SMSL M500 DAC and HP Amp Review

[pcdinh]

I had an SU-8 with the drop-out glitch with my Samsung TV. Worked fine when directly connected to my PS4. I also had an old HeadRoom DAC that did the same thing. Both have ESS chips, maybe that has something to do with it?

It's really too bad to hear that the M500 has the same annoying glitch. I'll stick with my Schiit Bifrost 4490 until I can afford the RME ADI 2 DAC. The Bifrost has never caused me any problems in the couple years I've owned it.

It looks like China products are quite good at short testing but unreliable in the long run

 

[strangeskies]

unreliable in the long run

Can you support this?

The issue discussed here is optical out from certain televisions (an initial issue), not long-run reliability.

 

[MusicNBeer]

How does it stack up against the thousand dollar Benchmark DAC1?

I'm not sure I can tell the difference to be honest. DAC1 is old technology at this point, but still transparent for all practical purposes. This is especially true through speakers in a real room with background noises. I do really like the display on the M500. DAC1 provides no information on sampling rate.

 

[Toku]

It looks like China products are quite good at short testing but unreliable in the long run

In Japan where I live, most industrial products are made in China.
My purchased iMac and Mac Boock Pro 15 "broke in 3 years. IPad Pro broke in 6 months.
DENON DRF-100 digital amplifier failed in 1 year.

 

[Palex]

In Japan where I live, most industrial products are made in China.
My purchased iMac and Mac Boock Pro 15 "broke in 3 years. IPad Pro broke in 6 months.
DENON DRF-100 digital amplifier failed in 1 year.

Japanese speak: "lives as though has died"

 

[dropbear]

I have just watched Z's review...does signal leaking to line outputs when headphones are used and popping sounds when adjusting volume appear on your units too, guys?

 

[strangeskies]

I have just watched Z's review...does signal leaking to line outputs when headphones are used and popping sounds when adjusting volume appear on your units too, guys?

No popping with volume adjustment....but I am getting signal leakage to the line out when using headphone out.

 

[MusicNBeer]

No popping with volume adjustment....but I am getting signal leakage to the line out when using headphone out.

I get the signal leakage too. I don't get popping on volume adjustment, but I do get a big pop when I power off the M500.

 

[Shoaibexpert]

Alright connected my Samsung 8series TV via optical to the M500. No lock-in issues noted...sounds fine albeit a few hisses here and there. I had to change the ' Digital output format to PCM in the TV.

 

[ozz]

@amirm I'm in need of a dac and amp, with optical in, remote control. Was thinking of D50s + Atom or Geshelli Archel2, would this M500 be a better choice or the first one still best?

 

[Ordonana]

I have just watched Z's review...does signal leaking to line outputs when headphones are used and popping sounds when adjusting volume appear on your units too, guys?

Yes, I was able to replicate the leaking on RCA outputs to my active speakers but I had to max volume both on the unit and speakers.

 

[LuckyLuke575]

This looks like a very nice device, especially with the screen and MQA support, although the form factor for stacking and relatively uniform horizontal shaped equipment isn't that great, and the headphone amp isn't competitive.

 

[Shoaibexpert]

I have just watched Z's review...does signal leaking to line outputs when headphones are used and popping sounds when adjusting volume appear on your units too, guys?

Stopped watching the review when he said he couldn't tell the difference between the various filters... Worst even in subjectivists ...

 

[ramzi]

@MusicNBeer I think this might be related to the ESS9038Pro as I'm having pretty much the same issues like you with a DX7 Pro and LG C8 that worked perfectly over a year using PCM OPT -> D50 -> amp
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...o-dac-and-headphone-amp-reviewed.9446/page-25

 

[VintageFlanker]

Stopped watching the review when he said he couldn't tell the difference between the various filters...

Well. Can you hear the difference between all these? Assuming all drops start around 18Khz?

 

[NG3]

@MusicNBeer I think this might be related to the ESS9038Pro as I'm having pretty much the same issues like you with a DX7 Pro and LG C8 that worked perfectly over a year using PCM OPT -> D50 -> amp
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...o-dac-and-headphone-amp-reviewed.9446/page-25

I have had the same issue with a SMLS SU-8, which uses the ES9038Q2M2. Same chip like in your D50, which you were using without issues. So I think, it's not directly related to the chip itself!??

 

[Veri]

Stopped watching the review when he said he couldn't tell the difference between the various filters... Worst even in subjectivists ...

There filters are extremely subtle and make next to no effect unless you can hear minimum/linear phase difference... so no he's not wrong.

 

[Veri]

Well. Can you hear the difference between all these? Assuming all drops start around 18Khz?

View attachment 38786

Note this is response to white noise and not the effect on FR. Slow filters will have a slight roll-off which can be audible if you still hear high up there. Super slow/NOS even more so but only AKM has that, no problem with ESS Sabre.

For example Super Slow, Slow, Fast:

 

[ramzi]

I have had the same issue with a SMLS SU-8, which uses the ES9038Q2M2. Same chip like in your D50, which you were using without issues. So I think, it's not directly related to the chip itself!??

Fair enough, I missed that bit from your post.
I should have rephrased that, as I was trying to find the link between the OPT issues on M500/DX7 Pro.
Not directly related to the chip, agreed, but something about the tolerance levels, as it seems to be more sensitive to any signal issues.

Just got this reply today from Topping:

Right now, we still have no ways to solve the problem you raised. DX7 Pro requires a higher signal quality than D50, therefore, problems such as weak signal, poor connection and not standard enough input SPDIF signal are more likely to cause DX7 Pro not to recognize.

 

[BDWoody]

Stopped watching the review when he said he couldn't tell the difference between the various filters... Worst even in subjectivists ...

Uh huh...
Funny, that's when I'd start to give it more credibility...rather than the typical claims of clear and obvious differences.