I've just realized I forgot to mention this - dial down the DPLL setting as low as you can get by without getting signal chops. In my case, I was able to go all the way to MIN. If the rest of the system is transparent enough - enjoy increased soundstage depth and improved spatial cues. Maybe not going to do much for the headphones setups but it should be more noticeable with speakers. Let me know have you tried it and did you notice any difference.
Thank you for the tip. I had DPLL set to default 5 and turning it to min was a clear improvement. Have you by the way played around with different PCM filters so far? Ive found both Fast Linear and Slow Linear to be good options, depending on music and different listening situations. Fast L producing a sharper and more detailed presentation and Slow L giving less detailed but denser and punchier sound. Other filter options I didnt care so much about. And thank you once again for your enjoyable and informative reviews.
Wow, I did this on my Mk3 that I bought after watching your review and everything sounds much better separated, especially vocals. Thank you so much! I'm looking forward to your review of the Mk3.
when i switch outputs,input( blutooth, usb, optical) , there is an audible "click" coming from the speaker, ( when use port output xlr on smsl m500 mkii) I'm worried about that noise, is it also coming from your speakers? help me, thank you ... ua-cam.com/users/shortsUvXuDtF2KCc?feature=share
You are The King in describing differences in sound quality in audio gear. I understand exactly what you mean. Very helpful. Greetings from the Netherlands.
I agree. You may be the best ever. Add your ultra-dry, slightly corny sense of humor, and Romanian (The Count) accent and you are the most pleasurable audio reviewer I recall ever having heard or read, and I have been reading U.S. and U.K. reviews since the early 80s (My first real system that I bought was an NAD 3020 and Spica TC-50's). We may be witnessing the maturation of a G.O.A.T.
You are excellent reviewer. The way you describe the sound is unmatched what comes to audio reviews in youtube IMO. There seems to be genuine deep thought meeting passionate heart in your reviews. Thank you!
So… I was looking for a DAC to replace my nice an affordable topping E30 and I found this review and made me pull the trigger for the 500 mk 2. All I gotta say is thank you! I actually compared it with a topping d30 pro (both within my budget) and the smsl just keep me captive in front of my stereo system. Thanks again!
Hi, this Review is the first I see here on YT from You and I must say I am delighted to listen to your Words and by the Effort You give us here ! And don't worry about your English, it is excellent like this Review ;-) I have subscribed to your Channel and look forward to see/hear more of these/your delicious Sound Descriptions on HiFi Gear. And yes, owning the Denafrips ARES MK1, I feel very tempted to buy the SMSL 500MK2.
As to the profusion and confusion surrounding SMSL's big array of DACs perhaps the very name of this Shenzhen based Chinese audio company explains it all. SMSL is the abbreviation of Shuang Mu San Lin Electronics Ltd, which literally means Double Woods Triple Forests -- predestined to develop into a tropical jungle ! Lately SMSL even launched a VMV series, elbowing into the mid-high audio market. By the way your vivid, metaphoric and enthusiastic rendering of the sonic characteristics of the products under review is rarely found among other HiFi reviewers. Congratualations !
Great video! Your review is so helpful. I saw the comparison between DX5 、M500 MK II & ares ii . the sound description of the M500 MK II you reviewed is impressive. May I ask have you listened the newer generation M500 MK III? I wonder if it's worth paying more for the newer. thank you
First video I've seen from this channel. Love the descriptors used and the fact that you mix and match equipment to isolate certain qualities to each piece of hardware. Only criticism is that the videos are a little slow/long. Either way you've earned a sub!
Received my 500mkii yesterday and you were 100% on the money. Completely New Listening Experience!! My 22 year old Harmon Kardon/Polk/Onkyo CD System never sounded close to this. Thank You for the informative Review🤙
These are hard topics to communicate. And you always do a great job explaining. I really appreciated the film grain analogy. I was watching an older movie on film the other day and realized how much I missed that compared to the all digital modern movies. In terms of DACs, I could see situations where you would want both types, depending on the listening. I do that with speakers. I change them out when I'm craving specific music types. Maybe another DAC should be considered for this too 😃
Great review and detailed explanation of sound qualities...pleased you are so happy with your new favourite DAC. By the time I got to the end of the video SMSL had brought out a new product.......😂😉
Hi Srboljub, I received my SMSL M500 MK2 yesterday and it was my Plan to listen to it first for 2. Weeks before coming back here, so that I can burn - in this DAC a bit, before giving my Conclusions here. And yes, the first half Hour listening to it, it sounded a bit odd to me but it did not last long and I found it after an Hour enjoyable. I connected the SMSL to the CD/AUX - In where before my DENAFRIPS Ares MK1 was connected to. So after the second Day listening to the SMSL I have to agree with You ! The SMSL is by far cleaner, notable by Piano Notes ..... they became more " carved out " to be more real and clacking Noises from a played Accordion are also more lifelike/real. And for the Bass, the ARES MK1 appears to have a bit more Texture in the upper Bass but as You pointed out also grainier, the SMSL is clearer and reaches far deeper ! Of course, this is only a first Impression, but I doubt that I will regret the GBP 352.- spend on the SMSL M500 MK2. So thank You for this really helpful and " scientific accurate " Review ! With Best Regards, Ralf
I agree with your criticism of SMSL with their practice of producing a mind-boggling array of products with indecipherable names. I was however intrigued by this unit. I own a Denafrips Ares II and I find it’s sound to be airier than anything I’ve heard before. This DAC for 1/2 price makes me consider changing but many of the things you describe about the Ares, I’d hate to give up. The most significant being the wide soundstage. It does as good a job as my turntable with an Ortofon 2M blue in terms of creating a roomful of music. Anyway, great description, great review. I really enjoy your content.
@@JayJay-ee6kr thanks for saying that, I have a Pcm56 R2R dac coming in the next couple days, was thinking of buying the M500 MkIi after my system improved so much getting a Loxjie D30, was wondering if it could get even better with this one, hopefully the R2R will satisfy my need to improve things. I’ll probably save for the Pontus in the long run.
@@TheSinclairmoore The M500 Mkii is a good dac, I like it better now that I am bypassing my dirty spdif output by using usb (my spdif signal was flattening space). It has greater clarity and focus (like putting on sharper glasses) than the r2r but the r2r is sufficiently detailed in my system. I like the cheap r2r because the mids are less loud, the spatial image is literally laid further back, more room to breathe. It also has a texture I like. I will keep both dacs as preamp input options but would not buy the smsl again mostly because I generally prefer less prominent mids/treble so I can turn up the rhythm section. I imagine the Ares2 is the real upgrade I need but it's twice the price. I hope one of these manufacturers really does make a 'better' and cheaper dac than Ares2.
SMSL is competing with itself. I imagine there are several DAC engineering teams inside SMSL like SU team, M-square team, M-flat team, DO team or I don’t know something like that team. And if their product sells, they get promotions. Just guessing. Nothing wrong with it except that reviewers will have a lot of work to do. Enthusiastic review. It helps me a lot. Thanks.
Excellent !! I really like your assessment of this DAC. It sounds as if it might pair well with the buffer I use which requires XLR input from the DAC. It is a serious buffer developed by Spacetech in Canada and it opens up the soundstage and brings forth air. I really enjoy your verbal descriptions of audio equipment and this review was no exception. Keep up the good work!!!! You are right up there with the top 3 audio reviewers that I pay attention to on a regular basis. I am sure I am not alone.
Your video makes me change my mind right away. I was going to buy SU9n, I canceled my command and buy M500mkii. It sounds brillant, it's wonderful, thank you very much. Though, it looks like smsl hasn't listened to you because there is now the M500 Mk3 , and i fully agree with you, too many dacs from smsl.
Been considering upgrading my DAC and based upon your review, am going to try this unit. Had been leading towards the denefrip ares 2. Have been listening to a schitt modi 3, which sounds pretty good to my ear. Am looking forward to hooking up this m500!! Saw it advertised today for U.S. $395. Will let you know how it sounds. Thank You for the review🤙
Another great review! Love your enthusiasm and desperate struggle to get across what you hear. The SMSL comes across as a genuinely promising DAC. Thanks for the heads up!
I am glad I came across this review. First of all, I have to confess, I have never used an external DAC before. So, the fact that you found the SMSL M500 MK II this amazing at such an entry level price point really makes me want to try it saving me from diving into the deep end from the word go on something more expensive such as the D1se, D2 , Qutest or even the Holo Spring 3. Your review, not just this one, but others too are nothing short of amazing and a breath of fresh air. You are born to do this. You have this uncanny ability to describe the sound in a way with the use of such an expansive vocab that is easily comprehensible. With regards to the M500 MK II particularly, when I start hearing how you describe the nature of its sound, it struck a chord with me pretty much immediately. Reason being is the descriptions you used such as punchy, fast and taught bass, sweet midrange and extended highs are very similar to how reviewers describe the sound of my amp. I am currently using the Roksan Blak Integrated. This is exactly the type of sound I like. But, my question to you is if I already have a punchy and lush amp, will it be too much to pair it up with a DAC that is also punchy and lush? I am only asking this because when you are building a system, very often is about balance. For example, many people probably wouldn't pair a fast and exciting amp such as a Naim with a bright pair of speakers such as the B&W 702 S2. It is kind of like double-downing on the same sound characteristics and traits on multiple components of a system. Or are DACs different in the sense that the sound difference they make is much more subtle? Bottom line is this, do you think the M500 MK II will match well with the Roksan Blak? Will look forward to hearing your feedback. Thanks!
Hi! I've heard Blak only in the show room, it sounded great and neutral there with Monitor Audio Platinum but I can't judge much about its tonality in an unfamiliar system. That said, in my opinion two devices of a similar sound can match really nicely if that character is not overwhelmingly deviating from the neutral, which I don't think is the case for either component here. My own preamp/amp setting is full and punchy sounding compared to most and I still like how it sounds with DACs with similar character.
@@iiWiReviews when the time comes to upgrade ur speakers. Try dali rubicon2s if not dali epicon2s. They r simple far superior than ls50s. Dalis have beautiful imaging and , soundstage (when placed far from the back wall ca. 70cm). I A/B them b4 buying (ls50 and dalis). And I heard that blak and ma platinum 300 II combo. man, those r some speakers fiew!, they sound grandiose. And I dunno what usb cable u r using but for sparkles on top go for dh labs mirage and for air, laid back and soundstage go for audioquest coffee usb. I think our systems r sort of same tier so I wanted to be useful. I go innuos zenmini mk3 (so good)>> audioquest coffee >> smsl d1se >> yamaha 2100>> dali rubicon2s.
After using M500 V1 I decided to buy mk2 and omg! I felt exactly the same quality. The soundstage and 3D feel immediately caught me in and the dynamics, the energy the presentation are indeed very good. I think it performs much better than its price point.
When moving from M500 V1 to M500 MKII was the rest of your system the same? I have the M500 V2 and it seems to match everything that was described in this review. However, I still prefer the organic sound of the Ares II as it seems to have a better synergy with my class A amplifiers. I use my M500 V2 with the DA-9 and Sony SC-CS5 + Klipsch sub and its a pretty toe-tapping combination.
