Those aren't "installation" connections. They're for trigger (linking power - switching one, switches the other, on or off) and dimmer control, changing the dimmer with the remote will change both devices simultaneously.
Hi Tarun. Now that you've pinned my comment, I realise it comes across as a bit rude. I didn't mean it to be, it was just stream of consciousness. Apologies anyway. Your reviews are excellent.
Not at all Mike. There is a lot to think about and cover in these reviews and despite my best efforts, occasionally I miss something or just plain get it wrong. I am not infallible. I am glad you pointed it out 👍
PS. I thought Sean from Zero Fidelity was really good at describing sound. I think you might have surpassed him. You are not giving generic terms, you provide concrete examples of how sound is perceived. Quite impressive.
Hi Jay, that is very kind of you to say. Sean does an amazing job! He is one of two guys that inspired me to start this channel. The other being Steve Guttenberg.😉👍
A British Audiophile one thing I love is that you did a PA3 possible using it without the SA3. Something the other guys would not consider talking about for some strange reason. hmmm 🤔 But I’m so glad that your dad out of curiosity why DAC would you recommend for Around $500 US for the PA3
@@felixlaboy1453 I think a 500 dollar DAC might be an overkill for the P3. At least that is what was recommended to me, that it is not detailed enough to present an audible difference from a much better DAC, so I got the topping E30. Might worth the try though, might borrow some better DACs to try and see for myself.
Thank you Felix. I think you can’t beat the Chord Mojo but it isn’t really intended for desktop users and is a bit of a pain to live with if you need to use more than one input. I also like the Project Pre Box S2 designed by John Westlake.
I really appreciate how thorough your reviews are. You break everything down in such a detailed and relatable manner that it really gives me the impression that I can "picture" the sound of the gear in my mind. Great job!
I own both the SA3 & PA3. I absolutely love them in my room with my speakers. Best I've ever had. I am continually amazed at the musicality, and the accuracy of their play. Thanks for your thoughts.
Great review. I own this combo and have been listening to it for the last 2 months now. It improved every day, it needs some time. With the Dynaudio Evoke 20 speakers, and Technics SL1500C or Bluesound Node 2i with Tidal as a source, the soundstage is really bigger than between the speakers. I have had a lot of amps, vintage and new, but this is the least fatiguing amplifier ever. Due to my work and hobby, I spend (critically) listening to music over 10 hours a day, and with this IotaVX-combo I can actually do so. Love it!
When someone goes on youtube and is looking for a review on gear that might work well with his current system or match his taste, this is exactly what he'd hope to find. Thank you Tarun!
I’ve had this combo now for over 2 years now. It is solid for my current needs. I’ve slowly been upgrading and am confidant the last thing to upgrade will be this combo.
I pulled the trigger on the SA3/PA3 combo and have never looked back. One of the smartest decisions I have ever made in my pursuit of great sound at prices I can afford. I did the SA3 first, then after deciding on some new speakers (87DB @8ohms, close out special from GR Research) I snagged the PA3. Speaker cables from Blue Jean Cables, and the Audiolab 6000CDT. The SA3 has a great DAC which saves on some money, AND contributes to great audio. I also recommend the Bluetooth Dongle. It opens up music/movies on the internet. Ian, at IOTA is a straight up solid dude who cares about his customers. My units arrived in 3 days from the UK, packaged more adequately than necessary, which shows great care. I have reached the end of my pursuit. You can add a subwoofer if you need it, but for me, I'm still toying with that idea. Dude, if I was near you, I would let you hear my rig. Brits know audio!
I like your grading system. There's nothing more frustrating than trying to figure out how much a reviewer really likes a particular component since all reviewers only review components they like.
Great review. I like the way you and Sean break down your reviews into many facets. I have the IOTAVX SA3 driving Triangle Borea BR03's (per Sean). I have found that once I added the Topping D90 MQA DAC, that "wooly" bass has strengthened and tightened up nicely.
@@felixlaboy1453DAC inputs: digital streamer-USB, cd player-Digital Coax. DAC Output:RCA Analog out to a tube buffer preamp. tube buffer outputs to IOTAVX SA3 High Level Input #3. So I have functional volume controls on both the tube buffer and on the IOTAVX. D90 is set up as a DAC only, which is prefered, so its "preamp" and volume control do not get involved.
Really appreciate your effort in commenting the different scenarios of using SA3 alone, PA3 alone and as a combo. Particularly the fact you specific the trade off between the different scenario.. methodical and clearly commented.. Keep up the great work and wish you the continuing success in your future video .. Again.. great video. this is my 3rd times watching so I feel I am obligated to let you know how much I enjoy and rely on this.
I've been using the SA3 with a number of different speakers over the last month, and I must honestly say I couldn't name another integrated in this price category that is so well balanced and fits so many speaker characters. It's not fussy, even choosy speakers will come along nicely with it. Sure it has its limits, but in this price bracket the SA3 is a winner.
Really good review. Breaking them into three categories was def a huge plus and from what I can tell left out of most all other reviews. Great job! Thanks.
Great review again! They little details when configured the pair differently were great insight that many of us are looking for, and lacking from other reviews. Seems others have already asked further review, which can be a great topic for next. Would be more interesting when you have a chance to review and compare this pair with Emotiva, and Marantz PM7000N. I think they are all in the same price range.
I am planning on buying my first music system in the next few days and your reviews have been a tremendous help, okay most of the time I have no idea what you are talking about but I am starting to learn.
I completely agree the P3 sounds better than the S3. I had the S3 but swapped it with the P3 plus the topping E30 DAC. Inspired by the Klipschiit system Darko put together, not having an integrated amp. Using mac mini as source. I think the improvement over the Wolfson DAC that the S3 has, plus the reduced noise not having a pre amp and DAC in the same box, make a significant difference. For 299 pounds is probably the best audiophile grade amp money can buy.
Looks like you have put together a fine system. I agree the internal Wolfson DAC drops the performance of the SA3 down a bit. It is good to get you going but you want an external DAC for a couple of hundred £s to get the most out of the amp. If you don’t need the connectivity get the PA3. It does sound a little better than the SA3.
I ordered the P3 yesterday to be an extension off my Harman Kardon AVR 335 to drive my new NHT C3's as mains. I was looking to add the SA3 later to complete the setup. Now I'm thinking I'll just get another P3 and run something like a Schiit Saga+ as the preamp. It has a nice resistor attenuator and a single tube buffer which can be switched in or out of the signal path. Then maybe a nice DAC. Thanks guys !
Sorry everyone, comments had been switched off by RUclips as I had selected suitable for kids when uploading the video using their new interface. You should be able to comment now.
Have you had any experience with the meridian 5000 active speakers ? there's a pair of 5000 speakers I can get for £700 mid90s it's a bit of a drive away so I'm not sure if I should bother or not? And I'm not sure about price seems a bit pricey. You're not using the trigger wire between the two amps ? I would have thought if you using the trigger wire you should be able to do them both with the one operation Don't worry about single sub you can get a splitter RCA to 2 better still a mini DSP and you can run 4 subwoofers or more. What I haven't seen I'd like to see is the iota power amplifier using a valve preamplifier running 2 power amplifiers should be a good combination you got a valve preamp can you not try that combination in Bridge combination and non Bridge combination. What you're saying between 2 and 5 kh having the valve preamp should sort this issue out and greater airiness. Considering the power amps about £299 maybe discount if by two, could be a great combination but I'd like to hear it first !! I was thinking even a feliks audio headphone and pre-amplifier is about £600 could be a good combination for a cheap budget system, they are highly recognised their headphone preamplifiers for headphone probably second to none endorsed by focal what they use. I have heard review that they take a long time to burn in becomes more of a relaxing sound and maybe pushing the amplifiers for a week full volume and see how it sounds then
Excellent review, as befits you who are a professional in this field, everything is thoroughly and expertly explained, quality, connection, advantages of one component and pluses and minuses when both are connected, purity, depth, width of the stage and subtle details - sound performance .The only thing missing from this channel, which I have been following for a while, is the sound presentation; it doesn't have to be long, it could be short and it would show everything you explain. This way, everything is somewhere "in a cloud in your head".. Greetings
who knew audio devices and their environments had such nuance? I enjoy listening to music as much as the oxygen I breathe. Beginning in early 2021 I set out to replace an aging mediocre A/V system. Sadly heading out to a brick-and-mortar store to compare components has long since been a thing of the past so I turned to RUclips. My first decision was to focus on creating an analog system, playing vinyl records and an occasional compact disc, this was important to me. "At this price point" is a common mantra that quickly sent me into sticker shock, I thought my budget was generous however it's shocking someone could spend upwards of the amount for a new luxury automobile. I choose the IOTA combo, re-foamed and re-capped vintage Infinity loudspeakers, and the Fluance turntable. Much thanks to you @A British Autophile, PS Audio, and Zero Fidelity for well-balanced opinions and guidance, cheers.
Have had the SA3 and PA3 combo for about 6 months now and must confess that the combo definitely gets better with time. I find the speed has improved the most. The control in the lower ends is amazing. The top end is tight and not too bright...you are aware it is there without it being intrusive. I will certainly place the combo in the Outstanding category. Maybe my MA Silver 300s have something to do with it.
Excellent review, thank you for taking the time to put it together. This is the fourth or fifth RUclips review I’ve watched on this product and it was the best of the bunch IMO. You have a very informative style, and you come across as knowledgeable and, really important to me, objective. I am in the market for new components so being able to get information is critical when you can’t actually audition the product before you buy. Thanks again for your efforts. I have subscribed.
Thank you Rich, very kind of you to say. I am in the process of completing a review on the Audiolab 6000A and will be comparing it to the Iota VX SA3. Not long to wait now 😊👍
I like the way you do reviews ,keep it up. I had the Cambridge Cxa81 for a week and I found the treble was a bit too forward for me ,so I sold it and the choice was either the itoavx or Denon PMA 1600ne. I bought the Denon and I'm happy with the neutral warm sound, which made a better fit for me.
In bridge tied load the power will increase but the damping factor will halve which explains the changes in bass speed and quality. Also it would be interesting to try passive bi-amplification with the SA3 driving the tweeters and the PA3 driving the bass / mid drivers. I recently converted my system to bi-amplification which gave a large improvement in clarity and sound stage.
Hi Jim, I did briefly try the SA3/PA3 in bi-amp mode and I noticed an improvement in soundstage and bass control. Thank you for watching and commenting 😉
Taran love the review, the amp looks good , no miss ,no fuss, and tone controls are long overdue, there's no such thing as the perfect speaker, great job mate!
From all the amplifiers i owned in the past, from tube to mosfet or bipolar, this Iota combo has the best sound! I paired the amps in bridge mode with Mission speakers.
Great review and excellent insight of the amplifiers. Well & thoroughly explained 👍👍👍👌 I am hoping Iota can make a class AB pre-power system that outputs 200W into 8ohms and roughly doubles into 4ohms. A pre-prower combination may perhaps elimanate all the caveats that Tarun is saying here about these two SA3 & PA3 combos. When a 200W into 8ohms pre-power is out from IOTA then its probably time for me to get atc floor standing speakers..😁👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 That would be awesome! I'm interested if 2 PA3 bridged was the best combo you can get with these components. I've a low sensitivity (85dB) Elac speakers so I assume I need the power of one of the combos.
Hi elemer99, my ProAc’s are 85 dB and the SA3 drove them okay. However, it struggled with the ATC also 85dB. It depends on the size of the room, how hard you listen and how low the impedance drops of the speaker itself. If you have the UB5’s it may struggle as their impedance drops below 4 ohms. Should be fine with the debut’s.
I run 2 x PA3's as mono into bi wired qa 3050s with a rega mira as a preamp... The SA3 will be with me next week so it'll be interesting to hear the difference.
I’ve only just found your channel - I’m really enjoying it - interesting products and insightful commentary - I don’t always agree but that’s the wonder of hifi in the sense it uses great technology based on solid science, but delivers a subjective music “product” with variance in clarity, colouring, detail, timbre etc etc….infinite opportunity for a discussion!
Fabulous review Tarun... So much so I bought an SA3 and two PA3's. I've not received the pre amp as yet but the power amps are excellent. As is the customer service from Ian at iota.. Thanks so much for a great review and pointing me in the direction of Iota.. Cheers, Martin.
