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SMSL SU-8 Version 2 Balanced DAC
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
What are the types of music files you play?
Windows 10 drivers can play up to PCM384kHz. SMS driver installation is required to play DSD.
I have experienced experiencing loud noises sometimes when playing DSD files on SU-8.
But no one has posted on the forum about this. Perhaps many members do not have many opportunities to play DSD.
I previously reported this to SMSL.
When I purchase a DAC, I always test it repeatedly with files up to PCM768KHz and DSD512 to see if there is any abnormal behavior.
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Thank you for such a clear explanation of the differences. I have yet to play DSD files, but may do so in the future.
Tks
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Try the "C button" on the remote. I've heard some people had luck with that.
I just hit the C button, then function. You could try the factory reset and then try again.
This is my experience.
Unplug the power cord and leave it for at least 10 minutes.
Then perform a factory reset.
Factory Reset
Connect the power wire when pressing the power button, until screen shows logo.
Thank you, but I've already tried it several times...nothing happens, "unlock" is still there
My SU-8 arrived Wednesday night; I've put about 8 hours on it thus far and about 2/3 of that has been DSD64 content (1 DSD128 album rip and a DSD512 upconversion just to see if it would actually do it). I haven't had any issues or odd noises out of DSD on mine. I haven't seen what Billie Jean from Thriller does on DoP with this thing, it plays it fine in DSD mode; my previous SMSL M8 was DoP only and would gitch on that track.
Win10 laptop; running the XMOS 4.59 drivers I downloaded from SMSL. I'm using DSD Transcoder ASIO in Foobar2k to go from DoP to native DSD...since unchecking the "DoP for converter" still sends DoP to the DAC. I've been using the exact same setup with a Sabaj Da3 for the last couple of months since my SMSL M8 got blown up, along with my desktop.
I haven't gotten around to doing a 768kHz PCM file; but DSD512 worked fine and I can't think of a reason I'd ever have that high a PCM rate. 352.8khz PCM files played just fine.
Do you you get any popping sound when you change tracks while playing dsd ?
So while I'm going to say no; I do think I recall a few times rapidly switching tracks that I heard an almost barely audible "click"; but I can't stress how barely audible it was and how fast I was changing tracks. Do I get something that sounds like it might pop a tweeter? No. Never.
There are times when it has to initialize to a new/different rate one channel does this funny thing where it remutes for a fraction of a second. I notice this less with DSD since I can set a transition delay in the DoP transcoder. I don't think I've really done enough back and forth with PCM through Foobar to notice/pay attention.
I got a pair of Genelec 8330s recently to hook up to this DAC with an XLR splitter. However I'm struggling a bit with the output levels. At max output there is a lot of distortion/clipping. I have to reduce the DAC down to like 25 before the distortion goes away. Any idea why? The 8330s are rated up to 24dbU (14 vRMS) input and this DAC supposedly outputs a max of 4 vRMS.
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If you're splitting the signal you could be demanding too much from the outputs on the dac and causing them to clip.
Yup - that is indeed the issue. When I unplug the cable to my headphone amp, the distortion goes away. The headphone amp is off, but it doesn't seem to matter. So much for that plan of using splitters - unless I decide to keep the DAC output low. Otherwise, guess I'll need to hook up digital inputs to the speakers.
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I mean..in theory yes. If you lower the volume you're lowering the demands on the amps in the DAC. They're basically just running out of juice and clipping. People think clipping happens when you "overdrive" something; but clipping is literally just hitting the limits of the circuit...whether by the limitations or the device or the limitations of the power supply. So if you lower the volume and find a spot where you're not demanding too much...it *shouldn't* hurt anything; but you really won't know unless you crack the hood and monitor the temperature of everything.
What you need is a balanced buffer/amp that can drive both devices; but for balanced topography you'd probably have to build it.
I’m still sorta surprised it’s having problems. My understanding was most modern dacs should have no problem driving multiple outputs. The fact the headphone amp is off and it has problems makes
me think something else is going on. Maybe it has a strange output impedance? This is going to the thx aaa headphone amp. Also I noticed the headphone amp doesn’t seem to experience any distortion even at max dac output when splitting the cable.
me think something else is going on. Maybe it has a strange output impedance? This is going to the thx aaa headphone amp. Also I noticed the headphone amp doesn’t seem to experience any distortion even at max dac output when splitting the cable.
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