E174: The Amazing S.M.S.L SU-1 DAC
Вставка
- Опубліковано 8 лип 2024
- 0:00 Intro
0:18 Today's Topic: What an amazing time to be a music-loving audiophile
0:35 The beginning of my musical journey
1:07 Enter, the modular stereo record player
1:40 Feature-driven, not sound quality
2:09 The “dawn” of the golden age of “stereo”
2:58 The “second” golden era
3:58 Besting the “best” from a decade or so ago
4:30 Enter, the S.M.S.L SU-1 DAC
6:07 A closer look
7:20 The Asahi Kasei Microdevices AK4493S XU316 DAC
7:58 MQA, if you care
8:44 More about the superb AK4493S
9:28 Shoot out - WiiM Pro+ vs. the WiiM mini driving the S.M.S.L SU-1
9:50 Which will win, The Pro+ @ $219, or the Mini/SU-1 combo @ $169
10:12 First, what I learned during run-in in my big rig
11:12 Why not try my phone as the streaming source
11:52 What is our first takeaway
12:33 Into the Second Space system for the decisive test
12:47 What is our second takeaway
13:37 “Related to One,” The Buster Williams Trio, 65 Roses
15:46 “Calming Notion,” The Carl Saunders Sextet, Live in San Francisco
17:57 What a winner
18:18 Supporting my opening comments
18:41 ANYONE can afford this DAC at just $80
18:48 What this affordable DAC REALLY offers…
19:52 Munich bounty on the immediate horizon
20:17 Martini Time
20:42 Outro-Subscriptions
Today I will introduce you to an overachieving, absurdly affordable DAC that I accidentally discovered, the SU-1 from S.M.S.L. - and it sells for eighty bucks - retail! But what it offers ANYONE who has been holding back, especially those hesitant due to the fear of taking an expensive misstep, is an über affordable opportunity to dip their toes into the waters of building a high-quality streaming and digital playback system.
- LINKS ASSOCIATED WITH TODAY’S EPISODE
the audio analyst© Second Space System details:
www.theaudioanalyst.com/secon...
E147: The WiiM Streaming Experience
• E147: The WiiM Streami...
Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation VELVET SOUND 32-bit, 2-ch premium audio D/A converter AK4493S:
www.akm.com/us/en/about-us/ne...
The Foshan ShuangMuSanLin Technology Co., Ltd., manufacturer’s official site…
www.smsl-audio.com/portal/abo...
The S.M.S.L SU-1 DAC purchase links
From Amazon.com
www.amazon.com/S-M-S-L-MQA-CD...
From Shenzhenaudio.com
shenzhenaudio.com/products/sm...
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. Full credit for spelling out all those darn acronyms we all live with these days 👍
Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
I just added this DAC to my system with new Mission speakers and it sounds great. Nice mids and clean, crisp highs. Brought a lot of new life to my cd collection.
This video is the kind of cultured, rational contribution to the hifi community it so sorely needs. Oligarch audio is the fount of the trickle-down tech and know-how that makes for the Wiim and SMSL products. And everything in between. I have a Lampizator Baltic V4 as my reference DAC, which Greg mentioned he uses sometimes as a benchmark for his reviews of non-oligarch gear, but I don't feel I'm losing too much sonically when I sometimes swap in my Gustard R26 which costs 1/4 the price of the Baltic. We are indeed living in a golden age of sorts, we should celebrate this rather than find reasons to complain about oligarchs and their hifi gear (or indeed about their jets and yachts and women etc.). Waste of time better spent listening to music no matter what your budget is!
Very true! Really like your comment. I have the Denafrips Ares 12th-1 in my set up 1. So wonderful!
@michaelmityok1001 Thank you for recognizing my intent with this episode. And your point is SO VALID. Look, just because you cannot, or choose not to, afford more costly items is NO REASON to pretend that they "couldn't be any better" than what someone currently uses, or are a "rip off," or are in some other way, fraudulent products.
I'm so glad to see that another great audiophile and reviewer actually admits that the mini in combination with the SMSL dac offers an excellent sound. They are in my second set up and very happy with them.
$80, $80, $80... I was blown away at this silly thing, powering it with an Apple phone charger and WiiM Pro. Everything you stated is true. I have a PS Audio and Bel Canto DAC in the house, and I could easily live with this little SU-1. Yes, an incredible time to be alive in regards to audio gear. I just took delivery of a ToneWinner AD-2PRO+ integrated amplifier, and am being blown away at what $1900 delivered will get one in regards to sound quality. My buddy bought one of these units too, and he compares it to a Mark Levinson integrated. You probably know him, he has been going to Axpona for many many years. ;-)
Thanks for watching, and taking the time to post! 😉
A mature and cultured channel with the added bonus of great reviews.
