SMSL M400 Balanced USB MQA DAC Review

[strom]

A friend was using a Mac Book Pro with the M400 for a week, no problems.
He did not use MQA though.

Someone keeps posting that they 'think' there 'might' be an issue with Mac/MQA though they have not tested it or even said what the 'potential' issue may be, no one else has supported this theory or even tested it.

5G masts spreading Coronavirus ?




It does I have one

Mac SMSL M400

• Participants
  • Christran14
  • strom
• Start dateMay 31, 2020

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Christran14
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May 31, 2020
I just plugged in my SMSL M400 into my macbook pro and everything seems to be working fine. The only problem that did find is that there is crackling noise when I'm playing high bitrate MQA songs. The problem only exists when I'm playing at 352.8kHz.

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strom
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Jun 1, 2020
That crackling noise may be the issue. The SMSL M400 version uses the XMOS XU216 chip, which is the same chip used in the Topping D90 MQA. There have been reported issues of incompatibilities with Mac with the Topping D90 MQA. Since they both use the same XMOS chip, there may be problems with the SMSL unit also.

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Christran14
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The crackling noise is also present on windows 10 so it might be a universal problem.

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strom
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Thank you for this. I am trying to gather some anecdotal information from various members of this forum regarding the MQA portion of the SMSL M400.

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Christran14
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No problem. I also wanted to update that I did play the same bitrate on foobar and the crackling was also present there too. It might be that the chip can't process 352.8kHz very well.

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Christran14
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Jun 11, 2020
Just to give you an update on my problem. SMSL support sent a me a unreleased update for the dac and everything seems to be working perfectly fine. You will need a windows computer to update the dac.

 

[ShiZo]

@SMSL-Mandy, what version is the old version?

Also, will this be on the website for download? I think it would be proper for it to be there because there are probably a lot of customers that don't frequent this forum that need the update.

 

[TNT]

# make sure their *input* impedance is at least 10 times higher or 10 kHz

# Jitter over USB is excellent: Image text says -104 db, meas read -140?

//

 

[Tavy]

My M400 arrived two days ago and after warm-up, I started my acceptance tests. PCM tests were Ok (but not spectacular), no issues changing sample rates or PCM to DSD but when I have started to test DSD I have found an important issue. There are important sonic artifacts at low-level signal together with drop of volume when switching from PCM to DSD. If I activate DSD-to-PCM on my streamer, sound is clean so no issue with the files. I have compared with different devices I have (Oppo203, Topping DX7Pro, SMSL M10) and M400 is by far the worst. Obviously this is a blocking point for keeping the device but I have to ask first if the is a known issue or not.

I am using the M400 in pure DAC mode (Fixed volume) with latest SW versions.

 

[sq225917]

What software and hardware do you have feeding the smsl?

 

[Tavy]

What software and hardware do you have feeding the smsl?

I am using Auralic Aries G1 via USB. Meanwhile I have purchased a D90 MQA from a shop (I was lucky to find one in stock) and already installed it - better quality - no issues until now. I had one D90 MQA more than one month ago with previous FW but had some issues which now seams to be corrected with the new FW. So the M400 is back in his box now and ready to be returned.

 

[A Surfer]

I am using Auralic Aries G1 via USB. Meanwhile I have purchased a D90 MQA from a shop (I was lucky to find one in stock) and already installed it - better quality - no issues until now. I had one D90 MQA more than one month ago with previous FW but had some issues which now seams to be corrected with the new FW. So the M400 is back in his box now and ready to be returned.

How did you measure the drop in volume and the sonic artifacts that you speak of? If these things were perceived as minor might it be possible that you are imagining them as you are actively testing? I say that as typically if a problem manifests itself in a very clear manner, clear enough to consider as evidence, there will be consistent reports of the problem, which would include people not testing.

I emphasize the testing aspect you mention as that tells me you were primed and vigilant to detect possible issues which is at the heart of an expectation bias. I am not saying these things as factual, simply worth putting out there for your consideration. If any effect you are experiencing makes you work to detect it, and it generally is rather small and requires some work to hear, you must always accept that an alternative explanation is possible. I should have quoted your post previous to this one, but I am referring to your comments about the M400. Just to clarify.

 

[Tavy]

How did you measure the drop in volume and the sonic artifacts that you speak of? If these things were perceived as minor might it be possible that you are imagining them as you are actively testing? I say that as typically if a problem manifests itself in a very clear manner, clear enough to consider as evidence, there will be consistent reports of the problem, which would include people not testing.

I emphasize the testing aspect you mention as that tells me you were primed and vigilant to detect possible issues which is at the heart of an expectation bias. I am not saying these things as factual, simply worth putting out there for your consideration. If any effect you are experiencing makes you work to detect it, and it generally is rather small and requires some work to hear, you must always accept that an alternative explanation is possible. I should have quoted your post previous to this one, but I am referring to your comments about the M400. Just to clarify.

Very simple - I have to turn the volume up by 2-3 dB to have the same volume - I'm using the same file (flac and dsf). I have tested with all the DACs I have using the same files and the difference was very clear. For the sound artifacts I had to use the headphones and it was not so difficult to hear that during the almost silent parts of music it was a kind of oscillation (I don't know how to better describe it) but as soon as I activate DSDtoPCM it ok. You can try it if you have "Dire Straits - You and your friend" where in the introductory part you have the guitar fading and that was where I realize that it is an issue (on top of the volume one that was obvious).

 

[ShiZo]

@SMSL-Mandy

What hw, sw, usb versions are the most up to date?

 

[ShiZo]

Very simple - I have to turn the volume up by 2-3 dB to have the same volume - I'm using the same file (flac and dsf). I have tested with all the DACs I have using the same files and the difference was very clear. For the sound artifacts I had to use the headphones and it was not so difficult to hear that during the almost silent parts of music it was a kind of oscillation (I don't know how to better describe it) but as soon as I activate DSDtoPCM it ok. You can try it if you have "Dire Straits - You and your friend" where in the introductory part you have the guitar fading and that was where I realize that it is an issue (on top of the volume one that was obvious).

Did you update the firmware? There were a number of firmware updates to usb and hardware, what versions are you running? It's under menu.

 

[Tavy]

Did you update the firmware? There were a number of firmware updates to usb and hardware, what versions are you running? It's under menu.

HW ver: 1.5

SW ver: 1.2

Usb ver: 2.05

 

[ShiZo]

Go to smsl website for usb update 2.06.

 

[Harmonie]

@amirm

Bonjour Amir,

As Newbie, I never dared so far: but would be nice to see the tested SMSL400 on the DAC measurement ranking list

 

[misterdog]

1st post here click on the graph its marked in yellow .

 

[Harmonie]

1st post here click on the graph its marked in yellow .

Thanks

And can you find it anywhere here ?
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?pages/Audio_DAC_Performance_Index/

 

[misterdog]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-dac-review.13732/#lg=attachment66446&slide=0

 

[THIBAULT]

Go to smsl website for usb update 2.06.

Hi, I update the M400 MCU firmware and at the end in the menu I see version USB 2.05, but not 2.06. Why ?
best regards.

 

[THIBAULT]

Yes, it was done. Change the little noise on the MQA 352.8hkz.

Hi, I did update the M400 MCU firmware as you can see, but USB version is always 2.05. Why ?
Best regards.

 

[ShiZo]

Because that's not the update from the website.

https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/downlist/id/13.html

 

[THIBAULT]

Hi, I just saw that while reading you, now it's ok I have the USB 2.06 version. I do not understand the SMSL communication on this update. An unnecessary waste of time when it was so simple. Thank you for your reply. Regards.