SMSL M300SE MQA Audio DAC CS43131*2 with 6.35/4.4mm Headphone AMP Only 119$

[SMSL-Mandy]

• A new series of exterior design with tempered glass panel, both high-end feeling and durable!
• Cirrus Logic's latest audio decoder chip CS43131, with carefully designed circuitry, achieves an unprecedented 0.00013% (-117dB) distortion performance!
• The new third generation XMOS XU-316, PCM support up to 32bit /768kHz, DSD support up to DSD512.
• USB support MQA full decoding;
• Bluetooth 5.0 digital audio input, external antenna, farther transmission distance.
• The clock system uses independent ultra-low clock jitter, ultra-low phase noise for the audio clock.
• Built-in high-efficiency power supply chip for the decoder to provide sufficient energy, and the use of multiple groups of low-noise LDO power supply.
• The use of a large number of audio-specific audiophile resistors and capacitors.
• The use of 1.29 "OLED display.
• Fully balanced design, and has a true balanced output.
• With 6.35mm, 4.4mm balanced headphone output.
• Equipped with full-featured remote control and preamp function.
• All aluminum CNC precision machining chassis to effectively reduce the thousand disturbances.

Specifications:-

• Inputs:USB / Optical / Coaxial / Bluetooth
• Output Level:RCA 2.0Vrms XLR 4.0Vrms
• THD+N(UN-WTD):0.00013% (-117dB)
• Dynamic range (UN-WTD):RCA 120dB XLR 132dB
• SNR (UN-WTD):131dB
• Bluetooth:BT 5.0 ( support SBC)
• USB transmission:Asynchronous
• USB compatibility:Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 Mac OS X10.6 or Later / Linux
• Bit depth: USB:1bit ~ 32bit
• Optical/coaxial:16bit ~ 24bit
• Sampling rate: USB:44.1 ~ 768kHz DSD64, DSD128, DSD256, DSD512
• Optical/coaxial:32 ~ 192kHz
• Power Consumption:3W
• Standby power:＜0.1W
• Size:70x73x165mm (WxHxD)
• Weight:0.54Kg

Click for more:https://hifi-express.com/products/smsl-m300-se

 

[staticV3]

Cirrus Logic's latest audio decoder chip CS43131, with carefully designed circuitry, achieves an unprecedented 0.00013% (-117dB) distortion performance!

L&P got better THD+N out of the CS43131 in a tiny thumbdrive DAC:

Source

So am a bit confused about what part of getting 117dB SINAD out of the CS43131 using a full-sized desktop DAC is unprecedented.

In fact, there are at least four of these thumbdrive DACs on the market with CS43131 DAC and >117dB SINAD: Link

 

[TonyJZX]

there's probably a lot more going on inside a desktop balanced dac slash preamp slash headphone amp than a dongle

also is this a tad academic? 117dB would probably outstrip the performance of the matching amp

 

[staticV3]

there's probably a lot more going on inside a desktop balanced dac slash preamp slash headphone amp than a dongle

Volume control is 100% done digitally, so while the DAC has a preamp "function", there's no actual preamp inside. In that sense it's identical to the volume control built into those thumbdrive DACs.

Additionally, those thumbdrive DACs achieve 117-118dB SINAD through the DAC and headphone Amp with a much smaller PCB and chassis volume, while the 117dB spec for the M300SE seems to be purely Line out, without the built-in headphone amp in the signal chain.

also is this a tad academic?

Oh absolutely! I just don't like marketing BS and will call out if something supposedly unprecedented in reality has lots of precedent.

 

[777]

Volume control is 100% done digitally, so while the DAC has a preamp "function", there's no actual preamp inside. In that sense it's identical to the volume control built into those thumbdrive DACs.

Additionally, those thumbdrive DACs achieve 117-118dB SINAD through the DAC and headphone Amp with a much smaller PCB and chassis volume, while the 117dB spec for the M300SE seems to be purely Line out, without the built-in headphone amp in the signal chain.


Oh absolutely! I just don't like marketing BS and will call out if something supposedly unprecedented in reality has lots of precedent.

We don't want thumbdrive. We want desktop DAC's. Why would I pay the same money for a device as big as a thumb?

 

[HarmonicTHD]

We don't want thumbdrive. We want desktop DAC's. Why would I pay the same money for a device as big as a thumb?

Take a shoebox and put the thumbdrive DAC inside. Done.

