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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 4.0%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 51 25.8%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 137 69.2%

  • Total voters
    198
The addition of three or more (HQ) PEQ's at this pricepoint must be possible. I'm willing to accept a drop in SINAD of 10bD for a feature like that, and I'm betting I'm not alone. There will always be a better RME, sure...
If D50 III sells well I guess others will develop PEQ as well. Preferably with a mic and actual measurement options
 
Isn't there a reason for so many models to fill as many positions as possible in the ASR top list?

But the question is, does this DAC on the USB input still pop (like the RAW-MDA1, which uses the same generation chip ES9039Q2M) when playback is started/stopped or when a sample rate is changed?
The popping is in large part due to the XMOS USB interface not the DAC chip. See here.
 
Adding to why you might want an RME ADI FS 2, even at about twice the price:
  1. You can create, store, and bring up nine PEQ presets. Some files in my digital library were engineered in the modern manner of too much emphasis on the bass, some sound like almost direct vinyl captures, some are just right. It's nice to have compensating PEQ curves.
  2. The SMSL volume control is not documented in any detail in the user manual. And there is a so-called PRE mode toggle for fixed volume versus volume control. What's going on that you want that?
  3. The RME volume control can be set across a really wide range. It is documented in detail. If you have another volume control in a subsequent box (preamp, amp), you have great latitude to find which you like to set and forget - at what specific level - while using the other control during listening.
  4. Last and least, the RME has a documented clipping indicator. Does the SMSL?

What is the exact advantage of having limited capabilities PEQ in DAC as opposed to sort out DRC/EQ in the source/playback SW?
Not disagreeing with your other points.

SMSL/Toppin/Gustard etc and their product lines are absolutely interchangeable bricks, with the same performance (all audibly transparent). Had Topping and Gustard at home - -and they are gone. Only company out there, that offers added value is MiniDsp.
 
The popping is in large part due to the XMOS USB interface not the DAC chip. See here.
The linked post provides just a workaround that forces device driver to not close the audio device and keep streaming zero samples at the configured sample rate even if it is not used. But even with this configuration, a sampling rate switch will generate a pop, because there is some kind of a synchronization problem inside the DAC that causes this. Probably caused by a chip generation change from ES9038 to ES9039 that seems to require different handling in software and maybe also in hardware that SMSL has not yet implemented at least for the RAW-MDA1.
 
What is the exact advantage of having limited capabilities PEQ in DAC as opposed to sort out DRC/EQ in the source/playback SW?
Not disagreeing with your other points.
If it’s in the DAC it is applied for every source - otherwise you need to EQ each source separately.

For all the talk of wanting PEQ in a DAC - why aren’t people using a WiiM Pro Plus? The DAC in it measures well, you get 10 band per channel PEQ, room correction, and as a bonus you can use it for streaming.
 
The linked post provides just a workaround that forces device driver to not close the audio device and keep streaming zero samples at the configured sample rate even if it is not used. But even with this configuration, a sampling rate switch will generate a pop, because there is some kind of a synchronization problem inside the DAC that causes this. Probably caused by a chip generation change from ES9038 to ES9039 that seems to require different handling in software and maybe also in hardware that SMSL has not yet implemented at least for the RAW-MDA1.

It explains the popping when playback is stopped and resumed after a while is due to the XMOS USB interface not the DAC chip.

On my DL200, the sample rate change pops also occur without any signal playing. It scales in volume with the volume setting and is even present with volume set to 00, i.e. mute, but not when mute is selected via remote control. The latter is the case because it does not enact the sample rate change until unmuted although it does pop at a lower level similar to that at 00 volume. That puts at least some part of it before the volume control.
 
Nice performance, but not sure where this product really belongs today.... the price is high for something that offers no more real performance than anything else in the past couple years and doesn't bring any new features other than a new case and better looking display.
 
Nice performance, but not sure where this product really belongs today.... the price is high for something that offers no more real performance than anything else in the past couple years and doesn't bring any new features other than a new case and better looking display.
people who buy in belief that "more expensive = sound better" but have not enough money for 1k$ and more DAC
people who are tired of SMSL/Topping cheaper DAC and wanted something newer
people who are into the look.

Of course there are not too many people in those categories, and I think the majority of posters in this thread think this product does not really make senses. DAC is a solved problem and most rational buyers would not find this DAC appealing. performance and feature wise, nothing better than a DAC that is 1/2 or even 1/3 its price.
 
Or people who wants two USB inputs, or I2S input or AES/EBU input...

I would appreciate if they created a "PRO" ES9039 based DAC with multiple analog output channels 4/6/8... which could be used for software based DSP/multisub/...
 
Or people who wants two USB inputs, or I2S input or AES/EBU input...

I would appreciate if they created a "PRO" ES9039 based DAC with multiple analog output channels 4/6/8... which could be used for software based DSP/multisub/...
Topping had a cheap 8-channel consumer DAC with the DM7, but has discontinued the device due to a lack of demand. However, there are now several reports of devices failing.

What you are looking for actually already exists, but pro devices also have pro prices.
Okto Research dac8 PRO
dspNexus 2/8 including powerful DSP solution with 8-channel DSP crossover
 
people who buy in belief that "more expensive = sound better" but have not enough money for 1k$ and more DAC
people who are tired of SMSL/Topping cheaper DAC and wanted something newer
people who are into the look.

Of course there are not too many people in those categories, and I think the majority of posters in this thread think this product does not really make senses. DAC is a solved problem and most rational buyers would not find this DAC appealing. performance and feature wise, nothing better than a DAC that is 1/2 or even 1/3 its price.
I agree with your whole statement. It is a smaller and smaller market overall. This is really niche because you aren't even going after the entire audio industry or audiophile industry at this point in time but really a subset of people who want a device like this.
Or people who wants two USB inputs, or I2S input or AES/EBU input...

I would appreciate if they created a "PRO" ES9039 based DAC with multiple analog output channels 4/6/8... which could be used for software based DSP/multisub/...
Definitely 2 USB inputs would also be useful. I have desks with 2 computers on them and something like that would actually be a feature that would make a product like this more compelling over my other SMSL or Topping products I already own.
Right now I am listening to a DAC (Topping EX5) via Optical which is being driven by HDMI -> Monitor -> Optical out from Monitor, because my other computer feeds the DAC via USB.
iPhones can’t, at least not at the system level.

Plus, if you have multiple sources, every one of them would need to have EQ and be EQ’d separately.
Yep, I like the EQ at unit level. I love my Geshelli Archel3 Pro with Tone controls even though that isn't the same as EQ. I can set the sound like and adjust it per genre or headphones directly the device (amp), not having to adjust per source.
 
people who buy in belief that "more expensive = sound better" but have not enough money for 1k$ and more DAC
people who are tired of SMSL/Topping cheaper DAC and wanted something newer
people who are into the look.

Of course there are not too many people in those categories, and I think the majority of posters in this thread think this product does not really make senses. DAC is a solved problem and most rational buyers would not find this DAC appealing. performance and feature wise, nothing better than a DAC that is 1/2 or even 1/3 its price.
It's the only one that I have seen that I like the look of as anything more than just "OK". Performance first + look second= probably sell to me, if I am interested in one.
 
Boring. There is no point in constantly releasing new products with only minor iterations every few months, especially when all these chinese brands are doing essentially the same thing. I agree with @ninetylol
 
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