Would I hear any difference between the SMSL C200, SL200 and DO300EX?

[Matmah]

Pretty much as the title says, would I hear the difference between these DACs? Also, is there anything else I should consider when trying to choose between these?

Prices for these are, SMSL C200 £140 and SL200 £190. I am currently swaying towards the SL200 as it does look better, and just in case MQA still means anything these days.

Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M £300. Ruled this out as the DOO300EX seems to be better specced for similar money.
DO300EX £350. Ruled out, just because it is twice the price of the DL200 and offers nothing extra except aesthetics.
M300SE £130. Ruled out as other the other DACs have better bluetooth.

I'm in my fifties now, so my ears are not as fresh as they used to be.

Source will mainly be a WiiM Pro Plus, but occasionally a Macbook Pro and Bluetooth from my S23 Ultra (ldac/aptx).

I will be using these for my Audeze LCD-X headphones and occasionally my IK MTM studio monitors.

Feel free to recommend anything else if you think it would be better.

Edited: Added the SL200 due to a recommendation, and ruled some out due to various reasons mentioned above.

 

[mc.god]

Don't know the quality of the headphone out in the Cambridge, beside this I think you wouldn't notice any difference.
Note that M300 only supports basic bluetooth codec, no Ldac or aptx, so in that case it can make a difference in sound quality.

 

[Svet Angelov]

Short answer : no

Long answer : Noooooooooo

 

[Matmah]

Don't know the quality of the headphone out in the Cambridge, beside this I think you wouldn't notice any difference.
Note that M300 only supports basic bluetooth codec, no Ldac or aptx, so in that case it can make a difference in sound quality.

Thanks, I've looked at so many specs recently I didn't notice that it didn't have aptx. I don't think it will matter too much for me as I usually Chromecast everything. If that's the only difference it may be worth getting just to save some cash.

I just looked at the C200 and is looks the same as the M300 specs plus it has aptx.

 

[Matmah]

Short answer : no

Long answer : Noooooooooo

I thought that would be the case, but I've looked at so many DACs recently, the brains fuzzy and I needed a fresh insight into it.

 

[Svet Angelov]

I thought that would be the case, but I've looked at so many DACs recently, the brains fuzzy and I needed a fresh insight into it.

Asking for a second opinion is underrated I also figured being blunt is the best way to answer. DACs and digital audio transmission in general is thankfully pretty much perfected this day and age

 

[Eleo]

I have the SMSL C200. No complaints: SOTA Dac and a very good headphone amplifier

 

[Matmah]

I have the SMSL C200. No complaints: SOTA Dac and a very good headphone amplifier

Thanks for the insight. I've think I've confused myself a bit more for adding this to the list. It does look better than the M300, but that does have MQA. I think that's the bit which is confusing me at the moment, as I know Tidal have removed it, so I don't think MQA is relevant any more.

C200: Good headphone amp, aptx, no MQA
M300SE: MQA, no aptx.
DO300EX: Good headphone amp, aptx, MQA

 

[mc.god]

C200 and DO300EX have much more power that will give you more headroom with your planar LCD-X if you eq them (and they seems to accept eq very well)

 

[Matmah]

C200 and DO300EX have much more power that will give you more headroom with your planar LCD-X if you eq them (and they seems to accept eq very well)

Yeah, I think it's down to those two for now, just due to the headphone power. I use Sonarworks to eq mine, and they do make a world of difference. I am thinking about getting a pair of MMM-100s just to use as a beater pair.

Apart from the XLR/TRS difference on the DACs, I'm not really finding much difference between the two except the price.

 

[mc.god]

Yeah, I think it's down to those two for now, just due to the headphone power. I use Sonarworks to eq mine, and they do make a world of difference. I am thinking about getting a pair of MMM-100s just to use as a beater pair.

Apart from the XLR/TRS difference on the DACs, I'm not really finding much difference between the two except the price.

C200 could be discontinued, you can check the new DL200 instead, it even supports MQA for what it matters.
Price difference with DO300EX is due to aesthetics, fancy display, pricier dac chip and I2S hdmi input.

 

[jooc]

Pretty much as the title says, would I hear the difference between these DACs? I am just trying to work out if it is worth spending the extra money.

Prices for these are M300SE £130, DO300EX £350, SMSL C200 £140

Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M £300. Ruled this out as the DOO300EX seems to be better specced for similar money.

