SMSL PS200 PRO DAC Review (NTTY)

[VientoB]

I see the MQA logo on the front. I wonder how much a version without the “MQA tax” would be?

I don't think there is an "MQA tax" anymore. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong...

 

[stefanovesa]

I have it too. For now I've not heard any thump when bitrate changes, so probably it is not affected. Let me do more testing and I'll report any issue

I confirm no clicks or noise changing sample rate using JRiver player

 

[Kremmen]

So from the looks of it the older none-"pro" is the better one, simply because it got bluetooth, any objective performance differences is just academic and wont make any audible difference whatsoever. It's just another update just for updates sake.

Unfortunately the non-pro version PS200 only supports the baseline SBC codec and no others. For many people, myself included, this is a total non-starter as a source due SBC's audible limitations. LDAC all the way for me!

I like the idea of the metal case on the pro version too but I take your point about the slight difference in many of the measurements, plus having the SBC Bluetooth audio option could be a welcome addition for many users.

 

[OldTimer]

Balanced output and AptX-Lossless priced below $100 will be very good.

 

[Tell]

Unfortunately the non-pro version PS200 only supports the baseline SBC codec and no others. For many people, myself included, this is a total non-starter as a source due SBC's audible limitations. LDAC all the way for me!

I like the idea of the metal case on the pro version too but I take your point about the slight difference in many of the measurements, plus having the SBC Bluetooth audio option could be a welcome addition for many users.

Yeah and tbh I think most people don't hear any difference between SBC and LDAC anyways so removing it and then calling it pro is quite weird to me.

 

[Saponetto]

I confirm no clicks or noise changing sample rate using JRiver player

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[torgeirs]

Here is the PCB ->

Is the 4th opamp used as a voltage regulator? The one on top of the DAC chip.

 

[torgeirs]

the OPA2156 for the I/V stage

So is th noise ultra low or just low?

 

[Billy Budapest]

I don't think there is an "MQA tax" anymore. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong...

You still need to license MQA decoding, and the license is built into the cost of the unit, therefore imposing an MQA tax of a few bucks—whatever the licensing fee is amortized over the lifetime production run cost of the units.

 

[Billy Budapest]

Unfortunately the non-pro version PS200 only supports the baseline SBC codec and no others. For many people, myself included, this is a total non-starter as a source due SBC's audible limitations. LDAC all the way for me!

I like the idea of the metal case on the pro version too but I take your point about the slight difference in many of the measurements, plus having the SBC Bluetooth audio option could be a welcome addition for many users.

LDAC is supported in few products. SBC performs better than AptX and ACC in many ways so I would rather just stick with it.

 

[torgeirs]

OPA2156 for the I/V stage and the OPA2211 for the LPF stage).

Not joking this time. Why do you want a CMOS in the I/V stage? Bipolar have normally lower noise under 1k feedback and around 600 ohms source resistance. The 1612 shine in those conditions.
And seems the LPF is 1. Order or gone on these x9039 implementations. New times it seems

 

[M.C. Logan]

Not convinced... they just sacrificed Bluetooth on the Pro version, yet it's still supposed to be "Pro"—hmm.

What's "Pro" about Bluetooth?

 

[M.C. Logan]

So from the looks of it the older none-"pro" is the better one, simply because it got bluetooth, any objective performance differences is just academic and wont make any audible difference whatsoever. It's just another update just for updates sake.

Unless, of course, you can't abide bloody Bluetooth and it's just more RF interference being pumped out into the world.

 

[daniboun]

What's "Pro" about Bluetooth?

literally nothing at all) lol
"pro" has three main meanings: a short form for a professional person, a prefix meaning in favor of something, or a prefix meaning before or forward.

 

[Tell]

Unless, of course, you can't abide bloody Bluetooth and it's just more RF interference being pumped out into the world.

So a product becomes professional by removing bluetooth and using a metal shell instead of plastic? Gottcha!

 

[Honken]

I don't think the naming makes much sense either, but SMSL isn't very good at naming things in general. It's hard to understand what the differences are between many of their products, like the SU-1, DA-1 and the PS200 for example.

 

[Herbert]

Could it be that "upgrading" the SMSL-SU1 with the same DC/DC converter as the PS200 and same opamps would give the same results, thogh the DAC is different?

 

[torgeirs]

Think that AKM DAC chip has a little more distortion than this ESS. So both is limited by the DAC itself. A superlow ohm balanced to unbalanced stage would help. But it would be expencivve and only 3dBs

 

[torgeirs]

But maybe the voltage reference thrick with opamp used here helps? (My speculation)

 

[billou5767]

So a product becomes professional by removing bluetooth and using a metal shell instead of plastic? Gottcha!

yes look netgear switch pro model for entry model have metal / no pro have plastic the difference is the component : we dont know if the little think inside are the same ( temperature ) but what we can say its physic that 10 degres more its lifepan divided by 2 for component ..