$ 230 on Aliexpress (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002766526001.html).
Close to SP200 and also SH-9...
Close to SP200 and also SH-9...
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SMSL SH-8S Review (headphone amplifier)
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
It's the expectations. When E30 came out people were surprised how cheap it was. But now people are spoiled. How would one expect such machines to be so cheap. Same thing here.
renaudrenaud
Major Contributor
Do you think it's a good unit to use it as a preamp in my car ? I have XLR amplifier and I need one RCA from phono preamp and one XLR from DAC.
Yorkshire Mouth
Major Contributor
$ 230 on Aliexpress (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002766526001.html).
Close to SP200 and also SH-9...
Wow! That’s only £167 !
This has nothing to do with cost, this is about reviews before the price is announced, which gives the manufacturer an opportunity to increase the price if reviews are more positive than anticipated, I can't say it has happened but can't say it hasn't either.
If you think manufacturers will increase price based on a review......
No they won't.
However the issue I see is that Amir may not be able to give the accurate recommendation without knowing the price.
And basically you do see what happens right? If people think the price is higher than they expected they will complain.
Higher price = fewer purchases
Lower price = more purchases
It's not like people were preordering the product before release and stuck in the situation. People will eventually need to go to a shop and pay with money. A review is not going to change that.
Higher price = fewer purchases
Lower price = more purchases
It's not like people were preordering the product before release and stuck in the situation. People will eventually need to go to a shop and pay with money. A review is not going to change that.
When ASR is the top result on Google, I can't rule out the possibility. For example Schiit made new products just to get good reviews on ASR so I think Amir's reviews have a lot of weight and a good review can swing the price.
ASR reviews are done in a void in a purely technical way, that's Amir style and it's fine, there are other reviewers who dig deeper into the value section of the review, but I agree when he has the price beforehand he can review the product with that price in mind and add make better conclusions.
People will complain and still buy, this hobby is all about hype and next best thing. If I made a DAC and was planing to sell it for $200 and then got a good position in a chart next to $300 DACs, why not sell it for $260? it can still look like a good value then, I can get good sales then I will drop price when competition undercuts me. I really hope manufacturers aren't thinking that way, but that's capitalism I'm sure someone will take advantage of that.
Yorkshire Mouth
Major Contributor
I’ve been keeping an eye on this one. I’ve just read-read Amir’s review and measurements, in case I’d miss-remembered anything.
But it does look like, unless you have massively difficult to drive ‘phones, and must use high gain mode, this is pretty much as transparent as any HP amp out there (and frankly it’s still pretty close to that in high gain).
What a machine!
I’ve pretty much decided on this and the forthcoming balanced Topping D10 variant. My guess is that the combo will come in under £300 GDP, or perhaps a slither over.
If anyone would like to point out the folly of my ways, feel free.
But it does look like, unless you have massively difficult to drive ‘phones, and must use high gain mode, this is pretty much as transparent as any HP amp out there (and frankly it’s still pretty close to that in high gain).
What a machine!
I’ve pretty much decided on this and the forthcoming balanced Topping D10 variant. My guess is that the combo will come in under £300 GDP, or perhaps a slither over.
If anyone would like to point out the folly of my ways, feel free.
Yorkshire Mouth
Major Contributor
What’s the future?
ASR has had, and has a growing influence on the international hi-fi community. We’re moving towards a position where, in a few years, $300-ish for a DAC + HP amp will get you everything you want, save a few inconsequential bragging rights. And those bragging will be more than aware that that’s it, and not pretend there’s any sort of audiophile gulf in quality between that amount and $30,000.
Future is to move on to something else.
Balanced D10 variant? Where have you read about it?
Veri
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D10B sneak peak https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/topping-d10b-dac/
phoenixsong
Addicted to Fun and Learning
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Seems exceptional across all fronts other than linearity hmm... Curious about low volume channel matching and the filters
So you're just talking s**t.
How is testing with music people will actually listen to "less impressive"? I hate the stuck up attitude of some audiophiles.
Yorkshire Mouth
Major Contributor
I think it’d be nice if we could moderate our tone just a little.
"Arguing with an idiot is like playing chess with a pigeon. It'll just knock over all the pieces, shit on the board, and strut about like it's won anyway."
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