SMSL DO100 Review (Stereo DAC)

[staticV3]

@amirm why not measure Dynamic Range, once using the regular -60dBFS signal, and once with a 0dBFS signal, attenuated by 60dB using the DACs own volume control?

@HansHolland @MRC01 would that tell you what you want to know?

 

[PeteL]

Multitone test shows the extremely low distortion:
View attachment 208137

We are talking 15 dB lower than threshold of hearing folks!

I always thought of "threshold of hearing" as a SPL metric. may you tell us the math behind this 15 dB below threshold?

 

[JSmith]

may you tell us the math behind this 15 dB below threshold?

Audibility thresholds of amp and DAC measurements

Introduction A recurring theme on ASR is whether or not the various measured qualities of the devices are audible. In this post, I'll present some clear and visual thresholds for when those imperfections can be considered a potentially audible concern. I will not explain the basics of amp/DAC...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Dynamic Range: How Quiet is Quiet?

Dynamic Range: How Quiet is Quiet? By Amir Majidimehr [Note: This article was originally published in the Widescreen Review Magazine] Most people think of dynamic range as how loud something is. Mathematically though, dynamic range is a ratio. It is the loudest signal divided by “root mean...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Interpreting THD Measurements - Think dB not Percent!

Distortion measurements (THD, THD+N and IMD) are traditionally expressed in terms of percent. But what do 1%, 0.1%, 0.01% or 0.001% mean in terms of loudness or audibility? If you are like most people you just know that 0.001% is the best of the three numbers listed above. If you are a...

benchmarkmedia.com

JSmith

 

[HansHolland]

@amirm why not measure Dynamic Range, once using the regular -60dBFS signal, and once with a 0dBFS signal, attenuated by 60dB using the DACs own volume control?

@HansHolland @MRC01 would that tell you what you want to know?

No, I want to define a voltage level.

Every DAC has different output voltages for 0 dBFS (most are close to each other), that's why no.

 

[PeteL]

Audibility thresholds of amp and DAC measurements

Introduction A recurring theme on ASR is whether or not the various measured qualities of the devices are audible. In this post, I'll present some clear and visual thresholds for when those imperfections can be considered a potentially audible concern. I will not explain the basics of amp/DAC...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Dynamic Range: How Quiet is Quiet?

Dynamic Range: How Quiet is Quiet? By Amir Majidimehr [Note: This article was originally published in the Widescreen Review Magazine] Most people think of dynamic range as how loud something is. Mathematically though, dynamic range is a ratio. It is the loudest signal divided by “root mean...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Interpreting THD Measurements - Think dB not Percent!

Distortion measurements (THD, THD+N and IMD) are traditionally expressed in terms of percent. But what do 1%, 0.1%, 0.01% or 0.001% mean in terms of loudness or audibility? If you are like most people you just know that 0.001% is the best of the three numbers listed above. If you are a...

benchmarkmedia.com

JSmith

I see, so not Threshold of hearing but threshold of proven transparency for houses built with the collaboration of top gun acoustical Engineers, out alone in a field with no windows or other electronics, listening in the dark.

Even then. Doesn't this sentence sound contradictory?

"CDs, with undithered audio, have a maximum dynamic range of 96 dB (16 bits). Studies, such as the one conducted by Meyer and Moran, have shown 96 dB of dynamic range is transparent for any normal listening conditions.
120 dB (20 bits) of dynamic range is required for transparency. Anything below -120 dBFS is inaudible. "

 

[tomtoo]

Amazing performer for the price. And a usb-c connector which is unpayable if you love your nervs.

 

[danadam]

A square wave at 16kHz will sound to you has a tone.

Even at 7 kHz, I'd say.

 

[PeteL]

Even at 7 kHz, I'd say.

You don't hear 14 kHz?

 

[Lupin]

I'm a bit confused about so many "outstanding" DAC with so different prices. I mean why to spend 800$ for a Topping D90 when the result of this SMSL DO100 seems so close at 1/4 of the price? What I'm missing?

Aesthetics and/or form factor
Connectivity

There will be always people who are willing to pay the premium to get the best measuring DAC. Will it make a real world difference.. ofc not but some want the "piece of mind" of having the best of the best,

 

[danadam]

You don't hear 14 kHz?

I do, but 7 kHz square wave does not contain 14 kHz. Square waves contain only odd harmonics, so the first component after the fundamental will be at 21 kHz.

