SMSL SU-9 Balanced DAC Review

[Audioent]

Thank you

 

[cursive]

Thank you

Sorry edited my previous comment. Seems like you're ok for RCA, but not sure about XLR.

 

[kgs51]

I own the smsl su9 and I want to try the bluetooth function. Does anyone know how that quality is. Also, my stereo system in the living room is wired. If I purchase an adapter can I play bluetooth from the dac to the stereo receiver.

 

[Kisch]

I own the smsl su9 and I want to try the bluetooth function. Does anyone know how that quality is. Also, my stereo system in the living room is wired. If I purchase an adapter can I play bluetooth from the dac to the stereo receiver.

Depends on your phone. With iPhone you can use AAC only. With Android 8+ you can use probably LDAC, which is more advanced. Wiki says: When the codec is set to 16 bits/44.1kHz at 909 kbps (or 16 bits/48kHz at 990 kbps) LDAC can stream lossless audio that is identical in quality to (or slightly higher than) Audio CD or standard resolution uncompressed audio.

 

[kgs51]

Do you know if I used a bluetooth adapter with my receiver, I can get music played through my wired speakers

 

[Kisch]

Do you know if I used a bluetooth adapter with my receiver, I can get music played through my wired speakers

I tried Samsung S8+ (LDAC) with my Dynaudio speakers and it was fine. What device do you want stream from?

 

[kgs51]

Actually I would like to stream from my pc

 

[Kisch]

Actually I would like to stream from my pc

Hm, so usb connection is not an option?

 

[SeaNNyT]

Just to be sure without reading throught the whole thread, is this DAC truly balanced in the circuitry unlike it's pairing amp brother the SH-9?

 

[Kisch]

Just to be sure without reading throught the whole thread, is this DAC truly balanced in the circuitry unlike it's pairing amp brother the SH-9?

According to internal picture I am quite sure it is.

 

[Magnifico]

You guys have seen the driver update to v5.00 ???
I remember recently we had a talk about the vendor often not updating their drivers.

Driver even works for my M300. SU-9 is on it´s way.

 

[krott5333]

It may have been answered, but...

When using an amp with balanced inputs, is there any advantage to using a balanced XLR DAC if my only inputs are through Coaxial / Toslink?

 

[Jinjuku]

Do you know if I used a bluetooth adapter with my receiver, I can get music played through my wired speakers

I just use my Kindle Fire HD 10 and connect to it via bluetooth for the wife. I think it uses LDAC but will have to double check. Sounds fine.

 

[Magnifico]

Ahm...Bummer for me.

Somebody has Volume Control in Windows working ?

I had it working with every device until today....reconnected...driver reinstall.....nope.
I can even mute it and it does nothing.

Volume Control and stuff via remote does work perfectly of course.


@amirm : To step back in menus without remote push and hold the volume button/wheel. Thats it.
Come on....that wasnt too hard to find out

Then a word to the misinformation I found in several reviews that really concerned me.
There is absolutely no doubt that SU-9 is capable of MQA playback of files with 352,8Khz. Worked right out of the box.
And to that MY SU-9 does lock on MQA files this instand. No seconds until it locks on MQA stream or something.
Click and lock!
Must have been lucky picks. I now get to see the MQA Logo takes about a second to come up. Though I only do see it happen. Can´t hear any difference
Seems to be old and new MQA encodes.
Genesis R-Kive (Fading Lights (2007 Remaster) = MQAEncode v1.1, 2.3.3+800
Taylor Swift Evermore (Willow) = MQAEncode v1.1, 3091
just examples

I switched back from D70 to M300 for selling the D70 while waiting for the SU-9.
Well if people can´t hear a difference between M300 and SU-9 I´m sad their hearing isn´t on par with mine.
So much more air in that music. M300 sounded pretty punchy to me...so the difference isn´t that much but I think I can feel it.
Smoothness...this is where I´m currently listening to.

I had SMSL critiziced for their sloppy website management before and keep doing it.
Best example drivers for the SU-9. Linked in the device page is 4.86. Support website has 5.00 available.

/EDIT: Well volume control in Windows works, if I don´t use Asio or DSD as output device. With default output it works.

/EDIT: The "air" is what destroys the M300. Slowly I get to hear the laid back sound the smoothness people are talking about.
oh and this thing is LOUD. I´m back on low gain with my SP200. M300 and D70 were very comfortable with 12o´clock position in high gain.
My head and my DT1990s would explode on that level with SU-9.
Now I´m maxed out in low gain at 3 o`clock.

 

[bilzebubba]

Hi Toku,

I don't get a pop noise when I switch the unit on or off but I get the same super short/high pitched micro-crackle that I described above. So definitely not a pop but a crackle, and it isn't loud but it does hurt the ear a bit. I would describe it as the sound of a static sweater next to your ear as you pull it over your head, if that makes sense?

I get a thump on tidal as well when Roon/Tidal changes from mqa to non mqa tracks, but only fairly recently and only out of one Dac, a Matrix Mini-i (v1) with xlr that i tried attaching to my Purifi amp cos it sounded far better than using my Nad d3045 as a pre-out (but which makes no such noise). Am going to get a new balanced dac, but need to know it won't make such noises on track changes! Any ideas? Or is it Roon?

 

[LukaV]

Hi all. Anyone compared this and SGD1? Is it all about MQA vs better overal performance and quality? Are there any other pros in favour to SU-9 apart from ability of MQA extraction?

 

[Magnifico]

What are you talking about. In which regard is the SGD1 better ?

If there is no really good price I see no point in buying one.
No display is a big point for SU-9.
Here for me in germany SGD1 is even slightly more expensive than SU-9.

 

[Slayer]

So have any of you current owners noticed or hear any coil whine noise coming from the unit itself?
I don't mean coming through the outputs into the signal, but the box itself. I read over on SMSL SU-9 Review – Epiphany – Everyday Listening , that the box itself emitted a rather loud coil whine supposedly due to the smps being used.

 

[Jinjuku]

So have any of you current owners noticed or hear any coil whine noise coming from the unit itself?
I don't mean coming through the outputs into the signal, but the box itself. I read over on SMSL SU-9 Review – Epiphany – Everyday Listening , that the box itself emitted a rather loud coil whine supposedly due to the smps being used.

So far so good 1 month in. But anything a month old I expect to be working 100%.

 

[sssskenny]

Hi I am new to the DAC world so please forgive me if I say something wrong

Recently I am using ifi zen DAC can combo with dt880 pro 250ohms and also iems+active speaker. I am looking for a DAC to replace my ifi zen DAC as I would like to have a more clear and detailed sound. Is smsl su9 a great upgrade of sound for me?

Some people said the output voltage of su9 is larger than normally a DAC would... So would it pair with my zen can amp?

smsl su9
Output impedance
XLR: 207Ω or 370 Ohm(?) (the test by Amirm???)
RCA: 142Ω or 122(?)
And also the output is 5V(?)

ifi zen can
4.4mm Pentacon BAL 4.0V nominal @ 0dBFS, 24 kOhm Zin
RCA L/R Socket SE 2.0V nominal @ 0dBFS, 1 MegOhm Zin

Max. Input
Balanced 7.4V RMS
RCA 3.8V RMS

I totally have no idea if the output of su9 is too high for my zen can or not...please help