I plan on using the M500 MkII instead of my Topping D70S for faster paced and bassy or agressive music [EDM, Metal, Pop, etc]. Would you say that the DAC section of this is well-suited for this task? Should be better than the D70S, hopefully. I liked your sample videos showing off the M500 btw. Thanks, Erim!
@@r00s. I have this more than a week now and Im totally impressed with the value of this DAC. I have Matrix Audio X Sabre OG as my main system and tried this one and couldn't hear huge difference other than the Matrix Audio has a slightly tighter bass and a slightly bigger stage and a tad bit more pinpoint accuracy. The cost is a huge difference. Last time i bougth Topping D70s but sold it right after as it sounds so 2D and lifeless compared to X Sabre i have. Now since I own SMSL M500, it is almost redundant now as it is so good competing with the real TOTLS. (Copy and pasted from my comment, hope this helps)
"I felt exactly the same quality" so your saying that if you have a MK1 the MK2 is not a worthy upgrade? I'm thinking about getting a used MK1 for 220 EUR so not sure if the MK2 if worth 2x the price (although it will be new out of the box)
Totally agreed with you about that chinese way of creating such insane amount of products… thinking about Xiaomi and so many other companies on electronics, mobile phones… that feeling of “ok I had enough and I will look somewhere else”. I also avoided paying attention on Smsl, Topping, Gustard and any other chifi product becuase of that and also because of they used to care only about measures and being on top of the list for that reason. In fact I wasnt interested on this review when I read “smsl” but then I think I will also consider this Dac. My top of the list is still Chord Qutest and Ares II but who knows, maybe M500 looks like an option now. By the way, I really like your reviews, found your channel just a few days ago but I am really enjoying it. Keep it up! Greetings from Spain.
Similiar situation to me, I join this comment in relation to the search new one DAC and also recently I discover your easy to follow reviews (I m not native english speaker) and impressive explanation of sonority ( my current DAC is Topping d50s). Regards Max, seeing this video from Panama!
After your review I was ready to buy this dac but the new mk3 version has just become available. The new version brings several technical improvements but my fear is that it doesn't have those sound characteristics that you highlighted.... Can anyone tell me the sound differences between the two products does the new version retain the same fleshiness and solidity of sound? The same slightly warm timbre and not flat. Thanks
В первые в жизни встречаю такого человека так описывающим аппаратуру столь просто и понятно простым человеческим языком до боли знакомым простым людям удивлён таким человек. Здоровья тебе и всех благ человек скурпулезно описывающий всё до мелочей нет ни надменности в твоих словах ни скептицизма удачи тебе на твоём попроще.
А учитывая, что Srboljub серб, он даже по английски понятно говорит, без каши во рту. Очень рад, что практически случайно наткнулся на такого классного обзорщика.
Recently got a Mk III, it needed a bit of time from new for the sound to settle wasn't hugely impressed out of the box but it now sounds outstanding! I feel this one has that tangible presence in the midrange as well but dynamics, separation and space is also stunning. I know it's basically the same unit but chip tweaked further and a better power supply which is probably one of if not the most critical parts of any hi-fi. It's sounds fantastic, it's remarkable we can have this level of performance for this money now. It's a great do it all unit but again the DAC is phenomenal.
I’m thinking about the Mk III as well. Seems pretty good if someone is willing to trade in their Ares II for one of these. How are you finding the sound and features now that you have had it for a while?
Excellent review mate, the way you described it made a lot of sense to me. You are very good at communication mate. i would love to see you do a review on the k9 pro ess along with a comparison to m500. Thanks a lot mate
I've been thinking for a while that companies like SMSL buy a bunch of components when they get a good price and turn them into a DAC. Then when stocks run down they buy a bunch of different components and build a different DAC. So it's either small run specialisation or opportunistic and almost random.
These Chinese companies will also fake these chips and throw an extra letter at the end and say they are a "Texas Instrument" for example. There ALL counterfeit chips and some sound good (I always wonder what they would sound like with real ones) but SMSL have the same digital bright sound that I guess is what the kids are looking for these day, hell I don't know.
@@2ridiculous41 well, look at he chip with your eyeballs and then look up the data sheet for it. EDIT : Also look at the screen print on the chip the real ones dont look like that now fuck off!!
Great review, Srboljub. I am seriously considering one of these. Before I saw this video I was wondering "is it Worth it?" It appears to be very worth it. 😉 Cheers from USA!
Finally someone said it, I really can't get soundstage in headphones, let alone earphones and iems. Also Dude come on, I just sold my M500 and ordered a Yulong Da-art Aurora.
Echo the previous comments, you are really good describing /articulating the sound. Agreed, a lot of Chinese brands don't understand the concept of "Brand dilution"
Thank you like many for your reviews, you have a wonderful interpretation !!!! TOP !!!! I looked for the right dac and I went from the "best" without finding a musical balance for my tastes. I'm almost certainly looking for the sound you are describing to me with smsl m500mk2! at a much lower price. I think it's worth a try!!! is it still the reference dac in your system? thank you
I have an SA300 paired with a M500 V1 currently that’s been nice. I just ordered an AO200 and DO200 for another system. Hoping the DAC is as enjoyable as you’ve described this one. Thanks for the reviews.
I have this more than a week now and Im totally impressed with the value of this DAC. I have Matrix Audio X Sabre OG as my main system and tried this one and couldn't hear huge difference other than the Matrix Audio has a slightly tighter bass and a slightly bigger stage and a tad bit more pinpoint accuracy. The cost is a huge difference. Last time i bougth Topping D70s but sold it right after as it sounds so 2D and lifeless compared to X Sabre i have. Now since I own SMSL M500, it is almost redundant now as it is so good competing with the real TOTLS.
Hi may I know what genre of music you listen to? I notice the emphasis on this superb review was towards electronic/pop music. But what about jazz-ish kinda music. Does it bring out equal richness, body and smoothness. Would you consider this an involving dac, where one simply engages the emotions of the listener- toe tapping kind or just a more energetic, pacy and clean sounding dac without too much of emotion? Am asking as I intend to get this or the M400 dac to connect with my node 2i. I have a Schitt Freya + preamp and A2300 XTZ power amp and Klipsch 6000f speakers. Appreciate your views.
I've had the S.M.S.L M300 MKII for a couple years now and I've been pretty happy with it. For 250 new its most likely the only dac I'll ever need. I do agree though they keep over saturating the market with to many similar products.
Great review. I've tried the MKii but I have no use for it. I still use my M500 mk1 paired up with my SH-9. If you're going to use the M500 as only a dac. I don't see a need to upgrade as the M500 mk1 and mk2 sound the same DAC wise. If you need the extras from the mk2 though, go for it. Still amazing 😊
I think I will buy a used MK1 for 220EUR then if there is no difference... or really small difference. Currently I'm using Aune X1S on my Edifier Airpulse A100. Do you think it's worth the upgrade?
So I ordered today the SMSL 500 MK2 from the SHENZHENAUDIO Web - Page and I am looking forward to connect it to my Willsenton R8 Tube Amp over the Pre-In Input,what was not possible with the Denafrips ARES MK1 because the ARES has only fixed Outputs ! If the SMSL 500 MK2 is really better, what I still will miss is the amount of Inputs that the Denafrips ARES provides, two Coax and two Optical plus USB. But I guess for the Price I should not complain.
Thanks! Loved your review! You are the best DAC reviewer on UA-cam! Your review convinced me to buy the M500 MKiii unit. When going through the menu options, I do not see an item for SPDIF Mode. Does your unit include this in the menu? I am baffled on how to access this and select between "Normal Mode" and "Processor Mode". From what I can tell, you have to select "Processor Mode" to get the full decoding when playing MQA tracks. Srboljub, your help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks for your support! 🙏 If you don't see SPDIF mode in settings, that can mean only one thing - SMSL probably uses only Processor mode now. Truly, there is no reason for them to include the other one. This is only an educated guess since I didn't receive my MKIII unit in the end (due to the series of mishaps).
I think you should also consider reviewing the S.M.S.L DO200 in order to compete with the same brand's MKii now, so that we can understand the subtle differences and get the best bang for the buck stuff. As always great review that can b trusted 👍
Great review. I too have kept the Ares II until now after comparing to D90/X16/SU9 and many others. Is the MKii as forward sounding as Ares II? When you are listening to vocals, do you feel the singer is right in front of you or you are a few rows back?
I purchased a SMSL Sanskrit Mk2 based on your review for my office system and love it. I was considering a Denafrips Arries Mk2 for my main system and now reconsidering that idea, so thanks for the heads up on this new SMSL M500 Mk2 it’s food for thought.
@@virgogreg I saw a UA-cam video on that just the other day and it looks good. I have a little SMSL Sanskrit Mk2 on my desktop system with a liner and regulated power supply and it out performs an older much more expensive Wyred 4 Sound DAC. Good buying.
@@paulpavlou9294 the Aries 2 was good but the keeping switched it on all the time , and the M500mk2 had better dynamics and other slightly better SQ sold me
@@virgogreg let me know how you feel about it after burning in and living with it for a while. I’m tempted to get one myself as it sounds like an absolute bargain.
Thank you for another great review. Denafrips DACs like the Ares II and Pontus II compete with DACs that are twice their price, with the Ares II being considered by many to be the best sub €1000 DAC. Taking into account the amount of Delta Sigma DACs that come out every month to the market, I consider DACs with R2R technology, a more "safe/smart" purchase from a purely economic point of view, for this reason and also for all their characteristics, no wonder you kept Ares II on your system for so long. That said, I have to admit that I'm surprised by your choice because you kept Ares II when you reviewed Tradutto, due to the way the way Ares II handled voices. Honestly, I wasn't expecting a Delta Sigma DAC to defeat the Ares II, after your review of Traduttto. Anyway, this is excellent news for me because I was saving money for the Ares II and so I only need to save half of what I needed initially.
Ares is a really good and easy to recommend DAC, but somehow never made me wanting leaving it in my setup, also Pontus (first gen), i don't find them entertaining and somehow they are out of balance between fun / dynamics, precession and size of instruments / vocals. On the other hand Chord DACs (Mojo and Qutest) somehow do that thing for me better, even MOJO first gen, I did mistake of not staying with Qutest. But I find old Aqua La Voce on the rack and RME ADI2FS (both of them have some restrictions in the depth of stage, but also some pluses in the kick and go style and balance) somewhere in between and really satisfying, your description of SMSL M500mk2 is somehow calling me to try it. GOOD JOB!
very interesting, i compared su-9n and this dac descriptions on official site, and the only real distinction is usb module, the m500 uses the newly one. you are using Pi2AES with coax output to dac? so usb differences on this dacs must not affect the sound in your case
Are you gonna test the Mk3 ?? :-D please don't lol. Anyway thanks a lot again, after many hours listenting to Qobuz I realise I would have done a huge mistake (if i haven't seen your review ) buying the SU9n , or worst the M400. I trust you 100% that is the best dac. I'm SO impressed by the basses, such a huge difference, so much more punchy but also cleaner i think, you can ear all the notes even in the lowest basses. My HS8S and HS8 have never been so happy, they feel new actually. Best regards..