I thought I should add, I'm running this with a pair of q acoustics 3050 floorstanding speakers and a q acoustics 3070s subwoofer. Never tried a sub with a hifi before but the SA3 has a sub out and the speaker was a bargain, it'll be interesting to try...
Hi from Aus! Thanks for what your putting out here. Easy to see why your Subs have grown! Clarity of content, your reasoning is explaind well and you get to a specific point. Huge factor though is how you continue to engage with your audience in the chat : ) Your review is congruent with other reviews I've heard on this product. I am very interested in IOTA as a stack / pair to use as either Pre / Power or, probably more so, run as a pair of (mono) power amps. You reply on other posts on this chat that you recomend Rega Elex R as step up from this stack, also Naim Nap 100 power Amp. Running into a pwer amp is my preferred option, from DAC / Pre. The Elex R and Nap 100 are older units both coming up for replacement. Nap 100 already dicontinued. Local retailers have superseded demo units on special. Either works out to about 200GBP over the IOTA stack delivered. Is within my budget. These are older amps / Tech, and lower power rated. I can't go around / past the Elex R pre section / use as power amp. The IOTA is newer, higher power, flexibility in set up. Does the IOTA gain anything by being newer? Any thoughts please on the pros and cons of each set up? Quality / audio comparison? By how much are they different? Might the IOTA be the weak link in my system? (Ifi Neo iDSD - amp - Monitor silver 100's + Rel sub.) Wouldn't life be easy if we could just listen, compare, buy. Bloody covid. Cheers. PS Your vid on speaker cables was great, also the 'house keeping'.
Thank you Dave. I appreciate you watching and your kind words of support. I am happy to give you a steer but just need a little info. Basically class A/B amp tech has not changed significantlyin the last couple of decades. The Rega and the Naim are both superior to the Iota stack. Before deciding on the amplifier, consider the following. What speakers are you using? How big is the room? How far away from the speakers will you be? Does the room have a lot of hard reflective surfaces or soft furnishings? What sound characteristics do you want, warm, cool or neutral?
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hey, thanks for the prompt reply Tarun! I've looked at some of your other videos since posting, more great info : ) Yes, power amps tech seem not to advance a lot. Production process has though to bring the likes of IOTA? But DACS have advanced astonishingly in the last few years, yes? The Room. One bedroom, modern open plan apratment, 4x5m main room + open to kitchen 5x1.5, partly open to the bedroom 3x3.5. One entire wall of the main room is an all glass bifold door (beautiful but acoustic nightmare!) but it is nearly always partly open to the deck & garden [Australia ; ) ] Timber floor, gyprock walls. One couch, large tropical potplant inside the glass doors. Acousticly (and visually) needs some paintings etc. (I still need to watch your vid on this). Ground floor so no one beneath me, speakers on an external wall - no neighbours behind it : ). Speakers. Laptop / phone Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, DAB radio, TV into - (probably) Ifi's new Neo iDSD into - [???amp] into MA Silver 100's + Rel S5 SHO Sub. (okay, the sub is overkill, but I was obsessed at the time about getting down to the low frequencies and the dealer let this superceded one go for a bargain.) Temp power by 15 year old Pioneer 5.1 FM reciver amp. (part of an old system recived in leu of $). More than fills the unit and garden with party level sound. Distance from speakers. Varies. 3m but I rarely sit for focused listening. General listening, dance pracitice. What sound characteristics I like? Haha, the tricky subjective bit! Can I say organic & smooth? Neutral (warm side), not harsh or fatigueing. Musical over analytical. I'll use good power supplies (linear maybe) and cables to achive as black a backgound as possible / appripriate. I don't like class D amps. I've heard an Elex R, much prefered over Cyrus one HD. Aurender (class D) was smooth, sweet without the harshness of the Cyrus but disapointing with no body or expression / animation. I found Rotel a little harsh at times, enough to put me off. I'm interested to try the modern valve amps in the future. Rythm and percussion matter. I like what I read about Naim, that it has good leading edge notes - plays sounds like a rim shot very well and is rythmically very good. But apparently can be a little bright. Ocassional posts in chats that it can be fatiguing. Mixed accounts of success matching with Monitor gear, seems to be model specific. Apparently there is a Naim sound seems a little polarising but I don't know it, not heard it. Focals reputedly match well with Naim. Rega with Monitor. I was choosing between the Focal aria 906 when I bought the 100's The retailer wth the discount Naim Nap 100 said the Nap100 is a much better amp than the Elex R, he sells both. The tricky part, which is my flavour? Wow, Sorry, I've caried on a bit.... But hopefully more info helps!? Cheers
Tarun. I have now found that you you have a number of other vieos that relate to this so I will watch those first and maybe that will answer or help me rephrase my questions. Thanks again. Enjoying and gaining so much insight from your channel. 👍
@@sailordave5292 thank you for the detailed info Dave. If you are just looking for a two channel setup I would look at the Roksan K3. It is from the same company that makes your speakers and they work really well together. Naim and MA are not natural bedfellows. The Rega Elex R would work better. Another option would be the Exposure 2510 or Arcam SA20 which will give you more warmth. That may be a good idea as you rooms seems to be acoustically lively from what you have indicated. Good luck 😊👍
I purchased the IOTAVX Stack 3 months ago and they are driving 4 Klipsch RP600M speakers with the bottom end handled by 2 SVS SB2000 Pro subs. This combo sounds fantastic although I do not consider myself an expert by any means, it seems the efficient speakers are the key to great sound with the Stack. I may upgrade with 2 additional PA3's, then each speaker can be driven at 100 watts.
@@LorDarkGoose The instruction manuals for the SA3 and PA3 (aka -The Stack) lists 45 watts per channel continuous (stereo) into an 8 ohm load. In bridged mode (mono) you get 100 watts, that's why I was thinking about buying 2 additional PA3s and run the "Double Stack" in bridged mode (100 watts per amp, per speaker = 400 watts).
As always, great Review, you are officially my favorite hifi rewiewer on RUclips. Yesterday I Was at work and I got a notification that you uploaded a Video and I thought to my self "great, I got something to whatch tonight. Whatching your Video is like a TV Series 😄, got my Drink, my snaks and just enjoy. My Wife is a bit jalous becouse im Not Whatching something with her 😬😄 Keep up the good work my Friend Greetings from Austria
Great Job on your reviews ion general, a small disagreement if allowed, i understand the position of a reviewer about no negative feedback on product . . .. but i do believe and see it as a disservice to consumers when you run across a product that is just "not dignifying", and maybe give a small heads up to We The People, and a couple of recommendations to a small or a newer manufacturer in terms of ways to improve their product, that way you become an asset to the manufacturer and a complete reviewer that also stands for the benefit of consumers. I also understand media uses consumers as a "product" to be manipulated, guided, influenced, etc, etc, BUT . . . . because i respect you, and admire your reviews, i have to tell you what i think so you could distance yourself from the media nonsense that abounds today, as I believe you are not one of their trolls. Please take this with all my respect, sincerity and admiration, it is meant with my best intentions at heart.
Thank you Gonzalo. I absolutely take it as constructive criticism. I try my best to be fair and balanced in my reviews. There is not much to criticise in the PA3 given it’s price. On reflection the SA3, I don’t think the DAC is up to scratch. I wish manufacturers would not just bolt on DACs for convenience. Better to charge a little more and have a decent DAC that isn’t a bottle neck in the amplifier’s performance. If I was to do the review now, I would have pointed that out. Thank you for watching and your advice 😊👍
I got an AudioLab 6000A with KEF Q150 speakers for my small 3x3m room I also have a Denon X2700H with Bowers Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary speakers for my 4x8 living room.
Yes I agree fully, if the two products sound different, then I don't like the idea of one being used for one channel and the other for the remaining channel 😱 a pair of the power amps makes sense, full setup for £1000 :)
What about bi-amp with two power amps and another pre-amp/dac? You also said that it becomes a bit shouty when you turn up the volume... So a loudspeaker with sensitivity >90 db would be preferred...
About dimming both devices, it seems to have a 3.5mm connectors to do so and iotavx mentiones it on its site: “In addition, the PA3 provides trigger and dimmer inputs and outputs so that the device can be synchronized with your other devices with regard to the turn-on and turn-off behaviour as well as the illumination intensity.”
Thanks for your review! :) I noticed a huge difference in sound somewhere north of about 100 hours burn-in on the SA+PA3. The sound “settled” a lot more and became a lot more “airy” and full with a drop in upper midrange harshness. I think I have pretty high standards and think this combo is worthy of any amp in the sub £1.5K category. The only nitpick I have is a slight loss of textures and definition on strings. Sometimes a bit too airy. Nonetheless a keeper and something unique beating many amps double it’s price.
A British Audiophile Hi Tarun, I love the neutrality of the IOTAVX. What would you say is the “next level up” from the IOTA in terms of neutrality? Any recommendations?
Hi J S, my short list at the next level up would be the Hegel H90, Naim Nait 5si, Rega Elex R and the Audiolab 8300A. I have auditioned the H90 at home but not the other amplifiers. Just heard them at dealers and thought they were impressive. I would love to get them all in to do a proper evaluation and review.
Thanks for the review. Spec wise, this looks similar to the "fairly old, not yet vintage" Arcam Alpha 7R. Similar power rating, large toroidal transformer and option of pairing with a power amp (the 8P) The Arcam was less pricey than the iota although I would guess rivals in performance. I can confirm the Alpha range also sounded uncoloured and impressive detail for a budget amp.
Thanks for the review! I like that it has a lot of additional information to that what well regarded Zero Fidelity has already covered! You are doing good job! You should try Emotiva BasX A300 too :)
Tarun, I really enjoy your reviews on hifi amplifiers. I have a Naim Uniti in use at the moment and I wonder if you have ever reviewed Naim hifi. It would be great to see a review of the company’s products as I’m considering buying a NAP 250 power amp to improve the performance of my Uniti.
Great detailed review thanks. I’m thinking of adding one or two of these power amps with my SR6012 to drive the front speakers. The Marantz is driving 9 speakers currently so a bit maxed out. Price wise this seems like a bargain compared to Marantz own power amplifiers.
Hi Traun, another very interesting video. I took your advice and purchased the Bluesound streamer( my old Creek FM tuner finally packed up and it would of cost more to repair than it was worth). The sound of internet radio isn’t bad but not quite as good as the old tuner. Carry on the good work. Regards Richard Herbert
Hi Richard, great to hear from you. I am not surprised that it doesn’t sound as good as your old Creek tuner. Are you using an external DAC? Something like a Chord Mojo (pain to use in desktop mode) would probably take the performance to a level above the Creek. I wouldn’t rush out to get it but it is something to bare in mind if you miss the performance of your old tuner. Thank you for the update. Please keep me posted as to how get on with the streamer. 😉
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hi Tarun, thanks for your reply. I am getting on ok with the Bluesound.I have subscribed to Tidal HiFi and the sound stage is wider and instruments more defined.Sounds great. I shall purchase the MOJO soon. The charging seems e bit of a pain. I am using the washing machine isolators under my speakers, but I think I have got them wrong. I am still using the spikes with the isolators and I think I should remove them and stand the speakers directly on the isolators ( I have a wooden floor and fitted carpet) . Would I be correct? Regards Richard Herbert .
Great to hear from you Richard and that you are enjoying the Bluesound. The Mojo is a pain if you need to use more than one input. It doesn’t not have input switching so you have to switch connections manually. You don’t need a fancy battery supply to run the Mojo as all it does is charge the batteries. I use the iFi iPower 5V @ £49 as I don’t want a cheap switch mode power supply polluting the rest of my system with noise. I would remove the spikes and just use the isolation pads under the speakers. They may wobble a bit but that is okay. If they are too unstable get some concrete slabs cut to size and place them under the isolation pads. Granite or slate looks better but are more expensive. Thank you for the update. Stay safe 😉👍
Good review, however it would have been interesting if you had tried them in bi amplified mode rather than bridge mono. Bridge mono usually causes impedance problems for the amp under difficult loads frequency dependant of course, bi amplified ( one amp for high frequency driver one for bass mid unit would probably have given much better results on amps at this level.
