SMSL DO200 MKII DAC Review

[RichB]

Another DAC with a "Full function remote control", volume control, no headphone amp, and NO TRIGGER.
Power it on with the remote, then manually power on your amp, grab the remote and sit across the room.
No DAC with a remote and no trigger out, gets a Great rating from me.

It is possible that 12-volt trigger would be more useful than an I2S input or MQA support (yuck).

I wonder how this DAC handles inter-sample overloads.... It is possible that SINAD has taken precedence over handling source material in wild.

Other than that, it looks very nice.


- Rich

 

[prerich]

I agree the interactions between the building blocks are not covered fully in the measurements here. For example, we seldom have information about output, input impedance of DAC's, Pre-amps, Amp's etc. It can be a difference between an APxx and a real Amp.

Wow! Didn't think of that.

Great product, great price, in line w performance of Gustard X16. It does not stop to amaze me how a few years ago you had to spend North of $ 5,000 for this kind of performance. Something is improving on Mother Earth! Thank you Amir for a splendid review!

I thank him for the review as well - it takes up time...however - unless SMSL starts slippin' ...it's what I would expect from them. You have a Gustard x16 (I did too and loved it ...went to the SU-9N as I didn't need MQA and thought that someone else may enjoy it). Are you going to give up the Gustard x16 for the SMSL as the feature set is at least similar to the Gustard except for the AES? The differences should be inaudible. It's like you should only buy a new DAC if you want more or fewer features....unless your ears like your sound a little "dirty" as a friend of mine says.

 

[Trell]

Not yet.
I trust my ears but only as subjective data among many others, as certain anecdotal or individual experiences tend to be very similar to others, but I believe that measurements are also necessary, in fact I know that to say with certainty that my ''research'' ' are not accurate and informative for others who seek validity,

You've all the signs of being an easy mark for the less scrupulous parts of the audio market as shown by your posts here in this thread. But hey, it's your money to spend as you like.

 

[Marcos Mazur]

You've all the signs of being an easy mark for the less scrupulous parts of the audio market as shown by your posts here in this thread. But hey, it's your money to spend as you like.

Maybe, but I wouldn't say that much, one of the main references is the content of this forum.

 

[doc2c]

Can we get eArc on one of these dacs please

 

[Overseas]

To be on the safe side, I look to the dac's measuring well, in the 200 euro range and I choose the one the 'sounds better' to me. So where is my sin, what sacred law would I break?!

 

[xaxxon]

A headphone amp on board would be nice, but this would probably cannibalize the (existing or upcoming) matching separate unit. With such a seperate HPA, the price will probably be equal to RME and such. I'm wondering how many will be sold at this price level.

Not for someone who wouldn't use headphones with it - then it would cost more.

Not every product has to be perfect for every person - it's actually impossible. Instead just look for the product that's right for you.

The Benchmark Dac3 lineup is actually really cool for exactly this -they offer 3 configs of the same actual DAC depending on what you want to pay for.

 

[xaxxon]

Another DAC with a "Full function remote control", volume control, no headphone amp, and NO TRIGGER.
Power it on with the remote, then manually power on your amp, grab the remote and sit across the room.
No DAC with a remote and no trigger out, gets a Great rating from me.

It is possible that 12-volt trigger would be more useful than an I2S input or MQA support (yuck).

I wonder how this DAC handles inter-sample overloads.... It is possible that SINAD has taken precedence over handling source material in wild.

Other than that, it looks very nice.


- Rich

why aren't there power strips with triggers? That's what I don't understand.

 

[confucius_zero]

Should there be a new test that can separate those DAC in the 120db sinad club? I don't have much ideas aside from trying to come up with a new objectively scientific value that possibly covers possibly subjective interpretation of "dac sound signatures"...

 

[Trell]

Should there be a new test that can separate those DAC in the 120db sinad club? I don't have much ideas aside from trying to come up with a new objectively scientific value that possibly covers possibly subjective interpretation of "dac sound signatures"...

Each review has a number of measurements that @amirm makes, and SINAD is just one of them.

So, what do you want in addition?

 

[elvisizer]

@xaxxon there are! I have a panamax with one

 

[Sokel]

It's THD+N vs Freq which is the most important measurement is worst than the old 80 euro Khadas Tone by 10db in most of the spectrum!
How can that be,even with the noise shaping?

Thanks Amir!

 

[Eldus]

We need one of these with an internal crossover/sub out in a PreAmp configuration. A crossover-bypassed headphone out would be nice too.

 

[BR52]

It's THD+N vs Freq which is the most important measurement is worst than the old 80 euro Khadas Tone by 10db in most of the spectrum!
How can that be,even with the noise shaping?

Thanks Amir!

Happy or postman panther I voted for postman. What's your vote?

 

[Trell]

Happy or postman panther I voted for postman. What's your vote?

My vote was "fine" as my standards has increased: By now DSP should be offered, like we see with the RME ADI-2 DAC/Pro.

 

[Robbo99999]

Again, I think we've seen better value balanced DACS reviewed here, but this DAC is performing fine and that's how I voted it.

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

It is possible that 12-volt trigger would be more useful than an I2S input or MQA support (yuck).

I wonder how this DAC handles inter-sample overloads....

Finally some wise points

 

[Robbo99999]

I love measurements as much as the next guy. However, I'd like us to dig further in the chain. I love the speaker reviews the most, but even after that...I'd like to see hypothetical situation in which a well measuring system is placed into a room situation. That would be really interesting. I believe I'm through with DACs as there's nothing else to gain from them - measurement wise ...at least what is audible. We can close the dac files unless we come across something that's just horrible.

I still think it's good that they're tested, to check that they perform ok and don't have any glaring issues - so there is value to the DAC tests being done here, because people in the market for a DAC knows it's tried & tested.

 

[Koeitje]

If all DACs sound the same, why keep testing them?

Nice straw man.

Should there be a new test that can separate those DAC in the 120db sinad club? I don't have much ideas aside from trying to come up with a new objectively scientific value that possibly covers possibly subjective interpretation of "dac sound signatures"...

There are differences, just look at the other measurements. SINAD is only the distortion + noise at 1kHz at 2V (or 4V for balanced). Probably doesn't matter, because if you are in the 120dB+ SINAD range its probably a competently designed DAC without major issues.

 

[pablolie]

It measures great, but as with som many new DACs... it's more of the same. To me, if something has a volume control it should act as a preamp, but in 2023 it should have at the very least a configurable sub out, no?