VMV D2R Stereo DAC Review

[dogmamann]

Higher end Topping DACs seem to hold their values well enough, blame this forum for it.

Topping higher end gear holds value. This is true but only until they replace that with something else. The D90 has value now only because there is no higher end topping available and everyone has a feeling that that’s the best possible DAC out there. The moment it’s replaced, suddenly it loses its value tremendously. Remember what happened to the A90 amp. When the A90D came around, the Orginal King lost its crown and it now can be had under 250 which is half of its retail. A90D Still retains value as there is no replacement available, with a higher number like 95 or 100!! People mistake A70 pro to be a step below even though every metric says it’s superior to the a90D.

Don’t buy Topping used, instead just wait around on Amazon. I have noticed that the D90s drop the price occasionally on Amazon by 200 bucks. I got mine for 599 on that last sale. Recently on Black Friday it was 599 again, which is mostly the asking price of a used one these days.

 

[Sokel]

That's NOT an R2R DAC.
SMSL's RSR DAC is this one:

SMSL VMV D3 Balanced DAC R2R 4x PCM1704 32bit 768kHz DSD512 MQA - Audiophonics

SMSL VMV delivers with its D3 a real piece of jewelry, containing a concentrate of technologies within a perfectly thought architecture. The brand offers a high performance R2R DAC, whose DAC stage embraces four Burr Brown PCM1704U-J chips.

www.audiophonics.fr

...which costs around 3.250 euro here in Europe.

Other than that,this multicolor,multifont screen is a total failure and the overall design and size is not great either.

Thanks Amir!

I believe DACs used in the above R2R are the same used in my ancient Denon DVD 5000.

 

[daniboun]

That's NOT an R2R DAC.
SMSL's RSR DAC is this one:

SMSL VMV D3 Balanced DAC R2R 4x PCM1704 32bit 768kHz DSD512 MQA - Audiophonics

SMSL VMV delivers with its D3 a real piece of jewelry, containing a concentrate of technologies within a perfectly thought architecture. The brand offers a high performance R2R DAC, whose DAC stage embraces four Burr Brown PCM1704U-J chips.

www.audiophonics.fr

...which costs around 3.250 euro here in Europe.

Other than that,this multicolor,multifont screen is a total failure and the overall design and size is not great either.

Thanks Amir!

I believe DACs used in the above R2R are the same used in my ancient Denon DVD 5000.

The SMSL VMV D3 is even worse...

SMSL VMV D3 Review (R2R DAC)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the SMSL VMV D3 R2R DAC. It was kindly sent to me by a member and costs US $3,499. Being part of the "high-end" VMV division, it comes in the milled enclosure and separate power supply section of that design path. As such, it is quite heavy and...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[Sokel]

The SMSL VMV D3 is even worse...

SMSL VMV D3 Review (R2R DAC)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the SMSL VMV D3 R2R DAC. It was kindly sent to me by a member and costs US $3,499. Being part of the "high-end" VMV division, it comes in the milled enclosure and separate power supply section of that design path. As such, it is quite heavy and...

audiosciencereview.com

PCM1704 has about 103 SINAD and they use two on each channel.
Wouldn't go higher or much higher any way.

 

[daniboun]

PCM1704 has about 103 SINAD and they use two on each channel.
Wouldn't go higher or much higher any way.

Burr-Brown PCM1704U-J is an obsolete chip anyway...The price performance ratio is just catastrophic....

 

[AuricGoldfinger]

Disappointing lack of filter options. The average buyer might have even hoped for the sound modes, such as the SU-10 had. Harmonic distortion spectra is kind of disappointing, but inaudible levels.

Interesting appearance and great selection of inputs and outputs.
Other than being another box stuffer, there is a lack of any real purpose for its existence.

That said, I watched TourBillionCafe’s reviews of the D2R vs the D400EX. I extracted the audio and followed with an A/B on my DAW. The D2R was easily differentiated. How? By the perceived emphases of the decay following each hammer strike on the strings in the piano. There was also a perceived elevation of the fundamentals of vocals and lower notes of the guitar. It sounds a bit like when recording in close proximity using a directional mic.