I did try them in bi-amp mode and the bass tightened up a bit as well as a little bigger soundstage. However, I mainly listened in bridged mode as I suspected that most people buying the combo would want/need the extra power to drive more difficult speakers or fill bigger spaces. Thank you for watching and commenting Daniel 😉
Excellent review. I've been thinking about using integrated amps for the preamp only. It seems like the SA3 and the Audiolab 6000A should have very good preamps. If you pair them with something like a Hypex NCore NC252 Class D stereo power amp (about 200W into 6 and 250 into 4 ohm) it should be a match made in heaven for around $600 USD. Rather better than around $425 USD for another 90W into 4 and you can use the Hypex NCore anywhere. Arguably the Hypex will also be much more accurate and dynamic (not to mention efficient).
Thank you. A big cost of those amps are in the power amps. I would just get a dedicated preamp or a DAC with volume control (for digital only use). That is better use of money 😊👍
Coming back after a year. I went with an Academy Audio preamp kit which has a socketed opamp to customize its "sound" and a JRC Muses digital volume control chip -- the same used in the high-end Pass Labs retail preamps. I still like the Iota design though. You could use the pre out for the main speakers and the primary amplifier for a second room.
Thanks for the review, seeing the inside of an amp tells a lot. The build looks good, i like the quasi double mono design. I don't like the 2X68000 mF, I think it's not enough for a good bass rendering. I would have liked to know more about the preamp: does it use relays, does the volume control use a potentiometer. Thank you again, I follow you.
Hi Son House, thank you. It is a well laid out amp. The 2x 6,800 mF is understandable given the price but I agree that you need more to control the woofer properly. The size of the transformer suggests that it could support more but the transistor are already running quite hot so I am not sure they would cope. According to Sean at Zero Fidelity it is an analogue volume controlled digitally. I couldn’t see a potentiometer so I suspect it uses relays but it is covered by the shield. Would need to check with Iota to know for sure.
Folks - if your speakers are rated 8 Ohms - do try connecting the SA3 to the PA3 in 'normal' stereo mode so both pair of speaker cables in to the PA3 and the both little switches on 'stereo' - i found this configuration produced an all-round better sound-stage, with better bass depth and clarity than the 'mono' bridged mode as shown in all these videos and in the manual. If you don't really need the extra watts to your speakers - mine are 88db - then give this normal configuration a go - you may be surprised.
Thanks Tarun for all your great reviews. I need you opinion about a choice between IotaVX SA3 + PA3 (combo) and Atoll IN 80. You made videos for both amplifiers and I will be very thankful for your advice. For speakers I use Klipsch RP 600M.
Thank you Atanas. Both good options but with different sound. The SA3/PA3 is more neutral in tonality but the IN80 Signature has better resolution and refinement with a warmer tone 😊👍
The idea of upgrading an SA3 by adding a PA3 shows original thinking, and it's a very attractive proposition for people on limited budgets. It's a pity, though, that in some ways it alters the sound for the worse. Hopefully IotaVX can address this in a v2 model.
Good point buddy. I suspect the noise floor increases slightly in bridged mode as you are connecting the speakers across both channels of the amp, effectively doubling the voltage but also passing the signal through additional circuitry. In bridged mode using four channels instead of two.
This is the combo I have Tarun... Had it for over a year now... Really good value I think... A quite punchy amp when paired up... I feel speakers have to be carefully chosen with this combo! Frank...
Loved the balanced review of this combo. Very clean and neutral, just like the IOTAVX I guess :) Anyways, I noticed the power cords were quite thick - are these from the manufacturer? I listen to a lot of bassy, baritone voices like Leonard Cohen. Looks like I must opt for the combo, instead of just the PA3. Any thoughts?
Hi Narendran, the Power leads are my own diy leads. They did improve the sound a little over the standard ones. I made a video on them. Here is the link... ruclips.net/video/gfVYfC6tmcc/видео.html Thank you for watching and your support 😉👍
You can link them together at the back to share the dimming and power functions. Very pleased with the combo. As you say it's clean and neutral and nicely balanced, I am comparing to a Marantz I had before. It was good too, but it sacrificed all those things for a more aggressive 'party,' sound. For well under a grand, it's got everything I need, sounds good even with my equally-priced speakers, only thing it misses imo is subwoofer cut-off.
I got that ‘splodge’ with some tracks with the Denon PMA900hne. Just a mish mash of instruments when things got busy, it was disappointing. It may have been music fussy as some tracks were great. Also the PMA900 is a little weak at low volume and doesnt start to open up until around a third of the way in which made is so awkward for late night listening but does sound ok once it hits around 40/45%. Someone suggested it was best suited to an angry teenager with their own room and not the front room. I had to agree 12 hours in. Imo Denon should have included the loudness button for low volume. There is a workaround by adjusting the tone controls for low level listening and using source direct for louder sessions. Its not ideal but it might work. Anyhoo I have to send it back soon and have replaced it with the SA3…see how this one goes.
The spacing is dependent on the area. I have Klipsch R26f's whoch are somewhat oversized for the room. Given the area, most of my energy was put re paneling the room with 1 X 4s and styrofoam panels. I used PL400 subfloor adhesive as it comes out just perfect. It's not runny and doesn't leave a horrendous mess behind. I also insulated the mounting area of the cabinet I have and put in huge Styrofoam 3 foot by 4 foot panels (3" wide) behind where I sit. Using insulation and adhesive is probably going to be your best bet to getting quality sound. Speaker placement is going to be vital I think. Everything is going to be a compromise. I remember ( vividly) an episode on the American sitcom Cheers where Frasier and Lilleth paid for a designer who left out the kitchen and bathroom. Most of us have those constraints. At least I have dedicated space for my stereo. Someone asked where I was putting my TV. Worse was a friend who referred to it as a " party room"...
I must admit these amps do seem to be getting their fair share of exposure on yo utube. I see similarities to the Tibo amplifiers which seem to get very little exposure. Good video, always enjoy seeing new equipment, new names, new ambitions and intentions. When I saw inside the PA3 amplifier I was surprised at the similarities in components, the 'decon' capacitors which I haven't seen before, though that could quite easily be my lack of capacitor and component knowledge and experience, also the mono /stereo switch, the heat sink , the toroid's, of course it could be that all these components are very much standard components and the similarities to the Tibos are based on availibility and budgets. What I would be inclined to add to this review is the inherent upgradability , much like the Tibo's I mentioned. Starting off with the integrated and as funds and other parameters develop (Mrs notices) or don't develop one could add the power amplifier, its always nice have a route of upgrading so long as one remembers its the music you are listening to, NOT the equipment. My only reservation regarding these amps is the one reservation that's applicable to all audio equipment. The subjectivity of sound itself. I really admire companies doing their best to offer decent products at competitive prices and if the product on offer was something other than an audio component I would be more than happy to purchase direct. That's not to say I have any sort of problem with high street outlets, long may they continue, but ultimately if I can get a bargain then I am bound by my common sense. Of course audio equipment is for listening to music with and I've heard highly recommended products that have left me confused with their mediocrity and conversely budget products that have left me astounded, which pretty much makes it all the important to listen to any equipment before you buy. It doesn't matter what another person hears, he or she almost certainly doesn't hear what you hear etc. Happy listening and a merry new pair of ears.
Great review Tarun! I have owned the combo for about a year now thanks to Sean of ZF's review. Been extremely happy with them. Have them Paired to a pair of ELAC B6.2. I do wish to upgrade on the speakers some day. Just wondering did you use your Buchardt S400 as seen in the back ground to base your review on? Thinking of the Buchardt S300. Into the 4th month of owning the pair, my SA3 stopped working and had to send it back to IOTA (from Singapore). Ian sent a replacement all within the week! No different than having a local dealer id say. In all have been happy with IOTA.
Hi Rajesh, I did try the SA3 with the S400. It was okay but the the SA3 is not resolving or powerful enough to get the most out of the S400s. I haven’t tried the S300s but they are not the easiest load and I suspect the SA3 may struggle. I would go for something like the Elac Debut Reference. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 😉
Hi Claude, MF have made some of my favourite amplifiers over the years but I haven’t heard their more recent designs. I am not sure what is happening with the company now that founder and chief designer Antony Michaelson has sold it to Project’s Heinz Lichtenegger.
Hi Tarun I suggest the shortcomings you note such as in the bass and a slight harshness at higher volumes are down to lack of power. Many people do not realise how much power is required to cleanly drive a loudspeaker, particularly smaller enclosures. Responding to high level transients can be very demanding and it is easy to drive a less powerful solid state amp into harsh distortion. There a number of higher power amps available. Such asfrom Emotiva, for a little more money. I prefer SS amps that can deliver at least 250 Watts per channel into 8 ohms.
I agree that is due to a lack of power but not necessarily watts. It may be a lack of peak current capability so that at the resonant frequency of the woofer where typically the impedance drops the lack of current capability results in voltage fluctuations that adversely effect the performance of the amplifier.
A British Audiophile Yes, a power supply must respond and recover quickly to sudden demands. I would not trust the values printed on those Chinese reservoir caps. I am a believer in going for the highest power amp available for the budget. Plenty of reserve power and a more robust power supply can eliminate the risk of hard clipping. I am not sure why anyone would choose this arrangement of running two amps in bridge mode. For the same money, there are several good integrated amps available with higher power. Thanks for the reviews. Makes a change from the drivel in so many other channels.
These components are not bad at all for the money. They have a pretty big resin-filled toroid and hefty heat sinks. I've seen similar amps that cost at least 3 times the price. The only issue I have are the Decon capacitors , they're a bit notorious for quality and failure , however they can be replaced with a top brand name for about 5 or 6 GBP each ( 6800 mf 50 V ).
I am running the SA3 right now, and I must say I agree with your description. It’s a very solid and enjoyable amp for the low price. I was wondering if I should add the PA3 or not so this helps me a lot. I’ll probably save up for an entirely different unit in the future, like a hagel, and enjoy this as-is for a while. I’m glad I bought it.
Hi Max, I would not change the PM6006 for the Iota VX SA3 as they operate at a similar price point. My rule has always been look to spend 3x to get a noticeable improvement. Otherwise you are throwing money away. Always consider any upgrade in the context of the rest of your system and what else you are going to upgrade. The next level up Formosa your Marantz is amplifiers around £1,000. Naim Nait 5Si, Rega Elex R, Audiolab 8300A, etc..
Great video 😎. I just had one thought when watching this - given that these two have slightly different sounds, when using them together as two mono blocks, wouldn’t the sound from each speaker therefore be subtly different making the system sound a little off? Just a thought 😎
Alex, you a right. In bridged mode you are effectively using 4 channels to drive 2 speakers. The signal is running through a lot more circuitry and I suspect this has probably impact on the sound quality than the differences between the SA3 and PA3.
Hi behexen250, what I meant was that in bridged mode the the signal is now passing through four channels, effectively doubling the voltage, as opposed to two when you are just using the Iota SA3 or PA3 on their own.
Tarun, thank you for the excellent review. I was considering getting the PA3 for my desktop system with a Schiit Vali 2 preamp/headphone amp and a CHORD MOJO. I think your review clinched it for me. Which speakers besides the Buchardt did you use during the listening sessions?
Hi Miles, it worked well with the Buchardt S400s and y Proac 1SCs but the ATC SCMs 19s highlighted their limitations. Thank you for watching and commenting 😉👍
I love the way audiophiles' #1 parameter for reviewing gear is the price. "You don't expect that from an amp at this price point'. I bet if you put an audiophile in a room blindfolded and played a handful of amps at different price points, the results certainly wouldn't follow the price.
I have the stack hooked up to the Elac DBR62'S. I really do love the amps and highly recommend them. I'm looking for an upgrade in the near future though, an integrated that's a little faster but also has decent power. No idea what yet.
Hi David, I can imagine that would be a very nice system. My shortlist for the next level of amplifier would be the Hegel H90, Audiolab 8300A, Naim Nait 5Si, Rega Elex R. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 😉
Hi Tarun, unless I have misunderstood this review, it looks like you have listened to the SA3 in isolation, the SA3 and PA3 in bridged configuration and the PA3 from a Chord MOJO as a pre-amp. However it is not clear whether you have tried the SA3 and PA3 as a simple pre-power combination i.e. non-bridged. Therefore, I have to ask, would using the SA3 as a standalone pre-amp into the PA3 offer sonic benefits over the bridged connection, despite their obvious differences in power output?
