Arcam SA45
The SA45 pairs authoritative drive with a spacious, refined presentation, delivering smooth treble, textured midrange detail, and a wide, deep soundstage. StereoNET United Kingdom and TED Publications also praise its Class G power, Dirac room correction, and richly connected all-in-one design, making it a serious, modern hub for demanding systems.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
92/100
Build Quality
89/100
Features Connectivity
95/100
Value for Money
88/100
Pros
Delivers strong, controlled dynamics with ample power for demanding loudspeakers.
Produces a spacious, wide, and deep soundstage with precise imaging and clear detail.
Offers a neutral, musical balance with smooth treble and textured midrange rather than a clinical sound.
Loads in premium connectivity and room correction, including streaming services, HDMI eARC, phono inputs, and Dirac Live.
Cons
Its premium price positions it well above entry-level all-in-one amplifiers.
Dirac Live setup may be cumbersome for some users because it requires a laptop and calibration process.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
Reviewers describe the SA45 as highly detailed yet easy to live with, with strong neutrality and very good musical flow. It combines clear retrieval of textures and a low-coloration presentation with a natural tonal balance, lively dynamics, and a wide, well-layered image that keeps vocal placement and instrumental detail easy to follow.
Transparency Resolution
93/100
Reviewers repeatedly praise the SA45 for detail and clarity, noting a sound that reveals textures in voices and acoustic instruments. It is described as highly transparent without becoming clinical, and one reviewer specifically highlighted how differences between headphones were clearly audible through it.
Tonal Balance Musicality
91/100
The tonal balance is described as beautiful, neutral, and not cold, with a presentation that lets music flow naturally. Reviewers also mention a slightly forward upper bass and midband that adds life, while treble stays smooth and controlled rather than harsh.
Dynamics
93/100
Dynamics are a clear strength, with comments about authority and finesse, crisp percussion strikes, and a bass presentation that is crisp and propulsive. Reviewers also note strong transient snap and a sense that it can surge on peaks while keeping composure.
Soundstage Imaging
92/100
The SA45 earns strong praise for a wide, deep, and well-layered stereo image. Reviewers mention well-defined details distributed through the soundstage, pinpoint center vocal placement, and an expansive presentation that extends well beyond the speaker boundaries.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
89/100
Reviewers describe a substantial, well-finished unit with a satin-black metal chassis, solid fascia, and a hefty 17 kg build. The comments point to a serious, confidence-inspiring piece of hardware, though the reviews focus more on the chassis and layout than on long-term durability details.
Features Connectivity
95/100
This is a very fully equipped integrated amp. Reviewers highlight HDMI eARC, multiple optical and coaxial inputs, XLR and RCA analog inputs, MM/MC phono, subwoofer outputs, USB storage playback, Ethernet/UPnP, streaming services, AirPlay, Google Cast, Roon Ready support, Bluetooth with modern codecs, and Dirac room correction, plus a remote and app control.
Value for Money
88/100
Reviewers treat the SA45 as expensive, but they also argue that it replaces a stack of separate components and competes well with systems that would cost more. The price is clearly premium, yet the all-in-one convenience and strong performance make it feel justified rather than indulgent.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
Forum Mentions
No forum mentions found yet
Specifications
- Specification
- • Services
- Specification
- • Works with (apps):
- Specification
- • ARCAM Radia
- Specification
- • Spotify (Connect)
- Specification
- • Tidal (Connect)
- Specification
- • Qobuz (Connect)
- Specification
- • Roon Ready
- Specification
- • Works with (services):
- Specification
- • Apple Airplay
- Specification
- • Google Cast
- Specification
- • ARCAM Radia supported services (Global):
- Specification
- • Internet Radio
- Specification
- • Podcasts
- Specification
- • UPnP
- Specification
- • USB Media (using USB-A mass storage input)
- Specification
- • Continuous power output (0.5% THD), per channel
- 2 channels driven, 20Hz—20k Hz, 8Ω
- • 180W
- 2 channels driven, 1k Hz, 4Ω
- • 300W
- Harmonic distortion, 80% power, 8Ω at 1k Hz
- • 0.002%
- Specification
- • Analogue Inputs
- Number of inputs
- • 3x RCA pairs + 1 XLR pair
- Phono Inputs
- • MM and MC
- Frequency response
- • 20Hz—20k Hz ± 0.2dB
- Signal/noise ratio (A-wtd, ref. 50W, 1V input)
- • 106dB
- Specification
- • Digital Inputs
- Supported Streaming media
- • FLAC, WAV (LPCM), AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DSD (up to 256), MP3, MP4, OGG, WMA
- Supported Streaming Bit depth
