New S.M.S.L. M300 SE 120$

[taudier]

Interesting. Can you point to where Ibasso references this issue?

Ibasso was aware of the issue and added two mode, AB and H, in their DC04PRO

 

[Emulator II]

Since you can obviously easily toggle the mode on and off, maybe we should just ask @SMSL-Mandy: what mode is the M300 SE operating in, class AB or class H?
Since I don't see why you should run a desktop device in power saving mode, I'm going to type strong on class AB.

 

[GGroch]

Ibasso was aware of the issue and added two mode, AB and H, in their DC04PRO

So, you can find no documentation that Ibasso is aware of audible micro-clicks and considers it to be an "issue"?

I do not see how a portable device having a power saving mode is proof of that unless Ibasso references it somewhere. Sometimes a power saving mode is included to save power. Is there any professional review of the IBasso that references micro-clicks as an audible problem in any mode?

I am sincerely interested.

 

[taudier]

I do not see how a portable device having a power saving mode is proof of that unless Ibasso references it somewhere. Sometimes a power saving mode is included to save power.

Ibasso DC04PRO allows to turn OFF the power saving mode

 

[SMSL-Mandy]

So, you can find no documentation that Ibasso is aware of audible micro-clicks and considers it to be an "issue"?

I do not see how a portable device having a power saving mode is proof of that unless Ibasso references it somewhere. Sometimes a power saving mode is included to save power. Is there any professional review of the IBasso that references micro-clicks as an audible problem in any mode?

I am sincerely interested.

The M300se does not run the 43131's power saving mode under any circumstances

 

[taudier]

The M300se does not run the 43131's power saving mode under any circumstances

The M300se uses the class H amplifier or class AB ? "the power saving mode" has no clear meaning, in the Cirrus Logic datasheet there are many features to save the power which are irrelevant to the discussion.

 

[Pluto]

Has anyone (probably with a working knowledge of the Chinese language) installed the firmware update successfully? I run the supplied software (having set it to the appropriate COM port) and, following step 7, nothing further happens… well at least it doesn't brick the unit!

Any further thoughts please?

 

[GGroch]

Has anyone (probably with a working knowledge of the Chinese language) installed the firmware update successfully?...

No Chinese. I installed it successfully, as have others, using the PDF upgrade tutorial that is part of the download, which is correct and has notes in English. Nothing happened for me until I was sure I had just the single correct USB C cable (that is supplied with the DAC) connected to the upper port, not the lower port that it is normally used with. I discovered that when the connection was correct on my Windows 11 computer, the correct USB Com Port would show up in the Device Manager when the DAC is powered on, and disappear when it is powered off. See my post #158 on this thread.

It is just a few steps. Connect the DAC with the original cable to the top port (check it with the device manager). Power off the DAC, start the software, power on the DAC, select the middle button so you can choose the com port, then select the left button to install the software.

I think I have that right, but the upgrade tutorial was correct. The instructions say if your DAC is very recently purchased, it has already been updated and nothing will happen.

 

[Pluto]

the PDF instructions that are part of the download

I see no PDF, only a couple of JPGs -- is this what you are referring to?

Anyway, nothing so far. Using the upper port and supplied cable; CH340 (COM3) shows up as expected although, if you follow the instructions, the unit should remain switched off. In my case the above device manager entry remains visible whether the unit is powered-up or not. Setting the supplied software to operate on COM3 seems fine but nothing further happens when step 7 is executed (I take it you had a response that was, more or less, instant)

Hence an explanation of the meaning of some of the Chinese might be useful.

 

[GGroch]

I was doing this from memory. I can try again or we can wait for a Chinese linguist. The instructions in the JPG are correct.
1. you are right, the Comport shows when the DAC is 1st plugged into the PC and shows until it is unplugged, so you are probably getting a solid connection and are using the correct com port.
2. A previous poster here indicated that they had to change the data rate property of the com port settings to 4800 from the default 9600 Windows setting for it to work. I did not do that but you could try it.
3. Step 8 in the JPG shows pointing the remote at the DAC and hitting the input button. This turns the DAC on and to the USB input (the display lights), that is how the Software finds the MCU. The update starts after you do that. I had forgotten that step. My failing memory, not Chinese. I hope this helps.

 

[Pluto]

Right, the crucial step to get it working (for me) appears to have been that step 8 should actually be carried out immediately following step 7*, at which point the display lights up and the operation completes within a few seconds.

* rather than waiting [ad infinitum] for "Detecting the target MCU" which will never happen while that part of the unit is effectively switched off!

 

[GGroch]

成功 !

