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SMSL SU-6 Review (Desktop DAC)

Grooved

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...
– ‘MASTER’ quality setting – Track streamed in MQA. Tidal client or your DAC can do the unfolding depending on setup. MQA is not lossless.
– ‘HiFi’ quality setting – Track streamed in what was claimed to be ‘lossless’, but it was actually seemingly just the MQA version without any MQA flagging or metadata, so it would not be unfolded. And is also not lossless.
– ‘High/Normal’ – Track streamed in compressed format.
...
To be exact, it's not that simple, especially for the second point.

On the first point, there are mainly 24bit MQA (in 44.1 and 48kHz, that once decoded to 24/88.2 or 24/96 will be rendered/upsampling), BUT there are also some 16bit MQA when they didn't get a master at 24bit, and some album are only available at 16bit MQA.
So when you see "Master", it only means that it's an MQA file, and that it will be at least decoded, by the app or by your MQA DAC (and rendered if you have a MQA DAC), but it doesn't mean it's a 24bit MQA for sure.

On the second point, it may end like that, but until now, it's only in few cases.
It's hard to count, but I would say at least half the tracks are still in real 16/44.1 FLAC in the Hifi category. And almost the other half is 16bit MQA. These last ones started more than one year ago.
And now, since the MQA debat/change of main owner/new pricing, it seems some tracks/album have only 24bit MQA and 360/Atmos, and that if your are on Hifi sub, it will be reduced to 16/44.1
So the second point can't be generalized like that, there are at least three different cases. Now, it would be simpler to have one case only.

They also need to fix the ads saying Hifi is lossless at 1.411Mbps, and Hifi Plus up to 9Mbps, because it's wrong. All real FLAC and 16bit MQA are mainly lower than 1Mbps, and mainly all 24bit MQA are lower than 2Mbps
 

Bags

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Curious if anyone has received one from Shenzhen Audio yet? Mine is in transit, no idea how long it might take.
I got mine today with the SH-6 headphone amp and supplied audiophile cables.
Just started to use it, plugged it into a Raspberry Pi Roon Bridge via USB, activated it as an endpoint in Roon.
So far, it is driving my BD DT770 Pro 250 Ohm headphones delightfully!
I'm checking out various different styles, lots of detail and power.
Will update more once I've used it more.
 

pwn87

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got mine today, placebo tells me the stereo might be narrower and harsher, otherwise no difference to su-9n
when using usb input and turning up the volume on my amp, i can hear some noise... the su-9n with its balanced connections didn't have this 'issue' (not audible at normal loudness levels)
i guess im going crazy, someone please tell me which one i should keep
 

Wuzel

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got mine today, placebo tells me the stereo might be narrower and harsher, otherwise no difference to su-9n
when using usb input and turning up the volume on my amp, i can hear some noise... the su-9n with its balanced connections didn't have this 'issue' (not audible at normal loudness levels)
i guess im going crazy, someone please tell me which one i should keep

When u hear no real difference, then go for the cheaper device.
When the price doesn't matter - Su-9n.

For my point of view, the 9n is a awesome piece of DAC and wont gave him away.
Nearly Endgame and Bal Out make the points for me. But, i primary use Cans for listening, in this case the incredible low noise floor and perfect clean output are really appreciated.
(use before Benchmark DAC (old) and Su8, D70)
 

Acerun

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So I ordered mine from Shenzhen Audio on Dec 2 so shipment was to be Hong Kong to San Francisco. It left Los Angeles customs on Dec 12, so now it just needs to get from LA to SF. I just got an update from the Shop app today (six days later) that my package is at a Pitney-Bowes facility in Indiana. What??
 

Kaval

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SU-6 has a lot of digital PLL and filters. Which one is usually recommended for better performance?
 

Kaval

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got mine today, placebo tells me the stereo might be narrower and harsher, otherwise no difference to su-9n
when using usb input and turning up the volume on my amp, i can hear some noise... the su-9n with its balanced connections didn't have this 'issue' (not audible at normal loudness levels)
i guess im going crazy, someone please tell me which one i should keep
Could you elaborate further on what you meant by narrower and harsher?
 

pwn87

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Could you elaborate further on what you meant by narrower and harsher?
it's hard to explain or even grasp, another definition would be "more analogue or warmth" i guess, i really hate paying 130€ more for a feature that i can't even clearly hear when a-b'ing (though there is always a half second delay when i switch inputs) but this is how much the music "feels" different.
how is this even possible if my amp is "only" a da-9 ?
 
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Acerun

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So I ordered mine from Shenzhen Audio on Dec 2 so shipment was to be Hong Kong to San Francisco. It left Los Angeles customs on Dec 12, so now it just needs to get from LA to SF. I just got an update from the Shop app today (six days later) that my package is at a Pitney-Bowes facility in Indiana. What??
The last Shop app notification said the package is Argentina... And then it was on my doorstep.
 

Acerun

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Smsl doesn't release firmware update on their dac if any bugs occur u have to ship back the item to china .. unlike topping release firmware update on their dac every now and then
From the manual:
 

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Acerun

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So I have it running on Bluetooth but it isn't showing me the bitrate...just says Ld which I take to mean LDAC.

PS it sounds fantastic with my new JBL 305Ps in the garage.
 

Kaval

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it's hard to explain or even grasp, another definition would be "more analogue or warmth" i guess, i really hate paying 130€ more for a feature that i can't even clearly hear when a-b'ing (though there is always a half second delay when i switch inputs) but this is how much the music "feels" different.
how is this even possible if my amp is "only" a da-9 ?
Do you find SU-9 more analog sounding than SU-9n?
 

pwn87

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Do you find SU-9 more analog sounding than SU-9n?
no idea i didn't try that one
i only tried those 2 dacs and a focusrite soundcard, so better don't put too much value in my words
i can barely believe my own findings... still hoping someone else could explain what i feel.
i'm pretty sure that it's not placebo, i tried it for several hours and really want the su-6 to be equally good ...
 

Kaval

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no idea i didn't try that one
i only tried those 2 dacs and a focusrite soundcard, so better don't put too much value in my words
i can barely believe my own findings... still hoping someone else could explain what i feel.
i'm pretty sure that it's not placebo, i tried it for several hours and really want the su-6 to be equally good ...
Apologies for my typos.

I mean, did you find SU-6 more analog than SU-9n?
 
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