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SMSL RAW Pro-DAC1 Balanced DAC Review

Rate this DAC:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 2 1.0%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 8 4.1%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 51 25.9%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 136 69.0%

  • Total voters
    197
For a minute there I thought it had a 12v trigger… but no, it’s a screw.

I really love my C200, so have some fond thoughts towards SMSL, but leaving triggers off a DAC this expensive almost seems like they’re being intentionally annoying. Fosi manage to do it on the ZD3 which is what, 1/5th the price?
Trigger is not a priority.if anything most Chinese manufacturers think about SINAD (in a way to game the system here) more than actual product and market research (what features the users need, what price ranges that suit which segments etc.)
 
Trigger is not a priority.if anything most Chinese manufacturers think about SINAD (in a way to game the system here) more than actual product and market research (what features the users need, what price ranges that suit which segments etc.)

I fail to understand why would anybody need/pay for MQA decoding in 2025.

And just as a suggestion - all above 120dB SINAD should be lumped into one bucket "more than enough" SINAD to avoid this senseless SINAD race not paying off.
 
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Trigger is not a priority.if anything most Chinese manufacturers think about SINAD (in a way to game the system here) more than actual product and market research (what features the users need, what price ranges that suit which segments etc.)
Well it’s not a priority for SMSL obviously lol.

With the run Fosi have been on lately, and how responsive they seem to be to feedback, I guess I’ll just wait for them to release a “ZH3” (ie ZD3 w/ headphone amp).
 
Great performance on one hand,multicolor,mixed fonts display on the other.
That's a hard pass for the superficials of my kind.

Thanks Amir!
 
If only SMSL DACs didn't have those super ugly "we use as many colors as possible"-displays.
At this point,where the performance of simple DACs is way-way solved years ago a French or Italian designer would be the best investment this companies would ever do.
Proportions,colors,feel (it's an art if you can touch a device without leaving finger marks) ,etc.
 
Hi.

Superb measurements :cool:

However, it is unfortunate that this DAC only uses a Qualcomm Bluetooth chip QCC5125... :(

Can't wait for the test of the TOPPING DX9 which looks really beautiful ;)
 
Isn't it strange that I find it hard to get excited about a DAC that measures so brilliantly.

A little expensive perhaps, for the features, but that's churlish nitpicking.

Thanks for the review, always good to read.
 
... *sigh*....

DAC manufacturers:
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In addition to post#31, SMSL and Toppings, even (Fosi's starting) some lower price ones just keep pushing out such DACs with great SINAD/IMD performance that's very nice but even if multichannel like 5.x and up are too much for them, why are they not at least coming up with 3 and 4 channel DACs that allow people who prefer 2 channel stereo but with left/right subwoofers to have their needed toys?

I am sure I am not the only one who enjoys using DLBC or other RC and would like to have 4 DAC channels. Until then, minidsp seems to be the only game. (yes there are Focusrite and MOTU but I don't think they are designed for the so called 2.2 stereo applications. Do those manufacturers need to receive petitions of some kind to wake them up!? lol..
 
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Isn't it strange that I find it hard to get excited about a DAC that measures so brilliantly.
A little expensive perhaps, for the features, but that's churlish nitpicking.
Thanks for the review, always good to read.
Sure, but don't forget it was only ten years ago you could pay over $100,000 to get similar performance:

 
In addition to post#31, SMSL and Toppings, even (Fosi's starting) some lower price ones just keep pushing out such DACs with great SINAD/IMD performance that's very nice but even if multichannel like 5.x and up are too much for them, why are they not at least coming up with 3 and 4 channel DACs that allow people who prefer 2 channel stereo but with left/right subwoofers to have their needed toys?
I am sure I am not the only one who enjoys using DLBC or other RC and would like to have 4 DAC channels. Until then, minidsp seems to be the only game. (yes there are Focusrite and MOTU but I don't think they are designed for the so called 2.2 stereo applications. Do those manufacturers need to receive petitions of some kind to wake them up!? lol..
I think a lot of people miss the Topping DM7, but we do have the Okto DAC8 and various miniDSP devices with varying levels of performance and DSP capability.

There are also an increasing number of audio interfaces with PEQ, often SoundID, which is creeping up on being an industry standard:

1736597847155.png
 
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I think a lot of people miss the Topping DM7, but we do have the Okto DAC8 and various miniDSP devices with varying levels of performance and DSP capability.

There are also an increasing number of audio interfaces with PEQ, often SoundID, which is creeping up on being an industry standard:

View attachment 420276
Thanks for the nice chare, but I am not one who missed those 7, even 5 channel ones, my point is specific for 3 and 4 channels. Like AVRs, there are 2.1, 5.1, 7.1, 9.x, 11.x, 13.x, 15.x ....etc..

Case in point, I already had a 2X4HD, just added a Flex HT and Flex HTx, and guess what, they are all being used for my so called 2.2 (stereo, audio only) so I figure if one of those guys including minidsp have a device that provides just 4 channels, I would have saved a few bucks and perhaps gain something I do want, though don't need, and that specifically would be things like 96 kHz/192 kHz vs minidsp's 48 kHz.
 
and various miniDSP devices with varying levels of performance and DSP capability.
Thanks for the nice chart, but I am not one who missed those 7, even 5 channel ones, my point is specific for 3 and 4 channels.
I was just about to refer to the miniDSP Flex, which does four output channels with bass management, equalisation, and has an option for DIRAC option.
It even has an SPDIF output version if you want to use a better DAC, though the Flex itself isn't too shabby.
Then I noticed you updated your post.
 
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The reason I thought minidsp is the only game is because while it offers 8 channels when I only need 4, it does come with a few features that could be useful, at price point that seems more affordable than the likes of Okto and others. Topping's probably cost about the same so that might work for me too but again, the mini has some additional features yet still manage to achieve >110 dB SINAD, and the ISP distortions "fix".
 
I was just about to refer to the miniDSP Flex, which does bass management, equalisation, and has an option for DIRAC option. It even has an SPDIF output version if you want to use a better DAC, though the Flex itself isn't too shabby. Then I noticed you updated your post.
yeah, we are too busy typing instead of reading..:D
 
Thank you for another blistering great review. Pretty soon, you will need a new AP to keep up with the Production Quality. Crazy how fast the industry has pushed performance so far in production units that cost less than a Grand. High End Performance Audio has never been more accessible by the average thrifty consumer. Pat yourself on the back Amir. Much of this advancement in improved Audio transparency and quality is because of the pressure you personally have placed on the industry/market. Your good deeds are paying off in Spades. Bravo …

Agreed

@amirm, consider shifting time spent testing to deploying the Klippel NFS more often - to encourage loudspeaker manufacturers to offer more performant products.
 
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