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SMSL M400 Balanced USB MQA DAC Review

Bop

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Question:
I've been using Tidal - but haven't been able to get a sampling rate higher than 44.1 kHz on MQA files ... have tried several tracks / with USE Exclusive Mode On/Off, Pass Through MQA On/Off - stuck on 44.1 kHz

HW Version: 1.5
SW Version: 1.2
USB version: 2.06

Is this normal behavior?
 

rex4539

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Question:
I've been using Tidal - but haven't been able to get a sampling rate higher than 44.1 kHz on MQA files ... have tried several tracks / with USE Exclusive Mode On/Off, Pass Through MQA On/Off - stuck on 44.1 kHz

HW Version: 1.5
SW Version: 1.2
USB version: 2.06

Is this normal behavior?
Definitely not normal behavior.

I don't have Tidal but I'm guessing there is some configuration option enabled that locks you at 44.1
 

alitomr1979

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I don’t know if this is the correct place to ask but I can’t find the answer anywhere:

Is there an equivalent of “brickwall” (no filter) for the M400 as there is in the M500?

I have been pretty much in love with the M400 for the past 1.5 months and decided to give my beloved M500 a try, and happens I prefer the way it sounds, way above the M400. It’s as if there was a “smiley EQ” in the M500, because there is added emphasis on the highs and lows, which result in a perception of more clarity and definitely more bass definition. I was wondering if a filter might be in place and checking the PCM filter menu of the M400 I don’t see a “no filter” or brickwall setting.

Is it possible to add or modify filters?

Any ideas?
 
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Veri

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I don’t know if this is the correct place to ask but I can’t find the answer anywhere:

Is there an equivalent of “brickwall” (no filter) for the M400 as there is in the M500?

I have been pretty much in love with the M400 for the past 1.5 months and decided to give my beloved M500 a try, and happens I prefer the way it sounds, way above the M400. It’s a if there was a “smiley EQ”, because there is added emphasis on the highs and lows, which result in a perception of more clarity and definitely more bass definition. I was wondering if a filter might be in place and checking the PCM filter menu of the M400 I don’t see a “no filter” or brickwall setting.

Is it possible to add or modify filters?

Any ideas?
Well, which filter is set on your M500? Hard to say anything without that info. But no you can't customize or add filters, in any case.
 

alitomr1979

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Well, which filter is set on your M500? Hard to say anything without that info. But no you can't customize or add filters, in any case.

I have the “brickwall” filter in the M500. In the M400 I had the “short sharp” and now have the default, “Sharp”. The short sharp sounded weird specially after the inclusion of the Pre90 in the chain.
 

Jimbob54

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I have the “brickwall” filter in the M500. In the M400 I had the “short sharp” and now have the default, “Sharp”. The short sharp sounded weird specially after the inclusion of the Pre90 in the chain.
Per the review , Sharp and Short Sharp are as close as you get to brickwall

index.php
 

Jimbob54

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Thank you, @Jimbob54 . I am not familiar with those graphs, so I ask you: isn’t the super slow the flattest in the audible range?

Thanks again!
It is, which is exactly the opposite of a brickwall- which aims to kill everything above 22 khz dead (it is a brickwall for anything out of audible)

See the black line here :

The M400 doesnt have something that has nothing above 22khz, the 2 Sharp filters get closest.

index.php
 

RickSanchez

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I was wondering if a filter might be in place ...

Comparing the filters on both devices, where:
  • You're using "short sharp on the M400
  • You're using "brickwall" on the M500

Picture2.png



I don't think filters is where you should be looking to try to explain the differences you're perceiving. Especially if you're describing the differences as "It’s as if there was a 'smiley EQ' in the M500, because there is added emphasis on the highs and lows, which result in a perception of more clarity and definitely more bass definition." Both filters are flat to at least 19kHz.

I'm guessing the differences you perceive may be due to a mix of sighted testing + the M400 and M500 not being level matched.
 

A Surfer

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Absolutely, nobody is hearing a difference in these DACs, let alone a significant difference. Sorry mate, not to be unkind, this is just a story you're telling yourself. Blind, level matched, you couldn't tell them apart if your life depended on it.
 

Erdmaennle

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I ran into an odd issue with my brand new M400. As background, I have the M400 connected via USB to my Mac and Monoprice THX headphone amp with Hifiman Arya headphones. I had the M400 configured for fixed volume pre-out (80). For 99% of my FLAC tracks, this was perfect. However, at least two tracks (MS MR "All the things lost" and The Chainsmokers "Sick boy") there was VERY noticeable distortion for the kick drums (?). It's like something was being significantly over driven. I took the M400 out of pre-mode and reduced the volume to 60, and boosted the gain and volume on my Monoprice amp and the distortion completely went away.

