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SMSL D-6s Balanced DAC Review

Rate this DAC:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 11 2.5%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 6 1.4%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 28 6.3%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 399 89.9%

  • Total voters
    444
Btw, my D-6s had too much relay switching from one track to another, but the firmware update fixed that. Im really glad, I can keep this boy for the rest of my life now lol
 
Btw, my D-6s had too much relay switching from one track to another, but the firmware update fixed that. Im really glad, I can keep this boy for the rest of my life now lol
The D-6s does not have a single relay ... ;)
 
The SMSL products with ESS DAC chips are known to make small "pop" or "click" like sounds when a sample rate occurs. I'm not even sure if sample rate changes are really initiating this sound because I'm playing 44.1 from my ripped CDs from the NAS and I'm still experiencing pops from time to time.

Some solved this issue wit preventing the USB port from letting the USB device go to sleep. Are you aware of this topic?

Was it really the FW update on the D-6s that solved the clicking/pop issue for you?
 
Hello Scientists!

Late to the party but great DAC the D6s which I own for some days now. :)

I tried to di the latest Firmwareupdate to 1.1. but got an error with a wrong characterset which have attached.
Any Ideas how to solve that - I run Windows 11 Pro 64bit.

Best!
Michael
 

Attachments

  • FirmwareProb11.jpg
    FirmwareProb11.jpg
    212.4 KB · Views: 113
Hello Scientists!

Late to the party but great DAC the D6s which I own for some days now. :)

I tried to di the latest Firmwareupdate to 1.1. but got an error with a wrong characterset which have attached.
Any Ideas how to solve that - I run Windows 11 Pro 64bit.

Best!
Michael
SMSL told me that ShenzenAudio is the soley Distributor for the D6s!

Problem is solved - I contacted ShenzenAudio and they send me an english version updater (SMSL D-6S_MCU v1.2_EN_241008.exe).

Additional is important to note that the power supply must not be plugged in initially, but only after you have pressed "start/update" in the MCU updater.
Now everything is fine.

Just FIY, my protocol:
Checking target MCU ...
MCU type: STC8G2K64S4

Current H/W Option:
. ISP-IRC frequency: 24.017MHz
. IRC frequency: 11.969MHz
. Wakeup Timer frequency: 35.450KHz
. Oscillator gain is HIGH
. User EEPROM size is 10 K
. Do not detect the level of P3.2 and P3.3 next download
. Power-on reset, use the extra power-on delay
. RESET pin behaves as IO pin
. Reset while detect a Low-Voltage
. Thresh voltage level of the built-in LVD : 2.00 V
. Hardware enable Watch-Dog-Timer when power-on reset
. Watch-Dog-Timer pre-scalar : 256
. Watch-Dog-Timer stop count in idle mode
. Erase user EEPROM area at next download
. Do not control 485 at next download
. Do not check user password next download
. Reference voltage: 1195 mV (Range: 1100~1300mV)

MCU type: STC8G2K64S4

Adjusting frequency ... [0.953"]
Adjusted frequency: 11.998MHz (-0.020%)

Re-handshaking ... Successful [0.125"]
Current Baudrate: 115200
Erasing MCU flash ... OK ! [0.641"]
Programming user code ... OK ! [5.110"]
Programming OPTIONS ... OK ! [0.016"]

H/W Option upgrade to:
. ISP-IRC frequency: 24.017MHz
. IRC frequency: 11.998MHz
. Wakeup Timer frequency: 35.450KHz
. Oscillator gain is HIGH
. User EEPROM size is 10 K
. Do not detect the level of P3.2 and P3.3 next download
. Power-on reset, use the extra power-on delay
. RESET pin behaves as IO pin
. Reset while detect a Low-Voltage
. Thresh voltage level of the built-in LVD : 3.00 V
. Hardware enable Watch-Dog-Timer when power-on reset
. Watch-Dog-Timer pre-scalar : 256
. Watch-Dog-Timer stop count in idle mode
. Erase user EEPROM area at next download
. Do not control 485 at next download
. Do not check user password next download
. Reference voltage: 1195 mV (Range: 1100~1300mV)
MCU ID : F764C3C108E578

MCU type: STC8G2K64S4

. Set frequency: 12.000MHz
. Adjusted frequency: 11.998MHz ( clock divider = 2; )
. Trim error: -0.020%


Complete !
 
Last edited:
SMSL told me that ShenzenAudio is the soley Distributor for the D6s!

Problem is solved - I contacted ShenzenAudio and they send me an english version updater (SMSL D-6S_MCU v1.2_EN_241008.exe).

Additional is important to note that the power supply must not be plugged in initially, but only after you have pressed "start/update" in the MCU updater.
Now everything is fine.

Just FIY, my protocol:
Checking target MCU ...
MCU type: STC8G2K64S4

Current H/W Option:
. ISP-IRC frequency: 24.017MHz
. IRC frequency: 11.969MHz
. Wakeup Timer frequency: 35.450KHz
. Oscillator gain is HIGH
. User EEPROM size is 10 K
. Do not detect the level of P3.2 and P3.3 next download
. Power-on reset, use the extra power-on delay
. RESET pin behaves as IO pin
. Reset while detect a Low-Voltage
. Thresh voltage level of the built-in LVD : 2.00 V
. Hardware enable Watch-Dog-Timer when power-on reset
. Watch-Dog-Timer pre-scalar : 256
. Watch-Dog-Timer stop count in idle mode
. Erase user EEPROM area at next download
. Do not control 485 at next download
. Do not check user password next download
. Reference voltage: 1195 mV (Range: 1100~1300mV)

