• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

SMSL SD-9 Player Review

Rate this player:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 37 31.4%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 56 47.5%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 20 16.9%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 5 4.2%

  • Total voters
    118

Doodski

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
21,576
Likes
21,868
Location
Canada
Windows11Pro puked big time with a BSOD stating "Critical Process Died" in capital letters,
Mine now has some sort of script error. I never did anything to it. I don't change the settings, services or such and it just appeared one day... It's full time now and I have all my new games loaded and ready to go... No small feat considering the security hoops I had to jump through to get the stuff networked with the game servers. Usually I can go years++ without a issue and this is highly suspect.
 

raif71

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 7, 2019
Messages
2,345
Likes
2,562
I just bought this used around 200. My usecases are sdcard and otg with thumbdrive. The otg usb connection to thumbdrive is not that good. Kept getting "OTG_2 removed" from the display. Will try a powered usb hub next. The sd-9 is connected to Gustard X16 via IIS and to Bifrost 2 via usb. So far I only power the DAC that I'm using. Not sure if I power both, which output will sound.
 

Jimster480

Major Contributor
Joined
Jan 26, 2018
Messages
2,895
Likes
2,055
Location
Tampa Bay
I just bought this used around 200. My usecases are sdcard and otg with thumbdrive. The otg usb connection to thumbdrive is not that good. Kept getting "OTG_2 removed" from the display. Will try a powered usb hub next. The sd-9 is connected to Gustard X16 via IIS and to Bifrost 2 via usb. So far I only power the DAC that I'm using. Not sure if I power both, which output will sound.
Sometimes Thumbdrives cannot handle being plugged in for long periods of time while being constantly accessed. That might be the issue especially if your music is high res (large file sizes).
 

raif71

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 7, 2019
Messages
2,345
Likes
2,562
Sometimes Thumbdrives cannot handle being plugged in for long periods of time while being constantly accessed. That might be the issue especially if your music is high res (large file sizes).
Hopefully with a powered usb hub, it'll work.

Edit:
1694525138151.png


I had success with this Y-cable. The connections are labeled respectively. Now the thumbdrive is working fine with this cable. I believe that just connecting thumbdrive directly, consume too much power or current. With this cable and one of the connection is to usb power, gives enough juice to power the thumbdrive and let sd-9 otg to read its contents and play the files.

1694525470682.png


The adapter to connect thumbdrive and to the y-cable micro-usb male jack.
 
Last edited:

raif71

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 7, 2019
Messages
2,345
Likes
2,562
One quirkiness I notice that whenever I use the otg for example otg_2 usb port, the display will show that I'm using the port but after I switched off the unit and switched it back on, the display would show that it's on SD but playing files are ok and it is playing from the otg_2 connected usb thumbdrive.
 

twiningstea

Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2021
Messages
30
Likes
4
Sd9 has same as dp5 depth of field plugin enabled. It makes sound looks nice but in tests looks like crosstalk.
 
Top Bottom