New DAC Chip Destroys Digital Competition? SMSL D300 Review
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- Опубліковано 21 лип 2024
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0:00 Start
0:17 Intro and Background
2:00 SMSL Rohm
4:27 On the Back
5:30 How does it Sound?
8:02 What I DON'T Like
10:01 Final Thoughts
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Rsndy
I had a suspicious message to
Contact you, they used your photo, snd they spelled your handle wrong underscore between cheap and audioman , I have reported to Facebook inaccurate info!
The sound is more important, way more important, than the build quality.
I'm very very happy with both of my Schiit Modi 3 DACs that you recommended some time ago. I've kinda been a cheap audio guy since 1975.
Hey mike...question with all the digital devices we're using cell phone digital receivers and laptops etc...is using another separate d.a.c. going to make my music better..if so im going to purchase the schitt too..ive been cheap audio since the 80s..
@@slumking112 I'm not Mike but I can weigh in and say that yes, a seperate DAC *can* improve the sound, but it won't necessarily be a super noticeable difference. I've been using a Liquid Spark DAC for a while and have been very happy with it. I think you'd be very satisfied with the Schiit Modi.
Good looking josh....im going to give it a try especially if it can improve signal to noise ratio with less signa distortion ...quick response thank you...
1975.. When Realistic ruled! :)
Hey i was a radio shack fiend...and they act like LEDs just came out..😂😂😂😂
The DAC chip inside is a Rohm BD34301EKV, according to the Rohm datasheet it is a 32 bit sigma delta converterchip. Because of the chip shortage this chip is difficult to obtain, and it's price is around €100 in quantities, so that explains the high price of the SMSL D300 I guess...
Just recently got this in my setup consisting of Wiim Pro, D300 and a Behringer A800 with Elac Debut Reference. Really an awesome experience to listen to.
I also have the Behringer A800 paired with the D300. That amp is remarkable! I have 7 of them.
ok, most of this was over my head. yet...i loved the video. you're a natural entertainer. great video production, transitions and stuff. know how to use your camera (so many youtubers, with beaucoup subs, can't seem to figure out how autofocus works). I asked about an Elac product in another comment, sort of figured out it's not a bluesound equivalent, just an integrated amp, not really a streamer. and it's been out for a long time. just not any reviews by any of the major players in this field. but, as you'd say, i digress. great video.
Been owning Dac for 3 months, paired with a DIY tube amp to power the Klipsch RP500 mk2, wonderful listening experience
Thanks for the comparison to the Geshelli - I was wondering if you would compare the two, I wasn't disappointed. Excellent review imho.
That Rohm BD34301EKV chip came out about 2 years ago. Digikey has pricing at q1000 above $100, which is quite pricey. Thanks for the review.
I buy this DAC in
sept 2022
It’s amazing.
I Also love the cheap and best buy thinks.
Yamaha as1200 pay with 30% of sale
Heco Direkt pay with 62% of sale
Smsl d300
Qobuz family
Greetings from Italy
Io ho avuto gustard a26 e smsl su 10 e non emersi differenze sostanziali.. Questo suonerebbe diversamente?
I have this dac, like this dac, had a couple of issues with it, popping/clapping on bit rate changes, source swapping. Luckily, I found firmware updates and reflashed the unit. Which did fix the issue, took about day of searching and reading a few forums to find the fix... was about 30 min from returning it.. happy I didn't have to. Has a more laid back presentation, less sterile than the usual smsl/sabaj/topping fair. Paires well with the A300 amp.. so if you find you have those issues, there is a fix and it was worth the effort to trouble shoot
Were you ajving the issues on the usb or in the optica coax?? . Recently in starting to get som minor pops abd cracks on my d300 conectecd to wiim pro via optical
Great review. As a person who has only had a Sabre dac, it's nice to see other dac chips and providing something different.
I changed sabre for AKM chip. Like it much more then Sabre DAC.
SMSL's been doing some cool products lately but ARGH! Those flush volume knobs are a deal-breaker for desktop use. The new A300 is a DAC plus speaker amp that actually has high and low-pass filtering for 2.1 systems - so cool! But jamming a finger at the "wheel" to change volume without the remote?? Glad CAM mentioned this.
Love my 4 Burr&Browns in my harman hd7725. Would be an interesting test comparing those with the digital out hence it is such a great and underrated player.
