A little bit of audio history::
In the second half of the 60s, the German audio market was very developed and competitive.
Three large, well-established companies were active on this market: Grundig, Telefunken and Saba. Other important audio brands were: ITT, Kirksaeter, Korting, Loewe, Metz, Nordmende, Siemens. There were some companies focused on certain audio products such as: Dual, Perpetuum Ebner and Elac for turntables, Heco, Wigo and Isophon for loudspeakers and speakers, Uher for tape recorders, Sennheiser for headphones and microphones. There were also companies that targeted the consumers with a lot of money or the more demanding ones, like: Braun, Wega, Klein und Hummel.
In the mid-60s, the Hi-Fi audio market niche began to gain momentum in West Germany. Although at that time Saba was one of the most successful German audio companies, it did not manufacture products dedicated to the Hi-Fi area. When trying to enter this market, in 1966, Saba decided to rebrand products of other companies, more specialized and experienced. Thus, for turntables, Saba chose Dual, the leader in this segment. For speakers, amplifiers and tuners, Saba used the Telewatt series, manufactured by Klein und Hummel. Klein und Hummel were leaders in the professional audio studio market, but they were also active in the consumer market with products intended especially for the Hi-Fi area. The Saba – Klein und Hummel collaboration was short-lived, ending a year later in 1967.
The speaker series manufactured by Klein und Hummel for Saba included: Telewatt TL 3, TL 4, TL 10, TX 4. In parallel with the marketing of the Telewatt series, Saba developed and manufactured its own line of speakers: Saba I, Saba II and II A, Saba III and III A, Saba IV A, Saba V. Because they appeared in the same catalogs, confusion is sometimes created between the two product lines. But they were different. The Telewatt series was designed and manufactured by Klein und Hummel and was aimed especially at the Hi-Fi area. The Saba I, II (A), III (A), IV A, V series were designed and manufactured by Saba and aimed mostly at the average consumer.
Technical data Saba III A:
– Made in West Germany, 1967-1969. Price: 398 DM
– Dimensions: 355 x 640 x 280 mm. Volume: 50 liters. Weight: 15Kg
– 3 ways, 3 speakers. Speaker drivers dimensions: bass = 30cm, midrange = 15x22cm, tweeter = 11cm
– Nominal power: 35W, 4 Ω
– 30 Hz – 20,000 Hz, DIN 45500. Crossover cutoff: 210 Hz and 7,500 Hz
About the sound
The Saba III A speakers can seduce with their sound, but for that you need to pay attention to the matching with the other components of the audio system.
The Saba III A’s have a pleasant, natural timbre, and this shows very well in reproduction of vocals and acoustic instruments. The midrange is rich, fleshy and well textured.
The highs are a bit withdrawn, they don’t go very high in the frequency range and they don’t offer that hyper resolution that some audiophiles are looking for. Otherwise, they are well integrated into the overall sound and not tiring at all.
The bass is big, full, round, has weight and consistency, but also a wide range of expression and nuances. It’s just a little diffuse, a little inaccurate, not very focused, not very well controlled.
Because of the relatively large bass driver (30 cm) and because the midrange driver is basically a broadband speaker, a kind of hump is created in the area of the upper bass and the lower mids, a euphony, an overlap, as if the part of the frequency spectrum located between bass and mids is covered by both drivers. Probably crossovers and enclosure size matter also. However, the way the amplifier resolves this euphony is essential to the sound of the system in which we put the Saba III A speakers. If the amplifier brings out this hump, the speakers tend to grumble, confusingly crowding that area of frequencies and even distort.
Matching the Saba III A speakers to the amplifier is also important for the low frequency area. This matching can make the difference between a full-bodied, consistent sound and one that is too dark, insufficiently articulated or even boomy. We can reduce the negative effects if we put the speakers on some short stands, 30-50 cm above the floor.
I think that the matching of the Saba III A speakers with the amplifier was not well done according to whether the amplifier was darker or brighter, nor according to the linearity of the amplifier, but according to the tonal balance.
Here are the amps that did NOT match very well with the Saba III A speakers, no matter what audio sources I used:
– Akai AM-2400 tends to push the Saba speakers towards distortion in the lower mids area. Plus a little rumble on the bass. The overall sound is too dark, slightly mumbled, not articulated enough, not fast enough, confused. Some audio sources emphasized these tendencies, others mitigated them, but neither audio system variant really satisfied me.
– Philips 22RH521 – in general, the above observations remain valid here as well. Like the Akai AM-2400, the Philips 22RH521 amplifier doesn’t give the Saba speakers enough control in the low frequencies, nor enough clarity and clarity in the mids.
