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SMSL DO400 Fully Balanced Audio Decoder & Headphone Amplifier

xtraforcz said:
Recently I noticed audible pop noise on my DO400 during playback. I have made sure that the streaming service is set to 'always on'. After many attempts to fix this, I found that it was the XMOS driver that causes this. Once I uninstalled the XMOS driver, the pop noise is gone. I'm quite surprised that DO400 can function without that driver.

So for anyone who encounter similar issue as mine, you may try to uninstall the XMOS driver and continue use the DO400, see whether it helps. Make sure to reboot DO400 after the uninstall step.
Click to expand...
Was this on windows? What is the max bitrate and sample rate without the drivers?
 
xtraforcz said:
32 bit 384 kHz, but this is too much for me, my DO400 now running at 32 bit 192 kHz without the XMOS driver.
Click to expand...
Are you still happy with it? I see it is on sale for 495€ now
 
xtraforcz said:
Yeah no complain. But I am 99% happy with my SMSL DL200 which I believe is much cheaper than DO400. I cannot differentiate both of them in terms of sound quality.
Click to expand...
The DL200 has lower power for headphones for the rest it should sound the same.
I also see the SMSL DL400 for 400€ which is a newer version of the DO400.

1763999284200.png
 
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Mike_Trueman said:
The DL200 has lower power for headphones for the rest it should sound the same.
I also see the SMSL DL400 for 400€ which is a newer version of the DO400.

View attachment 492767
Click to expand...
The DL400 isn't a newer device and is internally identical to the DO400.
The disadvantage of the DL400 is the lack of a 4-pin XLR headphone jack, which is of higher quality.
The DO400 is an Aoshida device, while the DL400 is an SMSL device. Warranty, support, firmware updates, etc., are therefore handled exclusively by these companies.

Since I've owned the DO400 for quite some time, I would currently recommend the Topping DX5 II. The implementation and performance of the 4 x TPA6120A2 chips are nowhere near the level of the Topping; Topping was already superior five years ago.
The DAC performance of the DX5 II is hardly different from the DO400, but the HPA is significantly more powerful and also has better overall measurements. The money saved is another advantage.
 
Roland68 said:
The DL400 isn't a newer device and is internally identical to the DO400.
The disadvantage of the DL400 is the lack of a 4-pin XLR headphone jack, which is of higher quality.
The DO400 is an Aoshida device, while the DL400 is an SMSL device. Warranty, support, firmware updates, etc., are therefore handled exclusively by these companies.

Since I've owned the DO400 for quite some time, I would currently recommend the Topping DX5 II. The implementation and performance of the 4 x TPA6120A2 chips are nowhere near the level of the Topping; Topping was already superior five years ago.
The DAC performance of the DX5 II is hardly different from the DO400, but the HPA is significantly more powerful and also has better overall measurements. The money saved is another advantage.
Click to expand...
DL400:
Newer USB-C connection
Newer, larger display and UI
Larger, redesigned casing
Display's artist and songname information played via Bluetooth connection


DO400:
4-pin XLR headphone output

For the rest they are the same.
 
Mike_Trueman said:
DL400:
Newer USB-C connection
Newer, larger display and UI
Larger, redesigned casing
Display's artist and songname information played via Bluetooth connection


DO400:
4-pin XLR headphone output

For the rest they are the same.
Click to expand...
As I already mentioned, they are internally identical devices. This includes the Loxjie D40 Pro and D60.
The USB-C connector is more of a disadvantage, as it's much more fragile than USB-B. There are no advantages because it's USB 2.0.
 
When i go to the reset menu the DO400 show this and after the update it is still the same. Is the latest FW version?
SDAA-1
DO400 1.00


Start programming!

Get the ISP version:V322

Load configuration

Baud rate configuration: 256000

Loader: Address 08004000 , Data: 0005E134

Read checksum: 64961EF1

Check correct

Program jump： Address08004000

Program time：64217ms

Program successful!
 
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I played alot with the settings. These settings sound best for my headphone.
  • Balanced output headphone: 4,4mm
  • PCM Filter: OFF (default, sounds best OFF)
  • DSD Filter 47k (default, no use for PCM)
  • DPLL: MIN (changed to lowest)
  • HPA Gain: High (changed)
  • Sound Color: Crystal 3 (changed)
  • Audio Phase: Normal (default)
 
After having a lot of issues with the display screen on my Loxjie D60, I purchased an SMSL DO400, which I am now using on the system in my bedroom (consisting of a Sony smart TV, a Roku Box, and my old Genelec powered studio monitors -- because I found the headphone amp to be superior to that of the D60).

I moved the D60 to the audio-only system in my living room, where it serves as a preamp for another pair of Genelec powered speakers, and it sounds just fine. The display, if anything, became worse after this move. Then, one day, I couldn't get the D60 to start up. It would not power on when I pressed the big knob on the front. So, I turned it off and on, using the rocker switch on the back of the unit. No luck, at first. But, on the second attempt, it started and it has been working normally since then. Most surprising of all is that the display screen is working correctly again. Not ghost images, no distortion, nothing. It looks like it did when it was new. Now I'm just trying to figure out what happened.