I'm very happy with my WiiM Mini streamer / DAC with no desire to upgrade. Unfortunately, it never ends with audio and people spend way too much money and time chasing tech and perfection, which does not exist. Just enjoy the music IMO.
You're right. Once a person invests in a good DAC, IMO it's time to sit back and enjoy it.. not to have FOMO. // In my case, I'm in the market for my first DAC... so I'm trying to get the best purchase for the money... so that I'm not stuck.
The DAC in the WiiM is not good when compared to even budget DACs. You don’t have to spend a lot but I recommend you use an external DAC.
What is the better dac between this one and the Sabaj A20D ? Soundwise
I have an A300 amp and a soncoz la-qxd1 dac, Looking into getting a D300 now. Mostly because they match and will stack. The A300 is a monster of an amp and make my Micca RB42s and Dayton 10 inch sub sound incredible.
Using $600 components to drive $150 speakers? Man, you never really know what exactly has the biggest impact on sound. I always bough more expensive speakers, and was stuck wondering, "is my mediocre integrated Amp really getting the most out of these speakers?"
Probably not lol.
I've always been a little confused by all the DACs made by SMSL. What, fundamentally, are the differences between their "D" and "SU" series, especially at similar price points? Does the D300 sound better than the SMSL SU8s with its ES9068AS chip? Then we have the SMSL SU-9 Pro at just $100 more. Just glad that SMSL, and now Topping, are moving away from that terrible thin analytical sound that artificially yields great measurements to one having a much more fleshed out sound. Still makes me wonder what Geshelli Labs could do for $500 in a DAC?
@default LOL. That perhaps was true 1 to 2 years ago when the majority of ChiFi DACs under $500 - $1000 USD did sound thin, analytical, and a bit harsh at times. But that's the one thing that isn't true today - SMSL learned quickly what consumers wanted, and then later Topping, which is why we keep watching reviews hoping to find "the one" that fits our sonic needs and that of our wallets. Look at the other reviews CAM has done and a guy at iiWi Reviews who has reviewed many of the ChiFi DACs on up the food chain to expensive R2R DACs like the Gustard R26.
They do offer different tonal characteristics, different dynamics, some offer more resolving bass, others offer better high ends, soundstage width, depth, and how well they isolate the space around instruments. Just as there's no such thing as a perfect speaker, there's likely no such thing as a perfect DAC - at least not below $30K. But we keep hoping.
@default maybe your hearing isn't all that good in which case get a Schitt Modi 3E and call it a day.
@default good then life is cheap for you. I have no need to argue with "flat earthers". Good day.
How long chine audio stuff should last? I had one smsl amp that died in 2 years and "fosi audio" dac where volume knob is breaking after one year of use, depending its position only left or right channel works.
What in a DAC accounts for differences in sound stage?
D300 settings question. Can anyone who has the D300 tell me which DSD Filter setting to use (13k, 26k, 52k)? Also are most folks using DISABLE for HPC mode. I plan to run this off an ipad.
I’m still soakin up the goodness of my Geshelli Labs J2 that I’ve had for about a month now. This thing sounds cool though.
If you don't mind me asking, which J2 chip are you running? I had also bought a new J2 about months ago. It was the AKM chip version. Overall, I liked how it soundstaged while maintaining solid bass response and respectable mids. But,I found that it really struggled with rendering acoustic guitars and similar tonal sounds from other instruments, and also seemed as though it was missing some bits in the treble ( hard to explain, but clearly some information was missing to my ears). For example, the sound broke down when playing Nils Lofgren's Keith Don't Go (Live) song. It simply wasn't able to accurately render the individual notes during the technical acoustic guitar solos. This is an issue for me because quite a few of my songs have acoustic guitars, cymbals, etc. A good DAC, but my 30+ yr old Carver Sonic Holography DAC still wins in all categories except instrument separation on the soundstage, at least in my system (Heresy IVs paired with a REL S/510 sub). With that said, the J2 will continue to be an integral part of my system for the foreseeable future because it's my optical in for my WIIM mini into my Carver Amp (i.e., too old for optical, RCA only)...at least until I can muster enough money to buy a Venus II.
How about details in sound compare to flagship AKM or ESS ?
I have a couple questions. Why not let us know what the dac is doing when you have the rolloff on the "slow" setting? What's actually happening when you have the roll off on the "fast" setting?
My second question is, why not plug this thing in and show us what the screen menu looks like and go through the options? I'm not suggesting hooking it up and giving us a listening session, L O L. Because that won't do anything. But hook the thing up and let us see what the screen looks like. What's the resolution of it? Give us the info we require. Love your channel. You're doing good work.
