SMSL DO200 MKII DAC Review

[Joffy1780]

It is not a con that a product doesn't offer a very specific combination of functions that you would like, for a very specific price.
And the reason I don't think it is appropriate for this review thread is that this device does what it was designed to do brilliantly.
Why have you not commented on the Minidsp Flex review and said you think that it should be under $300? It amounts to the same thing in my opinion.
A separate thread would be more appropriate, there are probably many discussing this already.

 

[cavedriver]

It is not a con that a product doesn't offer a very specific combination of functions that you would like, for a very specific price.
And the reason I don't think it is appropriate for this review thread is that this device does what it was designed to do brilliantly.
Why have you not commented on the Minidsp Flex review and said you think that it should be under $300? It amounts to the same thing in my opinion.
A separate thread would be more appropriate, there are probably many discussing this already.

I originally searched for similar threads but didn't find an answer, just one very short thread that mentioned the miniDSP unit. I chose an SMSL thread because 1) I own an SMSL M300 DAC that works quite well and was $300, 2) SMSL makes a lot of good, cheap stuff, 3) the DO200 is one of their units most recently reviewed by Amir, 4) SMSL is the company that makes the most DAC/AMP's that include the subwoofer outputs, demonstrating that it is well within their ability. For the record i didn't actually originally pose it as a con, simply pointed out, "why not?"

 

[Joffy1780]

I originally searched for similar threads but didn't find an answer, just one very short thread that mentioned the miniDSP unit. I chose an SMSL thread because 1) I own an SMSL M300 DAC that works quite well and was $300, 2) SMSL makes a lot of good, cheap stuff, 3) the DO200 is one of their units most recently reviewed by Amir, 4) SMSL is the company that makes the most DAC/AMP's that include the subwoofer outputs, demonstrating that it is well within their ability. For the record i didn't actually originally pose it as a con, simply pointed out, "why not?"

Ok, and as I said I hadn't even read your original post, but you decided I had somehow 'attacked' you.
Good luck with it.

 

[Burns]

Can't you create your own topic for your dilemmas?

There is a real problem with the SMSL DAC that in DAC only mode a meaningless -0.0dB level takes up the entire display and there is more important information to show.

 

[cavedriver]

Can't you create your own topic for your dilemmas?

There is a real problem with the SMSL DAC that in DAC only mode a meaningless -0.0dB level takes up the entire display and there is more important information to show.

I'm glad you're here to tell me what's important, because I didn't know.

 

[Burns]

I'm glad you're here to tell me what's important, because I didn't know.

I'm sure you still don't know anything about this device.

 

[cavedriver]

I'm sure you still don't know anything about this device.

my concerns about the product do not make your concerns invalid. I never criticized that there was something you found inadequate about the product, only that you dismissed my concerns. Live and let live.

 

[Burns]

I have a super DAC for millions, it plays like a fool, it handles everything and its handling pisses me off. It's so bizarre and counter-intuitive that I wouldn't even think of it when I was hungover.

 

[Big White]

Why do some reviews have Spdif measurements and some don't, like this review !

 

[Nuforce]

I feel compelled to add my personal experience of this truly horrible DAC. I have a love of jazz and as such piano reproductive is extremely important. The SMSL adds a nasty layer of digital sheen that makes the listening experience unbearable.

I assume you people haven't actually listened to one, rather than geek out on measurements?

 

[boobled]

Well, I can say it doesn't perform well as a preamp but I have no complaints on sound quality. I listen to a fair bit of jazz and I haven't experienced any issues with the reproduction of piano passages. In fact, I find Nojima Plays Liszt to be quite enjoyable (not jazz but certainly piano) through the DAC, but to each his own I guess.

 

[Joffy1780]

I feel compelled to add my personal experience of this truly horrible DAC. I have a love of jazz and as such piano reproductive is extremely important. The SMSL adds a nasty layer of digital sheen that makes the listening experience unbearable.

I assume you people haven't actually listened to one, rather than geek out on measurements?

Digital sheen is a new one for me!!

 

[Joffy1780]

I feel compelled to add my personal experience of this truly horrible DAC. I have a love of jazz and as such piano reproductive is extremely important. The SMSL adds a nasty layer of digital sheen that makes the listening experience unbearable.

I assume you people haven't actually listened to one, rather than geek out on measurements?

This is Audio 'Science' Review not Audio 'Feel' Review. There are no listening tests as part of Amir's reviews on DACs, simply because DACs don't have a sound.

 

[BDWoody]

I feel compelled to add my personal experience of this truly horrible DAC.

I assume you people haven't actually listened to one, rather than geek out on measurements?

 

[AdamG]

View attachment 272340

Hold my Beer!

 

[VintageFlanker]

simply because DACs don't have a sound.

Shouldn't*

 

[Joffy1780]

Shouldn't*

Noted

 

[Veri]

Can you provide a sample recording of this "sheen". Would love to hear it. Thanks!

Sorry mate your gear just isn't resolving enough. Either that or your ears are terrible..

 

[Burns]

I still have e70 and smsl do200mk2 in tests.
On each, the piano sounds the same (Chopin), so I think I have two DACs made of metal

Do the two mentioned DACs sound identical, as indicated by the very strong group here? Yes, but I still maintain that 99.2%.
What is this 0.8% in my subjective opinion. I can define it in two ways: Wider soundstage (different concentration of instruments). The SMSL DO200 plays behind a slight fog, narrower stereo, more to the center.
e70 plays more space. The shortest and easiest way to describe it is as if I switched the DSP processor effects in the home theater receiver and turned on the hall effect for the e 70.
Let me remind you that I have one source, two DACs working at the same time, one M3si amplifier, so I only change the source on the AUX1, AUX2 amplifier
It's really a minor difference. In a blind ABX test, I would rather not distinguish which one plays, but I would distinguish that once it plays one and the other time.
What it comes from ? Different ESS, different company, different implementation, different PCBs, different paths, different capacitors - in a word, I don't know.
(e70 with a 2.5V output, the hall effect increases because it starts to play louder. Without measurements, I don't know if 2.5V is good for my amplifier or there is no distortion, there is a difference in the sound, but I don't like the sound it will seem distorted, I went back to 2V to be safe).
One last point.
I'm not a fan of MQA, but I have another problem with the DO200. Example of Tidal (this is also not my favorite music service) If I turn off MQA decoding in Tidal, if I switch from Master to HiFi package and DO200 detects that a given track is encoded with MQA, it decodes it anyway. The MQA mark appears on the DO200 display. Tidal is forcing MQA at all costs - a problem described on the forums.
To sum up, DO200 does not give me the control menu and the option to turn off MQA when I don't want it.

The summary will look like this
DO200 - return to the seller
E70 - probably will stay because I like its additional functions (trigger, display)
Unless, after sceptical assessments, I will return to the DX3pro + (but there I had to reset the power after connecting each new cable, there was some mismatch and instead of sound there was a squeak and noise from the speakers, I confirmed it on two pieces. I understand that cables are not switched outside of the tests , but I stopped trusting him that once my speakers would burn, maybe the Chinese forgot about some choke? - I don't know)
All of the above are my subjective feelings, I don't care about convincing anyone to the only right way.

 

[Burns]

@amirm
The SMSL DO300 showed up, which has no measurements anywhere, even by the manufacturer. It has an ES9039mPro chip and, surprisingly, it is constantly 5/2.5V. And how will such a level be incompatible with the amplifier?