SMSL D-6s Balanced DAC Review

[Tangband]

I ordered one from Apos for $199. I must have missed the $19-off sale, but I'm fine with the price. Should pair nicely with the WiiM Pro that just arrived today.

Looking forward to hear what you think of this dac, I have the WiiM pro to .

 

[Kain]

Do USB DACs require drivers to run on Windows and macOS? Also, will this DAC be compatible with macOS?

 

[staticV3]

Do USB DACs require drivers to run on Windows and macOS?

Some particularly old models may require a manual driver install to function.
Modern DACs on the other hand are basically all UAC1/UAC2 compliant, so will work plug-and-play with Windows and macOS.

Also, will this DAC be compatible with macOS?

Yes.

 

[renaudrenaud]

Do USB DACs require drivers to run on Windows and macOS? Also, will this DAC be compatible with macOS?

For Linux, drivers are in the kernel. So perfectly no problem since ages.

Most of the time the USB interface is a product from Xmos, something like XU-xxx, like xu208 or xu316...

USB & Multichannel Audio | XMOS

Building on our heritage in audio solutions, our easy-to-integrate voice interfaces provide state of the art sound processing at a compelling price. Perfect for developers who want the best choice in voice.

www.xmos.com

Topping DX3Pro https://shenzhenaudio.com/collectio...ier-pre-amplifier?_pos=2&_fid=b9116e59b&_ss=c

SMSL D6s https://shenzhenaudio.com/collectio...og-convertor-dac?_pos=24&_fid=6ab6b0b04&_ss=c

 

[burrella90]

so i ended up rolling the opamps on the d10b with op1612 from mouser and attaching xlr direct to board removing the trs jacks

 

[Toku]

For Linux, drivers are in the kernel. So perfectly no problem since ages.

I'm interested in Linux
Does the Linux kernel resample everything to a set sampling rate and output it like Windows systems do?
Or output according to the original file?
Can you handle sample rates up to 192kHz/24bit?

 

[renaudrenaud]

I'm interested in Linux
Does the Linux kernel resample everything to a set sampling rate and output it like Windows systems do?
Or output according to the original file?
Can you handle sample rates up to 192kHz/24bit?

No
Yes
Yes.

 

[Toku]

No
Yes
Yes.

I have a Core i9-8950HK mini-PC that I don't use, so I'm going to install Linux and try it out.

 

[TNT]

Nice - and why dint you while at it, install CamillaDSP on that PC for some EQ adventures ;-)

//

 

[renaudrenaud]

I have a Core i9-8950HK mini-PC that I don't use, so I'm going to install Linux and try it out.

You can install Daphile and use the oversampling functions. It contains the server and the player.

You can install Linux then Docker and then install Logitech Media Server, the audio server, and install the player, Squeezelite. These two are working as containers.

Here managed in Docker with Portainer running on an Orange Pi Zero 3, 4Go Ram and 30$. Very efficient system.

 

[woof!]

Have someone bought this dac yet - any issues with crackling sound when switching between spdif and USB input , or other issues ?

It would be nice to know that the serie version of this dac is as good as the one sent to Amirm.

I just got mine today. Not sure which crackling sound problem you are referring to but for sometime (2021-now) I have similar issue with spdif with my previous dacs (topping d90se, gustard x16, gustard x18). I can confirm this one doesn't have those issue. For my problem, older dac like topping e30 and rme adi2 AK4493 version also don't have that issue. My TV is LG oled 2019 so I am not sure if that is a specific lg 2019 problem or not.

 

[Tangband]

I just got mine today. Not sure which crackling sound problem you are referring to but for sometime (2021-now) I have similar issue with spdif with my previous dacs (topping d90se, gustard x16, gustard x18). I can confirm this one doesn't have those issue. For my problem, older dac like topping e30 and rme adi2 AK4493 version also don't have that issue. My TV is LG oled 2019 so I am not sure if that is a specific lg 2019 problem or not.