 

[PeteL]

I do, but 7 kHz square wave does not contain 14 kHz. Square waves contain only odd harmonics, so the first component after the fundamental will be at 21 kHz.

Right, I need a second coffee it seems.

 

[JSmith]

JSmith

 

[mdsimon2]

No, I want to define a voltage level.

Every DAC has different output voltages for 0 dBFS (most are close to each other), that's why no.

I like the following voltage levels:

2 mV (this is -60 dB below 2 V output and should be a noise dominated measurement with almost no distortion)
160 mV (this will give you 5 W in to 4 ohm with a 29 dB amplifier)
280 mV (this will give you 5 W in to 4 ohm with a 24 dB amplifier)
500 mV (this will give you 5 W in to 4 ohm with a 19 dB amplifier)

Although I also don't think the results of these measurements will be particularly surprising.

Michael

 

[PeteL]

I like the following voltage levels:

2 mV (this is -60 dB below 2 V output and should be a noise dominated measurement with almost no distortion)
160 mV (this will give you 5 W in to 4 ohm with a 29 dB amplifier)
280 mV (this will give you 5 W in to 4 ohm with a 24 dB amplifier)
500 mV (this will give you 5 W in to 4 ohm with a 19 dB amplifier)

Although I also don't think the results of these measurements will be particularly surprising.

Michael

All that may be interresting, but why not just be consistent and include this sweep for every DAC reviewed and call it done? That's all the information needed.

 

[Scot_Douglas]

Appreciate the link. Does anyone else struggle to follow Z Reviews, well, reviews? Ishay okenspay ordway oftenyay oundssay ikelay alphabetyay oupsay ? Yet upon a second listen with Playback Speed @ half speed, well diggety-do, I "hoedoe hoedoo hoodoo" understand, sort of. "Hoe. It's a hoe, OK?" Huh?

Z reviews make me motion sick. Seriously.

 

[mdsimon2]

All that may be interresting, but why not just be consistent and include this sweep for every DAC reviewed and call it done? That's all the information needed.
View attachment 208433

Because we want to test the DAC volume control so it is a manual test, not automated.

Michael

 

[HansHolland]

I like the following voltage levels:

2 mV (this is -60 dB below 2 V output and should be a noise dominated measurement with almost no distortion)
160 mV (this will give you 5 W in to 4 ohm with a 29 dB amplifier)
280 mV (this will give you 5 W in to 4 ohm with a 24 dB amplifier)
500 mV (this will give you 5 W in to 4 ohm with a 19 dB amplifier)

Although I also don't think the results of these measurements will be particularly surprising.

Michael

Although I have nothing against these levels, I think it is a little bit too much levels. 2 levels should be fine. 2 mV and 200 mV? Or add a 3rd: 20 mV, nice steps of 20 dB.

If Amir thinks this will be too much work, then only 20 mV?

 

[PeteL]

Because we want to test the DAC volume control so it is a manual test, not automated.

Michael

OK, but that would be a start, and the results should be the same, the volume control act on the digital signal, effectively normalising the digital signal to a lower DBFS value. This automated test does the same but at the generator. After that The electronic downstream of the conversion is not affected by the volume control, I don't see how that could change. The curve of action of the volume could be interesting tough but we don't get this info for spot checks as you propose. Bottom line X dBFS produce Y Volts and result in Z dB of SINAD in both cases

 

[mdsimon2]

OK, but that would be a start, and the results should be the same, the volume control act on the digital signal, effectively normalising the digital signal to a lower DBFS value. This automated test does the same but at the generator. After that The electronic downstream of the conversion is not affected by the volume control, I don't see how that could change. The curve of action of the volume could be interesting tough but we don't get this info for spot checks as you propose.

I agree that it will not be different (unless the volume control is broken for some reason) but the original request was to test the DAC volume control.

Personally I think the existing tests tell us all we need to know. We have the dynamic range and we know that distortion decreases with level. It is a pretty safe assumption that SINAD will be dominated by noise at lower levels when using a digital volume control so it is very easy to calculate what SINAD will be at lower levels from the dynamic range measurement.

Michael

 

[HansHolland]

OK, but that would be a start, and the results should be the same, the volume control act on the digital signal, effectively normalising the digital signal to a lower DBFS value. This automated test does the same but at the generator. After that The electronic downstream of the conversion is not affected by the volume control, I don't see how that could change. The curve of action of the volume could be interesting tough but we don't get this info for spot checks as you propose.

I have an RME ADI-2 DAC, it has an auto-reference circuit, that should measure different.