SMSL SU-1 Stereo DAC Review

[Moravid]

EDIT: well you could buy two of those cables you linked and use one on each of the channels, but you'd need to put another arrow linked to the sub from the right channel too.

I know Panasonic and maybe Sony TVs provide sub out via headphone port

 

[TonyJZX]

well at this point your extra money over $80 is buying closer to sota, not that it matters your current equipment cant resolve it or you cant hear it, OR you are buying more convenience features

 

[staticV3]

That would only be taking the bass from one channel though, bass in music can be applied to both channels independently though, so you're missing out on say half the bass information.

The vast majority of tracks are mono in bass frequencies.

 

[HappyMetalGuy]

Maybe like this it has less sibilance than E30 v1? To my ears, (subjectively) and trying a E30 from a friend with an Aiyima A08 connected to Acoustic Energy A100 MKII, it's strange (or maybe not) I prefer the sound from the A08 DAC (less hissing and less messy). I bought an Aiyima A07 for my office and tried with E30 (old AKM chip) an also didn't like it (same speakers) now I've ordered a su-1 (new AKM chip) and hope it'll sound better in my setup.

 

[TNT]

@amirm In the multitone chart, there seem to be a peak at 6k reaching -120dB = 20 bits. Comment was for it to be 22bits - why not include the 6k "event" in the assessment?

One can also see that the 10k bar is a bit wider compared to its neighbours - is this just a graphical anomaly or is it some sort of distortion?

Is the AP able to spit out also a numerical value of the DUTs IM? If so, please display it.




//

 

[Robbo99999]

I know Panasonic and maybe Sony TVs provide sub out via headphone port

Well, that's up to you to research in terms of what your own TV is offering re audio outs. If you can configure your TV to provide an independant sub out then that's great, means you just connect that directly to your sub and use your other left/right outputs on your TV to supply your speakers.....but you'd have to research if your TV provides a Low Pass & if it's configurable to a different Hz (and also a High Pass for your stereo speakers - basically you need to think how you're gonna do your crossover), (never heard of TV's offering low & high passes on their outputs, but not researched it recently) and also it would depend on what sub you integrate it with, some subs have their own Low Pass configurable filters. But going back to Static's post earlier, then in that situation I think you'd want two of those splitter cables, and this would enable you to route both left & right channel to your sub, and then hopefully your sub has it's own Low Pass Filter you can configure.

 

[JayGilb]

A transparent DAC for the price of a few drinks and a burger at the local tavern.

 

[Robbo99999]

The vast majority of tracks are mono in bass frequencies.

I really wouldn't want to rely on that generalisation, especially when it can be so easy to route both left & right channels to the sub & here on ASR we want to get things right otherwise we wouldn't be measuring DACS to their absolute limits, ha. (Two of those splitters you linked going to the sub for both left & right channel would be the ideal.)

 

[Robbo99999]

View attachment 281010 Maybe like this it has less sibilance than E30 v1? To my ears, (subjectively) and trying a E30 from a friend with an Aiyima A08 connected to Acoustic Energy A100 MKII, it's strange (or maybe not) I prefer the sound from the A08 DAC (less hissing and less messy). I bought an Aiyima A07 for my office and tried with E30 (old AKM chip) an also didn't like it (same speakers) now I've ordered a su-1 (new AKM chip) and hope it'll sound better in my setup.

(You wouldn't use your DAC to EQ your system, use EQ for that, and we're talking small changes here in that frequency response graph anyway......ideally we wouldn't like to see that droop at high frequency, but this is certainly not going to be an effective way to "EQ" your system - don't use DACS as a means to EQ your system or to change it's sound - it won't work.)

 

[staticV3]

I really wouldn't want to rely on that generalisation, especially when it can be so easy to route both left & right channels to the sub

It's not though. You can't sum two output channels to one input on the sub using a simple splitter. That'll short out the two outputs, potentially destroying your DAC.

 

[Robbo99999]

It's not though. You can't sum two output channels to one input on the sub using a simple splitter. That'll short out the two outputs, potentially destroying your DAC.

Yep, ok, I'm talking about subs that have both a left & right input, my sub's got both a left & right input & that's exactly how I use it - I thought most subs have stereo input nowadays. If your sub has stereo input you'd ideally route both left & right channels to the sub, that's optimal. And in that case you would use two of your splitters to route both channels to the sub (& in your graph you'd draw another input to the sub from the right channel of the DAC).

