S.M.S.L PO100, PO100 PRO & PO100 AK - Measurements (Digital Interfaces & DAC)

[VintageFlanker]

@ VintageFlanker is there a way you can test the DPLL ( I'm guessing that is what it is) For me with 2 Different Anthem (MRX latest)

I don't see how I could do that without the units on hands.

I could clearly observe DPLL impact on the Jitter. Recent exemples with the E70:

Topping E70 Stereo DAC Review

But only the ASIO option enables native DSD. The WASAPI option only offers PCM conversions. Is that expected behavior? Yes. Native DSD isn't possible via WASAPI. Only DoP. For native DSD, ASIO is required.

www.audiosciencereview.com

Or in my review of the Matrix X-SABRE 3:

Matrix Audio X-SABRE 3 Measurements (DAC & Streamer)

Matrix Audio X-SABRE 3 Measurements Hi folks, Here is another review, measurements-based, of the Matrix Audio X-SABRE 3 DAC and streamer. This unit has been kindly loaned to me by @Audiophonics for the purpose of this review. This is the third version since the original X-SABRE Pro, which...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[JasonC331]

I also sent a video.

Guess I will make one too.....

 

[Dumdum]

I own a topping D10s running my car from an iPad mini 5 currently, I have a po100 spare and now a po100 pro on its way, I can sell the po100 to a team mate in our EMMA Sq team so she can have a digital input for the euros in Austria in April… good to know they all do an excellent job

Thanks for your review

 

[Klirren]

Does the driver support Windows 7? The specs keep silent about this.

 

[VintageFlanker]

The specs keep silent about this.

Nope. These are pretty clear:

 

[Dumdum]

Well I’ve swapped sighted between a po100, po100 pro and a topping d10s in my sound quality competition car and I can’t find any difference, all using the dsp dac which is a AK velvet sound with coaxial input… zero difference I could find!

 

[pouni]

Hi together, I plan to connect a MacBook via PO100 Pro to a DAC (Musician Pegasus). As I am not very experienced I have a couple of questions and I hope you can help me:

1) Does the quality of the USB-C cable between MacBook and PO100 Pro play any role regarding the resulting sound quality or can I use a standard USB-C cable here?

2) Does the connection type should between the PO100 Pro and the DAC play any role regarding the resulting sound quality? I know that optical toslink does not have the best reputation but as I expect a good quality optical output from the PO100 Pro I do not know if there are any sound quality improvements to be expected by using the I2S connection or the coaxial connection over the optical toslink connection. Does the quality of optical toslink cables affect sound quality in this case?

I hope you can give me some advise here.

Best regards

Bojan

 

[Trell]

Hi together, I plan to connect a MacBook via PO100 Pro to a DAC (Musician Pegasus). As I am not very experienced I have a couple of questions and I hope you can help me:

1) Does the quality of the USB-C cable between MacBook and PO100 Pro play any role regarding the resulting sound quality or can I use a standard USB-C cable here?

No issue unless the cable has a defect or is too long, so just use whatever cable you've at hand.

2) Does the connection type should between the PO100 Pro and the DAC play any role regarding the resulting sound quality? I know that optical toslink does not have the best reputation but as I expect a good quality optical output from the PO100 Pro I do not know if there are any sound quality improvements to be expected by using the I2S connection or the coaxial connection over the optical toslink connection. Does the quality of optical toslink cables affect sound quality in this case?

I hope you can give me some advise here.

Nope, and with TOSLINK you can avoid some ground loops that do reduce the sound quality. Don't buy thick cables as they are a pain to layout in a nice way.

 

[VintageFlanker]

1) Does the quality of the USB-C cable between MacBook and PO100 Pro play any role regarding the resulting sound quality

Nope. It will work or it won't.

2) Does the connection type should between the PO100 Pro and the DAC play any role regarding the resulting sound quality? I know that optical toslink does not have the best reputation but as I expect a good quality optical output from the PO100 Pro I do not know if there are any sound quality improvements to be expected by using the I2S connection or the coaxial connection over the optical toslink connection.

...Haem... did you even read the review at all?

Does the quality of optical toslink cables affect sound quality in this case?

No. Buy 75Ω certified coax cables for peace of mind, if you want. For toslink, I use AmazonBasics for years.

 

[pouni]

...Haem... did you even read the review at all?

Yes absolutely, but maybe I have stated an invalid question due to a lack of knowledge on my side. At the moment I have crackles in my sound when I use an optical toslink connection between my PC and my Musician Pegasus DAC. I think this is due to a combination of a low quality optical output on PC side and a pretty "delicate" optical input of the Musician Pegasus. I hope the risk for these crackles would be significant lower by adding the PO100 Pro into this chain.

