IOTAVX SA3 Amplifier = Affordable Excellence!

My reviews

#Iotavx #budgetaudio #hifi

Twitter: @AudiophiliacMan

[TriAmpMyFi]

The brilliance of "bridging" the internal
The Iota really can be described as a preamp running one monoblock in stereo under one chassis.
I don't think it should be over LQQKed how smart Iota was for designing this way. Iota owners don't have to sacrifice, as unusable, the internal amp already bought when adding or upgrading the power. An integrated amp that can run bridged.
Essentially TWO monoblocks are gotten as a result of identically matching the PA3 poweramp to the internal amp. The SA3 amp now becomes the left channel & the PA3 becomes the right channel. There's no wasted amp.
All integrated amps should be arranged this way. Upgrading means only buying one channel, not two Great work, as always, Steve! 🔈🔉🔊

[damayor]

Outstanding as always and perfect timing Steve. I've been listing to my SA3/PA3 stack driving Paradigm Reference Studio 60's all day and I absolutely love them. Thank you and keep up the great work.

[dougg]

It sounds like a great system for folks just getting into the hobby. And probably great to stay with for years.

[TheJuno]

Nice to another review of this excellent integrated amp. I’ve been running my SA3 for a few months and love the neutral and transparent sound. Mine drives a pair of Polk Reserve R100 speakers with a REL TZero III also connected to the speaker terminals and it’s a great little system for the money. With the addition of a WiiM Mini streamer and SMSL SU-6 DAC I’ve got all I need to enjoy all the music I want.

[SHAVEFAN]

I use this as a pre amp to an emotiva 2 channel basx amp. Powering a pair of Wharefdale Lintons. Love this set up. I've been waiting for you to review this.

[cameronkrause]

I love these kind of reviews. I love budget gear that works well and sounds good

[phil]

I'm happy with my current system. Now watching for the music reviews - andvthiscis time well spent!

[ivanmelkner]

Nice review. I`m using two PA3s with Elac Uni-fi Reference and and I love them.

[orelove]

Steve, what prompted you to finally review the SA3? I have been rocking an SA3 PA3 stack for a few years now. In fact I bought my PA3 from Sean! It is the centerpiece of my listening room, driving a pair of Triangle Borea BR03's on sturdy stands. The use of the PA3 tightened up the bottom end on the BR03's. I use the internal DAC of the SA3 for TV audio (optical) and the Coax for my DVD/CD Sony disc player. As I have two turntables, my mono rig (Pioneer PL41/Audio Technica VM610MONO) runs through the SA3's MM input and my main deck (Denon DP2550A/Micro Seiki MA505/Audio Technica AT450) goes into a Schiit Mani 2. Digital files and streaming are handled by my PC into a Schiit Bifrost 2, the first DAC with which I did not experience fatigue when listening to music. Rounding out the system is a Massdrop THX AAA 789 headphone amp, with the Massdrop Sennheiser HD6xx and Thinksound OV21 headphones as daily drivers, depending on the content and task. I think I'm getting fantastic sound for mid-range money here. No itch to upgrade at all, and that is a milestone for me.

[audiorick]

Thanks for the great review Steve. I owned the SA3, PA3 combo for almost 3 years. I agree with everything you say about them. I used to drive Triangle Genese trio speakers with them, and that sounded great. Lovely combo.

I have to say after two years, the SA3 blew a capacitor in a very smoky fashion! I am a bit of a DYI guy, so I just upgraded them all myself, but for some people this would not be a very good experience.

[MikeK]

Thanks, Steve, your review of the IOTA is pretty spot on!!! I've had mine for over 2 years and still enjoying it (no plans of upgrading, which is a great thing). IMO, if there is a downside, it's the DAC, which I've been wanting to upgrade, but have not decided what to get, however in the meantime it's so good that it does not make for a pressing decision.

[TheHammerofDissidence]

Killer budget amp. Loved my stack when I used it. Bridged with the PA3 it had nice punch and transparency. You could easily build a higher end system around the IOTAVX stack.

[toddkobylarz]

I have the SA3/PA3 driving a pair of Tekton Lores. Ive tried 4 different higher end older school receivers, and various amps from classic Carver amps, to Crown to Emotiva stuff (all 200 watts/channel IOTA setup blows em all away. Super clean and can really bother the neighbors if needed. 100 watts is all you need.

[CheekyFest]

I got a vinyl copy of PS's RotS for my birthday a month ago. Ive had it on CD for years. I love it

[lacieb]

Thanks, Steve! Your videos are breathtaking to me on a reason side!🎉

[rajeshgill]

Great amps the Iota VX’s are. Ordered mine immediately after watching Zero Fidelity’s review. Originally just bought the SA/PA stack, however a few months down I decided to buy another PA3 and have since used the SA3 only as a pre amp, out into 2 PA3 mono blocks driving a pair of Triangle BR08’s. The sound was way better than just having the stack. Ignore its DAC. Not the best out there. I have Denafrips Pontus 2 connected to the Iota’s instead. Love the neutrality of the whole set up.

[rayludwig]

So glad you finally reviewed this integrated. I've owned the SA3- PA3 combo running it bridged for a couple of years now, and still love it. Although the built in phono stage is OK, my records sound way better with a separate phono amp. I have a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon that I have upgraded with an aluminum sub platter, acrylic platter and better phono cables and I have the Grado Opus 3 high output moving iron cartridge. I'm running it through a VPI Cliffwood phono preamplifier. I also have a Marantz 5005 CD player, and I'm running it all through a pair of Triangle Borea Bro 3's. I'm happy with this budget system, but I believe a speaker upgrade may in my future. They're great speakers for the money, and pair well the SA3, but there is some blurriness between the upper bass and lower mid range that I would like tightened up. I've actually thought about the Elac references, and it sounds like a good match. Any other speaker recommendations between $700 and maybe $1100 or so besides the B&W's? Thanks for all the enjoyable video's

[bear]

Great video steve, that’s the system I should of bought but but rotel a11/cd11 tribune only because I had rotel long time ago, I bought recently bought Elac ubr62, although sound pretty good and done lots of reviews including yourself I follow your channel because your balance and expertise in the field of audio, it was suppose to replace my old b&w dm602s3 but I still like them as more bass over the Elac, but because a11 has 2 lots of speaker o/puts I can listen and appreciate the audio, but I do use a sub when using the elacs. Kind regards mark

[bblimediamostlyspeakers]

That viewer system is really cool! Lots of vintage gear in that setup. I am a fan!

[Darrylizer]

Wow! Tim's viewer system is insane. I mean that in the best way 😉