Affordable high performance IOTAVX SA40 & PA40 amplifier review 

Will these 2 amps bring Zero Fidelity out of hiding? We shall see... Seems IOTAVX just took what made the original stack great and improved on it in every regard. Great stuff.

Thank you Thomas I enjoy your reviews! Thank you

Thomas! You’re the best. Keep on keeping on. We love you! Thanks for all you do for the Hi-Fi community… you’re awesome bro

Great review Thomas! I owned and loved the original SA3 and PA3. This new combo looks fantastic.

Thanks for reviewing this piece Thomas, I had no idea it was out but it looks good and I ordered one. If it's good I'll get the PA40 as well as it seems that the combo really shines.

Outstanding as always Thomas. I currently own & love the SA3/PA3 stack and if/when I need to replace them, I know what to do now. Kudos to IOTAVX for continuing to improve upon their products. Thank you and keep up the great work.

🙋‍♂️THANKS THOMAS, FOR THE STORIES AND STAYING OBJECTIVE 🤔😁 …IT DEFINITELY 👍 SOUNDS VERY GOOD AND SHOWS THAT THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO BE A BUDGET AUDIOPHILE 🤗💚💚💚

ALSO I NOTICED YOU GOT OUT OF THE BASEMENT 😁 AND YOUR BACKGROUND LOOKS GOOD 🤗💚💚💚

Galion tsa75 all day long thomas I'm extremely happy with this amp ❤

It’s insane how decent even low end audio has become! Class D, just the switching supply is genius as a whole, but how much more it has become. Still, magnetics are king imo for now, but damn! Great work as always!

I’m interested, currently using the SA PA combo. Of course they finally get in the hands of a reviewer I know and trust is the last day of the preorder special. Very interested in the PA40 as monoblocks.

Great video and a nice honest declaration that you’re not going to compare your Galleon gear to review gear . Any chance you’re going to the Toronto Audiofest this October?

I love my NAD c298 amp (little brother to NAD M23) which replaces my already great Parasound 2125v2. todays amps need input trigger, gain knob/switch, extra set RCA output for subwoofers. under 40 lbs, preferably under 30 lbs iota pa40 seems to have most jacks except a gain knob (i don’t want to hear any speaker hiss). specs don’t mention: crosstalk, max current, damping factor. Apple Music lossless

At last a hi-fi amp that is at an AFFORDABLE price! Agree he needs a pop filter on the mic. Had to put pop filters on mic in broadcast studios. The pops can cause some AM transmitter modulator overloads.

My home theater is a 7.4.4, (mixed use music 2.2) powered by 10 amps! So today’s amps need to run cool,efficient to not trip 15A breaker box fuse. I upgraded to the NAD c298 amp (similar to NAD M23). Apple Music lossless

If you heard great differences from changing sources. Thats a very good quality! I remember the original also had this character. It would adapt or scale or provide transparency from the source. To me this flexibility is value. It does not restrain me, and allows for me to adjust the flavor to my taste. Thanks for the video man!

Loud and Clear in Hotlanta

Amp offers alot particularly having an xlr input (if truly balanced) and bothpre out and sub out. While the dac CS 4398 could be decent if well implemented, some may prefer an extrnal dac. Its a swiss army knife kind of amp with power expansion with the PA40 should one need it. Still rather large in width at least not as deep as some as I want smaller designs and less weight too. Tradeoff with power vs weight I suppose but the speakers I typically buy work well with lower power as long as the amp can meet current requirements. I happily settled on a Keces E40 and am looking to replace a large Hegel with something in between the size and weight as a primary driver although the E40 does a fine job. get a bit more resolution and excitement with the Hegel on some speakers, but the punch and smoothness of the E40 essentially keeps up. Don't need a behemoth amp and something smaller than standard and around 20 lbs would be perfect. Looking at a few options now. The Iota seems to offer alot but some of the issues some people are reporting are disconcerting. The Keces has been in use over 3 years without a blip. Only issue, among most amps too is the blue led indicating channel dims over time. Pretty bright to begin with so as it dims it still isn't bad. The hegel display I just turn off, saving the lighting from this. Other amp I was looking at is the Van Alstine CA-1, a basic amp that's purportedly very nice sounding for the price. Simpler, smaller and less powerful than the SA-40 and more expensive. I would like to know how SQ compares but both are too new for anyone to have heard both. If I end up with only the Keces, I would be happy particularity since its been playing so well for this length of time but always looking for other options cost to sound quality.

Hi Thomas, what is the tube gear with a box on top to the left of IOTAVX stack on Mr. Vintage's rack?

Did IOTAVX use the same capacitors on these new amps as they did for the SA3 and PA3? Because I've heard from multiple owners of the SA3 that the caps don't last very long and need to be replaced around the 3 year mark. I only had the SA3 for a short period before moving onto a better amp so I didn't experience any problem. But the product page for the SA40 specifically states they use "long life capacitors" so I hope that means they addressed this issue on the SA3/PA3.

Thomas.When are you gonna review the Advance Paris Line? The A12 is the Beauty & The Beast.

They’re gonna get me with this one.

An amp that’s just sweet and makes you want to dance… musical fidelity A1

Hello Tomas from Northern California. No audio on this video during playback.