The first step towards a good sound was made using the Dual CV 120 amplifier. In this company, the sound of the Saba III A speakers opened up, regained its breath and air, gained in dynamics. With the Dual CV 120, the Saba III A’s have proven they can have resolution and balance. Most importantly, in this combination, there is pleasure in sound. I was, for the first time, satisfied with the sound of these speakers.
But the surprise came when I paired the Saba III A with two less common amplifiers: the Fona/Eltra 1024, a low-power Danish tube amplifier made in 1967, and the build in amplification of the Philips N4450 reel to reel tape recorder.
Here’s what I noted while listening to the system consisting of the Fona/Eltra 1024 amplifier, the Saba III A speakers and the Yamaha KX-393 cass deck:
”Great sound! Very warm, very pleasant and very easy to like.
Not necessarily correct, neutral or very linear, but seductive from the first seconds! You never get tired of listening and you don’t want anything more or less.
Very natural and warm on human voices.
The sound is alive, it’s engaging, it draws you in instantly, but it doesn’t assault you, it doesn’t tire you – it envelops you, it enchants you.
The sound is clean, it’s transparent, it’s airy, it’s open.
Very good rhythm, the drums are clear, distinct and nuanced. There is no lack of attack, speed or dynamics.
The bass is big, round, full, free of distortion, nuanced and beautiful.
Excellent sound at low and medium volume. A sound that totally satisfies you and has the most important of qualities: it gets out of the way of the music and makes you forget about it. You feel like there’s no turning back from the sound of tubes!”
Unfortunately, in the combination of Eltra 1024 receiver and Saba III A speakers, the sound does not remain the same after I change the audio source. None of the cd-players I tried, nor the Wega 3420 turntable, sounded as good. The sound was decent, but poorer, less textured, less harmonically rich, less dynamic, with less air and less force. The spell was gone. Only the built-in tuner of the Fona/Eltra 1024 receiver restored the magic.
With the Philips N4450 reel to reel tape recorder as an amplifier I was once again delighted with the sound of the Saba III A speakers. This time there were several audio sources that sounded good in this system: the Yamaha KX-393 cass deck, the Wega 3420 turntable and the Dual CT 18 tuner. While listening to these combinations, I noted:
“Full, consistent, balanced, homogeneous, organic, vivid, beautiful, seductive. The sound that urges you to put on another album. It’s not an analytical sound, it’s not made to hear everything on a record, it’s forgiving, a sound made to tame even less successful records, a sound that’s easy to enjoy.“
How the Saba III A compares to other speakers?
Saba III A vs Dual CL 18
The sound of the Saba III A is much closer to being complete, it is fuller, richer, more consistent, more resolved and better nuanced. Dual CL 18 sounds like they are missing something and their biggest problem is where it matters most, on midrange: withdrawn and with not enough resolution. There’s no going back to the Dual CL 18 after listening to the Saba III A.
Saba III A vs Rosita/Summit Box 270/1
It’s easier to match Box 270/1 with the other components of the audio system. The Box 270/1 sounds better in the company of the Akai AM-2400 or Philips 22RH521 amplifiers. In this company, the Box 270/1 sounded more open, transparent, cleaner, airier, more dynamic, more balanced and better articulated than the Saba speakers.
But if we put the Saba III A speakers in an audio system matched for them, they will prove a superior sound to the Box 270/1: fuller, richer, bigger, more consistent, less congested.
Both pairs of speakers have a good timbre.
In the end, my preference for the Box 270/1 or Saba III A comes down to the rest of the audio system.
Saba III A vs Klein und Hummel SL 35:
In terms of refinement, resolution, linearity, balance, clarity and transparency, the Klein un Hummel SL 35 proved superior to the Saba speakers.
Saba III A are speakers that can enchant, but it is harder to say about them that they produce a Hi-Fi sound. The Klein und Hummel SL 35 can do both.
Conclusions:
Saba III A are not necessarily Hi-Fi speakers. However, their sound can bring delight, if they are well matched with the rest of the audio chain. I wouldn’t recommend Saba III A for beginners, but rather for those who have a little more experience with matching audio components. Once well matched, their sound is easy to like and you don’t need golden ears to appreciate it.
Audio equipment used for auditions and comparisons:
Speakers: Saba III A, Klein und Hummel SL 35, Dual CL 18, Box 270/1
Amplifiers: Akai AM-2400, Philips 22RH521, Dual CV 120, Braun CSV 500, Eltra/Fona 1024, Philips N4450.
CD Players: Grundig CD 7550, Sony CDP-X333ES, Philips CD 723, Philips CD 460 (lamped)
Cassette deck: Yamaha KX-393
Pick-up: Wega 3420 (Dual 1219), Shure DM103 M-E box
Tuner: Dual CT 18
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