SMSL SU-1 breaks the rules!

[@Simon_Hawkshaw]

Great to hear that budget equipment is improving so much. Makes getting back into music so much easier. Thank you for your time and effort to share this with us all.

[@Panslapper]

Cheers Serb, good to have your channel on hand.

[@jamesminotto8036]

I paired the SU 1 with my BlueSound Gen 3 Node with fantastic results. I use a vintage Yamaha CA 2010 with vintage Acoustic Energy AE 2 speakers. Dramatic difference in sound with the SU 1 inserted. Excellent review.

[@jamesoconnor5903]

Did the SU-1 sound better than the dac in the Node? I have also have the Get 3 Node and would be interested in a cheap upgrade if it actually made a difference.

[@ramondelgado6778]

​@@jamesoconnor5903it improved the sound using a Node 2i for me as well. I love the SU-1.

[@kraig7777]

I've had one for a few weeks now and for my ears it's my end game DAC. For me that just means I need to upgrade virtually every other part of my system before it would be worth it to upgrade my DAC. It sounds that good.

[@deepapo]

I admire people who can hear and discribe so nice the difference of similar equipment sound

[@gwine9087]

I bought one, a week ago, and hooked it up to my Wiim Mini. I am very happy.

[@PaulLodewijk-dc7xq]

Same here. Very impressive

[@AudioRamblings]

The SMSL SU1 is a fantastic DAC and your review nailed it. Your review prompted me to purchase this DAC and I can confirm it really is as good as you eloquently articulated. I am continuously comparing this DAC against others and using it with different audio set ups and it never ceases to deliver a compelling performance.

[@dianavarnyu1330]

Nisam puno očekivao od ovako jeftinog uređaja, ali je ovaj mali neverovatan. Moj sadašnji DAC koji sam platio preko 800 evra ide na prodaju i SMSL SU-1 preuzima njegovo mesto.

[@gogo-fk1lu]

Can you tell me what brand of dac you had. Thank you.

[@andrewpearl6029]

Yuu are the Best, most honest reviewer I've ever seen or heard! Seriously! Hats off.....

[@michaelkaercher]

I decided to follow your recommendation to bundle the SU-1 with a Fosi Audio V3 and an Wiim Pro. I use it with a pair of old B&W 6 Something bookshelf speakers at my PC. It is a really nice sound. I use the streamer to stream from Amazon and Spotify. My PC is connected via an optical cable directly to the SU-1. A simple but powerful setup. I hardly believe it is possible to get much cheaper the electronics for a real hifi system. Alltogether it was around 300 Euro. The sound is top.

[@richardchandra3641]

i got this a month ago playing wiht my marantz amp and mA silver 100 speakers and a pioneer DVD player feeding digital to this DAC. Could not be happier with the sound. Highs are smooth and detailed. Lows are just right not boomy.

[@rv331]

Neverovatno šta se dobija za ove (male) pare. Absolutni best buy. SMSL SU-1 svira strašno dobro, bolje nego većina izvikanih i višestruko skupljih DAC-ova.Visoki, srednji i basovi na mestu, neutralno kako baš treba. Hvala Srboljube za odličan i objektivan test.

[@titan90000]

Another awesome review as always. I just purchased this DAC as an upgrade to the original E30 I have had for a few years. I am pairing it with a SMSL DA9 that I purchased a year ago also based on your review of that unit. I was originally looking to spend around $500 US for a DAC upgrade that included balanced outputs. But, for the price and how excited you are on the sound I couldn't pass up giving this a try. If I like it I might put off getting a $500 DAC for 6 - 12 months.

[@G4RYWithaFour]

Why is this one considered an upgrade to the E30?

[@хорошийчеловек-л6я]

heyy me too!! exact situation!! how did it turn out for you?

[@ramondelgado6778]

How did it work out???? Help us out!!!! Haha!!!

[@shaunyweaver1144]

I bought this when I read the review on a very well known forum . It's a cracker for no money . Well done smsl . Thank you for the review .

[@terryttk1]

@iiWi Reviews - Thanks for another great review. So valuable to have someone with a good set of ears testing equipment for us. This seems like a great DAC, but it's missing a display, so I'd pass and pay more (E30 II?) to be able to verify the bitrate at which a stream is coming in. Probably just because it makes things more fun...

[@sebastia4193]

Very good recomendation. I bought it (over your link) and it is really very good despite the price. Thanks

[@iiWiReviews]

Glad you like it!

