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SMSL SU-8s Review (Balanced Stereo DAC)

raif71

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Many thanks, @amirm!

One question, tho: the SU-9 was able to deliver 5.3Vrms output at max volume (and max SINAD), making it an ideal choice as a capable preamp.

What about this one?

Edit: my bad, it says 4.05V measured at "full volume".:facepalm: So, this is basically a cheaper SU-9 with less output voltage. The ESS Hump is also fairly contained and not that big of a deal...
The su-9 uses a ess9038pro chip while the su-8s is using the ess9068as chip. :)
 

PeteL

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The only way I know of to control the ESS hump completely is to raise the noise floor so the distortion is submerged with noise.

So yeah, in the era of SINAD and ASR, engineers would rather have a higher ranking device than a more linear behaving device.

I mean don't get me wrong, it's not Amir's fault in anyway, and he is already providing above and beyond most people in the industry, but it is what it is.
I don't think it's the only way, but assuming your statement was true, and that the hump was there but just buried in noise, how does that make a more linearly behaving device?
 

abdo123

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I don't think it's the only way, but assuming your statement was true, and that the hump was there but just buried in noise, how does that make a more linearly behaving device?

Distortion should rise linearly as the output signal increases, we shouldn't have non-linear levels of distortion in the form of an 'ESS hump'

raising the noise won't make the distortion build-up magically more linear but it would make it so that there is no way in hell we could hear it.

The RMS value of most movies and series is around -28 to -30 dBFS, with this DAC that's where you get the highest amount of distortion.
 

Transmaniacon

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Is this now the cheapest good DAC that has an internal power supply?
 

Tatteredmidnight

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Is this now the cheapest good DAC that has an internal power supply?
The Topping EX5 is roughly the same price and has a very good headphone amp in the same box.

The Loxjie D30 V2 is cheaper

Cheaper, but not balanced, it’s nice to have options :). The Joxjie offerings seem be in scarcer supply in the US as well, frequently making them difficult to find for sale.
 

ririt

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See below some infos from the Su-8s manual:
There are 9 sound color settings in SU-8s: Rich1、 Rich2、 Rich3 Tube1、 Tube2、 Tube3 Crystal1、 Crystal2、 Crystal3
This setting is using the DSP of ES9068AS,to make some different sound color, all of these settings will not change the frequency response curve.When set to "Standard", this setting will be bypassed.
Can anyone explain to me what the DSP is supposed to do since it is not supposed to change the frequency response curve?
 

Veri

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See below some infos from the Su-8s manual:
There are 9 sound color settings in SU-8s: Rich1、 Rich2、 Rich3 Tube1、 Tube2、 Tube3 Crystal1、 Crystal2、 Crystal3
This setting is using the DSP of ES9068AS,to make some different sound color, all of these settings will not change the frequency response curve.When set to "Standard", this setting will be bypassed.
Can anyone explain to me what the DSP is supposed to do since it is not supposed to change the frequency response curve?
It uses the ESS harmonic distortion correction supported by these chips.
 

Vini darko

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See below some infos from the Su-8s manual:
There are 9 sound color settings in SU-8s: Rich1、 Rich2、 Rich3 Tube1、 Tube2、 Tube3 Crystal1、 Crystal2、 Crystal3
This setting is using the DSP of ES9068AS,to make some different sound color, all of these settings will not change the frequency response curve.When set to "Standard", this setting will be bypassed.
Can anyone explain to me what the DSP is supposed to do since it is not supposed to change the frequency response curve?
It's a distortion emulator.
Here's Amir's measurments from another smsl thread.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...and-measurements-of-smsl-su-8-dac.3778/page-6
 

eboleyn

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...
2. The main competitor is Topping D30Pro - hope there will be a price squeeze here but hard to beat the Topping E50 unless you want built-in power.

3. Topping D30Pro got that funny noise thing in Amir's tests. Not sure the effect of this.

...

5. This if you want bluetooth....

Topping D30 Pro had a lower IMD floor if one wants to be snobby about it, but as you say the SMSL SU-8s also has bluetooth and no detectable noise shaping.

It's good to have at least some criteria for choosing between the products. :)
 

Koeitje

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Nice and boring results, just what I like to see in DACs.
 

Svperstar

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This would match my SMSL SP200 nicely but my Topping D30 is still going strong.
 

Labjr

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Now Topping will have to respond with with a built-in power supply, XLR jacks and ES9068AS chipset.
 
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