I didn’t try that combo. You would be better off of getting a dedicated preamp if that is what you want to do. Most of the money is in the amplifier section of the SA3 😊
Great review! 3D layering front to back, where can I find that in a sub-$2000 integrated amplifier? Can you point me to some units I can investigate that have 3D qualities? Thanks..
Amazing video I am so glad that I came across your channel I am now a new subscriber and I love the work that you have done I’ve been asking three other big RUclips reviewer‘s which I won’t mention any names LOL one in Canada one here in America and I’m not quite sure where the other one is anyhow I’ve been asking them to do every view of just the PA3 to see how it will work with either a tube preamp or just a simple DAC with a volume control to see how it will work and none of them were entertain the idea nothing against them but My decisions so easy thank you so much keep up the amazing work.
Hi, REally enjoyed the review! I'm looking for a new Amp myself and this one looks very appealing to me! I have the Rubicon 6 Speakers. Do you think it's a good combination with the IotaVX SA3 + PA3?
Thank you Christopher. I didn’t realise at the time that you could use a trigger cable to connect between the two to get both the dim together. Thank you for watching and commenting 😉
any idea what the internal DAC sounds like? the total SA3 price didn’t suggest high quality DA, and there’s no USB input, so I didn’t check it out on my SA3-PA3 stack. I did compare Schiit Multibit and Audioquest Cobalt DACs. The Cobalt sounded shrill at the upper end, but the Schiit Multibit sounded listenable, so that’s what I’m using. Another thought - the instruction manual isn’t great - not entirely clear how to connect the units, and minimal advice as to how to coordinate dimmer and power functions
I agree Brno Gahr. The internal DAC is okay but drops the performance level quite a bit. Just good enough to get you started. Get an external DAC to get the most out of the amps. Thank you for sharing your experiences 😉
Great review. I have SA3 + PA3 combination with REL T/7i sub, really happy with the sound. Found an issue with the hi level input in this combination, when the Iota goes into standby mode the sub buzzes loudly! Using low level now, is this something you experienced? Hi level worked fine on my class d amp.
Hi Daniel, I used the high level with my Rel Strata III. I didn’t experience that issue. There is some noise bleeding through from the amps in standby mode. I would email Iota and see what they say. In the interim at least the low level input works fine.
beautiful review! me being (by education) electronic engineer I love to see the capacitors and transistors - my school (millions years ago) come to my "brain/sound stage" immediately ;-) Since I am on "buy" I am wondering how they compare to M2si....if you know ;-)
Thank you ZH. Much appreciated. I haven’t heard the MF2si but I have spoken to the U.K. distributor for MF and hope to get some of their products in for review soon 😊👍
Very nice review which kind of reminded me of what Paul from PS Audio said on one of his videos and that is how difficult it is to make an integrated amplifier. That also leaves me with one more question. How does it sound if you use the SA3 as preamp only in combination with the PA3 used as only power amp for left and right channels? It may be a bit academic but I am just curious. Pithy, they did not make a little control cable to have the lights and power on function of the PA3 follow the SA3. Perhaps they really did not intend this to be a combo in the first place.
Hi Hugo, I didn’t try the SA3 as solely a preamp. I don’t suspect it will represent good value @£400 as solely a preamp. Better to bi-amp if your speakers allow. In fact as long you don’t need to drive large speakers of fill big rooms with sound I prefer the bi-amp configuration to the bridged mono configuration. Actually, there is a control cable which allows you to dim the PA3. I didn’t realise until one of my viewers who has the combo pointed it out. My bad, I simply got that bit wrong. There is no excuse really but it wasn’t very clear to me that you could do this.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I can see that, personally I think bridge amps are best reserved for car audio. No harm done on the control cable. The only way to be never wrong is to do nothing.
Great review! I bought the SA3 and loved it! Now I've puller together enough cash for the PA3. It arrived today! However... after hooking it up I've noticed a buzzing noise, when paused, on the left channel (the PA3 channel). I'm sure this isn't normal, but I wanted to run this by you before I reached out to IOTA. Did you experience anything like this? Could this be a fault with the PA3? Thanks!
In your experience, did the SA3/PA3 combo produces significantly more heat than the SA3 alone? I’m finding the combo stack gets quite warm to the touch after 30-40 minutes of listening. Thanks for the great review!
The SA3, PA3 combo was at the top of my list. But now I've become curious about Roon. On the Roon website IOTAVX is not one of the components listed as, "Roon Ready". Can you tell me what I would need to do to use Roon with the IOTAVX combo?
Hi, great review. Could You tell which amp would You recommend more, used Hagel h90 or iotavx sa3+pa3 combo? And why? They are similarly priced at the moment but there is a significant difference in power. It would be paired with triangle br03 speakers.
Great review thanks. Regarding other amps, pre amps in that price bracket, what other amps do you think would achieve your OUTSTANDING achievement .As you said its a very competitive market out there .Thanks again for your reviews and advice .
Thank you for watching and your support Mark. I can’t say what product will achieve “Outstanding” until I have listened to them in my own environment. I am reserving the Outstanding honour to products that I think represent the benchmark of performance within their market segment. The Iota SA3 didn’t quite get there due to its sound hardening up at what I would still consider reasonable volumes. My shortlist of amplifiers at the £400 - £600 are the Iota SA3 (reviewed), NAD C338 (review pending), Project Maia S2 (review pending), the Audiolab 6000A (not in yet), the Rega Brio (proving elusive). I hope in time I can review them all and see if any can achieve the “Outstanding” award. Thanks again for watching and commenting 😉👍
Thank you for your reply , i am thinking of buying the Iota pre and amp , and the reviews are great, but just a bit worried about the communication, as i have e mailed them but not getting much success, obviously this puts up a red flag. So i might look else where in that price range.Thanks for your advice on other amps to look at in that price range.
@@markbuttery2790 I ordered this pairing on the 27th June. I still have not got a dispatch date! Ian the owner is the one who responds (sporadically) to mails. His communication is minimal and unreliable! Probably going to cancel the order next week if they don't dispatch. The SA3 is no longer on pre-order according to their website but their live chat is gone!
Very nice! I sit here checking exchange rates with the Dollar! LOL! Certainly for L300 ... wow that does sound like a bargain. I need to research your assessments to get a baseline to really understand you descriptions... but I certainly get a feel. Lol... I do know your ears are much better than mine. And I tend to think, could be wrong, that some amps ... receivers... SEEM to perform very differently based on the speak used. Some speakers thrive at 45 watts ... some demand more. If you have under 30... have to work hard on a match (IMHO). I really enjoy your show!! Have you reviewed an NAD reciever?
Thank you Jerry. With the Iota VX SA3 or PA3 run on their own, you are better of sticking to speakers that are relatively easy to drive. I am just about to start reviewing the NAD C338.
They've been getting great reviews. I wish the blue lighting of their logo and volume know were done differently. It's the only thing I don't like about them.
Those aren't "installation" connections. They're for trigger (linking power - switching one, switches the other, on or off) and dimmer control, changing the dimmer with the remote will change both devices simultaneously.
Thank you for pointing that out Mike. I miss it. I couldn’t see the text with the naked eye. Which is no excuse as I should have double checked 🤓😪
Hi Tarun. Now that you've pinned my comment, I realise it comes across as a bit rude. I didn't mean it to be, it was just stream of consciousness. Apologies anyway. Your reviews are excellent.
Not at all Mike. There is a lot to think about and cover in these reviews and despite my best efforts, occasionally I miss something or just plain get it wrong. I am not infallible. I am glad you pointed it out 👍
Hi MK, I know but if I miss something then it is important that I do my best to correct it.
No one is perfect, no need for your comment imo. Tarun is doing a great job.
PS. I thought Sean from Zero Fidelity was really good at describing sound. I think you might have surpassed him. You are not giving generic terms, you provide concrete examples of how sound is perceived. Quite impressive.
Hi Jay, that is very kind of you to say. Sean does an amazing job! He is one of two guys that inspired me to start this channel. The other being Steve Guttenberg.😉👍
A British Audiophile one thing I love is that you did a PA3 possible using it without the SA3. Something the other guys would not consider talking about for some strange reason. hmmm 🤔
But I’m so glad that your dad out of curiosity why DAC would you recommend for Around $500 US for the PA3
@@felixlaboy1453 I think a 500 dollar DAC might be an overkill for the P3. At least that is what was recommended to me, that it is not detailed enough to present an audible difference from a much better DAC, so I got the topping E30. Might worth the try though, might borrow some better DACs to try and see for myself.
Thank you Felix. I think you can’t beat the Chord Mojo but it isn’t really intended for desktop users and is a bit of a pain to live with if you need to use more than one input. I also like the Project Pre Box S2 designed by John Westlake.
Jay Torr Thank you I’m trying to see what my options would be as a preamp for the PA3 if I decided to get without the SA3
I really appreciate how thorough your reviews are. You break everything down in such a detailed and relatable manner that it really gives me the impression that I can "picture" the sound of the gear in my mind. Great job!
Thank you Sebastian 😉👍
I own both the SA3 & PA3. I absolutely love them in my room with my speakers. Best I've ever had. I am continually amazed at the musicality, and the accuracy of their play. Thanks for your thoughts.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Marty 😉
A British Audiophile Hey Marty May I ask what speakers your using with the IOTAVX
Great review. I own this combo and have been listening to it for the last 2 months now. It improved every day, it needs some time. With the Dynaudio Evoke 20 speakers, and Technics SL1500C or Bluesound Node 2i with Tidal as a source, the soundstage is really bigger than between the speakers. I have had a lot of amps, vintage and new, but this is the least fatiguing amplifier ever. Due to my work and hobby, I spend (critically) listening to music over 10 hours a day, and with this IotaVX-combo I can actually do so. Love it!
Hi Robin, thank you for sharing your experiences with these amplifiers. 😉👍
When someone goes on youtube and is looking for a review on gear that might work well with his current system or match his taste, this is exactly what he'd hope to find.
Thank you Tarun!
Thank Chris. That is what I hold foremost in my mind when I do these reviews 😉👍👍👍
I’ve had this combo now for over 2 years now. It is solid for my current needs. I’ve slowly been upgrading and am confidant the last thing to upgrade will be this combo.
I pulled the trigger on the SA3/PA3 combo and have never looked back. One of the smartest decisions I have ever made in my pursuit of great sound at prices I can afford. I did the SA3 first, then after deciding on some new speakers (87DB @8ohms, close out special from GR Research) I snagged the PA3. Speaker cables from Blue Jean Cables, and the Audiolab 6000CDT. The SA3 has a great DAC which saves on some money, AND contributes to great audio. I also recommend the Bluetooth Dongle. It opens up music/movies on the internet. Ian, at IOTA is a straight up solid dude who cares about his customers. My units arrived in 3 days from the UK, packaged more adequately than necessary, which shows great care. I have reached the end of my pursuit. You can add a subwoofer if you need it, but for me, I'm still toying with that idea. Dude, if I was near you, I would let you hear my rig. Brits know audio!
Hi Marty, thank you for watching and sharing your experiences with these amplifiers 😊👍
As always, a very competent review, from one of the most likable "selfmade" Audiophiles on-line ;-) Keep up the good work! Cheers from Denmark
Thank you Thomas. I appreciate that 😉👍
I like your grading system. There's nothing more frustrating than trying to figure out how much a reviewer really likes a particular component since all reviewers only review components they like.
Thanks Khalid. That was entirely the point. 😉👍
I have read/listened to a number of reviews of the SA3 and PA3. This is BY FAR the most informative review. Thank you.
Thank you William. Your support is very much appreciated 😉👍
Great review. I like the way you and Sean break down your reviews into many facets. I have the IOTAVX SA3 driving Triangle Borea BR03's (per Sean). I have found that once I added the Topping D90 MQA DAC, that "wooly" bass has strengthened and tightened up nicely.
Thank you Bob. Look like you have put together a nice system 😉👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks to my RUclips mentors.
Bob Dupuy Bob May I ask how do have the Toping DAC connected
@@felixlaboy1453DAC inputs: digital streamer-USB, cd player-Digital Coax.
