SMSL D400 Pro Balanced DAC Review

[Jimster480]

I'm very curious to know your impression Adam makes excellent active speakers that are extremely revealing, I was very drawn to the new akm4499 ex because I read that in the new delta sigma engineering they integrated the drop of R2R resistors to give a more organic sound and broaden the scene!

None of what you wrote makes sense... Having a DAC with higher performance doesn't take away details. It reveals where original recordings lacked in detail.
There is no "drop of R2R resistors"; it shows you have zero clue about how the chips function in the first place.

 

[Esprit]

I'm very curious to know your impression Adam makes excellent active speakers that are extremely revealing,

I have two pairs of Adam (S3X-V) and I've liked them for years but I'm hoping to sell them to switch to Genelec.

 

[AdamG]

NOTICE: Please stay on topic. This is an Official Review Thread. Keep your posts rooted in the Product and or the Test Bench results.

Multiple off topic posts deleted and a thread ban issued.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

 

[Rover]

Excellent SMSL design, especially in black.A profitable option instead of the SMSL D400 ex for $ 950 is to purchase this SMSL D400Pro DAC for $ 600.
Saving $350 is decent.
The difference is only in the amount of 4499EX, in one 2 in the other 1 piece.Otherwise, the same patch, two power supplies and the same capacitors.And the design and display are incomparably better in the new device from SMSL.I 'm more than sure there 's no difference in the sound!

 

[Lasker]

At the moment the smsl d400 pro Is in my company , it's arrived 3 days ago. It's black, I like more the silver color, but all my gear Is black.
For now I'm happy.
I'll ask you a question. Since I have an SMSL po100 Pro at home, I wonder if it makes sense to put this interface between the PC and the SMSL D400 Pro, I think not...
And it makes sense pc USB -ii2s(po100pro) - DAC, i don't think...

 

[Roland68]

Excellent SMSL design, especially in black.A profitable option instead of the SMSL D400 ex for $ 950 is to purchase this SMSL D400Pro DAC for $ 600.
Saving $350 is decent.
The difference is only in the amount of 4499EX, in one 2 in the other 1 piece.Otherwise, the same patch, two power supplies and the same capacitors.And the design and display are incomparably better in the new device from SMSL.I 'm more than sure there 's no difference in the sound!

View attachment 325732View attachment 325737View attachment 325738

The D400 Pro costs €690 on Amazon DE.
However, the SMSL D400ES performed better and costs significantly less on Amazon DE.
The Loxjie D40 costs less than half as much and is almost the same in the ASR test (0.1 SINAD worse). At the latest when you reach the conclusion you ask yourself what justifies the more than double price of the D400 Pro.

There are a few new devices from SMSL that have not yet been tested by Amirm and are all cheaper than the D400 Pro, especially the DO300EX, but also the SMSL PL200 with a CD player, both with an AK4499EX. There could be something interesting there too.

And if someone is already spending so much money on a DAC, they might also consider taking the top model in the ASR test.
The SU-10 regularly costs €900 on Amazon DE, but is currently on offer for just €765.

 

[Rover]

The D400 Pro costs €690 on Amazon DE.
However, the SMSL D400ES performed better and costs significantly less on Amazon DE.
The Loxjie D40 costs less than half as much and is almost the same in the ASR test (0.1 SINAD worse). At the latest when you reach the conclusion you ask yourself what justifies the more than double price of the D400 Pro.There are a few new devices from SMSL that have not yet been tested by Amirm and are all cheaper than the D400 Pro, especially the DO300EX, but also the SMSL PL200 with a CD player, both with an AK4499EX. There could be something interesting there too.

Where did you get such prices?On Aliexpress, the d400 pro is sold for $ 520 and does not differ in sound from the d400 ex.Therefore, an exceptionally profitable purchase.Topping d400es costs $800 and it is on a SABRE chip that is of little interest.Other devices from SMSL are positioned as budget.The rest of the DO300EX type as a DAC is worse and a cheap telephone amplifier for delivery is of little interest.SU-10 used a good DAC, but it is unclear why such a high price.So off topic.