[@Yaroable]

Very good explanation of the supply of SU-1. Thanks.

[@34332]

Based on your review, I bought the SU1 (out of curiousity). It's everything you described, really had to pinch myself, lol. It's now in my main system. Thanks man!

[@trubadyr99]

Sometimes, even a piece of audio gear which costs two, three and more thousands of dollars could be considered to be a considerable value, as long as it performs on par or even better than a much more expensive piece. Please do more comparisons, "hidden gems" and the "giant killers". They do not necessarily need to be cheap, as long as they provide great value for the money paid.

[@dbronx347]

I have this for a week now and I am loving it. But if I could nitpick here for just one small thing, is that I wish it has an auto-off and on feature. I know I could just leave the device on all the time but if I do that, the light keeps blinking if it doesn't detect a signal, and that's annoying. So I just turn the device off but I wish I don't have to.

[@awaken9297]

I like to use stand alone tiny usb dac since hrt streamer (pcm1793) and ODAC (es9023). Now I'm using old e30 (ak4493) and willing to 2023's dac, smsl su1 is one been eyeing

[@mariuspessah2991]

You are the best audio reviewer !!!!!!

[@billkabb]

this is a great product . it immediately upgrade the sound output of my laptop , either feeding pc speakers or my main system . great baseline , great natural lushy mids , clear natural sound and very good soundstage . this is a very musical sounding device that works for the music and not the impression . for the price it adds to much . Thank you for bringing this little box to my attention and your honest review .

[@JosepH06000]

Merci beaucoup pour cette revue 🎉

[@sonyairxl]

Nice review! But what I miss in many reviews (not only yours) is the influence from adding a High-end preamp instead of using the volume control of the dac - if available…

[@NeilBlanchard]

This SU1 DAC certainly seems to be a giant-killer! I am *really* hoping we can get a Geshelli Labs J2S into your hands - it starts at US $260 and has its 3 op-amps in sockets. It is also an AKM 4493 chip DAC, and has both balanced and single ended outputs. You can fit Sparkos SS3602 (the small Sparkos) on the XLR, and the RCA socket can fit the big Sparkos, the SS2590! These along with a decent 12V 50W linear power supply - are the best DAC I have ever heard. It easily bests the Ares II with the 12th Anniversary update, and the Schiit Bifrost 2/64 (and Bifrost 2), in my opinion.

[@rosswarren436]

That new Geshelli Labs J2S (Socketed) looks to be a great DAC. And I like that I can mix and match what op-amps are used. My preamp and amp don't have XLR connections so I can get a TI 1612 for those but get the Sparkos SS3602 for the RCA outputs, get it in white oak to match my stereo rack, and it still comes out under $500. Do you think the SS2590 is a noticeable step up from the SS3602? Worth the price difference? Where is a good source in the U.S. for the SS2590? Thanks!! (I keep leaning toward an Ares II 12th anniversary or even biting the bullet for a Gustard R26 because of all the "buzz" surrounding R2R DACs, but if the J2S can give me 90% of what the R26 offers at 1/3rd the cost, then it is a no-brainer). Edit: Hey Neil. If using the SS2590 which is a 6-pin Pro chip for the RCA socket outputs on the J2S, I'm confused. Do I still use ONE SS2590 and if so, what adapters are necessary? I see Sparkos has a bunch at their website. Thanks for any info you can provide regarding this. I've read some reviews of the SS2590 and they all are very positive.

[@kraig7777]

The option for the sockets on the J2 is almost as much as the total cost of the SU-1.

[@NeilBlanchard]

@@kraig7777 For the Sparkos option, yes. There are many other options you can get, though.

[@NeilBlanchard]

@@rosswarren436 Sparkos sells an adapter the stacks two of the SS2590 and makes them a DIP8 package. You also need a $2 riser they also sell to fit it in the RCA socket on the J2S - it has to tilt a tiny bit, and just touches the back of the RCA jacks. IF you also have the small Sparkos SS3602 units in the XLR sockets, then you need *two* risers for the big Sparkos; to get it up above the small ones. And yes, as good as the SS3602 is - the SS2590 is noticeably better. The depth and layering of the soundstage, and 3D feel of each instrument, as well as effortless dynamics and bass extension and weight and control - is just outstanding! As this little SU-1 shows - sometimes performance belies the price. As it happens, my AkitikA PR-102 preamp uses op-amps - the stock ones are OPA2134, and I had tried some OPA627 dual mono clones; which were pretty darn good. But in the process of swapping op-amps in the J2S, I was able to try the SS3602 in the preamp - and what I heard was impressive enough for me to buy two SS2590 dual mono DIP8 units. These are in the input and the output stages. I still have the OPA627 in the tone controls, and the two tape inputs; as I rarely use them. Now, the phono sounds better, and the headphones, too, by having the big Sparkos in there.