Liked and Subscribed ✔
Great find !!
I have smsl su-1 for about a couple of months paired it with fosi audio V3 in kef q300 digital input from my tablet using usb audio player pro wow very dynamic sound lower base is punchier mids is really detailed and high frequency is very detailed as well very good dac for it's price can compete with dacs in 500usd range very good
Great to see you cover this. I have my SU-1 paired with a WiiM Pro in my second system. Sounds pretty good. A gateway to so much music.
I've had this DAC for a while now. It's in my main system. It pairs well with my Yamaha B2 amp and Nakamichi C5 preamp.
Hifi gear may be getting better but anyone over 50 years old hearing usual as a 4k notch ( dip in the frequency response around this frequency) I love that this can be taken care of via the equaliser on the Wiim pro plus, giving me back a flat hearing response, I have it connected to my cable box and active studio monitors, and it saves me turning up the volume to compensate for the age related hearing loss that comes to us all 😜
I'm going to place this DAC on Stillpoints Ultra 5 iso feet and put a medium brick (1) on it so it doesn't blow away
Greetings, I completely agree with you.
Love both of my SMSL DACS. I have the SMSL Sanskrit 10th Generation and the SMSL M200.
I’ve had my eye on this DAC for my modest desktop system and I’ll likely grab one now after hearing your thoughts, Greg, thanks. Great to meet you at Axpona! Talked with you a couple times. You sat next to me in the big Stenheim room, we chatted for a minute and I relinquished the sweet spot seat i had for you and you said “Well, I didn’t mean to run you off!” and I said “it’s my honor!”
Hello, and so very gracious of you! Thank you - again! 😊
An enjoyable review, thanks. The pairing of SMSL SU-1 with the WiiM Mini is surely one of the great audio bargains of current times. My simple system comprises a WiiM Mini, SMSL SU-1 DAC, IotaVX SA3 integrated amplifier, Polk Reserve R100 speakers and a REL TZero Mk III 'subwoofer'. I power the WiiM Mini and the SU-1 with Apple iPhone 5V chargers that had been sitting around in a drawer for years. I stream Amazon Music HD. It just blows my mind how good this system sounds for the money spent. Great timing and dynamics, tight, punchy bass, wonderful midrange, excellent imaging, full soundstage and no listening fatigue whatsoever. We're in a golden age of affordable audio, no question.
On Monday I added a Topping P50 linear power supply to my set up, replacing the iPhone chargers as the power supply for the WiiM Mini and SU-1. The immediate improvements in separation, imaging and soundstage made my jaw drop. For the first time I've experienced vocals floating in the air. All in a system costing around 1500 British pounds.
Really nice and interesting review 👍
We are listening in a special time for inexpensive digital reproduction that's capable of astonishing performance at very affordable price points.
Sometimes even being slotted into pretty costly systems (with compromise) yet not being completely embarrassing.
Undoubtedly a country mile away from the hyper-fi normally discussed in your channel....but units such as this SMSL will Bring music to far more people, can't be a bad things really..
Greg you've found a little gem. 👍🏻
When I decided to try streaming, I went with the Wiim Mini and the SU-1. Right now, I am very happy with the combo.
Epic speech :D and so right on point!
Thank you! 😊
Great balance to the $400,000 DAC marketed to the oligarch audio crowd
Hello, my friend. THANK YOU for recognizing my intent with this video... While I prefer to pioneer and explore the very best products being offered to music lovers today, there is MUCH to be said for the trickle-down effect that allows anyone to get into some pretty darn good sound! Thanks for watching, and for posting, Joe!
This little Dac sounds very,very good in my 2 channel system. For the $70 I paid for this small wonder I can listen all day with a smile on my face. It gives you just enough from top to bottom and is so easy to listen to. I have a linear power supply with it and I use a Volumio Rivo with coax cable. EXCELLENT!!
Nice one Greg. Something terrific regular people can actually afford.
Bought this dac to use with my smsl sd-9 hifi network music player and the smsl drop ho150x headphone amp. Man, what a set up! Using my hifi man 400se, and fostex tp50 Headphones. What a trip. I also own smsl pl200 top load cd player, sounds fantastic! I'm sold....mind you, the rest of my system is no slouch, comprising of Tannoy, sugden, accuphase, Cyrus, Marantz, etc. These smsl components hold their own. Call me amazed.
