Sabo Audio - Streamer 23

I just like to introduce you my upcoming network streamer: Streamer 23.

I’d like to happily share details if possible.

Beautiful look!!!

Thank you I’m trying my best. As you can see on the internal photo the unit uses very high quality components like Duelund silver foil capacitors, Amtrans AMCH copper foil capacitors, Audio Note silver tantalum resistors, Audio Note Kaise electrolytics and even BlackGates.

In the past few years I was very active modifying and designing audio equipments on my own. I designed power amplifiers, phono preamplifier, DACs, modified CD players, built Audio PCs and even I played with network routers to achieve the best sound quality possible. I also participated someone’s project who built a clone of Taiko SGM Extreme pc - I brought my experience regarding parts selection for power supplies.

Now I’m going to start a new company and create a new product line which aims to offer really high quality sound with good looking units which use exceptional materials and solutions as well in inside as outside too.

Actually I’m going to show up with a new range of a Network Streamer, Phono Preamplifier, Preamplifier and Power Amplifier. I’m even manufacturing my own range of silver cables which use the conductor material I developed before.

So I would share details of these if it does not violate terms of this forum.

First key feature of the network streamer is  it’s positioned halfway between a standalone streamer and an audio pc. It’s intended to use freely with any operating systems of the user’s choice. This way it combines advantages both of a streamer and a pc. It is based on a Raspberry Pi microcomputer so it’ll work with any system that runs on Raspberry. SD card or SSD drive slot is extended outside so one can change the running software easily without disassembling the unit. However users are not forced to do software installation on their own because three preinstalled SD cards or SSD drives supplied to the unit with preinstalled systems. They are Volumio, Audirvana and Roon Bridge.
Volumio and Audirvana provide standalone streamer functionality and Roon Bridge provides Roon endpoint functionality so then it can be used in Roon infrastructure as renderer. All three systems preinstalled to make the unit working properly with it’s audio output and internal screen.
Anyway the streamer can be used with any other systems like Moode, PiCorePlayer, AudioLinux and even HQPlayer.
This freedom of software choice also ensures future proofness of the unit. Say when support of one software ends then it can be switched to another easily.
However this freedom also means that the unit does not come with paid license any of the softwares so it’s the customers responsibility to subscribe one of them in order to use full functionality.
With appropiate software choice and subscription the unit supports the following services:

- direct Qobuz streaming
- direct Tidal streaming
- direct Tidal streaming controlled by Tidal connect
- direct Spotify streaming
- direct Youtube streaming, Youtube Cast
- direct Youtube Music streaming
- Airplay
- Bluetooth
- playing from local network, eg NAS
- playing from USB drive

The unit (except the smallest version) also has some digital inputs so it can be even used as D/A converter. It has I2S HDMI, I2S RJ45, USB, SPDIF Coaxial és SPDIF Optical inputs.
It has an assymetrical output with a pair of RCA sockets and a true symmetrical output with a pair of XLR sockets.

Dimensions: 210mm(width) x 110mm(height) x 340mm(depth)

Second key feature of the network streamer is the topology and component quality.
The heart of the unit is a Raspberry Pi which  works with the supplied softwares explained before.
Digital/Analog conversion is provided by a 16bits R-2R based module. There are 3 main points of the operation which have serious advantages over sound quality:

- The R-2R converter directly linked to I2S output of the Raspberry which means only 4 wires (printed lines) sits between the computer and converter. There’s no any conversion and no any electronic parts in the signal path between them. 
- Everything has separate power supply circuits and even separate transformers. One transfomer and supply circuit for Raspberry. One transformer and two circuits for the converters digital parts, one circuit for the USB receiver and one circuit for the SPDIF receiver. One transformer and two circuits for the analog part of the converter and for the analog output filters. Also there are separate transformers and circuits for the IR remote receiver, for the display and for the lighting.
- All the important supply circuits has linear transient response no global feedback stabilizers.