Wow. Why i see the book Tawau at your book rack? Is that Tawau? Just wondering😊

Hi Thomas. What is the basic sound signature of an Iota? Is it on the bright (forward), neutral, or warm (laid back) side? I care more about that than whether it's detailed (who doesn't want that?). Reviewers often fail to mention a brand's sound characteristic, although I know Steve G. goes for a bright and dynamic kind of sound. Slightly forward, I'd say. I prefer punchy and neutral on the side of warm (no grain/sibilance if possible). My listening room is small, so I prefer it that way.

Thanks Thomas. Where to buy for best price? Thanks

Hey Thomas: Pass Labs Review - I don't recall you doing a review on any of this equipment. When are you going to do one? Lastly, would you do a review on old equipment? How about a Sonic Frontiers Power 2 (110 wpc stereo amp) or the Power 3 (monoblocs, 220 wpc)? They are Canadian, and the original maker/designer, now Parts Connexion, is still alive and kicking. In any case, keep up the good work!

So if you have a freya does that mean you don't give on iota of schitt.

Just ordered it so it better be good Thomas or I'm holding you responsible! 😉

I can hear it

Im currently in conversation with someone who is saying all non load dependent amps sound the same, what do you think about this and is there any literature about it? I asked the person who is claiming this to tell me what the cheapest non load dependent amp was and never got an answer, i also asked them if its the case that they all sound tge same why wouldn't everyone just own the cheapest one? The response was "because people have preconceived bias and buy stuff because of looks or price etc" Thoughts?

iota pa40 seems to have most jacks except a gain knob (i don’t want to hear any speaker hiss). specs don’t mention: crosstalk, max current, damping factor.

Wondering how you make sure to order the right version...115vac i assume for u.s.

A shame you didn't listen to the PA40 with some appropriate, and better, sources. Do they run hot? I like the efficiency of class D but this possibly last gasp of AB high power on the cheap is appealing.

They put the input selector switch on the REAR of the PA40 amp. Input selection should always be on the front of an amp.

Think I need new speakers 😮

Dang. All I want to know is how the PA40 compares to the TA75. But, of course, i understand.

I am sorry but I am a newbie in modern hi-fi. I don’t understand the need to pair an integrated amp with a power amp like these 2 units. I would thing the integrated amp is enough. Can someone kindly explain this to me ?

I envy you for having not one but two working AIWA CD players!!

They should have gone to pre + power amp combo. Bridging is generally a compromise. You have to design a product with a fixed function in mind to get the best results. I don't like stereo amps working in mono. I'd rather buy two monoblocks instead.

Testing

Hello Thomas. I have the combo of sa3 and pa3 and am very satisfied so far. I now want to upgrade to the SA40, is it worth switching? you can hear the sound improvement. Thanks.

Thomas practices chi gong?

weird how they only choose one specific guy on youtube too do an review.. the demo version is probably has better spec's than mass produced end product?

phono stage test?

Any DAC experts who can tell me which dac is best of these? One is integrated in the new IOTAVX SA40, the other one is integrated inside the WIIM Streamer/dac Pro plus IOTA: CS4398 (24-Bit, 192 kHz) Wiim pro plus: AKM 4493SEQ

The big concern with IOTAVX is their quality control and abysmal customer service. I had a NP3 die after a month of light use - I went through HELL getting it replaced. BTW, if you live on the east coast you'll have to call around 4AM to get anyone on the phone and it honestly seems like a bit of a clown show. About a month later, one of my PA3's started running WAY hotter than its twin. I didn't even want to be bothered dealing with them and just ate the cost of the unit.

🎉 Well, I know only what you have to say about the okder gear and on faith believe you know what you're talking about. There are no dealers around here so. As for the New Integrated Amp "sounds" accordingly better and for the $ literally "sounds" like a Steal for the $. So, once again Thanks Thomas for 😂 naking ny Musical Life better more complexed and nusnced.

Well?????. IMO, if this new SA40 is approximately 20/ 25% better than the SA3, it'll be a bargain/ great performance-to-cost ratio.

Interesting, if one believes in the benefits of separates, then using with the power amp means the two channels must sound different. If they don’t, is all the talk of separates being better just BS?

Too close to your mic, mate. Plosives kinda detract from your presentation. Otherwise a fine video. Thanks.

i think the audio industry has lost touch on the word affordable lol...oh im a hypacryte im making $7000 and up speakers lol

Report back on its ability to drive Magnepans, please!

They will have a hill to climb - they went out of business - what happened to the warranties etc. of previous equipment - did they honour it? Not mine! Also, there seemed to be problems with the quality of components failing etc. Not sure - They would need to address the elephant in the room first for me to be interested again.

Dude, fix your voice amp will ya!

No sound.

Le micro de Thomas distorsionne au point de rendre la narration désagréable.

Where’s the United States and Canada website? You are driving demand that can’t be fulfilled.

Class AB is always the way to go. I've never heard a Class D sound better than AB.

I thought the SA3 was thoroughly overrated and overpriced piece of poorly tuned, poorly equipped pocket drop. Woolly bass and skinny mid range and vocals, awful...each to their own master they stand or fall I suppose.

It's great you only review things that are great. Makes me question you, so I'm out.