Great video. Why in Amazon show (says it needs a controller) why type a controller. Thanks
The law of diminishing returns is stretching in hifi
As soon as I watched Greg's review , I bought one and have had it running in my main system now for a few days. It just needed a better power supply ( an extra £50 ?) to make the SU1 as satisfying to listen to as my £7000 tube DAC. Not the same, not as good in pure audiophile terms but just as satisfying. It's reviews like this and like the one for the Silver Smith speaker cables ( which I also bought) that make me feel that, among all the professional and semi-pro reviewers out there, Greg's voice is the one I trust most. Thanks for the great recommendations !
Thank you so very much for "getting" what I am doing here, and for the gracious vote of confidence... 🙂
Hello alvheng. Can you tell me what kind of better power supply you use for the S.M.S.L. SU 1? Thank you and Greetz from Holland
@@PaulLodewijk-dc7xq Yes, @alvheng, please do share those details...
Just an iFi Audio iPower2 that I had lying around. Am planning to try a better PSU without ruining the bargain basement satisfaction that I get from the SU1 DAC.
i use the same speaker cable as you
I Pray this WISDOM finds the Targets
Thanks ( with clean power the performance is also upgraded)
As do I...that is what motivated me to produce this episode!
Greg knows some stuff about some stuff
LOL... Thanks for picking up on that fact, 😉 and for watching and commenting here!
The best value in DAC, most transparent sound around.
I just got this DAC a few months ago and stuck a Sony Discman into it (optical out) and a Fosi V3 amp. Cram a laptop into the USB-in and it's a great digital player. To me, it's a superb budget option.
I couldn't agree more, which I why I produced this episode!
I have a receiver & and CD. which DAC am I using? And can you walk through the set up. Thanks ❤
Was there going to be a comparison to your reference DAC? Or because that little DAC can hang in the reference system it really wasn't needed?
There really is no reason to post recordings of it versus my reference Ideon Absolute Suite. First, the limitations of the medium, the recording and playback system, would minimize the real differences, and many would mistakenly jump to the conclusion that the differences were much closer than they actually are... Thanks for watching, and posting! ☺
@@theaudioanalyst Sorry, I didn't mean a sound comparison. But I get it you don't want people jumping to the wrong conclusion.
I've had an SU1 for almost a year, I'm very pleased with the sound also. But I have two issues with how it plays with other components in my system: When streaming from a Bluesound Node via coax I get dropouts; Had to switch to optical. And the SU1 also has a problem with my integrated amp (Yamaha A-S 801): I have to put the 801 into 'Pure Direct' mode or the SU1 doesn't send a signal to the amp, it doesn't recognize it's connected. The Pure direct mode bypasses tone controls, so I can't use them. But for 80 bucks I ain't complaining.
I tried the mini with the SU-1 and I was not happy with the sound. Jittery is the best way to describe it. I ended up ordering a pro plus and I am very happy with it. The mini and su-1 have been moved to my hime office bookshelve and meshed with the pro plus.
What specific USB cable did you use from Samsung phone to DAC, if you don't mind?
Hello. It was nothing special; I bought a four pack of different length C to C cables labeled Nimaso. The four pack sells for $13, so... 😉
www.amazon.com/Charging-NIMASO-Charger-Compatible-Samsung/dp/B087M2K64S/ref=sxin_16_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.e8da13fc-7baf-46c3-926a-e7e8f63a520b%3Aamzn1.sym.e8da13fc-7baf-46c3-926a-e7e8f63a520b&crid=5B03O9R4R77C&cv_ct_cx=USB%2BC%2Bto%2BUSB%2BC%2Bcables&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HVcPXN2k_-qkAIQygn-twA3isvm-4BDkOQ1fdWBXsUHCJ_DZiJT0Hhuoojk-kvMvxrjgRetEfRf9zqjFJcllIg.qNHLBh_QlMmzumw8a0_xQgYwFuqc3a17n4Yo_vKx35s&dib_tag=se&keywords=USB%2BC%2Bto%2BUSB%2BC%2Bcables&pd_rd_i=B087M2K64S&pd_rd_r=5780b51f-a39a-4e9b-a891-bc13ac723f88&pd_rd_w=4gNPb&pd_rd_wg=tMxrR&pf_rd_p=e8da13fc-7baf-46c3-926a-e7e8f63a520b&pf_rd_r=YYDRR99D9866P09NQGQ4&qid=1716314571&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=usb%2Bc%2Bto%2Busb%2Bc%2Bcables%2Caps%2C112&sr=1-1-7efdef4d-9875-47e1-927f-8c2c1c47ed49-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&th=1
Greg, I definitely take notice when you recommend an ultra affordable product since you
own or review crazy high-end products. For s**** and giggles I picked one up. So far very surprised with how good the CD layer is on a SACD. Better than a 10+ year old SACD player on its own. I currently use the iFi Stream as my digital transport. My cables coming out of it are 5x the price of it.
