Opinion on Topping SMSL

[blackgate]

I would so very much like to purchase one of these upper-end Topping/SMSL DACs. However, my only concern is the many posts I have read where the user begins my stating how wonderful the DAC sounded, only to turn it on one day and it’s dead. Or other users stating they received their DAC, plugged it in and nothing as in dead on arrival. These reports have kept me from making a purchase. Is this really a common occurrence with Topping and SMSL?

 

[kemmler3D]

Is this really a common occurrence with Topping and SMSL?

Hard to say. This and other audio forums are full of people who have bought Topping and SMSL because of the high performance-to-price ratio.

Sometimes they do fail. And then the owners are likely to post about it.

But nobody posts when their DAC works as expected. Even a bunch of anecdotes from people whose DACs failed doesn't add up to data.

Actual reliability data is very hard to come by. Probably only Topping and a few retailers have it. They aren't sharing.

I would say if you're really worried about failures, buy from a brand that has a good warranty and reputation for service in your country. In the US, JDS is considered great for this, and their products compete very well on performance.

If you want to figure out reliability, you might check Amazon reviews for a few brands to see if any of them have more complaints than others about failures.

But just reading a few horror stories here and there isn't conclusive either way.

 

[boxerfan88]

Here’s one data point from my personal experience.

Over the past 6 months, I bought 1 topping dac, 1 smsl dac. Both are still working fine.

 

[kemmler3D]

To the above point, here's my anecdata: I have owned 3 topping units and still have 2 - no problems so far.

BTW welcome to ASR!

 

[Keith_W]

When I was considering buying a Topping, I expressed concern about reliability to the sales guy whom I knew. He said he has sold dozens of them and none of them have come back. In fact, his shop is part of a chain of audio stores across Australia and collectively they have sold hundreds of them.

I take anything a salesman says with a grain of salt. But yes, make sure you buy from an outlet that has good after sales customer support.

 

[Dunring]

I buy $5,000 to $6,000 a month in audio equipment, including probably every Topping and SMSL amp and DAC. The failure rate isn't any better overall on one or the other that I've bought. The key isn't which brand, but how and where you buy it. For the most protection, get it new from Apos (California for warranty, not China) or Amazon from Hificollege (same reason, other places you have to spend $60 to ship it back to the factory). Then use a credit card that doubles the 12 month factory warranty, but read the fine print to make sure you save all paperwork needed for a claim. Don't buy the extended warranty, just use a credit card that doubles it. I use a Sinewave UPS battery backup (Tampa is the literal lightning capitol of the world, it's the name of our hockey team) because brownouts and outages in storm season are common.
I've seen every big brand fail since I test for function whenever I get things (inputs, outputs, channel balance on analog amplifiers, etc.). The only one that really stands out the Drop THX 789 and you can see them for sale on eBay for parts/not working with the red LED light stuck on all the time. Granted they sold a lot of them, but not enough to justify the amount of broken ones I've seen. I've got my pick of anything on the market, and my personal system is an SMSL DL200 DAC with a Topping A70Pro sitting on it. If either brand had a lot more failures I wouldn't use or sell it.
I've never in years seen a JDS Labs or Schiit product for sale not working/parts only. JDS Labs has hands down the best technical support department in the industry. Grab their new Atom 2 amp/DAC and use a credit card that doubles their 1 year warranty and won't have to worry. I've got an Atom+ amp here also and the thing just sounds flawless. I'm sure the new 2 versions are even better.

 

[blackgate]

Thank you all! Went to Apos and ordered an E70 Velvet.

 

[blackgate]

I buy $5,000 to $6,000 a month in audio equipment, including probably every Topping and SMSL amp and DAC. The failure rate isn't any better overall on one or the other that I've bought. The key isn't which brand, but how and where you buy it. For the most protection, get it new from Apos (California for warranty, not China) or Amazon from Hificollege (same reason, other places you have to spend $60 to ship it back to the factory). Then use a credit card that doubles the 12 month factory warranty, but read the fine print to make sure you save all paperwork needed for a claim. Don't buy the extended warranty, just use a credit card that doubles it. I use a Sinewave UPS battery backup (Tampa is the literal lightning capitol of the world, it's the name of our hockey team) because brownouts and outages in storm season are common.
I've seen every big brand fail since I test for function whenever I get things (inputs, outputs, channel balance on analog amplifiers, etc.). The only one that really stands out the Drop THX 789 and you can see them for sale on eBay for parts/not working with the red LED light stuck on all the time. Granted they sold a lot of them, but not enough to justify the amount of broken ones I've seen. I've got my pick of anything on the market, and my personal system is an SMSL DL200 DAC with a Topping A70Pro sitting on it. If either brand had a lot more failures I wouldn't use or sell it.
I've never in years seen a JDS Labs or Schiit product for sale not working/parts only. JDS Labs has hands down the best technical support department in the industry. Grab their new Atom 2 amp/DAC and use a credit card that doubles their 1 year warranty and won't have to worry. I've got an Atom+ amp here also and the thing just sounds flawless. I'm sure the new 2 versions are even better.

I know about lightening. I’m up the road just north from you in Palm Harbor.