I still can't figure out whether you can plug a hard drive or memory stick directly into a DAC. Does anyone know?
Great review, thanks
I heard somewhere that the ROHM DAC chip alone costs around $100.
I wonder when they will implement the new BT file protocol LC3... And when they will replace (or at least complement) the super lossy MP3 codec with Ogg (Vorbis) codec which has a humongous better sound quality than MP3 for the same size, _and_ is free (OpenSource) as opposed to MP3 licensed integration! This would truly respond to customers needs for a better sounding product.
I think you should talk about the topic of room treatment...no matter how much cash you spend on hifi gear the most beneficial to do is room treatment. So buy cheap and make up for it by doing so.
Some reviews mention popping and clicking when the sample rate of the source material changes anyone here getting that?
I have had the D300 for a couple of months now. Compared to a cheaper Topping DAC I tried and returned, the D300 is way better. Compared to the two Yamaha AVR's I've listened to, one with a Burr Brown DAC and the other a ESS Sabre, it blows the Sabre out of the water. The Burr Brown based unit was close but my setup using the D300 was better. I have it receiving TIDAL from a WiiM Mini vis Optical input. The DAC feeds analog to a 1990's vintage Yamaha integrated (AX870). I bypass the amps preamp stage and run it as a power amp, doing volume control with the DAC. My speakers are DIY SEAS Idunn, supplemented with a Fluance 10" subwoofer. I think it sounds fantastic. It sounds more natural than other DACS I have listened too. A giutar sounds like a real guitar, violin sounds like a violin. Soundstage is very good and engaging. I couldn't care less about the build quality. It works well and sits virtually hidden underneath my TV so meh. Highly recommended.
As an owner of the D300. Finally people are noticing this cool dac. I love mine. The way it procces the sound is nice rounded musical presentation. The way it also do soundstage is really nice.
Doesnt have a lot of filters or sound settings. It only have Sharp roll off or Slow Roll off . Also they have a HPC option that when on it helps with distortion in high frecuency but affects the mid and lows.
The secret is to disable the HPC and choose the Slow Roll off For the best sound. The sharp roll off adds to much reverb and also makes the sound of intruments a bit less focused or bodied ( i think its better for more rounded or romantic type speakers !!). Also the cost vs conatruction its because the cost of the Rohm chip its pretty high compared to some akm and ess chips; so smsl downgraded construcion quality to save some pennies and make it attractive.
@cheapaudioman You should try it with the HPC mode off. Youll notice the enhancements in the mid and lows and test the sharp or slow roll off. Id like it with hpc off and slow roll off.
interesting
HPC Off is the way to go....superb natural sound
What is HPC..?
Randy can you give me your list of the cheap audioman American dream? Or do you have a new one 🤔 thanks!
Sorry, I've got next to no knowledge on desktop amps/dacs. I have a pair of Campfire Audio Cascades (don't sue me for my love of bass XD) and will likely try out other headphones over the years.
How would I connect these? Does it have a 2.5mm or 4.4mm balanced output? If not, what would I need in order to use this with my headphones, or what dac would you recommend instead in a similar price range?
Thank you!
Would i buy this over my current Metrum Octave NOS Dac(2013) ? In its day the Metrum compared to $3,000 DACs .
Do 2023 Sub $500 Dacs exceed, equal or fall short of Dacs 10 times the price of say in 2013?
Hi! Topping E50 vs SMSL D300 ? Which is the better choice? I'm listening to Jazz and classical music...
I have the D300. Nothing is more musical at it's price point.
How does this compare in terms of power to a Hifiman EF400? SMLS Headphone output power is 2x 3W @16Ω
2x 1.5W @32Ω while HifiMan EF is Maximum Power Output: 4.4 W per channel. If used purely for headphone as a dac/amp combo, which has the better components & power?
I have SMSL Sanskrit, the build is great and for
I have a Sanskrit Mk2 V10, it's OK, very analytical, the old AKM4493 chip...most upper echelon chips out in the last couple of years will have more "body" to them though...certainly ESS9038pro or AKM4499 based units
It's like DAC manufacturers worked out how to squeeze out all the detail in about 2019 and the more modern chips are adding music back to the mix
I wouldn't send MQL any licence money either!
