SMSL D400EX DAC Review

[Lupin]

I wouldn't mind this price tag or higher,I know that good components don't come cheap

The objective performance of this $960 DAC is about the same as other DACs that cost less than half... I don't see the "good components, and therefore more expensive components" argument being relevant here. Other brands.. or even SMSL themselves can design DACs with a much lower BOM that performs the same as this expensive DAC.

Even if they use "better" audiophile components like linear PSU super fancy caps and so on and so on.. what does that matter when the the signal that comes out of the DAC is objectively the same as other DACs that cost less than half?

In an extreme way you could even say it is a design fail that they need expensive "audiophile grade" components to put a DAC together that in the end objectively performs the same as a DAC with "cheap" components.

There's nothing else that is going for this DAC. It doesn't have any features nor connectivity that stands out which cheaper DACs don't offer. It doesn't have a high end chassis made of premium materials that would justify the increased price.

So I honestly don't see why one wouldn't mind this price tag. Especially when one thinks about the fact that in this price range DACs like the RME exist which offer actually more.

 

[Snoopy]

1000 bucks for stereo DAC, that makes my expensive Merging (Swiss) converter cards actually a better value, kinda funny.

They clearly aim at people that don't mind overspending on these things. There is one YouTube guy (Chinese but he's in Canada) that has only rich friends.. for them 1000 bucks is like a normal persons 100 bucks.

And there are plenty of people out there that just spend 1000 bucks on a DAC for fun or to compare it to their 10000 bucks luxury brand.

If I had the money I would overspend on these things as well for a nicer design or better components even if there is no measurable difference to a 300$ DAC.

 

[Sokel]

The objective performance of this $960 DAC is about the same as other DACs that cost less than half... I don't see the "good components, and therefore more expensive components" argument being relevant here. Other brands.. or even SMSL themselves can design DACs with a much lower BOM that performs the same as this expensive DAC.

Even if they use "better" audiophile components like linear PSU super fancy caps and so on and so on.. what does that matter when the the signal that comes out of the DAC is objectively the same as other DACs that cost less than half?

In an extreme way you could even say it is a design fail that they need expensive "audiophile grade" components to put a DAC together that in the end objectively performs the same as a DAC with "cheap" components.

There's nothing else that is going for this DAC. It doesn't have any features nor connectivity that stands out which cheaper DACs don't offer. It doesn't have a high end chassis made of premium materials that would justify the increased price.

So I honestly don't see why one wouldn't mind this price tag. Especially when one thinks about the fact that in this price range DACs like the RME exist which offer actually more.

I never watch components as "audiophile" grade.
But there are a lot of them that has a proved durability,longevity and have been tested (hard,I can assure you) for many years.

I agree about the performance and that was always a secondary goal to me.
The first is safety,durability,rock solid performance under any sensible use.

Not the case with the cheap ones racing the SINAD race at a unheard before rate of production,we see problems and threads every day.

 

[Music1969]

1000 bucks for stereo DAC, that makes my expensive Merging (Swiss) converter cards actually a better value, kinda funny.

But how does this make the value of your Swiss converter look lol :

Topping DM7 8-Channel DAC Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Topping DM7 8-channel balanced USB DAC. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $599. The DM7 is simplicity in itself as you can tell from its rear terminals: USB input is the only one provided which is just fine with me. And seems...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Rthomas]

All these companies are owned by Shenzenaudio right? Like Topping and SMSL?

They just keep churning out products every few weeks?

I don’t understand this marketing strategy but personally I couldn’t care less about these brands as all their products are anonymous and “obsolete “ in a few months.

Are there really people chasing higher and higher Sinad well into the realms of inaudibility?

Sounds as stupid as buying silver headphone cables to improve your headphones

 

[Ra1zel]

But how does this make the value of your Swiss converter look lol :

Topping DM7 8-Channel DAC Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Topping DM7 8-channel balanced USB DAC. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $599. The DM7 is simplicity in itself as you can tell from its rear terminals: USB input is the only one provided which is just fine with me. And seems...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Pretty great still, the offer the same performance but dozens more features, basically infinite I/O connectivity/routing, juicy benefits of AES67, upgradable nature and most importantly Swiss customer service and support

 

[Veri]

All these companies are owned by Shenzenaudio right? Like Topping and SMSL?

