Intro
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Or is it Yellow Vibes? Because yellow is the colour of the new Radia line launched by Arcam in October 2023. A clear stylistic break with their previous, rather grey design. It can all be a bit more playful and colourful, and that is to our liking.
It has been a long time since we have had a device from British Arcam for review, but this flagship Radia SA45 makes up for it a lot. It is an all-in-one solution for the seasoned audiophile who is done with separate components. One that has all the necessary connections on board to provide any source with a high-quality signal. And one that can drive any speaker effortlessly. Whether all those promises are fulfilled, you can read in the story below. Let’s check it out!
Construction and appearance
We deliberately use the term ‘mellow vibes’ in the title because it is significant. The Arcam Radia SA45, henceforth SA45, is primarily an amplifier that lets you stream. But it is much more. We have by no means been able to test all the options but how everything works and how everything sounds, you will find out anyway and that is, of course, what it is all about.
Where to start? Perhaps at the amplifier section. That is pretty special. After all, Arcam has been using their, now in its fifth generation, Class G application for years. Class G basically works with two power supplies. One supplies Class A at lower volumes and the other switches to Class A/B when the volume goes up. It is a gradual switch from A to A/B that Arcam says should ensure less distortion. The SA45 delivers 2×180 watts into 8 Ohms and 2×300 watts into 4 Ohms. Quite some power in other words. Those needing less power can opt for the SA35 which produces 2×120 watts into 8 Ohms.
Infinite number of options
This SA45 has no shortage of connections. Analogue, there is one balanced input and three RCA inputs plus both an MM and MC phono jack. Two pairs of balanced outputs, one RCA output and two subwoofer outputs. A pretty complete analogue section.
The digital section is based on an ESS Hyperstream IV sabre dac that is fully balanced. This high-resolution dac converts PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz and also plays DSD files up to DSD512. Much attention went into reducing jitter to get as much quietness in playback as possible. The dac has two optical and two coaxial inputs, a USB input and an HDMI eARC connection. The latter we see more and more on hi-fi products and serves to seamlessly integrate the television into the set. There is two-way aptX Bluetooth for the modern listener and Dirac Live as icing on the proverbial cake.
Screenplay
The built-in streamer is very complete and based on the separate ST25. All possible online services are built-in and the SA45 is also compatible with Qobuz, Tidal and Spotify Connect. The Arcam Radia app that runs on both Android and iOS is ideal for those who don’t see a need for an expensive Roon subscription. The app works well and is stable. So the SA45 is Roon Ready but can also be controlled via UPNP. Apple Airplay, Google Cast and Internet Radio are all present.
The big eye-catcher, literally, is the gigantic 20 cm wide screen. Besides the cover, the performer and title are perfectly legible from the listening position. Yes, you can also see it on your laptop, phone or tablet, but we think it is cool. On either side of the screen are two identical rotary knobs, both with yellow lighting. The left button plunges you into the menu, the right one controls the volume. The matte black casing with yellow accents is really a hit. A small but fine remote control, again with yellow buttons, completes the look.
The SA45 is a big device but there is obviously a lot inside. It weighs 17kg and has a depth of 40cm. So make sure you provide enough space.