Great review. I'd love to hear one, cheers Randy. 👍😎🇦🇺
One of my favourite DACs. Sounds absolutely gorgeous. Just recently replaced it with Gistard R26.
Hi. I owned this DAC for more than 8 months. It is amazing. However I want the Gustard R2R. Can you please provide some review and difference between the two? Many thanks.
@@SahinurUK R26 has faster tighter bass, more details. Also included streamer is a very nice feature. It’s definetely upgrade, but price is 4 times bigger. If you have spare money, but it. If money is limited, I would start with good preamp like A90 Discrete (however it depends on your amp).
Got the D300 today connected to an iPad via usb cable/ apple camera adapter and a drop thx 789 amp via XLR. It reads the iPad, but does not play any sound. Tried rca, no sound. Different DAC, sound works. So not the amp. Using the D300 and Drop amp with PC I get sound.
If you unplug the lightening cord from the apple usb camera adapter the iPad gives a warning that the SMSL accessory draws too much power. Same with my iPhone. So in summary I returned and am disappointed.
There is no way to contact the manufacturer or the Amazon vendor for help.
Basically the opposite experience of Geshelli or Schiit where everything works and customer service is second to none.
Try the new DO300? Review that new sabre chip..it's awsome and better controls on the front
My favourite Internet hifi reviews ever great humour
Thanks!
Thanks again for great content Randy, please don't stop,. BTW, i'm trying the Geshelli soon but my favourite so far is the D50s, got it thanks to your review and honestly, the build, the looks, the quality and the sound fidelity is just great!, cheers
D50s is a solid little unit. Still holds up
I have both DACs and they do great things differently. Synergy is key. For a system that's more laid back, I like the Loxjie D50 better. For a system that's a little sterile and forward (typical class d if that is still a thing) I prefer the Geshelli j2
Both are nice
I would love to hear your impressions
@@ufarkingicehole I’m actually between the J2 and Topping E70V. Any ideas for me?
Great review Randy. I have made a few purchases from your suggestions, I’ve had the Amazon Echo Link, serves me well. I also purchased Liberty 3 earbuds from sound-core. Also very pleased, thanks for the recommendations. As I move further into the digital domain I am looking for a Good 4:00 DAC. I was looking at the denafrips ares 2, I’m still open to other DACs. I am considering Geshelli labs. Will Geshelli labs have their Sparko Labs collaboration with sparko labs available soon? Looking forward to more DAC reviews from you!
My Bifrost 2 is going to get an update a Synergistic Research Purple Fuse
Burr Brown 🙋🏽♂️ , I have a Yamaha stereo with a BB DAC and sounds amazing
How is the sound quality? ifi zen air bluetooth dac?
This is more musical than the zen. I tried both. The zen was painful in my setup.
Shame that the volume knob is a deal breaker fo me and using a remote at a desk when already using a mouse and KB is not a good solution either. Oh well SMSL, maybe next time.
I really like how he gets into the "nitty gritty" of things! I want to measure my speaker response, how can I do that?
For the purest who have a few extra dollars to spend. My go to dac is the ifi idsd neo.
Great review as always Randy! I’ll watch your dac reviews anytime anywhere anyhow, also cool to hear that this one is different, choices are cool, ok cya next time and thanks again!
thank you, Brian
Had the SMSL SU-6 for a while..but now I found my favorite DAC/Preamp which I haven’t found any UA-cam reviews on. It is the Aiyima DAC-A1…why? It is like the cheapest dac in their range, good dac chip, can roll op amps, has a remote with volume and BASS & TREBLE control!! Perfect fit with A07 Amp which lacks tone control..something for cheapaudioman to review?
Since they are a new player it would be nice to get a little of background into whoever Rohm is and how they are going to be able to compete with the likes of ESS, AKM and Burr-brown.
HIGHLY respected japanese compnents manufacturer sonce the 70s. They ised to do lots of high end musoc components in the 80's. Aparently they want back and hit it big woth tbis Dac. Heck Luxman put two of this dac chips in the 16k top of the line cd transport!!.
@@Jeipr Interesting, thanks for the info.
Thanks expensiveaudioman
Got one of these a few weeks ago when my tube dac died, and I am still waiting for my J2. I haven't heard enough different DACs to have an educated opinion one way or the other. Sounds good. I like being weird.
Thanks man. Another great review. Well done!
