Review and Measurements of SMSL M10 DAC & Amp

[Veri]

I had research the AK4497 DAC for a few times, it's 0dB is worse then the AK4490, AK4493, even low-end AK4452! Can I say the AK4497 is worse then AK4452 ? I don't think so ! I had compared then and the AK4497 win in every way!

Yes well, sighted listening tests are incredibly shallow, prone to bias and not worth very much..

 

[DjBobby]

SMSL are confusingly inconsistent. They must have multiple engineering teams to be able to put out the M10 and also the VMV D1 under the same label.

They really do. There are units stamped with SMSL only and plenty of units with the VMV SMSL, or made for SMSL by VMV.

 

[restorer-john]

As soon as you take out the M10 out of the box, you definitely get the feeling that this is one hefty unit.

The casework looks solid (aluminium one piece?) and apart from the strange looking mini display and the offset balanced headphone socket, it looks pretty good to me.

Can you add weight to your reviews (the kitchen scales will do)? I think a bit of 'heft' goes a long way to get audiophile cred and also stops the lightweight ones from being pulled off the rack by the weight of the interconnecting cables.

 

[VintageFlanker]

I had research the AK4497 DAC for a few times, it's 0dB is worse then the AK4490, AK4493, even low-end AK4452! Can I say the AK4497 is worse then AK4452 ? I don't think so ! I had compared then and the AK4497 win in every way!

Hum... What do you mean by "win"?

Sad AKM actual flagship didn't deserve a proper implementation yet... Maybe the Teac UD-505? I don't know. The new 4499 will be produced in April 2019.

 

[cacliu]

pcb of course looks different. One is balanced the other is not. But the underlying electric properties are probably similar — they are all based on custom designed pnp transistor based class AB amplifier rather than use off the shelf operational amp.

They have very similar output impedance, too, which further suggests they are based on the same design.

As I konw the M10 i found was use TPA6120 x2 , and the output impedance just depends on the output series resistor ! It is very easy to change it !
And also I don't think this is a performace spec, for opa the output impedance always very small(<1 ohm) ! some guys use the output resistor to adapt the headphones, I had found that pic, you can see it clearly, there is a 22ohm resistor, if remove it ,the output impedance is very low!

 

[Veri]

Hum... What do you mean by "win"?

Sad AKM actual flagship didn't deserve a proper implementation yet... Maybe the Teac UD-505? I don't know. The new 4499 will be produced in April 2019.

It could be literally a rather flawed chip. We've seen absolutely zero "great" AK4497 devices so far.

 

[cacliu]

Hum... What do you mean by "win"?

Sad AKM actual flagship didn't deserve a proper implementation yet... Maybe the Teac UD-505? I don't know. The new 4499 will be produced in April 2019.

Musical, detail, sound stage, AK4497 better than AK4452

 

[VintageFlanker]

It could be literally a rather flawed chip. We've seen absolutely zero "great" AK4497 devices so far.

Yep and it only had 2 years of production before being replaced/revised for 4499 (4 years between 4490 and 4493). A bit weird for a flagship chip...

 

[VintageFlanker]

Musical, detail, sound stage, AK4497 better than AK4452

Alright. So nothing but your subjective impressions.
"Musicality" remains a not measurable thing, by the way.

 

[confucius_zero]

Musical, detail, sound stage, AK4497 better than AK4452

I'd like to see measurements being interpreted as such?

 

[cacliu]

Alright. So nothing but your subjective impressions.
"Musicality" remains a not measurable thing, by the way.

No! The dynamic range (THD+N @-60dBFS), the AK4497 is much better, I had test one in 125dB, but the AK4452 just 115dB!

 

[Veri]

No! The dynamic range (THD+N @-60dBFS), the AK4497 is much better, I had test one in 125dB, but the AK4452 just 115dB!

The AK4497 in the M10 here has measured to 115dB unbalanced, 119dB balanced. Which 'one' did you test 125dB?
Because 125dB just so happens to be the claimed dynamic range on the datasheet..

 

[confucius_zero]

The AK4497 in the M10 here has measured to 115dB unbalanced, 119dB balanced. Which 'one' did you test 125dB?

Looking forward to see the 125 measurement data... Could reveal some drastic sample variation on the units.....

 

[cacliu]

The AK4497 in the M10 here has measured to 115dB unbalanced, 119dB balanced. Which 'one' did you test 125dB?
Because 125dB just so happens to be the claimed dynamic range on the datasheet..

You think I am lying？ This is 125dB，and the datasheet is 131dB by the way! And in the AK4452, the 0dB is easily achieve 0.0004%! but the 0dB of ak4497 is 0.0007% even by using 2200uF cap for VREF!

 

[Veri]

You think I am lying？ This is 125dB，and the datasheet is 131dB by the way!

Just wanted proof this is from datasheet btw:

Your measurements are considerably less than the Min./Typical expected behavior, as seems to be the trend with AK4497 designs...
Also no offence but looking at all those floating caps might be your implementation as well

 

[maxxevv]

You think I am lying？ This is 125dB，and the datasheet is 131dB by the way! And in the AK4452, the 0dB is easily achieve 0.0004%! but the 0dB of ak4497 is 0.0007% even by using 2200uF cap for VREF!

I don't see any of the figures you cited in any of your posted pictures /screen captures. Sure you posted the correct ones ?

 

[wadec22]

It could be literally a rather flawed chip. We've seen absolutely zero "great" AK4497 devices so far.

i'm starting to think this as well. the maker of the RME unit hinted at it having issue(s) on their forums.

 

[KR8NUX]

This Panther seems to be coming up every 3-4 reviews or so. Last was that Loxjie one. Both SMSL products have disappointed now.

 

[Veri]

i'm starting to think this as well. the maker of the RME unit hinted at it having issue(s) on their forums.

Yes I interpreted his comments that way, too. Let's hope for the best in the 4499 and lol, hope Topping doesn't waste too many resources on their D70 DAC that's to be released!

 

[VintageFlanker]

Yes I interpreted his comments that way, too. Let's hope for the best in the 4499 and lol, hope Topping doesn't waste too many resources on their D70.

Who knows? Maybe the D70 will doing fine in Amir's hands.
Would also be curious to see an "ADI-3 DAC" with AK4499 in the future.