strange SMSL M500 high 3rd harmonic

[Laserjock]

So you watched a movie with a DAC... please, tell me more.



JSmith

Lol, that was supposed to be in the Tenet thread.
Too funny

 

[mycose]

You wanna correct your mistakes right?

They haven't even released an official statement about this issue. The only thing you can do is pressure them on facebook, and if you're lucky they might offer you a replacement or the update tool. I personally will just avoid the entire brand and I'll be recommending others not to buy stuff from them. This whole situation is beyond ridiculous.

 

[Shoaibexpert]

They haven't even released an official statement about this issue.

Since this 3rd harmonic distortion issue is common on almost all SMSL DACs per the comments here...I feel @amirm may consider downgrading or removing SMSL DACs from ASR top DACs list. It's the least we can do to save new ASR members from thia SMSL trap!

 

[RayDunzl]

I have some thing to ask and something to share on what's going on in my setup. I bought two units of the SU-9 from HiFiGo in the last months. The return period has expired and I honestly thought at the time that I was upgrading from M500 to SU-9 and that it was worth it. Now I want to understand what the issue being discussed means for me as well as other plan users of the SU-9? Is my DAC garbage? Were the measurements reported in Amir's review not repeatable in actual home setups? Basically should I get rid of the SU-9 and buy some other DAC and would that be audibly superior due to the faults in SU-9, if yes...in what way? I feel I am defrauded yet again by SMSL and all I want now is to assess the extent of damage. Finally what's the solution available to me or other users to correct the situation?

Now that sharing part. I have hooked up my SU-9 to a NuPrime A300 D Class amp (temporarily) untill my NAD C298 arrives and am running KEF R7s with it. Below is the REW measurement of pink noise from my system. I notice a very very noticeable clockwise shift in frequency response. Any link to the issue being discussed here? Any possible reasons why this is the case?
View attachment 136405View attachment 136405

In REW:

Pink Noise with RTA display should be flat.

Pink Noise with Spectrum display will show a downward slope.

White Noise with Spectrum display should be flat.

White noise with RTA display will show an upward slope.

 

[kfscoll]

Since this 3rd harmonic distortion issue is common on almost all SMSL DACs per the comments here...I feel @amirm may consider downgrading or removing SMSL DACs from ASR top DACs list. It's the least we can do to save new ASR members from thia SMSL trap!

To be fair to SMSL, I think the issue only affects the SU-9 and M500 DACs (i.e. the DACs based on the ES9038PRO chipset). There are quite a few SMSL DACs that are unaffected.

 

[Massimo]

To be fair to SMSL, I think the issue only affects the SU-9 and M500 DACs (i.e. the DACs based on the ES9038PRO chipset). There are quite a few SMSL DACs that are unaffected.

SMSL started as a promising brand but QC has taken a nose dive. Recent products have been beset with issues such as those mentioned above as well the SA400 tested recently here which had coil whine.

 

[kfscoll]

SMSL started as a promising brand but QC has taken a nose dive. Recent products have been beset with issues such as those mentioned above as well the SA400 tested recently here which had coil whine.

Perhaps, but doesn’t change what I said; namely, that the third-order harmonic issue only appears to affect the SU-9 and M500. @Shoaibexpert suggested it affected all of SMSL’s DACs.

Whether SMSL‘s products have other issues, I can’t say. However, it’s easier to tolerate the odd QC hiccups here and there if the company responsible for them stands up for its products over the long haul. So far, that doesn’t appear to be SMSL’s strategy.

 

[Shoaibexpert]

tested recently here which had coil whine.

Not to mention FR limited to 20K making Hi Res impossible as noted in Amir's review...

 

[JohnYang1997]

SMSL started as a promising brand but QC has taken a nose dive. Recent products have been beset with issues such as those mentioned above as well the SA400 tested recently here which had coil whine.

Actually no. They have always been the same.

 

[amirm]

FYI I confirmed this problem with SMSL M500 and updated that review with new measurements and withdrawn my recommendation of it. I have also sent a strong message to SMSL to respond to this issue or it will seriously impact any future recommendations of their products.

I also ran the test on the last two Topping DACs and there is NOT a problem there. I will perform spot checks on this moving forward. I don't think it is a common enough problem to report on it on every DAC.

 

[DHT 845]

I suppose 1 or 2 decoupling cap in proper place would solve the issue

 

[chefffe]

FYI I confirmed this problem with SMSL M500 and updated that review with new measurements and withdrawn my recommendation of it. I have also sent a strong message to SMSL to respond to this issue or it will seriously impact any future recommendations of their products.

I also ran the test on the last two Topping DACs and there is NOT a problem there. I will perform spot checks on this moving forward. I don't think it is a common enough problem to report on it on every DAC.

This is brilliant and the only reasonable reaction to reproduce on M500 and update your recommendation (maybe also soon for SU9?). Smsl must understand that building overall pretty good products is not enough if they provide NO customer service and no bugfixing at all.

 

[JSmith]

I suppose 1 or 2 decoupling cap in proper place would solve the issue

It's a firmware/software setting oversight for the ES9038PRO operating in 2 channel, not a hardware issue... the problem is solved, however SMSL/Shenzhenaudio need to provide a reasonable update path for current owners.



JSmith

 

[Shoaibexpert]

May be @SMSL-Mandy or @SMSL_Liu can create an email where people can share their order details and request the update tool/instructions? I mean I would imagine the retailers such as Shenzhen or HiFiGo (where I bought my 2 units of SU-9 from) wouldn't wanna commit resources to solve manufacturing defects from SMSL!

The other option is to make it so that everyone can update their SU-9s or M500s etc via normal USB somehow...

We are all stuck here without support from vendor, @amirm, if its not a bother, plz do push on our behalf to SMSL for providing an easy solution to us and keep us posted... may be they will listen to you...

 

[kfscoll]

The message @amirm sent to SMSL and his revised review of the M500 should get their attention. If those don't, nothing will.

Good luck to all the M500 owners who are hanging in there waiting for results from SMSL.

 

[BaaM]

@amirm @WolfX-700
Could you please test the SMSL SU8?
I own it, and I guess many others do since it has been recommended since 2018?

Thanks!

 

[Feyire]

Actually no. They have always been the same.

As an active competitor to SMSL, and with past products that also have various issues, I would suggest you stay out of this thread as a professional courtesy.

 

[JohnYang1997]

As an active competitor to SMSL, and with past products that also have various issues, I would suggest you stay out of this thread as a professional courtesy.

This is not a review thread.

 

[mycose]

As an active competitor to SMSL, and with past products that also have various issues ...

Even though Topping has had their own issues they at least recalled defective units. They did acknowledge the issue. What about SMSL? Bruh they literally ignored my facebook messages, they didn't even have the decency to at least tell me something like "Screw you we ain't fixing this", not even after I told them I was WILLING to pay both the update tool and shipping. IMO It's actually good to have John commenting about the issue here.

 

[Blew]

I mean I would imagine the retailers such as Shenzhen or HiFiGo (where I bought my 2 units of SU-9 from) wouldn't wanna commit resources to solve manufacturing defects from SMSL!

It's the responsibility of the retailer to co-ordinate repair/replacement of faulty products that they have sold. Usually in these cases they will send the faulty product to the regional distributor to fix, but failing that they can send it back to the manufacturer. Ultimately, it's not the responsbility of the customer to do this.