I compared the M500 Mkii to my Topping E30 both through usb and not surprisingly the smsl is in another league with major improvement in every aspect. Besides the obvious clarity and focus improvement, texture and spatial image are noticeably better. Whilst there are some aspects of my other cheap r2r dac I like (the different approach probably), the smsl and E30 share a similar approach but the smsl achieves it much better.
Hi Srboljub, Nice job on your thoughtful, engaging videos! Much appreciated. I find myself looking to build a good moderately priced system, but am relatively new to this arena. After reading your positive review of the SMSL A300 I was wondering if this would be a good staring point. After reading your positive review of SMSL M500 MKII DAC unit, do I understand you correctly that this will also work well as a stand alone unit? Or would you suggest an additional power source using SMSL M500 MKII for its good DAC qualities? If the later, would you pair with the SMSL A300 or are there others you might suggest? Also would you have any recommendations for good bookshelf sized speakers for paring? Recently I have been considering Polk Signature Elite ES-15 and the Q Acoustics 3020i. Many thanks in advance.
Nice presentation! I was wondering if su9n or m500km2 would be more suitable for rock music and also if these dacs are considerably better than the ones incorporated in Audiolab 7000a or Yamaha RN1000a integrated amps?!
Great explanations differentiating it with Ares II, but I’m wondering how much of your preference for the fuller sound of the M500 MkII is because it’s compensating some what for the character of your LS50s, which I find rather lean in the mids and bass. Would be interesting to know what you think of the DAC when paired with completely different speakers. Then there’s the amp you used, but I guess that complicates things even more.
I do have some gear that I can circle to test if needed, and friends that I can carry a DAC to to test it in a completely different system that I also know... And I do that if needed. But actually LS50 when powered with a powerhouse and aided by a subwoofer doesn't sound that lean. REL T5x fills things out very nicely. All that aside, pairing is very important of course, as well as personal taste... that's why I try to compare it with as much DACs as possible, so you don't rely just on my isolated impression that can be biased but know what to expect compared to other devices that you might have heard too (Denafrips, Topping, Gustard, etc.).
You should try a better old Sound Blaster X-Fi card with 3D Virtual function, no DAC can compete with it in in your face emotional vocals and palpable 3D effect, once heard you can't go back to DACs, closed or BR box is great, but if you try it OB, or even better No Baffle with wide/full range units (together with bass helpers closed or BR), you won't believe what is happening, the whole room becomes sound stage, even behind you near or far away high in the air, bass is 3D layered floating in the room and you are in a spaceship somewhere in deep space (some Yello song), you are no longer just listening to music, you are actively taking part in it, it's the best thing in audio and no one knows about it. Someone should really make a DAC that has that 3D Virtual DSP function.
Interesting this review, man, this M500 looks great, I have a good suggestion for you, to do a review in this depth about the Allo Revolution DAC, comparing it with the Topping E30, M500 or Ares II, if I could I would send you one.
I put my money where your mouth has been, not the exact expression but good enough! I just bought the 500 Mkll and hope it does all that you have mentioned in this video. I own several Schiit models so I am seeking something similar YET different to add to my audio components. Thanks for sharing!
@@dungysphincter7974 It should be here tomorrow, I will be comparing it to the Bifrost 2 and will give an update in a few days. I did briefly own the Ares 2 and found it slow and lacking clarity yet musical.
@@dungysphincter7974 I couldn't resist waiting so here are my initial impressions, HOWEVER, it may need burn-in but I don't expect it to change much. USB is OK but the Bifrost is superior as for Optical (using a quality glass cable) a bit better but I would still take the Bifrost any day over the SMSL. I did not try Coaxial. SMSL top end is pinched off lacking the clarity of the Bifrost and I'm not talking about brightness! Bifrost is noticeably more open and spatial.
Your review really got me interested in this DAC. I am still using my Schiit Modi Multibit V2 in my setup and I really like it. I know you have owned this DAC as well and liked it a lot too. How would you say the M500 MKll performs vs the Multibit V2? Would it be a big upgrade or just a sidegrade? I am using a node 2i as streamer only, Wharfedale Linton speakers + a great sub and a Naim Nait XS integrated amplifier. As always, thanks for your great reviews 🙏
I believe it would be a very decent upgrade with more precise bass, cleaner edges, better separation, and more energy overall. But all of that said I have to be cautious and say that still doesn't mean you can't simply prefer Mimby and its very thick presentation.
@@iiWiReviews I understand. Would you say the Mimby has a even thicker presentation than the M500 MKll? You have described both DACs to have a quite full-bodied sound.
I will strongly consider buying this DAC. I really like the things you mention! Especially that you get more precise bass, cleaner edges and more energy in general!
Hmm, I wouldn't say Mimby is thicker as much as it is more bloomy in the midbass. I feel that at its core M500 MKII sounds as much full-bodied as Mimby but simply more focused, with better-defined edges. Attack on M500 MKII is better too, it sounds striking and contrasty whereas Mimby is more rounded and kind of fatty sounding. I do love Schiit MM, and I still recommend it often to US viewers, but I feel like M500 MKII is a better DAC overall. It does some things that MM does great too, but then it improves on some of its shortcomings. That's just my opinion, but given that I've moved from Mimby to Ares II, and now to M500 MKII, it's only logical that I feel it's better than both.
@@iiWiReviews Thank you very much! It makes a lot of sense to me 🙏 This could easily be my next DAC. Sounds like a wonderful DAC, especially for the money!
One more question and suggestion: How do you compare the M500MKII vs. the M500MK3 with the current discounted price on the MK2 hovering under $250.00? Is there another DAC at this price point to consider? Suggestion: Show more of the display options on the tested DAC's to see if it will display both the volume level and bit rate/freq on the same screen and can you switch between these modes with the remote??? Thanks again.
@iiWi Reviews - Another insightful DAC review! Would be great to see you review the just released SMSL D-6 DAC ($169), which has 2x the new production AKM AK4493s chips. I'll be buying a DAC soon (using your affiliate links of course) and will probably get the SMSL M500 MKII, but would prefer to pay less (plus don't use headphones) and am very curious about the resurrection of AKM. Many thanks!
Great review as always. I'm sorry if I missed this, but did you try it direct USB from a PC as well as via a streamer? I find a streamer can fix a lot of jitter / noise that cause fatigue.
Thanks! Yes, I always listen to all inputs but a dedicated streamer that I'm powering with a linear power supply is always superior to a general purpose PC. All of my music goes through Pi2AES streamer... Even the files from PC are streamed that way cause it has cleaner sound and darker background compared to USB connection directly from PC.
I think I'm on overload from watching your terrific videos. I've now eliminated the E70velvet in favor of the SU9-Ultra or this M500MKii. But... what do you think of the newer M500mkIII? I'm surprised that none of the M500's are using the latest ESS 9039Pro DAC. What kind of difference would you think this would offer....in otherwords, is waiting in order. So... based on my experience with previous AKM DAC's I'm trying to decide between the SU-9 Ultra or M500mk3??? Your thoughts and/or opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for the great vids and reviews. Your unique presentations are refreshing, informative and not too overburdened with details, that as you say, can be read. Thanks again!
@iiWiReviews i've since been looking at the bewer DL300 and DO300EX. Both with the newest AKM chipset which seems be gathering a lot of converts and followers with all the features of the SU-9 Ultra (give ir take a few Op-amps). New midels have upgraded archetecture and lower prices. Beginning to think O dont need headphone jacks since these would go into a room audio system. Any experience with these 2.newer models?
Love the thoroughness in your reviews! Hey, disregarding everything else, considering only the sound of the dac output, which would you pick between this and the ProJect Pre Box S2 that you reviewed some time ago?
I just bought this unit after seeing your review, as an upgrade for my Topping e30 II, and what can i say ? I'm in awe to see how huge the gap is. Especially in the hollography. The e30 2 sound completely flat and 2D,compare to it with my Utopia. For 200€ nowaday, it's a complete bargain and in this universe of diminishing return, it's a miracle.
SMSL…EH. I use Pontus II. I like warm and juicy, but can put on sharp filter if I was edgier.🙂 Yesterday I pre-ordered my Pi2Design Mercury Streamer and high quality I2S cable to plug into my DAC. I hope that you will be reviewing The Mercury Streamer! LOVE your detailed reviews! 😁
Hi, great review! Can you please tell me if there's any/major difference in sound quality between the single ended RCA output vs the balanced xlr output for m500 mkii?
I can say that balanced does have more clarity and dynamics bite... But its really really difficult to say how much is because of the DAC itself and how much because of the preamp that really prefers balances connection (its a true dual mono balances design that always sound better with this connection). Basically, if the rest of the system is truly balanced too, that connection will always sound superior because it just is technically. Moving to RCA, I can't divide DAC's RCA influence from the preamp's RCA influence... But the overall difference is that RCA sounds more blend, less dynamic, and slightly less detailed.
Nicely done review. I have the D70s and have found it to be a really enjoyable dac. I think it excels with bass, midbass and does show some depth in the music. All in all, I know what you mean when describing Topping dacs and I think the D70s was the best overall balance of attributes among Topping offerings to date. And, in a pinch I could hookup an amp and use its' digital volume control which are decent although not as desirable as a stand alone pre, but that adds cost as well. I always thought from reviews that SMSL favored smooth and warm vs the more neutral presentation of Topping and until recently, Gustard might have favored bright/more analytical. Also, Topping had a reputation for reliability and longevity in their products from what I read. SMSL at the time had more complaints about early failures and lack of responding to customers' issues while under warranty, so hence I went for the perceived safer option. Still, the d70s is no slouch and is probably going to be a "classic" in the terms of Topping discontinued offerings, if there is such a thing. That all said, the SMSL M500 MKII pretty much tics all the boxes for me and would be on the list if I needed another dac. What I would prefer, or what I ultimately want in any dac device, but specifically mentioned re the SMSL M500 MKII is to drop/or at least offer a non headphone amp version and rather provide a decent pre section to be able to hookup a power amp, even though I tend to use integrated. If the pre section were good enough, and sufficiently of low distortion and high enough output, imagine the possibilities of amps at various budgets? For example, under and up to the quality of a Benchmark and at a smaller and lighter size whether class A/AB/D? If your source and pre aren't up to par, then a benchmark wouldn't be worth it. There are alot of amps available near the price of a Benchmark and under, well under that would benefit from an solid dac/pre section especially for around $400 to 600 price range. A nice, tidy setup. Add a streamer/disc player, etc and away you go. Also a variable voltage output say 2 to 4v on RCA and 4 to 8v on XLR would be cool. I like the 2.5/5.0v on the D70s. Works well with my setup. My guess is I get a wider stage vs the added depth of the M500 MKII. More body to the frequency range would be nice as well but I wouldn't just swap it out for that reason alone as the overall performance is still pretty good in my system. Either way, can't fault the M500 MKII for its' price/performance. Currently using: Keces E40 Topping D70s Marantz CD6006 (as transport) Focal 807w In reserve, I have a Hegel h160 which while it has arguably better better SQ and power, especially noticeable at higher volumes (which I no longer listen at) is sufficiently matched with the Keces E40, well enough at least at the volumes I listen at for either music or movies. Trying to decide on whether to upgrade the speakers, something smaller of larger. Right now looking at Philharmonic BMR standmount, Musician Knight 1, among a few others. The Keces E40 might well be enough, if not, I still have the hegel. As for dacs, I don't want to drop tons of money on them. Amps and speakers I can get fixed locally. Dacs...likely easier to replace. If they make an MKII with a good pre section...I'd buy that, even if I don't need it now. I have had too much coffee this morning.