Interesting


1. Is the preamp with volume regulation good-sounding ?

2. Does the preamp remember the volume settings if you switch of the unit ?

3. Are there any bad news with functionality as you can see it , that Amirm didnt recognize ?

4. Is the sound as good as any dac regardless of price ? ( you need listening experience to answer this i guess - maybe you have that )

5. would you recommend this dac to others , buying this instead of a Topping E50 ?

 

[woof!]

Interesting


1. Is the preamp with volume regulation good-sounding ?

2. Does the preamp remember the volume settings if you switch of the unit ?

3. Are there any bad news with functionality as you can see it , that Amirm didnt recognize ?

4. Is the sound as good as any dac regardless of price ? ( you need listening experience to answer this i guess - maybe you have that )

5. would you recommend this dac to others , buying this instead of a Topping E50 ?

1. good-sounding is vary depends on person to person but yeah it's good enough for me. full volume seems to be 99 I can go down to 48 on AHB2 and it doesn't sounds bad. (no hiss/etc so far)
2. yes it seems the preamp remember the volume settings and input source once you turn off and on the dac
3. functionally, no, or rather I haven't find any bad thing yet. So far, all input and output seems to work as expected. The only thing noticeable is the display only show 3 letter due to the limited space.

4. Not sure about this "as good" but for me yeah. Interestingly, I have a gustard u18. Combined it with my singxer-sa1, it make me able to AB test 2 dac in an instant. Needless to say, I was ab testing gustard x16, x18, topping e30, fiio bta30, and rme adi2 ak4493 version. Long story short I can't tell any difference at all in term of sound . All of those perceive "sound difference" is gone.
5. too soon to recommend it or not. I only have it for less than a day. Also I don't know much about Topping E50.

 

[withoutsuit]

thank you! Does it have auto on / off when signal comes?

 

[woof!]

thank you! Does it have auto on / off when signal comes?

nope

 

[withoutsuit]

nope

thank you! Then it's Topping E50 for me, I think.

 

[Tangband]

1. good-sounding is vary depends on person to person but yeah it's good enough for me. full volume seems to be 99 I can go down to 48 on AHB2 and it doesn't sounds bad. (no hiss/etc so far)
2. yes it seems the preamp remember the volume settings and input source once you turn off and on the dac
3. functionally, no, or rather I haven't find any bad thing yet. So far, all input and output seems to work as expected. The only thing noticeable is the display only show 3 letter due to the limited space.
View attachment 322116
4. Not sure about this "as good" but for me yeah. Interestingly, I have a gustard u18. Combined it with my singxer-sa1, it make me able to AB test 2 dac in an instant. Needless to say, I was ab testing gustard x16, x18, topping e30, fiio bta30, and rme adi2 ak4493 version. Long story short I can't tell any difference at all in term of sound . All of those perceive "sound difference" is gone.
5. too soon to recommend it or not. I only have it for less than a day. Also I don't know much about Topping E50.

Thanks for reply !
You seems to have a lot of experience - looking forward to your longtherm use and later review .

 

[Tangband]

Yep, nothing wrong here and priced well too. Thanks for the testing @amirm and to SMSL for sending one for testing.

View attachment 319867


View attachment 319868

ES9039Q2M
XMOS XU-316


JSmith

I dont see any transformer at the spdif input for galvanic isolation ? Every decent dac should have one .

Here a comparison with the more expensive topping d70s - there is a spdif transformer in this .

 

[somebodyelse]

I dont see any transformer at the spdif input for galvanic isolation ? Every decent dac should have one .

That's arguable, a bit like balanced interconnects in HiFi. The domestic standards don't call for transformers at all, probably for the same reason we still see interconnects using RCAs. The AES and EBU standards say it should be at the transmit end. I think it's only the Japanese pro standard that says it should _also_ be on the receive end. Having said that, it's a cheap belt-and-braces measure in case it gets used with a source that doesn't have a transformer. Presumably you also regard such sources as not being decent.

 

[ServiceRc]

I dont see any transformer at the spdif input for galvanic isolation ? Every decent dac should have one .

View attachment 322147

Here a comparison with the more expensive topping d70s - there is a spdif transformer in this .
View attachment 322156

Amirm said: there is no trembling in all three interfaces". And that's the main thing. I take his word for it .