DAC Output:RCA Analog out to a tube buffer preamp. tube buffer outputs to IOTAVX SA3 High Level Input #3. So I have functional volume controls on both the tube buffer and on the IOTAVX. D90 is set up as a DAC only, which is prefered, so its "preamp" and volume control do not get involved.
Bob Dupuy Thank you very much I appreciate the info can’t wait to get mine
Really appreciate your effort in commenting the different scenarios of using SA3 alone, PA3 alone and as a combo. Particularly the fact you specific the trade off between the different scenario.. methodical and clearly commented.. Keep up the great work and wish you the continuing success in your future video .. Again.. great video. this is my 3rd times watching so I feel I am obligated to let you know how much I enjoy and rely on this.
Thank you Terry. Very kind and much appreciated 😊👍
I've been using the SA3 with a number of different speakers over the last month, and I must honestly say I couldn't name another integrated in this price category that is so well balanced and fits so many speaker characters. It's not fussy, even choosy speakers will come along nicely with it. Sure it has its limits, but in this price bracket the SA3 is a winner.
It certainly is a very good amp for the money 😊
Really good review. Breaking them into three categories was def a huge plus and from what I can tell left out of most all other reviews. Great job! Thanks.
Thank you FlyRc. Much appreciated 😉👍
You’re a fantastic reviewer. First audio review channel that doesn’t make me feel like they’re a shill
Thank you Jonathan. I greatly appreciate your support. 😊👍
Great review. I really enjoy how you open these products up and explain the components inside. Keep these coming!
Thank you buddy. Great to hear from you 😉
Great review again! They little details when configured the pair differently were great insight that many of us are looking for, and lacking from other reviews. Seems others have already asked further review, which can be a great topic for next. Would be more interesting when you have a chance to review and compare this pair with Emotiva, and Marantz PM7000N. I think they are all in the same price range.
Hi Raphael, thank you for your support. I am planning to audition more amplifiers at this price point. Let’s see what I can get hold of. 😉👍
There is a review comparing this with the Emotiva and the IOTA wins quite easily
Great video. Honest, thorough, informative. You’re definitely unlike other reviewers, I’ve been learning some electronics as well! Keep it going!
Thank you Felipe. Comments like your’s is what makes doing this worthwhile 😊👍👍👍
A British Audiophile, thank YOU for your great channel
I am planning on buying my first music system in the next few days and your reviews have been a tremendous help, okay most of the time I have no idea what you are talking about but I am starting to learn.
Thank you Rob. Very much appreciated 👍😊👍
I completely agree the P3 sounds better than the S3. I had the S3 but swapped it with the P3 plus the topping E30 DAC. Inspired by the Klipschiit system Darko put together, not having an integrated amp. Using mac mini as source. I think the improvement over the Wolfson DAC that the S3 has, plus the reduced noise not having a pre amp and DAC in the same box, make a significant difference. For 299 pounds is probably the best audiophile grade amp money can buy.
Looks like you have put together a fine system. I agree the internal Wolfson DAC drops the performance of the SA3 down a bit. It is good to get you going but you want an external DAC for a couple of hundred £s to get the most out of the amp. If you don’t need the connectivity get the PA3. It does sound a little better than the SA3.
I ordered the P3 yesterday to be an extension off my Harman Kardon AVR 335 to drive my new NHT C3's as mains. I was looking to add the SA3 later to complete the setup. Now I'm thinking I'll just get another P3 and run something like a Schiit Saga+ as the preamp. It has a nice resistor attenuator and a single tube buffer which can be switched in or out of the signal path. Then maybe a nice DAC. Thanks guys !
Hi zetapal, sounds like a good plan 😉
Hi Jay. Can I ask what input you used on the P3 for the DAC. I'm guessing the pre out inputs. Cheers
Sorry everyone, comments had been switched off by RUclips as I had selected suitable for kids when uploading the video using their new interface. You should be able to comment now.
You goon. 😉
What more evidence do you need that I figure this gig out as I go along 😂
Have you had any experience with the meridian 5000 active speakers ? there's a pair of 5000 speakers I can get for £700 mid90s it's a bit of a drive away so I'm not sure if I should bother or not? And I'm not sure about price seems a bit pricey.
You're not using the trigger wire between the two amps ? I would have thought if you using the trigger wire you should be able to do them both with the one operation
Don't worry about single sub you can get a splitter RCA to 2 better still a mini DSP and you can run 4 subwoofers or more.
What I haven't seen I'd like to see is the iota power amplifier using a valve preamplifier running 2 power amplifiers should be a good combination you got a valve preamp can you not try that combination in Bridge combination and non Bridge combination. What you're saying between 2 and 5 kh having the valve preamp should sort this issue out and greater airiness. Considering the power amps about £299 maybe discount if by two, could be a great combination but I'd like to hear it first !! I was thinking even a feliks audio headphone and pre-amplifier is about £600 could be a good combination for a cheap budget system, they are highly recognised their headphone preamplifiers for headphone probably second to none endorsed by focal what they use.
I have heard review that they take a long time to burn in becomes more of a relaxing sound and maybe pushing the amplifiers for a week full volume and see how it sounds then
Thanks John. I haven’t heard a pair of Meridian actives in years. I wouldn’t take a punt unless you know what you are getting.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 yes I would drive up there and see them first.
What about trying that combo with the valve amp can't give it a go!
Brilliant comprehensive review, the 12v triggers are for trigginering a second zone, projector screen etc.
Thank you Lee 😉👍
Excellent review, as befits you who are a professional in this field, everything is thoroughly and expertly explained, quality, connection, advantages of one component and pluses and minuses when both are connected, purity, depth, width of the stage and subtle details - sound performance .The only thing missing from this channel, which I have been following for a while, is the sound presentation;
it doesn't have to be long, it could be short and it would show everything you explain. This way, everything is somewhere "in a cloud in your head".. Greetings
Thank you kindly 😊👍
Hi Tarun that was a great review I was impressed with your honesty about not giving bad reviews to products you don't rate very decent of you. 👍
Thank you Rob 😊👍
who knew audio devices and their environments had such nuance? I enjoy listening to music as much as the oxygen I breathe. Beginning in early 2021 I set out to replace an aging mediocre A/V system. Sadly heading out to a brick-and-mortar store to compare components has long since been a thing of the past so I turned to RUclips. My first decision was to focus on creating an analog system, playing vinyl records and an occasional compact disc, this was important to me. "At this price point" is a common mantra that quickly sent me into sticker shock, I thought my budget was generous however it's shocking someone could spend upwards of the amount for a new luxury automobile. I choose the IOTA combo, re-foamed and re-capped vintage Infinity loudspeakers, and the Fluance turntable. Much thanks to you @A British Autophile, PS Audio, and Zero Fidelity for well-balanced opinions and guidance, cheers.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences my friend. Your support is greatly appreciated 😊👍
Have had the SA3 and PA3 combo for about 6 months now and must confess that the combo definitely gets better with time. I find the speed has improved the most. The control in the lower ends is amazing. The top end is tight and not too bright...you are aware it is there without it being intrusive.
I will certainly place the combo in the Outstanding category. Maybe my MA Silver 300s have something to do with it.
They are certainly very good amps for the money. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences James 😊👍
Excellent review, thank you for taking the time to put it together. This is the fourth or fifth RUclips review I’ve watched on this product and it was the best of the bunch IMO. You have a very informative style, and you come across as knowledgeable and, really important to me, objective. I am in the market for new components so being able to get information is critical when you can’t actually audition the product before you buy. Thanks again for your efforts. I have subscribed.
Thank you Rich, very kind of you to say. I am in the process of completing a review on the Audiolab 6000A and will be comparing it to the Iota VX SA3. Not long to wait now 😊👍
I like the way you do reviews ,keep it up. I had the Cambridge Cxa81 for a week and I found the treble was a bit too forward for me ,so I sold it and the choice was either the itoavx or Denon PMA 1600ne. I bought the Denon and I'm happy with the neutral warm sound, which made a better fit for me.
Thank you D W. Sounds like you have put together a nice system 😉👍
Love your thorough breakdown in your review. The rating at the end cements everything and give it more clarity.
Thank you, much appreciated 😊👍
In bridge tied load the power will increase but the damping factor will halve which explains the changes in bass speed and quality. Also it would be interesting to try passive bi-amplification with the SA3 driving the tweeters and the PA3 driving the bass / mid drivers. I recently converted my system to bi-amplification which gave a large improvement in clarity and sound stage.
Hi Jim, I did briefly try the SA3/PA3 in bi-amp mode and I noticed an improvement in soundstage and bass control. Thank you for watching and commenting 😉
Taran love the review, the amp looks good , no miss ,no fuss, and tone controls are long overdue, there's no such thing as the perfect speaker, great job mate!
Thank you Stan 😊👍
Thanks for the thorough technical review…Your expertise picks apart the reality here and defines it well. 👍🏻
Thank you Bob. I appreciate your support 😊👍
From all the amplifiers i owned in the past, from tube to mosfet or bipolar, this Iota combo has the best sound! I paired the amps in bridge mode with Mission speakers.
Thank you for watching and commenting JH allo 😉
Great review and excellent insight of the amplifiers. Well & thoroughly explained 👍👍👍👌
I am hoping Iota can make a class AB pre-power system that outputs 200W into 8ohms and roughly doubles into 4ohms. A pre-prower combination may perhaps elimanate all the caveats that Tarun is saying here about these two SA3 & PA3 combos. When a 200W into 8ohms pre-power is out from IOTA then its probably time for me to get atc floor standing speakers..😁👍
Thank you Johan. Iota are working on some new products. Thank you for sharing 😉👍
I'm not the only one who wants to hear about 2 x PA3 with a separate DAC pre-amp.
May make an interesting follow up video 🤔
@@abritishaudiophile7314 That would be awesome! I'm interested if 2 PA3 bridged was the best combo you can get with these components.
I've a low sensitivity (85dB) Elac speakers so I assume I need the power of one of the combos.
Hi elemer99, my ProAc’s are 85 dB and the SA3 drove them okay. However, it struggled with the ATC also 85dB. It depends on the size of the room, how hard you listen and how low the impedance drops of the speaker itself. If you have the UB5’s it may struggle as their impedance drops below 4 ohms. Should be fine with the debut’s.
I run 2 x PA3's as mono into bi wired qa 3050s with a rega mira as a preamp... The SA3 will be with me next week so it'll be interesting to hear the difference.
It would be interesting to hear 2 x PA3 and the SA3.
I’ve only just found your channel - I’m really enjoying it - interesting products and insightful commentary - I don’t always agree but that’s the wonder of hifi in the sense it uses great technology based on solid science, but delivers a subjective music “product” with variance in clarity, colouring, detail, timbre etc etc….infinite opportunity for a discussion!
Thank you my friend. I appreciate you watching 😊👍
Fabulous review Tarun... So much so I bought an SA3 and two PA3's. I've not received the pre amp as yet but the power amps are excellent. As is the customer service from Ian at iota.. Thanks so much for a great review and pointing me in the direction of Iota.. Cheers, Martin.
Did Ian mention when you might expect the SA3?
@@robbie00001 next week sometime I think...
I thought I should add, I'm running this with a pair of q acoustics 3050 floorstanding speakers and a q acoustics 3070s subwoofer. Never tried a sub with a hifi before but the SA3 has a sub out and the speaker was a bargain, it'll be interesting to try...
Thank you for watching and commenting Martin. I am glad you are happy with the amps. I also really appreciate your support 😉👍
Hi from Aus!
Thanks for what your putting out here. Easy to see why your Subs have grown! Clarity of content, your reasoning is explaind well and you get to a specific point.
Huge factor though is how you continue to engage with your audience in the chat : )
Your review is congruent with other reviews I've heard on this product.
I am very interested in IOTA as a stack / pair to use as either Pre / Power or, probably more so, run as a pair of (mono) power amps.
You reply on other posts on this chat that you recomend Rega Elex R as step up from this stack, also Naim Nap 100 power Amp.
Running into a pwer amp is my preferred option, from DAC / Pre.
The Elex R and Nap 100 are older units both coming up for replacement. Nap 100 already dicontinued.