I'm in my fifties now, so my ears are not as fresh as they used to be. This is why I am swaying more towards the cheaper M300SE.

Source will mainly be a WiiM Pro Plus, but occasionally a Macbook Pro and Bluetooth from my S23 Ultra (ldac/aptx).

I will be using these for my Audeze LCD-X headphones and occasionally my IK MTM studio monitors.

Feel free to recommend anything else if you think it would be better.

Edit: Added the SMSL C200 to compare to the M300SE, as it has similar specs, more powerful headphone amp plus aptx. No MQA though.

"I will be using these for my Audeze LCD-X headphones and occasionally my IK MTM studio monitors."

Note that I think the headphone amplifier stage in each could sound very different even if the DAC chipset is similar, I've run into this.

Personally I have a very hard time hearing any difference in modern DACs, even doing some pretty extensive a/b testing through the same speakers and amp model. It's important to equalize volume at the listening location precisely using a test tone and phone meter, because even a bump in volume so slight that you don't perceive it as a volume change can make the DAC output seem more 'forward', staging sounds better, all the good words. Volume has to be matched precisely to get any good listening tests done.

I'm told it was always a shady stereo salesman's trick back in the 80s to have someone listen to a $500 system and a $2000 system, but touch that volume knob just slightly on the 2K model when the customer wasn't looking and ask, "You hear the greater dynamism and staging? Doesn't the 2K model sound better?"

The only difference I think I've heard from a DAC swap is from my Audioengine D1 (2014 model, 16-bit max input) compared to the brand new SMSL Su-1 with the new AK chipset - that SMSL might finally be a 'better' DAC to my ears. I mean I'm literally listening to CD quality tracks I've heard for decades now and hearing new things. At this point I feel like unless people are buying an all-in-one DAC amp combo, they should probably just get something like the SMSL Su-1 and be done with it, I think they've 'solved' the DAC with that chipset.

 

[Matmah]

C200 could be discontinued, you can check the new DL200 instead, it even supports MQA for what it matters.
Price difference with DO300EX is due to aesthetics, fancy display, pricier dac chip and I2S hdmi input.

Thanks, I did look at the DL200 but apart from MQA it was very similar to the C200. Trying to work out if it is worth spending the extra £50 on the DL200. Would be nice to know what's going on with MQA and Tidal.

Pretty much ruled out the DO300EX now. Yeah it would look nice on the table next my sofa, but I don't think it's really worth spending that extra money on aesthetics alone.

 

[Matmah]

"I will be using these for my Audeze LCD-X headphones and occasionally my IK MTM studio monitors."

Note that I think the headphone amplifier stage in each could sound very different even if the DAC chipset is similar, I've run into this.

Personally I have a very hard time hearing any difference in modern DACs, even doing some pretty extensive a/b testing through the same speakers and amp model. It's important to equalize volume at the listening location precisely using a test tone and phone meter, because even a bump in volume so slight that you don't perceive it as a volume change can make the DAC output seem more 'forward', staging sounds better, all the good words. Volume has to be matched precisely to get any good listening tests done.

I'm told it was always a shady stereo salesman's trick back in the 80s to have someone listen to a $500 system and a $2000 system, but touch that volume knob just slightly on the 2K model when the customer wasn't looking and ask, "You hear the greater dynamism and staging? Doesn't the 2K model sound better?"

The only difference I think I've heard from a DAC swap is from my Audioengine D1 (2014 model, 16-bit max input) compared to the brand new SMSL Su-1 with the new AK chipset - that SMSL might finally be a 'better' DAC to my ears. I mean I'm literally listening to CD quality tracks I've heard for decades now and hearing new things. At this point I feel like unless people are buying an all-in-one DAC amp combo, they should probably just get something like the SMSL Su-1 and be done with it, I think they've 'solved' the DAC with that chipset.

Thanks for the info. Completely understand that the biggest differences these days are down to output stage and source material. I think this is where I am struggling with the most.

It wasn't until I got the LCD-X did I realise output power was important. I can hear a difference between my UCX II and Motu Ultralite mk5, and I have put this down to the output stage than anything else as the UCX has a lot more power.

I've also recently moved over from Spotify to Tidal, so I am trying to understand a bit more about their streaming specs and which DACs are best. It doesn't help with their recent changes concerning MQA/FLAC/MAX. The majority of my offline music is 44.1khz Flac and Spotify seems to be about the same, no idea with Tidal though.