[@rosswarren436]

@@kraig7777 yes. I'm not comparing the SU-1. Didn't meant to hijack this thread, but I'm looking for a DAC less than say $700 that will compare with the Ares II 12th edition and even the $1600 Gustard R26. The SU-1 is obviously very good for its price and will compete with lower cost DACs from Schiit (their Modi 3), and others by Topping very well in many use cases.

[@jari121]

I got this a month ago and I agree with you. Best cheap dac at the moment.

[@kenntks]

I went and bought one online. Had high expectations due to all the good reviews. After listening for a week, well.. it's just sounded ok. Not the giant killer i was hoping for. Compared to my Pure i20 ipod Dac Dock and my IQaudio dac pro pi hat, it was not the same league. The SU1 image is small, midrange little thin & dry and high not airy. I keep on switching between the su1 and the other 2 dac and well .. a bit disappointed. Guess if you are a beginner i think for the price its fine. It's not a bad DAC but better not gamble after you heard the good stuffs 😂.

[@lanx0003]

Great you have identified another gem. How about the next one up price wise the Sanskrit 10th Mk 2 that you have highly praised? I am also auditioning the Mk 3 which Smsl claims an improvement over the Mk 2 and wish you could also review sometime soon.

[@legione1capone]

Thanks to Steve huff I found a DAC I think you should review. The Weiss dac205. It's about $1600. He reviewed the dac204, the only difference being the added dad section. But the main DAC in both units is exactly the same. You've covered so many other excellent dacs. I would really love to hear your thoughts on this one. His review actually has me highly considering selling my ladder schumann for the dac205.

[@CedricRachmad]

Same here! I wonder if I really need usb version (204)? Don’t care about dsd or very high khz files….would the other inputs have the same quality as usb?

[@latheofheaven]

Beautiful review mate! So detailed and thorough and helpful! 😁Actually, I just edited this comment because I DID find your review of the SMSL DO200 (you kept calling it that, which is the one I have, but the title is actually I BELIEVE the 'upped' model MKII) and you seemed really to like it. I HOPE that you were referring to the original SMSL DO200 as you kept saying in the review because that Is the one I have. Thanks SO much!

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

i mean electricity external noise are real and could possibly interfere data/ signal transfer, although yeah if everything good it would be as impactful as 256kbps mp3 vs 320

[@peterwu831]

The specs is top notch, this review is convincing. But I only listen to FLAC’s that are stored on my PC, and therefore I needed a streamer to deliver those files to my amplifiers. All streamers come with built in DAC, and it seams counter intuitive to stream - DSP - DAC, and than sending the analog audio to a higher quality DAC (internally ADC - DAC). I’m currently using Arylic Pro streaming DAC, at 24bit/192kHz the sound amazes me already. Hope SMSL could internally add a WI-FI streamer to SU-1.

[@hariboholmes4638]

You wouldn't be sending the analog signal into the new DAC anyway.. You would use the optical out on your Arylic to send a digital signal to SMSL SU1 so you would not be losing anything in the transfer. Depending on your other equipment you may see a minor improvement in tonality but if you are already happy with the sound from the streamer might not be worth it.

[@shipsahoy1793]

Don’t think of this message is me being critical, but what you really need to do for full disclose is compare this SU-1 to the Geshelli Labs J2 with the AKM4493 chip option, and also against the Topping E70 velvet. That will finally put the under $500 debate to rest. At least for now, lol. Too many people running around saying that J2 is best, and that may very well be, but J2 also has advantage of extra flexibility in connectivity, chipsets, and cosmetic options to enhance the unit or mitigate cost. But the priority for me is the sonic differences through the coaxial inputs between these 3 DAC’s..

[@iiWiReviews]

I do always test coaxial input because that's my preferred connection with the streamer. E70V is better than this one, full stop. I have a segment in this video comparing them. GL doesn't ship to Serbia and I don't feel like jumping trough hoops to get it. If someone near me manages to get one then I'll borrow it for testing.