Local retailers have superseded demo units on special. Either works out to about 200GBP over the IOTA stack delivered. Is within my budget.
These are older amps / Tech, and lower power rated. I can't go around / past the Elex R pre section / use as power amp.
The IOTA is newer, higher power, flexibility in set up.
Does the IOTA gain anything by being newer?
Any thoughts please on the pros and cons of each set up? Quality / audio comparison? By how much are they different?
Might the IOTA be the weak link in my system?
(Ifi Neo iDSD - amp - Monitor silver 100's + Rel sub.)
Wouldn't life be easy if we could just listen, compare, buy. Bloody covid.
Cheers.
PS Your vid on speaker cables was great, also the 'house keeping'.
Thank you Dave. I appreciate you watching and your kind words of support. I am happy to give you a steer but just need a little info. Basically class A/B amp tech has not changed significantlyin the last couple of decades. The Rega and the Naim are both superior to the Iota stack. Before deciding on the amplifier, consider the following.
What speakers are you using?
How big is the room?
How far away from the speakers will you be?
Does the room have a lot of hard reflective surfaces or soft furnishings?
What sound characteristics do you want, warm, cool or neutral?
@@abritishaudiophile7314
Hey, thanks for the prompt reply Tarun!
I've looked at some of your other videos since posting, more great info : )
Yes, power amps tech seem not to advance a lot. Production process has though to bring the likes of IOTA?
But DACS have advanced astonishingly in the last few years, yes?
The Room.
One bedroom, modern open plan apratment, 4x5m main room + open to kitchen 5x1.5, partly open to the bedroom 3x3.5.
One entire wall of the main room is an all glass bifold door (beautiful but acoustic nightmare!) but it is nearly always partly open to the deck & garden [Australia ; ) ]
Timber floor, gyprock walls. One couch, large tropical potplant inside the glass doors. Acousticly (and visually) needs some paintings etc. (I still need to watch your vid on this).
Ground floor so no one beneath me, speakers on an external wall - no neighbours behind it : ).
Speakers.
Laptop / phone Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, DAB radio, TV into - (probably) Ifi's new Neo iDSD into - [???amp] into MA Silver 100's + Rel S5 SHO Sub. (okay, the sub is overkill, but I was obsessed at the time about getting down to the low frequencies and the dealer let this superceded one go for a bargain.)
Temp power by 15 year old Pioneer 5.1 FM reciver amp. (part of an old system recived in leu of $). More than fills the unit and garden with party level sound.
Distance from speakers.
Varies. 3m but I rarely sit for focused listening. General listening, dance pracitice.
What sound characteristics I like?
Haha, the tricky subjective bit!
Can I say organic & smooth? Neutral (warm side), not harsh or fatigueing. Musical over analytical. I'll use good power supplies (linear maybe) and cables to achive as black a backgound as possible / appripriate.
I don't like class D amps. I've heard an Elex R, much prefered over Cyrus one HD. Aurender (class D) was smooth, sweet without the harshness of the Cyrus but disapointing with no body or expression / animation. I found Rotel a little harsh at times, enough to put me off. I'm interested to try the modern valve amps in the future.
Rythm and percussion matter. I like what I read about Naim, that it has good leading edge notes - plays sounds like a rim shot very well and is rythmically very good. But apparently can be a little bright. Ocassional posts in chats that it can be fatiguing. Mixed accounts of success matching with Monitor gear, seems to be model specific. Apparently there is a Naim sound seems a little polarising but I don't know it, not heard it.
Focals reputedly match well with Naim. Rega with Monitor. I was choosing between the Focal aria 906 when I bought the 100's
The retailer wth the discount Naim Nap 100 said the Nap100 is a much better amp than the Elex R, he sells both.
The tricky part, which is my flavour?
Wow, Sorry, I've caried on a bit.... But hopefully more info helps!?
Cheers
Oh, music. Jazz, RnB, Salsa, African drums, Reggae, Pop, Rock, Classic small group ensembles
Tarun. I have now found that you you have a number of other vieos that relate to this so I will watch those first and maybe that will answer or help me rephrase my questions.
Thanks again. Enjoying and gaining so much insight from your channel. 👍
@@sailordave5292 thank you for the detailed info Dave. If you are just looking for a two channel setup I would look at the Roksan K3. It is from the same company that makes your speakers and they work really well together. Naim and MA are not natural bedfellows. The Rega Elex R would work better. Another option would be the Exposure 2510 or Arcam SA20 which will give you more warmth. That may be a good idea as you rooms seems to be acoustically lively from what you have indicated. Good luck 😊👍
I purchased the IOTAVX Stack 3 months ago and they are driving 4 Klipsch RP600M speakers with the bottom end handled by 2 SVS SB2000 Pro subs. This combo sounds fantastic although I do not consider myself an expert by any means, it seems the efficient speakers are the key to great sound with the Stack. I may upgrade with 2 additional PA3's, then each speaker can be driven at 100 watts.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 3212Dre 😉
The stack (SA3+PA3) already drives each speaker at 100 watts into 8ohm.
@@LorDarkGoose The instruction manuals for the SA3 and PA3 (aka -The Stack) lists 45 watts per channel continuous (stereo) into an 8 ohm load. In bridged mode (mono) you get 100 watts, that's why I was thinking about buying 2 additional PA3s and run the "Double Stack" in bridged mode (100 watts per amp, per speaker = 400 watts).
3212Dre mmm... I’m not sure it will work like that but probably best check with Ian he usually responds to queries quite fast :)
Hi 3212Dre, you can run 2x PA3s in bridged mono mode and they will give you 100wpc into 8 ohms.
As always, great Review, you are officially my favorite hifi rewiewer on RUclips. Yesterday I Was at work and I got a notification that you uploaded a Video and I thought to my self "great, I got something to whatch tonight.
Whatching your Video is like a TV Series 😄, got my Drink, my snaks and just enjoy. My Wife is a bit jalous becouse im Not Whatching something with her 😬😄
Keep up the good work my Friend
Greetings from Austria
Thank you Constantin. Always a pleasure to hear from you. I think my wife and your’s should compare notes 📝😂
Would like you to do a review of the reisong a10 to see what you think. Your reviews are much more in depth. Excellent job.
Thank you ryan. I am not familiar with that one 😉
It’s a really inexpensive tube amplifier from China which has had good reviews but would be really interested in what you think.
Thanks for clarifying Ryan. I will look it up 😉
Great Job on your reviews ion general, a small disagreement if allowed, i understand the position of a reviewer about no negative feedback on product . . .. but i do believe and see it as a disservice to consumers when you run across a product that is just "not dignifying", and maybe give a small heads up to We The People, and a couple of recommendations to a small or a newer manufacturer in terms of ways to improve their product, that way you become an asset to the manufacturer and a complete reviewer that also stands for the benefit of consumers.
I also understand media uses consumers as a "product" to be manipulated, guided, influenced, etc, etc,
BUT . . . . because i respect you, and admire your reviews, i have to tell you what i think so you could distance yourself from the media nonsense that abounds today, as I believe you are not one of their trolls.
Please take this with all my respect, sincerity and admiration, it is meant with my best intentions at heart.
Thank you Gonzalo. I absolutely take it as constructive criticism. I try my best to be fair and balanced in my reviews. There is not much to criticise in the PA3 given it’s price. On reflection the SA3, I don’t think the DAC is up to scratch. I wish manufacturers would not just bolt on DACs for convenience. Better to charge a little more and have a decent DAC that isn’t a bottle neck in the amplifier’s performance. If I was to do the review now, I would have pointed that out. Thank you for watching and your advice 😊👍
I got an AudioLab 6000A with KEF Q150 speakers for my small 3x3m room
I also have a Denon X2700H with Bowers Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary speakers for my 4x8 living room.
Cool 😎
I would have very much liked to see a pair of the power amps used as mono blocs.
Hi Big Blue, that would be interesting 🤔
Yes I agree fully, if the two products sound different, then I don't like the idea of one being used for one channel and the other for the remaining channel 😱 a pair of the power amps makes sense, full setup for £1000 :)
Hi richclips, the differences are there but not dramatic. I can see why that may be appealing though 😉
What about bi-amp with two power amps and another pre-amp/dac? You also said that it becomes a bit shouty when you turn up the volume... So a loudspeaker with sensitivity >90 db would be preferred...
Would be worth investigating 😉
About dimming both devices, it seems to have a 3.5mm connectors to do so and iotavx mentiones it on its site: “In addition, the PA3 provides trigger and dimmer inputs and outputs so that the device can be synchronized with your other devices with regard to the turn-on and turn-off behaviour as well as the illumination intensity.”
Thank you Antoine 😊
Thanks for your review! :) I noticed a huge difference in sound somewhere north of about 100 hours burn-in on the SA+PA3. The sound “settled” a lot more and became a lot more “airy” and full with a drop in upper midrange harshness. I think I have pretty high standards and think this combo is worthy of any amp in the sub £1.5K category. The only nitpick I have is a slight loss of textures and definition on strings. Sometimes a bit too airy. Nonetheless a keeper and something unique beating many amps double it’s price.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences JS 😉
A British Audiophile Hi Tarun, I love the neutrality of the IOTAVX. What would you say is the “next level up” from the IOTA in terms of neutrality? Any recommendations?
Hi J S, my short list at the next level up would be the Hegel H90, Naim Nait 5si, Rega Elex R and the Audiolab 8300A. I have auditioned the H90 at home but not the other amplifiers. Just heard them at dealers and thought they were impressive. I would love to get them all in to do a proper evaluation and review.
I love your reviews! I was thinking that 2 PA3's linked to a good preamp could make for a great combo. Although the preamp comes with an expense!
Thank you Frank. That may be a setup worth trying 😊👍
"Hoped I liked your review".....ah man LOVED IT!!!
#hifi4ever
Thank you ev 😉👍
THANKS TARUN …FOR SHARING YOUR HONEST OPINION 🤗😍😍😍
VERY GOOD DETAILS
You are most welcome my friend 👍😊👍
Thanks for the review. Spec wise, this looks similar to the "fairly old, not yet vintage" Arcam Alpha 7R. Similar power rating, large toroidal transformer and option of pairing with a power amp (the 8P) The Arcam was less pricey than the iota although I would guess rivals in performance. I can confirm the Alpha range also sounded uncoloured and impressive detail for a budget amp.
I remember those amps but never took a look inside. Thank you for sharing 😉
Thanks for the review! I like that it has a lot of additional information to that what well regarded Zero Fidelity has already covered! You are doing good job! You should try Emotiva BasX A300 too :)
Thank you Raymondey 😉👍
Tarun, I really enjoy your reviews on hifi amplifiers. I have a Naim Uniti in use at the moment and I wonder if you have ever reviewed Naim hifi. It would be great to see a review of the company’s products as I’m considering buying a NAP 250 power amp to improve the performance of my Uniti.
Thank you Geoff. I haven’t got a contact for Naim as yet. When I do, that will be top of my list 😊👍
Hey Tarun !! love the Review ,this kinda equipment is perfect for casual enthusiasts like me & can get something good within a decent budget. 👍
Thank you Anand. You are right they offer a lot for the money 😉👍
Great detailed review thanks. I’m thinking of adding one or two of these power amps with my SR6012 to drive the front speakers. The Marantz is driving 9 speakers currently so a bit maxed out. Price wise this seems like a bargain compared to Marantz own power amplifiers.
Sound like a plan Josh. Thank you for sharing 😉
A British Audiophile no problem! Have subscribed 👍 assuming I should be able to run two of these as power amps with the Marantz bridged MONO.
Hi Josh, thank you for your support. As long as you have pre out you can 😉
Terrific review. Easy to understand and engaging!
Thank buddy. Great to hear from you 😉👍
Hi Traun, another very interesting video. I took your advice and purchased the Bluesound streamer( my old Creek FM tuner finally packed up and it would of cost more to repair than it was worth). The sound of internet radio isn’t bad but not quite as good as the old tuner. Carry on the good work. Regards Richard Herbert
Hi Richard, great to hear from you. I am not surprised that it doesn’t sound as good as your old Creek tuner. Are you using an external DAC? Something like a Chord Mojo (pain to use in desktop mode) would probably take the performance to a level above the Creek. I wouldn’t rush out to get it but it is something to bare in mind if you miss the performance of your old tuner. Thank you for the update. Please keep me posted as to how get on with the streamer. 😉
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hi Tarun, thanks for your reply. I am getting on ok with the Bluesound.I have subscribed to Tidal HiFi and the sound stage is wider and instruments more defined.Sounds great. I shall purchase the MOJO soon. The charging seems e bit of a pain.
