SMSL DO300 DAC Review

[bequietjk]

Geez!

 

[JSmith]

Forgive me if this has been addressed elsewhere, but how close do these DACs approach the SINAD measurement limits of @amirm 's APx555?

This is basically maxing out the AP analyser;

APx555 B Series

www.ap.com

JSmith

 

[Jochen]

SINAD 123.3 dB? Still a far cry and 176.7 dB from Rob Watt's goal.

 

[JSmith]

it has not yet been 24 hours since the measurements and the DAC DO 300 has a survey result of 4.Great=86 and 3.Fine=24. I do not believe that 110 people have this DAC at home to judge whether it is good or hopeless.

The poll is based on the membership opinion which is based on the test results published (cheers @amirm) and to an extent price... so no one needs to have the DAC to vote as all the data needed to do so for the purpose of the poll is in the review.


JSmith

 

[SuicideSquid]

SINAD 123.3 dB? Still a far cry and 176.7 dB from Rob Watt's goal.

You're a new commenter so I'm not 100% sure this is a facetious comment but I choose to believe it is a facetious comment and gave it a like.

 

[respice finem]

The poll is based on the membership opinion which is based on the test results published (cheers @amirm) and to an extent price... so no one needs to have the DAC to vote as all the data needed to do so for the purpose of the poll is in the review.


JSmith

This. A little analogy: Most of us even vote for people they've never met in person (and most never will).
/OT

 

[Galliardist]

@amira's tests become inconsistent. Some are measured at 4V others at 5V. The DO300 defaults to 5V, why was it intended at 4V without a second 5V measurement? Transducer ranking is out of date. Example: you read the DO300 measurements where is the DX3 pro+? You read the DX3 pro+ measurements where is DO300. This should be linked to the cumulative ranking. Why isn't it said that the $500 SMSL remote is just as shoddy as the $200 one? The IPS display is unreadable from a distance of one meter or less. Why in DAC only mode 0.0dB takes up the whole screen. Nonsense. Are the measurements paid so as not to show defects?

Filter mode off suggests clean DAC and suggests default. This time it causes huge audible problems. How am I supposed to know this without this review and measurements if the manufacturer does not mention it?

If only we could have everything!

The tests here are consistent with most others for DACs on the site. I guess if you want real consistency, you need to take it up with manufacturers rather than reviewers who have to deal with what is in front of them. Good luck with "stifling the right to innovate"...

The SINAD ranking is not a full product ranking. It seems to give a reasonable guide to the audio output of the product, but is far from telling the whole story. Read the review. Check if the product is recommended, and if not, why. The product also has to suit your use case (the feature set you want), your preferred build quality and your personal subjective reaction when it is in your system: Amir's reviews don't seriously pretend to cope with those aspects in detail, and that is actually more honest than a subjective review that claims that you will also "hear" what the reviewer does and that is the basis for purchase. That's pot luck, it seems.

I won't buy a product like this any more unless I can at least download and see the user manual. I've only bought twice without seeing independent measurements of some sort, even if very rough, and I got a bad result both times, so I probably won't do that again either unless it's a product with no real alternative that I can see a measurement for. I prefer to go to an actual store and use the product before buying, even at additional expense and limiting choice, but I'm just old fashioned that way. I recommend everyone do most of those things where you can if you want to avoid disappointment, though it isn't always possible to do all of them.

 

[Burns]

If only we could have everything!

The tests here are consistent with most others for DACs on the site. I guess if you want real consistency, you need to take it up with manufacturers rather than reviewers who have to deal with what is in front of them. Good luck with "stifling the right to innovate"...

The SINAD ranking is not a full product ranking. It seems to give a reasonable guide to the audio output of the product, but is far from telling the whole story. Read the review. Check if the product is recommended, and if not, why. The product also has to suit your use case (the feature set you want), your preferred build quality and your personal subjective reaction when it is in your system: Amir's reviews don't seriously pretend to cope with those aspects in detail, and that is actually more honest than a subjective review that claims that you will also "hear" what the reviewer does and that is the basis for purchase. That's pot luck, it seems.

I won't buy a product like this any more unless I can at least download and see the user manual. I've only bought twice without seeing independent measurements of some sort, even if very rough, and I got a bad result both times, so I probably won't do that again either unless it's a product with no real alternative that I can see a measurement for. I prefer to go to an actual store and use the product before buying, even at additional expense and limiting choice, but I'm just old fashioned that way. I recommend everyone do most of those things where you can if you want to avoid disappointment, though it isn't always possible to do all of them.

You've hit the nail on the head, very wise words.

