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New product - SMSL AO300

Nice combo :)


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The electronics of RAW-HA1 are the same as AO300. Power amplifier (compare the output filter on the photos and the power characteristics), volume and timbres controller, DAC, Bluetooth module, USB interface - the same. Case design, possibly controller (CPU), display are different. They just released a slightly modified amplifier for the new line of equipment.
 
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Does anyone understand why RAW-HA1 and AO300 exist side by side? There is no internal difference between them. The external design has changed, it got an equally small and unreadable display, but ... so now it doesn't visible .... in color! ;-D
In the RAW-HA1 menu, maybe the Dimmer timing can be set (not that it can't be solved with the AO300 too, they're just too lazy to do it), and perhaps the Brightness can also be set (in the AO300 why not?), but that's all. What the hell is its raison d'être this amplifier?

As for the display, I noticed (AO300) that when the volume is turned up to 60 without input, the usual minimal hissing sound is present on the speakers, but most of it disappears when the display turns off automatically. So here the electronics of the display itself create a more serious background noise. Which is of course not disturbing (auto display off), because I don't think anyone drives it max volume and without a source, I just thought I'd mention it.

Does anyone know if there will be a firmware update or if that was the end of the support, they don't do anything on it anymore? (let's say the one that was on their site has already disappeared, so this is a very interesting manufacturer)
 
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Hi everyone!
I have failed to find any detailed tests of this SMSL AO300 unit to see how it compares to the other ClassD amplifiers (in terms of power output vs THD) and it's internal DAC.

I have this AIO and I am actually quite happy with it powering my Dynaudio Audience 70. But... I also have a Topping PA5 which I wanted to sell, since I don't have a proper DAC for it (my Berhringer UMC202HD has I guess ~1.2V RMS on it's TRS balanced output only and I can't use the full power ouput of the PA5). A few days ago a friend came by and we did some music listening tests of both (at aprox. the same volume, max for PA5+UMC202HD and about 25 volume on AO300) and he said that the PA5 sounds better.

I know somehow that the PA5 should sound better (at least reproduce more accurately the input) but I was curious by how much to the SMSL.

I plan to buy/borrow for testing a Topping D50 III or something with balanced output to see how the two amps compare, but in the end I am favoring somehow the SMSL AO300 due to it's All In One nature that would make it a better choice if the audio is at least OK.
 
Hi everyone!
I have failed to find any detailed tests of this SMSL AO300 unit to see how it compares to the other ClassD amplifiers (in terms of power output vs THD) and it's internal DAC.

I have this AIO and I am actually quite happy with it powering my Dynaudio Audience 70. But... I also have a Topping PA5 which I wanted to sell, since I don't have a proper DAC for it (my Berhringer UMC202HD has I guess ~1.2V RMS on it's TRS balanced output only and I can't use the full power ouput of the PA5). A few days ago a friend came by and we did some music listening tests of both (at aprox. the same volume, max for PA5+UMC202HD and about 25 volume on AO300) and he said that the PA5 sounds better.

I know somehow that the PA5 should sound better (at least reproduce more accurately the input) but I was curious by how much to the SMSL.

I plan to buy/borrow for testing a Topping D50 III or something with balanced output to see how the two amps compare, but in the end I am favoring somehow the SMSL AO300 due to it's All In One nature that would make it a better choice if the audio is at least OK.
A separate only AMP + only DAC + only player or streamer, well and smartly selected, always brings better results than if any of them are built together in any combination or even as an all-in-one unit. The only question is always, is it better and more necessary enough to be worth it? If someone can decide for himself with his own ears and feelings, then he has the choice. But under no circumstances should anyone else tell you that this or that is better, the tests should only be about having someone to talk to.
 
Hello, guys.
My unit suddenly stopped working.
I opened it up an discovered some fried chip. Can't see the markings.

Could you, please, make a photo of yours?
It's beside the smsl print.
Thanks in advance.

If you haven't found it yet, please pay attention to this post. This is a list of chips of Loxjie a40, it is a twin brother of SMSL AO300. Your chip could be XL1509, 2A 150KHz 40V PWM buck (step-down) DC/DC converter.
 
