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SMSL DS100

firewrath9

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May 9, 2024
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Anyone seen any reviews, know how this is? looking for something small and compact for college.
 
The product looks interesting but they didn't spec the headphone out power.
Looks like a cheaper version of M300SE but lacks remote and XLR balanced output.
It would be easy to convert SE to BAL with just a matching resistor, but the product spec also didn't mention its output impedance:(
 
i again question why this product exists and why other products FROM THE SAME COMPANY cant do a cheaper and more fully feautered job

this unit lacks bluetooth as well

also its not a 'portable music player' at all

its neither portable nor can it play music by itself
 
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On Amazon you can get a used with warranty SMSL C200 for $109 and it's better in every way. I have two of them and as a DAC it's great to have the amp function as a backup plan in case an amplifier fails, least you have something ready to go.
 
On Amazon you can get a used with warranty SMSL C200 for $109 and it's better in every way. I have two of them and as a DAC it's great to have the amp function as a backup plan in case an amplifier fails, least you have something ready to go.
Hi, I only see an amazon for $165 for the C200, can't find any used ones. Do you mind dropping a link? Thanks
 
The product looks interesting but they didn't spec the headphone out power.
Looks like a cheaper version of M300SE but lacks remote and XLR balanced output.
It would be easy to convert SE to BAL with just a matching resistor, but the product spec also didn't mention its output impedance:(
yah its $40 less than the m300 se, but im wondering how it compares and if they are any issues or not. Balanced is not a big deal to me and I have heard of some problems with the m300 se. Thanks
 
also they are doing the DL100 which is probably the same architecture ie. i bet they are slab copying some of the schematics


this one should like $149 given its in the shell of the DL200 so more features
 
Saw a pic on Amazon so just put it here FYI.

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effectively half the price of the DL100

that has 4 'processors', this has one

if you dont need the frills of the DL100 i suppose this would work fine, sound the same
 
On Amazon you can get a used with warranty SMSL C200 for $109 and it's better in every way. I have two of them and as a DAC it's great to have the amp function as a backup plan in case an amplifier fails, least you have something ready to go.
Could you compare the sound of the C200 and DS100?
 
Any NEW updates about this DAC ?

Hard to find data testing online.

I just ordered it from Amazon prime, hoping it will stand it`s ground against it`s family member the SU1. And Fosi Audio DS1 that both have the exact same audio quality of the Topping DX3 Pro Plus I have had the pleasure of listening to.
 
Any NEW updates about this DAC ?

Hard to find data testing online.

I just ordered it from Amazon prime, hoping it will stand it`s ground against it`s family member the SU1. And Fosi Audio DS1 that both have the exact same audio quality of the Topping DX3 Pro Plus I have had the pleasure of listening to.
Did it arrive yet? I'm curious what you think. I've been using one for a couple of weeks and find it to be a very clear upgrade over the apple dongle I was using. Now I'm wondering how it compares with the DX3 or SU-1
 
Did it arrive yet? I'm curious what you think. I've been using one for a couple of weeks and find it to be a very clear upgrade over the apple dongle I was using. Now I'm wondering how it compares with the DX3 or SU-1
I returned it. The DS1 and SU1 are on the next level compared to the D100.
I ordered the SMSL D12 and arrived yesterday it is very much on the same level as DS1 so far only about 1 hour listening but clearly the studio grade DAC chip in the Fosi Audio DS1 & SMSL D12 outshines what sounded like a glorified Cellphone grade DAC chip to me in the D100.

People are going to rage against my findings but that's my honest experience.

I have experience listening to it others only have data sheets.

To each there own I guess, I'm just being bare bones honest in my findings others may have alterior motives such as marketing pumping so we all know how that can ruin experiences for so many....

Try comparing for yourself if your in doubt of my explanations.

I have a thread about the Cirrus logic cs43131 dac chip and was attacked with harsh insult that was none intelligent only emotionally charged.

It was removed.but other simple replies still remain cluttering up the thread for reasons that appear obvious.
 
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I returned it. The DS1 and SU1 are on the next level compared to the D100.
I ordered the SMSL D12 and arrived yesterday it is very much on the same level as DS1 so far only about 1 hour listening but clearly the studio grade DAC chip in the Fosi Audio DS1 & SMSL D12 outshines what sounded like a glorified Cellphone grade DAC chip to me in the D100.

People are going to rage against my findings but that's my honest experience.

I have experience listening to it others only have data sheets.

To each there own I guess, I'm just being bare bones honest in my findings others may have alterior motives such as marketing pumping so we all know how that can ruin experiences for so many....

Try comparing for yourself if your in doubt of my explanations.

I have a thread about the Cirrus logic cs43131 dac chip and was attacked with harsh insult that was none intelligent only emotionally charged.

It was removed.but other simple replies still remain cluttering up the thread for reasons tha
I can see that. To me its basically an apple dongle that at least goes almost twice as loud, but I was hoping for a bigger difference sound quality wise.
The thing is in this price range, for a dac/amp combo that has both USB and Optical in there doesnt seem to be much option. I first got the Fosi Q4 but it sounded terrible.
Do you have any recomendations in this price/category?
 
In that exact price not that I've listened to.

I do suggest consider trying the Topping L30ii combined with SMSL SU1.

The L30 ii is headphone amp and has pre amp for rca out. This headphone amp is the best I've listened to so worth the investment that is reasonable.

The topping DX3 pro plus is great also but the L30ii was the best.

Be warned I bought a used DX3 pro plus from Amazon and it had distortion when playing van Halen thier guitar made it very obvious so I returned it. The brand new DX3 pro plus I had was great just didn't keep it as it was same quality as the Fosi Audio DS1 & SMSL SU1 I compared it to directly back to back for over 1 hour...

I was going to suggest a usb to optical cable but for the price combined it's not adding up ?
 
In that exact price not that I've listened to.

I do suggest consider trying the Topping L30ii combined with SMSL SU1.

The L30 ii is headphone amp and has pre amp for rca out. This headphone amp is the best I've listened to so worth the investment that is reasonable.

The topping DX3 pro plus is great also but the L30ii was the best.

Be warned I bought a used DX3 pro plus from Amazon and it had distortion when playing van Halen thier guitar made it very obvious so I returned it. The brand new DX3 pro plus I had was great just didn't keep it as it was same quality as the Fosi Audio DS1 & SMSL SU1 I compared it to directly back to back for over 1 hour...

I was going to suggest a usb to optical cable but for the price combined it's not adding up ?
The SU-1 and L30ii is exactly what I was looking at for standalones.
The reason I need optical is for my console and television, so at first I was settled with the DX3 pro+ However my TV is an LG OLED and the optical is notorious for jitter, causing playback issues because ESS chip's don't like jittery sources. LG owners have to return their DX3 because of dropouts. So I decided to just get something cheap with the correct I/O. Which led me to the Fosi Q4 which is terrible. And now the DS100.

But if I do get an L30 and SU1 stack, i can also get an SMSL PS100 for its ARC input which I can run to the L30 and bypass optical altogether.
I'm not sure of the quality of the PS100 though.
 
Probably a better option to pair it with the E30ii lite or E30ii it has dual dac chips.

I haven't compared a dual seperated channel to a combined version yet but planning to do a listening test with the su1 soon to compare.


They both have a remote that really helps when watch video content.

Personally I've seen not great reviews of the PS100.
 
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