SMSL D1SE Balanced ES9038PRO

[TheTalbotHound]

https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/remeasure-smsl-d1se/ Wolf remeasured it. Seems like they got rid of the jitter. I wonder if they got rid of the IMD hump too.

 

[WolfX-700]

https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/remeasure-smsl-d1se/ Wolf remeasured it. Seems like they got rid of the jitter. I wonder if they got rid of the IMD hump too.

I still want to explain that this sample is provided by SMSL. I will work hard in the future to get samples of real "consumer purchases" to verify whether SMSL "extensively fixed all problems"

 

[malcolmrmcintyre]

I have received my SMSL VMV D1se DAC. Replaced the spikes and cups with sorbothane buttons.
Simple plug&play. Using for full MQA decoding/rendering from Tidal stream on ethernet via Microrendu.
Sounds pretty good. Excellent resolution, but a little bass light.
Haven’t played with the “sound colour” settings yet.

 

[nhs]

@WolfX-700, did you check if the SMSL VMV D1Se still has the 3rd harmonic distortion issue detected in m500 and su-9?

 

[Veri]

@WolfX-700, did you check if the SMSL VMV D1Se still has the 3rd harmonic distortion issue detected in m500 and su-9?

See first review here: https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/smsl-vmv-d1se-dac/
the noisy channel M500 and SU9 bug from ASR has not been found/produced in this D1SE.

 

[nhs]

See first review here: https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/smsl-vmv-d1se-dac/
the noisy channel M500 and SU9 bug from ASR has not been found/produced in this D1SE.

Thanks, I can't chinese, therefore I wasn't there.

 

[NJC]

I wonder how the SMSL VMV D1se will compare to the Topping D90se in actual use SQ wise?

 

[nhs]

I wonder how the SMSL VMV D1se will compare to the Topping D90se in actual use SQ wise?

Based on purely measurements the topping d90se is a tack better but you're asking SQ wise? God knows it ...

 

[Massimo]

Based on purely measurements the topping d90se is a tack better but you're asking SQ wise? God knows it ...

I would choose Topping purely for their customer service. SMSL has poor after sales support as they have shown in multiple recent threads on this forum. I never understood why they chose SMSL as their brand since it is often used when text messaging as an abbreviation for Splitting My Sides Laughing. Now I do.

 

[Sound_freq]

Which one has the best sound, D1, D1SE, Topping d90se?

Goldensound has a review of the D1SE forthcoming. In this review of the Ares II, he says the Ares II and the D1SE are his current choices for best DAC's less than $1k. The Ares II being a little better for the tonality of acoustic instruments and vocals and the D1SE better for electronic music, low end micro dynamics. He says it's more neutral, a little less analytical than a D90. Anyways, I'll look forward to his review which should include measurments -

 

[Human Bass]

No Ldac in the bluetooth, that's unacceptable for a such expensive dac.

 

[Human Bass]

Which one has the best sound, D1, D1SE, Topping d90se?

It's all beyond a audability.

 

[Sound_freq]

No Ldac in the bluetooth, that's unacceptable for a such expensive dac.

If you are using such a dac, hopfully you aren't using bluetooth at all.

 

[Human Bass]

If you are using such a dac, hopfully you aren't using bluetooth at all.

Bluetooth can be quite practical to hook a cellphone quickly and ldac preserves the audio to a very acceptable level. The price of this device is high enough to demand the bluetooth to be good instead of half-assed.

 

[Sound_freq]

Sure, I guess it would be nice to have, every license fee raises the price of devices, after paying the astronomical and ridiculous license fees for MQA there may not have been budget left over to pay Sony for LDAC, lol, who knows. Most of the wireless streaming devices one would connect to a dac like this likely have Wifi, Airplay or some form of bluetooth already built in. Wireless protocols really aren't a feature set I look for in a dedicated dac.

 

[archerious]

See first review here: https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/smsl-vmv-d1se-dac/
the noisy channel M500 and SU9 bug from ASR has not been found/produced in this D1SE.

Thank you for the review Wolf!

Really wanted to buy this, but a SINAD of 119? That's on par with Topping's D10 Balanced. I'm confused how the SMSL D1SE couldn't get at least 121 or 122. I mean the Gustard X16 is at 121, only returned it due to mine not being able to play DSD.

 

[archerious]

Which one has the best sound, D1, D1SE, Topping d90se?

They probably all sound neutral, detailed, and transparent unless something is really wrong.

 

[Katji]

And after a week, i have replaced the factory fuse with SR Orange - The improvements are very noticeable especially in music details and instrument separations. And there is also a widen background staging.

That is impossible.

 

[Lupin]

*snip*

The power of the mind and sighted bias is strong in this one

 

[ceausuc]

Goldensound has a review of the D1SE forthcoming. In this review of the Ares II, he says the Ares II and the D1SE are his current choices for best DAC's less than $1k.

another positive review (from headfonia):
https://www.headfonia.com/smsl-vmv-d1se-review/

at 650$, an interesting option.