Agreed on D70s. Easily the best tuning that I've heard from Topping and still one of the best under one thousand. Even though I like this one more, it doesn't mean that everyone would, and the difference is probably not big enough to justify the hassle anyway. Also, you have a nice system there. Enjoy the music and cheers! BTW, I've had too much coffee today to... And no breakfast. 😅
Also, I just remembered, with SMSL and Loxjie in the past I had optical connectivity issues. The optical inputs just weren't secure. No click in but rather they would remain loosely connected or even fall out on their own while I listened.
I agree about Topping d70s, it's great, full midrange, dense, dynamic with extremely clean highs. Srboljub probably did not tested it with XLR output that is much better than RCA, on RCA the sound is uninteresting and slightly flat. The other factor that makes d70s shine is use of Pre90 preamplifier (a must, great combination IMO). But anyway SMSL might be good as well. These budget DAC's give such a performance that 20.000 USD dacs are unnecessary.
@@marcinwasilewski5414 Right now using it via RCAs but with better equipment, I can switch over to XLR. The higher voltage output would add some body. As RCA output is concerned, it is pretty good.
So forgetting the price which would you buy for yourself, the SMSL M500MK2 or the Topping E70 velvet? I've always prefered AKM dacs but again those differences are really hard to describe. Have you experienced any problems with the SMSL? There have been reports of short period failures???? BTW... GREAT reviews...love your style!!!
The difference between these two is not big but E70 Velvet is a slightly better, more revealing sounding DAC. I personally never had a problem with any SMSL device but I don't use them for long. The M500 MKII is the one that I used the longest, some 8 months probably.
Hello :) Now, that the newer (mk3) version of SMSL m500 is available, will you be doing a review against the mk2 please? I would really appreciate it and I'm interested :) Thank you from Slovakia :)
I've had the MK I for 2 years now... Apart from the display going wonky just after 3 months, this is indeed a solid DAC. Really thinking of upgrading to three MKII
Hi, I am using KEF Q150 with SMSL A300 based on your recommendations and I'm loving it! I'm still in the need of DAC and by reading your comments from all of the videos I narrowed it down to: M500 mk2, SU6, C200, D300, Sanskrit 10th mk2. Do you think I will feel the difference by spending twice as much on M500 in comparison to for example 10th mk2 on my budget KEF's? I'm kind of starting to lean to the tactic of getting the cheapest one I can find from mentioned above...but well would be nice to know your take on this as you simply don't miss :D
I think you would notice the difference, but it is not as big as price suggests. Skip C200 if you don't need a headphone amplifier. Skip D300 too in my opinion. Choose between SU6 and M500 MKII according to your budget and you will not make a mistake no matter which one you take.
Hi, I’m new to the AMP & DAC world and I truly love your review, it’s so easy to follow and your description to sound is the best one I’ve seen. I have a question tho, at this price range, would you recommend this SMSL or E50+L50 stack? I’m only gonna listen with cable so Bluetooth is not a factor here. Thank you!
I tried the SMSL M500mkii as a replacement for my old Schiit Modi3. I found the SMSL had good sound stage and great top end, but lacked energy in the low bass; this might not get noticed with speakers that don't go really low. I went with the Sabaj a20d 2022. The Sabaj sounds great and is not missing the low bass.
This one just look way better than DX5 and element iii... but for a similar prices must of us would fall for topping L50/E50 stack just for the extra power.
MQA? Excellent review. I'm getting one for one of my systems. Not sure if I should use it with my Yamaha CDS - 1000 or my Bluesound Node (latest version). Your thoughts? I thonk you have one of the best channels and I have been on audio for over 50 years!
Thanks for the praise! It does support MQA fully, both on its USB and SPDIF inputs. Regarding CDP vs streamer, I suspect that Node 2i would benifit more from it.
@@iiWiReviews I agree I have both! Right now I don't use any DAC with my CD player. I'm using a Schitt Modi on my 2i, none on my other Bluesound Node. You're up late!
Srboljub, I just got the Edifier Airpulse A100, an was wonering if it's worth upgrading from my old Aune X1S to the M500 MK1, or perhaps the MK2? I can get a used MK1 for 220EUR so I was wondering whether the extra 200EUR for a new MK2 DAC is worth the price?
Thanks for your hard work! You are the best audio reviewer I've seen on UA-cam! I have Topping e50 + linear power supply Topping p50. should I replace them with SMSL 500 mk2? I have slightly bright HF acoustics and a little flatter LF (Jamo D830). I want more body in the sound. What DACs are worth paying attention to under $800? I listen mostly to heavy music, different styles of metal and rock. Thanks!
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for your reply! Do you think it's worth paying extra for the m500 mk2 even if I don't need a headphone amp? His DAC really beats the e50 level and is the best in the budget under $800-$1000 in your opinion?
Love your videos! Your SMSL D300 review had me nearly sold until I watched this video. Lol. Now I'm torn between the D300, M500 mkii/iii and the D0200. Please help! I understand pairing is everything. My speakers are Polk Reserve R200 and my headphones setup is the Little Dot MKIII tube with Senn HD650. My music consists primary of female vocals, new age, jazz and soft rock but I really own a bit of everything. Thanks!
Hello. Thank you for such an interesting and useful review of the DAC M500 MKII. SMSL recently released another low cost DAC that might be even more interesting in terms of the sound quality/price ratio - SMSL DO100. ASR measured it and the results are impressive. Now, as a user, I'm having a hard time choosing between the M500 MKII and the DO100, given the fact that I don't need a headphone amp, just high-quality sound on active monitors. Are you planning to test DO100 or have any thoughts?
Hi, my D0100 arrived already but I didn't have time to test it yet... Going to do that as soon as I return from a vacation trip. I think that review should be up in the next two weeks.
Yes there is. All modern DAC chips are multichannel anyway, so they are perfectly capable of outputting true balanced signal... And if the receiving device (preamp or integrated) is also truly balanced (having differential circuitry to negate EMI noise) then using it should always have an advantage over single-ended.
Hi Srboljub, Did you have the opportunity to try the M500 MKII with SMSL DA-9 amplifier? If yes, was it a good match? In this price range (~US$700) and in your opinion, do you think there’s a better combination to be used with speakers (SMSL AO200 + M500 MKII for example)? Regards from Brazil
Thanks for the great review! I just picked this up and am not noticing any change in the sound color options. Do you hear a difference? I’m wondering if my unit is faulty. What software version do you have?
Sound color, as well as PCM filter, makes very subtle changes. Some people reported to barley notice the difference. For examples I can't differentiate them much on a headphone output... But can in my speaker setup. BTW, can't see that firmware version is displayed anywhere in the UI so not sure how to check it.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for the quick response. I found the software version under the reset option. You can select that option without actually resetting it.
Last question on this topic. When I switch PCM filter there is a pause in the audio. When I switch sound color I do not have a pause in the audio. Is that the same for you? Thanks again
Not great probably. That is a line out with decently high voltage but no current driving capability (meant to feed a very high impedance amplifier, not suited to push current into low impedances of headphones). That higher current drive is added to the headphone output by additional op amps that are not present on the line out section. Because of that most linen outs can't push good drive and dynamics. Only portable DACs mix all of this in one output... But they often have a sensing circuitry that will detect low or high impedances on the output, switching to head-amp when needed (headphones) and omitting it when really high impedance of the external amp is detected. OK, I went to much into the engineer mode here. 😅
Xduoo launched a budget dac mu-601 back in november, but I still can't find any reviews of it, written or video. Is this a product you have looked at or know anything about?
Hi Srboljub, great review. Can I ask if you maybe know if this DAC supports MQA rendering or decoding (or both) through coaxial or optical inputs? I am looking for a DAC to connect to my Bluesound Node 2i streamer which has optical and coaxial outs. Some DACs do not support MQA through one of these outs, but some of them do. So I was wondering if you maybe know the answer to this question before I pull the plug and get this DAC :) Thanks.
I've just realized I forgot to mention this - dial down the DPLL setting as low as you can get by without getting signal chops. In my case, I was able to go all the way to MIN. If the rest of the system is transparent enough - enjoy increased soundstage depth and improved spatial cues. Maybe not going to do much for the headphones setups but it should be more noticeable with speakers. Let me know have you tried it and did you notice any difference.
Thank you for the tip. I had DPLL set to default 5 and turning it to min was a clear improvement.
Have you by the way played around with different PCM filters so far?
Ive found both Fast Linear and Slow Linear to be good options, depending on music and different listening situations. Fast L producing a sharper and more detailed presentation and Slow L giving less detailed but denser and punchier sound.
Other filter options I didnt care so much about.
And thank you once again for your enjoyable and informative reviews.
Will you have the chance to compare it to the Cambridge Audio Dac Magic 200m?
And if your sound is cutting out now and then when gaming or watching a movie/tv... dial the DPLL up
Wow, I did this on my Mk3 that I bought after watching your review and everything sounds much better separated, especially vocals. Thank you so much! I'm looking forward to your review of the Mk3.
when i switch outputs,input( blutooth, usb, optical) , there is an audible "click" coming from the speaker, ( when use port output xlr on smsl m500 mkii)
I'm worried about that noise, is it also coming from your speakers?
help me, thank you ...
ua-cam.com/users/shortsUvXuDtF2KCc?feature=share
I really like your descriptions of the sound. You do this better than any other reviewer.
You are The King in describing differences in sound quality in audio gear. I understand exactly what you mean. Very helpful. Greetings from the Netherlands.
I agree. You may be the best ever. Add your ultra-dry, slightly corny sense of humor, and Romanian (The Count) accent and you are the most pleasurable audio reviewer I recall ever having heard or read, and I have been reading U.S. and U.K. reviews since the early 80s (My first real system that I bought was an NAD 3020 and Spica TC-50's). We may be witnessing the maturation of a G.O.A.T.
@@BigDawgTE He's Serbian though
Your descriptions of sound are amazing and you are one of my favorite audio reviewers...
RESPECT! 🙌🏼
You are excellent reviewer. The way you describe the sound is unmatched what comes to audio reviews in youtube IMO. There seems to be genuine deep thought meeting passionate heart in your reviews. Thank you!
Love your adjectives!! Your learned English better than 99% of US born folk. The SMSL folk owe you a nice lunch.
So… I was looking for a DAC to replace my nice an affordable topping E30 and I found this review and made me pull the trigger for the 500 mk 2. All I gotta say is thank you! I actually compared it with a topping d30 pro (both within my budget) and the smsl just keep me captive in front of my stereo system. Thanks again!
