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SMSL D300 Review (Balanced DAC)

Snoopy

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Hi everyone, new member here (long time lurker) and a new owner of this DAC. Currently I am experiencing an issue playing DSD files at native sampling rates w ASIO, all I get is a bunch of static. I have uninstalled and reinstalled the drivers but nothing seems to be working.

Current setup is PC > D300 > Passive Preamp (RCA)/THX 789 (XLR) > Genelec 8040b/Hifiman Arya 2021

When I just do regular PCM 44.1 it plays perfectly, and ASIO works perfectly fine with other hi-res FLAC files I have in my library.

Any inputs are appreciated.

Mine should arrive tomorrow. I could try DSD files with the D300. But I have only a MacBook. Don't know if that makes a difference
 

engie490

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Is it worth completing measurements of crosstalk or output impedance against frequency on these DACs?
 

Snoopy

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Temporary setup location for trying out stuff.

Can't say I hear much of a difference to my Cambridge Cxn V2 with dual Wolfson DAC.

MacBook M1 with QOBUZ app, Singxer SA 1, SMSL D300 . Headphones are the Dan Clark Aeon 2.



IMG_20220129_153248.jpg

*Edit*
Ok there might be a small improvement in soundstage and clean background, depth.. but I could be wrong.

Im probably lacking the fancy words In my vocabulary the YouTube guys use in their reviews to describe the smallest differences. Or I might just be enjoying the music to much and don't notice that stuff
 
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Hapo

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...I thought the same Schitt when I hooked up a new and very poor DAC...then I noticed the same "improvements" when I switched back...

...I could not hear the difference between a really good DAC and a very poor one...

...I thought/guessed that one had more output but there would be a 50-50 chance of being right on that one...

(...my Aeon 2's should arrive today...!!!...:cool:)
 

Veri

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...I thought the same Schitt when I hooked up a new and very poor DAC...then I noticed the same "improvements" when I switched back...
That's the big lesson we all learn sooner or later. Some people on certain forums are just too deluded/in too deep to even accept it :D
Good on you for being honest with what you thought, and what you then wanted to be certain about :D
 

Hapo

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...amirm described the phenomina well...when we hook up new gear we enter into a hyper critical mode and notice all sorts of things...

...now I am trying to decide if I can hear the difference between an Audiolab 6000 CDT and Amazon Unlimited...
 

Snoopy

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...I thought the same Schitt when I hooked up a new and very poor DAC...then I noticed the same "improvements" when I switched back...

...I could not hear the difference between a really good DAC and a very poor one...

...I thought/guessed that one had more output but there would be a 50-50 chance of being right on that one...

(...my Aeon 2's should arrive today...!!!...:cool:)

I think in my case it's that the Cambridge cxn V2 does some internal upsampling to 384khz 32bit with everything. And the D300 doesn't.

So I might be actually benefiting of audirvana. But the difference is tiny.


I'm glad I didn't spend a crazy amount of money on a second DAC.
 

Califmike33

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Anybody still around for this dac ?. I just purchased it I think it sounds exceptional problem I'm having is I'm running it USB into my computer into the back of the DAC the screen on there never shows what it's playing 24/96 24/192 never pops up on the screen so how do you know what you're playing it doesn't show up on the screen?

To DAC obviously does DSD 24/192 it does everything why is it when I'm on Amazon music HD and I'm playing high res music it's only telling me that this deck is capable of 24/44 that's all it reads the DAC as something's up something's wrong need some help anybody else experiencing this?
 

Snoopy

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Because you are going through the windows sound mixer.

You need to use something like foobar, jriver, audirvana, roon
 

Wuzel

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Anybody still around for this dac ?. I just purchased it I think it sounds exceptional problem I'm having is I'm running it USB into my computer into the back of the DAC the screen on there never shows what it's playing 24/96 24/192 never pops up on the screen so how do you know what you're playing it doesn't show up on the screen?

To DAC obviously does DSD 24/192 it does everything why is it when I'm on Amazon music HD and I'm playing high res music it's only telling me that this deck is capable of 24/44 that's all it reads the DAC as something's up something's wrong need some help anybody else experiencing this?

Amazon Music HD is crap, the www is full of Posts with that issue.
You can set the sample rate in Windows, the Amazon app will use this as target rate. Mean, it up or down sample when it's necessary.
Switch the rate every time when the source rate changes (to matching rate) - that's the only way to avoid up/down sampling.

Better way is - don't use that crap amazon service :cool:
 

Snoopy

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Amazon Music HD is crap, the www is full of Posts with that issue.
You can set the sample rate in Windows, the Amazon app will use this as target rate. Mean, it up or down sample when it's necessary.
Switch the rate every time when the source rate changes (to matching rate) - that's the only way to avoid up/down sampling.

Better way is - don't use that crap amazon service :cool:
Even better, don't let Windows mess around with the sampling rate at all
 

Califmike33

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Okay so what am I getting with those other two services that I'm not getting with Amazon hd?
 

Califmike33

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I'm going to try it in the end if I don't hear a difference with my ears it doesn't matter to me
 

Zeltergiest

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ROhm used to make advanced audio power transistors in the 80s but since, they have been mostly known for their passive components. They make a bunch of standard audio opamps, too. Amazing to see them coming up with a very top of the line DAC out of nowhere.

Regarding other DAC makers, TI has the PCM1792 / 1794 which is good on noise but not stellar on harmonic distortion. It is expensive as a chip (about $14 in singles) and needs three external opamps per channel because it is current out. They have gotten out of the game of top DACs pretty much, as have AD. Cirrus had the CS4398 which was almost on par with the 1792 on HD but significantly worse on noise, but their recent CS43131 is a winner.
ROhm is used in High End Audio Components like LUXMAN's top of the line SACD player for example. I have no idea where you think you can buy a legit single ROhm BD34301EKV for $14. They cost $95 each at mouser. https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/ROHM-Semiconductor/BD34301EKV-E2?qs=CiayqK2gdcKJwYmq7LRL6g== So the fact you can get one in a $400 dac that is well implemented is astonishing to say the least.
 

Califmike33

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Yeah I'm not real big on measurements I'm big on what my ears hear I don't put too much emphasis on these tests and graphs and charts and stuff like that they have their place and point in the end it's what my ears hear and this is a kick butt DAC.

Amazing clarity amazing depth to the sound it's just really good, doesn't have that typical digital sound it's got kind of an analog flavor on it which I like.
 

flz

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doesn't have that typical digital sound it's got kind of an analog flavor on it which I like.
An analog sounding DAC, I wonder if and how that would show up in the measurements. I would love to have such a DAC, but this forum convinces me its probably not possible
 
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