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SMSL SU-8 Version 2 Balanced DAC

MRphotography

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Is this a Qobuz thing? Cause I use mine with Tidal, Spotify and my own collection via Foobar and I get no clicks or buzzes whatsoever? Huh...

I think it’s a SMSL SU8V2 thing as I have other portable DACs iFi and dragonfly red and it’s the only piece of equipment that does this....but this may also happen with other dacs as well. I am not really sure which is why I am asking.
 
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MRphotography

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Is this a Qobuz thing? Cause I use mine with Tidal, Spotify and my own collection via Foobar and I get no clicks or buzzes whatsoever? Huh...

also my understanding is Spotify, Tidal, AmazonMusicHD are not bit perfect and rely on just up rezzzzzzzing the audio to the rate set by the DAC so your not getting true bit perfect playback with those services.
 

Feyire

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Ughhhh I was afraid someone would say that
For me it also occurs when I shut off the DAC before my amps. I hate this so I always turn off the amps first now.

Is this a Qobuz thing? Cause I use mine with Tidal, Spotify and my own collection via Foobar and I get no clicks or buzzes whatsoever? Huh...

I have no issue with Spotify. However, does your own collection in Foobar have tracks with a mix of sampling rates and/or bit-depth? I'm also using the XLR outputs by the way.

Another annoyance I have with it is when I'm say watching Netflix from my PS4 (sound via optical directly to DAC), and it has occasionally occurred that I hear the same crackle/static mid watching, which can occur when my 2.4GHz WiFi gets heavy traffic and Netflix then auto-downgrades the video and audio (say lower sample rate and/or bit depth, basically a lower quality stream), which in turn triggers the DAC to crackle/static at that moment.

So yeah, I hope @SMSL-Mandy and the SMSL crew have this issue fixed for the successor SU-8S DAC, otherwise, I can't recommend this product as long as it has this issue.
 

MRphotography

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For me it also occurs when I shut off the DAC before my amps. I hate this so I always turn off the amps first now.



I have no issue with Spotify. However, does your own collection in Foobar have tracks with a mix of sampling rates and/or bit-depth? I'm also using the XLR outputs by the way.

Another annoyance I have with it is when I'm say watching Netflix from my PS4 (sound via optical directly to DAC), and it has occasionally occurred that I hear the same crackle/static mid watching, which can occur when my 2.4GHz WiFi gets heavy traffic and Netflix then auto-downgrades the video and audio (say lower sample rate and/or bit depth, basically a lower quality stream), which in turn triggers the DAC to crackle/static at that moment.

So yeah, I hope @SMSL-Mandy and the SMSL crew have this issue fixed for the successor SU-8S DAC, otherwise, I can't recommend this product as long as it has this issue.

Exactly my feelings about recommending it along with volume pot issues on the SMSL THX SP200 probably going to be my one and only SMSL purchases ever.... QC engineering issues...
 

snowsurfer

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I have no issue with Spotify. However, does your own collection in Foobar have tracks with a mix of sampling rates and/or bit-depth? I'm also using the XLR outputs by the way.

Yes, all of my files are FLAC, a huge amount of them is 16/44 and there are some HD tracks and very few DSD. I mostly listen to music with my whole collection on radom. Never heard a single thing when switching tracks. I tested for a while last night and nothing. Didn't try with DSD, but I really don't care about DSD at all, it is completely irrelevant for me. Are people exaggerating the problem or was I just lucky....
 

MRphotography

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Yes, all of my files are FLAC, a huge amount of them is 16/44 and there are some HD tracks and very few DSD. I mostly listen to music with my whole collection on radom. Never heard a single thing when switching tracks. I tested for a while last night and nothing. Didn't try with DSD, but I really don't care about DSD at all, it is completely irrelevant for me. Are people exaggerating the problem or was I just lucky....

Why would anyone exaggerate the problem man? Why are you assuming negative intent? It’s a real thing, and it’s annoying. If you are trying to focus on the music and it clicks when audio quality changes then completely drops out as it’s changing don’t you think that would bother you? It’s only going to happen if you are using a bit perfect music streaming service that allows your DAC to actually change the audio to match the track audio quality. Most music services won’t even do that, which is interesting if you are paying for hi-res streaming and you don’t really know if you are getting it. Qobuz to my knowledge is the only major hi-res streaming service offering over 40 million tracks in the US with bit perfect playback. So maybe you are not hearing this with your computer library because the software that is playing the music is working in tandem with the SMSL DAC eliminating the audible issues others are having. What are you using for playback? Could also be that your software and DAC is set to one playback quality say 16bit 44k and it is never switching and you are listening to all your tracks in one format. Is your Dac changing the format on the display screen when your software is changing songs and audio quality? That would be the first thing to check because if your Dac is always reading the same number on the front then it’s not even matching and changing to match the source music.

