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SMSL DO100 Review (Stereo DAC)

Rate this DAC:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 4 1.1%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 7 2.0%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther

    Votes: 32 9.0%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 311 87.9%

  • Total voters
    354

Labjr

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Walter

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I received an email from Apos today about the new SMSL D-6 DAC. https://apos.audio/products/smsl-d-6?utm_campaign=June 17 New from SMSL: D-6 DAC (TswrGm)&utm_medium=email&utm_source=All Customers who Accept Marketing&_kx=n2WfYcVcbFGPOtEIVZ6VjrVF6yHfZALJjS8jkGbPNXQ=.Ldk8SW

It's an AKM based DAC with TRS balanced outputs. I imagine they'll send one to Amir for review. So Apos going to carry the D-6 but not the DO100?
I think that the AO/DO/HO series is exclusive to Aoshida, but not positive. The D-6 certainly looks interesting if the price is similar.
 

Labjr

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I think that the AO/DO/HO series is exclusive to Aoshida, but not positive. The D-6 certainly looks interesting if the price is similar.
Similar? It's $169! I don't understand why it has only two conductor AC power inlet? I guess it's well insulated internally.
 

Walter

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Similar? It's $169! I don't understand why it has only two conductor AC power inlet? I guess it's well insulated internally.
I didn't see the price. That really seems like a fantastic deal. (And I live in a country with few grounded circuits, so that is a plus for me.)
 

JSmith

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I received an email from Apos today about the new SMSL D-6 DAC.


JSmith
 

Matias

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Atanasi

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guess no one needs to mention that the Dac does not take usb-c to usb-c cables well(at least it does not work with Macs)
Incompatibility with C-C is sadly a common issue with various devices.
 

wacomme

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Has there been any consensus regarding the best filter setting? 4? 6? Something else?
 

staticV3

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Has there been any consensus regarding the best filter setting? 4? 6? Something else?
Here are all 9038Q2M filters in detail.
The worst for anti-aliasing are Lin Slow (FL2), Min Fast (FL4), Min Slow (FL5), Lin Fast (FL6).
That leaves Hybrid fast (FL1), Brickwall (FL7), and Apodizing fast (FL3) as the only filters that do their job.
Out of these, Apodizing extends best to 20kHz (-0.844dB) while still retaining good attenuation at Nyquist (-72.048dB). That's probably the reason why ESS chose Apo as the default filter.
 

bennetng

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Here are all 9038Q2M filters in detail.
The worst for anti-aliasing are Lin Slow (FL2), Min Fast (FL4), Min Slow (FL5), Lin Fast (FL6).
That leaves Hybrid fast (FL1), Brickwall (FL7), and Apodizing fast (FL3) as the only filters that do their job.
Out of these, Apodizing extends best to 20kHz (-0.844dB) while still retaining good attenuation at Nyquist (-72.048dB). That's probably the reason why ESS chose Apo as the default filter.
You can also test the filters in a different way to evaluate other aspects like passband ripple as well, like this:
 

melvinjames

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I used F3 when I first got the DAC and now use F6. Both filters sound good to my aging ears. Here's an excerpt from Arichmago's Part I review that may be of interest:

"As a technically accurate audiophile, I like FL6 "Linear Fast Roll-Off" as being one with good frequency extension, sharp roll-off, minimal ultrasonic imaging, and linear phase (best temporal performance without phase shift)."
 

RandomEar

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So . . . no consensus. :)
All filters are compromises: Flatness in the audible band vs. steepness vs. out-of-band attenuation vs. out-of-band flatness vs. filter complexity and delay. In modern ESS and AKM DACs, linear fast roll-off filters are typically considered the "most-correct", as they don't change the phase, have a decent steepness and decent out-of-band attenuation. But arguments can be made, why you would prefer higher attenuation or a steeper/sharper drop-off.

In any case, as long as the filters are flat in the audible band - which applies to most filters, with the exception of some custom, slow and super slow ones - and your amp does not have a specific problem with a little bit of ultrasonic noise, there should be no audible difference.
 

JeffGB

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These cables do not work and are going back FWIW.

Tried 4 different USB C to C cables, none worked. Finnicky DO100 USB-C for certain. Hate it when that happens. I'll take the tried and trusty USB-B on a DAC over C any day of the week. They always work.
The D0100 uses usb 1.1 (with limitations) and usb 2.0. It is not actually a usb c device, so the included usb c to usb a works fine or any other usb c to usb a cable. I'm using a generic usb c to usb a cable into a usb 3 hub and then to my usb 2/3 port on my computer and it works fine. I'm not sure how compatible some real usb c ports on computers are with a usb 2 device. Good luck!
 
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06S2k07Si

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I just purchased one of these and can't get it to connect via USB to my android LG V60 at all. I also purchased a D-6 and it works great with that (and both of my Topping D50s's and D90's without issue)... what is different about this D0100?
 

06S2k07Si

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Welcome to the world of adapters. Did your phone include a USB-C to standard USB adapter? Like this one:


This will turn the connection into a legacy one which the DO100 supports (only USB 2.0 max).

Or go insane trying to find a cable that actually works.

Kind of ridiculous huh? USB-C is a nightmare IME, 24 available pins with each manufacturer wiring the connectors however they see fit.
Yea...I thought about that but I didn't bother. I simply sent it back and decided to keep the D-6 instead. I liked the functionality of the D-6 better anyway. Thanks
 

geoffhop

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Hi there
Anybody have any ideas why I can only get a sample rate of 44.1 out when using USB 2.0 as input?
I have tried on both a Windows 11 box (with the USB driver installed) and on a RPi 4 running Ubuntu Mate 20.04 and regardless of the sample rate of the track I am playing it says only 44.1 on the LED of the device. On the Windows 11 box I can force it to use a specific bit depth and sample rate i.e. 24/176 by setting the "default format" on the device in Windows but whatever track I play regardless of the track's codec it will just state 176 (or whatever default I use) and when I turn off the DAC it reverts to 44.1 when I turn it back on. How do I get it auto detect the sample rate of the track and just play at that sample rate?
Am I missing something obvious here?
Thanks in advance
Geoff
 
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