Shenzhenaudio is a retailer, just a big reseller of brands. So no, that is not correct. S.M.S.L. has a lot of sub brands though like Sabaj, VMV, Loxjie, ... Topping is however again unrelated to either. They are their own thing.

 

[tabby]

From @tabby 's pics:

View attachment 250554

That's some disturbing stuff right there. Is that factory rework or someone's mod attempt?

Its mee that posted the pics from my factory sealed dac, I dind't see that..

 

[tabby]

It's from the head-fi thread, it's a mod, the cheaper "gold" capacitors has been changed for Nichicon Fine Gold capacitors. Nicely done for a manual mod, I would have destroyed the circuit board.

No its from my factory sealed dac, I took the pictures yesterday and uploaded here yester day.

 

[xeizo]

Its mee that posted the pics from my factory sealed dac, I dind't see that..

Ouch, wrong by me then, I sincerely thought it was from this guy at head-fi that has changed a lot of the capacitors on his unit. If this is factory sealed it looks like a late attempt at a revision.

 

[xeizo]

Anyway, at this price point SMSL should have tried to be more innovative and offer more features. My 170$ SMSL D-6 has almost as good measurements and in practice the same feature set it just looks a lot less imposing. The D-6 is justified by a good price/performance ratio, in this case the price runs away quite a bit for performance that can only be measured not heard. But audiophiles gladly puts up a grand for the last percent I guess.

 

[Music1969]

@SMSL-Mandy @SMSL_Liu congrats !

But I think the chasing of higher SINAD can rest now

Please add 10-band parametric EQ in next DACs...

EQ set via an iOS/Android app, which sends the setting via bluetooth (only one time when creating/changing the EQ - after that it is built inside the DAC for all DAC inputs) - like Qudelix 5K supports.

This will be a more useful difference to your competition than just SINAD.

And of course, portable competitors to Qudelix 5K would be great too... cc @SHENZHENAUDIO

 

[xeizo]

I'm particularly impressed by the Wavelet app for Android, it has great working FR for most common headphones on the market, something like that in a DAC would be killer - even if EAPO works just fine when using PC. But it would be more universal. And admittedly, most sonic problems are FR related. For speaker users something like DIRAC and a microphone input would be similarly killer.

 

[Jimbob54]

I'm particularly impressed by the Wavelet app for Android, it has great working FR for most common headphones on the market, something like that in a DAC would be killer - even if EAPO works just fine when using PC. But it would be more universal. And admittedly, most sonic problems are FR related. For speaker users something like DIRAC and a microphone input would be similarly killer.

The Qudelix 5k portable incorporates the same auto eq profiles as wavelet.

 

[xeizo]

The Qudelix 5k portable incorporates the same auto eq profiles as wavelet.

That's great, would be useful in a standalone DAC as well or even more in a headphone amplifier

 

[Jimbob54]

That's great, would be useful in a standalone DAC as well or even more in a headphone amplifier

Agreed. Really can't being too far off topping or others integrating a multi preset, 10 plus band PEQ into a desktop unit.

 

[Music1969]

Qudelix 5K is amazing but I'm sick of it bring the only thing of it's kind.

Hoping this changes in 2023 - or maybe Qudelix will up their own game with new product/s.

 

[Frank Sol]

Or maybe somebody is tired of another the same dac with different case?

QFT

 

[don'ttrustauthority]

I think ranking DACS that perform beyond the limits of audibility is rewarding them for nothing. All they have accomplished is an interesting result that is useless to the consumer.

Best to pay $129 and getting the cheapest, measurably transparent dac you can find. Unless you care about things other than sound.

If you care about sound, this is a waste of money that will do nothing you can't get done for far, far less.

 

[Puddingbuks]

It’s as if a child designed the display.