strange SMSL M500 high 3rd harmonic

[jani80k]

Yeah... let's just wait for the EU repair shop... things will fall into place eventually, I am sure.
Everyone will have their units replaced/repaired and not hear a difference

 

[Jimbob54]

Yeah... let's just wait for the EU repair shop... things will fall into place eventually, I am sure.
Everyone will have their units replaced/repaired and not hear a difference

Ah, but we all know how our minds work- now we know its broken we will hear it. And when its fixed, we will hear that too ;-)

 

[Shoaibexpert]

Need I say more?!

 

[timlub]

It sounds like to tool has worked on the SU-9. Is this something that someone that it has worked for can write up a quick tutorial for the rest of us and we can pay shipping to use the tool?

 

[kfscoll]

Need I say more?!

Am I reading Mandy's email right? Is SMSL still giving you the stiff-arm?

 

[lucadoc]

Is possible for you to ship it to CN/US?

Thanks for your proposal but I live in France and too costly and complicated to ship outside EU

 

[Shoaibexpert]

Am I reading Mandy's email right? Is SMSL still giving you the stiff-arm?

Absolutely. People here are still hopeful to get the J-Link device. All I shared is that SMSL ain't doing that....still! And they say that unless there is a functional problem with the DAC, it doesn't need repairs... essentially denying any fault with device after admitting it a few posts earlier. Definitely the last SMSL for me!

HiFiGo, at least didn't argue with the issue being there...they just want me to ship both SU-9 units to China with 50% delivery cost. An option I am holding off on hoping we can put enough pressure on SMSL to send us the J-Link device. I mean it's their fault for selling a product in Canada and not having a local repair shop...and well not admitting the fault on their devices.

 

[Kaushama]

View attachment 137077

Need I say more?!View attachment 137077

This is the same email response I got from Mandy. I have earlier mailed her regarding the issue and she once asked me to apply for a Jtool from shenzhenaudio. Now she shows blind eyes to my follow-up email. Was it the same person who posted here?
SMSL seems to be thinking ASR is a minority in their customer base. However, most other reviewers get attention here before they listen to the devices. The reviews here, I thought, bring an objective benchmark to pseudo audiophile opinions from customers and reviewers to shape it away from biases. Yet I still see the attempts by SMSL to accept deviations of their declared "scientific specifications" if the customer does not hear anything. SMSL is challenging and mocking the sole fundamental of ASR? The audio science against biases of audio snake oil opinions? Do they want us to accept what our ears tell us to accept a bogus specification?
I can not understand the resistance of them to accept this and send Jtools to customers who are willing to take the risk of updating the units. They seem to make it difficult by asking customers to return the units at their cost so that most are forced to keep the units. And now ask the customers to send the units if they feel the error only! People here may be a minority. But if they storm the review sections of Amazon/other online retailers, and other forums things could be ugly to SMSL in the long run!
They are shaking the foundations of ASR by its foothold. "Measurements are important if you discern it by your own ears!"

 

[Massimo]

People here may be a minority. But if they storm the review sections of Amazon/other online retailers, and other forums things could be ugly to SMSL in the long run!"

I would expect most people buying a DAC would read reviews prior to making a decision. If you Google for a review on an SMSL product, like the M500, Audio Science Review is almost always the first hit. I wouldn't underestimate the impact to SMSL's bottom line if they maintain this lousy attitude and atrocious customer service.

 

[timlub]

After I returned my M500, I went to leave a review, I rec'd a message, "Amazon is not accepting reviews on this product"....

 

[Shoaibexpert]

So here's a question in the absence of support form SMSL/Retailers. We know that lowering the volume reduces the 3HD down.

Does the 3HD problem apply to all inputs ie Coaxial and Optical as well. Can someone test that unless already done so please? Thanks

 

[JSmith]

Does the 3HD problem apply to all inputs ie Coaxial and Optical as well.

Yes, of course as all inputs are fed to the DAC... and it's the firmware that controls the DAC settings that has an error.