The way you describe the sound...I cant find another who can do it better than you. You are amazing !
Hi, this Review is the first I see here on YT from You and I must say I am delighted to listen to your Words and by the Effort You give us here !
And don't worry about your English, it is excellent like this Review ;-)
I have subscribed to your Channel and look forward to see/hear more of these/your delicious Sound Descriptions on HiFi Gear.
And yes, owning the Denafrips ARES MK1, I feel very tempted to buy the SMSL 500MK2.
As to the profusion and confusion surrounding SMSL's big array of DACs perhaps the very name of this Shenzhen based Chinese audio company explains it all. SMSL is the abbreviation of Shuang Mu San Lin Electronics Ltd, which literally means Double Woods Triple Forests -- predestined to develop into a tropical jungle ! Lately SMSL even launched a VMV series, elbowing into the mid-high audio market. By the way your vivid, metaphoric and enthusiastic rendering of the sonic characteristics of the products under review is rarely found among other HiFi reviewers. Congratualations !
Great video! Your review is so helpful. I saw the comparison between DX5 、M500 MK II & ares ii . the sound description of the M500 MK II you reviewed is impressive. May I ask have you listened the newer generation M500 MK III? I wonder if it's worth paying more for the newer. thank you
Excellent review as always. It's a good thing that manufacturers are leaning more into sounding musical rather than analytical.
First video I've seen from this channel. Love the descriptors used and the fact that you mix and match equipment to isolate certain qualities to each piece of hardware. Only criticism is that the videos are a little slow/long. Either way you've earned a sub!
Received my 500mkii yesterday and you were 100% on the money. Completely New Listening Experience!! My 22 year old Harmon Kardon/Polk/Onkyo CD System never sounded close to this. Thank You for the informative Review🤙
These are hard topics to communicate. And you always do a great job explaining.
I really appreciated the film grain analogy. I was watching an older movie on film the other day and realized how much I missed that compared to the all digital modern movies.
In terms of DACs, I could see situations where you would want both types, depending on the listening. I do that with speakers. I change them out when I'm craving specific music types. Maybe another DAC should be considered for this too 😃
Great review and detailed explanation of sound qualities...pleased you are so happy with your new favourite DAC. By the time I got to the end of the video SMSL had brought out a new product.......😂😉
Hi Srboljub, I received my SMSL M500 MK2 yesterday and
it was my Plan to listen to it first for 2. Weeks before coming
back here, so that I can burn - in this DAC a bit,
before giving my Conclusions here.
And yes, the first half Hour listening to it, it sounded a bit odd
to me but it did not last long and I found it after an Hour enjoyable.
I connected the SMSL to the CD/AUX - In where before my
DENAFRIPS Ares MK1 was connected to.
So after the second Day listening to the SMSL I have to agree
with You !
The SMSL is by far cleaner, notable by Piano Notes ..... they became
more " carved out " to be more real and clacking Noises from a
played Accordion are also more lifelike/real.
And for the Bass, the ARES MK1 appears to have a bit more Texture in the upper Bass
but as You pointed out also grainier, the SMSL is clearer and reaches far deeper !
Of course, this is only a first Impression, but I doubt that I will regret the GBP 352.-
spend on the SMSL M500 MK2.
So thank You for this really helpful and " scientific accurate " Review !
With Best Regards, Ralf
I got one of these on a great deal in January, it's nothing short of amazing for the money.
I agree with your criticism of SMSL with their practice of producing a mind-boggling array of products with indecipherable names. I was however intrigued by this unit. I own a Denafrips Ares II and I find it’s sound to be airier than anything I’ve heard before. This DAC for 1/2 price makes me consider changing but many of the things you describe about the Ares, I’d hate to give up. The most significant being the wide soundstage. It does as good a job as my turntable with an Ortofon 2M blue in terms of creating a roomful of music. Anyway, great description, great review. I really enjoy your content.
Hold onto the Ares. I like my cheap Aliexpress AU$60 pcm56 r2r dac better than my new M500 Mkii at the moment. Serious buyer's regret.
@@JayJay-ee6kr thanks for saying that, I have a Pcm56 R2R dac coming in the next couple days, was thinking of buying the M500 MkIi after my system improved so much getting a Loxjie D30, was wondering if it could get even better with this one, hopefully the R2R will satisfy my need to improve things. I’ll probably save for the Pontus in the long run.
@@TheSinclairmoore The M500 Mkii is a good dac, I like it better now that I am bypassing my dirty spdif output by using usb (my spdif signal was flattening space). It has greater clarity and focus (like putting on sharper glasses) than the r2r but the r2r is sufficiently detailed in my system. I like the cheap r2r because the mids are less loud, the spatial image is literally laid further back, more room to breathe. It also has a texture I like. I will keep both dacs as preamp input options but would not buy the smsl again mostly because I generally prefer less prominent mids/treble so I can turn up the rhythm section. I imagine the Ares2 is the real upgrade I need but it's twice the price. I hope one of these manufacturers really does make a 'better' and cheaper dac than Ares2.
SMSL is competing with itself. I imagine there are several DAC engineering teams inside SMSL like SU team, M-square team, M-flat team, DO team or I don’t know something like that team. And if their product sells, they get promotions. Just guessing. Nothing wrong with it except that reviewers will have a lot of work to do. Enthusiastic review. It helps me a lot. Thanks.
I love your imagination. I wonder how many engineers this company has, considering audio is a very small market
Excellent !! I really like your assessment of this DAC. It sounds as if it
might pair well with the buffer I use which requires XLR input from the DAC.
It is a serious buffer developed by Spacetech in Canada and it opens up
the soundstage and brings forth air. I really enjoy your verbal descriptions
of audio equipment and this review was no exception. Keep up the good
work!!!! You are right up there with the top 3 audio reviewers that I pay attention
to on a regular basis. I am sure I am not alone.
Very well made review, as always! 👍🏼
Your video makes me change my mind right away. I was going to buy SU9n, I canceled my command and buy M500mkii. It sounds brillant, it's wonderful, thank you very much. Though, it looks like smsl hasn't listened to you because there is now the M500 Mk3 , and i fully agree with you, too many dacs from smsl.
Been considering upgrading my DAC and based upon your review, am going to try this unit. Had been leading towards the denefrip ares 2. Have been listening to a schitt modi 3, which sounds pretty good to my ear. Am looking forward to hooking up this m500!! Saw it advertised today for U.S. $395. Will let you know how it sounds.
Thank You for the review🤙
Another great review! Love your enthusiasm and desperate struggle to get across what you hear. The SMSL comes across as a genuinely promising DAC. Thanks for the heads up!
I am glad I came across this review. First of all, I have to confess, I have never used an external DAC before. So, the fact that you found the SMSL M500 MK II this amazing at such an entry level price point really makes me want to try it saving me from diving into the deep end from the word go on something more expensive such as the D1se, D2 , Qutest or even the Holo Spring 3.
Your review, not just this one, but others too are nothing short of amazing and a breath of fresh air. You are born to do this. You have this uncanny ability to describe the sound in a way with the use of such an expansive vocab that is easily comprehensible. With regards to the M500 MK II particularly, when I start hearing how you describe the nature of its sound, it struck a chord with me pretty much immediately. Reason being is the descriptions you used such as punchy, fast and taught bass, sweet midrange and extended highs are very similar to how reviewers describe the sound of my amp. I am currently using the Roksan Blak Integrated. This is exactly the type of sound I like. But, my question to you is if I already have a punchy and lush amp, will it be too much to pair it up with a DAC that is also punchy and lush? I am only asking this because when you are building a system, very often is about balance. For example, many people probably wouldn't pair a fast and exciting amp such as a Naim with a bright pair of speakers such as the B&W 702 S2. It is kind of like double-downing on the same sound characteristics and traits on multiple components of a system. Or are DACs different in the sense that the sound difference they make is much more subtle? Bottom line is this, do you think the M500 MK II will match well with the Roksan Blak? Will look forward to hearing your feedback. Thanks!
Hi! I've heard Blak only in the show room, it sounded great and neutral there with Monitor Audio Platinum but I can't judge much about its tonality in an unfamiliar system. That said, in my opinion two devices of a similar sound can match really nicely if that character is not overwhelmingly deviating from the neutral, which I don't think is the case for either component here. My own preamp/amp setting is full and punchy sounding compared to most and I still like how it sounds with DACs with similar character.
@@iiWiReviews Got it. Thanks!
@@iiWiReviews when the time comes to upgrade ur speakers. Try dali rubicon2s if not dali epicon2s. They r simple far superior than ls50s. Dalis have beautiful imaging and , soundstage (when placed far from the back wall ca. 70cm). I A/B them b4 buying (ls50 and dalis). And I heard that blak and ma platinum 300 II combo. man, those r some speakers fiew!, they sound grandiose. And I dunno what usb cable u r using but for sparkles on top go for dh labs mirage and for air, laid back and soundstage go for audioquest coffee usb. I think our systems r sort of same tier so I wanted to be useful. I go innuos zenmini mk3 (so good)>> audioquest coffee >> smsl d1se >> yamaha 2100>> dali rubicon2s.
After using M500 V1 I decided to buy mk2 and omg! I felt exactly the same quality. The soundstage and 3D feel immediately caught me in and the dynamics, the energy the presentation are indeed very good. I think it performs much better than its price point.
It all in the mind and bet u won’t say that in a yrs time
What was wrong with V1? SOUND COLOR would change the wasps it sound even making if sound 3d
When moving from M500 V1 to M500 MKII was the rest of your system the same? I have the M500 V2 and it seems to match everything that was described in this review. However, I still prefer the organic sound of the Ares II as it seems to have a better synergy with my class A amplifiers. I use my M500 V2 with the DA-9 and Sony SC-CS5 + Klipsch sub and its a pretty toe-tapping combination.
I plan on using the M500 MkII instead of my Topping D70S for faster paced and bassy or agressive music [EDM, Metal, Pop, etc]. Would you say that the DAC section of this is well-suited for this task? Should be better than the D70S, hopefully. I liked your sample videos showing off the M500 btw. Thanks, Erim!
@@r00s. I have this more than a week now and Im totally impressed with the value of this DAC. I have Matrix Audio X Sabre OG as my main system and tried this one and couldn't hear huge difference other than the Matrix Audio has a slightly tighter bass and a slightly bigger stage and a tad bit more pinpoint accuracy. The cost is a huge difference.
Last time i bougth Topping D70s but sold it right after as it sounds so 2D and lifeless compared to X Sabre i have. Now since I own SMSL M500, it is almost redundant now as it is so good competing with the real TOTLS.
(Copy and pasted from my comment, hope this helps)
"I felt exactly the same quality" so your saying that if you have a MK1 the MK2 is not a worthy upgrade? I'm thinking about getting a used MK1 for 220 EUR so not sure if the MK2 if worth 2x the price (although it will be new out of the box)
Totally agreed with you about that chinese way of creating such insane amount of products… thinking about Xiaomi and so many other companies on electronics, mobile phones… that feeling of “ok I had enough and I will look somewhere else”. I also avoided paying attention on Smsl, Topping, Gustard and any other chifi product becuase of that and also because of they used to care only about measures and being on top of the list for that reason. In fact I wasnt interested on this review when I read “smsl” but then I think I will also consider this Dac. My top of the list is still Chord Qutest and Ares II but who knows, maybe M500 looks like an option now. By the way, I really like your reviews, found your channel just a few days ago but I am really enjoying it. Keep it up! Greetings from Spain.