I figured out a work around through another software application that allows a quick mute of the click as the sample rate is changing and helps with the audio dropout. It’s costs $75 however and shouldn’t be something I have purchase to properly enjoy music, but it looks like it’s my only workaround if I want to keep the SMSL SU8V2. I also contacted my seller at Apos Audio who said he would contact manufacturer however they are on Chinese New Year and it may take a few weeks.....
 

snowsurfer

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Why would anyone exaggerate the problem man? Why are you assuming negative intent? It’s a real thing, and it’s annoying. If you are trying to focus on the music and it clicks when audio quality changes then completely drops out as it’s changing don’t you think that would bother you? It’s only going to happen if you are using a bit perfect music streaming service that allows your DAC to actually change the audio to match the track audio quality. Most music services won’t even do that, which is interesting if you are paying for hi-res streaming and you don’t really know if you are getting it. Qobuz to my knowledge is the only major hi-res streaming service offering over 40 million tracks in the US with bit perfect playback. So maybe you are not hearing this with your computer library because the software that is playing the music is working in tandem with the SMSL DAC eliminating the audible issues others are having. What are you using for playback? Could also be that your software and DAC is set to one playback quality say 16bit 44k and it is never switching and you are listening to all your tracks in one format. Is your Dac changing the format on the display screen when your software is changing songs and audio quality? That would be the first thing to check because if your Dac is always reading the same number on the front then it’s not even matching and changing to match the source music.

I figured out a work around through another software application that allows a quick mute of the click as the sample rate is changing and helps with the audio dropout. It’s costs $75 however and shouldn’t be something I have purchase to properly enjoy music, but it looks like it’s my only workaround if I want to keep the SMSL SU8V2. I also contacted my seller at Apos Audio who said he would contact manufacturer however they are on Chinese New Year and it may take a few weeks.....

First of all, an exaggeration on a subject one is passionate about is not assuming negative intent - it is just natural. Also, it was a rhetorical question, there is no need to fixate on that, I was wondering to myself since I am super sensitive to extraneous sounds and I've been using this DAC as my main DAC for a year now. No one is attacking anyone here.

I have Foobar setup properly and it changes bit/sampling rate. When changing from a regular (16/44) FLAC to an HD one there is nothing at all. I just now went and tested peppering a FLAC playlist with some DSD files and yes there is the slightest of clicks in this case. One I will never ever come upon again unless I wish to do so.

Honestly, if this is what people are talking about, it definitely is an exaggeration. I had to go and look for it and work to finally hear this barely audible click, in a format that, for all I care, could disappear tomorrow and I would never remember it even existed.

I don't know if people with mixed MP3/FLAC collections have this problem but I am all FLAC and that is all I have to say on this. I'm gonna go back to enjoying my clickless DAC now.

Just a quick edit to add that I a firm believer of ripping everything to 16/44.1 FLAC and nothing else. The HD FLACs and DSD files I have I just got out of curiosity (and I have never, ever, been able to pick them out from their "regular" variants - that is with assisted blind testing). I can see someone with several different formats, bitrates and sampling rates all mixed up in big playlists could end fed up with the clicks.
 
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MRphotography

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First of all, an exaggeration on a subject one is passionate about is not assuming negative intent - it is just natural. Also, it was a rhetorical question, there is no need to fixate on that, I was wondering to myself since I am super sensitive to extraneous sounds and I've been using this DAC as my main DAC for a year now. No one is attacking anyone here.

I have Foobar setup properly and it changes bit/sampling rate. When changing from a regular (16/44) FLAC to an HD one there is nothing at all. I just now went and tested peppering a FLAC playlist with some DSD files and yes there is the slightest of clicks in this case. One I will never ever come upon again unless I wish to do so.

Honestly, if this is what people are talking about, it definitely is an exaggeration. I had to go and look for it and work to finally hear this barely audible click, in a format that, for all I care, could disappear tomorrow and I would never remember it even existed.

I don't know if people with mixed MP3/FLAC collections have this problem but I am all FLAC and that is all I have to say on this. I'm gonna go back to enjoying my clickless DAC now.

