SMSL SU-8 Version 2 Balanced DAC

[wyrainer]

So how would you say overall this compares to the topping dx7s? Is it better or worse?

My choice: su-8 + massdrop 789 amp
In the furture, I can upgrade any one

 

[maty]

Or worse, DR5. An example, the very new (very good) album of Spanish singer:

Vanesa Martín - Todas Las Mujeres Que Habitan En mí (2018)

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR8 0.00 dB -10.34 dB 3:48 01-De tus ojos
DR6 0.00 dB -8.33 dB 3:37 02-Inventas
DR5 0.00 dB -7.34 dB 3:50 03-Abril
DR6 0.00 dB -7.92 dB 3:41 04-Pídeme (feat. Mariza)
DR6 0.00 dB -8.71 dB 3:20 05-El intento
DR8 0.00 dB -10.91 dB 3:34 06-La culpa
DR5 0.00 dB -7.77 dB 4:27 07-En el aire (feat. Abel Pintos)
DR6 0.00 dB -7.85 dB 4:53 08-La vez primera
DR5 0.00 dB -7.43 dB 3:38 09-Desobedecerme (feat. Kany García)
DR7 0.00 dB -9.74 dB 4:34 10-Como un billete de avión
DR6 0.00 dB -9.08 dB 4:01 11-Al mismo tiempo
DR8 0.00 dB -13.03 dB 5:34 12-Que no
DR6 0.00 dB -9.97 dB 4:37 13-Me equivoqué
DR6 0.00 dB -8.06 dB 3:41 14-Pídeme
DR5 0.00 dB -8.23 dB 4:27 15-En el aire
DR5 0.00 dB -7.57 dB 3:38 16-Desobedecerme
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of tracks: 16
Official DR value: DR6

 

[BurritoJustice]

Any plans to review the matching amp, the SH-8?

 

[Veri]

Any plans to review the matching amp, the SH-8?

For a moment I thought you were messing with us, the smsl sh'ite.

 

[jackenhack]

Shenzhen Audio now advertise that they sell version 2. So that's good to know.

https://www.shenzhenaudio.com/hifi-...khz-dsd64-dsd512-dsd-balance-dac-decoder.html

 

[oneforward]

Price from Amazon Canada CDN$633! I'm better off buying from Shenzen direct. Massdrop hasn't confirmed that it's selling v2.

 

[helloworld]

Price from Amazon Canada CDN$633! I'm better off buying from Shenzen direct. Massdrop hasn't confirmed that it's selling v2.

You can ask @SMSL-Mandy, I think it’s v2

 

[glajman]

I hope Massdrop has the updated unit. I joined the drop before this one and it should be arriving soon.

 

[jackenhack]

You have to hand it to the Chinese manufacturers. @amirm finds a problem, and they fix it. They are listening to the customers and reading feedback on the internet.
Doing corrections like this is a total win-win situation for both the customers and the manufacturer.

 

[maxxevv]

You have to hand it to the Chinese manufacturers. @amirm finds a problem, and they fix it. They are listening to the customers and reading feedback on the internet.
Doing corrections like this is a total win-win situation for both the customers and the manufacturer.

They are progressive and which is why they have improved so rapidly in a short decade.

 

[Tatteredmidnight]

I'm really wondering at what point the issues were resolved, I'll check my revision when I get home. This could cause a lot of confusion with such dramatic differences in performance, and possibly no way to tell which unit you are purchasing.

@amirm thanks for the breakout of the filter response curves

 

[Perunakeisari]

Ordered one week ago with no return possibility, almost guessed there would be something like this coming but couldn't say no to myself when price went down on sale.
Also would like to get confirmation what pcb version is sold as "V2" and if SMSL are willing to help out V1 owners somehow, wouldn't really like to take "sell and rebuy" route, my choice most likely is "sell and buy something else"

 

[rdodev]

This is great news. Now if only we could get MD to confirm or deny the current drop is for the v2 (v1.2) :/

 

[Perunakeisari]

This is great news. Now if only we could get MD to confirm or deny the current drop is for the v2 (v1.2) :/

So v1.1 has nothing fixed? Sorry if I missed something.

 

[Nango]

OK, I took it apart and here is a quick picture. Higher fidelity ones will come later:

View attachment 18145

I have circled the revision on the left: September 27th, 2018, version 1.2.

Senseless if one can not see from outside whether he bought the new or the old one. Shame on them to bring into distribution the first batch and without your expertise we would still buy the poorer one's. And we still dont exactly know what was the issue with the poor balanced performance. Not so happy with this brand name......... sorry!!

 

[badyard]

Looking at the pcb differences between V1.0, V1.1 and V1.2, makes me guess that the problem was most likely solved in V1.1 by adding some components in the path, and further variations took place in V1.2 by removing other components like the extra clock, probably to balance the production costs, but those don't seem to be as relevant. Just me guessing..

 

[SchwarzeWolke]

Would be great! This way, I would not have to exchange my unit.

 

[FalFung]

Something we have changed.

In order to prevent my translation errors, I will keep the Chinese that the engineer told here.Thanks.

输出端这三个开关的供电，由原来的5V提高在9V供电而已，其它在无更改。我们再说明一下，他之前测试时是因为他们测试方式都是以0dB频率信号进行测试的，之上一版本机器就后面开关供电的电压幅度不够所以看起来参数会差一点，但上版本的机器以-6dB频率信号进行测试，参数也会是很好的，当时设计人员认为用户正常使用播放歌曲信号，是不会有0dB频率信号那么高的幅值的，而且这个机器是有前级功能。

还有就是一个多余的时钟没用，删了，加了一个备用的保险丝。这些都不会影响参数的。View attachment 18159


The power supply of these three switches at the output is increased by the original 5V to 9V, nothing other have changed.

Because all tested with a 0dB frequency signal. In the previous version of the machine, the voltage of the power supply behind the switch is not enough, so it seems that the parameters will be a little worse. But if tested with a -6dB frequency signal, and the parameters would be very good,too. When we designed SU-8, the designer thought that the normal user would not have the same high amplitude as the 0dB frequency signal, and the machine is pre-AMP.

An extra clock is useless, deleted, and a spare fuse is added.These do not affect the parameters.

Hello @SMSL-Mandy , May I confirm which version change from 5V to 9V on three output switches? Does the update on both v1.1 and v1.2 boards, or on v1.2 boards only? A majority of the community who already have SU-8 might have the v1.1 boards. It might help us sleep better at the end of the day.

Thank you very much!

 

[Roen]

My choice: su-8 + massdrop 789 amp
In the furture, I can upgrade any one

I'd still go with tone board over the SU-8. If you use the balanced out, you can't use the third gain stage. If you want the third gain stage, the tone board and the su-8 are similar in performance, but the tone board is much cheaper.

Maximum 2.1 Vrms for the third gain stage of the 789. 4~Vrms on balanced out on the SU-8 makes it unusable for the 789's third gain stage.

 

[Roen]

@amirm Perhaps you should update the titles of the two threads and graph entries to V1.2 and V1.0 respectively?