SMSL RAW-MDA 1 DAC & Headphone Amp Review

[staticV3]

Hello, I just bought this dac and got an issue with the line output. The headphones output is fine.
When I turn my speakers on, I've got some weird and constant sizzle/humming noise : https://voca.ro/1oQJAvchP6lH
I tried different outputs : forcing balanced/unbalanced and even when go back to hpa output with the speakers on, but nothing changed.
I hadn't any issues using the same cables (RCA) on my previous dac, with the same computer and the same speakers.
I tried to use one XLR cable (I only have one) and the speaker I used it with had no sizzle/humming noise.
Speakers I use are Adam T5V.
Not sure if my dac is defective or if I'm not using the right settings...
Could this come from the RCA output of the dac ?

Sounds like ground loop related issues, which can change from DAC to DAC and are not indicative of any particular fault with the hardware.

If XLR fixes the issue, then just use that.

 

[hyoscyamus]

Sounds like ground loop related issues, which can change from DAC to DAC and are not indicative of any particular fault with the hardware.

If XLR fixes the issue, then just use that.

Thank you, I'll just get a 2nd XRL cable then

 

[zoro770]

Hey all, i new !

anyone connect this amp\dac to hifiman sundara? or 660s2?
review?

 

[frgmnt]

I just got my replacement, and I am having the same issue again. I put down my IEM's, get up from my table and walk away, then the sound from them completely cuts out. PC stops recognizing that the DAC is connected until I restart the DAC's power. I've tried different USB ports and power outlets and it's all the same.

I think the culprit is static electricity, as my chair has wheels on carpet, so when I get up, I can sometimes hear static near my IEM's and the audio completely cuts out. Not sure why this is the case because I made sure not to touch the IEM's or any of my electronics while getting up.

I have two other DAC/amps and none of them have this problem(O2/ODAC, Fiio K7).

Should I just chalk this up to how this product is designed, and that it probably isn't going to work out for me? I'm guessing since this happened to me twice in a row, the protection against static doesn't seem to be that great.

Anybody have a suggestion for a DAC/amp combo or stack? I was looking at the D50 III/A50 III stack with the P50 linear power supply. Only reason I'm not considering the RME is because I want to use up my Amazon gift cards, and a new RME is way out of the budget that I'm willing to spend.

 

[miero]

@frgmnt does it happen also when playing over Bluetooth while USB cable is disconnected? if it does not happen, then an USB isolator could help you.
Is the DAC connected to the same power outlet as your PC?

 

[frgmnt]

does it happen also when playing over Bluetooth while USB cable is disconnected? if it does not happen, then an USB isolator could help you.
Is the DAC connected to the same power outlet as your PC?

I didn't test it with BT, but I decided to return it. The second unit also had a small popping noise during sample rate changes, which I didn't want to deal with. I tried connecting the power to the same outlet and also different ones and it didn't help. Sometimes sound cuts out only from the right side of my headphones, and other times, it completely cuts out and my PC does not recognize there is a DAC connected.

Even if an USB isolator could help with the RAW-MDA1, I do not like how the DAC is reacting to static. If the sound only cut out real briefly, this problem would not be that annoying. When the sound cuts out, I need to completely restart the DAC's power and also restart any app that was playing audio. It gets extremely dry in the cold season here, so it will be pretty common for my body to build up a static charge before I touch the DAC/amp or headphones.

Decided to spend extra for the D50 III/A50 III stack, P50 power supply, and the HS02 USB isolator. Doubt I would hear any difference with the P50, but I mainly just wanted to simplify the power solution for the stack and it's reassuring to know there is a replaceable fuse in it.

 

[Plomf]

Has anyone found any solutions to the popping and clicking issues yet? I just received mine, and there is a popping/clicking noise whenever I skip tracks or pause and play songs or videos. I tried the solution of moving the USB driver to another CPU core and it seemed to help a tiny bit but the problem is still there. Do I keep buying and returning them hoping one doesn't have an issue or wait for a firmware update?

 

[TheKoC]

At this point it may be optimistic to expect a firmware update to fix the issues, i have seen no indication that one is in the works for these specific problem.

If you are unhappy with the product now, i suggest returning it, unfortunately. One rule I've learned to follow is: "Never by (or keep) a product based on the promise of future updates".

 

[FredyR4zox]

since there's a Pro version coming to with the requisite price hike i wonder if these things are being cranked out at a rate that QC is slipping even harder than it normally is...

