9-08-07: A group auditon took place including the BBBB, 9.0 SWLP:
("It's a full monty SWLP 9.0 SE with tube rectified PS, Black Gates on PS, Silver Bybees on the output and proprietary teflon coupling cap upgrade. I use the Black Sand Ref silver mk 5 on the PS.")

Scotthobby:
"As was pointed out, I did find the SAS to be the most accurate, and hence most desirable preamp sonically. I think it conveyed the music as close to the real thing as any preamp I have ever listened to."

Bunky:
"I thought that every preamp that we listened to at the BBQ sounded very good but the SAS 11A sounded the Most lifelike to my ear's.thanks....WCW III"

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Dangerbird:

Steve,, this pre is "top shelf",,I currently have it thru odyssey mono se's to a pair of Carver Amazings,,,it's gonna be difficult for me to box it up and ship it on to Weez,,,organic,man,, organic,,,as soon as I receive the address,I'll ship it on,,I've got it "dialed in",,,it's so good,,it's scary---thanks for the opportunity to let me/us audition such a fine piece of gear----george"

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Lonewolfny42 review, including a group audition.

Review by Lonewolfny42:

Nice work Steve....the 11A is one sharp preamp !!

I thoroughly enjoyed my one week audition with the SAS Audio 11A !!!

First....some Raver comments :

topround... "The new SAS 11 preamp was excellent, I really liked the way that sounded, alot."

Hogg...."The star of the show for me in the upstairs room was the SAS 11A preamp. This is a fabulous preamp. It was very quiet, worked well with all of the amps and allowed the music to take on the signature of the amp and speakers."

The look....fit and finish....the feel...top notch.

Not long ago, I had the SAS 10A to audition...that I compared to my Modwright SWL 9.0 and Juicy Music Blueberry. It performed better than the Blueberry and on par with the Modwright. The 11A....IMO...is a welcome addition, and a nice step up from the 10A.

My conclusion.....I LIKED IT !!!!
And having the ability to audition the 11A in one's home system was very nice !!!

Good luck Steve....great job !!!!!!!!

......................Chris

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Bunky, Maryland (Home review, owns 8 preamplifiers)

Hey guys,

"I am the 1st one to get the 11A. I just recieved new power triodes for the VK 60 and the Amp now displays even more punch than when I first recieved it with several year old power tubes. I used Audio Art Silver over copper IC3's between my HRAM modded stage 3+ Jolida jd100A and the SAS 11A and Steves" V" IC's made with Vampire connectors and Cryoed Jena labs wire between the 11A and the BAT VK 60 tube amplifier. I used my Scanspeak driver equipped Odyssey Lorelei's for the transducers in this review. I used a Jena Labs power cord that Steve Sammet had sent along for the tour on the 11A and a Signal Cable magic power cord on the VK 60 and a Signal Magic power digital reference power cord on the modded JD 100A and a pair of Audio Art silver over copper SC5 speaker cables between the VK 60 and the Lorelei's.

I am a big fan of neutral preamplifiers and I already own a recently upgraded SAS 10A so I am familiar with the the SAS house sound. The 11A is as close to a straight wire with Gain as any preamp that I have ever listened to. It was dead quiet in my two channel tube rig and seemed to be very transparent and true to the source. In my rig it played extremely clean but never sounded etched or clinical. It seemed to draw me further into the music and made for some very lively listening.

Good recordings sound phenomenal thru the 11A. With bad recordings, well they were not sugar coated by the 11A and sounded bad as they should with a uncolored preamp. Larry Carltons Saphire Blue CD was a truely remarkable sounding recording thru the 11A and if anyone on the tour has it by all means check it out!

I don't use flowery terms to explain how gear sounds but I know what I like when I hear it. The 10A is a Great preamplifier but the 11A is even more refined and lets you hear the pure unadulterated music in all of it's Glory.... WCW III.

Bk"

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Brian L: North Barrington, Illinois

"Hey Steve,
Hooked up the 11A. WOW! Smoked the Herron VTSP-1A! Definitely nicer. Can't wait until it's fully burned in....

I am very happy!!!!!!!!

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http://www.sasaudiolabs.com/review3.htm

Thanks.
Steve
http://www.sasaudiolabs.com
(309) 263-0736 (1pm - 6pm cst)