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SMSL SU-8 Version 2 Balanced DAC

Oukkidoukki

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Sorry my english, ofcourse youtube isn’t the best place for judging , but I have learnt that If you watch several videos all made with smartphones etc. you can get some kind of overall picture about the qualities.......also there was comparison between rme adi 2 dac and chord modjo (or cute) and it was clear (even thru youtube) that rme was more transparent or could I say airy in the mid hi department. Also I see myself going back to watch and hear some dacs cause they just somehow create some emotion in me even through youtube........denafrips r2r ladder dac was one, one was gustard x20 pro....kii three......did not got so exited about rme sound but would probably take it over these because I am hobbyist music producer.
 

wadec22

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I did confirm with shenzenaudio on amazon - if you buy the $199 that will arrive in a couple days, you get 1.1. If you select the Shenzen china option that says delivery between 12.20 and 1.4 for a $249 retail you get 1.2.

This makes the massdrop deal indeed a good savings.

I'm holding out for something else. I just can't do the silver. :)
 

gvl

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I'm holding out for something else. I just can't do the silver. :)

It's nothing that a spray can of Rust-Oleum can't fix :)

rustoleum.png
 

yue

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To change the old version to V1.2, you only need to solder one wire as the picture below:

View attachment 18234
View attachment 18230View attachment 18231




To clarify It is important that you unsolder the anode of the diode as well. The anode should be detached from the board, and then connected to the +9v line on the other side of the board.


请注意很重要的一点,你需要把原先的二极管的阳级从电路板上焊下来,再用导线接到板子另一端的+9v引脚上。
 
OP
amirm

amirm

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To clarify It is important that you unsolder the anode of the diode as well. The anode should be detached from the board, and then connected to the +9v line on the other side of the board.
I was going to note that too. Otherwise you would be shorting out the 9 volt into the 5 volt rail causing nasty damage potentially.
 

FalFung

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Great solution! Thanks to SMSL-Mandy! Half an hour ago I repaired v1.1 and changed to 1.2. All worked, the sound on the balanced outputs is excellent.

Thank you @SMSL-Mandy for posting the instruction! Also interested in whether the same method could be applied to the v1.0 boards.

Hi @basil ! Congratulations on the soldering works! Do you mind taking a picture of the finished works when you are available? No hurry needed. I really want to find a way to position the diode stably. The diode wiggling together with a long cable soldering to it does not encourage too much confident.
 
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SchwarzeWolke

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Thx for the solution but I don't think that my soldering skills are enough to do something like this.
:facepalm:
Just reached out to Shenzen Audio here in Germany via Amazon and let's see, what solution we find here. To be honest, I don't have any problems with hum with my Topping D10 and the Massdrop THX AAA 789, so it might be that I stick to the D10. Power is plenty enough so I don't need the extra power through balanced connections. (You could now argue that in this case, the volume of the SU8 might be lowered as well but I don't think that I hear the difference between the D10 and SU8)
 

helloworld

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Thx for the solution but I don't think that my soldering skills are enough to do something like this.
:facepalm:
Just reached out to Shenzen Audio here in Germany via Amazon and let's see, what solution we find here. To be honest, I don't have any problems with hum with my Topping D10 and the Massdrop THX AAA 789, so it might be that I stick to the D10. Power is plenty enough so I don't need the extra power through balanced connections. (You could now argue that in this case, the volume of the SU8 might be lowered as well but I don't think that I hear the difference between the D10 and SU8)
Soldering is very easy as long as you get the tools :)
 

badyard

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Just for clarification, can somebody confirm that the mod is only necessary to people who drive the unit full volume?
For other people like me who only use the unit as a dac/preamp to drive active speakers at low to mid volume the mod isn't necessary, in other words no improvement from the mod in this case, correct?
 

gvl

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Just for clarification, can somebody confirm that the mod is only necessary to people who drive the unit full volume?
For other people like me who only use the unit as a dac/preamp to drive active speakers at low to mid volume the mod isn't necessary, in other words no improvement from the mod in this case, correct?

That's what we've been told, should work fine to -6dB.
 

basil

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Just for clarification, can somebody confirm that the mod is only necessary to people who drive the unit full volume?
For other people like me who only use the unit as a dac/preamp to drive active speakers at low to mid volume the mod isn't necessary, in other words no improvement from the mod in this case, correct?
I use dac with active speakers too and mod in my opinion improved the sound quality at medium and high volume levels. I tested the sound just a few minutes after the mod, tonight I will get more information about sound quality.
 

badyard

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I use dac with active speakers too and mod in my opinion improved the sound quality at medium and high volume levels. I tested the sound just a few minutes after the mod, tonight I will get more information about sound quality.

By medium to high levels, what numbers in the 0-38 dac volume scale?
 

badyard

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Thanks,
I have my speakers input gain set at the minimum (-6db) and I can barely go over 12 on the dac volume because it's already loud, so i'll guess it's not gonna improve anything in my case.
 

Tatteredmidnight

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That v1. 1 to v1.2 upgrade is temptingly simple but with terrifyingly small smd components. Feels like a good mod for off warranty or if I move it from feeding powered monitors to a situation where I need to push the output levels.

The geek in me wants those class leading measurements though.
 
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