Hi everyone!
I have failed to find any detailed tests of this SMSL AO300 unit to see how it compares to the other ClassD amplifiers (in terms of power output vs THD) and it's internal DAC.

I have this AIO and I am actually quite happy with it powering my Dynaudio Audience 70. But... I also have a Topping PA5 which I wanted to sell, since I don't have a proper DAC for it (my Berhringer UMC202HD has I guess ~1.2V RMS on it's TRS balanced output only and I can't use the full power ouput of the PA5). A few days ago a friend came by and we did some music listening tests of both (at aprox. the same volume, max for PA5+UMC202HD and about 25 volume on AO300) and he said that the PA5 sounds better.

I know somehow that the PA5 should sound better (at least reproduce more accurately the input) but I was curious by how much to the SMSL.

I plan to buy/borrow for testing a Topping D50 III or something with balanced output to see how the two amps compare, but in the end I am favoring somehow the SMSL AO300 due to it's All In One nature that would make it a better choice if the audio is at least OK.
When I last purchased equipment in 2002 I spent a month going around local Hi-Fi dealers & listening hard before settling on Paradigm speakers plus NAD amp & CD player. It was exhausting. The speakers & CD player have been replaced by equal/superior units. The amp is 22 years old, has been powered 24/7 but its electrolytics are probably at end of life. I was intrigued by Class-D technology, did a survey of what's available & the AO300 fit my needs perfectly. I purchased the AO300 & after two weeks of listening have decided to return it. Playing my favorite CDs the AO300 lacked the dynamics of the previous equipment. The music was less involving. Music is important to me, so I couldn't make a retro-grade step. The AO300 functioned perfectly but there is something in the signal path that is not optimum. Hopefully, SMSL will get it right next time!
 
When I last purchased equipment in 2002 I spent a month going around local Hi-Fi dealers & listening hard before settling on Paradigm speakers plus NAD amp & CD player. It was exhausting. The speakers & CD player have been replaced by equal/superior units. The amp is 22 years old, has been powered 24/7 but its electrolytics are probably at end of life. I was intrigued by Class-D technology, did a survey of what's available & the AO300 fit my needs perfectly. I purchased the AO300 & after two weeks of listening have decided to return it. Playing my favorite CDs the AO300 lacked the dynamics of the previous equipment. The music was less involving. Music is important to me, so I couldn't make a retro-grade step. The AO300 functioned perfectly but there is something in the signal path that is not optimum. Hopefully, SMSL will get it right next time!
May I ask which NAD amplifier you have?

In fact, not much has changed in amplifiers in the last 20-30 years, especially when you see that NAD amplifiers from that era often don't perform any worse in the measured values.
If you were satisfied with your NAD, I would have it overhauled. That's probably in the price range of the AO300 and it will last 22 years or more.
 
May I ask which NAD amplifier you have?

In fact, not much has changed in amplifiers in the last 20-30 years, especially when you see that NAD amplifiers from that era often don't perform any worse in the measured values.
If you were satisfied with your NAD, I would have it overhauled. That's probably in the price range of the AO300 and it will last 22 years or more.
NAD C340 amp & C540 CD player, a very musical combination. After ten years hard use, the C540's laser died. After listening to many CD/DVD/Blu-ray players I replaced the C540 with my own Panasonic DVD-A110. Its DVDA DACs sound almost as musical as the NAD's. I bought a second used A110 from Ebay as a backup.
 
NAD C340 amp & C540 CD player, a very musical combination. After ten years hard use, the C540's laser died. After listening to many CD/DVD/Blu-ray players I replaced the C540 with my own Panasonic DVD-A110. Its DVDA DACs sound almost as musical as the NAD's. I bought a second used A110 from Ebay as a backup.
All these replaced my Technics SU-Z22 amp which served me well since 2009. Today I hooked it back up and now I am again wondering if I can sense any noticeable difference. Music just sounds good on all of them for me. What I wanted was actually a bit more clean power since the Dynaudio are rated to 230W, 4ohm.

