SMSL M500 MKII Review (DAC & HP Amp)

[AlexTaler]

Here’s a similar thread

It works only for a M500 v1. It's in the M500 v1 Manual.

The only way to do a factory reset is I found is from the screen menu (from a manual).
"RESET In this page, press and hold the button of the knob, the system will reset all settings, including Bluetooth pairing status."

 

[AlexTaler]

Hi guys and @SMSL-Mandy

I REALLY need your help. I have a SMSL M500 mkii DAC and I have an issue with any audio source connected to USB Audio input. My computers or mobile devices recognize the DAC. I can install drivers and it looks like it should work without any problem, but I can't hear any sounds when I play various music from any app/browser. Headphones output has no audio. The display on the DAC does not change the sampling rates based on the file I play. It always shows PCM 44.1kHz even if I won't connect the DAC to any source. I played MQA from Tidal, DSD64/12 from Foobar, I played music from a web browser, YouTube, but it was still the same. No sound, no sample rate change. I've tried to use different driver versions, different computers, but the result is the same. I did a reset the DAC from the menu, but no luck. I have a FiiO K5 Pro DAC as well and it works fine with everything.

I can hear the music from headphones output when I play music from Bluetooth input. The DAC can show the Hi-Res logo and LDAC when I play Tidal. So, the headphones output is working. The DAC has SW v1.0 and Firmware 3.03. Is there a way to do a XMOS chip reset if it's stuck for some reason? Or is there a firmware update I can perform to reset/fix USB? I tried to search for a solution on the internet, but could not find anyone talking about a similar issue.

Please let me know if I need to provide any other information. Thank you in advance.

I can't upload photos here for some reason. Uploading the to the Gdrive

Smsl - Google Drive

drive.google.com

I uploaded couple of videos to that Gdrive folder to show the issue.

Still waiting for a replay from @SMSL-Mandy.

@amirm, I'm sorry for bugging you. Do you know anything about the issue when a DAC can't set a sampling rate? It gives me an error "SaveSelectedSampleRate: TUSBAUDIO_SetSampleRate ->0xEE000003". Do you have a firmware for SMSL M500 MKII by any chance? Thank you.

 

[oloppolo]

Input USB o coaxial, output RCA, the sound is bad. Unnatural. The bass is poor. :-(

 

[usa_satriani]

Hello,

Do we know about reliability problems with the mkii?

 

[doug2761]

Hello,

Do we know about reliability problems with the mkii?

I have zero problems with my mkii.

 

[usa_satriani]

I Can have it from Amazon for 300, and they can get back my k5 Pro ess without loss for me.
Don't know if it is worth the switch.
Not sure mkiii is worth at double the price.

 

[HappyMetalGuy]

Hello,

Do we know about reliability problems with the mkii?

I had the SMSL M500 MKII for a while, and after a month or so I noticed same "leakage" from the USB port when connected to a Desktop PC even with no sound playing I could hear the noise from the speakers. I call it leakage because even choosing the other inputs coaxial or optical I could hear the CPU (PC) working. When I unplugged the USB from the M500 no noise was heard. If I connected the PC directly to Aiyima A08 Amp (using it's USB/Bluetooth DAC) no noise was heard from the speakers. Don't know if somebody else notice this, or it was just a problem with my unit. Anyway as it was in the return window on amazon.de it went back.

 

[pseudoid]

I had the SMSL M500 MKII for a while, and after a month or so I noticed same "leakage" from the USB port when connected to a Desktop PC even with no sound playing I could hear the noise from the speakers.

ASR have had some threads discussing USB isolators, but I am not going on a hunt for a reference. [sorry]
I had similar 'leakage' (noise?) problems with connections of DACs to PCs (while USB is engaged between the 2 hardware).
Have you tried playing what-if games (floating or hard-wiring the chassis grounds0 between the grounds of these two hardware?
It maybe telling or, at least, may give you some ideas exactly why your system may need some Depends!

 

[HappyMetalGuy]

ASR have had some threads discussing USB isolators, but I am not going on a hunt for a reference. [sorry]
I had similar 'leakage' (noise?) problems with connections of DACs to PCs (while USB is engaged between the 2 hardware).
Have you tried playing what-if games (floating or hard-wiring the chassis grounds0 between the grounds of these two hardware?
It maybe telling or, at least, may give you some ideas exactly why your system may need some Depends!

