SMSL SU-1 Stereo DAC Review

[DeepCuttaBeats]

Do all su-1 dacs have the pop noise ? What about more expensive SMSL DACs ?
Will more espensive SMSL DACs accepts dsd raw or only in dop mode like su-1 ?

What is the pop noise? I have the SU-1. I haven’t heard any pops

 

[Mantra]

They both have coaxial and optical input and not output.
You cannot connect an input to an input.

If you're looking for a DAC with both RCA analog out and Coax/Toslink out, then take a look at the Topping D10S or the SMSL PO100AK.

hi
the beauty to use the asio driver ,is that it will work as wasapi event without taking exclusive control of the device ,right?
i don't need to resample if i use asio
thanks

 

[Tonton marc]

What is the pop noise? I have the SU-1. I haven’t heard any pops

This was discussed earlier in this thread. One pop just before music plays and two after music stops. Not too loud but still annoying

 

[Tonton marc]

I sent a follow up email and asked if they can prepare seperate firmware for the people who want DSD direct. And their response:

The response from the technical staff of SMSL is: Sorry, this is impossible.

Anyway, still we have a great DAC.

In this case they should remove the dsd 512 indication, or am I wrong?

 

[staticV3]

In this case they should remove the dsd 512 indication, or am I wrong?

DSD Direct and native DSD playback are different things, so yes.

 

[Herbert]

Could theoretically be that the legs of the caps already introduce noise.
But I have no scientific source to cite, it is some time ago I recapped myself.

 

[Tonton marc]

DSD Direct and native DSD playback are different things, so yes.

Yes I am wrong, or yes the DSD 512 cannot work?
I have a vocabulary problem.
I can play DSD in dop mode or raw, but only dop mode works with my smls su-1. And the dop mode only allows DSD 256.

 

[staticV3]

Yes I am wrong, or yes the DSD 512 cannot work?
I have a vocabulary problem.
I can play DSD in dop mode or raw, but only dop mode works with my smls su-1. And the dop mode only allows DSD 256.

The SU-1's lack of DSD Direct support is not a reason to remove the DSD512 indication, because those are unrelated.

To play DSD512 on Windows, one needs to manually install SMSL's driver and use ASIO.
Special setup may also be required depending on the playback software.

If native DSD playback is properly setup and the SU-1 still won't play DSD512, then that would be reason to remove DSD512 indication from the product page, packaging, etc.

 

[Tonton marc]

The SU-1's lack of DSD Direct support is not a reason to remove the DSD512 indication, because those are unrelated.

To play DSD512 on Windows, one needs to manually install SMSL's driver and use ASIO.
Special setup may also be required depending on the playback software.

If native DSD playback is properly setup and the SU-1 still won't play DSD512, then that would be reason to remove DSD512 indication from the product page, packaging, etc.

THANKS. The asio mode and the latest SMSL driver, I understood that well. But I get an error if I don't choose dop mode in my player.

 

[staticV3]

THANKS. The asio mode and the latest SMSL driver, I understood that well. But I get an error if I don't choose dop mode in my player.

Might be improperly setup

 

[Tonton marc]

Might be improperly setup

After numerous readings it seems that the fault comes from the musicbee player. The DSD raw stream option exists but does not work.
Can you explain to me what DSD direct support is? What changes without DSD direct support ?

 

[staticV3]

Can you explain to me what DSD direct support is? What changes without DSD direct support ?

Archimago explained it much better than I could:

MEASUREMENTS: DSD Testing with SoX-DSD Signals Part II (RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition, DSD Direct, Filter @ 50/150kHz) [Updated with 44.1kHz PCM --> DSD.]

A blog for audiophiles about more objective topics. Measurements of audio gear. Reasonable, realistic, no snakeoil assessment of sound, and equipment.

archimago.blogspot.com

 

[Tonton marc]

What some Russians do with the DAC. I don't know what to think about it.

 

[schmalgausen]

Ukrainian

 

[Toku]

View attachment 352241What some Russians do with the DAC. I don't know what to think about it.

I think this person modified it because he wanted to try it out for himself with the knowledge he gained from the DIY posts. I can't help but think that such modifications are deliberately destroying a beautiful product. It's meaningless.

 

[Mark S.]

My SU-1 just went belly-up after 9 months - output level dropped (sometimes almost non-existent), muffled, occasionally huge amounts of noise.

It's been powered on practically 24/7 connected to my PC (which is also on pretty much 24/365) with 'always on' in the XMOS control panel. In my experience hardware is less prone to failure with this regime than being subjected to frequent power-cycling.

Not too impressed, this is the first failure of any kind I've had in many years.

ETA >> Well, waddaya you know, the poor little thing is working again after a rest of a few days (physically disconnected from everything). A glitch or something that will recur? When things went the way of the pear I did power it off, swapped cables and tried a different USB port, to no avail at the time. I guess we'll see.

 

[Tonton marc]

I think this person modified it because he wanted to try it out for himself with the knowledge he gained from the DIY posts. I can't help but think that such modifications are deliberately destroying a beautiful product. It's meaningless.

He made some modifications which are interesting. He added a connector for an external power supply, he changed the op amp. But the way it is done is very questionable.

 

[ttt]

I know that listening sound impressions are very objective and cannot be measured, but I compared the SU1 to SMSL M300mk2 and Topping E30 in some listening "test". Because I have no such high quality measurement equipments like amirm uses. Tried to match volume levels.
Interestingly the better built M300mk2 with older but top AK4497 was worse to me. Somehow less. Then compared to the original E30, the difference was even more. Anyways the overall differences are subtle. Surely, it does not mean anything because listening a whole sound system with my own ears are not reproductible but I was surprised how this cheap DAC, with new lower level dac chip and not as good measurements could sound better.

 

[ttt]

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

Just bought recently an SMSL C100, very similar to SU1 internally (it has a led+bt), found probably a counterfreit opa: https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...nd-use-of-counterfeit-parts.4464/post-1903174

 

[hkrooner]

Is there a good-value preamp option that I can get between my SU-1 and my Zeppelin Wireless speakers?

I can adjust Roon, Google Chromecast TV, and my XGIMI projector all via DSP (outputting via USB (Roon) + optical (the rest)), but my kids' Nintendo Switch won't budge, so it goes at the SU-1's full 2VRMS and I cannot set the Zeppelin Wireless too loud (then Google TV, for instance, is just down from there, but not up).

Almost pulling the trigger here for a JDS Labs Ol Switcher that I can adjust only when the kids play, but would not mind a '@Fosi Audio -priced' preamp that can adjust the volume for the whole lot. Feels like a waste to get complete power amps just to use the preamp, though. And (stupid question) would the preamp of a, say, BT20A Pro be using the TPA3255 or just a potentiometer to offset the SU-1's volume?

Edit: hoping @Fosi Audio can make a tubeless version of the P3 soon.