SMSL SU-1 Stereo DAC Review

[PlasticDoc]

In the BeeGees' "Jive Talkin' (...) During that chorus, I can hear one of the Gibb brothers leaning in to the microphone to help with the chorus - and he has a terrible, froggy voice.

Yes, clearly audible from about 1:55 ~ 2:08

 

[Jazz]

Confirming iOS device powered by Apple Lightning to USB 3 camera adaptor to SU-1 via USB works great using cable that came with SU-1. Used an Apple 12W USB power adaptor.
24/192 et al on Apple Music but, other apps and current powered USB camera adaptor from Apple should work great via wire too, as long as the power is going in.

 

[Fahzz]

Scott Hamilton still playing? That's great!

 

[Tonton marc]

This is a completely disappointing answer. SMSL does not understand the merits of AK4493S at all.

This is my first usb dac. If direct dsd mode is not possible with the dac, does this mean that I can only play the dsd in dop mode? So dsd 512 is not possible? If I try the dsd raw mode in the musicbee player, it doesn't work, if I understand correctly I wasted my time trying. I use the usb dac with an HP Envy Windows 11 PC

 

[Tonton marc]

Report of problems with SU-1.
If you are repeatedly playing a DSD album as background music for hours using a USB connection, the USB connection may be cut off and playback may stop without you realizing it. I purchased two SU-1s, and both have the same symptoms. The same problem occurs even if you change your PC to another model. But it does not occur at all with PCM albums. Also, the symptoms do not change for any file from DSD64 to DSD512. I have several other DACs, but this does not occur at all with them, so I think it is a problem specific to the SU-1. The USB driver is the latest V5.58. Well, it's a rare phenomenon, so I won't worry about it. There is nothing wrong with OPT/COAX.

Hello, how do you read dsd 512 files? Sorry I have a lot of questions.

 

[Toku]

It is unclear whether the SU-1 uses DSD Direct as there is no mention in the product description and we have not received a response from SMSL.

DSD512 is the same as DSD22.5MHz.
There are two types of names for DSD: one that expresses the sampling frequency directly, and one that expresses it as a multiplication factor relative to CD's 44.1kHz. DSD512 files are not sold as general music files, but you can find sample sound sources for testing on the internet. I use a file conversion tool to create and use a test sound source myself.

 

[ttt]

Fake LME49720?
I took a picture the DAC inside. Everything is similar to other one's except the LME49720 output opa. The strange here, that there is no "pin 1 mark". It' missing there, as you can see on the photo. The TI's documentation says there should be there. I can see many types (small dot, a reverse bump, a small nook, etc...) on other one's ebay, ali, sites photos and the sites selling this IC also there.
What do you think? Is that a fake one or just a new series, where TI does not put it there.

 

[Toku]

Number 1 is on the left of the four pins at the bottom of the photo.
The corner of the case with the lower pin arrangement is cut diagonally from the upper line to distinguish them. In the photo, it is black and hard to tell.

 

[ttt]

Yeah, probably. Thanks.

 

[Tonton marc]

To summarize my tests, I only have a loud noise in asio mode when I switch to the next track and an even louder noise when I go back to the previous track. Each time the DAC changes from asio active to asio not active for a short time. The always-on option of the DAC doesn't change that. Player is musicbee, format is dsd in dop mode.

 

[Tangband]

Fake LME49720?
I took a picture the DAC inside. Everything is similar to other one's except the LME49720 output opa. The strange here, that there is no "pin 1 mark". It' missing there, as you can see on the photo. The TI's documentation says there should be there. I can see many types (small dot, a reverse bump, a small nook, etc...) on other one's ebay, ali, sites photos and the sites selling this IC also there.
What do you think? Is that a fake one or just a new series, where TI does not put it there.
View attachment 348993

Curious what is this fake opamp (not LME49720NA)

Please don't berate me for buying on Aliexpress, I knew what I was getting into! Inspired by videos from JohnAudioTech and the Imsai Guy, I built a little test jig to test slew rate on DIP-8 dual opamps. A way to experiment and potentially to detect fakes. Have tested various NE5532, LM4562...

www.diyaudio.com

 

[Toku]

To summarize my tests, I only have a loud noise in asio mode when I switch to the next track and an even louder noise when I go back to the previous track. Each time the DAC changes from asio active to asio not active for a short time. The always-on option of the DAC doesn't change that. Player is musicbee, format is dsd in dop mode.

I have installed SMSL's ASIO driver on my Windows 11 Pro PC, but I have not experienced any such symptoms with players such as Foober2000.
After reading everyone's reports, it seems like pop noise occurs with some specific combinations.

 

[Tonton marc]

Hello, I used asio4all. Is there an asio driver from smsl ? My problems may be caused by the musicbee player but that would be annoying as it is simple and enjoyable to use. As said befor, the pop noise occurs only with DSD files.

 

[staticV3]

Hello, I used asio4all. Is there an asio driver from smsl ?

Here it is: https://www.smsl-audio.com/upload/portal/undefined/SMSLUSBAudioDriver.zip

 

[Tonton marc]

Here it is: https://www.smsl-audio.com/upload/portal/undefined/SMSLUSBAudioDriver.zip

I installed asio4all and the smsl usb driver. Did I make a mistake installing both ?

 

[staticV3]

I installed asio4all and the smsl usb driver. Did I make a mistake installing both ?

Installing asio4all can in some cases remove UAC2 hardware volume control from DACs that originally have it.

In case your DAC has a native ASIO interface, there's not really a reason to keep it on your PC.

In case your DAC doesn't have a native ASIO interface, FlexASIO is usually a better choice than asio4all.

 

[Tonton marc]

Installing asio4all can in some cases remove UAC2 hardware volume control from DACs that originally have it.

In case your DAC has a native ASIO interface, there's not really a respon to keep it on your PC.

In case your DAC doesn't have a native ASIO interface, FlexASIO is usually a better choice than asio4all.

DAC is SMSL SU-1. So should I uninstall asio4ll ?

 

[staticV3]

DAC is SMSL SU-1. So should I uninstall asio4ll ?

See my post above.

 

[Tangband]

Yeah, probably. Thanks.

This is how non-fake lme49720 IC looks.

The one inside su1 might be a relabelled rc4558 or tl072 , like this 49710 is a relabelled 741.

Fake LME49710 | Tiny Transistors

 

[ttt]

View attachment 349880
This is how non-fake IC looks.

Thank you, but SU1 has SOIC8 variant on it's PCB. It has a bit different paintings and look.