SMSL SU-9 Balanced DAC Review

[Atanasi]

It worked with AIMP, while the sample rate of the browser video was different than the sample rate of my music playing in AIMP.

With driver issue, you mean the driver of the music player?

What matters is the shared mode sample rate that is set in the Control Panel sound settings. Most applications use shared mode.
I thought about the driver provided by the vendor. Sometimes they are buggy. I cannot really know what's happening in this case.

 

[SMSL-Mandy]

Anyone know how to contact SMSL support? Want email to request they add a display off option. Can't find anyway to contact them other than Facebook or Twitter neither of which I use.

• [email protected]

About Su9 problem，can connect with this Email. Thanks

 

[Andrew PA]

Hello for all!
First of all many thanks to Amirm for the test!
I'm wondering, if the Su-9 can be connected optically to a smart TV and play all the sound from them without any problems with the drivers, etc. (for example now I have a smart TV SONY KDL 809C)?
And the second question - can the su-9 reproduce all the sounds of Windows when it is connected to a my computer, for example, to watch movies in a VLC player (or other media player) or listening the music from winamp?
Hope for your answers, thanks!

 

[Veri]

Hello for all!
First of all many thanks to Amirm for the test!
I'm wondering, if the Su-9 can be connected optically to a smart TV and play all the sound from them without any problems with the drivers, etc. (for example now I have a smart TV SONY KDL 809C)?

Yes, you can configure the DPLL if you lose lock to the optical signal. The default should work well already (7). See Amir's review.

And the second question - can the su-9 reproduce all the sounds of Windows when it is connected to a my computer, for example, to watch movies in a VLC player (or other media player) or listening the music from winamp?
Hope for your answers, thanks!

Sure. I mean, you need to switch between USB(PC) input and Optical input of course.

 

[CrystalGipsy]

Ok so Sound Colour does absolutely nothing on this DAC at all. Am I doing something wrong?. I can go through all of them and not one changes anything all sounds the same. Same goes for the filters but I don't hear the difference in my RME for those either really.

 

[Veri]

Ok so Sound Colour does absolutely nothing on this DAC at all. Am I doing something wrong?. I can go through all of them and not one changes anything all sounds the same. Same goes for the filters but I don't hear the difference in my RME for those either really.

These changes are either in fase (filters) or harmonic distortion manipulation (but still low enough to probably not be audible). So yeah neither are going to do much, defaults are probably best. It's just there for the tweakers.

 

[CrystalGipsy]

Anyone any idea as to what the mysterious socket is for on the underside of the unit? Nothing mentioned about it in any docs.

 

[theoblue80]

Hi guys,

Maybe a silly question, but can this (and similar DACs that have bluetooth functionality) connect directly to bluetooth headphones/earbuds?

 

[Jimbob54]

Hi guys,

Maybe a silly question, but can this (and similar DACs that have bluetooth functionality) connect directly to bluetooth headphones/earbuds?

Not normally. Typically they are bluetooth receivers, not transmitters. And there would be no point having the DAC in the chain as, by definition , all bluetooth speakers/ headphones you would send to have to have both a DAC and amplifier inside them . Send straight from source (phone/ PC etc) to the speaker/ headphones. That is as good as it will get.

 

[Gradius]

Anyone any idea as to what the mysterious socket is for on the underside of the unit? Nothing mentioned about it in any docs.

Photos?

 

[Toku]

Anyone any idea as to what the mysterious socket is for on the underside of the unit? Nothing mentioned about it in any docs.

Is it the connector printed with CONTACT?
It is a connector for connecting the programming tool of the MCU (Micro Controller Unit). The user never uses it.
The MCU is a small computer that controls the SU-9.

 

[iamkimosabi]

Hi, this is my first post here! Discovered this forum while doing some research on a new DAC to hookup via optical to my RME Babyface Pro, for studio engineering work. I am using Yamaha MSP10 Studio monitors that are bi-amplified active. Would this DAC be on par with most studio DAC (transparent, honest)? Im pretty new to the realm of A/D/A conversion and have very little knowledge. Thank you for your time.

 

[Googolbyte]

Has anyone had any issues with clipping? I started up Peace Equalizer APO and, without messing with the EQ, saw that some of the songs I listen to clip just barely. When I ticked the "Prevent Clipping", it went down 3DB and has since not clipped.

