SMSL M500 DAC and HP Amp Review

[Veri]

Did SMSL change the OP amplifier when the M500 was remodeled from Ver1 to Ver2? In the description of M500 on HP, the OP amplifier remains OPA1612 and there is no change. Why doesn't SMSL announce it? This way of doing business is a fraud.

Often there is a little note along the lines of *actual product can differ*. To be able to deal with supply problems. But yes, knowing about these changes would be nice, indeed...

 

[liu]

Did SMSL change the OP amplifier when the M500 was remodeled from Ver1 to Ver2? In the description of M500 on HP, the OP amplifier remains OPA1612 and there is no change. Why doesn't SMSL announce it? This way of doing business is a fraud.

probably they want to save some money. electronics (especially chips) are expensive these days.
it probably won't affect performance a lot. but yeah I agree with you this is super bad.
They already raised the prices of their entire product line, enough to offset the raised material costs.

 

[lucadoc]

I confirm, no OPA1612.... I'm not happy with this, it puts bad light on Smsl

 

[liu]

I confirm, no OPA1612.... I'm not happy with this, it puts bad light on Smsl View attachment 126033

return the unit and ask for refund. if it's outside the window, ask smsl to send you a new one with opa1612.

 

[Veri]

Maybe this happened with the hardware revision measured here.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ame-gives-rise-to-courage-smsl-m500-v2.13674/

 

[lucadoc]

return the unit and ask for refund. if it's outside the window, ask smsl to send you a new one with opa1612.

Way too much expensive for me

 

[lucadoc]

Maybe this happened with the hardware revision measured here.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ame-gives-rise-to-courage-smsl-m500-v2.13674/

I was thinking the same thing

 

[liu]

Maybe this happened with the hardware revision measured here.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ame-gives-rise-to-courage-smsl-m500-v2.13674/

definately not the case --- this is just cost saving. After a year, fewer people keep an eye on their past devices, so they just use the cheapest materials.

This is not to improve performance at all --- their SH-9 uses 1612 and there's no heat stability issue at all.

 

[liu]

OK, guys, I now have 2 latest version of M500s just got from Amazon and I can confirm that all M500s are fucked up in the left channel (more detail info here). Here's the sine wave fft. The left channel perform abnormally when right channel is not playing the same audio.

Amir's test or WolfX's simply tests both channels with same audio signal so won't reveal the problem. Once the left channel input is different from the right one ( your stereo music always is), it behaves abnormally and SINAD is below 70.

 

[Laserjock]

Ok, now test every DAC ever tested here and see how they differ, if any?

 

[MusicNBeer]

Ok, now test every DAC ever tested here and see how they differ, if any?

No well designed DAC will exhibit this problem. Until this is fixed, do not buy this DAC. I confirmed my V1 from 18 months ago has the same problem.

 

[Hemi-Demon]

OK, guys, I now have 2 latest version of M500s just got from Amazon and I can confirm that all M500s are fucked up in the left channel (more detail info here). Here's the sine wave fft. The left channel perform abnormally when right channel is not playing the same audio.

Amir's test or WolfX's simply tests both channels with same audio signal so won't reveal the problem. Once the left channel input is different from the right one ( your stereo music always is), it behaves abnormally and SINAD is below 70.

View attachment 126162

Cool test, hopefully Amir can add this to the current testing protocol for all equipment.

 

[lucadoc]

I have no hp leakage nor bump in my unit

 

[Laserjock]

No well designed DAC will exhibit this problem. Until this is fixed, do not buy this DAC. I confirmed my V1 from 18 months ago has the same problem.

Have you tested all the other DACs? No one new this one had an issue before now.
I already have one and didn’t notice any problems. I don’t have testing abilities for this but just curious how you’d know others don’t have a problem of not tested.

Any thoughts @amirm ?

 

[MusicNBeer]

Have you tested all the other DACs? No one new this one had an issue before now.
I already have one and didn’t notice any problems. I don’t have testing abilities for this but just curious how you’d know others don’t have a problem of not tested.

Any thoughts @amirm ?

Are you saying some "well designed" DACs may have this behavior? -75 dB 3rd harmonic? No I never noticed anything. I do run mine as a preamp at lower volume settings where the issue almost vanishes. I did test my well designed Benchmark DAC1 and it's perfect.

 

[Laserjock]

Are you saying some "well designed" DACs may have this behavior? -75 dB 3rd harmonic? No I never noticed anything. I do run mine as a preamp at lower volume settings where the issue almost vanishes. I did test my well designed Benchmark DAC1 and it's perfect.

I’m saying, if you don’t test, how would you know they’re “well designed” if testing is the only way you know if one has this issue or not?
I’m not defending or condemning it either way but saying if you don’t test every DAC that’s been tested here for this possible issue, how would you know?

 

[MusicNBeer]

It's a good reminder that just because a product looks good for a certain set of tests, that doesn't guarantee proper performance under all conditions.

 

[Dexter_prog]

has anyone experiencing random issues with the left channel out of the blue? It happens that I'm listening to music and left channel loses volume and becomes muffled. I thought it was a tube in my amp but I noticed that turning off and on the DAC resolves the issue

 

[NorthGraves]

has anyone experiencing random issues with the left channel out of the blue?

No I have not.
Still may be pre or power amplifier. Turning the DAC on and off may "reset / restart" the established audio path, but not sure.

 

[Dexter_prog]

No I have not.
Still may be pre or power amplifier. Turning the DAC on and off may "reset / restart" the established audio path, but not sure.

hmm maybe. Next time I'll try playing a CD and using the m500 as the DAC and see if the issue persists.