Arcam SA20 vs Arcam SA30 Detailed Comparison

Arcam SA20 vs Arcam SA30

Amp to replace

Change

Arcam SA20

Integrated Amplifier | 90 watts RMS into 8-ohms

CHECK PRICE

Change

Arcam SA30

Integrated Amplifier | 130 watts RMS into 8-ohms

CHECK PRICE

Arcam SA20

See at AMAZON

Arcam SA30

See at AMAZON

Arcam SA20

See at AMAZON

Arcam SA30

See at AMAZON

Arcam SA20 vs Arcam SA30 Integrated Amplifier Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Arcam. Arcam SA20 is a Integrated Amplifier with built-in DAC speaker whereas the SA30 is a Streaming Integrated Amplifier speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Arcam SA20 and Arcam SA30 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Arcam SA20 Key Specs

90 watts RMS into 8-ohms

Built-in DAC

Phono Input

Weight: 20.20 lbs / 9.18 kg

Dimensions (H x W x D):3-7/16inch x 17-1/16inch x 14-5/16inch

Arcam SA30 Key Specs

130 watts RMS into 8-ohms

Built-in DAC

Phono Input

USB Input

HDMI Input (eARC)

Built-in Room Correction

Weight: 26.40 lbs / 12.00 kg

Dimensions (H x W x D):3-15/16inch x 17-1/16inch x 14-13/16inch

What size room are the Arcam SA20 and Arcam SA30 Amplifiers good for?

The size of the room in which you are planning to use these amplifiers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their max power parameters:

Listening Environment	Arcam SA20	Arcam SA30
Near-field	Poor	Poor
Small Room	Average	Poor
Mid-size Room	Good	Good
Large Room	Average	Good
Very Large Room	Poor	Average

SA20 and SA30 are members of Arcam's SA series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Arcam SA Series History

Model	Watts RMS (8-ohms)	Minimum Impedance	Built-in DAC
Arcam SA30	130 watts	4-ohms	Yes
Arcam SA10	50 watts	4-ohms	Yes
Arcam SA20	90 watts	4-ohms	Yes

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to understand how Arcam SA20 and Arcam SA30 compares and end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these amplifiers is the better choice for you.

**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Arcam SA20 over Arcam SA30

MSRP Price(*)	1,249USD vs 2,699USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
Base Surface Area	1579.8cm²/ 244.9inch² vs 1636.2cm²/ 253.6inch²	takes less space in your room
Height	88mm vs 101mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces

Reasons to choose Arcam SA30 over Arcam SA20

Built-in Room Correction	Yes vs No	Adjusts audio output to compensate for acoustic anomalies in a listening space
Watts into 8-ohms	130 watts vs 90 watts	Delivers higher power into 8-ohms speakers
Watts into 4-ohms	200 watts vs 150 watts	Delivers higher power into 4-ohms speakers
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)	0.002% vs 0.5%	Less Harmonic Distortion
Signal to Noise Ratio	112 dB vs 106 dB	Higher ratings results in cleaner sound
Wi-Fi	Yes vs No	High quality streaming over WiFi
Optical Digital Inputs	2 vs 1	More options for connecting Digital sources
USB Input	Yes vs No	Connect Sources via USB
Apple AirPlay	Yes vs No	Compatible with Apple Devices with AirPlay
Apple AirPlay 2	Yes vs No	Compatible with Apple Devices with AirPlay 2
Built-in Chromecast	Yes vs No	Compatible with Chromecast Streaming
Roon	Ready vs No	Roon Compatibility
Built-in Chromecast	Yes vs No	Compatible with Chromecast Streaming

Inputs and Outputs

The input and output selections that are offered is an important factor when comparing two amplifiers. Here you can find how the I/O selections of the Arcam SA20 and Arcam SA30 differs from each other.

Arcam SA20 Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 4
Phono Input
1 Optical Digital Input
2 Coaxial Digital Input

Arcam SA30 Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 4
Phono Input
2 Optical Digital Input
2 Coaxial Digital Input
USB Input:
HDMI eARC
Ethernet Port

Arcam SA20 Back View (Click the image for the larger version)

Outputs

Stereo RCA Preamp Outputs
3.5mm Headphone Output

Outputs

Stereo RCA Preamp Outputs
3.5mm Headphone Output

Arcam SA30 Back View (Click the image for the larger version)

What's in the Box of Arcam SA20?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of SA20:

Integrated Amplifier

6.5-feet AC power cord

Remote control

2 AAA batteries

Handbook Manual

Thank you Letter

What's in the Box of Arcam SA30?

Here are the items that come with the SA30:

Integrated Amplifier

6.5-feet AC power cord

Remote control

2 AAA batteries

2 WiFi antennas

Setup microphone

6.5-feet miniUSB-to-USB cable

Handbook Manual

Thank you Letter