What Pro version are you referring to? There will be a RAWPRO-DAC1, RAWPRO-DAC1N, and RAWPRO-AMP1. But none of them are RAWPRO-MDA1. I'm really curious because I'm thinking of buying the RAW-MDA1, but I wanted these popping noises to be fixed, or at least that I could fix them on my OS (Linux).

I would like also to hear people who use Linux discuss how they tried to fix these issues, from using PulseAudio, PipeWire, or JACK.

I'm also waiting for more reviews on the RAW-DAC1 and RAW-HA1 stack together, but I'm sure that will take some time.

Here are the links to the other versions of SMSL products not yet disclosed:

https://fccid.io/2ASLV-DA-9/Letter/Declaration-Letter-of-Model-Difference-7751232.pdf

https://fccid.io/2ASLV-D2/Letter/Declaration-Letter-of-Model-Difference-7751250.pdf

 

[JIW]

Has anyone found any solutions to the popping and clicking issues yet? I just received mine, and there is a popping/clicking noise whenever I skip tracks or pause and play songs or videos. I tried the solution of moving the USB driver to another CPU core and it seemed to help a tiny bit but the problem is still there. Do I keep buying and returning them hoping one doesn't have an issue or wait for a firmware update?

Did you try this?

XMOS driver settings for no cutoff/delay

I was contemplating on creating a "tutorial" of sorts for all XMOS drivers on devices that have a cutoff -- latency between the start of a sound and the dac "reacting" and actually playing said sound... So here it is: XMOS drivers use a control panel not unlike this: Usually the "Options"...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[frgmnt]

Did you try this?

I tried this on the two units I received and they still had very slight popping noise on sample rate change.

 

[Plomf]

Did you try this?

XMOS driver settings for no cutoff/delay

I was contemplating on creating a "tutorial" of sorts for all XMOS drivers on devices that have a cutoff -- latency between the start of a sound and the dac "reacting" and actually playing said sound... So here it is: XMOS drivers use a control panel not unlike this: Usually the "Options"...

www.audiosciencereview.com

This option was already available for me immediately and turned on by default.

 

[Plomf]

I just got a second unit to test out still had small popping noises when switching sampling rates. My old E30 & L30 stack had no such problems. Disappointing.

 

[SiR]

@SMSL-Mandy could make note of the issues and do the needful

Postponing my purchase due to the issue highlighted here

 

[Kane1972]

It is a SMSL D-6s DAC with a headphone output and a slightly better design.

It is more like the DO100 Pro with a headphone amp as it has the dual chips. I’d like to know if a DO100 Pro with Atom Amp 2 would be better than this DMA1?

 

[Kane1972]

As a DAC only, wonder how it measures against the DO100 Pro? Wish Amir could review the DO100 Pro.

 

[Plomf]

@SMSL-Mandy could make note of the issues and do the needful

Postponing my purchase due to the issue highlighted here

Yeah, I don't know how it works. Do they usually respond to these threads or take note of our responses, there hasn't been a single response in this thread since it was first mentioned—still nothing from them.

 

[frgmnt]

Yeah, I don't know how it works. Do they usually respond to these threads or take note of our responses, there hasn't been a single response in this thread since it was first mentioned—still nothing from them.

Seems like it is pretty rare for them to do so. I tried to e-mail them but never got a response. They did recommend not using a Gmail account to avoid being flagged as spam, but not sure if my Yahoo email was any better for that.

I did give this company a shot with the MDA1, but this experience has made me wary about buying another SMSL product. Seems like they only care about making products that do well in measurements so that they can occupy the top of the charts. A lot of these issues seemed to be dealt with fine with other company's products. I can only guess that the small popping noise is being ignored since the average user would not come across this, especially if exclusive mode isn't being used.

I'm surprised that I don't see more people having issues with connections due to possible discharge. The fact it happened on the two units I had, makes me question if they even tested for such situations when designing their products. More than 50% of the time I got up from my desktop, I had this issue pop up and it was maddening to have to restart the power and my applications.

I would love to be proven wrong by them addressing these problems, so I'll keep an eye out to see if updates come out. I just doubt it since some of their older products have similar issues with no news of a fix.

 

[Lambo1985]

The LCD screen on my unit stopped working. I use it only occasionally, and the one time I want to use it, the screen is dead. Only the red standby light works. Anyone know of a solution for this other than warranty repair/replacement?

 

[Plomf]

The LCD screen on my unit stopped working. I use it only occasionally, and the one time I want to use it, the screen is dead. Only the red standby light works. Anyone know of a solution for this other than warranty repair/replacement?

Another user in this thread also had a problem with their screen—they had a burn-in issue. So, I recommend other users use the auto screen to turn off, just in case.