New product - SMSL AO300

[erik42788088]

Hi everyone, I recently bought this amplifier and updated it, I don't have any problems.

I wanted to ask 2 things.
1) can you give me information on the 5 possible filters, what do they modify? what would be the recommended one?
2) when the sub is not connected does the amplifier have a cut on the low frequencies?
Thank you.

 

[z0s0123]

I fixed the hum; it must have been a ground loop. I removed the ground connection on my sub, allowing it to ground via its connection to the amp. Happy now.

My favourite feature of this amp: the ability to turn the screen off! So nice to just have music and not some annoying bright LED display telling you information you don't need.

 

[silver-matter]

Considering buying this AO300 for my pc desktop setup - the eARC on a relatively compact unit is a really interesting feature. I have a pc and a streaming stick connected to my desktop monitor (using displayport and hdmi respectively). This desktop monitor supports eARC.

I currently have my pc audio routed to my dac / amp via usb. Then I connect the streaming stick audio to my dac / amp via bluetooth.

Is it correct that I could use the AO300's eARC support to route the audio from the streaming stick via the monitor's eARC output into the AO300 and drop the need to use bluetooth?

 

[Perceval]

Sooooo....

The SMSL A0300 and WiiM.

Seems that the two amps I considered and looked promising, are plagued with the same hum/buzz/clicks and pops. And still released on the market even though they are flawed? Companies thinking that they might be able to fix it later in firmware when it is probably a physical flaw.

I was really excited by those two products, but I have been burned before by a company who made great promises, and never could bring the unit anywhere near what was announced.

I'll be looking if they resolve the problems. But not interested in the headaches of dealing with that now.

 

[vazakh]

Good afternoon!
A slightly strange incident happened with the AO300. I stupidly connected two amplifiers to one speaker system and did not wait for the amplifier/acoustic selector I ordered to arrive. I naively thought that if only one amplifier is turned on, then nothing will happen to the other (turned off) amplifier. But after that the AO300 stopped turning on, and I already started looking for a repairman. A few hours later I turned it on again, and the amplifier started working, but only at the maximum volume on the display of 25, as the volume increased, distortions and sound dropouts began. After another couple of days, I turned it on again, and the AO300 turned out to be fully working. No distortion or blackouts. How can this be? Some kind of self-healing capacitors? I don't understand...

 

[blse59]

Really loving this. Just to be clear, in the EQ settings 'direct' means no EQ is applied right?

 

[Charlot]

Hello,

Well, I interpreted it this way, but not sure and it seems hard top get info on these EQ settings.

 

[Green Forumist]

Hello!
After upgrading my AO300 ARC Input became not working... Always "No Connected"...

 

[blse59]

Really liking this box. Sound to bookshelf speakers is clear and powerful. Same with headphones. Can't say I'm a fan of the 4.4mm jack. It's not a balanced output so what's the point? Would have rather kept the design of the unit minimalist and optimized. Hopefully somebody will send a unit to ASR for review one day.

 

[sejarzo]

Can't say I'm a fan of the 4.4mm jack. It's not a balanced output so what's the point?

It's usually so users with cables terminated in 4.4mm TRRS can use those headphones without an adapter, or swapping the entire cable, for a 6.3mm TRS.

 

[blse59]

It's usually so users with cables terminated in 4.4mm TRRS can use those headphones without an adapter, or swapping the entire cable, for a 6.3mm TRS.

Ah I see. I haven't experimented with balanced yet so I don't now the kind of stuff they go through. But if it's as simple as plugging on an adapter I'm still not sure that 4.4mm jack is needed. I checked on Amazon and those adapters seem to average around $20-$40 so I guess it saves the user that cost...

 

[sejarzo]

Ah I see. I haven't experimented with balanced yet so I don't now the kind of stuff they go through. But if it's as simple as plugging on an adapter I'm still not sure that 4.4mm jack is needed. I checked on Amazon and those adapters seem to average around $20-$40 so I guess it saves the user that cost...

I erred and left an R out of my previous post, it should have been 4.4mm TRRRS.

Anyway, it's really no different than amps that formerly had both 6.3mm and 3.5mm TRS jacks. All that's needed is wiring the common ground tied to the sleeve on the TRS jack to both the left and right cold/- contacts on the 4.4mm jack.

 

[M59/80]

Good afternoon!
A slightly strange incident happened with the AO300. I stupidly connected two amplifiers to one speaker system and did not wait for the amplifier/acoustic selector I ordered to arrive. I naively thought that if only one amplifier is turned on, then nothing will happen to the other (turned off) amplifier. But after that the AO300 stopped turning on, and I already started looking for a repairman. A few hours later I turned it on again, and the amplifier started working, but only at the maximum volume on the display of 25, as the volume increased, distortions and sound dropouts began. After another couple of days, I turned it on again, and the AO300 turned out to be fully working. No distortion or blackouts. How can this be? Some kind of self-healing capacitors? I don't understand...

Not an expert, but common sense says it's about capacitors overloaded by current from direction not protected and then releasing overload due leaking of damaged ones or just as intended..

 

[Green Forumist]

Hello!
After upgrading my AO300 ARC Input became not working... Always "No Connected"...

Reflashing another firmware by Tech Support resolves my problem. HDMI ARC working now. And there are no flickering symbols!

 

[DmitryL]

Reflashing another firmware by Tech Support resolves my problem. HDMI ARC working now. And there are no flickering symbols!

Hi! Can you add firmware in post?

 

[Green Forumist]

Hi! Can you add firmware in post?

It was in my local Service Center. I have firmware from smsl-audio.com only.

 

[Ferran1974]

Hello ! New member here!
Following the feedback from this forum I decided to buy the AO300. I must say that I love the sound but unfortunatlly still does the poping sound and the speakers noise.
I am trying to upgrade firmware but need to upgrade the driver first. The problem is that when I try to install driver (“XMOS_>USBAudio_v5.58.0 from a Mac with a virtual Windows 11) I get a window saying “the current system is not supported”.

Any one knows how to solve this to be able to upgrade the firmware?

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[blse59]

Hello ! New member here!
Following the feedback from this forum I decided to buy the AO300. I must say that I love the sound but unfortunatlly still does the poping sound and the speakers noise.
I am trying to upgrade firmware but need to upgrade the driver first. The problem is that when I try to install driver (“XMOS_>USBAudio_v5.58.0 from a Mac with a virtual Windows 11) I get a window saying “the current system is not supported”.

Any one knows how to solve this to be able to upgrade the firmware?

Thanks a lot in advance!

You do not need to have the driver installed. You can go straight to updating the firmware. I would say the biggest strike against this device is you do need to update the firmware. I had problems with Youtube videos freezing. I thought it was my net connection but it turns out it was the AO300. Once I updated the firmware, everything was smooth again.

 

[Ferran1974]

You do not need to have the driver installed. You can go straight to updating the firmware. I would say the biggest strike against this device is you do need to update the firmware. I had problems with Youtube videos freezing. I thought it was my net connection but it turns out it was the AO300. Once I updated the firmware, everything was smooth again.

Hey !
When I ran the firmware update i get an ERROR “device open fail” Please check the device”

I have it conected via USB-C and input on BT. The AO300 does not show in device either.
I asumed I need to install the driver. I am stuck here…

 

[blse59]

Hey !
When I ran the firmware update i get an ERROR “device open fail” Please check the device”

I have it conected via USB-C and input on BT. The AO300 does not show in device either.
I asumed I need to install the driver. I am stuck here…

I wonder if you followed the instructions on page 6 starting with step 5? You have to select the COM port in the dropdown box. It worked for me and I never installed the driver.