SMSL introduces the $80 MQA capable SU-1 32/768 DAC

[TonyJZX]

SMSL SU-1 is up now!

It will cost only US$79.99, with MQA and MQA-CD supported. We don't feel strange to SMSL products, from the high-end flagship to the entry-level devices, all work amazing and get much-priced! Today, SMSL introduces a friendly mini DAC, SU-1, let's take a closer look! SU-1 features a 3rd...

shenzhenaudio.com

S.M.S.L SU1 AK4493S Digital to Analog Convertor (DAC)

shenzhenaudio.com: professional headphone, earphone, amplifier, dac, decoder, hifi player, cable supermarket. you will find good price here.

shenzhenaudio.com

now there's a cost to being only $80

i think there's no remote so you gotta get off your ass to change inputs... also no volume at all so its a full range source (use your int. amp vol knob!)

there's also only one combined rocker on/off and source switch

also no display so you cant tell what the input rate is

i'd also imagine there's no psu included

if you think this is kind of poor you can pay $110 for the SMSL C100 which has a remote and display

C100

Foshan ShuangMuSanLin electronics Co., LTD. founded in 2009 which located in Shenzhen, China. And our branch company VMV Technology(HK) Company Limited registered in HK in 2013. Our company is specialized in the audio DAC, stereo headphone amplifier, power amplifier, and with own R&D...

www.smsl-audio.com

but interesting to me to see where they do these costs savings

also its funny to me how they are still pushing MQA even though its on its way out but its clear its baked into the AKM4490 set or its support processors?

 

[Apesbrain]

if you think this is kind of poor you can pay $110 for the SMSL C100 which has a remote and display

Also adds bluetooth input.

 

[JktHifi]

It belong to SU product family. C stands for Cheap whereas SU stands for Special Unit.

 

[Music1969]

now there's a cost to being only $80

i think there's no remote so you gotta get off your ass to change inputs...

Product page actually says remote

 

[TonyJZX]

youre right

BOM:

What's Included​

• SMSL SU-1 MQA Audio DAC
• Remote control
• Power adapter
• USB cable
• User manual

so they do include a lot for $80

 

[Music1969]

SMSL D-6 has dual AK4493S with better performance and balanced outputs (TRS) , for a little more $

Better value IMHO

 

[BDWoody]

Let's keep it about the device, and not the current issue with MQA please.

We've already closed two threads, and don't want this one polluted because it happens to mention MQA.

Thank you!

 

[Zek]

Something is wrong here - it can't have a power adapter when it doesn't have a DC power input.
Apparently the DAC is powered via the USB input.

 

[TonyJZX]

yeah this one thing that puzzles me operationally

you can power it off a phone charger but then you cant run it off a pc thru type c

you can power it off a laptop or some other digital input device but then it has to be permanently there to provide power

 

[JSmith]

Might need some black tape though...

Looks the goods though for only $80 if just a basic DAC is needed.


JSmith

 

[ThatM1key]

I'm sorry but its hard to ignore that "'"format""" when theres a whole section about it on the product page.

I know the AK4493 performed very well, so I imagine the AK4493S chip will perform even better here.

Deserves a screen, even if its dual digits.

SMSL D-6 has dual AK4493S with better performance and balanced outputs (TRS) , for a little more $

Better value IMHO

Of course the D-6 performs better when its double the price of this. Double chip, Double price.

 

[theREALdotnet]

Might need some black tape though...

Are you crazy, do you want to get this thread locked?!

I can’t for the heck of me find the SU-1 on SMSL’s website. It’s smsl-audio.com, right? I wanted to check out the power adapter, but it looks like I have to wait…

 

[sejarzo]

yeah this one thing that puzzles me operationally

you can power it off a phone charger but then you cant run it off a pc thru type c

you can power it off a laptop or some other digital input device but then it has to be permanently there to provide power

I believe one would only power it via a USB charger when using the coax or optical input. Otherwise, it's like any USB DAC that doesn't require a separate power supply because it's bus powered.

I'd think most folks using a cheap DAC would almost always just use it with only one source...am I wrong?

 

[JSmith]

I can’t for the heck of me find the SU-1 on SMSL’s website. It’s smsl-audio.com, right?

Yep... strangely it's not on their own site yet, but is on Shenzhen Audio, Apos, HiFiGo etc.

Looks the goods too if only unbalanced is needed;

Looks like USB power;

• Power consumption: <5W

JSmith

 

[theREALdotnet]

Small, unobtrusive (no bright display), single cable for power and data and cheaper than a Topping D10s – this might just be the way of adding subwoofers to a DLBC setup.

 

[theREALdotnet]

Yep... strangely it's not on their own site yet,

Perhaps they’re still revising the marketing message wrt to MQA…

 

[Music1969]

Of course the D-6 performs better when its double the price of this. Double chip, Double price.

Double chip and higher price does not always equal better performance and value... if one has been around this site long enough, one knows this.

Anyway to repeat what I already wrote, pay a little bit more money and get D-6 with balanced output. Unless you can only use single ended then this DAC is good enough

 

[morillon]

S.M.S.L PO100 AK - Measurements / Round 2 (DAC)

S.M.S.L PO100 AK - Measurements / Round 2 Hi folks, This is an update over my previous measurements of the S.M.S.L PO100 family. I will focus precisely on the PO100 AK, which not only is an USB to S/PDIF converter (as are the PO100 and PO100 PRO) but also a budget DAC, that claims to perform...

audiosciencereview.com

same type of dac but more "dressed"?

 

[TonyJZX]

this device was only released a few days ago and there's the site press release and a page to buy off shenzen or apos etc but not actual product page as yet

my feeling about this device is that YES it is cheap and represents a new point of entry, YES undoubtedlty it will perform amazingly well, we have come to this expectaton from smsl and their likes... but does $80 matter to you?

does $160 matter to you? then maybe perhaps buy something with more features that suits your needs


to me i would love say a single line of red LEDS that maybe signfies "lower < 32 44 48 96 192 > higher" bitrate? no? but then you may as well put in a LCD screen? and then we're at the $110 C100!

also where is the remote sensor? perhaps behind an IR transparent power button???

as i like to say, I am always fascinated by products that are 'cost reduced' to perform a function for less... of course i love ridiculousness like McIntosh amps and Gryphon excess but there's a lot of science and engineering to make an $80 dac... and can we eventually do this for $40 maybe?

its easy to make a performant $1,000 dac... can you do for $50?

 

[Cheeyuan777]

this device was only released a few days ago and there's the site press release and a page to buy off shenzen or apos etc but not actual product page as yet

my feeling about this device is that YES it is cheap and represents a new point of entry, YES undoubtedlty it will perform amazingly well, we have come to this expectaton from smsl and their likes... but does $80 matter to you?

does $160 matter to you? then maybe perhaps buy something with more features that suits your needs


to me i would love say a single line of red LEDS that maybe signfies "lower < 32 44 48 96 192 > higher" bitrate? no? but then you may as well put in a LCD screen? and then we're at the $110 C100!

also where is the remote sensor? perhaps behind an IR transparent power button???

as i like to say, I am always fascinated by products that are 'cost reduced' to perform a function for less... of course i love ridiculousness like McIntosh amps and Gryphon excess but there's a lot of science and engineering to make an $80 dac... and can we eventually do this for $40 maybe?

its easy to make a performant $1,000 dac... can you do for $50?