Similiar situation to me, I join this comment in relation to the search new one DAC and also recently I discover your easy to follow reviews (I m not native english speaker) and impressive explanation of sonority ( my current DAC is Topping d50s). Regards Max, seeing this video from Panama!
Best reviewer with good description of the sound characteristics of the DAC. Good job. 👍
After your review I was ready to buy this dac but the new mk3 version has just become available. The new version brings several technical improvements but my fear is that it doesn't have those sound characteristics that you highlighted.... Can anyone tell me the sound differences between the two products does the new version retain the same fleshiness and solidity of sound? The same slightly warm timbre and not flat.
Thanks
Have you tried the Geshelli J2 Dac? A lot of reviewer rave about it and even compared to the Ares 2. Like to hear your opinion on it. Cheers!
В первые в жизни встречаю такого человека так описывающим аппаратуру столь просто и понятно простым человеческим языком до боли знакомым простым людям удивлён таким человек. Здоровья тебе и всех благ человек скурпулезно описывающий всё до мелочей нет ни надменности в твоих словах ни скептицизма удачи тебе на твоём попроще.
А учитывая, что Srboljub серб, он даже по английски понятно говорит, без каши во рту. Очень рад, что практически случайно наткнулся на такого классного обзорщика.
Recently got a Mk III, it needed a bit of time from new for the sound to settle wasn't hugely impressed out of the box but it now sounds outstanding! I feel this one has that tangible presence in the midrange as well but dynamics, separation and space is also stunning. I know it's basically the same unit but chip tweaked further and a better power supply which is probably one of if not the most critical parts of any hi-fi. It's sounds fantastic, it's remarkable we can have this level of performance for this money now. It's a great do it all unit but again the DAC is phenomenal.
I’m thinking about the Mk III as well. Seems pretty good if someone is willing to trade in their Ares II for one of these. How are you finding the sound and features now that you have had it for a while?
@@karlcotleanu486 no idea how it compares sorry
Excellent review mate, the way you described it made a lot of sense to me. You are very good at communication mate. i would love to see you do a review on the k9 pro ess along with a comparison to m500. Thanks a lot mate
I've been thinking for a while that companies like SMSL buy a bunch of components when they get a good price and turn them into a DAC.
Then when stocks run down they buy a bunch of different components and build a different DAC.
So it's either small run specialisation or opportunistic and almost random.
These Chinese companies will also fake these chips and throw an extra letter at the end and say they are a "Texas Instrument" for example. There ALL counterfeit chips and some sound good (I always wonder what they would sound like with real ones) but SMSL have the same digital bright sound that I guess is what the kids are looking for these day, hell I don't know.
@@ranbymonkeys2384 please supply your evidence.
@@2ridiculous41 well, look at he chip with your eyeballs and then look up the data sheet for it. EDIT : Also look at the screen print on the chip the real ones dont look like that now fuck off!!
@@2ridiculous41 Whats your email address I can send you conversations I have has with TI also.
Great review, Srboljub. I am seriously considering one of these. Before I saw this video I was wondering "is it Worth it?" It appears to be very worth it. 😉
Cheers from USA!
Finally someone said it, I really can't get soundstage in headphones, let alone earphones and iems.
Also Dude come on, I just sold my M500 and ordered a Yulong Da-art Aurora.
Echo the previous comments, you are really good describing /articulating the sound. Agreed, a lot of Chinese brands don't understand the concept of "Brand dilution"
Thank you like many for your reviews, you have a wonderful interpretation !!!! TOP !!!! I looked for the right dac and I went from the "best" without finding a musical balance for my tastes. I'm almost certainly looking for the sound you are describing to me with smsl m500mk2! at a much lower price. I think it's worth a try!!! is it still the reference dac in your system? thank you
Fantastic video. The way you describe sounds amazing!
I have an SA300 paired with a M500 V1 currently that’s been nice. I just ordered an AO200 and DO200 for another system. Hoping the DAC is as enjoyable as you’ve described this one. Thanks for the reviews.
I have this more than a week now and Im totally impressed with the value of this DAC. I have Matrix Audio X Sabre OG as my main system and tried this one and couldn't hear huge difference other than the Matrix Audio has a slightly tighter bass and a slightly bigger stage and a tad bit more pinpoint accuracy. The cost is a huge difference.
Last time i bougth Topping D70s but sold it right after as it sounds so 2D and lifeless compared to X Sabre i have. Now since I own SMSL M500, it is almost redundant now as it is so good competing with the real TOTLS.
Great to hear this. If you haven't already, please try lowering DPLL setting to the minimum and see if you notice an improvement.
Hi may I know what genre of music you listen to? I notice the emphasis on this superb review was towards electronic/pop music. But what about jazz-ish kinda music. Does it bring out equal richness, body and smoothness. Would you consider this an involving dac, where one simply engages the emotions of the listener- toe tapping kind or just a more energetic, pacy and clean sounding dac without too much of emotion? Am asking as I intend to get this or the M400 dac to connect with my node 2i. I have a Schitt Freya + preamp and A2300 XTZ power amp and Klipsch 6000f speakers. Appreciate your views.
I've had the S.M.S.L M300 MKII for a couple years now and I've been pretty happy with it. For 250 new its most likely the only dac I'll ever need. I do agree though they keep over saturating the market with to many similar products.
Great review. I've tried the MKii but I have no use for it. I still use my M500 mk1 paired up with my SH-9. If you're going to use the M500 as only a dac. I don't see a need to upgrade as the M500 mk1 and mk2 sound the same DAC wise. If you need the extras from the mk2 though, go for it. Still amazing 😊
I think I will buy a used MK1 for 220EUR then if there is no difference... or really small difference. Currently I'm using Aune X1S on my Edifier Airpulse A100. Do you think it's worth the upgrade?
So I ordered today the SMSL 500 MK2 from the
SHENZHENAUDIO Web - Page and I am looking forward to connect it to my
Willsenton R8 Tube Amp over the Pre-In Input,what was not possible with the
Denafrips ARES MK1 because the ARES has only fixed Outputs !
If the SMSL 500 MK2 is really better, what I still will miss is the amount of Inputs
that the Denafrips ARES provides, two Coax and two Optical plus USB.
But I guess for the Price I should not complain.
Thanks! Loved your review! You are the best DAC reviewer on UA-cam! Your review convinced me to buy the M500 MKiii unit. When going through the menu options, I do not see an item for SPDIF Mode. Does your unit include this in the menu? I am baffled on how to access this and select between "Normal Mode" and "Processor Mode". From what I can tell, you have to select "Processor Mode" to get the full decoding when playing MQA tracks. Srboljub, your help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks for your support! 🙏 If you don't see SPDIF mode in settings, that can mean only one thing - SMSL probably uses only Processor mode now. Truly, there is no reason for them to include the other one. This is only an educated guess since I didn't receive my MKIII unit in the end (due to the series of mishaps).
I think you should also consider reviewing the S.M.S.L DO200 in order to compete with the same brand's MKii now, so that we can understand the subtle differences and get the best bang for the buck stuff.
As always great review that can b trusted 👍
Have you seen anyone compare these two?
Great review. I too have kept the Ares II until now after comparing to D90/X16/SU9 and many others. Is the MKii as forward sounding as Ares II? When you are listening to vocals, do you feel the singer is right in front of you or you are a few rows back?
I purchased a SMSL Sanskrit Mk2 based on your review for my office system and love it. I was considering a Denafrips Arries Mk2 for my main system and now reconsidering that idea, so thanks for the heads up on this new SMSL M500 Mk2 it’s food for thought.
I had my Aries2 for two weeks and sold it after i watched this and ordered a SMSL 500 MK2 still waiting
@@virgogreg I saw a UA-cam video on that just the other day and it looks good. I have a little SMSL Sanskrit Mk2 on my desktop system with a liner and regulated power supply and it out performs an older much more expensive Wyred 4 Sound DAC.
Good buying.
@@paulpavlou9294 the Aries 2 was good but the keeping switched it on all the time , and the M500mk2 had better dynamics and other slightly better SQ sold me
@@virgogreg let me know how you feel about it after burning in and living with it for a while. I’m tempted to get one myself as it sounds like an absolute bargain.
@@paulpavlou9294 will do
Thank you for another great review. Denafrips DACs like the Ares II and Pontus II compete with DACs that are twice their price, with the Ares II being considered by many to be the best sub €1000 DAC. Taking into account the amount of Delta Sigma DACs that come out every month to the market, I consider DACs with R2R technology, a more "safe/smart" purchase from a purely economic point of view, for this reason and also for all their characteristics, no wonder you kept Ares II on your system for so long. That said, I have to admit that I'm surprised by your choice because you kept Ares II when you reviewed Tradutto, due to the way the way Ares II handled voices. Honestly, I wasn't expecting a Delta Sigma DAC to defeat the Ares II, after your review of Traduttto. Anyway, this is excellent news for me because I was saving money for the Ares II and so I only need to save half of what I needed initially.
Ares is a really good and easy to recommend DAC, but somehow never made me wanting leaving it in my setup, also Pontus (first gen), i don't find them entertaining and somehow they are out of balance between fun / dynamics, precession and size of instruments / vocals. On the other hand Chord DACs (Mojo and Qutest) somehow do that thing for me better, even MOJO first gen, I did mistake of not staying with Qutest. But I find old Aqua La Voce on the rack and RME ADI2FS (both of them have some restrictions in the depth of stage, but also some pluses in the kick and go style and balance) somewhere in between and really satisfying, your description of SMSL M500mk2 is somehow calling me to try it. GOOD JOB!
thank you for this comparison between Ares II and Adi-2
very interesting, i compared su-9n and this dac descriptions on official site, and the only real distinction is usb module, the m500 uses the newly one.
you are using Pi2AES with coax output to dac? so usb differences on this dacs must not affect the sound in your case
Are you gonna test the Mk3 ?? :-D please don't lol. Anyway thanks a lot again, after many hours listenting to Qobuz I realise I would have done a huge mistake (if i haven't seen your review ) buying the SU9n , or worst the M400. I trust you 100% that is the best dac. I'm SO impressed by the basses, such a huge difference, so much more punchy but also cleaner i think, you can ear all the notes even in the lowest basses. My HS8S and HS8 have never been so happy, they feel new actually. Best regards..
I compared the M500 Mkii to my Topping E30 both through usb and not surprisingly the smsl is in another league with major improvement in every aspect. Besides the obvious clarity and focus improvement, texture and spatial image are noticeably better. Whilst there are some aspects of my other cheap r2r dac I like (the different approach probably), the smsl and E30 share a similar approach but the smsl achieves it much better.
A few folks who heard my system all prefer the M500 Mkii over my cheap r2r dac. Maybe I just love an underdog?