There’s a fixed third order filter at the output of the converter which cuts off the unwanted products of oversampling frequency.
Conversion basically done without hardware oversampling so the converter runs in NOS mode. However oversampling can be achieved by using operating systems internal upsampler modules. Oversampling could be choosed well up to 192kHz / 16bit quality. This way even sophisticated upsampling filters can be used for example with HQPlayer.

The unit comes in three different versions and levels which differ mainly in component quality but the smallest version even lacks extra services in order preserve sound quality despite the lower price tag:

Streamer 23 Signature:
- Network Streamer functionality with software of user’s choice
- Extra Digital Inputs: I2S HDMI, I2S RJ45, USB, SPDIF Coax, SPDIF Optical
- True symmetrical XLR and assymetrycal RCA outputs
- Beautiful 7” 1920x1080 FullHD OLED display with 110% AdobeRGB color space coverage, real glass protection
- CNC machined aluminium remote controller
-  Matte or glossy real veneered solid wood enclosure with the corresponding matte or glossy top cover and real glass lighting piece
- Duelund CAST silver foil output coupling capacitors
- Amtrans AMCH copper foil capacitors for the output filter stages
- Audio Note Silver Tantalum resistors
- Audio Note Kaisei and Kemet electrolytic capacitors for the supply circuits
- even BlackGate electrolytic capacitors for the Raspberry and for the digital/analog converter reference voltage supply circuit
- NOS USA military operational amplifiers
- Furutech alpha copper conductor RCA, XLR and IEC sockets
- JSS Silver internal supply wiring
- Full surface direct silver plated printed circuit board
- 18k real gold or white gold logo

Streamer 23 Reference:
- Network Streamer functionality with software of user’s choice
- Extra Digital Inputs: I2S HDMI, I2S RJ45, USB, SPDIF Coax, SPDIF Optical
- True symmetrical XLR and assymetrycal RCA outputs
- Beautiful 7” 1920x1080 FullHD OLED display with 110% AdobeRGB color space coverage, real glass protection
- CNC machined aluminium remote controller
-  Matte or glossy real veneered solid wood enclosure with the corresponding matte or glossy top cover and real glass lighting piece
- Duelund copper foil output coupling capacitors
- Amtrans AMCH copper foil capacitors for the output filter stages
- Audio Note non-magnetic Tantalum resistors
- Audio Note Kaisei and Kemet electrolytic capacitors for the supply circuits
- NOS USA military operational amplifiers
- Furutech alpha copper conductor RCA, XLR and IEC sockets
- OCC copper internal supply wiring
- Full surface direct silver plated printed circuit board
- Gold or rhodium plated silver logo

Streamer 23 Standard:
- Network Streamer functionality with software of user’s choice
- True symmetrical XLR and assymetrycal RCA outputs
- CNC machined aluminium remote controller
-  Oil impregnated real veneered solid wood enclosure with the corresponding matte top cover and real glass lighting piece
- Mundorf EVO Oil Aluminium output coupling capacitors
- KEMET foil capacitors for the output filter stages
- Takman REY resistors
- Rubycon and Samwha electrolytic capacitors for the supply circuits
- NOS USA military operational amplifiers
- good quality basic RCA, XLR and IEC sockets
- copper internal supply wiring
- Gold or rhodium plated silver logo

You can see parts of the Signature version on the picture

Streamer 23 Standard version

I will update this thread with all upcoming progress but maybe it’s worth checking also the official facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559777786413
 

So nice veneer samples:

And first prototype of the enclosure:

First prototype

You can also check our website:

http://saboaudio.eu

Excellent work!

Next order of business is to get some reviews to verify what should be nothing but fantastic sound.

Have you considered selling this as a DIY kit? People who use RPi's are usually DIY enthusiasts and would probably jump on this in some sort of kit form at a reduced cost.

Just a thought, me wishing you success on this great idea.

O.