 

[Rover]

At the moment the smsl d400 pro Is in my company , it's arrived 3 days ago. It's black, I like more the silver color, but all my gear Is black.
For now I'm happy.
I'll ask you a question. Since I have an SMSL po100 Pro at home, I wonder if it makes sense to put this interface between the PC and the SMSL D400 Pro, I think not...
And it makes sense pc USB -ii2s(po100pro) - DAC, i don't think...

I used one.From a PC, USB is ideal directly to the d400 PRO. SMS Pro 100 Pro will not improve the sound, but it may give more bass, but the sound will not be as transparent as directly.

 

[Roland68]

Where did you get such prices?On Aliexpress, the d400 pro is sold for $ 520 and does not differ in sound from the d400 ex.Therefore, an exceptionally profitable purchase.Topping d400es costs $800 and it is on a SABRE chip that is of little interest.Other devices from SMSL are positioned as budget.The rest of the DO300EX type as a DAC is worse and a cheap telephone amplifier for delivery is of little interest.SU-10 used a good DAC, but it is unclear why such a high price.So off topic.
View attachment 325750View attachment 325751

Sorry, but that's a bit ridiculous.
VAT is added to the dollar price. If you come from France, you should know this.
The offer price on Aliexpress for shipping to DE is around €621, but on HiFi-Express there is currently an offer of €491.70 including taxes and shipping to the EU, which is a really good offer. But HiFi-Express are the only ones who can make such an offer.
Until the day before yesterday, the D400 Pro cost over €700 on Aliexpress and HiFi-Express, making it even more expensive than on Amazon DE, but it's Black Week, so let's see where the prices are again in 2 weeks.

btw, do you realize that the $ prices overseas are net prices and that VAT and duties are added to the EU?

 

[Rover]

Well, apparently you didn't know that there are periodic sales on Ali like now.HiFi-Express is a great choice.The price is almost as I called it.Whoever is looking for will always find it..

 

[Roland68]

Well, apparently you didn't know that there are periodic sales on Ali like now.HiFi-Express is a great choice.The price is almost as I called it.Whoever is looking for will always find it..

Of course not, it only takes place regularly 5-6 times a year...

 

[Lasker]

Changing the filter in this DAC has a clear effect on the sound, this has not happened to me at all with other DACs where I didn't hear any differences when changing the filter

 

[Rover]

Changing the filter in this DAC has a clear effect on the sound, this has not happened to me at all with other DACs where I didn't hear any differences when changing the filter

Changing the frequency response depending on the applied filter.

One-on-one as on the D400EX.

 

[renaudrenaud]

You are discussing prices but why not consider the C200: it's around 200€ (often less than that), excellent measurements and headphones amp.
Why to spend more than that?

 

[ngocson992]

Can anyone review the sound color for me?

 

[Rover]

》》》》》》》》This thread has an excellent review from the owner of the D400PRO.

 

[staticV3]

》》》》》》》》This thread has an excellent review from the owner of the D400PRO.

Do you mean this review?

In my temporary headphone system using a Topping A90 Discrete HPA I will flat out just say it kills the Topping D90LE in dynamics and with headroom to spare. By this I mean when driving a pair of 64ohm Susveras, the Topping A90 HPA isn't the bottleneck the D90 LE ouput is such to barely be adequate.

Yeah nah I'll pass

 

[Rover]

Do you mean this review?

Ok.

 

[Roland68]

Can anyone review the sound color for me?

If this DAC has a sound color, then the developer has done something wrong.
This applies to every DAC.

 

[jimboaz]

There are measurements for most of them,Stereophile comes first in mind.They just don't care and they don't want to associate themselves with cheap gear.

They fear the Chinese stuff will be as good or better then the $50-100k stuff they peddle... Like the $600 Topping Preamp compared to the$16K Pass Labs.... The reviewer couldn't tell the difference so he bought the Topping though...actually 3 of them !!!