People think "all DACS sound the same unless one is not working right". That is a giant load of BS, if you have a decent system you will hear differences, not as great as speaker and output device. You also have to seperate the notion that more expensive DACS that measure off the charts are the final word in sound quality, I have owned a few that measured really well, yet sounded thin and lifeless. I would like to hear one of these and see how it compares to my Topping E50 with iFI power supply. I thought my E50 (which measured off the charts nearly at release) sounded thin until I upgraded the power supply.
Dacs based on Philips TDA 1541/43 are better than della sigma chips. Or R2R dacs. It offers much natural sound.
Namely? Why don't you list some models featuring that chip
its always good to have more reviews from diferent types of products. have you ever tried any of the tempotec products? many says the audio quality is great
Love your content brother.
I buy open boxed audio and pre loved.
I bought a 10 year old Linn Akurate Ds.
Retailed at £7500 back then..
I bought it for 2000.. I auditioned it against naim ndx 2 which retails at £2400..
The blew it apart..totally destroyed it..
Yes 10 year old Linn blew away latest naim..
Mqa is crap.
It re-shapes the files so it's not the same music.
Tidal mqa is a complete con.
I always wondered does the optical input work with DD output from a TV? or does the TV have to be setup to just output PCM?
Thank you for the review Randy. Always good to have a different perspectice than somewhere like ASR whose discussion usually begins and ends with measurements.
Is this DAC decent with rhythms and instrument intonation? I don't want a DAC that chokes up when it gets to a fast section of the music or one that can't play difficult key signatures without making mistakes.
I have it. It's a "musical" DAC. An expensive chip. Doesn't have that "3D" sound, but it's clean and easy to listen to.
@@dialecticalmonist3405 Have you tried it with the other filters settings!!. I found in my setup that the factory setting (HPC enabaled and Fast rolls off prioritize intrument separation and some space reverbat the cost of softer base and flat wall of sound in front of you not as dynamic. When ive tried it with The Slow Roll and HpC instruments took a step foward in terms of presentation also a more dynamic engaging tonality, base also picked up a bit of more punch and wieght overall. Highs are bit rolled off but not much!.
Im testing now with all HPc Off and Slow Rolls off. So far more dybamic and fowars sound of all. Intruments separation takes a bit of a hit but the sound stage and intruments become big and more dynamic rounded sound.
So the question I present...Is it better than the Geshelli Labs DAC?
If all you care about is musicality and natural organic sound, yes D300 is best bargain desktop DAC in world.
Hi, been enjoying your vids for a bit now, and i have a question for you.
Is there a device that would convert USB audio out to HDMI ARC for 5.1 ?
Rohm does have 1 other slightly lower end DAC, but they're new to the Hifi market, Rohm makes all sorts of IC components, but only recently got into the market in the last 2-3 years. Looking forward to their future chips cause the current flagship chip BD34301EKV actually cant be implemented in too many applications compared to the ESS and AKM flagships yet. But for a smaller company being newer to the market they did a good job making it pretty competitive in its single application. I think at this time its more suitable to actually be used in smaller dongle sized stereo DACs. Im sure in the future a more higher featured ROHM dac will come out that will be more closer to that of a true flagship chip.
You can find the BD34301EKV chip in the top of the line Luxman D10X SACD player and sells for $16,500.
@@dungysphincter7974 Yeah I just saw the post on hifipig today! Love to see more Rohm products on the market!
Hey Randy! It would be awesome if you could review the Black Ice Audio FOZ SSX Sound Stage Expander. It seems like it could be great!
I just stick with Analog source to Analog output. No 1 & 0's. Just sound waves. Like a real hamburger versus one out of the Star Trek Food Replicator.