I took a look at the audio waveforms for both devices (from the video) and found they were indeed not the exact same. The differences were small, but visible. The D2R had elevated levels of string reverb, and certain transients were visibly higher in amplitude while others were less than that from the D400EX.

I might revisit this later in the week and could show a few images of the differences, if there is any interest.

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

I like the look, but display styling just doesn't fit.
Something simpler even with mono color should be much more stylish and better fit for the enclosure.

 

[voodooless]

That said, I watched TourBillionCafe’s reviews of the D2R vs the D400EX. I extracted the audio and followed with an A/B on my DAW. The D2R was easily differentiated. How? By the perceived emphases of the decay following each hammer strike on the strings in the piano. There was also a perceived elevation of the fundamentals of vocals and lower notes of the guitar. It sounds a bit like when recording in close proximity using a directional mic.

I took a look at the audio waveforms for both devices (from the video) and found they were indeed not the exact same. The differences were small, but visible. The D2R had elevated levels of string reverb, and certain transients were visibly higher in amplitude while others were less than that from the D400EX.

That isn't surprising if the default filter was active. It's 3 dB down at 20 kHz and leaky af F*ck.

 

[AuricGoldfinger]

I like the look, but display styling just doesn't fit.
Something simpler even with mono color should be much more stylish and better fit for the enclosure.

I have the same impression for this and the D400 Pro. In the D400 Pro’s advertising, they showed a greyscale palette screen and would have been my preference.

That isn't surprising if the default filter was active. It's 3 dB down at 20 kHz and leaky af F*ck.

Indeed.

 

[hearone]

Wow! SMSL now seems to want to play with the big boys, but they don't really have the post product support to justify a $1000 product, Or the added value either for that price. IMO. Just a little more and one can get a supported products like RME with even additional features

Post sales support is essentially none for my DO300 and it is over $500 list. And the way they churn products, they and no long term firmware supports, they are basically disposable when they break- kinda like a toaster. Forget about resale value.

JDS Labs and WIIM seem now to be the value products. JDS being a US company and WIIM with great post-sales firmware/app support.

 

[DSJR]

This dac performs ok really (more than 'good enough' level) but is EYE CANDY for those able to afford it and buy something a bit different.

Sure the RME at this price? is about as good as it gets, but there are audio peeps out there who'd buy this (and risk a hit in a few years to resale) because it's DIFFERENT! Isn't that how Denafrips became popular a few years back?

 

[Yevhen]

[pdf claims]: "The BD34301EKV delivers superior performance in audio equipment by improving sound quality in ways that cannot be defined by numerical characteristics "

Black magic?

 

[Rja4000]

Company says that its audible performance proves that

Did they provide any evidence, or even a clue on methodology, to substanciate that ?

 

[Chagall]

Why would there be a difference in fixed vs variable max output? Having 5V/4V modes independent of Vol fixed/variable seems better or am I missing something?

 

[Koeitje]

For this kind of money I would expected state of the art performance. Especially because this should be their premium brand.

 

[Ahmonge]

[pdf claims]: "The BD34301EKV delivers superior performance in audio equipment by improving sound quality in ways that cannot be defined by numerical characteristics "

Amen. Never understimate the power of faith

 

[JayGilb]

From the DAC chip "spec sheet"

 

[MrSoul4470]

That thing is so damn ugly. Truly Chinese design. And what's really absurd is SMSLs strange multi color, multi font, multi textsize display. Just something blinking is missing.

 

[OldTimer]

From the remote, looks like an expensive device.

 

[tw99]

I'm also confused with all these "higher end" SMSL/Topping/etc products. I simply don't see the value compared to the basic versions that are already performing far beyond audibility, without much in the way of additional features. They'll also plummet in value within a year when the next supposedly greatest thing is released.

At this price point, just get the RME unit, which has a plethora of features, will be around for a long time, and also holds its value fairly well.