SMSL DO300 DAC Review

[CrustyToad]

Thanks amir for the review
We have seen this too many times by now... A perfect dac at different prices

We know a perfect dac costs a little more than 100 $/€/£

Time to at least add some useful features like sub-out with selectable cross-over or auto-mic dsp

 

[peniku8]

Finally, what we all have been waiting for! Yet another DAC that does less and costs more. Take my money!

 

[Veri]

Excellent review Amir! Just reading about the new Topping EHA5 electrostatic headphone amplifier for $399. Would it be possible to get one for a review?

This thing looks very nice. Although I heard through the grapevine it's basically an A90d amplifier +transformer in a new/different enclosure.

 

[razamanaz]

Gotta buy the cheapest DAC with a trigger (topping e70)

 

[ThatGuyYouKnow]

An excellently priced option if you must have AES and/or I2S, both of which I never had any reasonable use for.

 

[RandomEar]

I have no choice there unfortunately. There is no direct support for this type of testing in AP software. I kludge it by having a running measurement so the x axis is always time. For this reason, I added the second line which is dashed red. It shows the voltage output. I can make it dB but I thought members wanted it in voltage as to match it to their amplifiers.

As suggested in the recent Denon AVR review: Why not run the AP data through a quick script to convert it from SINAD & voltage over time to SINAD over voltage? The information is in that graph. Does the AP software not output data in non-image formats?

 

[phoenixdogfan]

It's simply the case when you look at most any DAC these days, but particularly the SMSL and Topping offerings, that you're really just buying for features, particularly inputs and outputs,(and perhaps cosmetics) because any of them, including the very least expensive ones, should be completely transparent.

The glaring exception being the multi kilobuck audiophile dacs with FPGAs, ladder resistors, multibit, and, of course tubes.

 

[amirm]

As suggested in the recent Denon AVR review: Why not run the AP data through a quick script to convert it from SINAD & voltage over time to SINAD over voltage? The information is in that graph. Does the AP software not output data in non-image formats?

It can export. But why not learn what the graph shows instead of creating work for me in every review? The test is not revealing much anyway.

 

[audio_tony]

A minor nit: I like to see color codec RCA jacks with red indicating right channel.

All equipment with vertically stacked RCA jacks traditionally has left at top and right at bottom. I don't think I've ever seen a deviation from that 'standard'.

Same goes for horizontal jacks, looking from front / top left jack is left and right jack is right.

 

[marcom22]

It more of a curiosity as what it shows can be guessed. The reason for it is that normally tests are performed with volume is set to 0 dB/Max. In use, you would be using the volume control set to lower value otherwise your amp will be at max loudness. Folks wanted to see the impact of lowering the volume on SINAD. So that is what I am measuring. Predictably, SINAD which is dominated by noise (since distortion is so low) scales with output voltage. The lower the volume, the more noise shows up.

Interpreting the results, it says that if you set the volume to -30 dB, you still have SINAD of 100. As long as that is max playback level, you should have silence.

Thanks Amir for this new graph, I really appreciate it.

 

[Burns]

No, just getting hit with deadlines after deadlines. This one has been sitting here for three months so I needed to get it out. But yes, I did have a big cup of coke full of caffeine....

The factory default value for DAC only mode set to +2.0dB sets the voltage to 5.2V and a setting of 0.0dB will reduce it to 4.2V ? In the Topping e70, the voltage is set in the "BIOS" menu. Weirdly came up with SMSL, by the way.

- the default filter is fast linear, but more importantly, when the filters are turned off, the volume increases drastically and the sound becomes hoarse,
- you can see and feel that someone was in a hurry to create this device,

SMSL ( S.M.S.L ) DO300 DAC

I bought SMSL DO300 and I think I became its beta tester. - The device in the factory settings is +2dB by default, - the default filter is fast linear, but more importantly, when the filters are turned off, the volume increases drastically and the sound becomes hoarse (Is there jitter...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[RandomEar]

It can export. But why not learn what the graph shows instead of creating work for me in every review? The test is not revealing much anyway.