Hello, Jeffrey! I'm really surprised with just how good this little guy is give its absurd affordability. And, it seems as if you've found a great use for it, amplifying its value even more! Thanks for watching, and taking the time to write, buddy! 😊
What power supply did you use? I u/stand that using a LPS gives better performance than a wall wart. Did the SU1 come with a power supply?
I showed you the unboxing, which clearly shows that no power supply is included. It comes with a single USB-A to USB-C cable. I used USB connectivity to deliver signal and power from - in my tests - both my Windows CAD computer/streamer or my Samsung phone. When used in my Second Space with the optical input, I used a basic Samsung Tablet Wall-Wart supply with that USB-A to USB-C cable. While many have said that the performance increases proportionally with the use of better external supplies, I was not interested in pursuing that route. If you choose to do so, be sure to share your experiences here. Thanks for watching.
Definitely a great time to be in this hobby. Some great class D amps cheap quality DACs and reasonable bookshelf speakers. Brings good sound into everyone's reach. Big difference from the 1970s. Good video
13:00 I have the same impression. For me SU-1 sounds better through optical cable than USB. I think it's because using a dedicated power supply is better than powering by USB.
That would only make sense...right? 😄
Thank you so much for this great review. I totally agree with your conclusions. Iḿ using now a remarkable setup. S.M.S.L. SU-1 dac, WiiM mini, Fosi Audio MC 101 amp and Fosi Audio P3 pre-amp. Its sounds so great. I use Magnepan LRS plus as speakers. Its great fun to use this combination. Its so musical.
Total cost of this complete set is 320 euro without the Magnepans. I recommend it all. Greetz from Holland to you.
I have this dac. Thought this was an April Fools video or something.
Nope, no joke!
Try aune x8 with sparkos opamp
I have 2 SMSL DACs and I can only agree to your statement... it's unbelievable what you can get for little money these days!
. . . not to be a spoiler, but your 2d room looks a little hard, behind your speakers, you need some softening on the walls and floor, that mattress won't cut it.
I have SU-1, streaming from my android to my Emotiva amp, into two powerd subs and out to Micca RB- 47 mains in a small room, a very inexpensive system.
In this system, MQA is a much better sound . . . Try using an after market, on line DAC, you can download, like 'USB Audio Pro' . . . in conjunction w/ the SU-1. It 'unfolds' the MQA file, giving you the complete high res performance. . . for 4 bucks. This combo has made my little system sound like 10k.
First, never having been in the room, never actually having heard the system, you somehow think yourself qualified to make ANY comment on how it actually sounds? This is a recurring problem with so many listeners today, one seemingly more frequently expressed by those with the least empirical experience base, feeling that one has any right to express an opinion on how something that they have NEVER HEARD sounds. Unfortunately, you're mistaken, as ANY of the experienced listeners who have been in the room will be happy to share with you. Not that you would care... And by the way, that "mattress," that is a dog bed not a room treatment...
Second, as to the statement "MQA is a much better sound...," as I've said repeatedly, I've heard dozens of "before and after" demos over the past decade, including several conducted by Master Quality Authenticated technology developer Meridian Audio, founded by Bob Stuart and the late Allen Boothroyd. While I am happy that you find it to be of merit, in my experiences with it since 2014, especially in a world-class rig like my reference system (www.theaudioanalyst.com/reference-system/), don't make it worth the cost of the paint it takes to label its inclusion on the DAC's faceplate. Not to put too fine a point on it, but MQA has filed for a specialized form of bankruptcy, and though the company’s assets were recently bought by Ontario-based, Lenbrook Industries, Limited, owners of the brands Bluesound, NAD, and PSB, it has run its course and - most people, like me, couldn't have cared less.
Honestly, HDCD encoding, which came out in 1986 made a more significant sonic improvement than MQA. Developed by "Professor" Keith Johnson (Reference Recordings) and Michael "Pflash" Pflaumer of Pacific MicroSonics, it worked by encoding the equivalent of 20 bits worth of data in a 16-bit digital audio signal by using custom dithering, audio filters, and some reversible amplitude and gain encoding. Those custom encodings, which did NOT require any decoding, included a Peak Extend, which is a reversible soft limiter, and a Low-Level Range Extend, which is a reversible gain on low-level signals. And guess what? Even it disappeared when people lost interest as it too was so slight an improvement.
Listen to DSD, especially at the Quad rate (DSD 256, or 11.2 MHz - 11,289,600 Hz - a rate that is 256 times denser than the Redbook CD standard of 44,100 Hz - and actually is encroaching on an analog level of signal density), and you'll begin to understand the potential of digital audio playback.
Terrible intro music