If anyone else with Peace installed on their windows machine has this issue I'd like to know. Either way I might get this unit returned and replaced.

Edit: Turns out one of the USB ports might be feeding it more power/voltage than it needs? That or its just kinda broken.

 

[Veri]

Has anyone had any issues with clipping? I started up Peace Equalizer APO and, without messing with the EQ, saw that some of the songs I listen to clip just barely. When I ticked the "Prevent Clipping", it went down 3DB and has since not clipped.

If anyone else with Peace installed on their windows machine has this issue I'd like to know. Either way I might get this unit returned and replaced.

Totally normal. You need to put Windows on 95% volume to prevent clipping afaik.

 

[Googolbyte]

Totally normal. You need to put Windows on 95% volume to prevent clipping afaik.

I messed with the volume and it didn't do anything. Turns out it was just a really weird USB port. I now have perfect outputs; it maxes out but never reports clipping.

Nope! I didn't have Peace installed on that specific USB port so now its reporting the clipping again. How weird. Anyway -3 or -4 DB ain't gonna matter once I get an amp.

 

[Dingenus]

Hi, this is my first post here! Discovered this forum while doing some research on a new DAC to hookup via optical to my RME Babyface Pro, for studio engineering work. I am using Yamaha MSP10 Studio monitors that are bi-amplified active. Would this DAC be on par with most studio DAC (transparent, honest)? Im pretty new to the realm of A/D/A conversion and have very little knowledge. Thank you for your time.

Hi, that is the way I use this dac, optical out on the BF pro. I do not use speakers on it but the Topping L-30 + AKG K812 and this is a very, very transparant combination for editing my soundrecordings (classical, orchestra-choir-organ). My cheap speakers are on the BF pro, where I do some EQ ,for listening News etc. Pay attention to set the sample rate in the Fireface USB settings for most programs. Only foobar 2000 send the sample rate correct to the smsl su9 as I have seen so far.

 

[iamkimosabi]

Hi, that is the way I use this dac, optical out on the BF pro. I do not use speakers on it but the Topping L-30 + AKG K812 and this is a very, very transparant combination for editing my soundrecordings (classical, orchestra-choir-organ). My cheap speakers are on the BF pro, where I do some EQ ,for listening News etc. Pay attention to set the sample rate in the Fireface USB settings for most programs. Only foobar 2000 send the sample rate correct to the smsl su9 as I have seen so far.

I was hoping to hook up my studio monitors to the su9, as I love ess chips, coming from the Apogee Duet2. I’m not big on the AK chips inside the RME babyface pro.

I’m on Mac by the way.

 

[Toku]

Has anyone had any issues with clipping? I started up Peace Equalizer APO and, without messing with the EQ, saw that some of the songs I listen to clip just barely. When I ticked the "Prevent Clipping", it went down 3DB and has since not clipped.

If anyone else with Peace installed on their windows machine has this issue I'd like to know. Either way I might get this unit returned and replaced.

Edit: Turns out one of the USB ports might be feeding it more power/voltage than it needs? That or its just kinda broken.

Whenever you use the EQ app on your PC, you need to be careful about clipping.
If you raise it by 3dB somewhere, you need to lower the volume level of the master by 3dB.
The EQ function of Foober2000 also has a clipping problem, and there is a function to adjust the level to prevent clipping.
Therefore, there is nothing wrong with your SU-9. This is a problem on the PC side.

 

[SMSL-Mandy]

So many people ask me about the problem with DSD version play.
Suggest using the foobar2000. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ECh2ZNL7djfgHBddXBtpbDLlLIvjiujY/view?usp=sharing
Here is the download link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S8Rl5ioIcLO6vJusF_UBHtlkoXBHbRV3/view?usp=sharing
About Foobar DSD: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ee-4e3Ma5zdDZ790IEecEwdLmFUyztrX/view?usp=sharing

 

[Dingenus]

I was hoping to hook up my studio monitors to the su9, as I love ess chips, coming from the Apogee Duet2. I’m not big on the AK chips inside the RME babyface pro.

I’m on Mac by the way.

You can hook up your speakers to the smsl and use the digital volume on the remote.
I found the microphone inputs on the babyface pro good if I listen trough the BF headphone output.
Listening trough my new smsl/topping combination it sounds better, very good.
So, I think the mic input + input dac gives more/better than you can hear at the output of the BF pro.