 

[Endibol]

This is basically maxing out the AP analyser;

APx555 B Series

www.ap.com

JSmith

Once we get to the point that all new DACs (Topping, SMLS, etc.) perform beyond Amir's measurement capabilities (and show the same stellar SINAD-numbers) these brands will need to start focusing on other important stuff like readable displays, box design, trigger inputs etc. that make actual use of DACs easier. The only way to distinguish themselves from each other will be the focus on functionality rather than SINAD-performance.

 

[Burns]

Once we get to the point that all new DACs (Topping, SMLS, etc.) perform beyond Amir's measurement capabilities (and show the same stellar SINAD-numbers) these brands will need to start focusing on other important stuff like readable displays, box design, trigger inputs etc. that make actual use of DACs easier. The only way to distinguish themselves from each other will be the focus on functionality rather than SINAD-performance.

Brands willn't concentrate themselves if the sheep give likes and no one comments that the device is ill-considered. My words are confirmed by the lack of releases of firmware updates by these manufacturers. I hope that the DO300 review will be a breakthrough in the preparation of the next ones with the "blind" pursuit of SINAD.

 

[JSmith]

the sheep give likes

If you wouldn't mind showing more respect to members rather than calling some "sheep"... that would be most appreciated. The majority of members here are more than qualified to vote based on the posted test results... so your comments may be construed as a bit offensive by some.


JSmith

 

[JktHifi]

Brands willn't concentrate themselves if the sheep give likes and no one comments that the device is ill-considered. My words are confirmed by the lack of releases of firmware updates by these manufacturers. I hope that the DO300 review will be a breakthrough in the preparation of the next ones with the "blind" pursuit of SINAD.

Signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SINAD) is a measure of the quality of a signal from a communications device, often defined as

where

is the average power of the signal, noise and distortion components. SINAD is usually expressed in dB and is quoted alongside the receiver RF sensitivity, to give a quantitative evaluation of the receiver sensitivity.

 

[Burns]

If you wouldn't mind showing more respect to members rather than calling some "sheep"... that would be most appreciated. The majority of members here are more than qualified to vote based on the posted test results... so your comments may be construed as a bit offensive by some.


JSmith

I understand, I'm more about sheep rush lately and liking everything with a small number of arguments, just like giving likes on instagram. If I offended anyone, I apologize. I'm running away from this topic, I expressed my opinion, I don't want more time for this device.

 

[Trell]

I understand, I'm more about sheep rush lately and liking everything with a small number of arguments, just like giving likes on instagram. If I offended anyone, I apologize. I'm running away from this topic, I expressed my opinion, I don't want more time for this device.

The S/N should increase with your departure from this thread.

 

[Purité Audio]

Converters convert, digital is done, as has been stated now it is just about features, aesthetics and ergonomics.
More ’boutique’ products with appalling measurements please if they are really expensive even better!
Thanks Amir, superb work, superb site the only place where there is any intelligent audio-reproduction discussion.
Keith

 

[Burns]

The S/N should increase with your departure from this thread.

I'm leaving but I'll give You a like

(Maybe it will increase, as @amirm still has it at home and will retest at 5.2V. Maybe there will be a bronze medal SINAD)

call me then

 

[Overseas]

I am an under-sheep, as I do not understand enough to vote.

 

[JSmith]

call me

Hey, you done did the right thing, dial up my ring ring.

Take my number down, it's 222-2222 I gotta answering machine that can talk to you.

It goes, hey how ya doin', sorry ya can't get through. Why don't you leave your name and your number and I'll get back to you.


JSmith

 

[Galliardist]

I'm leaving but I'll give You a like

(Maybe it will increase, as @Amir still has it at home and will retest at 5.2V. Maybe there will be a bronze medal SINAD)

call me then

One thing we could all be doing (and I'm certainly guilty in this respect) is learning to do the things for our products that Amir doesn't have time to do, measuring more features and settings (we won't all have APs but we can work at a simpler or lower level, knowing that our measurements and so on will never be quite as clean) and contributing on ergonomics and usage.

Maybe we should be organising a bulk purchase or discount for a suitable ADC, or at least have a list available of suitable devices at different costs, and have a specific "how to measure" topic.,

Oh, and Amir's username is @amirm - there seem to be a few wrong names in this thread.

 

[MAB]

Brands willn't concentrate themselves if the sheep give likes and no one comments that the device is ill-considered.

Perhaps you missed posts 13, 14, 22, 23, 28, 29, 33, 34, 41, 42, 44, etc... Where people ask the utility of this device compared to the other sonically and feature identical devices. Their questions are directed at the device under review. Your comments are directed at the members, and you didn't seem to even read their comments. Your post is offensive, especially since you didn't read.