 

[Leonm771]

Right, the crucial step to get it working (for me) appears to have been that step 8 should actually be carried out immediately following step 7*, at which point the display lights up and the operation completes within a few seconds.

* rather than waiting [ad infinitum] for "Detecting the target MCU" which will never happen while that part of the unit is effectively switched off!

it takes only 2sec , probably, or less

** if stuck at step 8**
go to device manager , find the com 3 stuff , click in and change the bits from 9600 to 2400/4800. TRY step 8 again

 

[TonyJZX]

i dont check my email all the time since i use a catchall email address

but someone decided to do a CC of everyone in this thread with the instructions of the new V1.1 upgrade... as a public service announcement

they had good intentions... but now they just gave everyone all the email addresses of everyone in this thread

 

[Gordon Shumway]

After 20 days waiting I've finally received my M300 SE, is the firs version, not upgraded, being using it for two weeks, about 4 to 6 hours per day, I must say I'm very happy with it, I bought it to be used with my PC as an upgrade from an Aiyima Tube T6-Pro and an Asus Xonar D1 (used with speakers/headphones) and a Fiio E10K-TC (for headphones) .

Since all your experience shared helped me, I want to share mine, I'm not an expert so I will try to explain myself as better as I can.

My main music source is Amazon Music, nothing fancy, but this isn't a fancy device either.

First I've combined the M300 via xrl outputs with a SMSL SA-50 amp and Jamo S803 speakers, there is a nice improvement compared to the Aiyima T6 pro and the Asus Xonar D1:

• Soundstage: Bigger soundstage, in depth and wide.
• Image: Better image and instrument separation.
• Vocals: Clear vocals, chorus and background voices can be heard much better, like in different layers.
• Details: Definitely more sharp and detailed, you can hear things that were nor perceptible with the other 2 sources.
• Bass: A bit more tight and deep, and less invasive on the lower mids, but with the T6 you can use the bass control to get a more deep and punchy bass if you need it.
• Clicks or weird noises: None of them.
• Cons? Not really, but If you are used to a "warmer" sound like the one from the Aiyima T6 you would find the M300 definitely on the "sharp" side.
  
  
  When it comes to the headphone AMP, I've being using it with the Sennheiser HD 569 and Phillips SHP 9500, both are easy to drive.
  
  
• Soundstage: I didn't notice a big improvemt vs the Fiio E10k-TC or the T6.
• Image: Better image, not only listening music, but playing games the audio positionnement is excellent.
• Vocals: Clear vocals, but not as much as with the speakers.
• Details: More sharp and detailed, but not as much as with the speakers.
• Bass: It's ok, same as with the speakers.
• Clicks or weird nouses: About the "Clicks", I didn't hear them, but you can hear a short "psss" sound when you press "play" right before a song, playlist or video starts, and then the same "pss" about 2 seconds after you pause or stop the audio source. Nothing weird herd during the continous playback. So It's not really annoying, but I suppose that "pss" shouldn't exist at all.

Hope someone finds this helpful, I think that in overall this is a nice device.

 

[taudier]

you can hear a short "psss" sound when you press "play" right before a song, playlist or video starts, and then the same "pss" about 2 seconds after you pause or stop the audio source. Nothing weird herd during the continous playback. So It's not really annoying, but I suppose that "pss" shouldn't exist at all.

Hope someone finds this helpful, I think that in overall this is a nice device.

it is the auto-mute feature, very annoying with sensitive iem, so "no power saving mode under any circumstances" ? huh

 

[Solveit]

you can hear a short "psss" sound when you press "play" right before a song,

I don't have any "psss" In Foobar, Spotify.
Maybe Amazon Music that do some mute?

 

[Gordon Shumway]

I don't have any "psss" In Foobar, Spotify.
Maybe Amazon Music that do some mute?

I tried with Foobar and YouTube, I can hear the same "pss".

This "pss" thing happens only with the headphone output, the XRL makes no noise at all. Even tried connecting the XRL to the T6 to use his headphone out and there was no "pss".

 

[Gordon Shumway]

it is the auto-mute feature, very annoying with sensitive iem, so "no power saving mode under any circumstances" ? huh

I, too, believe this has to do with some power saving feature when the headphone amp is not used. About IEMs, I tried with the Fiio FH3, the little noise isn't worse than with the HD569.

Maybe the V1.1 firmware fix this, but since I'm outside the USA I don't want to run the risk of brick the device. I can live with this "pss" at the end of a playlist... at least for now haha

 

[Leonm771]

View attachment 302430
Fixed one.

I just turned 70 and had involuntary hearing firmware updates installed over the last few years. Sadly, the new filters are not relevant for me.

can someone explain how it sounds like ?