Thanks Randy. Glad you like it and the comments section as well gives food for thought. I’m a set it and forget it type, but I’m willing to try a few things now. I’ve had it since the end of March 2022, and it’s the most I’ll spend on a DAC, in part because i retired and i disposed of my disposable income, in part because i have enough gear and backup gear to last. In fact in January last year i got a Modi MB; now those are up to $300. I got the D300 for the unique chip and good experience with SMSL DACs (S10, M100), but primarily to run a full-balanced chain from DAC to SMSL HO200 preamp/HP amp, to my power amp which only has XLR inputs. The HO200 also has an RCA input so I’ve a crazy Rube Goldberg arrangement, with the Modi MB on top the D300, output to a Schiit Saga + (i used the other four inputs there with various old gear) and the Saga’s output to the RCA on the HO200, which has an input switch. The streamer in that system simultaneously puts out optical & coaxial, so one to each DAC. After level matching, as close as possible, i can flick the switch on HO200 from XLR (D300) to RCA (Modi MB) and compare DACs, not exactly blind, and slight differences in the chain (adding the Saga +, which even with the tube on sounds fairly transparent). Verdict? Virtually the same. Maybe the edge to the Modi for a fuller sound. Maybe. I could live and love either, but i didn’t know that until i had both, lol. I haven’t tried that with HPs, only speakers. For the extra $100 at today’s Modi MB price, the D300 scores. It has the convenience of the preamp / volume remote control (the Modi MB, does not on it’s own have that), the Bluetooth that doesn’t suck (though i only use it sparingly for YT videos), the XLR and RCA outputs, & sounds the same-ish. I went through a phase when everything had to go through a tube buffer, which i can’t do with the D300 the way i use it (I could, actually, it has RCA outputs) but i don’t miss it. The naturalness of it, soundstage, dynamic range, for me there’s nothing more i need. But think i might sometimes when i check out these reviews.
I also own this DAC after getting a chance to listen to the iBasso DX320 DAP which has dual ROHM DAC's but it's way out of my price range at around 2.5K for a DAP so nope but absolutely loved the sound it produced.
The only other DAC's I could find that used the ROHM where 2K+ also granted they had dual ROHM DAC's also. I have to agree with Randy, build quality isn't that great but once you got it where it goes that doesn't really matter. Agree with the sound but never heard the Modi so can't compare it to that but it's definitely different then the 2 brands that come in any other DAC under 500 dollars. I honestly think maybe roughly 250 of the price is just the DAC but that's just based on prices of any other DAC that uses ROHM and ROHM is a Japanese company that tends to make higher end stuff. Obviously I can't prove that but based on the build quality that's just my personal speculation but it has the inputs I need and XLR outputs so it hasn't left my RAC since I got it.
Yeah, based on a search the Cayin N8II DAP uses dual ROHM DAC's which is more expensive then ibasso and the other one I found, well, see below granted both had dual ROHM FAC's but same model in the D300. I just think this is a bargain granted the DAC isn't the only factor but it explains the build quality and limitation of models using it that any reasonable person would look at.
Luxman's 22.4kg, ~$17,000, D-10x SACD/CD player uses ROHM Semiconductor MUS-IC BD34301EKV . A 768kHz sampling, 32bit ⊿Σ Stereo Audio D/A Converter.
ROHM Musical Device: MUS-IC
So glad you finally got to listen to this DAC! I've posted on some older videos asking for you to test it but I probably sounded like some crazy person or just got lost in the numerous posts. I've owned it for maybe a year after getting to listen to the iBasso DX320 which has dual ROHM DAC's. Obviously that's a much more expensive DAP but I decided to take a chance when I saw this had one ROHM DAC and I am so glad I did. It actually replaced my geshalli labs because of how good it sounds. It's quite an expenaive DAC as ROHM is a Japanese company and I've only seen it in 2K plus DACs and obviously the iBasso but for much, much less. While not super cheap compared to some other DAP's out there it was worth the probably roughly 100 dollar difference o we the Geshalli labs. I agree with the build quality though. I think the DAC is just that expensive but obviously I don't know what the actual DAC price is but it's different and immediately noticeable to my ears personally for music. It just sounds really, really good with every genre of music I've listened to. It's actually alright for TV stereo audio but it's obviously made for music. It's very natural and neutral to my ears.
It may be expensive, but go find any other DAC/DAP with this DAC and they are 2K plus granted they have dual ROHM DAC's instead of just the one in this model.
I have to disagree about the Geshalli, I personally think the DS300 better but that comes down to personal preference. It does not have the best build quality but I honestly think around 250 of that is just the DAC by itself. Obviously I can't prove that but based on the brands and prices in other brands, I think it's reasonably priced.
Interesting reveiw, but have you come across or tested anything with texts instrument's dacia
Texas instruments dac
Nice review Randy, good to see something different in a DAC.
Volume knob is totally a Death Star
This is not the DAC you are looking for :)
The DAC chip in and of itself is really expensive. The Same chip is used in the Luxman D10X SACD player that retails for $15000. They had to save money somewhere. I believe the DAC chip itself costs around $100.
Just another flavor in the ice cream shop. Thanks for going through all the countless units in the marketplace for us.
i was reallllllyyy hoping that 2023 would not be another year of the DAC like 2022 was. Completely burned out on em but maybe others are not.
