AOSHIDA SMSL C200 Review (DAC & Amp)

[PeteL]

Maybe we are being spoiled with such outstanding performance from these dacs for little money , but they could really wipe the highend market if they could implement wifi and a really good interface to. Its not really serious hifi with bluetooth implementation and no NAS playing ability of high resolution material.

This is needed If those chinese companies want to play with the big boys.

Well, SMSL tried their shot at it and they couldn't.

SMSL DP5 Music Streamer and DAC Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the SMSL DP5 music streaming player and DAC. It was kindly sent to me by shenzhenaudio. The DP5 costs US $599.99. The DP5 sports a very nice, high resolution display: Alas, I am not a fan of the rotary control. It has sharp edges and generally...

www.audiosciencereview.com

They ended up with something that don't compete in both pricing and performance ... They "could really wipe the market"? This is very hypothetical... I find interesting that this is considered "good engineering"... To me this is the very definition of poor engineering when you ask your engineers to do the same thing over and over to gain 2 dB of SINAD that don't serve anything useful other than look good on ASR...

 

[Tangband]

Well, SMSL tried their shot at it and they couldn't.

SMSL DP5 Music Streamer and DAC Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the SMSL DP5 music streaming player and DAC. It was kindly sent to me by shenzhenaudio. The DP5 costs US $599.99. The DP5 sports a very nice, high resolution display: Alas, I am not a fan of the rotary control. It has sharp edges and generally...

www.audiosciencereview.com

They ended up with something that don't compete in both pricing and performance ... hey "could really wipe the market"? This is very hypothetical... I find interesting that this is considered "good engineering"... To me this is the very definition of poor engineering when you ask your engineers to do the same thing over and over to gain 2 dB of SINAD that don't serve anything useful other than look good on ASR...

I agree !
This is an example where they failed to be good where it counts. But If they fix this ( maybe they dont ) they could be a main player in the serious hifimarket.

As I wrote earlier , they must :

1. Make an interface thats bug-free and userfriendly, and that is supported and upgraded for years when needed.
2. Compatible with ROON, airplay 2 and upnp ( wifi )
3. A really good digital volumecontrol implemented.
4. A price thats MUCH lower than a Linn DS or bluesound node , cause those companies have both proved to be reliable.

 

[Deleted member 50971]

As previously mentioned few posts up: Topping have a new 8-channel DAC.

Which could be the start of what ends leading to dev of an AVR/Pre over time.

Step by step

Based on other peoples reactions in the past 10 posts … I’m not the only one that’s thinking this way.

If their point was to change the market, and make money they’ve done both. Now listen to what we want and stop making the same DAC over and over. People are losing patience and losing interest, and they know their wallets being affected. That’s not a knock on these companies, because they’re there to make money, but they also need to listen to their base. Or you could not listen like Marantz has done for the last 10+ years, and be forced into change. If you don’t believe that’s going to happen stay tuned for their new product lineup.

 

[Tangband]

Based on other peoples reactions in the past 10 posts … I’m not the only one that’s thinking this way.

If their point was to change the market, and make money they’ve done both. Now listen to what we want and stop making the same DAC over and over. People are losing patience and losing interest, and they know their wallets being affected. That’s not a knock on these companies, because they’re there to make money, but they also need to listen to their base. Or you could not listen like Marantz has done for the last 10+ years, and be forced into change. If you don’t believe that’s going to happen stay tuned for their new product lineup.

Yes, a home cinema preamp based on toppings 8 channel dac with Dts and the newest Dolby atmos would be a killer.

 

[AudioSceptic]

How useful is it trying to "squeeze a bit more", when transparency has been achieved for years? Isn it a complete waste of time and ressources?

I suppose doing it more cheaply and/or hitting a new high SINAD is how they sell. Even though the difference is not audible, people want the bragging rights. I don't know why anyone would replace a > 100 dB SINAD DAC with the latest and greatest unless it also has more features, or maybe doesn't have some usability fault.

 

[PeteL]

I suppose doing it more cheaply and/or hitting a new high SINAD is how they sell. Even though the difference is not audible, people want the bragging rights. I don't why anyone would replace a > 100 dB SINAD DAC with the latest and greatest unless it also has more features, or maybe doesn't have some usability fault.

