Time almost stood still for this model; it was the very first model in the
series from Sonken Australia.
It had one very unique feature over other amplifiers at the time apart from
the very reasonable selling price and that was key control, so you could step
up and down the key of the song being played to suit your singing style and a
lot of singers gravitated to this model for this specific feature.
But it was limited to only two RCA Stereo Audio inputs for a Karaoke Machine
to be connected for the most part of entire existence, until the last version
was released, which was the Sonken SA-700RB the added B in the model number was
for a then ground breaking audio streaming technology called Bluetooth, and yes
that was a big deal back then, streaming audio from your phone was in the early
stages back then compared to today everything has Bluetooth almost by default.
Today I would call the SA-700 a classic model, in-fact I call it the legacy
model from where everything else in the Sonken range has grown from.
It still amazes me when customers call up asking about this model their
friend has which they are still happily using it today, we still get referrals
asking for this model.
With many customers coming back today having decided it’s time to upgrade to
the now Sonken SA-710 model given the SA-700RB was retired a few years back,
passing on the old working model to another family member to get them started
in the world of karaoke singing.
For Sonken it was just time for a change, almost forgotten about given its
success, why change something that’s doing so well, and of course Sonken had
released other models during this time, like the SA-720, short lived SA-730 and
the 2018 release of the SA-760 with pioneering 4.3" LCD Screen and HDMI
Input and Music and Vocal Record feature and its replacement the current model the SA-767 which took the brand up another level once again.
Plus, Sonken also launched a budget range of Karaoke Amplifiers (KA) which has
spanned 7 models now with the current incarnation the Limited Editon KA-13.
This series on its own was incredibly popular, feature packed and not only
priced well but performed just as good and two models even featured the vocal
and music recording feature back to USB which a feature which was generally
handled by an expensive external recorder.
But that brings us to the long, long awaited Sonken SA-710 model which was
released with little fan fair in mid-2019 we didn't even know it as coming, it
just arrived!
It's fair to say though that many people in upgrading have jumped the
replacement model altogether to take on something more adventurous like a
SA-720 or SA-760/767.
So, the sales of the SA-710 initially where slower than the previous model
it replaced as a result.
Many of the sales came from first time customers to Karaoke Mixing Amplifier
market who were opting for something which was a step-up from the entry level
KA series.
The SA-710 Karaoke Mixing Amplifier has been well received and the feedback
from our customers they are more than happy with the features and performance
it delivers. Sonken currently have 3 speaker options which suit the SA-710 the
CS-450, CS-600 and CS-612.
The first two have a 10" Woofer with the CS-612 which houses a 12"
Woofer, both the CS-600/612 models feature four 3" Tweeters and are
presented in a premium black timber case with rose gold trim with a black grill
and is capable of 350 Watts (RMS) power input.
With the slightly smaller CS-450 (pictured above) which is presented in an all-black finish producing
300 Watts (RMS) from its 10" Woofer with two 3" Woofers, and all
three options are very nice and capable speakers.
If you’re looking for a beautiful bass response even at low volumes, then spend a little more and pick either one of the premium speakers being the CS-600 or 612 there is a noticeable difference even between these two.
I have had the pleasure of having all models at my house for several months starting with the CS-450 to get a true user experience. It’s fair to say each on their own are great, but when you move from one model to the next model is when you truly notice and very quickly the difference between the CS-450 to the CS-600.
It’s like a totally different musical experience but it’s the same
amplifier (SA-710) but it’s a richer sound and the bass response it like WOW
and difference is there at low volume long before I start turning up the volume
and that’s when you start saying OH WOW.
Even in our showroom this is more than evident as we do a demonstration not
changing the volume or editing any of the EQ settings other than switching from
CS-450's to the CS-600's, and I must say customers are really enjoying the
sound of the CS-450's but that flick of the switch is more than noticeable when
they hear the difference and that gets them thinking really fast can we spend a
little extra.
And then the CS-612 comes along, this model is not always available and there was a gap of 6 months where you couldn't get them, and we only had the other two models.
It's slightly larger in its physical size and weight too but this speaker just lifts the experience to another level again and I can't stress enough it’s not just about volume, yes which is phenomenal but the sound it produces is WOW.
The bigger timber boxes give more bass depth and you can
feel it, literally with the air that comes pumping out the rear vents and if
you can place them against a wall with around 20cm gap in-between and you'll
notice an even different experience with the air pumping, its surreal and you
can do this with the CS-600's as well.
Really impressive, the clarity the highs and lows and yes, the deep bass it delivers is outstanding and I have seen other brands offering similar specification speakers for near $1500 more is a true testament to Sonken in continuing to offer outstanding performance at an more than reasonable price.
So then we come full circle back to the future with the SA-710 now with a 12 band graphic
equalizer so you can really fine tune the music highs and lows for each
speaker, where as previously you had only a 3 button low, mid and high volume
control, simple yes but compared with the SA-710 you can really hear the
difference and in my opinion is a welcomed change on this model.
You now have many different source inputs including the standard stereo rca
connections along with Optical Audio Input for your smart TV, that lets you
grab the audio from the TV and feed it through the SA-710 so you can sing-along
to whatever you are watching on the TV.
Sonken had a sub-woofer with those specifications, but I never recommended them for either the SA-710, SA-720 or SA-767 models especially if you had the premium Sonken speakers like the predecessor to that of the CS-612's the CS-800's or FSK-10's.
The sub-woofer was better suited with the
KA Series as then you could really appreciate the difference the sub made and it boosted the output provided by the CS-450 Speakers sold with the KA Series.
The SA-710 certainly looks different and that’s first major thing you seen
especially when looking back at the SA-700 it still has the Key Control feature
and the basic remote control, but to get down and dirty with all the settings
and adjustments you'll need to get up and off the couch and use your fingers to
fine tune the sound just the way you like it.
It may have been 15 years in the making and maybe the model number should
have been SA-715 but either way the SA-710 has delivered beautifully, building
on the legacy that the SA-700 spent years in cultivating.
Enjoy everything the SA-710 has to offer it's an instant classic in my book.
