Has your M500 updated the USB firmware to Ver1.08? If you keep the previous version, pop noise will appear when playing PCM 768kHz.Guys, I can't play 768hz file without pop sound ?
any idea ? I'm upsampling using HQplayer
Has your M500 updated the USB firmware to Ver1.08? If you keep the previous version, pop noise will appear when playing PCM 768kHz.Guys, I can't play 768hz file without pop sound ?
any idea ? I'm upsampling using HQplayer
I couldn't update it to 1.08 >> keep showing 1.05Has your M500 updated the USB firmware to Ver1.08? If you keep the previous version, pop noise will appear when playing PCM 768kHz.
Read the last 4 pages of commentsAny link to latest v2 I think ?
I screwed up and tried updating to 2.01 and now I am stuck at 1.5 as well. This is really unfortunate if I am really stuck at that version permanently . Please smsl fix this for us.Hi @SMSL-Mandy and @SMSL_Liu can we know why some of us can update to SW 1.8/2.01 while others are stuck at 1.5 like myself? Are you guys doing something to sort your SW issues or should people just start looking elsewhere for reliable products? Thanks
@Ilumo, the issue is not permanent. The root cause is a code bug in the field upgrade mechanism (DFU). The earlier boxes released by SMSL contain the buggy DFU tool.
This means that the FIRST image (factory supplied) offers the DEFAULT firmware (in your case v1.5) + the buggy DFU tool. This factory default firmware never gets erased and is the fall back image.
When an upgrade is performed with this buggy version of the DFU, the upgrade firmware (SECOND IMAGE) loads and runs fine.
When yet another upgrade is attempted, this SECOND IMAGE is corrupted (intentional) but the DFU tool recognizes the image to be valid so the SECOND IMAGE of memory is not erased. This partial state of the SECOND IMAGE fails as a bootable image so the bootloader mechanism resets to run the only known good image which is the FIRST IMAGE (ie. v1.5 in your case).
Physically, these images are being stored inside the 8 pin device which appears to be the left of the XMOS CPU. The public pictures are not clear for the part values on these chips.
As we know from this forum and receiving an alert on the XCORE (XMOS) user forum, you are required to return the unit back to the factory. They have not confirmed the actual procedure on their fix but very confident that:
a) the unit will be opened, the surface mount flash IC will be erased and reflashed with the latest firmware (2.01?) which ALSO contains yet a fixed up DFU tool - we have this confirmation from SMSL already that the reflashed image will no longer have this issue.
b) with this fixed DFU tool, you will be able to continue to upgrade your box in the field
The referenced document in my first post from XMOS notes this bug and resolution which requires the use of the latest DFU firmware libraries from XMOS and the developer is also to use a current compiler version to generate this firmware.
Not sure but suspecting that the fees to send to / from SMSL Shenzhen is borne by the customer.
Does SMSL have a USA agent who can perform these (rather logical) upgrades?
The hardware method of fix is a very straight forward process. However this fix does involve some external tools.
We are still reviewing a possible s/w fix. As the details of this approach is not documented, it is consuming some time (and braincells). Still holding hope for this solution via s/w.
We did contact SMSL last weekend on Saturday. They did reply to us (director of Engineering included) on Monday and promised a follow up to numerous questions. Still waiting on this followup.
At the very least asking for a proper document on how to open this box properly.
Other are very hardware specific questions.
Only SMSL can supply details on which firmware and/or serial # of the M500 boxes are impacted by this firmware bug.
As we are not affiliated with SMSL, this research is also ne
Will write back once more is known.
Your unit seems fully updated with the latest everything from what I can tell. Nothing to update.So what is the latest update? Any word from smsl?
There are the details on my M500:
View attachment 66685View attachment 66686View attachment 66687
I have not tried updating the fw yet. Is correct to stay with fw where Im at for now until SMSL responds?
Also, anyone know what the warranty id on this dac/amp. Im at the point of returning this and purchasing something from another vendor that has better support and maybe a warranty department based in the US. Maybe spend a few hundred $$$ more and get a better device/support.
Also, seems like these dac/amps don't have any serial numbers?! At least none that I could see on the case or box. So how do they handle warranty claims?
Thanks for the feedback @XeNoNF50
For now, I will leave my unit alone and not try to update it until SMSL responds somewhere with some clear answers.
Cause right now there are few numbers that smsl needs to explain to the end user,
Screen above:
SW: 1.6
HW: 1.3
XMOS USBAudio Driver v4.67.0
FW 2.01 as reported by the driver/DFU Tool
Don’t get confused:
These „FW-Update“ (1.06, 1.07, 1.08, 2.01) are about the USB-Interface. It’s the firmware of the Xmos Chip who is responsible for the USB-Interface/Communication. (This is also the Version you see in the update tool or in the xmos-driver-control panel on your pc)
The Version Info displayed on the device do not show the USB-Interface Version.. it shows the Firmware Version of the “stuff” behind the USB-Xmos chip.
SW: 1.6 -> Software Version of the device/ the "stuff behind" the usb interface (the published firmware updates are not about this and will not change it)
HW: 1.3 -> Hardware Version/ Revision of the circuit board
XMOS USBAudio Driver v4.67.0 -> The Windows Driver to communicate over usb with the Xmos chip in the M500 (developed by an other company "thesycon")
FW 2.01 as reported by the driver/DFU Tool -> The Firmware Version of the Xmos in the M500
So your device seem to be the latest posible on the market and have all the latest versions in it.
Don't run this messed up updates for now (see also the very informative posts from @mon2)
Hi to everyone, I hope I'm not asking a stupid question, but could I connect a raspberry volumio to m500 by usb?
Thanks
SMSL tells me to update the firmware, but I checked their site and I don't see any firmware available. How do I get the firmware from them?
Strange that this was told to you. The firmware was withdrawn for months.
Just read the last 4-5 pages of this and https://www.audiosciencereview.com/.../smsl-m500-dac-and-hp-amp-review.9606/page-64 forum-threads.
There is probably a 50:50 chance that your M500 will fall back/ stuck on old firmware.
So updating is currently not recommended.
HW 1.2 and SW 1.4 sound like the first batch of the m500. Probably you see a date of 2019 on the info display?
As far as we know since then are 2 new revisions seen on the market (but there are no official info):
HW 1.2/ SW 1.5/ 2019-10-9
HW 1.3/SW 1.6/ 2020-3-2
So if returning is simple, maybe you can give it a try, becaus it sound like you get an old stock.