SMSL AS400 All-in-One: DAC&Power Amp&MM Phono Amp

[SidiousX]

For few days no one posted it, so here it is.
The newest member of clone wars (SMSL AL200, AO300, RAW-HA1, Loxjie A40).
It never stops

SMSL AS400 All-in-One: DAC&Power Amp&MM Phono Amp

SMSL mainly made their version of Loxjie A40, adding LP in + aesthetic tweaks. For quick research I do not see any hardware changes.
Price $279.00

 

[DazST]

That's a nice looking amp, especially in black.

 

[Mike_Trueman]

Would love to see a version with more GAN power.

 

[Roland68]

This is nothing more than another version of the Loxjie A40 in a different housing, or an AO300 with a phono output, so nothing really new.

Would love to see a version with more GAN power.

GaN has no advantages in Class D amplifiers so far, except for perhaps a 1% improvement in efficiency in the power amp, if that. In the power supply, it's 2-6%, but that has nothing to do with the actual amplifier.
But even if SMSL's marketing for Infineon GaN amplifier technology is good, that doesn't change the technical deficiencies. A 30-year-old NAD amplifier easily beats them all (one more reason to love my NAD 2200), and even inexpensive amplifiers can easily keep up with them or even more.

 

[-good]

I came to say I picked up both a SMSL AS400 and a Loxjie A40 to test my setup with, but dang I am running into annoying problems getting the SMSL AS400 to play nice with my SVS1000 Pro. Very annoying because it doesn't have true bass management as you noted.

 

[Mike_Trueman]

I came to say I picked up both a SMSL AS400 and a Loxjie A40 to test my setup with, but dang I am running into annoying problems getting the SMSL AS400 to play nice with my SVS1000 Pro. Very annoying because it doesn't have true bass management as you noted.

AS400 just have a sub output like most SMSL amplifiers. Buy the SMSL AL400 if you want more bass control.

The AL400 offers four selectable low-pass cutoff frequencies (55Hz, 85Hz, 120Hz, 160Hz), allowing you to adjust the crossover point between the main speakers and the subwoofer according to their respective bass extension. A phase inverter offers a choice between 0° and 180°

 

[ChenHui]

I think Sabaj's bass management function is the most powerful—it has both low-pass and high-pass. But unfortunately, Sabaj no longer sells new units of this model.
SABAJ A30A-HIFIEXPRESS

 

[Bleib]

There's also AL400.. better chip? No mention of PFFB

AL400

Foshan ShuangMuSanLin electronics Co., LTD. founded in 2009 which located in Shenzhen, China. And our branch company VMV Technology(HK) Company Limited registered in HK in 2013. Our company is specialized in the audio DAC, stereo headphone amplifier, power amplifier, and with own R&D...

www.smsl-audio.com

 

[ChenHui]

There's also AL400.. better chip? No mention of PFFB

AL400

Foshan ShuangMuSanLin electronics Co., LTD. founded in 2009 which located in Shenzhen, China. And our branch company VMV Technology(HK) Company Limited registered in HK in 2013. Our company is specialized in the audio DAC, stereo headphone amplifier, power amplifier, and with own R&D...

www.smsl-audio.com

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Wow, you got this new machine so quickly! How’s it working out for you?

 

[Bleib]

Wow, you got this new machine so quickly! How’s it working out for you?

No, no, no. I don't own it. The pics are from SMSLs page on Facebook
I absolutely do not need more amplifiers

 

[-good]

AS400 just have a sub output like most SMSL amplifiers. Buy the SMSL AL400 if you want more bass control.

The AL400 offers four selectable low-pass cutoff frequencies (55Hz, 85Hz, 120Hz, 160Hz), allowing you to adjust the crossover point between the main speakers and the subwoofer according to their respective bass extension. A phase inverter offers a choice between 0° and 180°

That's an idea, I didn't know it existed. I spent a bunch of time dialing in the svs sub with the AS400, I truly wonder if it's worth returning it and getting the AL400 given they are about the same price. ( Though on sale the As400 was closer to $200)

I will say it does sound great

 

[Bleib]

That's an idea, I didn't know it existed. I spent a bunch of time dialing in the svs sub with the AS400, I truly wonder if it's worth returning it and getting the AL400 given they are about the same price. ( Though on sale the As400 was closer to $200)

I will say it does sound great

Can you detect any hiss from the tweeter if no music is playing and having your ear close to the tweeter?

 

[-good]

Can you detect any hiss from the tweeter if no music is playing and having your ear close to the tweeter?

No hiss from the tweeter (tested from the AS400 )

I should note the speakers are the Klipsch R15m, and the sub is the svs1000 pro I noted earlier.

 

[Bleib]

No hiss from the tweeter (tested from the AS400 )

I should note the speakers are the Klipsch R15m, and the sub is the svs1000 pro I noted earlier.

Thanks, so not possible to hear with high sensitivity speakers. There was a problem with a previous SMSL amp, A300, it had a high-pitched noise coming from the tweeter if the display was on. I just hope they have solved this problem

 

[rocksteady]

That's a nice looking amp, especially in black.

A matter of opinion, of course. To my eyes, the Black version looks nondescript and boring...

 

[-good]

Interesting update on the AS400 vs the LOXJIE A40 - the A40 seems to handle the subwoofer much better. Doing sweeps from 20 Hz to 40 Hz at vol level 25 on both the AS400 sounds more muted and you can't really hear the sub, the A40 the sub comes through much more. Same filter and EQ setting used
(FAST + LLatency, Direct)

Basically below 30hz the AS400 is performing very poorly on getting signal to the sub, where the A40 gets that sound out. A40 also is cleaner/crisper with it.