I think that people that purchase solely on "bragging right" considerations are just as ill informed than those who purchase based on "snake oil" considerations. They both get fooled into thinking they are getting something better.

 

[Music1969]

Based on other peoples reactions in the past 10 posts … I’m not the only one that’s thinking this way.

Respectfully, I just ignore 'reactions'. It doesn't show better or worse understanding

Some only just realised in recent posts that this DAC has a headphone amp too (a really good one).

I don't understand how an 8-channel DAC (new product) is more of same thing over and over again.

 

[Deleted member 50971]

The SINAD race has been won… onto bigger and better things.

 

[testp]

One need to use auto-translate... that went well;

View attachment 227142


JSmith

what!? this isn't an amplifier for cooking?

im in the wrong thread again..

 

[AudioSceptic]

RME ADI-2 DAC can do so, and I’m pretty sure there are others as well.

Perhaps the reviewed DAC can as well, but I don’t recall amirm writing about that in the review.

The Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital does. I had no idea it was unusual. Surely it should be default behaviour?

 

[AudioSceptic]

I think that people that purchase solely on "bragging right" considerations are just as ill informed than those who purchase based on "snake oil" considerations. They both get fooled into thinking they are getting something better.

It might be "better" but not in a way that matters.

 

[AudioSceptic]

Maybe we are being spoiled with such outstanding performance from these dacs for little money , but they could really wipe the highend market if they could implement wifi and a really good interface to. Its not really serious hifi with bluetooth implementation and no NAS playing ability/ TIDAL connect with high resolution material.

This is needed If those chinese companies want to play with the big boys.

Auralic are doing this now, although their stuff isn't cheap.

 

[Joe Smith]

Anyone know if this has electronic volume control rather than analog? I quite like the new volume control on my new SMSL AO100 amp... My one complaint on the otherwise excellent Schiit Magni is the scratchy volume pot...

 

[Music1969]

Yes it's digital volume control.

My SMSL SP400 has resistor ladder analogue volume control. I'll be adding SMSL D-6 to it shortly.

 

[PeteL]

The Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital does. I had no idea it was unusual. Surely it should be default behaviour?

You would think yes.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

This is my point exactly, bring that knowledge and give me 110 SINAD to my home theater. I understand that’s a huge rabbit hole with licensing, but just like the DAC market, then the amplifier market which they are revolutionizing right now, along with the standalone preamp market… please bring that to the AVR/AVP market. Surely @JohnYang1997 didn’t advance this far to stop now, because I’m dreaming of a AVP with 110 SINAD, a stable platform and Audyssey or Dirac for less than $5000.

Just let PC manufacturers license the codecs and add an eARC HDMI port, and let Topping create a 16 channel usb DAC. Problem solved with a 115 db processor that could do everything a Trinov does.

 

[PeteL]

Just let PC manufacturers license the codecs, and let Topping create a 16 channel usb DAC. Problem solved with a 115 db processor that could do everything a Trinov does.

I think that it's a great dream, but why do a PC manufacturer would pay licence to Dolby, Dirac, etc when 99.9% of the PC buyers don't purchase PC with that in mind? As far as I know, it is already possible to purchase a Dolby Atmos and a Dirac Licence for your PC, what benefit is there for the PC manufacturer to purchase those licenses? And is this even possible to play audio encoded with these Codec through USB? Dirac I assume so, it's not a CODEC,but for those AVR specific CODEC I was not aware of that possibility.

 

[capslock]

So has anyone figured out which DAC chip is used here?

And how they did the headphone amp? I suspect they are using one of the better op amps and a class AB buffer.

On the topic of 8-channel DACs, I think the Topping offering is rather overpriced. Adding more channels should not be that expensive.

 

[Kevinfc]

Does this come with a remote for those of us who want to use just the DAC features?

 

[DonR]

So has anyone figured out which DAC chip is used here?

And how they did the headphone amp? I suspect they are using one of the better op amps and a class AB buffer.

On the topic of 8-channel DACs, I think the Topping offering is rather overpriced. Adding more channels should not be that expensive.

ESS ES9038Q2M DAC
OPA1612A op-amps X 4