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Sadowsky SA 200, is it THAT good?

baxter_x

baxter_x

Nov 27, 2013
5,027
5,375
EU
www.hellofaride.fr
#1
I'd like to have some informations about this amp. I know all the reviews are just crazy about it, and Roger is known for making great stuffs.
I own 3 heads, an Ampeg SVT 4 Pro, a Mesa Carbine M9 and a Mesa Titan V12. Keeping all these heads is ridiculous. I have to sell at least two of them. I'm thinking about the SVT 4 and the M9.
The purpose is to buy the SA 200.
So my question is simple: Is the SA 200 worth my two amps?
 
#3
It seems it was discontinued after Sadowsky didn't find it to be profitable. I'm sure it's a great amp (made by Koch, so it should be) but I guess with the trends leaning more towards class D, lightweight amplifiers it was a bit of a non-starter. If Sadowsky put a name on it, it has to be great. Apparently Thomann have a few left in stock... depending on where you live, you could always order one, see how it works out, if you don't like it just return it within a month.
 
#4
The problem, according to Roger, was with the unfavorable Euro dollar rate (in the US market) it was becoming too expensive to manufacture the amp. What NeonVomit said was on the money. I only played the amp at Roger's shop, through one of his 410 and 210 cabinets (Bergantino designs if I'm correct) and it was a wonderful amp. Now there was an amp I would have loved to take home! The only minor fault I can think of is that I would like a bit more than the 200 watts for the price. But overall, a spectacular amp with rich sound.
 
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#5
rmayer said:
was with the unfavorable Euro dollar rate
Click to expand...
That's the reason why he stopped manufacture the amp. But that was in 2006. The amp is made again by Koch and still available a Thomann.

NeonVomit said:
but I guess with the trends leaning more towards class D, lightweight amplifiers
Click to expand...
I can not believe any class D amp would produce the sound of an all tube amp, especially this one (even if I never tried it). Also the SA 200 is 35lb! Very light for such an amp.
 
#15
baxter_x said:
That's the reason why he stopped manufacture the amp. But that was in 2006. The amp is made again by Koch and still available a Thomann.
Click to expand...

Well yes but it was not the same, one of the Transformers is different. Its a Ironcore in the new one, not a toroidal.

And yes the Amp is very good, if the tubes are matched well, the bias and the phase splitter is adjusted well.
It puts out something like 220 Watts, but it feels closer to 2KW amp, except that it obviousely doesent get as loud as a 2KW. For me its the best sounding amp i played.

Hard to describe, its super relaxed, all the ClassD SMPS
amps have a nervous touch to my ears.
My AC5 sounds absolutely killer through that amp.
very 3D liquid alive.

I`d say it depends what you re looking for.
It must be very good for the Studio miking the speaker.

There is a couple of small things to change to get the full potential of this amp.
Following the tube recomendation is important, because the amp was made for exactly those tubes.
I got a Scope and did the setup it my self.

The sound is super clean, it was designed exactly for that.
It pushes lows like there is no tomorrow.
It has active LOWs and HIGHs, those low go way low.
 
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#17
Lemon said:
...all the ClassD SMPS
amps have a nervous touch to my ears.
Click to expand...

I'm a huge fan of nearly everything Roger touches, and have no doubt the SA200 is a fabulous amp.

That said, your statement that ALL SMPS amps are yadda yadda yadda is the kind of problematic statement that causes issues on TB. Have you actually played every single SMPS implementation out there? Since 100% of large stages are now bass through SMPS mains, are we consigned to whatever terrible tone universe you seem preoccupied with?

Not dissing your enthusiasm for the SA200; but, appropriate perspective is important. There actually are some very nice SMPS amps out there. FWIW.
 
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