SMSL M500 DAC and HP Amp Review

[Albocan]

I bought it in March. What are you talking about?
Did the seller make the firmware?
The firmware has been uploaded on the official website, so why should the seller respond?
Is the SMSL unable to solve the problem?
If I contact the seller and return the product, who is responsible for the international shipping cost?

I reviewed the cost of international shipping from Chile to the seller and it starts at $ 100 dollars. I also ask the same question: Who pays that cost?

 

[w1000i]

I had an experiment on improving the sound of m500.

In believe upsampling in roon to 352/384 only and not to 768 results in better sound quality. Also upsampling to 256dsd also improve the sound but more relaxed and smother start/stop note compare to 352.

Maybe that to reduce the load on the DAC ship and and do only the DAC section not the full DSP upsampling in ship.

 

[Jeriko]

For all with a stucking firmware.
Please note the following post.

Possibly someone in US/Canada is interested and can provide a device?
(@SwampyDude @Albocan @overherz )

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/smsl-m500-owners-thread.9547/post-408352

Sound very promising and faster than shipping to china.

@amirm Did you have any update problems with your SMSL-M500 or have you never tried?

 

[SwampyDude]

Given up returning for full refund topping on way

 

[afico]

Given up returning for full refund topping on way

Which Dac did you replace M500 with ? I don’t see a lot of competitors with Mqa

 

[SwampyDude]

Which Dac did you replace M500 with ? I don’t see a lot of competitors with Mqa

Mqa not important to me more of a novelty Audirvana does first fold anyway Dsd and Balanced more important to me gone Topping D70 Hopping it will be a step up

 

[MalinYamato]

Given up returning for full refund topping on way

did you give up because you could not upgrade the firmware to highest version?

 

[SwampyDude]

did you give up because you could not upgrade the firmware to highest version?

Yes not prepared to put up with lack of support and clarity about firmware if the product can only be updated twice before return for factory reflash this should have been made clear and certainly would have influenced my decision to buy this unit

 

[ReaderZ]

subbing this thread, glad I found pages 57 - 59 topics, warned me not to buy M500 unless there is clear info from manufacturer

Honestly, I bought my new DAC upgrade well before all this came out, thankfully the M500 also have the "golden sample/thermal instability" issue. Else I would have gotten it instead of the DX7 pro to save some money.

 

[pkalbarczyk]

Just to share - after the advice from SMSL, I sent back my M500 after failled upgrade to the seller. They replaced the blocked one with the new one, already upgraded. However I expected the process will take around 2 months (sending from Poland to China and back) - whole procedure took a week only. So to give SMSL some justice - it wasn't very bad experience.

 

[anne99]

Just to share - after the advice from SMSL, I sent back my M500 after failled upgrade to the seller. They replaced the blocked one with the new one, already upgraded. However I expected the process will take around 2 months (sending from Poland to China and back) - whole procedure took a week only. So to give SMSL some justice - it wasn't very bad experience.

I'm in Korea. Is it true that the exchange took only a week?
Korea is a country next to China, but it usually takes at least 10 days for delivery.
What's more, it now takes more time because of the corona virus, so I'm curious as to what shipping option will take the entire process only a week.
Who was responsible for international shipping costs?

 

[toshu]

I'm in Korea. Is it true that the exchange took only a week?
Korea is a country next to China, but it usually takes at least 10 days for delivery.
What's more, it now takes more time because of the corona virus, so I'm curious as to what shipping option will take the entire process only a week.
Who was responsible for international shipping costs?

You missed his point...as I read his comment, he sent it to his seller and his seller sent him a new unit in exchange.

 

[pkalbarczyk]

You missed his point...as I read his comment, he sent it to his seller and his seller sent him a new unit in exchange.

Probably they replaced my unit from their own stock. As far as I know, the seller contacted with SMSL and after that send me completely new M500.

 

[kobazik]

I had Chord Mojo and SMSL M500 for two weeks and compare them with different headphones. And I was owner for chord mojo for 2 years and I know this dac from my heart.

I have these headphone:
- DT990 pro 250Ohm
- Mr.Speaker AEON C
- Shure IEM 535

And let me summarize my test for M500 and Mojo but before that what surprise me that shure 535 was able to show me more clearly how they sound different.

M500 simply destroys Mojo in sound quality.
- More transparency
- Better dynamic
- Details seems more in m500 and that maybe because it is more transparent.
- Sound stage and channel separation way better and wider and more accurate of sound position from far left to far right.
- Maybe and I'm not sure that M500 has better bass decay with Mr.speaker Aeon C.

The difficult thing was to level match them and to evaluate them and I tend to increase mojo sound level to check if that will show better dynamic or more details but that was not the case, m500 always sound better and the sound structure still intact and well control at any volume level.

I used ROON and grope zone theme to send the usb signal to mojo and m500 at the same time so I switch my headphone in 1 second between them without interruption.

What surprised me M500 sound filter: they didn't change the sound at all and I think SMSL playes with us ?!!!!!!
Last surprise when I connect both M500 and Mojo to external amplifier Gilmore MK2 lite which has input switch and I can compre M500 and Mojo in 0.01 sec. The Gilmore sound signature dominate the listing and both m500 and mojo sound so close and I barely hear a different.

I'm looking at getting M500 to pair with my DT1990. Glad it worked well.

 

[anne99]

Probably they replaced my unit from their own stock. As far as I know, the seller contacted with SMSL and after that send me completely new M500.

The Seller response is good.
Someone in the community I joined took almost two months to exchange.

 

[w1000i]

I'm looking at getting M500 to pair with my DT1990. Glad it worked well.

Yep for 250Ohm DT990 I only play volume 25/40 with and never ever more than 30/40 ( with some jazz or orchestral )

 

[Veri]

Update on new M500 v2 version with hardware revision 1.3 : all thermal issues fixed, SINAD significantly improved:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...hame-gives-rise-to-courage-smsl-m500v2.13674/

 

[XeNoNF50]

The question is, if I purchase one now will it be v2 with hardware revision 1.3?

That is while purchasing on Amazon UK with seller AudioDeals.

 

[Dexter_prog]

The question is, if I purchase one now will it be v2 with hardware revision 1.3?

That is while purchasing on Amazon UK with seller AudioDeals.

I bought mine 2 weeks ago from Amazon. How do I know if it is v2?

It came with firmware 2.1. "System" on the device reads:

SW 1.6 - HW 1.3
2020-3-2

edit: just read the review that says that HW 1.3 = v2. I'm glad I got one of the new ones, that was just pure luck, because I order prior to reading the news about the firmware issues

 

[XeNoNF50]

I bought mine 2 weeks ago from Amazon. How do I know if it is v2?

It came with firmware 2.1. "System" on the device reads:

SW 1.6 - HW 1.3
2020-3-2

edit: just read the review that says that HW 1.3 = v2. I'm glad I got one of the new ones, that was just pure luck, because I order prior to reading the news about the firmware issues

Yeah that's it! That's great to know! Sorry for the follow up question - was it from AudioDeals seller on Amazon UK? I know there are multiple sellers selling it on Amazon so just wanting to make sure.