 

[jooc]

I've also recently moved over from Spotify to Tidal, so I am trying to understand a bit more about their streaming specs and which DACs are best. It doesn't help with their recent changes concerning MQA/FLAC/MAX. The majority of my offline music is 44.1khz Flac and Spotify seems to be about the same, no idea with Tidal though.

I'd be interested in hearing about any differences (if any) you hear with Tidal with your setup.

I haven't been able to hear any noticeable improvement with my equipment between say 16/44.1 and anything higher, but that very well be because I'm speaker limited at this point.

 

[Matmah]

I'd be interested in hearing about any differences (if any) you hear with Tidal with your setup.

I haven't been able to hear any noticeable improvement with my equipment between say 16/44.1 and anything higher, but that very well be because I'm speaker limited at this point.

Unfortunately I am not subscribed to Spotify Premium any more, so can't really A/B them. I do seem to recall there was a slight improvement when I moved over, but it could easily be psychosomatic. It will be interesting to see what Tidal do next though as they are moving away form MQA.

At the end of the day, I'd think I'd happily switch back to Spotify if they were cheaper, but i think that's more to do with my age. If was in my twenties with a young pair of ears, I'd probably spend more time looking into it.

As you said, you are speaker limited at this point. Changing them with have much more difference to your sound than switching a streaming service.

 

[Anonymous One]

I'm also wondering between c200 and dl200, both are nice, but I'm probably closer to c200 because dl200 gets a lot of negative opinions related to failure rates and poor quality control. It was mentioned above that the C200 may be discontinued, what does this change for the buyer? ...absolutely nothing

 

[sejarzo]

Late to the party but Amazon tells me today I can buy the C200 for only $164.25 if I join Prime.

I currently run a DO100 into the SH-8s and am 100% pleased, but if I had to do it all over again, the C200 would be a no-brainer at that price.

 

[Dunring]

I currently have an SMSL C200, another DL200 is coming tomorrow, and listening to a D300EX right now. The DO300EX sounds excellent, but the 1 watt into 32 ohm is the limiting factor. If you equalize and listen to pre-volume war recordings it's going to be an issue. I put it on a Topping A30Pro and it fixed it, but the D-6S or DL200 is a better choice for a 5 volt DAC.
The DL200 is really good, the extra power helps and it works as a 5 volt output DAC. I have another coming just because I need it's form factor to fit amplifiers on since I have a constant stream of them coming in to test. When changing bit rates it does make a tick which could probably be annoying with speakers. It's not as obvious on the D-6S but it's still audible. My music library is all 44.1khz 16 bit FLAC so I just heard it when firing up Destiny 2 at 48khz. With a varied library it could be annoying. The DO300EX doesn't have the issue at all.
The C200 is sometimes on sale used at Amazon for $125 and it's a great performer at that price. Can't complain, but the DO300EX volume matched is better sounding to me. The filter and colors in combination can be fun. It's not an earth shattering difference, but some tracks do sound more better. It's a 4 volt DAC as well and very compact.
I'm going to keep the DL200 and put the H300 amplifier on it just because I need the connectivity for the business. When headphones come in with different cables I check for function (like static sounds/crackling when they're moved around, which is awkward to check with a multimeter). The DL200 can even fit a Topping A90 on it, nice to have the option for a full size amp.
If you get any of them used on Amazon, check every connector when you get them. I've gotten duds many times when it's sold by a reseller but shipped from Amazon. If it ships direct from Aoshida-US, Hifi-College, or S.M.S.L. Factory store, it's almost sure to work. If it's shipped by Amazon (or worse yet sold by Amazon Warehouse) then I'd order two because one will probably have a problem. All the resellers have a one year warranty on used items, so it's not as much a risk as people thing. Just Amazon themselves don't test equipment, and I mean they don't even plug it in to see if it's protection mode before shipping it.
Value for money, the DL200 for versatility, or C200 at the right price, and the DO300EX has the best sound with filter/color options, but most limited on power. Using a Hifiman HE5xx on the DO300EX right now at -17db, but equalize with a preamp reduction and some songs will max it out in high gain. I have a DO400 coming next week with 3 watts into 32 ohm so that should be a lot of fun to try.