 

[777]

Take a shoebox and put the thumbdrive DAC inside. Done.

Where do you put the jacks for the balanced signal on those little things? Plus other plugs? Cables are heavier than the device. We want the manufacturer to have big boxes for DACs. You can put the chip directly in your ear if you like. I don't want to live in a house like this, I don't like small things

 

[TonyJZX]

there's some places where a usb powered thumb stick sized dac works well

and there's some instances where a desktop balanced dac works well

i'm not using a usb stck dac to control my balanced poweramp but this m300se is perfect for that

 

[Svensson]

In the UK Hi-Fi Express is selling for just £83. That's about the same number of pennies as the DAC only SMSL SU-1.
SU-1 measures a little better but is only a DAC
M300SE has XLR out for desktop or main system plus headphones.
For headphones, I am using the E1DA9038D dongle DAC. Amir measures that at 2.7v output level with 20mW into 300ohms and 155mW into 33ohms. The M300SE device gives only 18ohms and 148ohms respectively, so almost the same as the E1DA9038D.
You could use the E1DA9028 as a desktop device (headphone out to 2x RCA cable)
SMSL offers XLR with 4v output so better than a dongle DAC, if using a poweramp with balanced inputs.

If I was shopping for a single device, now, for headphone and desktop/ main system, this SMSL M300SE might be what I'd be looking for, other than for mobile use.

 

[rostek6]

Hello, looks very interesting. Hope, that your company will be more responsive than in the past (i've asked few times about "original" sound profile in yours su-8 v2 dac and never ever obtained any answer).

Is power for headphones the same on balanced output and on 6,5 mm?

Have a nice day

 

[Matias]

While there are several dongle DACs that achieve the same excellent performance, as correctly pointed, I too agree that there is still value in a desktop sized device for a similar price. Large display and volume knob for starters, but also Bluetooth and remote make it an independent living room source that no dongle would replace.

There is room for both kinds of devices imo.

 

[Snoopy]

Instead of releasing new devices every other week, I would like to see software support, updates and Bugfixes of device that are already out there.

With a software for Windows, MAC OS and Linux that works painless.

 

[Dunring]

I've had a chance to use a few of these. They make a great pairing with the SMSL SP200, and use it's balanced 4.4mm for IEM's which are low ohm and want a more quiet noise floor. Then use the SP200 to deliver the grunt for everything more demanding. The standard out is good for stuff like Audio Technica ADH1000x that needs nothing to drive, but the balanced is fairly useful. Even the HE5xx Hifiman will get loud enough on 4.4mm, but with zero headroom for EQ. Anyone with an SP200 will be really happy with it for a DAC (I think Apos still has those re-certified for $140).

 

[Svensson]

Hi @SMSL-Mandy
Please can you advise if there is a power advantage with the 4.4mm balanced headphone out or is this the same as the 6.35mm unbalanced out?
Trying to work out if I should buy a unit and also a 4.4mm cable.

 

[Dunring]

Hi @SMSL-Mandy
Please can you advise if there is a power advantage with the 4.4mm balanced headphone out or is this the same as the 6.35mm unbalanced out?
Trying to work out if I should buy a unit and also a 4.4mm cable.

I tested it and there's more power on the 4.4mm balanced. On the he5xx with both cables, it took less volume wheel to get to the same loudness on a decibel meter. Even the 3.5mm got the He5xx loud enough to use, but with zero headroom. On the 4.4mm there was more breathing room, but it's really ideal for less demanding stuff like planar IEMs.

 

[Svensson]

I tested it and there's more power on the 4.4mm balanced. On the he5xx with both cables, it took less volume wheel to get to the same loudness on a decibel meter. Even the 3.5mm got the He5xx loud enough to use, but with zero headroom. On the 4.4mm there was more breathing room, but it's really ideal for less demanding stuff like planar IEMs.

Thanks @Dunring I appreciate that we're not using specific measurements, but if you set volume at 50% of the 3.5mm, what % would the volume be with 4.4mm balanced output?

 

[Dunring]

Thanks @Dunring I appreciate that we're not using specific measurements, but if you set volume at 50% of the 3.5mm, what % would the volume be with 4.4mm balanced output?

Using a Final Audio Sonorous III and a 440hz test tone at 50 percent volume it was

61db on the 3.5mm
64db on the 4.4mm

Room was quiet and I kept it in place on the decibel meter app on the phone. Not exactly state of the art, but a rough idea anyway.