JSmith

 

[SHENZHENAUDIO]

Thanks for your proposal but I live in France and too costly and complicated to ship outside EU

We'll help to solve, friend, no worries. Just email to [email protected].

 

[Blew]

HiFiGo, at least didn't argue with the issue being there...they just want me to ship both SU-9 units to China with 50% delivery cost.

FYI, under Australian Consumer Law, a retailer cannot refuse to handle a repair or replacement. Also, they cannot charge for the repair or replacement costs, including shipping. As this unit made false claims about the amp model, it does not "match descriptions made by the salesperson, on packaging and labels, and in promotions or advertising".

https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guarantees/consumer-guarantees

Canada may have similar consumer laws, so check before you make any decisions.

Also note that the SMSL warranty specified in the M500 manual says they will cover repair/replacement costs for up to one year, but this does NOT override Australian Consumer Law:

1. The term of service
Foshan Shuangmusanlin Technology Co., Ltd. promises good quality products. If the
product is defective by normal use within 7 days after purchasing, the customer can
chose to send it back for returning or repairing (only the product does not affect the
secondary sales can be returned ). Faulty for free within one year warranty normal use.

 

[restorer-john]

FYI, under Australian Consumer Law, a retailer cannot refuse to handle a repair or replacement. Also, they cannot charge for the repair or replacement costs, including shipping. As this unit made false claims about the amp model, it does not "match descriptions made by the salesperson, on packaging and labels, and in promotions or advertising".

https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guarantees/consumer-guarantees

Canada may have similar consumer laws, so check before you make any decisions.

Also note that the SMSL warranty specified in the M500 manual says they will cover repair/replacement costs for up to one year, but this does NOT override Australian Consumer Law:

1. The term of service
Foshan Shuangmusanlin Technology Co., Ltd. promises good quality products. If the
product is defective by normal use within 7 days after purchasing, the customer can
chose to send it back for returning or repairing (only the product does not affect the
secondary sales can be returned ). Faulty for free within one year warranty normal use.

If the item is purchased from an overseas seller all bets are off. ACL won't help you. The platform (amazon ebay etc) may offer recourse, but maybe not, as they are an agent in reality, not the seller or the seller's representative.

Also, the 1 year warranty is typical for products in its class. Certainly unlikely to invoke the "implied warranty" extension and the failure to hit specs in an unusual test would hardly be considered a "major failure" under ACL. About all you could push for is a reasonable consumer may not have made the choice to purchase, had they known about the issue.

 

[Toku]

I think that the consumer law of each country applies to products sold by domestic distributors, but not to products purchased directly from overseas retailers such as Shenzhen Audio.
So, living in Japan, I only buy expensive products from domestic distributors.

The problem is the purchase from overseas dealers who have stores on Amazon.jp etc. The handling of these stores is extremely vague, and there is no consumer law for products shipped from overseas.

 

[Laserjock]

Unfortunately, I bought one from Amazon US through Aoshida Audio back in November 2019 and received it Jan 2020ish. I ran it in a bedroom system for a little bit with a Bluesound Node 2 and enjoyed it.
I put it back in the box since about May 2020 waiting to finish my 2 channel room.

I sent an email to Sandy just now to see if anything can be done.
$400 isn’t chump change but not the end of the world either. Maybe I’ll use it for the wife’s pro audio karaoke system I put together since mono works good for that.
Chris

 

[timlub]

For the few of you that got the SU-9 DAC firmware to udate..... What does it show now for HW, SW, USB?
This should be helpful for the rest of us going forward.

 

[Shoaibexpert]

For the few of you that got the SU-9 DAC firmware to udate..... What does it show now for HW, SW, USB?
This should be helpful for the rest of us going forward.

Also, how did you end up getting the update/J-Tool?

 

[timlub]

Shenzhen Audio told me today that they have set up a center to do conversions in San Diego in the US. I have built a couple of DIY DAC's and have asked for the JLink tool with Firmware update.