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AOSHIDA SMSL C200 Review (DAC & Amp)

Rate this DAC & HP Amp

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 9 2.8%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 3 0.9%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther

    Votes: 57 17.4%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 258 78.9%

  • Total voters
    327

ampguy

Active Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2022
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Location
US
@Boxermotor ... nice new toy congrats!!
Is the line out fixed output only (DAC mode)?? Is there a Pre-Amp mode for volume-controlled lineout?? Both line RCA/TRS output at the sametime, right??
I'm also curious about this. Couldn't find mention of the output behavior fixed or variable in any reviews
 

Boxermotor

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Joined
May 1, 2022
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49
Location
Indianapolis, USA
@Boxermotor ... nice new toy congrats!!
Is the line out fixed output only (DAC mode)?? Is there a Pre-Amp mode for volume-controlled lineout?? Both line RCA/TRS output at the sametime, right??
I can increase and decrease the line out levels. I’m currently using the balanced outputs, but I’ll try outputting through the RCA’s at the same time and report back. There isn’t a menu choice for that, so I’m guessing yes.
 

ampguy

Active Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2022
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152
Location
US
Thanks for testing this, I'm fine with it being the ho gain not affecting the outputs. Weird that it's not documented, but sounds like you get some minimal preamp functionality with volume control mgmt there
 

avoidwork

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2020
Messages
60
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37
Location
Ottawa, Canada
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!
 

ampguy

Active Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2022
Messages
268
Likes
152
Location
US
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!
Did you try playing with that jitter setting, or go to usb2 mode?
 

avoidwork

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2020
Messages
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37
Location
Ottawa, Canada
Did you try playing with that jitter setting, or go to usb2 mode?
I hadn't; out of the box it was on 'dp4' which seemed reasonable. the 'usb2' mode was also enabled out of the box, but I'm using that for a roon bridge. I'm using the coax + optical with an smsl po100 which is stable.
 

avoidwork

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2020
Messages
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Location
Ottawa, Canada
It seems to be fine with 44.1khz over coax + optical; can't tell if it's the input signal or just thermals that triggers the issue. issue happens with 44.1khz as well.
 
Last edited:

curly747

Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2022
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Likes
22
It seems to be fine with 44.1khz over coax + optical; can't tell if it's the input signal or just thermals that triggers the issue. issue happens with 44.1khz as well.
Have you tried setting it to dp7 and see if that works and then work your way down from there to highest stable setting.
 

avoidwork

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2020
Messages
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Location
Ottawa, Canada
Have you tried setting it to dp7 and see if that works and then work your way down from there to highest stable setting.
no. i set it to 'dp1' yesterday when i had replied about 'dp4' default setting. i'm assuming i have a lemon, but if other people get simliar behavior it's probably the xmos controller; it's behaving like the i2s signal isn't being sent internally.
 

curly747

Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2022
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22
I would set it to the highest dp setting. Dp9 I think it is. The higher settings are more forgiving of the input signal. Check if that works. If it does then adjust setting down. If your input is a tv it may have a poor signal.
 

avoidwork

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2020
Messages
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Location
Ottawa, Canada
nah, it's definitely not worth further effort. i put my vmv d3 back in it's usual spot on my desk. it's definitely faulty hardware, but is it in the thermals or the xmos? i'm really thnking it's the xmos, but maybe heat is a factor into it misbehaving, either way the jitter setting is not going to make a difference here because if it did that'd be a firmware flaw and there's no upgrade port on it... and smsl doesn't really do user upgradable firmware anyways.
 

Laurent

Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2019
Messages
5
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1
What makes these DACs so well engineered? I'd be curious if @amirm could put it into words or even an article. If you were looking at a teardown of something 120 db SINAD vs 100 (although not bad) or 80 or 60. It can't all be about the components on the board - we're talking a lot of cheapy DACs on here. What are these engineers doing to attain such measurements? :D
Good design is the answer. I suspect some of those engineers have experience with high frequency stuff like mobile phone signals etc, which makes designing for audio frequencies relatively easy.
 

Merkurio

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2018
Messages
301
Likes
512
This C200 could potentially drive the DCA Aeons with ease, 4X more voltage than the DX3 Pro+ at 12 ohms, according to the output voltage chart.

Is there any other AIO with the same performance at low loads, regardless of price?
 
Last edited:

SlamTaz

Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2022
Messages
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29
Jumped on one of these at Amazon after reading the review. Got it yesterday and absolutely love it - drives my headphones much better than the Topping EX5 using the hight gain function. Coupled with my SMSL DA-9, drives my Elac DB6's with plenty of volume to spare. Thanks for the review!
did you use rca cables or trs to xlr cables in connecting the c200 to the da-9?
 

Wolven

Active Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2018
Messages
226
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113
I got a similar question. I just bought smsl c200 and kali in-8v2 both on the way.

C200 has trs I think 1/4 inch
Kali has trs i think 1/4 and XLR

Should I buy 3 or 6 ft cable Trs to Trs
Or
Should I go Trs to XLR?
 

stallion317

Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2022
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2
I got a similar question. I just bought smsl c200 and kali in-8v2 both on the way.

C200 has trs I think 1/4 inch
Kali has trs i think 1/4 and XLR

Should I buy 3 or 6 ft cable Trs to Trs
Or
Should I go Trs to XLR?
Same question I have.. got a jbl lsr 305 which has both xlr and trs balanced. Which cable is ideal for it..
Bal trs to bal trs or bal trs to xlr ????

Thanks
Regards..
 

Wolven

Active Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2018
Messages
226
Likes
113
Same question I have.. got a jbl lsr 305 which has both xlr and trs balanced. Which cable is ideal for it..
Bal trs to bal trs or bal trs to xlr ????

Thanks
Regards..

I have been googling this and it looks that it doesn't make much difference. I'm just going with trs - trs.
 
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