I don't have it anymore. But I ve just tested with a E30 version 1, and had no problem. Now I'm waiting for the SMSL SU-1 to replace the M500 MKII.

 

[usa_satriani]

Hello,

Just got my smsl m500 mk2 from smsl/Amazon, really exciting becaus I have to test my Neumann ndh30 and choose which DAC amp I will keep for him, ifi diablo or smsl m500 mk2...
20 first seconds in favor of smsl but then, usb connection lost, weird parasites.
Source Xiaomi mi9t plus usb audio player pro, hello China !
Then on the computer usb driver installed, qobuz wasapi exclusive or asio, same.
Now poorly trying Bluetooth it seems to loose track sometimes too...
Any thoughts?

 

[staticV3]

@usa_satriani have you tried another USB cable? Sometimes, the USB cable that is included in the box is damaged or of poor quality, resulting in a spotty connection.

 

[usa_satriani]

No I don't have that kind of cable but yes it looks of the poorest quality.
Anyway Bluetooth is seems a bit more stable but not perfect.
So I am guessing this stuff has a serious problem.
Tomorrow I might send that back to Amazon.
I think the Chinese guys I like most are fiio.

 

[adam12345]

No I don't have that kind of cable but yes it looks of the poorest quality.
Anyway Bluetooth is seems a bit more stable but not perfect.
So I am guessing this stuff has a serious problem.
Tomorrow I might send that back to Amazon.
I think the Chinese guys I like most are fiio.

try connecting it with optical , see if you recreate the issue without or without the option of processing in the optical menu

 

[usa_satriani]

I could listen of 30 min of bt and then 30 min of usb then went crazy with something like listening to unknown radio during a storm. Then back to BT, same problem.
I don't trust that unit.
I am ending my evening with fiio k3 and it is surprisingly very good with the Neumann ndh30! I am stunned

 

[doug2761]

I don't trust that unit.

Well that's too bad. I really like my MKII unit and haven't had any problems.

 

[usa_satriani]

It is back in its amazon box and waiting for pick up.
Wether it is Bluetooth or usb it would start to send the worst noise ever heard, probably could damage the headphone at high volume and long time.
If you disconnect Bluetooth or usb source, still continues to send the worst noise.
What is annoying is that it comes with a nice paper from the parti saying it passed quality test...
I think I will go with mojo2

 

[pseudoid]

I think the Chinese guys I like most are fiio.

Above statement reads just as well, exclusive of the country!

FiiO was established in 2007 and formed by senior staffs from OPPO.

 

[EJ3]

Above statement reads just as well, exclusive of the country!

FiiO was established in 2007 and formed by senior staffs from OPPO.

No. it doesn't. As it means out of all guys, everywhere when you leave out the location. Or did you ever learn English properly.
It is NOT racial (perhaps it is in your mind, I cannot know what is in your or anyone else's heart.
It is simply a descriptor. If you are making it something other than that, that is in your mind, not everyone else's. Perhaps you should check what you see in the mirror closely.
My wife is from mainland China and she says that (& I quote here) i"f it is made in China & it is not made of silk, it's quality may be suspect unless PORVEN otherwise".
And we do have a lot of Chinese stuff.
But that is also true of anything built anywhere. If I want a Salzburger Nockerl (pl., Austro-Bavarian: Soizbuaga Noggal) are a sweet soufflé served as a dessert, a culinary specialty in the Austrian city of Salzburg (where I am from, by the way). Is that somehow racist because it uses the description of the place that it comes from? and exludes other places or peoples. Give me a break. We are here about audio, not other extraneous things.

 

[Dennis_FL]

It is back in its amazon box and waiting for pick up.
Wether it is Bluetooth or usb it would start to send the worst noise ever heard, probably could damage the headphone at high volume and long time.
If you disconnect Bluetooth or usb source, still continues to send the worst noise.
What is annoying is that it comes with a nice paper from the parti saying it passed quality test...
I think I will go with mojo2

I had a similar problem… when I switched sources from Roon to Amazon music it didn’t handshake and this horrible loud white noise came out of my speakers. I also returned it to Amazon

 

[pseudoid]

No. it doesn't... Or did you ever learn English properly.

You know it will not turn out well; if/when it starts as above.
If it was made by friggin' angels, using pixie dust, on top of a pin-head (or some zombies) but was good as FiiO... did it really make a friggin' difference?
You might as well have kept your wife out of this, as where she's from also does not....