Might be. 😊 I have just sold my Ares II few days ago and this is the first time in two years that I'm back to a chip DAC.
Damn. Watching this a second time and you are selling me softly. Good thing you hear much better than I do.
Great review. I’m looking forward to see reviews for the MK3 when it hits the shelves around the globe. Was going to get this Mk2. But now will wait.
Mk3 is 100usd more for 2db less noise, more signal range, with two front headphone ports both unbalanced. Skip it.
@@BroNapartay got Musician Pegasus coming after having one for trial. So I did ;)
Hi Srboljub,
Nice job on your thoughtful, engaging videos! Much appreciated.
I find myself looking to build a good moderately priced system, but am relatively new to this arena.
After reading your positive review of the SMSL A300 I was wondering if this would be a good staring point.
After reading your positive review of SMSL M500 MKII DAC unit, do I understand you correctly that this will also work well as a stand alone unit? Or would you suggest an additional power source using SMSL M500 MKII for its good DAC qualities?
If the later, would you pair with the SMSL A300 or are there others you might suggest?
Also would you have any recommendations for good bookshelf sized speakers for paring?
Recently I have been considering Polk Signature Elite ES-15 and the Q Acoustics 3020i.
Many thanks in advance.
Nice presentation!
I was wondering if su9n or m500km2 would be more suitable for rock music and also if these dacs are considerably better than the ones incorporated in Audiolab 7000a or Yamaha RN1000a integrated amps?!
Great explanations differentiating it with Ares II, but I’m wondering how much of your preference for the fuller sound of the M500 MkII is because it’s compensating some what for the character of your LS50s, which I find rather lean in the mids and bass. Would be interesting to know what you think of the DAC when paired with completely different speakers. Then there’s the amp you used, but I guess that complicates things even more.
I do have some gear that I can circle to test if needed, and friends that I can carry a DAC to to test it in a completely different system that I also know... And I do that if needed. But actually LS50 when powered with a powerhouse and aided by a subwoofer doesn't sound that lean. REL T5x fills things out very nicely.
All that aside, pairing is very important of course, as well as personal taste... that's why I try to compare it with as much DACs as possible, so you don't rely just on my isolated impression that can be biased but know what to expect compared to other devices that you might have heard too (Denafrips, Topping, Gustard, etc.).
You should try a better old Sound Blaster X-Fi card with 3D Virtual function, no DAC can compete with it in in your face emotional vocals and palpable 3D effect, once heard you can't go back to DACs, closed or BR box is great, but if you try it OB, or even better No Baffle with wide/full range units (together with bass helpers closed or BR), you won't believe what is happening, the whole room becomes sound stage, even behind you near or far away high in the air, bass is 3D layered floating in the room and you are in a spaceship somewhere in deep space (some Yello song), you are no longer just listening to music, you are actively taking part in it, it's the best thing in audio and no one knows about it. Someone should really make a DAC that has that 3D Virtual DSP function.
LOL, Glad to see you're enjoying new gear!
How is the soundstage compared to the Tradutto? didn't talk about it so I guess it's the same?.
Great review btw!.
Pretty much the same. Dimensions and positioning are the same, it's just a touch airer on M500 MKII.
Interesting this review, man, this M500 looks great, I have a good suggestion for you, to do a review in this depth about the Allo Revolution DAC, comparing it with the Topping E30, M500 or Ares II, if I could I would send you one.
I put my money where your mouth has been, not the exact expression but good enough! I just bought the 500 Mkll and hope it does all that you have mentioned in this video. I own several Schiit models so I am seeking something similar YET different to add to my audio components. Thanks for sharing!
I just bought this DAC today. Did you get yours yet? If so, what are your thoughts? Nobody else has reviewed this yet in English anyway.
@@dungysphincter7974 It should be here tomorrow, I will be comparing it to the Bifrost 2 and will give an update in a few days. I did briefly own the Ares 2 and found it slow and lacking clarity yet musical.
@@dungysphincter7974 I couldn't resist waiting so here are my initial impressions, HOWEVER, it may need burn-in but I don't expect it to change much. USB is OK but the Bifrost is superior as for Optical (using a quality glass cable) a bit better but I would still take the Bifrost any day over the SMSL. I did not try Coaxial. SMSL top end is pinched off lacking the clarity of the Bifrost and I'm not talking about brightness! Bifrost is noticeably more open and spatial.
Your review really got me interested in this DAC. I am still using my Schiit Modi Multibit V2 in my setup and I really like it. I know you have owned this DAC as well and liked it a lot too. How would you say the M500 MKll performs vs the Multibit V2? Would it be a big upgrade or just a sidegrade? I am using a node 2i as streamer only, Wharfedale Linton speakers + a great sub and a Naim Nait XS integrated amplifier. As always, thanks for your great reviews 🙏
I believe it would be a very decent upgrade with more precise bass, cleaner edges, better separation, and more energy overall. But all of that said I have to be cautious and say that still doesn't mean you can't simply prefer Mimby and its very thick presentation.
@@iiWiReviews I understand. Would you say the Mimby has a even thicker presentation than the M500 MKll? You have described both DACs to have a quite full-bodied sound.
I will strongly consider buying this DAC. I really like the things you mention! Especially that you get more precise bass, cleaner edges and more energy in general!
Hmm, I wouldn't say Mimby is thicker as much as it is more bloomy in the midbass. I feel that at its core M500 MKII sounds as much full-bodied as Mimby but simply more focused, with better-defined edges. Attack on M500 MKII is better too, it sounds striking and contrasty whereas Mimby is more rounded and kind of fatty sounding. I do love Schiit MM, and I still recommend it often to US viewers, but I feel like M500 MKII is a better DAC overall. It does some things that MM does great too, but then it improves on some of its shortcomings.
That's just my opinion, but given that I've moved from Mimby to Ares II, and now to M500 MKII, it's only logical that I feel it's better than both.
@@iiWiReviews Thank you very much! It makes a lot of sense to me 🙏 This could easily be my next DAC. Sounds like a wonderful DAC, especially for the money!
One more question and suggestion: How do you compare the M500MKII vs. the M500MK3 with the current discounted price on the MK2 hovering under $250.00? Is there another DAC at this price point to consider? Suggestion: Show more of the display options on the tested DAC's to see if it will display both the volume level and bit rate/freq on the same screen and can you switch between these modes with the remote??? Thanks again.
@iiWi Reviews - Another insightful DAC review! Would be great to see you review the just released SMSL D-6 DAC ($169), which has 2x the new production AKM AK4493s chips. I'll be buying a DAC soon (using your affiliate links of course) and will probably get the SMSL M500 MKII, but would prefer to pay less (plus don't use headphones) and am very curious about the resurrection of AKM. Many thanks!
Great review as always. I'm sorry if I missed this, but did you try it direct USB from a PC as well as via a streamer? I find a streamer can fix a lot of jitter / noise that cause fatigue.
Thanks! Yes, I always listen to all inputs but a dedicated streamer that I'm powering with a linear power supply is always superior to a general purpose PC. All of my music goes through Pi2AES streamer... Even the files from PC are streamed that way cause it has cleaner sound and darker background compared to USB connection directly from PC.
I think I'm on overload from watching your terrific videos. I've now eliminated the E70velvet in favor of the SU9-Ultra or this M500MKii. But... what do you think of the newer M500mkIII? I'm surprised that none of the M500's are using the latest ESS 9039Pro DAC. What kind of difference would you think this would offer....in otherwords, is waiting in order. So... based on my experience with previous AKM DAC's I'm trying to decide between the SU-9 Ultra or M500mk3??? Your thoughts and/or opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for the great vids and reviews. Your unique presentations are refreshing, informative and not too overburdened with details, that as you say, can be read. Thanks again!
I would go with Ultra. It's their latest and best DAC in this price range so far.
@iiWiReviews i've since been looking at the bewer DL300 and DO300EX. Both with the newest AKM chipset which seems be gathering a lot of converts and followers with all the features of the SU-9 Ultra (give ir take a few Op-amps). New midels have upgraded archetecture and lower prices. Beginning to think O dont need headphone jacks since these would go into a room audio system. Any experience with these 2.newer models?
Love the thoroughness in your reviews! Hey, disregarding everything else, considering only the sound of the dac output, which would you pick between this and the ProJect Pre Box S2 that you reviewed some time ago?
This one hands down.
@@iiWiReviews Thank you! Can't wait till you get your hands (ears actually) on a Hifiman ef400!
I just bought this unit after seeing your review, as an upgrade for my Topping e30 II, and what can i say ? I'm in awe to see how huge the gap is. Especially in the hollography. The e30 2 sound completely flat and 2D,compare to it with my Utopia.
For 200€ nowaday, it's a complete bargain and in this universe of diminishing return, it's a miracle.
Time to test the MKIII version that was just launched. Some new tech in it!
It's on the way.
@@iiWiReviews Sweet 😊
@@iiWiReviews Did you already get it?
SMSL…EH. I use Pontus II. I like warm and juicy, but can put on sharp filter if I was edgier.🙂
Yesterday I pre-ordered my Pi2Design Mercury Streamer and high quality I2S cable to plug into my DAC.
I hope that you will be reviewing The Mercury Streamer! LOVE your detailed reviews! 😁
I wouldn't mind having Pontus myself. 😊 We'll see about the Mercury... I'm interested too.
@@iiWiReviews This SMSL does seem to be an incredible value…THANKS for ALL the detailed comparisons!
Ordered mercury yesterday too. Can't wait to try it on my 100 bucks 12v cheap linear ps .
@@wric01 What power supply do you have?
Hi, great review! Can you please tell me if there's any/major difference in sound quality between the single ended RCA output vs the balanced xlr output for m500 mkii?
I can say that balanced does have more clarity and dynamics bite... But its really really difficult to say how much is because of the DAC itself and how much because of the preamp that really prefers balances connection (its a true dual mono balances design that always sound better with this connection).
Basically, if the rest of the system is truly balanced too, that connection will always sound superior because it just is technically. Moving to RCA, I can't divide DAC's RCA influence from the preamp's RCA influence... But the overall difference is that RCA sounds more blend, less dynamic, and slightly less detailed.
Would u review MSML M500 M3 I have MK2 the new implementation and 9 opanps may improve performance ?
Great description of this DAC, thanks. Can you tell me what the difference is between this DAC and M500. What's changed? Thx.
Nicely done review.
I have the D70s and have found it to be a really enjoyable dac. I think it excels with bass, midbass and does show some depth in the music. All in all, I know what you mean when describing Topping dacs and I think the D70s was the best overall balance of attributes among Topping offerings to date. And, in a pinch I could hookup an amp and use its' digital volume control which are decent although not as desirable as a stand alone pre, but that adds cost as well.
I always thought from reviews that SMSL favored smooth and warm vs the more neutral presentation of Topping and until recently, Gustard might have favored bright/more analytical. Also, Topping had a reputation for reliability and longevity in their products from what I read.
SMSL at the time had more complaints about early failures and lack of responding to customers' issues while under warranty, so hence I went for the perceived safer option. Still, the d70s is no slouch and is probably going to be a "classic" in the terms of Topping discontinued offerings, if there is such a thing.
