SMSL SU-8s Review (Balanced Stereo DAC)

[laudio]

The Topping EX5 is roughly the same price and has a very good headphone amp in the same box.



Cheaper, but not balanced, it’s nice to have options . The Joxjie offerings seem be in scarcer supply in the US as well, frequently making them difficult to find for sale.

The loxjie was a smoking deal right after it was reviewed here. The smsl looks nice but not at 2x+ the price.

 

[PeteL]

I remember reading it a few times, now that I searched it I couldn't find a link between the two but couldn't also find any official filings, also it's not a strange concept, many holdings create competition with sub brands since it has lots of advantages, but with no data can't say they are or aren't.

I think this rumor has been corrected in a thread here, I don't remember which

 

[Bel Canto]

Now Topping will have to respond with with a built-in power supply, XLR jacks and ES9068AS chipset.

This came out roughly 2 months before the E50

 

[Bel Canto]

Is there any way of NOT displaying the 99 volume level when using this in fixed DAC mode?

 

[rickyhgarcia]

At the level of performance of these units....why should I buy a Topping D90SE ($899) when this $360 unit performs similarly? Just like this box, the Topping is only a DAC. Why the $600 difference?

 

[kiyu]

At the level of performance of these units....why should I buy a Topping D90SE ($899) when this $360 unit performs similarly? Just like this box, the Topping is only a DAC. Why the $600 difference?

you got the E50 cheaper and can perform similar to this one.
D90se is top of the chart 9038 8 channel all in use, while 9068 is stereo.
I don't know if would be actually real hearing different, might but I don't know.
in other hands you will see Lumin or other brands that cost 2700-6000 u$s and probably won't even reach those numbers, but they are still there.

 

[Moravid]

I noticed the ESS chip is 8 channel, what gives? any benefits over the well specced ES9068AS ?

 

[kiyu]

I noticed the ESS chip is 8 channel, what gives? any benefits over the well specced ES9068AS ?

I guess that would depend of how the companies implement the dac.
D90se is 9038pro , and all the channels are in use 4 right, 4 left but not sure how many do that.
not sure if the dx7 pro is using 4 channels or just 2.. same as Su 9, I guess most of them just use 2 channels and that's it..

 

[Xyrium]

The ESS hump is much more controlled than ln the SU-8.

Indeed, I was going to blindly reply "don't fear the hump" but you beat me to it!

Nice work SMSL, let's do it consistently and Topping will have to watch their back.

 

[JWAmerica]

It says lossless at 16-bit at 44.1kHz. If I’m not mistaken most lossless streams are at high resolution format, which is 24-bit at 48kHz. This will create the same conversion issues we know face with AirPlay.

You can have lossless 8 bit audio, at any sampling rate, if it is transmitted without lossy compression. Not all compression is lossy. Bitrate and sampling rate are independent.

 

[sarumbear]

You can have lossless 8 bit audio, at any sampling rate, if it is transmitted without lossy compression. Not all compression is lossy. Bitrate and sampling rate are independent.

You seem to have missed the thread and jumped in halfway. The new BT standard is expected to transmit lossless 16-bit at 44.1kHz. The lossless streams on the market are 24-bit at 48kHz. This means there will be a translation when BT is used, which will add distortion.

 

[JWAmerica]

You seem to have missed the thread and jumped in halfway. The new BT standard is expected to transmit lossless 16-bit at 44.1kHz. The lossless streams on the market are 24-bit at 48kHz. This means there will be a translation when BT is used, which will add distortion.

To be honest, I don't care about Bluetooth or streaming services at all. I rip CDs and use FLAC for compression. 16/44.1 is fine.

 

[sarumbear]

To be honest, I don't care about Bluetooth or streaming services at all. I rip CDs and use FLAC for compression. 16/44.1 is fine.

Thanks for being honest. I was mistaken for a while that you had a point to make in the subject.

 

[JWAmerica]

Thanks for being honest. I was mistaken for a while that you had a point to make in the subject.

Bluetooth is still garbage and I don't take seriously anyone who uses it for audio.

 

[Labjr]

Bluetooth is still garbage and I don't take seriously anyone who uses it for audio.

Bluetooth is for background music.

 

[JWAmerica]

Bluetooth is for background music.

So some resampling distortion is pretty much irrelevant because no one is actively listening.

 

[Moravid]

LDAC measures relativity well, I wouldn't buy a BT not supporting LDAC

 

[Labjr]

So some resampling distortion is pretty much irrelevant because no one is actively listening.

Yeah or drunk at a backyard barbecue.

 

[mario_rouge]

I owned a SU-8, SU-9 and now Topping D90SE.
I know that it can't be when looking at the measurements, but I believe to hear differences.

The SU-8 sounded much like many other DAC, I liked the design, but even sighted I couldn't really discern it from more expensive DACs.
I purchased SU-9 to see if it makes a difference. Interestingly it did, it was at the same time cleaner and punchier. At least so I think.

I was annoyed about SMSL's handling of @Wolf 's 3rd harmonic issue so replaced it with the D90SE, hoping maybe even for same or better sound.

However, while it is as detailed and clean as the SU-9 it sometimes lacks some punch.

Obviously this is most likely imagined, but could there be glitches like in the SU-9, which might cause a sonic signature?

Would be interesting to hunt for these on the SU-8s

So do you prefer Su9 over the others DACs?

 

[Wuzel]

I guess that would depend of how the companies implement the dac.
D90se is 9038pro , and all the channels are in use 4 right, 4 left but not sure how many do that.
not sure if the dx7 pro is using 4 channels or just 2.. same as Su 9, I guess most of them just use 2 channels and that's it..

The Dac itself sum/match the channels. U can put all 8 together to one channel = 8:1, or 8:2, 8:8 .... (and, of course there's some input mapping options and separate volume controls in the digital domain).
All outputs are differential and current driven.

And of course, u can sum the channels by yourself - but that makes no sense in my opinion.