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SMSL RAW-MDA 1 DAC & Headphone Amp Review

Rate this DAC & HP Amp

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 2 0.7%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 5 1.7%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 29 10.1%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 252 87.5%

  • Total voters
    288
This seems to be due to the XMOS XU-316. There are ways around it.
OK, so my guess was clearly wrong. It is actually built into the USB bridge. I really didn't expect this, at least not with XMOS.
 
OK, so my guess was clearly wrong. It is actually built into the USB bridge. I really didn't expect this, at least not with XMOS.
so this means that you are stuck with the clicks no matter what?
 
AKM version to come out as well..

SMSL introduces a newly DAC, RAW-DAC1, which uses AK4191+AK4499EX DAC chip, features XMOS XU-316, and supports LDAC. Its distortion is as low as 0.00006%(-124dB), PCM supporting up to 768kHz and DSD up to DSD512. It's on now at US$499.99.
1727600580864.jpeg

Not so nice price..
 
AKM version to come out as well..

SMSL introduces a newly DAC, RAW-DAC1, which uses AK4191+AK4499EX DAC chip, features XMOS XU-316, and supports LDAC. Its distortion is as low as 0.00006%(-124dB), PCM supporting up to 768kHz and DSD up to DSD512. It's on now at US$499.99.
View attachment 395386
Not so nice price..
No amplifier. Misses one of the highlights of the RAW MDA1 and almost doubles the price. For AKM aficionados only....
 
I'm looking to upgrade my dx3 pro+ to a DAC amp with XLR outputs for my active speakers (t5v) to solve a ground loop issue. Is this a good choice? My headphones are dt900 pro X so they don't need much amp.
 
I'm looking to upgrade my dx3 pro+ to a DAC amp with XLR outputs for my active speakers (t5v) to solve a ground loop issue. Is this a good choice? My headphones are dt900 pro X so they don't need much amp.
You may be able to eliminate (or vastly improve) the ground loop issue (hum) by using a cable that is wired "quasi-symmetric".
This means using a balanced cable and connect the screen (pin1) and inv-input (pin3) to the shell of the RCA connector and the input (pin2) to the pin of the RCA connector.
1727679478887.gif


Edit: This one's a bit confusing because it shows 3 wires plus shield.

There recently was a post showing the wrong and the correct wiring.

In this post they do not connect the shield (pin1 on the XLR connector on the input of the speaker) to the shell of the RCA connector. In case both units indeed have their Gnd connected to PE (protective earth), this makes sense.
I rather connect the shield to the shell of the RCA connector because a large common mode voltage will show up on the input in case the Gnd of one unit is not connected to PE (and the hum is due to leakage current of the power-supply that generates an I*R drop along the cable).
This configuration usually works perfectly also when the Gnd of both units is connected to PE; the ground-loop current only hits the small wiring resistance inside the units.
 
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You may be able to eliminate (or vastly improve) the ground loop issue (hum) by using a cable that is wired "quasi-symmetric".
This means using a balanced cable and connect the screen (pin1) and inv-input (pin3) to the shell of the RCA connector and the input (pin2) to the pin of the RCA connector.
View attachment 395607

Edit: This one's a bit confusing because it shows 3 wires plus shield.

There recently was a post showing the wrong and the correct wiring.

In this post they do not connect the shield (pin1 on the XLR connector on the input of the speaker) to the shell of the RCA connector. In case both units indeed have their Gnd connected to PE (protective earth), this makes sense.
I rather connect the shield to the shell of the RCA connector because a large common mode voltage will show up on the input in case the Gnd of one unit is not connected to PE (and the hum is due to leakage current of the power-supply that generates an I*R drop along the cable).
This configuration usually works perfectly also when the Gnd of both units is connected to PE; the ground-loop current only hits the small wiring resistance inside the units.


You need to match the resistance so that it's balanced. See https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-dac-headphone-amp.27148/page-49#post-1132610 and several of my replies below.
 
You need to match the resistance so that it's balanced. See https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-dac-headphone-amp.27148/page-49#post-1132610 and several of my replies below.
So you do also connect XLR pin1 to the shell of the RCA connector. It's the safe way to do it unless you have a transformer coupled input.

Impedance matching is the consequent next step. It helps to eliminate "noise" coupled capacitively from the shield to the two conductors.
I've never implemented it this way, but I like it - technically it's the ultimate solution apart from a real balanced - balanced connection.

The important thing in the diagram audiofun showed in his post is, that the resistor (and thus the connection of pin3 and pin1) is at the RCA connector side of the cable, just like shown in his photo.

In case you do not have a resistor at hand or it won't fit into the shell of the RCA connector, I would give the same wiring a try just without the resistor (i.e. connecting shield and wire / pin1 to pin3 directly inside the RCA connector)
 
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There are firmware updates for Raw MDA 1 and other DACs today, says CPU upgrade, could this change the clicking?
 
With the Tidal app when changing frequency my S.M.S.L D-6s makes noises.
I don't read any solution there at that link.
I only wrote about dis- and reconnecting in the post you quoted.
 
With the Tidal app when changing frequency my S.M.S.L D-6s makes noises.
I don't read any solution there at that link.
Are you using the USB input or Coax/Optical? Only with Tidal app? PC or phone?
 
smsl RAW-MDA1 as a AIO ... or the jds labs atom amp 2 with the SMSL DO100 pro combo ?
not sold on balanced but i suspect the atom amp 2 would be a better HP amp and i want BT which the atom dac 2 doesn't have .
 
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Is this the cheapest good dac with a high res/full color screen?
 
AKM version to come out as well..

SMSL introduces a newly DAC, RAW-DAC1, which uses AK4191+AK4499EX DAC chip, features XMOS XU-316, and supports LDAC. Its distortion is as low as 0.00006%(-124dB), PCM supporting up to 768kHz and DSD up to DSD512. It's on now at US$499.99.
View attachment 395386
Not so nice price..
No the price could have been way nicer but I just click the buy button! I have wanted to try a AK4499 dac a long time and given the reviews of the ESS MDA-RAW, the fact that it has two Coax inputs and XLR outputs made me jump the gun on this one
 
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