MCU type: STC8G2K64S4

Adjusting frequency ... [0.953"]
Adjusted frequency: 11.998MHz (-0.020%)

Re-handshaking ... Successful [0.125"]
Current Baudrate: 115200
Erasing MCU flash ... OK ! [0.641"]
Programming user code ... OK ! [5.110"]
Programming OPTIONS ... OK ! [0.016"]

H/W Option upgrade to:
. ISP-IRC frequency: 24.017MHz
. IRC frequency: 11.998MHz
. Wakeup Timer frequency: 35.450KHz
. Oscillator gain is HIGH
. User EEPROM size is 10 K
. Do not detect the level of P3.2 and P3.3 next download
. Power-on reset, use the extra power-on delay
. RESET pin behaves as IO pin
. Reset while detect a Low-Voltage
. Thresh voltage level of the built-in LVD : 3.00 V
. Hardware enable Watch-Dog-Timer when power-on reset
. Watch-Dog-Timer pre-scalar : 256
. Watch-Dog-Timer stop count in idle mode
. Erase user EEPROM area at next download
. Do not control 485 at next download
. Do not check user password next download
. Reference voltage: 1195 mV (Range: 1100~1300mV)
MCU ID : F764C3C108E578

MCU type: STC8G2K64S4

. Set frequency: 12.000MHz
. Adjusted frequency: 11.998MHz ( clock divider = 2; )
. Trim error: -0.020%


Complete !
Could you share v1.2 file? I has only v1.1 from SMSL home site
 
Could you share v1.2 file? I has only v1.1 from SMSL home site
On the English download page it's listed as V1.1, but if you look into the downloaded zip-archive it's v1.2 from 8 Oct. 2024


1751199827591.png
 
The way SMSL handles the topic of firmware updates is indeed rather sloppy. It's actually not that difficult to rename the folder or update the path after you have put in a new FW file.
 
The difference seems to be the "en" for english version, which brought the english menu navigation and output in my case.

SMSL told me that they are not in charge for support/firmwares for the D6s as this is only ShenzenAudio. Why, I dont know which sales/support agreements were made.
 
SMSL told me that they are not in charge for support/firmwares for the D6s as this is only ShenzenAudio. Why, I dont know which sales/support agreements were made.
That sounds like a pretty stale excuse to me. It seems SMSL is the manufacturer and ShenzenAudio is a retailer.
And who other than the manufacturer should (be able to) make firmware updates? And I mean, who runs the firmware download site? It's SMSL and they had pretty much chaos there in the past.

As far as normal customer support is concerned, of course, it's the dealer's turn first.
 
I guess there are special conditions negotiated between SMSL and ShenzenAudio - interesstingly you couldnt find any firmware for the D6s on the shenzenaudio website.
Concerning the PCM Filter naming issue I got the info that there is no updated manual/info on that.

The good thing, they answer quickly which is a plus.
 
I think I was on the wrong end of the stick:
Providing a firmware clearly is in the responsibility of the manufacturer SMSL. The do provide firmware and instructions on their web page in Chinese and in English.
Your question was related to support for the actual update process and thus falls into the responsibility of the retailer as they are the interface to the customer.

Good to hear the update finally worked out for you.
 
I did not buy the D6s through ShenzenAudio. As i understand there is a special exclusive distribution/price and support agreement between SMSL and ShenzenAudio.

And yes great it works totally fine - one of the best gear I bought in this aera :)

BTW exchanging the opamps with something discrete is not worth the effort, right?
 
Last edited:
I did not buy the D6s through ShenzenAudio. As i understand their is a special exclusive distribution/price and support agreement between SMSL and ShenzenAudio.

And yes great it works totally fine - one of the best gear I bought in this aera :)

BTW exchanging the opamps with something discrete is not worth the effort, right?
Opamps won't change the sound
 
Opamps won't change the sound
I did it in an phono pre amp which used faked BB Opamps. After exchanging them with originals (got them directly through TI) it sounds better, but it is a slightly difference, so the fake Opamps where better than expected.

But how good are discrete Opamps? Heard Sparkos SS2590 are the best.
 
Heard Sparkos SS2590 are the best.
Here's review of an amplifier comparing measurements with Sparkos SS2590 and another discrete OpAmp: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-opamp-review-sonic-imagery-vs-sparkos.10325/

Regarding the Sparcos SS2590:
The specs are impressive (Open Loop Gain 165dB @ 100Hz), but this OpAmp obviously employs pole/zero compensation at a fairly low corner-frequency (the open-loop phase starts to bend up at 10kHz already). Definitely not nice for data acquisition, but for audio I do not expect that the settling behavior (due to the pole/zero compensation) is audible.
I would however be concerned using this OpAmp in an environment with source impedances beyond about 1k, since this would likely spoil the nice voltage noise specs.
The input bias current is compensated (-> ca. 1.4x in) and they do not specify in (input noise current density) at all - probably because the figure is not that nice.
The specification for en (input noise voltage density) is a bit weird: "en Voltage Noise Density DC - 20 KHz Bandwidth 1.5 nV/√Hz"
(en is a density - as the unit nV/sqrt(Hz) correctly says - so giving a bandwidth makes no sense).
And for sure the 1.5 nV/sqrt(Hz) do not hold true down to DC ;-) (Spec- wise not clean, but not relevant for audio)

The OpAmps in the D-6s are duals (OPA1612A) and they are SMD parts (either SOIC8 or the smaller SON8).
Apart form the cost - you do not want to replace these SMD- parts with discrete OpAmps
;-)
 
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