That all said, the SMSL M500 MKII pretty much tics all the boxes for me and would be on the list if I needed another dac. What I would prefer, or what I ultimately want in any dac device, but specifically mentioned re the SMSL M500 MKII is to drop/or at least offer a non headphone amp version and rather provide a decent pre section to be able to hookup a power amp, even though I tend to use integrated. If the pre section were good enough, and sufficiently of low distortion and high enough output, imagine the possibilities of amps at various budgets? For example, under and up to the quality of a Benchmark and at a smaller and lighter size whether class A/AB/D? If your source and pre aren't up to par, then a benchmark wouldn't be worth it.
There are alot of amps available near the price of a Benchmark and under, well under that would benefit from an solid dac/pre section especially for around $400 to 600 price range. A nice, tidy setup. Add a streamer/disc player, etc and away you go. Also a variable voltage output say 2 to 4v on RCA and 4 to 8v on XLR would be cool. I like the 2.5/5.0v on the D70s. Works well with my setup. My guess is I get a wider stage vs the added depth of the M500 MKII. More body to the frequency range would be nice as well but I wouldn't just swap it out for that reason alone as the overall performance is still pretty good in my system.
Either way, can't fault the M500 MKII for its' price/performance.
Currently using:
Keces E40
Topping D70s
Marantz CD6006 (as transport)
Focal 807w
In reserve, I have a Hegel h160 which while it has arguably better better SQ and power, especially noticeable at higher volumes (which I no longer listen at) is sufficiently matched with the Keces E40, well enough at least at the volumes I listen at for either music or movies. Trying to decide on whether to upgrade the speakers, something smaller of larger. Right now looking at Philharmonic BMR standmount, Musician Knight 1, among a few others. The Keces E40 might well be enough, if not, I still have the hegel.
As for dacs, I don't want to drop tons of money on them. Amps and speakers I can get fixed locally. Dacs...likely easier to replace. If they make an MKII with a good pre section...I'd buy that, even if I don't need it now. I have had too much coffee this morning.
Agreed on D70s. Easily the best tuning that I've heard from Topping and still one of the best under one thousand. Even though I like this one more, it doesn't mean that everyone would, and the difference is probably not big enough to justify the hassle anyway.
Also, you have a nice system there. Enjoy the music and cheers! BTW, I've had too much coffee today to... And no breakfast. 😅
Also, I just remembered, with SMSL and Loxjie in the past I had optical connectivity issues. The optical inputs just weren't secure. No click in but rather they would remain loosely connected or even fall out on their own while I listened.
I agree about Topping d70s, it's great, full midrange, dense, dynamic with extremely clean highs. Srboljub probably did not tested it with XLR output that is much better than RCA, on RCA the sound is uninteresting and slightly flat. The other factor that makes d70s shine is use of Pre90 preamplifier (a must, great combination IMO). But anyway SMSL might be good as well. These budget DAC's give such a performance that 20.000 USD dacs are unnecessary.
@@marcinwasilewski5414 Right now using it via RCAs but with better equipment, I can switch over to XLR. The higher voltage output would add some body. As RCA output is concerned, it is pretty good.
So forgetting the price which would you buy for yourself, the SMSL M500MK2 or the Topping E70 velvet? I've always prefered AKM dacs but again those differences are really hard to describe. Have you experienced any problems with the SMSL? There have been reports of short period failures???? BTW... GREAT reviews...love your style!!!
The difference between these two is not big but E70 Velvet is a slightly better, more revealing sounding DAC.
I personally never had a problem with any SMSL device but I don't use them for long. The M500 MKII is the one that I used the longest, some 8 months probably.
Hello :) Now, that the newer (mk3) version of SMSL m500 is available, will you be doing a review against the mk2 please? I would really appreciate it and I'm interested :) Thank you from Slovakia :)
So tell me, which one now is better overall; SMSL M500 Mk III or your recent review of the Rose Technics?
TY! for this review! Very informative. I really appreciate you!
I've had the MK I for 2 years now... Apart from the display going wonky just after 3 months, this is indeed a solid DAC. Really thinking of upgrading to three MKII
Hi, I am using KEF Q150 with SMSL A300 based on your recommendations and I'm loving it! I'm still in the need of DAC and by reading your comments from all of the videos I narrowed it down to: M500 mk2, SU6, C200, D300, Sanskrit 10th mk2. Do you think I will feel the difference by spending twice as much on M500 in comparison to for example 10th mk2 on my budget KEF's? I'm kind of starting to lean to the tactic of getting the cheapest one I can find from mentioned above...but well would be nice to know your take on this as you simply don't miss :D
I think you would notice the difference, but it is not as big as price suggests. Skip C200 if you don't need a headphone amplifier. Skip D300 too in my opinion. Choose between SU6 and M500 MKII according to your budget and you will not make a mistake no matter which one you take.
Hi, I’m new to the AMP & DAC world and I truly love your review, it’s so easy to follow and your description to sound is the best one I’ve seen.
I have a question tho, at this price range, would you recommend this SMSL or E50+L50 stack? I’m only gonna listen with cable so Bluetooth is not a factor here. Thank you!
I would personally choose this one over the E50/L50 stack.
@@iiWiReviews Thank you so much! Love your content.
I tried the SMSL M500mkii as a replacement for my old Schiit Modi3. I found the SMSL had good sound stage and great top end, but lacked energy in the low bass; this might not get noticed with speakers that don't go really low. I went with the Sabaj a20d 2022. The Sabaj sounds great and is not missing the low bass.
This one just look way better than DX5 and element iii... but for a similar prices must of us would fall for topping L50/E50 stack just for the extra power.
MQA? Excellent review. I'm getting one for one of my systems. Not sure if I should use it with my Yamaha CDS - 1000 or my Bluesound Node (latest version). Your thoughts? I thonk you have one of the best channels and I have been on audio for over 50 years!
Thanks for the praise! It does support MQA fully, both on its USB and SPDIF inputs. Regarding CDP vs streamer, I suspect that Node 2i would benifit more from it.
@@iiWiReviews I agree I have both! Right now I don't use any DAC with my CD player. I'm using a Schitt Modi on my 2i, none on my other Bluesound Node. You're up late!
Srboljub, I just got the Edifier Airpulse A100, an was wonering if it's worth upgrading from my old Aune X1S to the M500 MK1, or perhaps the MK2? I can get a used MK1 for 220EUR so I was wondering whether the extra 200EUR for a new MK2 DAC is worth the price?
Thanks for your hard work! You are the best audio reviewer I've seen on UA-cam! I have Topping e50 + linear power supply Topping p50. should I replace them with SMSL 500 mk2? I have slightly bright HF acoustics and a little flatter LF (Jamo D830). I want more body in the sound. What DACs are worth paying attention to under $800? I listen mostly to heavy music, different styles of metal and rock. Thanks!
Thanks! To my ears and in my system, M500 MKII is totally worth it exactly because of that body you are mentioning. So I do believe you would like it.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for your reply! Do you think it's worth paying extra for the m500 mk2 even if I don't need a headphone amp? His DAC really beats the e50 level and is the best in the budget under $800-$1000 in your opinion?
Love your videos! Your SMSL D300 review had me nearly sold until I watched this video. Lol. Now I'm torn between the D300, M500 mkii/iii and the D0200. Please help! I understand pairing is everything. My speakers are Polk Reserve R200 and my headphones setup is the Little Dot MKIII tube with Senn HD650. My music consists primary of female vocals, new age, jazz and soft rock but I really own a bit of everything. Thanks!
I would personally go with M500 MKII here. It's just so well balanced.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks!
Great review, i just ordered one.
Fantastic job as usual!
You have sold me I think I will get one thank you for a direct honest appraisal .
Hello. Thank you for such an interesting and useful review of the DAC M500 MKII. SMSL recently released another low cost DAC that might be even more interesting in terms of the sound quality/price ratio - SMSL DO100. ASR measured it and the results are impressive. Now, as a user, I'm having a hard time choosing between the M500 MKII and the DO100, given the fact that I don't need a headphone amp, just high-quality sound on active monitors. Are you planning to test DO100 or have any thoughts?
Hi, my D0100 arrived already but I didn't have time to test it yet... Going to do that as soon as I return from a vacation trip. I think that review should be up in the next two weeks.
@@iiWiReviews This is very good news! I'll be looking forward to your review! Your language of sound perception is close to me! Thank you!
since it seems to be using a single DAC, are there still benefits of using balanced output compared to RCA? Nice review btw!
Yes there is. All modern DAC chips are multichannel anyway, so they are perfectly capable of outputting true balanced signal... And if the receiving device (preamp or integrated) is also truly balanced (having differential circuitry to negate EMI noise) then using it should always have an advantage over single-ended.
Hi Srboljub, Did you have the opportunity to try the M500 MKII with SMSL DA-9 amplifier? If yes, was it a good match? In this price range (~US$700) and in your opinion, do you think there’s a better combination to be used with speakers (SMSL AO200 + M500 MKII for example)? Regards from Brazil
Thanks for the great review! I just picked this up and am not noticing any change in the sound color options. Do you hear a difference? I’m wondering if my unit is faulty. What software version do you have?
Sound color, as well as PCM filter, makes very subtle changes. Some people reported to barley notice the difference. For examples I can't differentiate them much on a headphone output... But can in my speaker setup.
BTW, can't see that firmware version is displayed anywhere in the UI so not sure how to check it.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for the quick response. I found the software version under the reset option. You can select that option without actually resetting it.
Last question on this topic. When I switch PCM filter there is a pause in the audio. When I switch sound color I do not have a pause in the audio. Is that the same for you?
Thanks again
@@DavidMartin-ju9wl It's same on my unit. Filters make a gap, sound color doesn't. And it says Ver 1.0
I Woder how headphones would sound usind a dual XLR headphone cable out of the back ?
Not great probably. That is a line out with decently high voltage but no current driving capability (meant to feed a very high impedance amplifier, not suited to push current into low impedances of headphones). That higher current drive is added to the headphone output by additional op amps that are not present on the line out section. Because of that most linen outs can't push good drive and dynamics.
Only portable DACs mix all of this in one output... But they often have a sensing circuitry that will detect low or high impedances on the output, switching to head-amp when needed (headphones) and omitting it when really high impedance of the external amp is detected.
OK, I went to much into the engineer mode here. 😅
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for the detailed reply, I just wish they had put a goog headphone output on it.
Xduoo launched a budget dac mu-601 back in november, but I still can't find any reviews of it, written or video. Is this a product you have looked at or know anything about?
Hi Srboljub, great review. Can I ask if you maybe know if this DAC supports MQA rendering or decoding (or both) through coaxial or optical inputs? I am looking for a DAC to connect to my Bluesound Node 2i streamer which has optical and coaxial outs. Some DACs do not support MQA through one of these outs, but some of them do. So I was wondering if you maybe know the answer to this question before I pull the plug and get this DAC :) Thanks.
Yes it does, I played Tidal MQA tracks over coaxial and MQA is reproduced with MQA logo being showed on a display as a confirmation.