 

[theREALdotnet]

My only disappointment with the Topping and SMSL gear is that, while undoubtedly they measure sublimely, they lack the ability to drive a sub and set a cutoff frequency to the mains. Room optimization would be nice too, but of course I'd expect that with the higher price point models.

But surely, the most likely playback source for a DAC like this isn’t going to be some CD transport or other esoteric or hand-cranked device. It’s going to be a computer. And right there is the best and logical place to perform all kinds of DSP. In my mind, DSP is somewhat out of place in a DAC (which BTW is one of the reasons I haven’t considered an RME ADI DAC, as well engineered as they may be).

 

[bt3]

Love this site so much principally because it's a treat how many flay about implying the scientific method is foremost in their mind and nebulous claims and descriptors are best left to other audio review/discussion with chatter of PRAT and beautifully milled casement.

 

[theREALdotnet]

Love this site so much principally because it's a treat how many flay about so suggesting the scientific method is foremost and nebulous claims and descriptors be best left to other sites with their talk of PRAT and beautifully milled casement.

Everybody likes beautifully milled cases. That said, there is a limit to how much I’d pay extra for one. And I would never trade performance for a nice case.

 

[mc.god]

This SU1 seems to be an SMSL C100 without Bluetooth, that could be nice for whom doesn't needing it. Sadly they removed the display too, and with it the possibility to select between 6 digital filter,s and this explains the price difference.
Maybe they could achieve the same selling price just removing BT and MQA support keeping display and filter setting, that would be preferable to me.

p.s.
forgive me if I say a bestiality, but could the FR slope relate to the mqa certification? and in that case, could it be "fixed" with a different filter? It would be interesting to see measurements of the C100 with different filters applied.

 

[HappyMetalGuy]

(You wouldn't use your DAC to EQ your system, use EQ for that, and we're talking small changes here in that frequency response graph anyway......ideally we wouldn't like to see that droop at high frequency, but this is certainly not going to be an effective way to "EQ" your system - don't use DACS as a means to EQ your system or to change it's sound - it won't work.)

But I'm not trying to eq my setup, I just thought the E30 would sound a lot better than the dac in A08. Maybe I'm used to one kind off sound and now it just seems messy and hissy, or there is a problem with this unit. I will try different filters to see if I notice a chance, I don't have the remote right now. One thing I know is that I don't ear above 15khz at normal listening levels.

 

[adamd]

As this is usb powered would it be sensible to incorporate a test when fed by a noisy computer rather than an AP measurment device, just to confirm it will work as well "in the wild"?

 

[Robbo99999]

But I'm not trying to eq my setup, I just thought the E30 would sound a lot better than the dac in A08. Maybe I'm used to one kind off sound and now it just seems messy and hissy, or there is a problem with this unit. I will try different filters to see if I notice a chance, I don't have the remote right now. One thing I know is that I don't ear above 15khz at normal listening levels.

The E30 is just fine (& I have one). If you're not happy with your sound don't look at your DAC, look at your speakers and also how you have them setup in your room, and whether or not you're using room EQ - a DAC is not the way to change your sound and certainly not if you already have the E30 (which measures well & is transparent).

 

[HappyMetalGuy]

The E30 is just fine (& I have one). If you're not happy with your sound don't look at your DAC, look at your speakers and also how you have them setup in your room, and whether or not you're using room EQ - a DAC is not the way to change your sound and certainly not if you already have the E30 (which measures well & is transparent).

I like the sound from PC usb to Aiyima A08 with AE100 MKII. I don't like the sound from PC usb to E30 to A08/A07 with AE100. I'm only introducing E30. Do you think changing the filters would make a difference? As i said before maybe is just me used to one sound signature. Anyway SU-1 is coming.
Thanks

 

[Robbo99999]

I like the sound from PC usb to Aiyima A08 with AE100 MKII. I don't like the sound from PC usb to E30 to A08/A07 with AE100. I'm only introducing E30. Do you think changing the filters would make a difference? As i said before maybe is just me used to one sound signature. Anyway SU-1 is coming.
Thanks

Well, the Aiyama A08 has tone controls, which Amir struggled to get flat, this was the best he could do:

Those are still pretty small changes though, so I'd say you're probably imagining it or you have the tone controls on the Aiyama A08 set in such a way that it's changing the frequency response. Really though just mind what I said in my previous post: look to your speakers & speaker setup, think about Anechoic EQ / Room EQ, the answers don't really lie in DAC unless you're using the tone controls of your Aiyaima A08.