SMSL M500 MKII Review (DAC & HP Amp)

[HappyMetalGuy]

What you are saying how D300 and M500 MK2 sounds is almost exactly how iwi reviewer explained it D300 does sound smoother especialy on the edges but does it keep the details?

I've read the iiwireviews and in my personal subjective opinion what standout the most was the softness of the D300 maybe that's why to me M500 MKII sounded quicker (as for details I didn't notice any loss). In my current system NAD 316 BEE (I'm going to try Aiyima A08) and Q Acoustic 3030i it just sounded too soft.

 

[Kitarist]

Yea NAD 316 is known to be very dark and smooth sounding amp so M500 MK2 would work better with it to spice it up a bit.

 

[Kitarist]

Testing SMSL A300 amp right now and might get M500 MK2 could be a good combo. Also thinking of getting D300 but worried it might be too smooth.

 

[Jimster480]

Testing SMSL A300 amp right now and might get M500 MK2 could be a good combo. Also thinking of getting D300 but worried it might be too smooth.

I will probably buy one this week just to test it out. I don't really see how it would be smooth considering it's measurements.

 

[vrobec]

Just noticed there is MKIII model on shenzhenaudio site.

 

[Kitarist]

Yea noticed that also. Will wait for few reviews to pop out

 

[Toku]

Just noticed there is MKIII model on shenzhenaudio site.

Yea noticed that also. Will wait for few reviews to pop out

The M500 MKlll information posted on the SMSL HP seems to be a product full of self-confidence for SMSL, as it is introduced in more detail than ever before.
Looking at the comparison table with MKll, it seems that the M500 MKlll has evolved greatly.
In particular, the USB input has been upgraded from XMOS XU216 to XU316, which can be expected to further improve operational stability.
The price is a bit high, but as a fan of the M500 series, I can't help but buy it.

M500 MKⅢ

Foshan ShuangMuSanLin electronics Co., LTD. founded in 2009 which located in Shenzhen, China. And our branch company VMV Technology(HK) Company Limited registered in HK in 2013. Our company is specialized in the audio DAC, stereo headphone amplifier, power amplifier, and with own R&D...

www.smsl-audio.com

 

[Kitarist]

Got A300 from SMSL but might get this also

 

[Toku]

Got A300 from SMSL but might get this also

The A300 is a great amp. I bought two as soon as they were released. I purchased Sabaj A20a 2022 at the same time as A300, but the sound quality was the same.
I also purchased Sabaj A30a, but unfortunately it was returned due to initial failure. But the sound quality of this model is also excellent.

 

[bobby1945]

I am planning to use the RCA output on the M500 for a sub woofer to compliment my Elac Navis active speakers.
It appears to be the only way to introduce a sub woofer -Am I correct?

 

[Ceez]

Hi, your comment about high output impedance is for the Mk1 or Mk2 ?

For the Mk2. After about half a year, I remain very happy with it.

 

[Laserjock]

I am planning to use the RCA output on the M500 for a sub woofer to compliment my Elac Navis active speakers.
It appears to be the only way to introduce a sub woofer -Am I correct?

Yes

 

[Hiilari]

I have the older, original version of this, and it has IMHO one silly design flaw: all the other DAC/amps switch between line out vs. headphones simply by plugging headphones in. Or, have a physical switch like my small Musical Paradise tube amp. In this unit I need to get into the menu to switch between the two. The remote was shipped broken, I guess you could also use that, but using a remote at desktop for a unit on the same desktop just feels odd.

Have the changes this behavior in later Mark II or Mark III models?

 

[alekksander]

I have the older, original version of this, and it has IMHO one silly design flaw: all the other DAC/amps switch between line out vs. headphones simply by plugging headphones in. Or, have a physical switch like my small Musical Paradise tube amp. In this unit I need to get into the menu to switch between the two. The remote was shipped broken, I guess you could also use that, but using a remote at desktop for a unit on the same desktop just feels odd.

Have the changes this behavior in later Mark II or Mark III models?

i hear you. it's the reason i'm not getting either this one or dx7pro+.

 

[Jimster480]

I have the older, original version of this, and it has IMHO one silly design flaw: all the other DAC/amps switch between line out vs. headphones simply by plugging headphones in. Or, have a physical switch like my small Musical Paradise tube amp. In this unit I need to get into the menu to switch between the two. The remote was shipped broken, I guess you could also use that, but using a remote at desktop for a unit on the same desktop just feels odd.

Have the changes this behavior in later Mark II or Mark III models?

That is a huge oversight, I have never used one of these so I didn't even think about that.
My DX7 didn't switch automatically either IIRC though.

 

[doug2761]

I have the older, original version of this, and it has IMHO one silly design flaw: all the other DAC/amps switch between line out vs. headphones simply by plugging headphones in. Or, have a physical switch like my small Musical Paradise tube amp. In this unit I need to get into the menu to switch between the two.

I wish these sorts of feature related things were a focus of product reviews. Seems that we're in a place of audibly transparent front end equipment so these little things really become the material differentiators. Does it click or pop when switching sample rates? Does it drop samples when starting up? How quickly and easily can a user perform common tasks like switching to headphone listening, change the volume, turn off or dim display.

 

[Dennis_FL]

I wish these sorts of feature related things were a focus of product reviews. Seems that we're in a place of audibly transparent front end equipment so these little things really become the material differentiators. Does it click or pop when switching sample rates? Does it drop samples when starting up? How quickly and easily can a user perform common tasks like switching to headphone listening, change the volume, turn off or dim display.

And change sources withe remote….better yet … discrete remote codes and a large display indicator

 

[Roland68]

all the other DAC/amps switch between line out vs. headphones simply by plugging headphones in.

A physical switch is perfectly fine, even better if it switches a relay.
But those old headphone jacks that cut off the signal when you plug in the headphone jack are a damn shame for any designer or manufacturer.
That might be ok for a cheap device, but for everything else the quality isn't good and the circuitry is a bad compromise, at least for one side.

 

[Gradius]

The M500 MKlll information posted on the SMSL HP seems to be a product full of self-confidence for SMSL, as it is introduced in more detail than ever before.
Looking at the comparison table with MKll, it seems that the M500 MKlll has evolved greatly.
In particular, the USB input has been upgraded from XMOS XU216 to XU316, which can be expected to further improve operational stability.
The price is a bit high, but as a fan of the M500 series, I can't help but buy it.

M500 MKⅢ

Foshan ShuangMuSanLin electronics Co., LTD. founded in 2009 which located in Shenzhen, China. And our branch company VMV Technology(HK) Company Limited registered in HK in 2013. Our company is specialized in the audio DAC, stereo headphone amplifier, power amplifier, and with own R&D...

www.smsl-audio.com

The XU316 is only used because of that ultra infamous mqa.

 

[Dennis_FL]

Amazon has them on sale for 15% off