Arcam SA30

[manicm]

The SA30 has a full MQA decoder, so will you get fully unfolded MQA via Tidal when connecting through Chromecast, or can you use Tidal Connect on Arcam’s app?

 

[inbox4]

I'm considering an SA30 having owned an A39 in the past but I'm concerned about all the problems I've read about. I'd be grateful if anyone can answer a few questions:

1) Does anyone know how the SA30 compares to the A39?

2) Does anyone use the SA30 with Audirvana over UPnP? If so, is this problem free and reliable?

3) How do you connect the SA30 to your WiFi network for UPnP? Is this via the Google Home app, the instructions suggest this is for use with Chromecast but I can't see or think of other ways?

4) If Audirvana via WiFi/ UPnP has issues, would connecting a Node 2i via coax or optical be totally problem free?

 

[Karol]

Hello all, my first post (sadly had to register to post)

Is anyone following the case where Arcam sent its amplifiers with top quality parts – i.e. Arcam SA30 for review - with quality Japanese capacitors, but actually sells its product (the amplifier) with 4th grade (read: not even cheap, 3rd grade, but crap 4th grade) parts like Chinese capacitors, either Lulon or Jamicon etc.?

Might explain various problems of SA30 and not the same sound signature as reviewed unit - my SA20 already broke with volume control just after half year. And when I thought jumping the ship and upgrading to SA30 (as I like the sound very much) - below thread appeared on their discussion group noting the issue:

https://arcam.discourse.group/t/arcam-sa30-with-lulon-and-jamicon-capacitors/1043

Video from 2 years back also shows cheap Lelon and Jamicon capacitors in their units!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gENaX3B_LwQ&t=223s


Professional reviews showed amazing internals - see here (Japanese top brand capacitors)
https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/f...bf620e6ad0e728d6ce278fad702cf0c356d1a994.jpeg
Anyone has their own unit to confirm?

 

[Waroroses]

With its SA30 streaming amp, Arcam combines old-fashioned amplification and modern-day music streaming to great effect.

Arcam SA30 : Read more

Happy day for me: I sold my Arcam SA30. It is the worst piece of HiFi gear I ever owned. I tried to sell it for months as it was "as new", no pets, no smoking example. They are selling full retail at $3300., open box for $1500. and I only got $1400. The buying public is on to them. The apps are terrible. The sound was good. All of the button functions were very unintuitive and the on off button was "tinny" and felt cheap. The real problem was that the firmware required a degree from MIT to update. So convoluted. The support team sent me numerous instructions and were very helpful but alas in the end I could not see my way through downloading files on to a memory stick programmed for something called Fat32. Best Buy wanted $400 to update the firmware and they reported much grief on some of their previous attempts. Farewell Arcam forever. Perhaps you can talk to your colleagues at Cambridge Audio. I owned their Stream Magic 6 for over 6 years and never had an issue and their firmware was just a click whilst connected to the network.

 

[Waroroses]

I'm considering an SA30 having owned an A39 in the past but I'm concerned about all the problems I've read about. I'd be grateful if anyone can answer a few questions:

1) Does anyone know how the SA30 compares to the A39?

2) Does anyone use the SA30 with Audirvana over UPnP? If so, is this problem free and reliable?

3) How do you connect the SA30 to your WiFi network for UPnP? Is this via the Google Home app, the instructions suggest this is for use with Chromecast but I can't see or think of other ways?

4) If Audirvana via WiFi/ UPnP has issues, would connecting a Node 2i via coax or optical be totally problem free?

Avoid! The SA30 has dropped in value to 50%. A dud.

 

[Waroroses]

Hello all, my first post (sadly had to register to post)

Is anyone following the case where Arcam sent its amplifiers with top quality parts – i.e. Arcam SA30 for review - with quality Japanese capacitors, but actually sells its product (the amplifier) with 4th grade (read: not even cheap, 3rd grade, but crap 4th grade) parts like Chinese capacitors, either Lulon or Jamicon etc.?

Might explain various problems of SA30 and not the same sound signature as reviewed unit - my SA20 already broke with volume control just after half year. And when I thought jumping the ship and upgrading to SA30 (as I like the sound very much) - below thread appeared on their discussion group noting the issue:

https://arcam.discourse.group/t/arcam-sa30-with-lulon-and-jamicon-capacitors/1043

Video from 2 years back also shows cheap Lelon and Jamicon capacitors in their units!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gENaX3B_LwQ&t=223s


Professional reviews showed amazing internals - see here (Japanese top brand capacitors)
https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/f...bf620e6ad0e728d6ce278fad702cf0c356d1a994.jpeg
Anyone has their own unit to confirm?

Everyone knows the SA30 is bad. Prices are 50% of new resale.