 

[Trell]

Yes absolutely, but maybe I have stated an invalid question due to a lack of knowledge on my side. At the moment I have crackles in my sound when I use an optical toslink connection between my PC and my Musician Pegasus DAC. I think this is due to a combination of a low quality optical output on PC side and a pretty "delicate" optical input of the Musician Pegasus. I hope the risk for these crackles would be significant lower by adding the PO100 Pro into this chain.

I would try re-seat the TOSLINK at both ends after checking that not something is blocking the ports (say, like dust) as well as check for visible signs that the cable is faulty (like sharp bends). If that DAC has other types of inputs I would try that as well. Perhaps there is a software problem, so testing on another computer if available is handy. You could order a new inexpensive TOSLINK cable as perhaps your older cable is faulty but not visibly so. Etc.

 

[Dennis_FL]

Yes absolutely, but maybe I have stated an invalid question due to a lack of knowledge on my side. At the moment I have crackles in my sound when I use an optical toslink connection between my PC and my Musician Pegasus DAC. I think this is due to a combination of a low quality optical output on PC side and a pretty "delicate" optical input of the Musician Pegasus. I hope the risk for these crackles would be significant lower by adding the PO100 Pro into this chain.

I had the PO100 and it died after a few months. They had discontinued it and in place of it I bought a cheap ($19) no-name brand which snap crackled and popped over the same cables and inputs. The PO100 was beautiful sound. It isn't the cable.

I didn't know about the "Pro" model otherwise I would have bought it.

 

[Dumdum]

I had the PO100 and it died after a few months. They had discontinued it and in place of it I bought a cheap ($19) no-name brand which snap crackled and popped over the same cables and inputs. The PO100 was beautiful sound. It isn't the cable.

I didn't know about the "Pro" model otherwise I would have bought it.

Pro vs normal works identically via optical and coaxial

 

[JasonC331]

I must have the worst luck, I now have to return one of the 2 (P0100 Pro) because the Coax connection wobbles and cuts out, and Optical still works fine. SMH, SMSL enforce that connection point, please! At least this one won't require me to TS a non-working device.

 

[Dmaumau]

Hi together, I plan to connect a MacBook via PO100 Pro to a DAC (Musician Pegasus). As I am not very experienced I have a couple of questions and I hope you can help me:

1) Does the quality of the USB-C cable between MacBook and PO100 Pro play any role regarding the resulting sound quality or can I use a standard USB-C cable here?

2) Does the connection type should between the PO100 Pro and the DAC play any role regarding the resulting sound quality? I know that optical toslink does not have the best reputation but as I expect a good quality optical output from the PO100 Pro I do not know if there are any sound quality improvements to be expected by using the I2S connection or the coaxial connection over the optical toslink connection. Does the quality of optical toslink cables affect sound quality in this case?

I hope you can give me some advise here.

Best regards

Bojan

Dear Bojan,

1 - Yes it does and a lot, despite what the bit worshipers say. Try to test a few and get your own conclusions.

2 - Coaxial is almost always a better connection, due to the poor quality (cheap plastic) of the optical interfaces in toslink, BUT the cable and connectors both must be 75ohms., since usual audio cables are 50ohms. Electrical isolation MAY BE an asset in some cases with the optical. Different optical cables also have influence in audio. I got a really cheap one that cause a higher sound volume than others.

Cheers

 

[Dmaumau]

I bough a PO100 a few months back to use with my Dac Zero and it works flawlessly.

 

[flowjm]

Yes absolutely, but maybe I have stated an invalid question due to a lack of knowledge on my side. At the moment I have crackles in my sound when I use an optical toslink connection between my PC and my Musician Pegasus DAC. I think this is due to a combination of a low quality optical output on PC side and a pretty "delicate" optical input of the Musician Pegasus. I hope the risk for these crackles would be significant lower by adding the PO100 Pro into this chain.

Those crackles might also be digital clipping/distortion if the output from your PC is too high.

 

[pouni]

Hi together, I have received the PO100 Pro and everything works fine connected to a Windows 11 PC. Do you think I should install the driver from the SMSL Website even though it seems to work also without these drivers?

 

[Dumdum]

Those crackles might also be digital clipping/distortion if the output from your PC is too high.

Too high? It can’t be more than full scale…

Normally I find if it’s crackles it a sample rate over what the signal is capable of…

A dac should be fine with full scale digital input it’s also very rare for music to get within 6db of full scale

 

[Mr_Nujin]

Hello. Long time lurker, first time post. I am having a hard time with my I2S connection between the PO100Pro and Topping D90. Based on the I2S interface in the manual, I should be in Mode 2 on the PO100Pro and STD on the D90. But I am not getting any sound. Optical and Coaxial is working. Any troubleshooting tips to get the I2S connection working? Thanks in advance.