SMSL D1SE Balanced ES9038PRO

[Snoopy]

but the smsl su 10 is more expensive than the d1se2
if I were you I would check on "ever solo" dac, it looks quite nice

SMPS in there. (not that I have a problem with it, but if I where looking for a fancy DAC I would go for something like the SU10 or D1se2)

 

[SiamXIII]

SMPS in there. (not that I have a problem with it, but if I where looking for a fancy DAC I would go for something like the SU10 or D1se2)

If you need plain DAC without headphone amp, just grab original D1se. Just got mine. Replaced D400ES with this and like it very much.

Just can't stand new SMSL UI.

 

[Snoopy]

that red line in that UI always bothered me. I got already s SMSL D300 and SP400. I don't really use the UI much at all. The Dac is in fixed mode, I only use USB input, XLR out.
all I ever adjust is the volume of the Headphone amp.

The D1SE with uses the older XMOS XU216 USB controller.

 

[SiamXIII]

that red line in that UI always bothered me. I got already s SMSL D300 and SP400. I don't really use the UI much at all. The Dac is in fixed mode, I only use USB input, XLR out.
all I ever adjust is the volume of the Headphone amp.

The D1SE with uses the older XMOS XU216 USB controller.

Had D300. Wonderful DAC.
Do you really care about XMOS?

 

[Snoopy]

Had D300. Wonderful DAC.
Do you really care about XMOS?

I'm fine with the older XMOS version in the D300 since I use it with Raspberry pi and roon.
But there seem to be issues if the DAC is used with MacOS , because of the power saving features that can't be turned off on MAC.
The newer XMOS chip has no such issues.

Secondly the newer DAC chip. Is it necessary? No. But if I was considering a new (expensive) DAC I would get the newest chip.

I'm kinda still waiting for a high-end ROHM-chip DAC like the SU-10 or a AKM 4499EX version of the D1SE2

 

[SiamXIII]

I'm fine with the older XMOS version in the D300 since I use it with Raspberry pi and roon.
But there seem to be issues if the DAC is used with MacOS , because of the power saving features that can't be turned off on MAC.
The newer XMOS chip has no such issues.

Secondly the newer DAC chip. Is it necessary? No. But if I was considering a new (expensive) DAC I would get the newest chip.

I'm kinda still waiting for a high-end ROHM-chip DAC like the SU-10 or a AKM 4499EX version of the D1SE2

I would prefer older ESS chip, as developers know how to work with it. Most of all I would have wanted higher end DAC on RoHM chip.

 

[EuphoricMonkey]

Hi folks. Just wanted to share some of my experience with this DAC and see if anyone else has the same. Bought the DAC about a year ago based on the rave reviews that it was getting. Existing sound chain was Volumio (Pi4) to Oppo 105 USB to Nord One Up Amp and then to PMC OB1 speakers. (balanced interconnection) This does sound great; I just thought the D1SE would sound better.... Only to me and others it doesn't. We even dropped the DAC into my mates system and the impression was exactly the same.

Contrary to the reviews we found it sounded really sterile, anaemic and had no idea what all the fuss was about . The bass was not rich and full, rather it sounded really thin and a LOT was missing. Imaging and detail was good but it just sounded wrong and not at all balanced. It's as if theres an EQ thats decreased the lower registers and increase the higher one. FYI the volumio is not EQ'ing anything.

Anyone else had this, does it break in (not that I particularly think that's a thing). I found it so bad that its been sat in the box every since.

 

[SiamXIII]

Hi folks. Just wanted to share some of my experience with this DAC and see if anyone else has the same. Bought the DAC about a year ago based on the rave reviews that it was getting. Existing sound chain was Volumio (Pi4) to Oppo 105 USB to Nord One Up Amp and then to PMC OB1 speakers. (balanced interconnection) This does sound great; I just thought the D1SE would sound better.... Only to me and others it doesn't. We even dropped the DAC into my mates system and the impression was exactly the same.

Contrary to the reviews we found it sounded really sterile, anaemic and had no idea what all the fuss was about . The bass was not rich and full, rather it sounded really thin and a LOT was missing. Imaging and detail was good but it just sounded wrong and not at all balanced. It's as if theres an EQ thats decreased the lower registers and increase the higher one. FYI the volumio is not EQ'ing anything.

Anyone else had this, does it break in (not that I particularly think that's a thing). I found it so bad that its been sat in the box every since.

My chain is iMac > D1se > xDuoo TA-26 > Sivga SV023.
Sounds really great to me. Bass is anything but lacking. I have absolutely no complaints about sound.
Also tried VMV A1, instead of TA-26. It's more detailed and soundstage is better, but less forgiving and little harsh on some tracks.

 

[SiamXIII]

There is some issues with my D1se. Sometime there is no sound from it or noise. Only hard reboot with rear switch helps. Had anyone encountered similar issues?

 

[ethanhallbeyer]

Jay's Iyagi youtube channel said the preamp isn't really a preamp with buffer but just a volume know. He said without a separate preamp it sounds grainy. Anyone else confirm?

 

[rula3000]

Jay's Iyagi youtube channel said the preamp isn't really a preamp with buffer but just a volume know. He said without a separate preamp it sounds grainy. Anyone else confirm?

Yes, I used d1se as a preamp. But after I inserted Topping A90D as a preamp in my system, it sounded much better.

 

[ethanhallbeyer]

Yes, I used d1se as a preamp. But after I inserted Topping A90D as a preamp in my system, it sounded much better.

Thanks for confirming!

 

[ethanhallbeyer]

Thanks for confirming!

By the way, everyone. Do you think the d1se2 will be worth it over d1se? The successor will be $720 vs $575, both seem to use toroidal transformers, Nichicon caps and same OpAmps, except the successor uses a UK toroidal transformer and more OpAmp chips, the remote seems to have more buttons and MQA support beyond USB.

No mention of improvements as preamp, which I hear is audibly inferior to a separate preamp. The SNR and THD differences are minimal.

It is a $145 difference. D1SE has been well reviewed.

Also, there is a D2 releasing. It is a lot more expensive, AKM based.

Thoughts?

 

[ethanhallbeyer]

It’s probably similar, main difference being the issue D90SE has with certain optical and coax devices (constantly dies every 5-10 seconds with my PC and LG TV).
Never had this issue with SMSL but rather the third harmonic distortion issue and channel imbalance issues plagued a lot of their models.

Do you mean the third harmonic distortion and channel imbalance issues plague smsl models? Does that include d1se?

 

[kiyu]

Do you mean the third harmonic distortion and channel imbalance issues plague smsl models? Does that include d1se?

you should check the posts, but I am almost sure that it doesn't , is not affected by that problem

 

[Ultrasonic]

I'm sure this was posted earlier in this thread but the following shows the excellent measured performance of the D1SE:

SMSL VMV D1SE Measurements - GoldenSound

The SMSL VMV D1SE is a compact, sleek looking DAC with some fantastic objective performance and sounds great too!

goldensound.audio

 

[ethanhallbeyer]

I'm sure this was posted earlier in this thread but the following shows the excellent measured performance of the D1SE:

SMSL VMV D1SE Measurements - GoldenSound

The SMSL VMV D1SE is a compact, sleek looking DAC with some fantastic objective performance and sounds great too!

goldensound.audio

I'm wondering if the changes in the D1SE2 would make it worth the extra. I think the D1SE is currently being sold for around $580 now, and the D1SE2 is like $720. Further yet, the SU-10 is $900, uses more premium parts, dedicated dual power supplies and other enhancements. The D1SE2 uses the newest Sabre chip.