[@shipsahoy1793]

@@iiWiReviews Ok, no problem. I didn’t realize there were issues in that regard. All you can do is what you can. I enjoy your work. There are some overly passionate people claiming how far superior the J2 is, but Idk if I can believe that, based on a reasonable amount of experience. Personally, I can’t blow $300 to find out. 😉

[@shipsahoy1793]

@@iiWiReviews 👍 on coaxial from your streamer. Somebody was wondering in the comments how the newer Shiitt Modi (3or+?), at $129, stacks up against the SU-1, which I thought was a good question, but the Modi is a US product, which I presume the J2 is also. 👨🏻

[@dbronx347]

This is on sale right now for $67. At that price this is truly magical.

[@eirin099]

where was it on sale?

[@dbronx347]

It was on sale at Apos for $67, I just checked and it's back to regular price of $79

[@djurdjica7050]

Koristim ga mjesec dana, izvrstan je a kupila sam ga nakon pregleda vaše recenzije 👍👍Prije dva dana spojila sam ga sa zvučnicima Edifier S880DB i napokon sam veoma zadovoljna zvukom uz ukupno pristupačnu cijenu. Pratim vaš kanal, hvala 😊

[@mlanikola]

Poštovana vidm sad da ti zvučnici imaju usb i optički ulaz, što znači da imaju unutrašnji DAC , pa se pitam, zar je tolika razlika u kvalitetu zvuka izmedju tog unutrašnjeg DAC-a i ovog . Pitam jer imam neke Edifier zvučnike ( mnogo jeftinije od vaših ) povezane na komp preko audio kabla i primetio sam razliku u zvuku kad puštam muziku sa AIMP-a ( program za puštanje muzike ) u FLAC formatu i kad slušam sa mog Spotify naloga , pa pretpostavljam da bi dobio još bolji zvuk kada bi na komp vezao ovaj DAC preko usb-a , pa na njega zvučnike ....

[@djurdjica7050]

@@mlanikola Pošto su mi svi aparati(pa tako i laptop) spojeni preko hdmi na smart tv, optički sa tv sam spojila s smsl-dacom i onda sa rca na zvučnike i veoma sam zadovoljna. Mali su ali moćni 😊Prije sam imala spojene Edifier R1280DB zvučnike . Sad sam njih spojila na Edifier d12 i na njega Advance paris wtx microstreamer i također zvuči super. Volim Edifier proizvode.👍👍

[@jakedavila4468]

Thank you for finding a budget friendly product that is functional.

[@davidclarke6658]

The SMSL DAC'S are coming of age. The early ones I tried were a bit clinical and cold in sound with the added quality control issues. For their price, they did sound good, but not for the audiophile. Now I currently have the SMSL DO200 first edition and it really sounds good with a warm, richer sound signature and no quality issues. They definitely offer good bang for your buck now.

[@zulkefliibrahim5792]

Thanks for the review. i just bought it SMSL SU1.👍😊

[@Philip-xk5ui]

I always love listening to the audio vampyre!!!!!!

[@vanillafire5545]

Great review! Have you happened to audition SMSL Sanskrit 10th MK3? Thanks!

[@Kukkema]

Just what I was looking for 😊Guess I will get this to pair with my wiim mini.

[@jakedavila4468]

Same here

[@xgxhypxgx]

I bought the SMSL SU-1 for my 2.1 channel home theater to convert my TVs optical digital signal to analog for my amp and speakers which it does however the output voltage from the DAC is way too low (314mV rms and 870mV peak to peak) instead of the 2Vrms output that it claims.

[@iiWiReviews]

Not knowing your measurement method and supposing your results are good... It shouldn't be that low. Everytime I had a 1V DAC (portables) I have to crank up the volume significantly to match it with 2V ones. This time I went from SU-1 to Topping E30 II, SMSL C200, etc. And never noticed that SU-1 has lower output. So given that you didn't make any mistake and your measurements are correct, there's maybe something fishy with that unit.

[@ehong123]

I bought both the SMSL SU-1 and SMSL C-100 and compared them. C-100 can't compete with SU-1. Whatever magic SMSL put into the SU-1 , it's miles better than C-100.

[@tog2842]

Great review, just ordered one 👍

[@sloboat55]

I love my Tradutto. Thanks to you. Cool runnings

[@iiWiReviews]

Thanks Slobo, cheers!