To me this points to some issue in the M400?
Hello everyone,

I am new in this forum, because I need some advice of the experts.
I own the M400 and SP400 for a few weeks now and I have two issues and I am not sure if this is common, I guess nót.
First I ran into the same issue as Phony above. But because he used a Monoprice and I use the SP400, I would assume that I should not have this issue, because the SP400 is specially created to work with the M400!?
When listening to David Byrnes "here lies love" or Pinks "Just give me a reason" and some other tracks with present base frequencies, I have some distortin and scratching on the left channel.
My SP400 is connect via XLR to the M400.
Using the A1 with SE, I dont have this issue. Reducing the M400 to 60 or 65 volume, the distortion disappears.
So, the question is, shouldn't work the SP400 clean with max volume of the M400?

The second issue I figured out is playing MQA files via Audirvana. In not reproducable situations the M400 loses connection to USB and the sound drops out.
I found a thread at roonlabs.com where this issue is described. I tested something around, but sometimes the dropouts are still there.
The idea that the pc is limiting is barely the case in my case, I guess. (Ryzen 5 3600, 32GB RAM, SSD for my music). Setting up the M400 as renderer instead of decoder should not be the solution in my opinion.
Did anyone experienced the same issues as well and maybe some of you could give me some advice. :)

Thanks a lot and greetings from Germany.
olli

Version of M400:
HW Version: 1.5
SW Version: 1.2
USB Version: 2.06
Driver: lates from S.M.S.L Homepage

SP400:
HW Version: 1.0
SW Version: 1.0

If needed I could provide the serial number.
 
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rex4539

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I have not seen your issues but I have seen another one that may or may not be related.

When switching between MQA and DSD, sometimes DSD just plays noise and the only way to fix it is to switch off the DAC and switch it back on.
 

Erdmaennle

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I have not seen your issues but I have seen another one that may or may not be related.

When switching between MQA and DSD, sometimes DSD just plays noise and the only way to fix it is to switch off the DAC and switch it back on.
Thanks for your reply.

I recognized something similar when switching between MQA to FLAC and reverse.
i get a high frequent "plop" sound, but it seems to be normal.
 

Music1969

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@Miska regarding your M400 measurements: #936

So M400 operates in "DSD Direct" mode ?

I couldn't find any info in the user manual.

Can you share your other M400 measurements here also, when fed DSD512?

Looks great !
 

Mr.Ian

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I am running an m400 in low dispersion mode, its amazing, i much prefer it to x16, d50, d70s, d90, e30,. I DONT subscribe to they all sound the same view, well not on my set up anyway.
 

A Surfer

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I am running an m400 in low dispersion mode, its amazing, i much prefer it to x16, d50, d70s, d90, e30,. I DONT subscribe to they all sound the same view, well not on my set up anyway.
Do you subscribe to the point of view that you need to have evidence for claims like you are making? I'm sadly going to guess that your answer will be "I trust my ears".
 

Lupin

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I am running an m400 in low dispersion mode, its amazing, i much prefer it to x16, d50, d70s, d90, e30,. I DONT subscribe to they all sound the same view, well not on my set up anyway.
I would be seriously surprised if you had a proper test setup when you came to those conclusions.
To me this reads as a school example of sighted bias.

Please do share how you got to that conclusion. What was your setup and parameters.
 

Mr.Ian

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I would be seriously surprised if you had a proper test setup when you came to those conclusions.
To me this reads as a school example of sighted bias.

Please do share how you got to that conclusion. What was your setup and parameters.
I listen to music not specifications, if one piece of equipment gives me a more pleasurable listening experience than another i prefer it.

Lindt excellence 100% chocolate could claim to be more techinically superior to Cadbury's dairy milk chocolate because it has a higher % of cocoa but i prefer Cadbury's.

If you prefer techical specs or believe everything sound/tastes the same so be it, i am not knocking your views i just dont subscribe to them.
 

gvl

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Given the M400s high output impedance it’s at least theoretically possible it may sound a bit different depending on the cable length and the gear it’s connected to. Fwiw I also thought it sounded a bit different than say Sabaj D5, no blind tests so yes not credible, but I can’t detect any such differences between the D5 and Topping D10s for example. Then there’s that issue of HF roll off on RCA outputs in early units…
 
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