SMSL SU-6 Review (Desktop DAC)

[Overseas]

I am looking at SU-6 for streaming by phone to my system (Yamaha amp).
I read about troubles with the USB connection to phones BUT I know you should always use USB OTG for phones. Am I wrong ?

 

[Nick_L]

Hello Overseas,

Please check post 339 of this thread. You don't need always OTG but an adapter.

Cheers Nick

 

[Overseas]

Ok, cause right now I am streaming to Topping E30 via OTG.

 

[Destination: Moon]

I am looking at SU-6 for streaming by phone to my system (Yamaha amp).
I read about troubles with the USB connection to phones BUT I know you should always use USB OTG for phones. Am I wrong ?

It'll also do LDAC via Bluetooth which sounds great to my ears

 

[Overseas]

Any chance the initial 3 dB Sinad imbalance between channels was corrected or is something random?!

 

[Paspolc]

hi everyone, in case I wanted to update the dac drivers, could you explain me step by step how to do it?

Thanks to all.

 

[Fraxo]

Phase lock loop, it is to lower jitter. DPLL (min) has Max jitter suppression but has a harder time to lock onto signal. It's a trade-off, a noisier digital input might not play nice with max PLL setting. So it's nice that you can play with it in the UI..

What do you mean by "lock on"?
What would be the artifacts of it struggling to do so?

 

[gvl]

What do you mean by "lock on"?
What would be the artifacts of it struggling to do so?

Dropouts or no sound.

 

[Fraxo]

Dropouts or no sound.

Thanks
While you're here, may I ask a few questions?

By linking Focusrite 8i6 via SPDIF cable (from it's output) into to Topping DX3+'s input, would I be utilizing the Focusrite's DAC (and VXCO) or completely bypassing it?
Would there be a jitter\noise\other quality differences if I use the Topping directly via USB vs being linked to the Focusrite?
And in general, does any of these devices have PLL?

I'd appreciate if someone could verbally illustrate what happens to those 0's and 1's from their initial state on my laptop, all the way up the mentioned chain and into my ears so I'll learn the order of processes. I think I get most of but not sure.

Thanks a lot for taking the time either way, ik this might be a lot.

 

[gvl]

USB tends to produce lower jitter but even over SPDIF it’s so low so it doesn’t typically matter.

Unclear why you need the Scarlett in the chain but unless you’re running it in loop back mode no the DAC is not utilized for the SPDIF output.

PLL is only present on SPDIF inputs. There’s no PLL on asynchronous USB inputs which is the type used on all modern DAC, except maybe cheap primitive ones with adaptive USB that can also utilize PLL.

 

[MRC01]

What do you mean by "lock on"?
What would be the artifacts of it struggling to do so?

Dropouts or no sound.

Yes, or massive distortion, as I measured with the SMSL SU-6 in my review.
Summary: lots of distortion at 176.4 k with dP-DLL set to 1, the most strict setting. Bumping it to 2 eliminated it entirely.
Before (dp-DLL 1)

After (dp-DLL 2)

 

[Cuprajake]

So I've just received this DAC, I use usb out to play my audio.

The usb port seems to wiggle alot.

Does anyone else do the same?

 

[Nick_L]

So I've just received this DAC, I use usb out to play my audio.

The usb port seems to wiggle alot.

Does anyone else do the same?

Hello Cuprajake,

no, my device is without such a wiggling.
I would ask for an exchange.

Nick

 

[Cuprajake]

I'll try to take a vid

Thanks

 

[MRC01]

Mine has a small amount of play, but not enough to obstruct audio if I wiggle it while playing via USB.

 

[Cuprajake]

Umm

I'm second guessing myself now, felling like I should of gone zen DAC

 

[Cuprajake]

Seems too much to me

 

[Veri]

Seems too much to me

I have this iFi cable and it loses connection so much.....

 

[Cuprajake]

this is the best fitting of my 4 cables, the others are worse, im going to send it back,

 

[Schlippwhip68]

Umm

I'm second guessing myself now, felling like I should of gone zen DAC

View attachment 241037

I can vouch for the Zen dac v2 being a nice dac. I saw your thread and I thought of the iFi ZDv2 as soon as I read it.
I have the ZDV2 and build quality is excellent. I prefer the sound over my Topping E30, I think the iFi is better balanced and has smoother vocals. The Bass boost button is very well implemented when using my cheapish cans (Audio Technica ATH M30X) it delivers a very nice low end boost the stays in the low end and doesn’t muddy the lower mids which is very impressive.