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SMSL M500 DAC/Amp
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SMSL M500 DAC/Amp
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Product Description
The SMSL M500 is an all-in-one DAC/amp optimized for high-end audio and user-friendly operation. Engineered with a highly regarded ESS ES9038PRO DAC, an XMOS XU-208 USB chipset, and dual OPA1612 op amps, the M500 delivers precisely articulated sound into any pair of headphones or monitors Read More
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keyboard_arrow_downEors
14
Sep 16, 2020
@Fayne at all, Shenzenaudio just announced that they will start selling SU-9 at the end of the month. What do you think how SU-9 will perform compared to M500 ? Here is the link for reference:
https://www.facebook.com/shenzhenaudio/posts/3252592961523456?comment_id=3253408414775244&reply_comment_id=3254380334678052¬if_id=1600216883810002¬if_t=feed_comment_reply&ref=notif
Eors
14
Oct 2, 2020
EorsI have ordered my SMSL SU-9 instead of the M500. SU-9 seems to have outstanding parameters.
https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/s-m-s-l-su-9-mqa-full-decoder-es9038pro-dac-xmos-dsd512-pcm768khz-32bit-bluetooth-5-0-uat-aptx-hd-usb-balanced-decoder
(Edited)
Eors
14
Aug 26, 2020
There is a 10% price reduction now on AliExpress, which makes this device 360 USD. Does anybody remember what was the price of this device, when it was available here on Drop last time? Does it make sense to wait longer for Drop to offer us this model or should I better take the SMSL factory discount through AliExpress?
BTW, I see 764 people are waiting for this device, including myself ... Is there a threshold, which will trigger Drop to make this thing available again?
(Edited)
marcialpairola
1
Dec 13, 2019
XMOS XU-208 USB chipset is not. The xmos that it should use is the 216. Please answer me if it right what i am saying. Thanks!
KC-130
155
Nov 22, 2019
It's always seemed peculiar to me for devices to offer XLR balanced preamp outs and only SE headphone outs.
Not knocking the M500 for doing so. I've owned amps at 10x the price which do the same, still peculiar.
However, the lack of specs for the preamp outs on the M500 makes it questionable for use as anything other than a HP amp.
Fayne
2583
Jan 17, 2020
If you're looking for cheap, I'd suggest keeping an eye out for the Massdrop x Grace SDAC Balanced. It currently isn't in stock, but it is a nice little high resolution balanced DAC with the signature AKM sound at a very reasonable price. Another cheapish balanced unit to check out is the ES9038Q2M packing SMSL SU-8.
I find my DX7s a touch fatiguing, but that may just be me, so YMMV there. I've read good things about the DX7 Pro, but haven't had hands on with one. The biggest issue I have with both of them is all of the extra and likely not used features. There is no point in paying the premium for a headphone-amp, HDMI IIS, or AES. The vast majority of people don't use and likely won't use them, especially so on the head-amp if people are pairing the DAC with an external amp. The DX7s uses the ES9038Q2M and the DX7 Pro the ES9038PRO.
Neither my DX7s and SDAC-B get very much if any use now that I've got the M500. I stream TIDAL for the content I don't own, and have been rather pleased with the MQA encoded tracks (I'm ignoring the evil of the DRM/Licensing, don't hate me).
If you don't care about balanced, grab a Topping D10, SMSL M100, or MassDrop x Grace Standard DAC. They're all great little DACs, and extremely competitively priced at under $100 USD. Caveat about the SDAC is that it is hard limited to 24bit/96kHz, but it is compatible with just about everything that supports basic USB audio. The 789 does benefit from balanced input, but isn't terrible with single-ended (unlike some others out there... I'm looking at you Massdrop LCX and Loxjie P20).
(Edited)
Eors
14
Jan 19, 2020
FayneThanks again for your detailed and professional response !!! I own a Topping D10 at the moment and yes, I do appreciate the quality it produces. Likely I will wait for the next M500 opportunity and if no other devices shows up till that time, I will upgrade my D10 to an M500 most probably.
Bjornen1
7
Nov 21, 2019
Buy it here or at Shenzhenaudio? If they can match the price that is. I was thinking of warranties and such.
Fayne
2583
Nov 22, 2019
Dusting would be in order.
My room is a thrashed mess.
There is no usable space under my bed, it is the claimed territory of the spiders (also there is a box frame).
Fayne
2583
Nov 21, 2019
Edit:
This price is not as good as I thought. While it is $50 off, the month and a half wait is not worth it when you can buy at Amazon for $10 more and have it by the weekend. As is, this is a bloody awesome DAC. They did so many things right in the design. Remote control, full config via the single knob and button combo on the front (short press, long press, turn), balanced, unbalanced, and internal PSU, and soft powering it off disconnects it from USB.
(Edited)
Fayne
2583
Nov 22, 2019
I buy a non-trivial amount of stuff here. I think I can say when something isn't a good deal.
1.5 months till I could expect a unit to arrive, likely shipped on the slowest of slow boats from halfway around the world, for a whopping $10 less than the sale Shenzen Audio is running currently on Amazon (with prime delivery, mind you)? I support boutique, but my patience waiting for an item that long is generally worth more than a $10 (or 12.5%) discount.
Edit: I should also mention that about the time it ships is one of the worst times to have anything coming from China, assuming it is shipping from there. Between the holiday gifts and such, and the run up to Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), shipping is usually not pleasant.
(Edited)
JJayJJ
472
Nov 25, 2019
TzamazWelp, that's the end for me. Regardless of any level of truth your ad hom declarations may hold. Ive yet to see someone so deluded into thinking they can marry patronizing and ridiculing someone and still walk away thinking they hold any semblance of being considered sane. But like the coward I called you out to be, you take the same old road of the comedian you fancy yourself to be, yet only manifest more like of clown than anything else. Since you didn't take up jaydundidit's cause (of course you wouldn't even after multiple chances). I have nothing of substance to even add anymore. I've fully summarized the mockery you've presented in your time in this thread. I feel satisfied moving on for good. Regardless of what your next reply is, this one will be my last, lest I risk hypocrisy as you've suffered - especially so in your prior correspondence.
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