SMSL DO200 MKII DAC Review

[Joffy1780]

A23+ no THX just fully right on the gain dials

Ah sorry, was looking at a23 manual.

 

[Joffy1780]

Are the switches both in the 'balanced' position and it's not in bridged mono?

 

[boobled]

Yup. I double/triple checked that I didn’t have something set incorrectly. I’m assuming it’s something to do with the DAC, just not sure what.

 

[Joffy1780]

Very strange. Is it the same result no matter input you are using on the do200?

 

[boobled]

It appears it’s the usb input. If I go through BT it’s full volume ‍

 

[boobled]

Strange, it’s way more dynamic through Bluetooth as well. I wonder if it has something to do with my Mac connected with usb.

 

[Joffy1780]

Strange, it’s way more dynamic through Bluetooth as well. I wonder if it has something to do with my Mac connected with usb.

Sounds like it. Do you have the drivers installed etc? Volume at max on your Mac?

 

[boobled]

I’ll have to check on the drivers. Volume is maxed. Funny thing is all I did was take out my receiver and use the DAC as a preamp. It was fine before running through the receiver. Thanks for the help BTW.

 

[Joffy1780]

I’ll have to check on the drivers. Volume is maxed. Funny thing is all I did was take out my receiver and use the DAC as a preamp. It was fine before running through the receiver. Thanks for the help BTW.

No worries, any time.

 

[cavedriver]

What puzzles me to no end about all these $100~1000 DACs is that NONE of them include a subwoofer pre-out and the corresponding processing, but almost ALL of the small DAC/AMPs from SMSL and several others do include the subwoofer out (and ZERO pre-outs for the front mains). I could of course spring for a miniDSP and spend the time configuring it, but I am just really surprised that given there are a bazillion of these littles DACs and a fair number of the DAC/AMPs, why have none of them taken up this business opportunity?

 

[Steamrolly]

What puzzles me to no end about all these $100~1000 DACs is that NONE of them include a subwoofer pre-out and the corresponding processing, but almost ALL of the small DAC/AMPs from SMSL and several others do include the subwoofer out (and ZERO pre-outs for the front mains). I could of course spring for a miniDSP and spend the time configuring it, but I am just really surprised that given there are a bazillion of these littles DACs and a fair number of the DAC/AMPs, why have none of them taken up this business opportunity?

Coming from the perspective of two channel home audio and not nearfield or desktop set up with a computer as the primary source it would be nice for SMSL and Topping to adjust and possibly streamline their offerings. I understand that for some a combo unit with a headphone amp, pre-amp, DAC and integrated speaker amp is the perfect desktop solution and similarly a headphone amp and DAC works for this need as well. What doesn't make sense to me is that they continually release DACs with volume control (pre-amp) but no power amps (without volume control) and what is deemed a power amp is truly and integrated amp, albeit with very few inputs. I don't need a remote and volume control for each piece of equipment. I would love to see a simple DAC with a flagship chip(s) and quality electronics, without a remote, preamp, Bluetooth, filters, MQA, even no display just great clean performance. For those pre-amp DACs maybe a true power amp to pair with it. And yes the pre-amp /DAC should have a headphone jack, subwoofer pre-out etc but what is out there is, generally speaking, more a DAC with some toys, and feels halfway. Either too much or not enough.
Just my thoughts...

 

[Bleib]

So no expectation bias

You sure? Most of us hear or have heard for ages from the hifi-press that even cables can make a massive difference.

 

[Joffy1780]

I have 5 or so DACs. All relatively "budget". I have no emotional nor political expectation for which might sound better or different or worse, since I paid about the same for all of them and they all have reasonably good reviews. I only care about which sounds best in my system in my room to my ears.

Having said that I can pretty much immediately hear the difference in bass, mids, treble between some of them. Admittedly I do not use a volt meter on the outputs to verify volume match within .1db. I just adjust the volumes by ear. When comparing, I do use the same tracks, that I know well.

And recently when I did an op amp switch on an amp - again adjusting relative volume by ear - I could easily hear the difference. I _expected_ the new op amps to sound noticeably better, or at least not to sound much worse. So no expectation bias. But instead, they made the amp sound noticeably worse. Not difficult to hear the difference. So I put the original Ne5532s back in the amp, and again, not a subtle improvement, and back to the original that I rated surprisingly good sounding.

So I am quite stumped by all the folks that say the differences in competently engineered and implemented DACs are inaudible. Quite stumped.

Thread 'Audio Blind Testing - You Are Doing It Wrong! (Video)' https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...d-testing-you-are-doing-it-wrong-video.26809/
Give this a try and see if you come to the same conclusion.

 

[LtMandella]

You sure? Most of us hear or have heard for ages from the hifi-press that even cables can make a massive difference.

the point is, I don't expect any of them to sound better or different. In fact, I kind of expect them to all sound the same. I paid about the same for all of them and it would not have surprised me one bit if they all sounded the same, and I would be perfectly fine with that. But they just don't.

 

[LtMandella]

Thread 'Audio Blind Testing - You Are Doing It Wrong! (Video)' https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...d-testing-you-are-doing-it-wrong-video.26809/
Give this a try and see if you come to the same conclusion.

hmm, if I do not _care_ if any of the tested devices sound the same, or sound different, or sound better or worse than each other, does that not eliminate expectation bias?
Or are you going to claim that you see into my brain, and that I _must_ have some expectation bias, even if unconscious?

 

[Joffy1780]

the point is, I don't expect any of them to sound better or different. In fact, I kind of expect them to all sound the same. I paid about the same for all of them and it would not have surprised me one bit if they all sounded the same, and I would be perfectly fine with that. But they just don't.

But the 'tests' you have conducted are fundamentally flawed.

 

[Joffy1780]

hmm, if I do not _care_ if any of the tested devices sound the same, or sound different, or sound better or worse than each other, does that not eliminate expectation bias?
Or are you going to claim that you see into my brain, and that I _must_ have some expectation bias, even if unconscious?

It is not only expectation bias that plays a part. The fact you do not care is irrelevant.

 

[Bleib]

the point is, I don't expect any of them to sound better or different. In fact, I kind of expect them to all sound the same. I paid about the same for all of them and it would not have surprised me one bit if they all sounded the same, and I would be perfectly fine with that. But they just don't.

It's one thing to expect to not hear any difference and another to actually want there to be a difference, because that way we can still find something that is better.
Let's face it, a lot of us think this hobby is fun, it's great fun to try out new gear.
I don't think we can let go of our biases as easily either.

 

[LtMandella]

You sure? Most of us hear or have heard for ages from the hifi-press that even cables can make a massive difference.

By the way, I am of the Bruce Rozenblit school of audio. I don't expect that most passive components manufactured to reasonable standards of competence have any sonic bearing on sound quality. No special cables, no special volume controls, no "audio" caps, etc. etc., etc.

 

[LtMandella]

It is not only expectation bias that plays a part. The fact you do not care is irrelevant.

but expectation bias is exactly and only what blind testing can eliminate. Blind testing doesn't change the electronic characteristics, only the human bias.