Thanks Randy, I like the DAC reviews, It's been about a year since you did your DAC tier list, It might be time to do another comparison maybe leaving out some of the previous lower rated ones. Better get back to work thanks again. Just for my own Info have you ever heard the Replacements Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take out The Trash you might like it
What about thr R2D2-C3PO chip?
It's good to have choices but the market is so flooded with sub $500 DACs it's bordering on ridiculous... Mainly because it is like reaching into a bag of roasted whole peanuts. Each peanut is a different one yet tastes the same
I like that analogy 👍
You could do 3 backflips, and it still couldn't get me excited about anything chi-fi these days.
Interesting you bring up cymbals. I need to find a DAC that doesn't make crash cymbals sound like unnatural garbage. Taking only sound into consideration, I don't know if I should get the Cayin RU6 because it's an inexpensive R2R or something like the J2 or Schitt's multibit. Maybe a good DAC will also help with my HD560S too.
Thanks Randy...I run dual A300's ....I'm GUESSING this would be a lovely match with 'em....it would certainly look awesome.
Interesting - a new chip company. at least. Whether or not the Rhom chip works as a delta sigma, or a multibit, or a FPGA (like the Chord DACs) - we don't know?
So, the filtering before the decoding, and the decoding method, and the analog output stage - and the quality of the power supply - all *four* of the main parts of a DAC make a difference in the sound quality.
I own the D300 and it's worth it IMO. I had a chance to listen to the iBasso DX320 flagship DAP and it blew me away but way out of my price range. Based on a quick search, the first 2 models I found outside iBasso was the Cayin N8II which is there flagship DAP which is more expensive than iBasso. It should be noted that both have dual ROHM DAC's but the exact same model DAC in the SMSL D300.. The other one I found was a SACD player I found, well, yeah, obviously something for people with money to burn. Granted. It's a SACD player so not sure who who pay that much but it may have more inputs. It explains the build quality of the D300 but ROHM is a Japanese company and tends to deal in higher end stuff so this is the cheapest DAC that uses it and you won't find another DAC that uses it that isn't 2K plus so I see why SMSL only released it in one model was well worth the money, at least to me.
You just have to hear it but obviously this isn't something you can just demo but it hasn't left my RAC since I put it in maybe a year ago when it was purchased as this isn't a new model DAC. It's been around for at least a year or more.. I think most people see the price and move on but the ROHM DAC is just something that needs to be heard. Obviously the iBasso DX320 with dual ROHM DACs sounded better when fed directly into the same amp and it also obviously has much better parts in every department including build quality but 2.5K+ for a DAP is just not something I could ever justify so understand the poor build quality by SMSL. I would not be surprised if 250 of the price of the D300 is just the single ROHM DAC but obviously I can't prove that
Luxman's 22.4kg, ~$17,000, D-10x SACD/CD player uses ROHM Semiconductor MUS-IC BD34301EKV . A 768kHz sampling, 32bit ⊿Σ Stereo Audio D/A Converter.
ROHM Musical Device: MUS-IC
Hey randy it would be cool to see you review the new schiit Gjallarhorn amp it's their most recent product and looks like a decent 300-dollar amp
Chord dacs are also Delta-sigma dacs. They're using FPGA chips with custom audio processing logic and send that processed data to their delta-sigma ring dac. All the so called FPGA dacs are actually r2r or delta-sigma dacs at the end.
Hmm, Chord is Delta Sigma design, just their custom implementation (FPGA + pule array thingy, not off the shelf chip).
This Rohm chip also looks like its doing delta sigma modulation inside. So not much new type of DAC, but just another delta sigma ...
Wherever I May Rohm
Happy to do you a favour, Subscribed 👍
Wrong remote mate.
I have a question for all. I am an old school Metal Head and Punker from way, way back. For the last 15 years I play all my music through UA-cam Premium. From my computer headphone out to my Sx 1250 aux. Do I need a DAC.
If you care about the quality of what you are listening to, yes.
It doesn't "destroy the competition", but it's certainly competent and a good value at $400. ASR did a full measurement suite on it and it lands in the middle of "excellent" range. Still not the equal of a Topping D90SE or Gustard X26 pro, but certainly no slouch. IMO DACs have become commodity items. They've reached such a level of performance that anything beyond what is available now is not going to be an audible improvement.
How compared to the SU-9 ?
Toping D90SE comparing to Ifi neo IDSD is garbage dac... Very harsh sounding dac, losing a lot of separation...
