5 I could only use it with my desktop computer with Asus xonar stx. They sounded so much better then on my Samsung.

I have always thought the Samsung s6 have such low output volume.

Edit: tried it with Spotify and it works like a charm.

I have also notice that I don't get the buzzing bug after upgrading to Android oreo. I still need to use the cable trick but if I don't I just don't get any sound at all. Before I got the buzzing bug

 

[DjBobby]

Hey Bobby,

When using the IDEA with you iOS devices, are you getting the volume spike issues?
or did you happen to have a solution for it?
Others suggestions here about a USB downgrade are misleading.

Thanks

Not quite sure what do you mean about spike issues. I have absolutely no problem, using it mostly with Tidal. Just be sure that the volume on the iPhone is on max (to send full bit depth) and use the volume control on the iDea. Which iOS apps are you using?