• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

2019 CES Asia ---SMSL will bring new product there

Tks

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Messages
3,221
Likes
5,494
I just found out about the M400 last night on facebook. My topping d90 arrives tomorrow. I'll need to see some independent measurements first before I decide if I'm gonna try the M400 too. I'd like to see a sharper filter than the d90 has!!!
Filters seem to be usually tied to the DAC chip provided. So unless AKM screwed up big time by not provding a proper sharp filter like they had in their prior chips, it should have a sharper filter. But who knows, until we test it.
 

atomicminded

Member
Joined
May 3, 2020
Messages
48
Likes
38
Filters seem to be usually tied to the DAC chip provided. So unless AKM screwed up big time by not provding a proper sharp filter like they had in their prior chips, it should have a sharper filter. But who knows, until we test it.

I already have my D90 and have been listening it for 2 days straight. I can tell you, the lack of a super super sharp roll off filter has no audible artifacts. This device is literally almost fully transparent. And yes, you are right. The filters are built into the 4499 chip.
 

Tks

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Messages
3,221
Likes
5,494
I already have my D90 and have been listening it for 2 days straight. I can tell you, the lack of a super super sharp roll off filter has no audible artifacts. This device is literally almost fully transparent. And yes, you are right. The filters are built into the 4499 chip.

Ain't gotta tell me. I can't hear the difference between any of them aside from the NOS (has some wierd warble ringing effect or something with certain tracks I've run into). Reason I like a super sharp filter, is it should in theory get rid of any uneeded ultrasonics that bothers some equipment I've been told. From a sound perspective, no difference as with your sentiments.
 

atomicminded

Member
Joined
May 3, 2020
Messages
48
Likes
38
Ain't gotta tell me. I can't hear the difference between any of them aside from the NOS (has some wierd warble ringing effect or something with certain tracks I've run into). Reason I like a super sharp filter, is it should in theory get rid of any uneeded ultrasonics that bothers some equipment I've been told. From a sound perspective, no difference as with your sentiments.

Ultrasonics, yeah, generally they get ignored because "we can't hear them." Well, maybe I can't hear them, but are my headphones actually still transducing that into energy radiating into the air??? There could be additional intermodulation in the headphones themselves from the ultrasonic frequencies (this is a massively long stretch here), BUT this is just one of the many exotic ways that "ignored ultrasonic" noise could negatively affect the final sound at the headphone or speaker.
 

Xombul

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Messages
123
Likes
128
Location
France
Maybe what you are calling ultrasonic ringings is just due to electromagnetic interference. I had this kind of issue with a (low cost) table top fridge. AC is also an usual suspect...
 

atomicminded

Member
Joined
May 3, 2020
Messages
48
Likes
38
Maybe what you are calling ultrasonic ringings is just due to electromagnetic interference. I had this kind of issue with a (low cost) table top fridge. AC is also an usual suspect...

No, we're talking about the output antialiasing filters in the d90 dac, and the akm4499 chipset. The output filters are not as sharp "as they could be." Because of this, extra ultrasonic aliasing noise/distortion/"spurious tones" may be present at the dac output.
 

CivilWizard

Member
Joined
May 17, 2020
Messages
8
Likes
9
Actually, I was able to get it working!
Do you mean Apple TV is controlling the output level of Toslink digital or that the ATV remote is actually changing DAC volume? If the latter I am very interested in finding a teachable remote to control this M200.
 

LDKTA

Active Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2019
Messages
181
Likes
230
Do you mean Apple TV is controlling the output level of Toslink digital or that the ATV remote is actually changing DAC volume? If the latter I am very interested in finding a teachable remote to control this M200.

My ATV4K remote is being used as volume control. Though, I am only using the TOSLINK in... Yes, it is actually changing the DAC volume.
 

MalinYamato

Senior Member
Joined
May 3, 2020
Messages
420
Likes
218
Location
東京都世田谷区
Sp400 will be resealed in June. Suit with the M400. And M400 is a pure DAC.
sp400 or sp500? Are they two separate amps or has SMSL changed name sp500 to sp400? I see no THX logo on the very few pictures of those I see on the net and moreover Toppings does not seam to enter the THX highway. How should we interpret this? Has the AAA hype cooled down? Is there something in AAA tech that does not quite perform well enough or removes too much of the fun factor to be implemented in flagship amps and future mid-range amps?
 

Koeitje

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 10, 2019
Messages
2,292
Likes
3,880
Ultrasonics, yeah, generally they get ignored because "we can't hear them." Well, maybe I can't hear them, but are my headphones actually still transducing that into energy radiating into the air??? There could be additional intermodulation in the headphones themselves from the ultrasonic frequencies (this is a massively long stretch here), BUT this is just one of the many exotic ways that "ignored ultrasonic" noise could negatively affect the final sound at the headphone or speaker.
Depends on the frequency response, output/sensitivity and how strong the harmonics are as a result. But in theory it could have an effect.
 

MalinYamato

Senior Member
Joined
May 3, 2020
Messages
420
Likes
218
Location
東京都世田谷区
SMSL hardly responds and my confidence in SMSL is gradually declining.
 
OP
SMSL-Mandy

SMSL-Mandy

Senior Member
Audio Company
Joined
Aug 31, 2018
Messages
304
Likes
688
sp400 or sp500? Are they two separate amps or has SMSL changed name sp500 to sp400? I see no THX logo on the very few pictures of those I see on the net and moreover Toppings does not seam to enter the THX highway. How should we interpret this? Has the AAA hype cooled down? Is there something in AAA tech that does not quite perform well enough or removes too much of the fun factor to be implemented in flagship amps and future mid-range amps?

Sp400 will be released next month, as I have declared. That is a full balanced THX AAA 888 amplifier. It has a high parameter index.

Has never mentioned sp500 before.
 

maxxevv

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 12, 2018
Messages
1,872
Likes
1,964
Any news on the long awaited SU-9 and even earlier DP-5 ?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sak

Sak

Active Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2019
Messages
122
Likes
138
Location
Japan
Su9 is a very mysterious mythical device:D
Announced a long time ago, but there are no references and news from SMSL.
Only when several questions asked directly in a row, and even then they answer with great reluctance.
 

MalinYamato

Senior Member
Joined
May 3, 2020
Messages
420
Likes
218
Location
東京都世田谷区
Sp400 will be released next month, as I have declared. That is a full balanced THX AAA 888 amplifier. It has a high parameter index.

Has never mentioned sp500 before.
sp500,,,.Is this a new model and does it implement AAA?
sp500.jpg
 

youkeum

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2020
Messages
11
Likes
4
6FA8575B-CE3B-42E7-B586-298335919AB8.jpeg


it arrived. looks pretty. nice green logo on top. I heard the sp400 is coming soon, maybe next month? but I can’t find any picture of it. does anyone knows?
 

1000ROUNDZ

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2020
Messages
21
Likes
27
View attachment 65678

it arrived. looks pretty. nice green logo on top. I heard the sp400 is coming soon, maybe next month? but I can’t find any picture of it. does anyone knows?
Could you stack the SP200 on top of it and show us how it stacks up? The M400 seems very deep and the SP200 would look ridiculous on top of it. How's the pairing with the SP200 by the way?
 
Top Bottom