@@dawidpastuszka3027 which is inferior?
You never learned that measurements and sound quality do not go hand in hand. Take the Modi Multibit 2 vs the Modi +. The Modi + will beat the MB2 in measurements, but the Modi Multibit 2 stomps the Modi+ in sound quality. Even my Topping E50 (which measures up there in charts) needs an upgraded 5V 3 AMP power supply to not sound thin and clinical. I personally hate ASR, it has a very toxic, parrot community where you have to be a parrot, or get reprimanded and even banned. All the members brag of their equipment, but state all things sound the same, unless broken! 🤣
@@sachavilleneuve6688 Yes, that is exactly what that means. You buy a DAC to get better sound quality and good components, are you going to analyze it with thousands of equipment or listen to it? If you can get better sound quality with one DAC over the other, it is a no brainer to choose what sounds best for you and your system (extra points if it is way cheaper ). Do you run analysis on your audio equipment or use it to play music? 🤣
No i2s , you are missing out. F the usb in dacs. Experience the i2s leap in audio performance: black background, analogue without any digital noise. For golden ears only, old farts with damage ears can't hear it anyways.
Why can't we get a digital graphic equalizer or a 5 or 6 band parametric equalizer at the digital stage (pre-analog) on these DACs? A plus or minus 6db is all we would need to fine tune our systems, and if it was a stereo EQ we could fine tune systems that have to be in a corner. Why is tone control such a no-no in the digital realm?
My D300 is teamed up with a WiiM Mini. Awesome streamer that has a very good digital EQ.
SMSL D300 happens to be my choice of DAC and I think you have fair criticism about the build quality. The front plate is thick enough, but the thin aluminum wrap around the rest of the DAC is not particularly premium.
Outer build quality aside I think is a great DAC. Thanks to the fast/slow roll-off modes it sounds good with virtually any type of music.
I think it's an amazing DAC for the price but yes, build quality is not great but considering the main reason I purchased the D300 was after getting to spend an hour with the iBasso DX320 DAP which has dual ROHM DAC's (same model DAC) but 2.5K plus for a DAP is out of my price range. I'm actually surprised SMSL can sell it for this price.
The only other devices I could find online are another high end DAP company that has dual ROHM DAC's and is more than the ibasso, it's the Cayin N8II which is their flagship models and a 17K SACD/CD player which I'm sure has other inputs but quit reading after that 17K part.. Heck even just a demo board completely designed by ROHM is just under 1K and can be purchased from mouser and it's just a board with a coaxial input, RCA and XLR outputs. If you want to add more inputs you have to soldier or connect them to the board via jumper pins so nope... Obviously it's not meant for consumer use but still, not cheap and considering it's from a high end Japanese company that has been making high end audio parts since the 70's completely explains the build quality. Just extremely natural and neutral and seems to put some emphasis on lyrics, at least to my ears. The DAC alone is 90 dollars if you order a 1000 of them from ROHM directly (minimum amount they will sell) so I think the price is more than justified. Once it's setup the entire build quality goes out the windows because it hasn't moved since I installed it anyways. Definitely different than ESS or AKM, that's for sure.
@@JoshFisher567 I agree, I prefer when they put more of the money into the sound than the build. With that said, I would be okay paying an additional 50-100 bucks for a slightly better finish.
And I believe you are right about the chip. I have heard that a single chip is in the vicinity of $100.
This is not your ordinary DAC. It powers my Cayin N8ii tube DAP and can easily hold its own with the better known known ESS and AKM variants.
In this case, I think SMSL just chose *not* to support MQA because my DAP does...so the chip can handle it. Which is a good move on their part because it's snake oil anyway--I have the MQA processing turned off.
If you like a neutral, smooth, analogue/natural sound, then you willl like this dac a lot. It is not as dynamic and punchy as some of the AKM and Saber based products at this pricepoint. It prioritizes sound over asthetics. The chasis is not quite as nice as others at this price, but the sound is really top notch if you like this type of sound signature. It definitely sounds worth the price.
I'm sorry DAC's blah blah blah... Buy which ever you like. I'll put money on the fact you can't hear a difference between any versions after a beer.
Thank you for watching
@pauldavidthomasfrodo Thanks for sharing your wisdom. Please come back. When you're sober...
can somebody tell a newbie what sibelant means? thanks.
S’s and ch’s sound like static and are unnatural. Kind of harsh sounding