SMSL SP400 Balanced Headphone Amplifier THX AAA

[leben]

ye sounds pretty good, i'd give it that. only if their claim about the output power were legit... *smh*

 

[THIBAULT]

@THIBAULT are you having any problems with the pots? I received my sp400 today and i find both VOL modes have debouncing problems; sometimes i can spin for >4 clicks before the software registers the change, in both modes. It's wildly inconsistent from my brief testing (hour or so). I have it plugged into my m400 via balanced connection, set to fixed output

Hi , I only use the remote, but I would test to see. I also have the Sennheiser 660 headphones. I will test it. Regards

 

[THIBAULT]

Hi,
the SP400 / M400 set gives a completely remarkable listening to my ears. It is the most important. Comparisons are just a topic of discussion, each with their own unique feelings and preferences. The SP400 is a great amp. I keep it without a doubt.
Regards.

 

[THIBAULT]

@ avoidwork Hi, after tests the SP400 volume knob increases by 1 every 2 notches. Regards

 

[avoidwork]

@THIBAULT thanks; maybe mine was still cold from transport and acting weird. today with VOL disabled it is a consistent 2 step between change.

 

[JB5150]

The more I listen to this amp, the more I can appreciate its clean power.
while it is not nearly as LOUD as SP200, it does sound very good. I had previously said I was returning it, I’m still on the fence about keeping it.

 

[Artaois]

@THIBAULT thanks; maybe mine was still cold from transport and acting weird. today with VOL disabled it is a consistent 2 step between change.

It's best to run VOL disabled? Does that change its loudness ramp up?

 

[w1000i]

The more I listen to this amp, the more I can appreciate its clean power.
while it is not nearly as LOUD as SP200, it does sound very good. I had previously said I was returning it, I’m still on the fence about keeping it.

I think you don't need -6db headroom management in ROON for PCM files.

 

[JB5150]

I think you don't need -6db headroom management in ROON for PCM files.

I have since lowered to -2. I have also since applied volume leveling.
I do use ALOT of DSP

 

[w1000i]

I have since lowered to -2. I have also since applied volume leveling.
I do use ALOT of DSP

Me too I do DSP, but if you are not applying EQ keep the headroom to 0db. And if you want to EQ keep the whole freq response below 0db so you will not clip it.

 

[JB5150]

Me too I do DSP, but if you are not applying EQ keep the headroom to 0db. And if you want to EQ keep the whole freq response below 0db so you will not clip it.

With the DSP I’m using, there are some tracks that clip with 0db. I tried adding as little as possible, and -2db WITH volume leveling does not clip. OR
-6db WITHOUT volume leveling. I don’t use EQ. Audeze filters and Sample Rate Conversion.

 

[THIBAULT]

[QUOTE = "Artaois, post: 598966, membre: 16731"] Il est préférable d'exécuter VOL désactivé? Cela modifie-t-il son intensité sonore? [/ QUOTE]

It doesn't change anything with me

 

[THIBAULT]

@ Artaois Mode 1 (enable) reduces the stress on the relays to extend their lifespan (by going directly to the desired attenuation) Mode 2 (disable) passes the volume through all the intermediate relays to reach the desired volume (it will stress them much more). The result is the same in terms of quality but mode 1 will offer a longer lifespan.

 

[mkawa]

i have noticed (after reading other people's feedback) that the a single click doesn't always increase or decrease the volume. i don't ever get +/-2 volume with a single click though. it's always +/-1. doesn't really bother me though since i usually spin the knob to increase or decrease; i don't single click. that's also why i didn't notice until now.

it would be nice of smsl to fix this though along with any other re-tuning that smsl want to do in response to buyer feedback. @SMSL-Mandy ?

i bought from apos audio, so i'm not worried about delays, but it does sound like people would be happier if some features were re-tuned. it's too bad there's no accessible port to update the firmware...

 

[Furyo]

one question: I saw from the in picture, two power suppliers...is the amplifier dual mono?

 

[mkawa]

looks like it to me as well

 

[Filodream]

Yesterday I received my smsl sp400 and for now I connected it as I could to my notebook (I am waiting for the arrival of the m400). Between notebook and sp400 there is a 3.5mm jack cable (connected to notebook's headphone output) to RCAs (connected to sp400's RCA IN ).
I am a person who usually listens at lower than average volumes .. every other person I know listens at higher volumes than me, so when I read on this forum that the volume of sp400 was low I did not worry.
I was wrong.. the situation currently seems serious to me.
I really hope that with the m400 connected to the sp400 in balanced mode, things change a lot, but with other amplifiers connected in the same way I have much more volume (loxjie p20, sp200, little dot mkIII...).

With a sennheiser hd598 I need to set the volume to 80 \ 85 to have a good listening volume (low gain).
With a sennheiser hd800s I need to set volume 99 and maximum gain to have a good listening volume, but with classical music there is no way to achieve a decent volume.
I am really shocked by this .. I have had 100€ usb gaming sound cards that offered far more volume than this sp400.
I repeat: I really hope to come back here and change my views once I have the m400.

 

[Veri]

With a sennheiser hd598 I need to set the volume to 80 \ 85 to have a good listening volume (low gain).
With a sennheiser hd800s I need to set volume 99 and maximum gain to have a good listening volume, but with classical music there is no way to achieve a decent volume.

I suppose you are listening to HD598/HD800s single-ended? SP400 is louder with balanced DAC, louder with balanced headphone output.
Balanced DAC will definitely help, yes, especially M400 with maximum output of 5.3V. That will do a lot.

 

[THIBAULT]

[QUOTE = "Filodream, post: 601550, membre: 6230"] Hier j'ai reçu mon smsl sp400 et pour l'instant
Je suis une personne qui écoute généralement à des volumes inférieurs à la moyenne .. toutes les autres personnes que je connais écoutent à des volumes plus élevés que moi, alors quand j'ai lu sur ce forum que le volume de sp400 était faible, je ne me suis pas inquiété.
Je me suis trompé .. la situation me semble actuellement grave.
J'espère vraiment qu'avec le m400 connecté au sp400 en mode symétrique, les choses changent beaucoup, mais avec d'autres amplificateurs connectés de la même manière j'ai beaucoup plus de volume (loxjie p20, sp200, little dot mkIII ...).

Avec un sennheiser hd598 je dois régler le volume sur 80 \ 85 pour avoir un bon volume d'écoute (faible gain).
Avec un sennheiser hd800s, je dois régler le volume 99 et le gain maximum pour avoir un bon volume d'écoute, mais avec de la musique classique, il n'y a aucun moyen d'obtenir un volume décent.
Je suis vraiment choqué par cela .. J'ai eu des cartes son gaming USB à 100 € qui offraient bien plus de volume que ce sp400.
Je le répète: j'espère vraiment revenir ici et changer d'avis une fois que j'aurai le m400. [/ QUOTE]

Hi Filodream,
my M400 is connected to the SP400 in XLR. My Focal Elear and my HD660S too. My knob is at 50/55 or 60 max after my ears don't endure anymore. And I like to listen at high volume. So don't worry.
Regards

 

[Artaois]

I suppose you are listening to HD598/HD800s single-ended? SP400 is louder with balanced DAC, louder with balanced headphone output.
Balanced DAC will definitely help, yes, especially M400 with maximum output of 5.3V. That will do a lot.

It did not help mine. =(