Because there's good and bad ways to represent useful data. And the current graph is just hard to read. The insights are there, but they're not obvious. If this forum is aimed at making audio science more accessible to the broader public, I think presenting all the data in a clear and unambiguous way would be helpful.

Granted: I don't know how complicated the AP data export is. But the script itself would require three clicks per review (open, select file, run). It could be reduced to one click, assuming the exported files follow some arbitrary naming convention (like 'AP-data_[device under test].csv'). Maybe you could think about it again or test it once. Wouldn't hurt, in my opinion.

 

[AdamG]

Someone less lazy than me

Looking at the amount of Reviews you have knocked out in the last several weeks, you are far from Lazy.

 

[AdamG]

Excellent review Amir! Just reading about the new Topping EHA5 electrostatic headphone amplifier for $399. Would it be possible to get one for a review?

Absolutely. Have one drop shipped to Amir and he will test it and return it to you. That’s how our system works.

 

[Reynaldo]

The factory default value for DAC only mode set to +2.0dB sets the voltage to 5.2V and a setting of 0.0dB will reduce it to 4.2V ? In the Topping e70, the voltage is set in the "BIOS" menu. Weirdly came up with SMSL, by the way.

- the default filter is fast linear, but more importantly, when the filters are turned off, the volume increases drastically and the sound becomes hoarse,
- you can see and feel that someone was in a hurry to create this device,

I have the SMSL DO200MKII and it works great.
As you also have it, do you think there is any advantage in switching to SMSL DO300?

 

[F1308]

At this point, what is unsolved in audio land ?

If either a manufacturer or member sent in a device, Amir is obligated to test it.

Solved, on what products ?

Remove the hard work made hereabouts and see yourself buying a 35 SINAD box pushing you back by the thousands.

 

[Burns]

I have the SMSL DO200MKII and it works great.
As you also have it, do you think there is any advantage in switching to SMSL DO300?

Topping e70 won and stayed forever - I got tired of choosing a dac. The models I had at home sounded 99% identical. The features that I listed in my subsequent entries were decisive.
To me, SMSL is stupidly designing its devices and the MQA standard has just announced inancial problems and is facing bankruptcy.
The E70 is a complete device for me.
(I returned the smsl do200mk2 and do300 to the seller. If I wanted to leave SMSL, I would choose DO300 with no audible differences. The choice would be for the peace of mind that he has a newer Chip. Luckily I no longer have this problem. Common sense won out. The e70 chip is over 5 years old and is older than those used in the do200 and up to 300. The financial issue is also important. The less you spend, the easier it is to eat a technical glitch and throw the dead device in the trash)

 

[F1308]

I didn't bother to vote.
Just another DAC in same range.
Boring.

Please, do vote.

Support the hard work.

Lack of interest will sooner or later make sites dissappear.

Help avoiding such happening to Audio Science Review.

 

[JayGilb]

Solved, on what products ?

Remove the hard work made hereabouts and see yourself buying a 35 SINAD box pushing you back by the thousands.

When did I say that ASR no longer has any use ?

These devices are solved; DAC/ADC, preamps, most amplifiers and a large percentage of speakers.

When I say solved, it refers to competently designed products that process or reproduce the original signal and keep distortion levels below human audibility. I can't help it if someone wants bastardize a topology to add distortion

 

[F1308]

When did I say that ASR no longer has any use ?

These devices are solved; DAC/ADC, preamps, most amplifiers and a large percentage of speakers.

When I say solved, it refers to competently designed products that process or reproduce the original signal and keep distortion levels below human audibility. I can't help it if someone wants bastardize a topology to add distortion

But many users would like to know the actual performance of new products as the already tested are withdrawn.

The pinnacle of technology, although available, is not necessarily implemented on all available products.

It happened to me as soon as my old Denon died. And I needed nearly a year to replace it with a Topping PA5.