Just a quick edit to add that I a firm believer of ripping everything to 16/44.1 FLAC and nothing else. The HD FLACs and DSD files I have I just got out of curiosity (and I have never, ever, been able to pick them out from their "regular" variants - that is with assisted blind testing). I can see someone with several different formats, bitrates and sampling rates all mixed up in big playlists could end fed up with the clicks.

enjoy your music man, glad you’re not experiencing any audible drops in in the music which is more than the clock clicking from the DAC. I would suspect Foobar is helping to solve the audible drop in the music as the format changes. Thanks for your input.
 

ClosDeBen

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Just got my SU-8, got it working but after about 8 minutes, it cuts out and stays out. I can power cycle the dac and it'll play a few more min but then same result. I've tried an alternate USB cable. Apologies if it's been covered. I did a thread search but may have missed it. Most of the instances I saw were of people who had sound go in and out. In my case, it just stops. Using XLR out to powered monitors.
 

timindy

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Just got my SU-8, got it working but after about 8 minutes, it cuts out and stays out. I can power cycle the dac and it'll play a few more min but then same result. I've tried an alternate USB cable. Apologies if it's been covered. I did a thread search but may have missed it. Most of the instances I saw were of people who had sound go in and out. In my case, it just stops. Using XLR out to powered monitors.
I hope you've contacted the seller for a refund or exchange. My SU-8 has operated flawlessly since purchase.
 

seyl3r

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Does anyone know if this device powers on automatically when supplied with voltage and if it stores its last settings such as input selection and volume after full power loss?
 

timindy

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Does anyone know if this device powers on automatically when supplied with voltage and if it stores its last settings such as input selection and volume after full power loss?
Left mine unplugged for a while and when powered on, settings had not changed.
 

snowsurfer

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Does anyone know if this device powers on automatically when supplied with voltage and if it stores its last settings such as input selection and volume after full power loss?

I've had mine with all power off (from the plug) for over two weeks over the X-Mas holidays and settings had not changed when I came back. I don't think it automatically powers on either, you need to at least press the button on the remote.
 

AnikBanic

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I have an issue where if i resume the pc from sleep, i get no sound,
Screenshot_57.png


I get that icon
USB Selective Suspend doesn't do anything
I have to powercycle the dac


also another issue is, when i press the volume up on the remote the volume goes down and sometimes vice versa
 
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Rastanearian

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I bought mine from MassDrop. Is this a common thing for those of us experiencing this loud pop.
I also can't listen to this unit for more than an hour at a time. What I can only describe as listening fatigue comes on hard at that point. I also have a S.M.S.L. M8 and it doesn't pop and I can listen for hours with it.
I find it interesting that the IMD measurement for the M-8 are quite a bit better than the SU-8.
Time to say goodbye to the SU-8.
 

anojnas

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I'm looking to buy this DAC to use with my Yamaha A-S2100. I was wondering if this DAC has a preamp bypass mode? Or do I just set it to 100% and it will bypass the preamp? Thank you
 

Gopman

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I just got this today. Took forever through the USPS. Ship from CA to CA in the United State. It's a 3 hours drive, but took the full 4 days to get it after it shipped out. Recently build a new computer for VR and the onboard sound card was the weak link. I first try Nu Audio made by EVGA and Audio Notes, but it was defective. To be fair, it was used. However, Amazon decided to sell a defective card. They likely did not test it. I RMA it back and waste my time. I went searching again and try my chance on SMSL SU-8. I went external to eliminate noise such as from the onboard audio. Purchase an affordable XRL cable for 12 bucks. Everything power up and remote work. Install the driver and hook it up to the EQ (XLR) and the power amp (XLR to RCA). I noticed a small noise from the speakers at zero volume. The noise was greatly reduce compare to the onboard sound. This is good. The sound can be control in Window and I'm using Jet Audio as my player. The speakers is MB-Quart book shelve. Musically, it improved the sound slightly. Here is the part that is less than desired, when I moved the mouse over the Video the system make a low popping noise. When I'm surfing the web with the mouse there is no noise. Only when I'm moving the mouse over the Video that I'm playing with Jet Audio that the popping noise is present. Strange, but it's not a deal breaker. I know the SU-8 have a small footprint, but it weight more than I thought in a good way.
 

renaudrenaud

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Maybe you use a format when you listen to music and then the windows sound is in another format, so the SU8 is popping when format change....
 

Gopman

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Maybe you use a format when you listen to music and then the windows sound is in another format, so the SU8 is popping when format change....
The format/video change quietly. I play music video using MKV format. No popping during transition period. I think it's a Window issue or player issue with the mouse. Overall, the noise reduction was worth it.
 
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