SAS Audio Labs TM Audio Amplifier Reviews
Where Music Comes Alive TM
Earlmarc, Indiana: Shootout at Audiojerry's (25WPT Monoblocks) Full review
"Second, the SAS Push/Pull KT88 mono amplifiers. Wow, what can I say. The best sounding amplifiers I've heard, especially when it comes to midrange magic. The palpability of images, the liviliness of voices, the air between notes, etc. I could go on and on about how shockingly real these amps sounded. No other amp on hand bettered these amps in this regard."
Albert, Dallas, Texas (30WPT Monoblocks)
I honestly did not think the sound would improve with the new amps...but WOW! running mono right now and its as live as it gets...
Albert
(The 30WPT amp has been sonically improved but the power is now 25 watts per channel.)
Jean-Claude Decarie, Montreal, Canada (SE11.0W Amp: www.audioreview.com/, mistakenly listed under SE7.0W)
Review Summary:
"I have been looking for an amplifier to upgrade my system for quite a long time.
I had visited all the major audio stores in Montreal to no avail. The attitude of
some of the dealers turned me off. So I decided to try to buy direct from the
manufacturer through the internet.
I contacted SAS Audio Labs and discussed with Steve Sammet what he would
recommend.
I ordered a SE 7.0 w SET amp upgraded to be a SE 11.0 W and their 7A Line
preamplifier.
The service was excellent. Steve Sammet is extremely knowlegeable and
enthusiastic about his products. He was very helpful and answered all my emails
and phone calls not sparing his time. Also, they had to rush production so that
the delivery could be on a certain date for me and did so beautifully.
The amplifier is beautifully built and with attention to what counts, the sound.
There are no frills or gadgets and the amp looks austere and beautiful like a Zen
rock garden.
The sound was amazing. The amp sounded very natural at a moderate level. The inner detail was awesome but not in an obtrusive way. The instruments and players were breathing. The distance between the listener and the performers was again natural, not the in your face type of presentation.
I am a former bass player so I should know something about bass. The bass produced by the amp was not thundering but full of life and space, not compressed and artificially powerful. It was natural, like a double bass compared to an electric bass. Of course, vocals were beautifully rendered. Listening to the Renee Fleming Shubert Album was very moving because you could hear the human being behind the voice and not just a voice coming from nowhere. There was flesh on the bones. Violin was in the same way made real, like wood and strings. Vaughan Williams Lark Ascending with its beautiful violin solo would transport you in a field on a sunny day. What this amp does is to create the illusion like a good magician, not like a physicist explaining the details of a theory. There can not be any listening fatigue with this amp.
Matching the amp with the speakers is crucial in my experience. The Newform Research 630 Ribbon speakers are extremely revealing with no coloration whatsoever. The matching would have worked well if the speakers would have been less power hungry. This amp comes with a 45 day trial period and excellent support from SAS Audio Labs. If you have efficient speakers (92 db or more) and are looking for a sweet and natural (again!) sounding amp you should try it in your environment. You don't have much to lose. System: Arcam Alpha One CD Player Arcam Alpha 7 Integrated Amp. Newform Research 630 Ribbon Speakers LAT International Biwire Speaker Cables LAT International Interconnect. Value Rating: 5.00, Overall Rating: 5.00" (highest rating possible at audioreview.com)
Tazsmonn from Minneapolis, MN. (SE 4.6W amplifier)
"I like the amp. The imaging, detail, and depth are as good as the VTL Woten ($16,000 approximately, rather have a car) or the Atmas-sphere 60W ($3400 and rising)(now $4650/pair). I have heard both with music I know all to well. I just feel my money was best spent with you.
Thanks".................Tazsmonn.
Tazsmonn purchased three SE 4.6W amps., one SE11.0W amp., and one 10A Line Preamplifier.
Nick Katsonis, Worcester, Mass. (SE11.0W)
Steve,
"The SE11.0W arrived yesterday. Hooked it up late last night. Initial
impressions: the SE11 has an incredibly dynamic sound, bettering my
highly
regarded Boulder 250AE. Vocals and instruments in the midrange have an
immediacy that draw you into the performance. The midrange performance
is
achieved without sacrificing the frequency extremes. Bass in
particular is
full and weighty. More importantly (from the perspective of a long-time
Linnie), the amp exhibits rhythmic qualities better than any amplifier
that I have heard."
Thanks and Happy New Year,
Nick Katsonis
Anil, Oman (SE7.0W)
Dear Steve,
.....The amp worked straight out of the box. It is pretty dynamic
for a 7W amp. I connected the CD player straight into the input.
As far as first impressions are concerned I am quite happy with this amp.... It sounded
better than my Krell which costs double... It is also
able to drive my 6 ohm speakers effortlessly...
Thanks Steve for a wonderful amp.
Take care.
With warm regards,
Anil