ziggurcat
Addicted to Fun and Learning
It's there. The workaround people found was to run something like Qobuz in the background, which prevented the DAC streaming from going to sleep.
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SMSL RAW-MDA 1 DAC & Headphone Amp Review
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
It's there. The workaround people found was to run something like Qobuz in the background, which prevented the DAC streaming from going to sleep.
I ended up selling mine recently. The popping is really not excusable in a product at this price point and I got tired of trying to workaround SMSL incompetence.
I was the one to find it. Qobuz works indeed but TASCAM Hi-Res Editor does the same and is free. See below.
XMOS driver settings for no cutoff/delay
Wait ... is this issue just for SMSL dacs or any dac using XMOS chips? It's not brand specific but if there is some relay based solution there should be no or little popping. This thread explains a way in software to keep the driver I/O always open to prevent little pops. In case you have some...
www.audiosciencereview.com
XMOS driver settings for no cutoff/delay
Es apsvēru iespēju izveidot sava veida "pamācību" visiem XMOS draiveriem ierīcēs, kurām ir nogrieznis — latentums starp skaņas sākumu un dac "reaģēšanu" un šīs skaņas atskaņošanu... Tātad šeit tas ir: XMOS draiveri izmanto vadības paneli, kas atšķiras no šī: Parasti izvēlnes "Opcijas", kas ir...
www.audiosciencereview.com
ziggurcat
Addicted to Fun and Learning
It's why I ask if the person looking into this device is using Mac or PC -- on PC, it's a non-issue since you can open up the device's control panel, and set the DAC streaming to be always on. I e-mailed SMSL about that, and asked if they could release/think about releasing a device control panel for Mac, but was met with crickets. Still haven't received a response, and it's been 6 or so months.
Rick63
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I received mine on Friday and I couldn't be more pleased. It is perfect for my simple needs: 1 optical input for my TV and one coax each for my Sony UBP-X800M2 & Audiolab 6000CDT, and XLR outs to my Dynaudio BM5 MKIII monitors and the RCA to my RSL Speedwoofer 10S MKII. Sounds great! 
Roland68
Major Contributor
If you contacted SMSL, that's clear.
This is a device from Shenzhen Audio, who are also responsible for support and warranty.
Wunderphones
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It’s a good thing I checked in on this thread. What a weird and annoying bug.
For some.
Many have no such issue with the product. Could be very use-case specific.
Wunderphones
Active Member
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I have a couple of SMSL DACs and wouldn't recommend the brand to anyone. They sound great but so does every other DAC that doesn't have the technical bugs these have with Mac and Linux. D1 has the same popping issues and touch buttons you have to take apart to fix with tape to make work. The SU-1 has a time out thing where it will pop on Mac without a work around. Not worth the headache. Never had a single issue with the Schitt Modi + but it doesn't support DSD. Thinking of picking up a JDS labs DAC. I'm tired of dealing with Chinese brands. They are all about features and value but quality control is a dice roll.
No issues with the Raw-MDA 1 on Linux here (Linux Mint Cinnamon) using the USB C input. I have Linux set to bit perfect output. No experience with any Mac stuff.
Roland68
Major Contributor
Everything you've listed has nothing to do with quality control, but rather with development and extensive long-term testing with problem resolution, an extremely high cost factor for the manufacturer, which is usually cut these days.
Quality control only takes effect during/after production.
In these cases, these clicking noises are a grounding problem with all connected devices and very rarely with a single device.
I know that most users don't want to hear this because it's much easier to blame a single device, preferably the last one connected.
One indication of a grounding problem is that the clicking only occurs via USB.
However, grounding problems are incredibly complex, very difficult to locate, and sometimes very difficult to prove.
The amplification factors of the individual devices also play a role. Often the clicking or other noises are so quiet that the grounding problem goes unnoticed.
For me, these DACs don't cause any problems at any of my three desktops, all Macs, occasionally an HP notebook.
Weird that all I have to do to get rid of the pops is swap out an SMSL DAC for one from Schitt. Pops are gone. If there is a grounding issue it is with SMSL's design. I picked up a Yamaha amp and the Sabre DAC in that also has zero popping playing music from my Mac. Removing SMSL from the chain fixed it for me, so I'll stick with that.
Roland68
Major Contributor
It's strange that the same DAC has no problems at all in many other systems, including on a Mac. And grounding problems are never just related to one device. But I've already written that most users are extremely ignorant about this topic.
But it's good that you've now found a solution that works.
Personally, I don't like SMSL DACs, like the SMSL RAW-MDA 1, with this cheap power supply solution anyway, but I've already written about that.
I made a shocking discovery about the SMSL RAW-MDA 1 tonight...
You can read about it here:
www.audiosciencereview.com
You can read about it here:
Audio GD - bad rap in the past -new breed !!
Lets see what survives longer, the NFB-11.38 or D30 Pro Well, sure. Let's see :)
www.audiosciencereview.com
Recently got this DAC -then over to Tidal to renew my subscription, though first month free… hunting for MQA music to check that I enabled everything properly. Listening to some MQA music in Dolby Atmos at the moment. MQA is displayed in the SMSL window, as well as displaying 352.8 kHz.. Nice. so, working as advertised.. … carry on..
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Roland68
Major Contributor
Assume that the remaining MQA music on Tidal will also disappear.
MQA hasn't existed for over two years, and Tidal removed it from their catalog in the middle of last year, gradually replacing the remaining MQA tracks ever since.
Tidal Audio Format Updates
The MQA that continued under Lenbrook has nothing to do with this technology.
It's sad that SMSL is still flogging this dead horse and deceiving people.
Roland68
Major Contributor
To put your mind at ease, back then, like many others, we did very elaborate comparisons between the regular titles (CD, SACD, FLACs) in different resolutions and MQA. We even received material that a studio had generated from the same original recordings.
We couldn't detect any advantage for MQA whatsoever.
By the way, you can download real high-resolution recordings for comparison for free from Sound Liaison.
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