AOSHIDA SMSL C200 Review (DAC & Amp)

[Veri]

Even on the lowest setting the absolute jitter level is still simply too low to be audible. So it makes sense that you can't tell the difference. These are academic levels of attenuation. In fact it'd be better if more manufacturers just picked a default for maximum compatibility (I believe they did this with E30 ii...) rather than maximum, best in class measurement on something impossibly audible.

 

[Boxermotor]

After three months still enjoying this unit. Performance, features, price, and aesthetics combine to make this a no-brainer choice.

 

[vitalyx]

Even on the lowest setting the absolute jitter level is still simply too low to be audible. So it makes sense that you can't tell the difference. These are academic levels of attenuation. In fact it'd be better if more manufacturers just picked a default for maximum compatibility (I believe they did this with E30 ii...) rather than maximum, best in class measurement on something impossibly audible.

I see, thanks. Yes, I was disappointed to hear signal break up every 10 seconds or so and almost considered the item to be defective or have beta firmware.

Otherwise I pretty much agree with Boxermotor. Many thanks to amirm for the review. I used to have Fiio E7 back in 2010, and at the time I remember Benchmark DAC1 was all the rage and cost over a $1000. 12 years later and I get this bad boy for £175 that scores 120 on the chart, while DAC1 gets still respectable 105 points.

I didn't realize digital audio has been also improving by leaps and bounds during this time, not just video. Especially 768kHz sampling rate was crazy to witness, seemed like a bogus number to me. Having bought Scarlett 2i2 only a couple of weeks prior, I had been already impressed by 24bit 192kHz in a mainstream device like this and suprised one can get it for £130 only. Sadly, MKH 416 is just as expensive.

 

[Veri]

I didn't realize digital audio has been also improving by leaps and bounds during this time, not just video. Especially 768kHz sampling rate was crazy to witness, seemed like a bogus number to me. Having bought Scarlett 2i2 only a couple of weeks prior, I had been already impressed by 24bit 192kHz in a mainstream device like this and suprised one can get it for £130 only. Sadly, MKH 416 is just as expensive.

Yeah those crazy high same rates are definitely bogus (or marketing). It's even counter productive since some people will try to set their OS internal sample rate to the highest thinking it'll improve anything

After 768kHz there are already some DACs allowing input up to 1.536mHz

 

[xaviescacs]

This device causes a small pop on the line output (haven't tested the headphone output) when turned off (for sure a native speaker can describe it better). I believe some other users have reported this also. @amirm, if by any chance this device falls on your hands again, it would be really nice to have the results of the new power on/off noise test to confirm this and know how bad it is, quantitatively. Perhaps this could also serve as an example of a "positive" case and maybe as a reference for other cases.

Edit: I wonder if that test makes sense for all line/headphone output devices...

 

[waKaka]

This is coil whine. The same thing happens with PC power supply, or coils in your GPU. With a computer power supply this noise usually occurs with high power load (very high FPS), but this can also happen with low load on the PSU (your case with C200). The noise is totally random, some people will have it very bad, while others will have zero noise. The only thing manufactures can do to reduce (but not emilite) the noise is put some glue on the coils.
This is the downside of internal psu - higher chance of interference.

Wow, thanks for your explanation. It seems that I can't solve the noise problem. For now, I can only keep the c200 in standby mode.

 

[waKaka]

This device causes a small pop on the line output (haven't tested the headphone output) when turned off (for sure a native speaker can describe it better). I believe some other users have reported this also. @amirm, if by any chance this device falls on your hands again, it would be really nice to have the results of the new power on/off noise test to confirm this and know how bad it is, quantitatively. Perhaps this could also serve as an example of a "positive" case and maybe as a reference for other cases.

Edit: I wonder if that test makes sense for all line/headphone output devices...

When my c200 is turned off, I can hear a sound similar to "bang bang"

 

[TurboNatalia]

Recently come across this and m500 mk3. I see claims that 9038q2m should sound no difference compared to 9038pro in dac if implemented correctly. Should I favor one over another if used as a preamp for active speakers?
I’m getting both devices for test though. Both are fake balanced headphone out so I assume the only difference is in screen and Mqa?

 

[WondrousHippo]

Actually, it does work! When I switched to USB 1.1 mode, the DAC shows up in PS5 audio output options as USB Heaphones "(SMSL UAC1)". And I can now lower DPLL all the way down to 1 with no artifacts in sound.

However, I can't tell the difference. Sounds just as good to me (on Yamaha HS8). And now I have to switch from USB to OptIn and DPLL1 to DPLL9 on the DAC, every time when I switch from PS5 to TV.

Maybe someone can explain what a lower DPLL setting means in practical terms when it comes to this particular DAC?

I found this wikipedia article, but it's too generic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-locked_loop

Yeah, I got it working on PS5 as well. I guess there's just one setting that SMSL needs to enable in a firmware update to make it work with the Switch, perhaps? @SMSL-Mandy any hope of getting the C200 functional with the Nintendo Switch?

 

[biglebowski]

I don’t think it is been mentioned already :
Be sure to use cables with very slim TRS connectors if you plan on using the balanced output of this tiny DAC.

The two TRS outputs are so close to each other, it will not accept my two cables with Hicon TRS connectors at the same time.

