SMSL SP400 Balanced Headphone Amplifier THX AAA

[Artaois]

[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

Are you at 50 with high gain? Because the Elear are very easy to drive and that doesn't seem like a lot of headroom left for 300-600ohm headphones which it should easily do with the listed power specs. Unless Johnny is right about most of the power coming at 51-99 something seems off.

 

[THIBAULT]

@Filodream. Salut,
mon M400 est connecté au SP400 en XLR. Mon Focal Elear et mon HD660S aussi. Mon bouton est à 50/55 ou 60 max après mes oreilles ne supportent plus. Et j'aime écouter à volume élevé. Alors ne t'inquiète pas.
Cordialement
[QUOTE = "Artaois, post: 601666, membre: 16731"] Êtes-vous à 50 avec un gain élevé? Parce que les Elear sont très faciles à conduire et qu'il ne semble pas y avoir beaucoup de marge pour les écouteurs 300-600ohm, ce qu'il devrait facilement faire avec les spécifications de puissance répertoriées. À moins que Johnny n'ait raison à propos de la majeure partie de la puissance à 51-99, quelque chose semble éteint.

 

[THIBAULT]

[USER = 16731] @Artaois [/ USER]. I am on low gain

 

[THIBAULT]

@ Artaois The HD598 Sennheiser headphone is only 50 ohms impedance. It's not normal to be at 80/85 with a low gain. The Focal Elear is only 80 ohms and I’m not at 80/85...thank god

 

[Artaois]

[QUOTE = "THIBAULT, post: 601728, member: 15907"] @ Artaois The HD598 Sennheiser headphone is only 50 ohms impedance. It's not normal to be at 80/85 with a low gain. The Focal Elear is only 80 ohms and I'm not at 80/85 ... thank god [/ QUOTE]
I have the Elear but was using the Elex which are basically the same thing and had them at 50 on high gain. I'm not old, not losing my hearing and listen to music at reasonable levels so I found it strange to have to turn those up that high.

 

[THIBAULT]

@Artaois idem with the 660S whose impedance is 150 ohms. I have not a 300 ohms headphone so I can’t give my opinion

 

[THIBAULT]

@Artaois I’m 65 old.....;-)

 

[Filodream]

@ Artaois The HD598 Sennheiser headphone is only 50 ohms impedance. It's not normal to be at 80/85 with a low gain. The Focal Elear is only 80 ohms and I’m not at 80/85...thank god

But you already have the m400 as dac and pre..
I wait to have it too before screaming scandal, but for now this smsl sp400 is as if it had 0.1 watts.. not a good sign.
With a sound blaster x3 (120€ and far fewer watts of power) I get much more volume and with the hd598 a level of 40 \ 45 is enough with lower gain.

PS: I'm 34 years old, and I don't go to discos.

 

[THIBAULT]

[QUOTE = "THIBAULT, post: 601749, membre: 15907"] [USER = 16731] @Artaois [/ USER] J'ai 65 ans .....; -) [/ QUOTE]
[QUOTE = "Filodream, post: 601767, membre: 6230"] Mais vous avez déjà le m400 en tant que dac et pré ..
J'attends de l'avoir aussi avant de crier au scandale, mais pour l'instant ce smsl sp400 est comme s'il avait 0,1 watts .. pas un bon signe.
Avec un sound blaster x3 (120 € et beaucoup moins de watts de puissance) j'obtiens beaucoup plus de volume et avec le hd598 un niveau de 40 \ 45 suffit.

PS: J'ai 34 ans et je ne vais pas dans les discothèques. :confus:[/CITATION]

 

[THIBAULT]

[QUOTE = "THIBAULT, post: 601775, membre: 15907"] [QUOTE = "THIBAULT, post: 601749, membre: 15907"] [USER = 16731] [USER = 16731] @Artaois [/ USER] [/ USER] J'ai 65 ans .....; -) [/ CITATION]
[QUOTE = "Filodream, post: 601767, membre: 6230"] Mais vous avez déjà le m400 en tant que dac et pré ..
J'attends de l'avoir aussi avant de crier au scandale, mais pour l'instant ce smsl sp400 est comme s'il avait 0,1 watts .. pas un bon signe.
Avec un sound blaster x3 (120 € et beaucoup moins de watts de puissance) j'obtiens beaucoup plus de volume et avec le hd598 un niveau de 40 \ 45 suffit.

PS: J'ai 34 ans et je ne vais pas dans les discothèques. : confus: [/ CITATION] [/ QUOTE]

I don't see where is the problem with you. But for me SP200 +M400 # SP400+M400 for the volum. Actualy I listen Walter Trout Survivor Blues, I am at 55 with low grain. With high grain it's too strong. I can go to 60 or 65 max with low gain but not a long time. We have received the SP400 in the same time, so it's the same production serie....????

 

[mkawa]

i clearly don't listen as as high a volume as you guys do. unbalanced 600o to my dt770s i max out at 60. given the scaling of the knob, that is plenty of headroom. on my elex balanced out i max out at 30 and that is louddd to me. i suspect the knob logic is programmable, but the jtag ribbon plug for programming is on the pcb and not externally available like it is on the sabaj d5.

 

[THIBAULT]

What matters is being able to drive your headphones well for balanced and pleasant listening. I was at 50 with the SP200 (my 1st headphone amp), I am at 50-55 with the SP400. It remains correct. Especially very nice listening and pleasure with this set to stream Tidal.
PS: with 30 years younger, I might be at a volume of 30 ;-)

 

[mkawa]

 

[Filodream]

i clearly don't listen as as high a volume as you guys do.

So your sp400 is loud as expected.
I have never heard an amplifier as weak as this in my life.. I think there are some failed units.

 

[THIBAULT]

[QUOTE = "Filodream, post: 601986, member: 6230"] So your sp400 is loud as expected.
I have never heard an amplifier as weak as this in my life .. I think there are some failed units. [/ QUOTE]

Maybe...the question should be asked to SMSL.

 

[NightlyNurse]

Hi. My SP400 is defective. The currently it clicks in my headphones when changing sound. Specifically in the 30-40 region. I believe it's a problem with the relay. I had the sp400 for about a week. Currently talking with APOS audio for returning it. Sounds great but too expensive for a defect of any kind

 

[dmac6419]

Hi. My SP400 is defective. The currently it clicks in my headphones when changing sound. Specifically in the 30-40 region. I believe it's a problem with the relay. I had the sp400 for about a week. Currently talking with APOS audio for returning it. Sounds great but too expensive for a defect of any kind

Gustard H16 clicks too,but it not a defect, it's just what it does.

 

[leben]

ye situation's being ridiculous lol

i've been using this amp with m400 thru xlr, with hifiman arya(ofc xlr out) and its output volume's pretty underwhelming. mb it's due to the fact that my go-to genre is classics, but ye, just think about their "6W@32Ohm" claim. sp200's way louder than sp400, that's for sure. I'm using this on mid gain, volume's 70~75(depends on the recording). but ye it sounds pretty nice. i'd give it that.

 

[Filodream]

Finally, the m400 has also been delivered to me and the team is now complete.. the tests begin tonight.

but ye it sounds pretty nice. i'd give it that.

+1
I think it has a fascinating sound.. reminds me of a pure tube amp, but without its typical flaws.

 

[Filodream]

I've been testing for an hour, but the first 30 seconds were enough to realize we're on another level with m400 and balanced cables to sp400.
I don't believe my ears, the volume has more than tripled and both punch and dynamics are improved. My hd800s needs about 60\65% volume at low gain now to be loud and they sound beautifully!
I have never heard these basses in my hd800s, I am really satisfied.