SMSL A300 Stereo Amplifier Review

[HighFutility]

I guess due to the mains filtering, you couldn't use these in mono mode to power a couple of diy subs.

 

[sarumbear]

Yeah... 50Hz vs 80Hz. Fixed frequency and slope? No PEQ and delay adjustment at all? Borderline useless.

@SMSL-Mandy; @Fosi Audio : For a minimal 'best-practice' system an integrated or preamplifier/audio interface needs to have at minimum:

• In the main speakers: highpass (custom slope, selectable frequency), delay, ~5 PEQ-s (selectable gain, frequency, Q)
• In the sub out(s): lowpass (custom slope, frequency), delay, ~7 PEQ-s. Even just 3 would be vastly superior than nothing.
• Simple tone-control knob (tilt or bass+treble), remote crollable. For the inherently variable music production situation due to the circle-of-confusion and for a rudimentary loudness-compensation.

Bonus points: >=2 independent sub outs, custom biquads for IIR filters, custom FIR coefficient per channel. Doable with a lowly-old ADAU1701, chip is 5$ wholesale. Possible problem is making a non-buggy UX/UI, that is functional and easy to understand to the customer. Or just give up and package your product with an in-circuit-programming interface, so your customers could use SigmaStudio themselves.

Did I just describe a MiniDSP SHD Power? Sorry for the rant.

It is a $196 amplifier!

 

[TonyJZX]

yep. I mean again, you have to be realistic about what they can deliver for $200

now I would say that this could be a decent buy for $150 when its on 11/11 etc.

also time has moved on... let us see what they can do today rather than 18 months ago?

 

[617]

I will see if I can measure it but the doc says not only is the sub out filtered, but you can also filter the mains. The other two sets of RCAs are the two stereo inputs.

Thanks Amir. Appears to be 12db/octave at around 73 Hz. I think these are normally first order.

Filtered sub and main outs should let this thing play much louder than competing products without main filtering. Paired with a bass reflex speaker your bass is going to be rolling off at 24db/octave which is a lot.

This makes a much bigger difference than the distortion or other issues noted above.

 

[dannut]

Excuses
Yet we see a silly trend with uber-SINAD 'specs', but simple tools to eliminate egregious acoustical problems in real rooms are difficult to find.
How stupid is it, that in this day and age we have to spec a full-blown AVR, when a nice little 2ch box could do the job. And I'm not talking about Dirac DLBC either, that is still missing from a compact 2ch market.

I see a huge hole in the market below MiniDSP SHD Power price point. Just package this in a nice case+PSU: https://store.sure-electronics.com/product/754

 

[Roland68]

Meh. Spend $100 more and get a lot more. OK for computer desktop, other than that I give it a thumbs down.

I'd also like to know which device gives you a lot more for $100.

 

[Toni Mas]

Like the built in PSU, but have no interest in paying for the BT feature, and even less for the USB player.

 

[TonyJZX]

I'd also like to know which device gives you a lot more for $100.

these guys always drag out the yamaha 201/301

the 201 is long superceded here... the 301 is a $349/$400 product but could go on special

 

[TNT]

USB is actually a DAC input.

You mean "USB is actually an output to connect a DAC"?

//

 

[jbattman1016]

This is a great option for someone stepping up from a soundbar and going with a 2.1 setup. Wish it has an optical input, but I guess we can work around that.

 

[saberger0357]

Curious, assuming folks are honest, how many were enjoying these amps prior to the review and are now considering moving on because of the review numbers?

I’d like to take a couple minutes to explain my situation.

I admit that the only specs I tend to focus on when it comes to amps are those that help me to determine if their reasonable candidates to power the speakers I’m planning on using them with. And I also tend to listen to certain people I know both reviewers and not who I respect from previous experience I’ve had with them. And even after the those considerations I’ve ended up many times putting together components that I’ve enjoyed and been called wrong for doing it. As I’ve noted previously at the end of the day it must please my ears.

I’ve only had the pair of A300’s in my rig for a couple days. They’re driving a pair of Allison One speakers( look them up if you don’t know them) combined with one of their Electronic Subwoofer’s(an eq of sorts). Im combing them with various old McIntosh gear, tube and SS . Vinyl, cd, cassette and streaming are all used, often daily. These amps do a very good job of driving these speakers, with perhaps just a little less warmth then the two previous early Mc solid state amps I’ve paired them with. Those amps are being used with other speakers I use regularly and I was searching for cheap quality watts when I bought the A300’s. I went for them because I’ve enjoyed their DAC’s and the many very positive reviews both here and elsewhere.

I will admit that if this current spec review had been available prior to purchase I might’ve looked elsewhere. Maybe. And I still might experiment with a Fosi amp to compare another well regarded amp with better specs to see if I can decode any difference . But I’m keeping the A300 because they do everything I want from them and to my ears they do it well.