I thought Hicon TRS were quite standard connectors but it seems SMSL does not agree.

(Don’t even think about plugging two TRS to XLR adaptors if you wanted to use pre-owned XLR cables with this DAC)

I am pretty disappointed as I bought those TRS to XLR cables specifically for this unit. I am now looking for cables with super slim TRS connectors, if anybody can share a reference of cables that fit on the back of the C200, it would be much appreciated. Thanks

 

[WondrousHippo]

I don’t think it is been mentioned already :
Be sure to use cables with very slim TRS connectors if you plan on using the balanced output of this tiny DAC.

The two TRS outputs are so close to each other, it will not accept my two cables with Hicon TRS connectors at the same time.

I thought Hicon TRS were quite standard connectors but it seems SMSL does not agree.

(Don’t even think about plugging two TRS to XLR adaptors if you wanted to use pre-owned XLR cables with this DAC)

I am pretty disappointed as I bought those TRS to XLR cables specifically for this unit. I am now looking for cables with super slim TRS connectors, if anybody can share a reference that fit on the back of the C200, that would be much appreciated. Thanks

Found some pigtail cables that fit: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08VS9LY7L

 

[donatom3]

I've been using one since Thursday and its dropped the audio signal on the optical & coax inputs multiple times each day with no obvious event happening, e.g. no surge, no audible noise, no cell phones or other random radios near by. I think the xmos controller is having trouble; the signal is 96khz or 192khz when it stops sending to 'Ho'. Trying 44.1Khz now because it just dropped in the middle of a movie I was watching (sigh).

When the audio disappears the signal is still present & requires the unit to be power cycled to start send to 'Ho' again; cycling the settings shows 'Ho' is still the active output & the input doesn't change.

Sound wise it's very similiar to the H200; it'd be fantastic if it didn't drop the audio - it's tiny!

I'm having the same issue. It happens most when I stop playing any audio for a few minutes then switch back.

 

[RobinOC]

I bought one of the SMSL C200 and returned it. It was outputting to a new Fosi TB10D powering a pair of the Andrew Jones designed Pioneer tower speakers SP-FS52 and the sound I heard had a subtle grittiness I didn't like. I don't know if I had a defective unit or not. Feedback from C200 owners, or ex-owners, appreciated.

I had just gone through TWO Topping D3X Pro + units with problems with their headphone jack. Supposedly the solution is to pull out the headphone jack 1mm. I wasn't about to fuss with that every time I wanted to listen through headphones. Other than that the Topping was ok.

So far the Fosi amp and an optical to RCA adapter are the only units I've bought to use with my home theater that I've kept.

Previously used a Yamaha RX-V375 and was happy, until it started having switching problems with HDMI.

 

[Boxermotor]

Happy C200 owner here, can anyone suggest me a 4,4mm to 3,5mm adapter?

I have been very happy with Audiophile Ninja (www.audiophileninja.com). They're able to make high-quality, custom cables for a great price.

 

[bravomail]

I bought one of the SMSL C200 and returned it. It was outputting to a new Fosi TB10D powering a pair of the Andrew Jones designed Pioneer tower speakers SP-FS52 and the sound I heard had a subtle grittiness I didn't like. I don't know if I had a defective unit or not. Feedback from C200 owners, or ex-owners, appreciated.

I had just gone through TWO Topping D3X Pro + units with problems with their headphone jack. Supposedly the solution is to pull out the headphone jack 1mm. I wasn't about to fuss with that every time I wanted to listen through headphones. Other than that the Topping was ok.

So far the Fosi amp and an optical to RCA adapter are the only units I've bought to use with my home theater that I've kept.

Previously used a Yamaha RX-V375 and was happy, until it started having switching problems with HDMI.

consider getting rid of your tube amp. that's what will give u "grittiness" and all other bad things. get solid state (transistor or opamp) amplifier.

 

[bkjernisted]

Will this DAC/Amp work OK with the audio-technica ath-r70x headphones?

 

[staticV3]

Will this DAC/Amp work OK with the audio-technica ath-r70x headphones?

Yes, easily.
The C200 has enough power to drive the ATH-R70x to over 120dB SPL, which is insanely loud. You should never listen at such volumes.

The 1/4" and 4.4mm jacks both carry the same signal btw, so you can just use the stock headphone cable.

 

[bkjernisted]

Thanks staticV3 for your reply. It looks like it would serve my purposes.

 

[WondrousHippo]

Will this DAC/Amp work OK with the audio-technica ath-r70x headphones?

I just tested it out and can confirm that they work great. Plenty of volume, if you get near the max on high volume you’re getting to blowing the drivers and/or your ears out territory.

 

[bkjernisted]

Has anyone hooked this dac/amp up to a windows 10 computer with the dolby atmos(dolby access) app installed, from the microsoft apps store and checked to see if they can equalize the music output in settings of the app. As well does dolby atmos work sending music through the dac/amp? Attached are my settings in the dolby atmos app. Put your mouse over the dots and use the up/down arrows to adjust the db level of each bar. Otherwis hold your mouse button on the dots and move the setting manually up or down. Thanks, if you are able to look into this and let me know. It works great on my pc without an amp/dac.