One thing I noticed -- which may or may not be related -- is that I had an issue with my TV for a while. On startup, the pixels along the bottom of the screen were all messed up. It's hard for me to describe what I was seeing, because it was different every time, but it only occurred at the very bottom of the screen. It most closely resembled descriptions of what people see when a circuit or a ribbon cable goes bad in a video monitor. So, I assumed that's what it was. I ignored it (since it always went away after a few minutes) and planned to replace the TV if it continued to worsen.

To my surprise, the TV went completely back to normal on its own and has been that way for about a week now. No idea whether this issue could have caused by whatever affected the screen on the D60. About a week or two before both devices resumed working properly, I lost my phone and Internet access, off and on, for several days. The cable company had trucks about half a mile from my house working on the lines until service was completely restored.

A point that argues in favor of my display issues being related to the service outage is that the outage occurred when I was still having issues with both devices and both of them improved after it was repaired. Points arguing against this are that

a.) the issues for both devices began before the outage and they affected the D60 before (and for a longer period of time) than the issues affecting the TV),
b.) the D60 was not connected to the Internet,
c.) I bought and started using the DO400 while the issues with the other devices were still occurring and never had any problems with it before or since.

So, on the one hand, it seems unlikely that both problems were related -- but odd since they began and cleared up at roughly the same time with no action on my part. So, naturally, I am curious.
 
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ejr said:
After having a lot of issues with the display screen on my Loxjie D60, I purchased an SMSL DO400, which I am now using on the system in my bedroom (consisting of a Sony smart TV, a Roku Box, and my old Genelec powered studio monitors -- becuase I found the headphone amp to be superior to that of the D60).

I moved the D60 to the audio-only system in my living room, where it serves as a preamp for another pair of Genelec powered speakers, and it sounds just fine. The display, if anything, became worse after this move. Then, one day, I couldn't get the D60 to start up. It would not power on when I pressed the big knob on the front. So, I turned it off and on, using the rocker switch on the back of the unit. No luck, at first. But, on the second attempt, it started and it has been working normally since then. Most surprising of all is that the display screen is working correctly again. Not ghost images, no distortion, nothing. It looks like it did when it was new. Now I'm just trying to figure out what happened.

One thing I noticed -- which may or may not be related -- is that I had an issue with my TV for a while. On startup, the pixels along the bottom of the screen were all messed up. It's hard for me to describe what I was seeing, because it was different every time, but it only occurred at the very bottom of the screen. It most closely resembled descriptions of what people see when a circuit or a ribbon cable goes bad in a video monitor. So, I assumed that's what it was. I ignored it (since it always went away after a few minutes) and planned to replace the TV if it continued to worsen.

To my surprise, the TV went completely back to normal on its own and has been that way for about a week now. No idea whether this issue could have caused by whatever affected the screen on the D60. About a week or two before both devices resumed working properly, I lost my phone and Internet access, off and on, for several days. The cable company had trucks about half a mile from my house working on the lines until service was completely restored.

A point that argues in favor of my display issues being related to the service outage is that the outage occurred when I was still having issues with both devices and both of them improved after it was repaired. Points arguing against this are that

a.) the issues for both devices began before the outage and they affected the D60 before (and for a longer period of time) than the issues affecting the TV),
b.) the D60 was not connected to the Internet,
c.) I bought and started using the DO400 while the issues with the other devices were still occurring and never had any problems with it before or since.

So, on the one hand, it seems unlikely that both problems were related -- but odd since they began and cleared up at roughly the same time with no action on my part. So, naturally, I am curious.
Click to expand...
Sometimes you need to disconnect such devices from the power supply. To do this, switch them off completely, unplug the power cord, switch them on for at least 30 seconds, switch them off again, plug in the power cord, and switch them on again.

The rest will simply be a matter of chance, as there's no real correlation. Other external influences cannot be ruled out.

The headphone amplifiers in the D60 and DO400 are absolutely identical; there is no difference.
 
I am still using the DO400, but i want to upgrade my headphones and cables. (prolly ZMF Bokeh)

Should i buy the XLR or 4.4 balanced cable or is there no difference in sound between the 2 cables?

1772560618025.png
 
Mike_Trueman said:
I am still using the DO400, but i want to upgrade my headphones and cables. (prolly ZMF Bokeh)

Should i buy the XLR or 4.4 balanced cable or is there no difference in sound between the 2 cables?

View attachment 515011
Click to expand...
There can be no difference in sound quality, since it uses the same connection on the amplifier, assuming everything else is the same.

I would recommend the XLR cable, as the connector and connection are technically much better and more reliable.
 
pundel said:
in my case, I paid less and got more since there was no discount on the d40pro, but if you compare, I think the do400 is better and justifies the higher cost, that's why the d40pro has problems with the firmware + the do400 software is more convenient and clearer the design of the do400 is better and 2 1612 is also good smsl is more well-known and it will be more convenient for me to sell it for years after 10 so I think the overpayment is definitely worth it
Click to expand...
Having D40 pro for about two years...And nothing is wrong with its sound quality
Firmware update can be a problem though... Especially comparing to my streamer from Eversolo
 
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