SMSL SU-6 Review (Desktop DAC)

[amirm]

Would be appreciated if that were mentioned in body of these reviews.

I did:

A remote control is provided to make that task easier.

 

[SHENZHENAUDIO]

May I ask how that works? I’m curious, did the company wanted a early reveal in this forum? Sound pretty unusual without official marketing from a product company perspective.

This might be a new marketing method? It will be up on their official page today btw.

 

[SHENZHENAUDIO]

Does the BT have ldac?

Yes, it features.

 

[SHENZHENAUDIO]

Topping E50 measures better on RCA out but also costs $100 more, does not have bluetooth input and requires external +5V power source.

Any idea what DAC chip is SU-6 based on?

ES9038Q2M

 

[Paolo]

This might be a new marketing method? It will be up on their official page today btw.

And it may even work fine, of course.

Don’t know about the APAC market, but for the “english web” this forum is probably one of the most important, if not the most important, audio precision show, active 24/7.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I did:

Guess I should have read more carefully.

 

[SHENZHENAUDIO]

Here comes the detailed page, https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/773.html

 

[sarumbear]

USB C can delver enough Power to charge a modern PC this needing an extra power supply makes no sense to me.

Performance is good I like the Design and that it has a Coax input.
But without balanced out this one is not for me.

They should have left out the PSU and with that saving, add balanced outputs. It is time Chinese manufacturers realised the USB'C's powering potential.

 

[Walter]

Guess I should have read more carefully.

For some reason, I consistently miss when Amir writes that. I apparently have a blind spot for it. I have gotten in the happy of actually searching on the page for the word "remote" on products I am seriously interested in. I hope he never misspells it and causes me to miss out on the perfect DAC, amp, or whatever.

 

[sarumbear]

We know indirectly from SMSL producing a DAC without external supply. It worked great on Coax but not USB due to running out of power. It was said that the DAC itself could be powered by USB 2.0 but not once you added a display to it.

...but this is a USB-C input device!

 

[Hugo9000]

Thanks @amirm for all the product testing and reports!

How refreshing that they listened to those of us who have complained about blue LED displays hahaha! The white looks so much nicer (green is my favorite, actually, but it's partly nostalgia for the olden days when some companies I loved used it). I loathe blue lol. White LED displays are great, and adjustable brightness is always a plus as well in my book.

My thanks to SMSL! @SMSL-Mandy @SMSL_Liu @SHENZHENAUDIO and whoever is responsible for this! Also, no mess of conflicting fonts on the faceplate, just a simple and clean look, which I always appreciate. (Please never never never use blue LED ever again hahaha it is an eye/brain irritant and simply cheap and ugly! KMart blue-light special cleanup in aisle 1, stat! XD )

 

[Lambda]

USB C can handle 3A
so for the uses with old legacy PCs they could have included a cable like this

Even with only 5V this is 15W

 

[poxymoron]

If this had XLR I'd be all over it!

If this had digital out I'd be all over it.

 

[Tks]

Really nice to see SMSL nail the external design now (rounded edges, no more of that plastic top, nice screening thats wide and a simple LED as an indicator). Appreciate they have a brightness setting seeing as how it's a white LED.

The back is really surprising how they managed to cram all that in, in such a footprint. Internal PSU using a figure 8 connector is a really nice touch. Likewise it's nice to see USB-C as the digital input make headway. I know just looking at the dimensions of the standard itself one would naturally assume the classic USB A form is more sturdy due to being bulkier, but I just really want to move into the future where all USB connectors can be used for all devices (meaning equal dimensions of the connector itself).

I was so sure mains noise would cause some problems (if any DAC had an excuse to show low frequency problems close to mains frequency, it would be this).

BT also supports LDAC which is nice.

Good job all around honestly.

 

[Lambda]

If this had digital out I'd be all over it.

Why would you need digital out on a Digital to Analog converter?

 

[Veri]

Why would you need digital out on a Digital to Analog converter?

Same as with Topping D10s, it just makes it more multi-functional.

 

[Lambda]

it just makes it more multi-functional.

I'm want to understand what function you would gain from this.

suppose your "dac" Has a digital output... what would you do with it? put it in an other dac?!
If you already have a DAC Why buy a other DAC with digital out?

 

[Veri]

suppose your "dac" Has a digital output... what would you do with it? put it in an other dac?!
If you already have a DAC Why buy a other DAC with digital out?

Connect analogue out to whatever analogue inputs you have on hand, and perhaps connect digital out to active speakers with s/pdif in. Some people have lots of gear in their room you'd be surprised.

 

[Tatteredmidnight]

Thanks @amirm for all the product testing and reports!

How refreshing that they listened to those of us who have complained about blue LED displays hahaha! The white looks so much nicer (green is my favorite, actually, but it's partly nostalgia for the olden days when some companies I loved used it). I loathe blue lol. White LED displays are great, and adjustable brightness is always a plus as well in my book.

My thanks to SMSL! @SMSL-Mandy @SMSL_Liu @SHENZHENAUDIO and whoever is responsible for this! Also, no mess of conflicting fonts on the faceplate, just a simple and clean look, which I always appreciate. (Please never never never use blue LED ever again hahaha it is an eye/brain irritant and simply cheap and ugly! KMart blue-light special cleanup in aisle 1, stat! XD )

And hey, since the display is white, you can just add a green tint film to it and viola, a green display

 

[Lambda]

Connect analogue out to whatever analogue inputs you have on hand, and perhaps connect digital out to active speakers with s/pdif in. Some people

Why would you want to play the same signal to active speaker with internal dac and analog outputs?

Same as with Topping D10s,

This is an example for extremely stupid design.
An DAC without an digital inputs that can easily be switched or connected to multiple devices.

But wit an integrated USB to SPDIF converter that would otherwise cost 5-15€ extra.