Hum/Hiss on SMSL Sanskrit 10th MK II

[archerious]

Anybody else experience this issue? I notice it with my Magni Heresy and with my Beyer A20 headphone amps.

It's even more noticeable with my Schiit Vidar and Magnepan speakers.

I thought it was my Beyer A20 at first, then realized the hum was gone when I used my Topping D90 with it. Problem is I like to use the smaller SMSL at the office, the D90 is normally for my speaker setup.

Honest to god thought it was just power related or something, but this seems not to be the case as the SMSL is doing it no matter what amp I use it with, or which USB cable I use with it.

Anyone know what could cause this? Is there something wrong with my unit? I've owned it for about a year. Bought from Amazon.

 

[gvl]

Is this noise present with the optical input?

 

[archerious]

Is this noise present with the optical input?

Waiting on optical cable to arrive, then I can test that.

 

[archerious]

Is this noise present with the optical input?

TOSLINK/Optical cable arrived from Amazon, the static is still present. Another user on the SMSL review thread replied that he had a unit with the same issue and returned/replaced it.

Not sure if I should just return it and go for a Topping e30 or whatever is similar in measurements and price for my office. I have my D90 for the home theater, the office use I'd prefer a DAC around $100.

 

[gvl]

How is the DAC powered? From your PC USB port? Try a separate AC adapter if so with the Toslink cable, remove all USB cables connecting the DAC to the PC. If the hiss is still there the DAC is the likely culprit.

 

[archerious]

How is the DAC powered? From your PC USB port? Try a separate AC adapter if so with the Toslink cable, remove all USB cables connecting the DAC to the PC. If the hiss is still there the DAC is the likely culprit.

I tried with a USB to PC, then just with a Micro USB wall charger with nothing to PC just toslink. The hum/hiss was still there. I'm not really mad, I mean the thing made it a year through this pandemic. I used it 8-10 hours a day five days or six a week.

Time to buy a new DAC for the office I guess.

 

[gvl]

Time to buy a new DAC for the office I guess.

Sounds like a legitimate reason for a new DAC

 

[1lifeliveit]

Time to buy a new DAC for the office I guess.

On mine the remote crapped itself after a year. Perfect excuse to buy a Gustard X16!