SMSL SU-2: a dumb, wasted opportunity

[Human Bass]

Very affordable balanced dac, but SMSL strangely decided to not have usb input, by far the most popular input with tablets and pc.

But hey, it has AES that very few care.

And yes, the original SU-1 has usb.

 

[SlowJim]

Not every audio product can perfectly align with the needs of all users... there are many dacs already with balanced output and usb in.

 

[Human Bass]

Not every audio product can perfectly align with the needs of all users... there are many dacs already with balanced output and usb in.

Not for this price. Thats the thing, it is supposed to be the low cost balanced dac in the market, but then they ditched the most popular input.

 

[SlowJim]

Then don't buy it?

 

[MCH]

Not for this price.

I suspect this is exactly the reason. Note that these DAC ICs have spdif inputs, so probably the chip alone can take care of all the device's functionality, at most with a 10cent microcontroller. I imagine USB interfaces + firmware development come at a non insignificant cost, and this device is clearly aiming at cutting every corner possible. Does it even have volume control?

 

[Blorg]

I suspect this is exactly the reason. Note that these DAC ICs have spdif inputs, so probably the chip alone can take care of all the device's functionality, at most with a 10cent microcontroller. I imagine USB interfaces + firmware development come at a non insignificant cost, and this device is clearly aiming at cutting every corner possible. Does it even have volume control?

No volume control but that's not so unusual, more DACs lack volume control than lack USB.

You probably are right, I wonder if the AC power supply would have cost more than just including USB on it though.

 

[delta76]

Very affordable balanced dac, but SMSL strangely decided to not have usb input, by far the most popular input with tablets and pc.

But hey, it has AES that very few care.

And yes, the original SU-1 has usb.

careful thought and well-planned features set is not the strongest suit of Chinese audio products. Quite the vice versa

Then don't buy it?

we're allowed a bit of venting though . just like the Extreme Snake oil thread, if someone said "then don't listen/read/... it", the thread would have ended long ago.

 

[phofman]

Also by not including USB input they avoided all the hassle of shipping/maintaining windows/OSX custom drivers (or explaining their customers that the stock UAC2 drivers in those systems are good enough and custom drivers would bring no advantage).

 

[Power Pop 23]

Very affordable balanced dac, but SMSL strangely decided to not have usb input, by far the most popular input with tablets and pc.

But hey, it has AES that very few care.

And yes, the original SU-1 has usb.

Agreed.

An opportunity for a competitor to SMSL.

 

[Greenman]

AES, Toslink and spdif are all synchronous and pretty much use the same circuitry. UsB would require a whole heap of extra stuff for the asynchronous stuff.

 

[phofman]

IMHO the USB receiver would output the same I2S master as the SPDIF receiver (with its input muxed from AES/TOSLINK/COAX). Either adaptive (unlikely) or async (from some master clock, clocking also the DAC when on USB). On the other hand the USB receiver itself would add to the BOM cost considerably.

 

[tanto]

A cheap DAC for many users of affordable streamers (with digital coaxial or optical output.....wiim etc etc) who want to improve their sound. If someone wants a USB input, then he can also buy an SMSL PO100.

 

[amanieux]

Not every audio product can perfectly align with the needs of all users... there are many dacs already with balanced output and usb in.

there is a reason why many dac have usb in, it is the standard in audio ( my guess is that 99% of users connect their dac with usb instead of AES/EBU)
if they wanted to cut costs to have such good specs under $100 why don't they made it with a cheap external power brick instead of internal power ?

 

[wwenze]

I lived thru the era when more DACs had SPDIF inputs than USB. Or the USB is just the PCM2702.

There are many products with USB inputs now, there is no point releasing a product that isn't differentiated. If you want to release a cheaper product at the same performance for a balanced-input market, then cut whatever the guy with balanced-input is not going to use. Considering balance-input AES is going to be used with pro-audio in the first place, that's an environment where consumer USB input is going to be the least functional.

Heck, I still have a SPDIF-only CS4398 somewhere, and my PM6004 is also SPDIF. My TDA1543 bought just for fun is also SPDIF only.

AES, Toslink and spdif are all synchronous and pretty much use the same circuitry. UsB would require a whole heap of extra stuff for the asynchronous stuff.

Way bigger differences than just being asynchronous. USB DACs show up in Windows Device Manager, SPDIF DACs don't.

 

[Bleib]

SMSL screwed up, this could have been t-h-e no nonsense budget bomb

 

[Crook]

Very affordable balanced dac, but SMSL strangely decided to not have usb input, by far the most popular input with tablets and pc.

But hey, it has AES that very few care.

And yes, the original SU-1 has usb.

I think as time goes by and with the rise of Wiim and similar, USB is likely a diminishing input. I dumped the PC (and USB) at the first affordable streamer.

 

[theREALdotnet]

Leaving out USB in a $100 budget DAC is a curious choice, no doubt. I wonder what they consider the primary application for this device. Are CD transports making a comeback?

 

[Sokel]

Leaving out USB in a $100 budget DAC is a curious choice, no doubt. I wonder what they consider the primary application for this device. Are CD transports making a comeback?

Their own probably.

 

[theREALdotnet]

Their own probably.

Yes, I saw those. Are people buying them?

 

[Sokel]

Yes, I saw those. Are people buying them?

It seems they do, there are some reviews here also, and some user experiences, not very flattering.