I am using the washing machine isolators under my speakers, but I think I have got them wrong. I am still using the spikes with the isolators and I think I should remove them and stand the speakers directly on the isolators ( I have a wooden floor and fitted carpet) . Would I be correct?
Regards
Richard Herbert
.
Great to hear from you Richard and that you are enjoying the Bluesound. The Mojo is a pain if you need to use more than one input. It doesn’t not have input switching so you have to switch connections manually. You don’t need a fancy battery supply to run the Mojo as all it does is charge the batteries. I use the iFi iPower 5V @ £49 as I don’t want a cheap switch mode power supply polluting the rest of my system with noise. I would remove the spikes and just use the isolation pads under the speakers. They may wobble a bit but that is okay. If they are too unstable get some concrete slabs cut to size and place them under the isolation pads. Granite or slate looks better but are more expensive. Thank you for the update. Stay safe 😉👍
Good review, however it would have been interesting if you had tried them in bi amplified mode rather than bridge mono. Bridge mono usually causes impedance problems for the amp under difficult loads frequency dependant of course, bi amplified ( one amp for high frequency driver one for bass mid unit would probably have given much better results on amps at this level.
I did try them in bi-amp mode and the bass tightened up a bit as well as a little bigger soundstage. However, I mainly listened in bridged mode as I suspected that most people buying the combo would want/need the extra power to drive more difficult speakers or fill bigger spaces. Thank you for watching and commenting Daniel 😉
Excellent review. I've been thinking about using integrated amps for the preamp only. It seems like the SA3 and the Audiolab 6000A should have very good preamps. If you pair them with something like a Hypex NCore NC252 Class D stereo power amp (about 200W into 6 and 250 into 4 ohm) it should be a match made in heaven for around $600 USD. Rather better than around $425 USD for another 90W into 4 and you can use the Hypex NCore anywhere. Arguably the Hypex will also be much more accurate and dynamic (not to mention efficient).
Thank you. A big cost of those amps are in the power amps. I would just get a dedicated preamp or a DAC with volume control (for digital only use). That is better use of money 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Agreed. Affordable preamps are becoming harder and harder to find. Parasound has a few. Some actually affordable.
@@jvburnes if you can live with limited functionality, a good passive preamp can be quite cost effective 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I decided to just get a Shiit Freya+. Great reviews and it's within budget. Thanks!
Coming back after a year. I went with an Academy Audio preamp kit which has a socketed opamp to customize its "sound" and a JRC Muses digital volume control chip -- the same used in the high-end Pass Labs retail preamps. I still like the Iota design though. You could use the pre out for the main speakers and the primary amplifier for a second room.
Paired with PSB Alpha P5, excellent!
Great 😊
Thanks for the review, seeing the inside of an amp tells a lot. The build looks good, i like the quasi double mono design. I don't like the 2X68000 mF, I think it's not enough for a good bass rendering. I would have liked to know more about the preamp: does it use relays, does the volume control use a potentiometer. Thank you again, I follow you.
Hi Son House, thank you. It is a well laid out amp. The 2x 6,800 mF is understandable given the price but I agree that you need more to control the woofer properly. The size of the transformer suggests that it could support more but the transistor are already running quite hot so I am not sure they would cope. According to Sean at Zero Fidelity it is an analogue volume controlled digitally. I couldn’t see a potentiometer so I suspect it uses relays but it is covered by the shield. Would need to check with Iota to know for sure.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks.
Folks - if your speakers are rated 8 Ohms - do try connecting the SA3 to the PA3 in 'normal' stereo mode so both pair of speaker cables in to the PA3 and the both little switches on 'stereo' - i found this configuration produced an all-round better sound-stage, with better bass depth and clarity than the 'mono' bridged mode as shown in all these videos and in the manual. If you don't really need the extra watts to your speakers - mine are 88db - then give this normal configuration a go - you may be surprised.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Thanks Tarun for all your great reviews. I need you opinion about a choice between IotaVX SA3 + PA3 (combo) and Atoll IN 80. You made videos for both amplifiers and I will be very thankful for your advice. For speakers I use Klipsch RP 600M.
Thank you Atanas. Both good options but with different sound. The SA3/PA3 is more neutral in tonality but the IN80 Signature has better resolution and refinement with a warmer tone 😊👍
Thanks Tarun!
The idea of upgrading an SA3 by adding a PA3 shows original thinking, and it's a very attractive proposition for people on limited budgets. It's a pity, though, that in some ways it alters the sound for the worse. Hopefully IotaVX can address this in a v2 model.
Good point buddy. I suspect the noise floor increases slightly in bridged mode as you are connecting the speakers across both channels of the amp, effectively doubling the voltage but also passing the signal through additional circuitry. In bridged mode using four channels instead of two.
This is the combo I have Tarun...
Had it for over a year now...
Really good value I think...
A quite punchy amp when paired up...
I feel speakers have to be carefully chosen with this combo!
Frank...
Thank you for sharing your experiences Frank. I agree, very good sounding amps 😉
Loved the balanced review of this combo. Very clean and neutral, just like the IOTAVX I guess :) Anyways, I noticed the power cords were quite thick - are these from the manufacturer? I listen to a lot of bassy, baritone voices like Leonard Cohen. Looks like I must opt for the combo, instead of just the PA3. Any thoughts?
Hi Narendran, the Power leads are my own diy leads. They did improve the sound a little over the standard ones. I made a video on them. Here is the link...
ruclips.net/video/gfVYfC6tmcc/видео.html
Thank you for watching and your support 😉👍
Wow, those transformers look very impressive. Class A-B is great. I'm not a class D fan. Nice review.
Thank you Lynn 😉
You can link them together at the back to share the dimming and power functions.
Very pleased with the combo. As you say it's clean and neutral and nicely balanced, I am comparing to a Marantz I had before. It was good too, but it sacrificed all those things for a more aggressive 'party,' sound.
For well under a grand, it's got everything I need, sounds good even with my equally-priced speakers, only thing it misses imo is subwoofer cut-off.
Hi 0B ZEN, thank you sharing your experiences with these amplifiers 😉
I got that ‘splodge’ with some tracks with the Denon PMA900hne. Just a mish mash of instruments when things got busy, it was disappointing. It may have been music fussy as some tracks were great. Also the PMA900 is a little weak at low volume and doesnt start to open up until around a third of the way in which made is so awkward for late night listening but does sound ok once it hits around 40/45%. Someone suggested it was best suited to an angry teenager with their own room and not the front room. I had to agree 12 hours in. Imo Denon should have included the loudness button for low volume. There is a workaround by adjusting the tone controls for low level listening and using source direct for louder sessions. Its not ideal but it might work. Anyhoo I have to send it back soon and have replaced it with the SA3…see how this one goes.
Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314Likewise.
The spacing is dependent on the area. I have Klipsch R26f's whoch are somewhat oversized for the room. Given the area, most of my energy was put re paneling the room with 1 X 4s and styrofoam panels. I used PL400 subfloor adhesive as it comes out just perfect. It's not runny and doesn't leave a horrendous mess behind. I also insulated the mounting area of the cabinet I have and put in huge Styrofoam 3 foot by 4 foot panels (3" wide) behind where I sit. Using insulation and adhesive is probably going to be your best bet to getting quality sound. Speaker placement is going to be vital I think. Everything is going to be a compromise. I remember ( vividly) an episode on the American sitcom Cheers where Frasier and Lilleth paid for a designer who left out the kitchen and bathroom. Most of us have those constraints. At least I have dedicated space for my stereo. Someone asked where I was putting my TV. Worse was a friend who referred to it as a " party room"...
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Blake 😉
I must admit these amps do seem to be getting their fair share of exposure on yo utube. I see similarities to the Tibo amplifiers which seem to get very little exposure. Good video, always enjoy seeing new equipment, new names, new ambitions and intentions.
When I saw inside the PA3 amplifier I was surprised at the similarities in components, the 'decon' capacitors which I haven't seen before, though that could quite easily be my lack of capacitor and component knowledge and experience, also the mono /stereo switch, the heat sink , the toroid's, of course it could be that all these components are very much standard components and the similarities to the Tibos are based on availibility and budgets.
What I would be inclined to add to this review is the inherent upgradability , much like the Tibo's I mentioned. Starting off with the integrated and as funds and other parameters develop (Mrs notices) or don't develop one could add the power amplifier, its always nice have a route of upgrading so long as one remembers its the music you are listening to, NOT the equipment.
My only reservation regarding these amps is the one reservation that's applicable to all audio equipment. The subjectivity of sound itself. I really admire companies doing their best to offer decent products at competitive prices and if the product on offer was something other than an audio component I would be more than happy to purchase direct. That's not to say I have any sort of problem with high street outlets, long may they continue, but ultimately if I can get a bargain then I am bound by my common sense.
Of course audio equipment is for listening to music with and I've heard highly recommended products that have left me confused with their mediocrity and conversely budget products that have left me astounded, which pretty much makes it all the important to listen to any equipment before you buy. It doesn't matter what another person hears, he or she almost certainly doesn't hear what you hear etc.
Happy listening and a merry new pair of ears.
Thank you for sharing your experiences Dougie 😉
Great review Tarun! I have owned the combo for about a year now thanks to Sean of ZF's review. Been extremely happy with them. Have them Paired to a pair of ELAC B6.2. I do wish to upgrade on the speakers some day. Just wondering did you use your Buchardt S400 as seen in the back ground to base your review on? Thinking of the Buchardt S300. Into the 4th month of owning the pair, my SA3 stopped working and had to send it back to IOTA (from Singapore). Ian sent a replacement all within the week! No different than having a local dealer id say. In all have been happy with IOTA.
Hi Rajesh, I did try the SA3 with the S400. It was okay but the the SA3 is not resolving or powerful enough to get the most out of the S400s. I haven’t tried the S300s but they are not the easiest load and I suspect the SA3 may struggle. I would go for something like the Elac Debut Reference. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 😉
@@abritishaudiophile7314 What about the SA3 and PA3 stack for the S400's?
@@billmuertos good power but you really should get something with better resolution and refinement to get the best out of the S400s 😉
Appreciation for the details at each level. Love your channel. So you hinted at amps at 1k and 1500, what’s on the short list in Tarun’s world??
Thank you PaulWG. Audiolab 8300A, Hegel H90, Naim Nait 5si, Rega Elex R. At some point I would like to get all 4 of those in to see how they compare.
A British Audiophile thanks. Look forward to your next review
@@abritishaudiophile7314 That would be awesome Tarun. No love for the Musical Fidelity M3si? I don't have it, I'm just curious.
Hi Claude, MF have made some of my favourite amplifiers over the years but I haven’t heard their more recent designs. I am not sure what is happening with the company now that founder and chief designer Antony Michaelson has sold it to Project’s Heinz Lichtenegger.
Thank you sir for another well though out review. All your videos remind me of having a discussion with another audiophile.
BUT, where are the Proacs?
Hi brown-eyed man, thank you for watching. You may see the Proac’s in the left hand corner of the screen or maybe they are just out of shot.
Hi Tarun
I suggest the shortcomings you note such as in the bass and a slight harshness at higher volumes are down to lack of power. Many people do not realise how much power is required to cleanly drive a loudspeaker, particularly smaller enclosures. Responding to high level transients can be very demanding and it is easy to drive a less powerful solid state amp into harsh distortion. There a number of higher power amps available. Such asfrom Emotiva, for a little more money. I prefer SS amps that can deliver at least 250 Watts per channel into 8 ohms.
I agree that is due to a lack of power but not necessarily watts. It may be a lack of peak current capability so that at the resonant frequency of the woofer where typically the impedance drops the lack of current capability results in voltage fluctuations that adversely effect the performance of the amplifier.
