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SMSL DL100 DAC and Headphone Amp Review

Rate this DAC & HP Amp

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 3 1.4%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 4 1.8%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 47 21.3%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 167 75.6%

  • Total voters
    221
Having a response that is smooth above 20 KHz say up to 25 KHz and then rolling off nicely is a benefit for phase coherence at lower frequencies - in the analogue circuitry. The filtering post-DAC will determine the actual audio bandwidth. Anything above 20-odd KHz is however inaudible, but one likes to do it right. Response much above 20 KHz is entirely irrelevant to your hearing which even when young will not extend above 22 KHz - mine went up to there when I was 22 and I went unusually high (I was a studio engineer). At 73 it extends to 11 KHz. It makes little difference, there is no music to hear up there. Just "air" i.e. harmonics, and most of that is loudest at 6-10KHz rolling off at say 12 dB per 8ve above that. And that is the case despite what deluded nonsense some commentators come up with - I'd love to see them in a blind A/B telling the difference, but that won't happen. Do note that as GA Briggs said, and as I have quoted before, "the wider you open the door, the more the muck blows in". Bandwidth limits, within limits, and in the right place, are good for fidelity. Outside of classical recording, modern mixing and mastering often adds HF compression to the signal to emulate tape compression, modulation distortion and tape's limited HF capability...
 
This is pretty incredible for the price overall. it is really nice to see what is available for a low price here in 2024.
 
Maybe a complete no go for IEM users......not sure how much volume range they'd have on the volume knob, very little I suppose!
I haven't read the last 5 pages of this thread so this may have been covered already. Listening with my Spiral Ear SE6 Nebula which is a very sensitive and highly-resolving IEM, I don't hear any background noise/noise floor. At -99 on the volume, I can just barely hear music. Around -50 is my normal listening level so there's plenty of room for precise volume control for IEMS.

IMO, the bigger issue concerning IEMs/headphones (which I'm surprised wasn't mentioned in Amir's review) is the fact that due to the recessed 4.4mm output and the small cutout, I can't use either my FiiO FT1 headphones or Hans Audio Quentin cable. This is a major oversight which, frankly, I thought a brand as experienced as SMSL would have anticipated in advance. Apart from that, the headphone output sounds great - I haven't had time to test it with my TV yet.

I just opened the box tonight, so my review is still a week or 2 away.
 
Listened to this with HD600 and Zero 2 iem, sounds great. Different gains not necessary, plenty of leeway. There is a slight clicking sound (USB), particularly noticeable with the iem, when sample rate changes - independent of volume. Happens within foobar and when closing exclusive programs if Windows has a different default sample rate. Similar behaviour to Topping DX1. However, the JDS Atom+ DAC is completely silent during all transitions, JDS also use XMOS. I also believe Fiio promote an anti-pop circuit in the advertising of the K11.

It would be nice if manufacturers could focus on an audible annoyance, albeit slight, rather than chasing inaudible improvements. It's not major, but why?
 
does someone know if it automatically detects headphones and switches the output?
currently i am on a SMSL M500 and its nice but the manual switching of the output is really annoying over time :/
 
does someone know if it automatically detects headphones and switches the output?
currently i am on a SMSL M500 and its nice but the manual switching of the output is really annoying over time :/
I don't think so.

I gave up on mine because I hated the controls.
 
Out of sheer luck I discovered this unit, after researching and reading tests about other DACs for three days.

I don't understand, why Amirs conclusion is not more positive, because I compared the measurements with the DX3 Pro+ and it measures better in every instance, sometimes significantly better. Not that that would be audible, but I found it funny, among all these poeple looking at measurements only.
In Amirs hearing test it also performed better, but the conclusion does not reflect that.

Searching the forum also showed a relatively high percentage of threads with problems for the Topping DX3, while the precentage of problems for SMSL DL100 is low. So I decided for it.
Overall I think this DL100 sounds too good to be true for that price.
 
Amir concluded stating that he was happy to recommend it. What specifically is your concern with his conclusion?
 
You do realize that review was three years ago right? Since then it has been one top measuring product after another from SMSL and Topping. I imagine he just doesn't get thrilled as easily if at all from these class of products.

Before it was thrilling to see that level of performance at affordable prices. Now, not so much. It is the norm.
 
You do realize that review was three years ago right? Since then it has been one top measuring product after another from SMSL and Topping. I imagine he just doesn't get thrilled as easily if at all from these class of products.

Before it was thrilling to see that level of performance at affordable prices. Now, not so much. It is the norm.
Exactly, for instance SMSL C200 offered balanced out and built in PSU into the same unit many years ago.
 
You do realize that review was three years ago right? Since then it has been one top measuring product after another from SMSL and Topping. I imagine he just doesn't get thrilled as easily if at all. Desensitized.
Sure, but therefore in 2024 no other unit has balanced out and HDMI ARC in and measurements like the higher class at that price. It's simply not true, that this was standard.
 
Sure, but therefore in 2024 no other unit has balanced out and HDMI ARC in and measurements like the higher class at that price.

fosi zd3???

but as yet untested and it has its own foibles

i get ya though... like sub $200 there should be more competition i guess in this space if xlr and hdmi are your criteria
 
I think that the default display of sample rate instead of the volume is also an issue for some people. I have stuck with Topping DACs as I need to easily see the volume displayed not the sample rate.
 
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I have a question about HDMI ARC. Did anyone actually try to control volume using TV remote?
 
fosi zd3???

but as yet untested and it has its own foibles

i get ya though... like sub $200 there should be more competition i guess in this space if xlr and hdmi are your criteria
For me HDMI ARC is not important, but BT and therefore LDAC.
The Fosi is a veeery interesting unit. Sadly it lacks LDAC. But who knows and I am among people with bat ears :facepalm: claiming to hear differences between 120 dB SNR & THD headphone amps, and will not like the sound of the DL100 and therefore will have to return it? Then the search would continue.
 
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