SMSL D400 Pro Balanced DAC Review

[GXAlan]

I really like the look of this but agree, you need something special to get someone to upgrade from even the Topping D50S.

That said, from the pure enjoyment of measurements, do you have the SMSL VMV D2R which is the upgraded version of the Rohm DAC based D300?

Or the Topping D70 Pro OCTO which has worse THD than the ESS, but has 8 Cirrus Logic DACs to lower noise and improve crosstalk in XLR mode?

 

[NoMoFoNo]

The more DACs I see, especially the never ending flood from SMSL and Topping, the LESS I care about DACs. Also, the SMSLs and Toppings of the world trying to claw their way into the oily, fart-sniffing world of 'high-end' can never work for them. Their genius is selling excellence for less, not audio jewelry for more.

 

[Scytales]

This is the only product in SMSL's line up that generates some sort of excitement so far. Too bad no SACD support, otherwise, I would have already submitted an order.

And, as far as I am concerned, I'd rather trade the 2 XLR outputs for 4 more RCA outputs with the necessary inside circuitry to get a 6 channels CD/SA-CD player/DAC.

 

[CleanSound]

And, as far as I am concerned, I'd rather trade the 2 XLR outputs for 4 more RCA outputs with the necessary inside circuitry to get a 6 channels CD/SA-CD player/DAC.

That would require a multichannel DAC, the PL200 uses a stereo channel DAC. And are there even multi-channel CDs? I know there are SACDs capable of 5.1, but to play SACD, it requires a different optical lens and drive unit. So it will all add up in cost.

But I'm with you.

 

[oceansize]

That would require a multichannel DAC, the PL200 uses a stereo channel DAC. And are there even multi-channel CDs? I know there are SACDs capable of 5.1, but to play SACD, it requires a different optical lens and drive unit. So it will all add up in cost.

But I'm with you.

DTS-CD

Info

Discs

 

[Scytales]

That would require a multichannel DAC, the PL200 uses a stereo channel DAC. And are there even multi-channel CDs? I know there are SACDs capable of 5.1, but to play SACD, it requires a different optical lens and drive unit. So it will all add up in cost.

But I'm with you.

Well, a fair amount of multichannel DTS coded CDs have been published. So it wouldn't hurt to have a DTS decoder either.

For DTS-CD discography, see also : http://www.surrounddiscography.com/dts/dtsdisc.htm

Maybe someone will, one future day, design an audio-only SoC (System on Chip) with everything needed for music and Hi-Fi enthousiasts which have embraced multichannel music - a chip who can demodulate and decode digital signals from CD-A/DTS CD/SA-CD/DVD-A and the audio files from DVD-V (for the few music-only releases on that format) and BR-D (for Blue-Ray audio discs). That way, with a proper optical pick-up and sufficient array of digital inputs, we can finally get a dream universal multichannel audio source.

 

[oscar_dziki]

That CD player was cool. I still like to play CD:s and kind of collect them. Just wished it did not had that scalloped extravaganza in the front.

I think it looks cool, although for some pervasive reason, I like cd players, that let you watch the spinning disk.

 

[oscar_dziki]

DTS-CD

Info

Discs

now this looks stupid

 

[oscar_dziki]

600 for a stand alone DAC, no streaming, no DSP, no headphone amplifier, the same remote again and again...

I think that they create those bad-value products to make other products look attractive

 

[Scytales]

now this looks stupid

View attachment 323033

It indeed is (except if that set-up was wished by the artists).

But there are also numerous DTS coded CD which contain pure discrete multichannel audio. For instance the BNL, Passavant and Syrius releases with 5 front channels recordings (1 microphone for each full-range front speaker set 30° appart from the center channel).

And also quadrophonic sound records were 2 side channels were discretely recorded to enhance immersion. Some quadro-records were made with 3 front channels and a rear channel.

 

[CleanSound]

DTS-CD

Info

Discs

Well, a fair amount of multichannel DTS coded CDs have been published. So it wouldn't hurt to have a DTS decoder either.

For DTS-CD discography, see also : http://www.surrounddiscography.com/dts/dtsdisc.htm

Maybe someone will, one future day, design an audio-only SoC (System on Chip) with everything needed for music and Hi-Fi enthousiasts which have embraced multichannel music - a chip who can demodulate and decode digital signals from CD-A/DTS CD/SA-CD/DVD-A and the audio files from DVD-V (for the few music-only releases on that format) and BR-D (for Blue-Ray audio discs). That way, with a proper optical pick-up and sufficient array of digital inputs, we can finally get a dream universal multichannel audio source.

You know what my beef is with SACD and multi-channel audio? The content are usually remastered form old analog, stereo tapes or 16bit/44 digital stereo recordings so it doesn't have the full potential of hi res audio. Not a lot of new recordings are done in native DSD or multi-channel.

And multi-channel standards changes every 4 to 7 years making it hard for studios to invest in multi-channel recording and continue to be relevant.

 

[Scytales]

Yes, but there are studios and sound engineers who (rightfully) persist, for multichannel audio is the single most important improvement in stereo since 2 channels stereo were first released for the public.

The paramount importance of multichannel for stereophonic audio reproduction, especially for naturally performed music (musicians who play together in an acoustic venue and are recorded there) is known since the 1930s' at least. And that fact has been confirmed countless time since.

You will perhaps been interested to know that M. Carel Dijkmans (one of the most renown Philips engineers and one of the fathers of both bitstream DAC and DSD) once wrote on Linkedin : "SACD stands for increased bandwidth, superior impulse response, and getting to natural sound as close as possible, this also could not be achieved without multichannel recordings".

 

[MacClintock]

Finally a transparent measuring DAC from SMSL.

 

[Hart]

Arcam went to large displays on their receivers. I have good vision but I cannot see most equipment displays from my couch. I wish everyone would switch to large easy to read displays. Design does matter, this piece looks great.

 

[IAtaman]

Why in the world have they fragmented their product line so much? Not only does this cause consumer confusion, it also must be very expensive for SMSL to maintain different production and supply chains for so many products.

My theory is that they find it cheaper and easier to launch a new product for every possible combination of features and price points than to conduct consumer research in markets far far away and figure out what people want.

 

[TonyJZX]

i reckon they sell so many of these in china they dont care what happens outside of their borders

they got this down to a fine art

they will crank out XX,XXX units then move on

 

[xaviescacs]

I think that they create those bad-value products to make other products look attractive

Well.. I own a C200, which is a balanced DAC, much more compact, fully transparent, with the same remote... the only downside is the display and interface, which is awful, but for 400 less and a reasonably powerful headphone amplifier more I can live with it

 

[xaviescacs]

My theory is that they find it cheaper and easier to launch a new product for every possible combination of features and price points than to conduct consumer research in markets far far away and figure out what people want.

That makes a lot o sense. Design and customer research is very expensive and time consuming.

 

[KiyPhi]

My theory is that they find it cheaper and easier to launch a new product for every possible combination of features and price points than to conduct consumer research in markets far far away and figure out what people want.

Still waiting for PEQ. Maybe one of these days I'll have a reason to sell my RME.

 

[MCH]

My theory, based only on intuition and with honest respect and admiration, is "because they can":
Easy, fast access to cheap PCB and custom enclosure prototyping and production.
Snap a chip in a PCB with the built in features exclusively approach + achieve good performance that they already master + program a microcontroller that they can do with their eyes closed, and call it a day.