My original need for change was that I wanted a smaller amplifier that would fit on my desktop and a bit more power. And I saw that I don't need to spend thousands of whatever currency to at least have a clean sound.
I really love these Dyanudio speakers since I never have to use any equalizer on them, they just sound really good on any amp I tested (I once had for a few days a Jeff Rowland Concerto).

So in the end yes, I am also very much in favor of just listening to any setup and see if the music sounds good, but I also wanted a bit of a biasing source to my brain by checking reviews and technical measurements, because why not?
 
Does anyone understand why RAW-HA1 and AO300 exist side by side? There is no internal difference between them. The external design has changed, it got an equally small and unreadable display, but ... so now it doesn't visible .... in color! ;-D
In the RAW-HA1 menu, maybe the Dimmer timing can be set (not that it can't be solved with the AO300 too, they're just too lazy to do it), and perhaps the Brightness can also be set (in the AO300 why not?), but that's all. What the hell is its raison d'être this amplifier?

As for the display, I noticed (AO300) that when the volume is turned up to 60 without input, the usual minimal hissing sound is present on the speakers, but most of it disappears when the display turns off automatically. So here the electronics of the display itself create a more serious background noise. Which is of course not disturbing (auto display off), because I don't think anyone drives it max volume and without a source, I just thought I'd mention it.

Does anyone know if there will be a firmware update or if that was the end of the support, they don't do anything on it anymore? (let's say the one that was on their site has already disappeared, so this is a very interesting manufacturer)
Both devices were developed and manufactured for different sales channels with different looks, in this case Aoshida Audio (AO300) and shenzhenaudio RAW-HA1.
You can tell this from the fact that none of the devices are listed on HiFi-Express.

Changes to the actual device and measured values are not normally to be expected. The amplifier section is based on the A300.
 
Hi guys. I bought this amplifier about a month ago. I use it only with a computer via the optical input. There is a problem, I have to turn on the amplifier 2 times almost every time, because after the first turn on there is no sound. Several times the sound appeared from the first turn on. It does not matter whether you turn it on with the remote or with the knob. At the same time, the inscriptions about the frequency and the output used are the same with or without sound. Version 1.4. Has anyone encountered this?
 
Hi guys. I bought this amplifier about a month ago. I use it only with a computer via the optical input. There is a problem, I have to turn on the amplifier 2 times almost every time, because after the first turn on there is no sound. Several times the sound appeared from the first turn on. It does not matter whether you turn it on with the remote or with the knob. At the same time, the inscriptions about the frequency and the output used are the same with or without sound. Version 1.4. Has anyone encountered this?
It has never happened to me before.
If you switch the inputs and back again in this situation, do you get a sound?

Please do the following in this order.
- Do a factory reset via the menu
- Switch off the device at the front
- Switch off the device at the back
- Unplug the power cord
- Switch on the device at the back
- Switch on the device at the front (still without the power cable)
- Plug the power cord back in
- Switch the device back on and do a factory reset again

Please test whether the problem still exists.
 
Hi guys. I bought this amplifier about a month ago. I use it only with a computer via the optical input. There is a problem, I have to turn on the amplifier 2 times almost every time, because after the first turn on there is no sound. Several times the sound appeared from the first turn on. It does not matter whether you turn it on with the remote or with the knob. At the same time, the inscriptions about the frequency and the output used are the same with or without sound. Version 1.4. Has anyone encountered this?
Power switch or remote button? I powered mine on 24/7 & used the remote to put it into standby & had no problems!
 
Both devices were developed and manufactured for different sales channels with different looks, in this case Aoshida Audio (AO300) and shenzhenaudio RAW-HA1.
You can tell this from the fact that none of the devices are listed on HiFi-Express.

Changes to the actual device and measured values are not normally to be expected. The amplifier section is based on the A300.
I don't even want to understand the meaning of this product management! Now this is the problem with China, that although they can already produce excellent products, but they cannot build a product portfolio and brand, there is still room for improvement.
 
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