- • 16, 24, 32
- Supported Streaming sample rates (k Hz)
- • Up to 384 kHz
- Gapless Playback
- • Yes
- Digital Audio Inputs
- • 1x HDMI eARC, 2x Coaxial (RCA), 2x Optical (Toslink)
- Supported Digital input Bit depth
- • 16, 24
- Supported Digital input sample rates (k Hz)
- • Up to 192 kHz
- Frequency response (filter 1)
- • 20Hz—20k Hz ± 0.2dB
- Signal/noise ratio (A-wtd, ref. 50W, 0dBFS)
- • 110dB
- Specification
- • Wireless Specifications
- Specification
- • Bluetooth Profile 5.4; A2 DP Sink/ Source, AVRCP, BLE, Snapdragon Sound, AAC, LE Audio, Auracast
- Bluetooth Transmitter Frequency and Power
- • 2,400 MHz to 2,483.5 MHz: <20d Bm
- Wi- Fi Network
- • IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4 GHz/5 GHz)
- Specification
- • 2.4G Wi- Fi Transmitter Frequency Range and Power:
- 2400-2483.5 MHz (USA 11 Channels, Europe and Others 13 Channels)
- • <20d Bm
- Specification
- • 5G Wi- Fi Transmitter Frequency Range and Power:
- Specification
- • 5150-5250 MHz <23d Bm
- Specification
- • 5250-5350 MHz <20d Bm
- Specification
- • 5470-5725 MHz <20d Bm (Not used in China)
- Specification
- • 5725-5850 MHz <14d Bm for EU, <33d Bm for other regions.
- Specification
- • General
- Mains voltage
- • 100V or 110–120V or 220–240V, 50–60Hz
- Power consumption (maximum)
- • 1000W
- Power consumption (standby)
- • <0.5W
- Specification
- • Dimensions W x D (including speaker terminals) x H (including feet):
- Specification
- • 432 x 390 x 140mm
- Weight (net)
- • 17 kg
- Weight (packed)
- • 20 kg
- Specification
- • Supplied accessories:
- Specification
- • Mains lead(s)
- Specification
- • Remote control with 2 x AAA batteries
- Specification
- • Measurement Microphone
- Specification
- • 5m USB Cable
- Specification
- • Quick Start Guide
- Specification
- • Important Safety Instructions
Manufacturer's Description — Arcam
The ARCAM SA45 is the all-in-one streaming system for the dedicated music lover. It includes hard-won technologies for preserving the most delicate sounds and reproducing music with all its subtleties, nuances and excitement intact. Expertly designed in Cambridge UK, it is born of our best integrated amplifier, the ARCAM A49. With fully balanced digital and analogue audio paths, an all-new digital audio and streaming platform, new linear toroidal power supply design, new user interface and new app, the SA45 is a comprehensive powerhouse of music.
Exquisite sound quality has been achieved through thoughtful engineering of a new 6-layer digital audio and streaming platform which includes a ground plane through the entire board to keep noise and interference away from the sensitive audio components. These components include the latest Hyperstream iV DAC topology from ESS, in a balanced configuration with advanced Jitter elimination. Sound quality is enhanced further with a new linear toroidal transformer power supply design that drives the entirety of the internal operation with lower noise, and a switching supply that only operates for peak efficiency when in standby.
Building off decades of innovation, our 5th generation Class G amplifier design is meticulously crafted so you can expect the best sound quality and dynamics from what has always been a better sounding, and more efficient Class of amplifier. New components and materials have been painstakingly analysed and reviewed to ensure uncompromising sound performance.
Up front, the SA45 features a large, bonded 8.8" high-resolution display to show album artwork and metadata which is clearly legible from the comfort of your preferred armchair. For playback, an inclusive feature set supports most smart phones and tablets, as well as popular streaming services. Connecting the SA45 to your home network with Wi-Fi is quick and straightforward with our ARCAM Radia App. Once connected, enjoy instant playback using Apple Airplay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, and Roon (coming soon).
The ARCAM SA45 is the ultimate high resolution audio solution. With outputs for subwoofers, along with Dirac Live Room Correction, the SA45 has the flexibility to deliver exceptional sound, in any room, with your choice of speakers and subwoofers.
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- 110Hz — online and in-store — Kielce, Województwo świętokrzyskie, Poland (website)
- Accent On Music — in-store — Mount Kisco, New York, United States (website)
- Acoustic Technologies — online and in-store — Montréal, Québec, Canada (website)
- Acoustica — online and in-store — Chester, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Acton Gate Audio — online and in-store — Cymru, United Kingdom (website)
- Alen Audio — in-store — Extramurs, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
- Alpha Stereo — in-store — Plattsburgh, New York, United States (website)
- Ambiance Concert — in-store — Angers, Pays de la Loire, France (website)
- AMPL’HIFI — online and in-store — Nîmes, Occitanie, France (website)
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