 

[TonyJZX]

This is a great option for someone stepping up from a soundbar and going with a 2.1 setup. Wish it has an optical input, but I guess we can work around that.

but then smsl couldnt hit you for another $80-$120 on a dac!

i have a 2nd system setup with an a300 and their c100 dac and with a variety of speakers from large bookshelfs to floorstanders it does a good job that performs better than $300 should

not great... which i why i went back to battleship class a/b amps

 

[TonyJZX]

Curious, assuming folks are honest, how many were enjoying these amps prior to the review and are now considering moving on because of the review numbers ? I’d like to take a couple minutes to explain my situation.

I quite liked mine but deep down I sort of had an inkling there were some deficiences.... I knew that going in... the digital input is one for example...

BUT I'm one of those guys who changes amps as often as I would change bedsheets (ie. often, I have a lady)

I'm wondering if there's some product variability... smsl are known for running v1.0 and v1.2 gear and different firmware.

As some owners have said here they are coming to grips with the fact that the numbers dont seem to match their subjective assessments.

To me this was always going to be a $200 amp. I'm actually looking at buying the Topping RA3 just to see how 'shit' it actually is. $240 isnt a big deal in the scheme of things.

The flip side is the Fosi V3 charted well but some guys here didnt like the sound.

 

[Arianoxx]

I was on Amazon’s checkout page to buy this amp for replacing my old Technics when I saw that Amir just reviewed it. Honestly I don’t really know what to do right now, I’ve bought a week ago the dbr62 thanks to his review where he really liked those (and the same was for me). So I’m probably going to wait for something new to appear with high pass filter and remote control (maybe a Topping mx3s with more power) or maybe I’m going to go with the as-301

 

[jdg78]

This falls about where I was expecting it to performance-wise. I have an A300 as well as a couple of Aiyima A07s and Fosi Audio BT10D, and within my system the audible performance is pretty much the same across all 3 units (which is to say, quite good).

For me the chief advantage of the SMSL A300 over the lesser priced Aiyima and Fosi Audio units is in the added functionality. With the SMSL you get a remote control (no small thing), 2 analogue inputs for attaching multiple sources, filters and tone controls, and sub output.

If those additional features are useful to you, then I think it's worth it to spend a little more for something like the SMSL. If not, just get one of the Aiyima or Fosi Audio units for under $100.

In terms of absolute performance, all of these amps sound so good to me that I question whether I would be able to discern any difference between these and something with a 100+ SINAD score in a real use scenario, but everyone is free to make their own determinations on that front.

 

[Billy Budapest]

Meh. Average performance for a relatively low, but not shockingly low, price. In BTL mode it produces a lot of power, but then you have to buy two and you are spending $500. That’s now at a level where there are much better performing amps.

 

[saberger0357]

I quite liked mine but deep down I sort of had an inkling there were some deficiences.... I knew that going in... the digital input is one for example...

BUT I'm one of those guys who changes amps as often as I would change bedsheets (ie. often, I have a lady)

I'm wondering if there's some product variability... smsl are known for running v1.0 and v1.2 gear and different firmware.

As some owners have said here they are coming to grips with the fact that the numbers dont seem to match their subjective assessments.

To me this was always going to be a $200 amp. I'm actually looking at buying the Topping RA3 just to see how 'shit' it actually is. $240 isnt a big deal in the scheme of things.

The flip side is the Fosi V3 charted well but some guys here didnt like the sound.

Thanks.

My biggest hangup with the Fosi is to get decent power numbers you need to purchase a bigger PSU. But still it comes in at a good price so minor issue.

I still think what one gets from amps like the A300 will have much to do with the application they’re being used for and the gear that it’s used with. I find them to provide clean clear watts to my warmish old speakers. With newer speakers that are on the bright side Im sure I’d have more of a problem with them. Especially if being used with more with digital output vs. analog. To each their own really does apply here.

I

 

[TonyJZX]

also SMSL probably spends a fair bit of sweat on their internal psus... some people dont care about that but I tend to hate this external psus coming from an IT background.

 

[saberger0357]

Meh. Average performance for a relatively low, but not shockingly low, price.

Numbers wise true.

 

[saberger0357]

I was on Amazon’s checkout page to buy this amp for replacing my old Technics when I saw that Amir just reviewed it. Honestly I don’t really know what to do right now, I’ve bought a week ago the dbr62 thanks to his review where he really liked those (and the same was for me). So I’m probably going to wait for something new to appear with high pass filter and remote control (maybe a Topping mx3s with more power) or maybe I’m going to go with the as-301

Or you could buy from Amazon and try out. Very easy to return if not pleased. Of course the review will always be in the back of your mind and perhaps cloud any positive listening experience.