A British Audiophile Yes, a power supply must respond and recover quickly to sudden demands. I would not trust the values printed on those Chinese reservoir caps. I am a believer in going for the highest power amp available for the budget. Plenty of reserve power and a more robust power supply can eliminate the risk of hard clipping. I am not sure why anyone would choose this arrangement of running two amps in bridge mode. For the same money, there are several good integrated amps available with higher power.
Thanks for the reviews. Makes a change from the drivel in so many other channels.
Thanks Geoff. I appreciate you watching 😉
These components are not bad at all for the money. They have a pretty big resin-filled toroid and hefty heat sinks. I've seen similar amps that cost at least 3 times the price. The only issue I have are the Decon capacitors , they're a bit notorious for quality and failure , however they can be replaced with a top brand name for about 5 or 6 GBP each ( 6800 mf 50 V ).
Thank you Daniele. They have so save money somewhere. Let’s EE how long they last before needing a recap 😉
I am running the SA3 right now, and I must say I agree with your description. It’s a very solid and enjoyable amp for the low price. I was wondering if I should add the PA3 or not so this helps me a lot. I’ll probably save up for an entirely different unit in the future, like a hagel, and enjoy this as-is for a while. I’m glad I bought it.
Hi Andrew, I would agree. You obviously know what you are doing 😉
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I'm guessing you would consider a Hagel to be a good upgrade from this?
In one word - Yup 😉
Is it worthy to upgrade Marantz pm6006 > Iotavx Sa3.
Hi Max, I would not change the PM6006 for the Iota VX SA3 as they operate at a similar price point. My rule has always been look to spend 3x to get a noticeable improvement. Otherwise you are throwing money away. Always consider any upgrade in the context of the rest of your system and what else you are going to upgrade. The next level up Formosa your Marantz is amplifiers around £1,000. Naim Nait 5Si, Rega Elex R, Audiolab 8300A, etc..
Great video 😎. I just had one thought when watching this - given that these two have slightly different sounds, when using them together as two mono blocks, wouldn’t the sound from each speaker therefore be subtly different making the system sound a little off? Just a thought 😎
Alex, you a right. In bridged mode you are effectively using 4 channels to drive 2 speakers. The signal is running through a lot more circuitry and I suspect this has probably impact on the sound quality than the differences between the SA3 and PA3.
Hi behexen250, what I meant was that in bridged mode the the signal is now passing through four channels, effectively doubling the voltage, as opposed to two when you are just using the Iota SA3 or PA3 on their own.
Amazing review!!
Thank you Albeshr 😉👍
Tarun, thank you for the excellent review. I was considering getting the PA3 for my desktop system with a Schiit Vali 2 preamp/headphone amp and a CHORD MOJO. I think your review clinched it for me. Which speakers besides the Buchardt did you use during the listening sessions?
Hi Miles, it worked well with the Buchardt S400s and y Proac 1SCs but the ATC SCMs 19s highlighted their limitations. Thank you for watching and commenting 😉👍
Thanks Fat Rat. I suspected as much but wasn’t sure.😉
Thank you Fat Rat 😉
I love the way audiophiles' #1 parameter for reviewing gear is the price. "You don't expect that from an amp at this price point'. I bet if you put an audiophile in a room blindfolded and played a handful of amps at different price points, the results certainly wouldn't follow the price.
Not always but generally you get what you pay for 😉
I have the stack hooked up to the Elac DBR62'S. I really do love the amps and highly recommend them. I'm looking for an upgrade in the near future though, an integrated that's a little faster but also has decent power. No idea what yet.
Hi David, I can imagine that would be a very nice system. My shortlist for the next level of amplifier would be the Hegel H90, Audiolab 8300A, Naim Nait 5Si, Rega Elex R. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 😉
How does this combo compare to the emotiva combo for you?
Hi Tarun, unless I have misunderstood this review, it looks like you have listened to the SA3 in isolation, the SA3 and PA3 in bridged configuration and the PA3 from a Chord MOJO as a pre-amp. However it is not clear whether you have tried the SA3 and PA3 as a simple pre-power combination i.e. non-bridged. Therefore, I have to ask, would using the SA3 as a standalone pre-amp into the PA3 offer sonic benefits over the bridged connection, despite their obvious differences in power output?
I didn’t try that combo. You would be better off of getting a dedicated preamp if that is what you want to do. Most of the money is in the amplifier section of the SA3 😊
Great review! 3D layering front to back, where can I find that in a sub-$2000 integrated amplifier? Can you point me to some units I can investigate that have 3D qualities? Thanks..
Thank you. Check out my review of the Cambridge Audio AXA 35 🙂
Amazing video I am so glad that I came across your channel I am now a new subscriber and I love the work that you have done I’ve been asking three other big RUclips reviewer‘s which I won’t mention any names LOL one in Canada one here in America and I’m not quite sure where the other one is anyhow I’ve been asking them to do every view of just the PA3 to see how it will work with either a tube preamp or just a simple DAC with a volume control to see how it will work and none of them were entertain the idea nothing against them but My decisions so easy thank you so much keep up the amazing work.
Thank you Felix. I appreciate you watching and your kind words of support 😉👍
A British Audiophile your very welcome buddy.
Hi, REally enjoyed the review! I'm looking for a new Amp myself and this one looks very appealing to me! I have the Rubicon 6 Speakers. Do you think it's a good combination with the IotaVX SA3 + PA3?
Thank you. It should certainly drive them it will be a question of tonal balance and refinement which you can only tell by trying 😊
The lights dim on both of mine at the same time.
Thank you Christopher. I didn’t realise at the time that you could use a trigger cable to connect between the two to get both the dim together. Thank you for watching and commenting 😉
any idea what the internal DAC sounds like? the total SA3 price didn’t suggest high quality DA, and there’s no USB input, so I didn’t check it out on my SA3-PA3 stack. I did compare Schiit Multibit and Audioquest Cobalt DACs. The Cobalt sounded shrill at the upper end, but the Schiit Multibit sounded listenable, so that’s what I’m using. Another thought - the instruction manual isn’t great - not entirely clear how to connect the units, and minimal advice as to how to coordinate dimmer and power functions
I agree Brno Gahr. The internal DAC is okay but drops the performance level quite a bit. Just good enough to get you started. Get an external DAC to get the most out of the amps. Thank you for sharing your experiences 😉
look for Zero Fidelity's review of this stack, he shows exactly how to hook the cables up.
Great review. I have SA3 + PA3 combination with REL T/7i sub, really happy with the sound. Found an issue with the hi level input in this combination, when the Iota goes into standby mode the sub buzzes loudly! Using low level now, is this something you experienced? Hi level worked fine on my class d amp.
Hi Daniel, I used the high level with my Rel Strata III. I didn’t experience that issue. There is some noise bleeding through from the amps in standby mode. I would email Iota and see what they say. In the interim at least the low level input works fine.
beautiful review!
me being (by education) electronic engineer I love to see the capacitors and transistors - my school (millions years ago) come to my "brain/sound stage" immediately ;-)
Since I am on "buy" I am wondering how they compare to M2si....if you know ;-)
Thank you ZH. Much appreciated. I haven’t heard the MF2si but I have spoken to the U.K. distributor for MF and hope to get some of their products in for review soon 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I am waiting then
Very nice review which kind of reminded me of what Paul from PS Audio said on one of his videos and that is how difficult it is to make an integrated amplifier. That also leaves me with one more question. How does it sound if you use the SA3 as preamp only in combination with the PA3 used as only power amp for left and right channels? It may be a bit academic but I am just curious.
Pithy, they did not make a little control cable to have the lights and power on function of the PA3 follow the SA3. Perhaps they really did not intend this to be a combo in the first place.
Hi Hugo, I didn’t try the SA3 as solely a preamp. I don’t suspect it will represent good value @£400 as solely a preamp. Better to bi-amp if your speakers allow. In fact as long you don’t need to drive large speakers of fill big rooms with sound I prefer the bi-amp configuration to the bridged mono configuration.
Actually, there is a control cable which allows you to dim the PA3. I didn’t realise until one of my viewers who has the combo pointed it out. My bad, I simply got that bit wrong. There is no excuse really but it wasn’t very clear to me that you could do this.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I can see that, personally I think bridge amps are best reserved for car audio.
No harm done on the control cable. The only way to be never wrong is to do nothing.
Thank you Hugo 👍
Great review! I bought the SA3 and loved it! Now I've puller together enough cash for the PA3. It arrived today! However... after hooking it up I've noticed a buzzing noise, when paused, on the left channel (the PA3 channel). I'm sure this isn't normal, but I wanted to run this by you before I reached out to IOTA. Did you experience anything like this? Could this be a fault with the PA3? Thanks!
Thank you AK. I didn’t experience that issue with the ones I reviewed 😉👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 strange the problem only seems to appear when using the extension port 🤔 thanks for your response!
In your experience, did the SA3/PA3 combo produces significantly more heat than the SA3 alone? I’m finding the combo stack gets quite warm to the touch after 30-40 minutes of listening. Thanks for the great review!
Hi Been1414, the transistors run hot in both modes. I didn’t notice much difference. Thank you for watching 😉
The SA3, PA3 combo was at the top of my list. But now I've become curious about Roon. On the Roon website IOTAVX is not one of the components listed as, "Roon Ready". Can you tell me what I would need to do to use Roon with the IOTAVX combo?
Hi Claude, I don’t use Roon. I use the Auralic Lightning DS platform. I would send Iain at Iota an email 😉
Hi, great review. Could You tell which amp would You recommend more, used Hagel h90 or iotavx sa3+pa3 combo? And why? They are similarly priced at the moment but there is a significant difference in power. It would be paired with triangle br03 speakers.
Thank you Andrius. The SA3/PA3 will play louder but the H90 is in a different league for refinement and overall sound quality 😊👍
Great review thanks.
Regarding other amps, pre amps in that price bracket, what other amps do you think would achieve your OUTSTANDING achievement .As you said its a very competitive market out there .Thanks again for your reviews and advice .
Thank you for watching and your support Mark. I can’t say what product will achieve “Outstanding” until I have listened to them in my own environment. I am reserving the Outstanding honour to products that I think represent the benchmark of performance within their market segment. The Iota SA3 didn’t quite get there due to its sound hardening up at what I would still consider reasonable volumes.
My shortlist of amplifiers at the £400 - £600 are the Iota SA3 (reviewed), NAD C338 (review pending), Project Maia S2 (review pending), the Audiolab 6000A (not in yet), the Rega Brio (proving elusive). I hope in time I can review them all and see if any can achieve the “Outstanding” award. Thanks again for watching and commenting 😉👍
Thank you for your reply , i am thinking of buying the Iota pre and amp , and the reviews are great, but just a bit worried about the communication, as i have e mailed them but not getting much success, obviously this puts up a red flag. So i might look else where in that price range.Thanks for your advice on other amps to look at in that price range.
@@markbuttery2790 I ordered this pairing on the 27th June. I still have not got a dispatch date! Ian the owner is the one who responds (sporadically) to mails. His communication is minimal and unreliable! Probably going to cancel the order next week if they don't dispatch. The SA3 is no longer on pre-order according to their website but their live chat is gone!
@@robbie00001 Thanks Robbie for your input, i think i have to look around now , i have lost confidence.
@@markbuttery2790 maybe they just went on holidays!
Price is right, sound may be good but the led is so bright.
They can be turned off 😊
Very nice! I sit here checking exchange rates with the Dollar! LOL! Certainly for L300 ... wow that does sound like a bargain. I need to research your assessments to get a baseline to really understand you descriptions... but I certainly get a feel. Lol... I do know your ears are much better than mine. And I tend to think, could be wrong, that some amps ... receivers... SEEM to perform very differently based on the speak used. Some speakers thrive at 45 watts ... some demand more. If you have under 30... have to work hard on a match (IMHO). I really enjoy your show!! Have you reviewed an NAD reciever?
Thank you Jerry. With the Iota VX SA3 or PA3 run on their own, you are better of sticking to speakers that are relatively easy to drive. I am just about to start reviewing the NAD C338.
They've been getting great reviews. I wish the blue lighting of their logo and volume know were done differently. It's the only thing I don't like about them.
You can turn them off 😊
Isn't there both a power trigger and dimmer link for both devices? Check the rear panels!
Actually there is. Thank you for pointing it out. I should have picked that up but could not read the text with naked eyes. Must be getting old 😪