[@VirusForPrez]

Too bad Tradutto measures so bad at Audio science review , ... 😁

[@stanmah5721]

​@@VirusForPrez😅

[@markcompton6750]

Got one for 90 uk. Use it as a dac from my tv into a Musical Fidelity amp. Brilliant 👍

[@DP-qp8wr]

I use it with the Yamaha streamer and it sounds good.

[@snix7613]

The positive sign is that the price could have gone cheaper without MQA 🤣

[@iiWiReviews]

It would be a much more appealing product at 74.99. 😄

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

​​@@iiWiReviews maybe in an updated version they'll ditch mqa and instead add a remote or trigger in/out. that would be great! (and a separate power input would be Nice too 😀)

[@rosswarren436]

Figure the licensing must not be too much these days for MQA, but yeah, why add any unnecessary costs if MQA is "going away". We'll see. There's always a chance they'll either get bought out by another company or come out of bankruptcy and still be in business. With the Internet fast enough to stream 24-bit/192KHz files, I see MQA as a "solution" in search of a problem that no longer exists. Maybe it was a good idea years ago, but simply is no longer needed.

[@dreddguy6454]

Amazing value for money. A separate power input would have been nice.

[@Alexander-11.11.]

if they let go optical, coax and MQA, perhaps we get some bucks using SU-1 😂

[@durzog3668]

Love the review! That DAC really looks like killer value. I was wondering whether SU-1 would improve the sound of my system in any way. I have an old Sony TA-FE520R amp and a set of Magnat Monitor Supreme 1000 speakers. I'm streaming music from Deezer on my computer. In your own opinion, would it be a good purchase or should I invest in a better/newer amp instead? Puno pozdrava! :)

[@SandsOfArrakis]

To be honest. For 80 Euro you can't go wrong with one of these. I'd say go for it.

[@seanb3303]

I have never understood how DACs can have differences in the bass department as their bass responses are almost perfectly linear. Not saying it doesn’t exist.

[@D1N02]

Dacs have op-amps for their output stage (Operational amplifiers). Those have sound characteristics. Other factors outside the chip itself can also weigh in.

[@iiWiReviews]

People hearing reacts much more to power of the signal than to its peak level. Power is level multiplied with time. So time domain performance definitely change perceived note strength. Also, when output impedance of a DAC and input impedance of the next component in line are joined, these can alter bass response to be different from that in lab environment. That's why changing a value of the output capacitor in the DAC output section can completely change perceived bass response even though it doesn't show in simple level measurements. There are even more factors to consider but it's longer story not suited for this comment I'm typing on a phone. 🙂 But whenever things seem simple and straightforward, they usually aren't. Like everything else in life I guess.

[@seanb3303]

@@D1N02 for timbre and sound coloration yes. But the bass response can be easily measured…a DAC that is plus 3dB in bass across a wide range…that would be noticeable. A DAC that is up or down .5 dB in bass would be very difficult to detect. That is why there is likely a psychoacoustic effect at play. Edit - the author of this video gives a good explanation.

[@seanb3303]

@@iiWiReviews good explanation. so much about sound is how we perceive it. Like there is technically no center image with stereo speakers but we can definitely perceive it. Psychoacoustics is fascinating area.

[@iiWiReviews]

Yeah, it definitely is. I'm actually into all of that because I majored in electrical measurements in the medical field, and studied cognitive psychology too. It was my favorite subject because it opened my eyes to so many things. There's more than meets the eye when we need to connect how measuring instruments read things and how we perceive them. It's logical but not always intuitive, so even good engineers can easily get sidetracked if they're not familiar with our cognitive system. Another thing I forgot to mention in the previous comment is that higher frequencies also influence how we perceive bassline, for example: slow, fast, clear, and muddy... because we have a poor hearing resolution in those low frequencies, so we rely on higher harmonics to shape those tones in our brain. That connection has been proven practically by manipulating higher frequency only, and test subjects reporting hearing bass differently - where bass measurements would be the same. Mastering engineers know this too, I've seen them adding higher harmonics to make the bassline feel more grippy and textured. It's the same with DACs and their components, small things like impulse response, harmonics, etc. pile up and make different sound for us. It's like adding spice on top of base dish ingredients - it can change our sensation of a meal a lot, even though 99.9% of ingredients are the same.

[@ekjellgren]

Good review with excellent comparisons!

[@patrickbranin5243]

Is my phone adequate enough to both power the unit and provide signal, or do I absolutely need a 5V power supply?

[@gregorykusiak5424]

Did you try a regulated 5v computer power supply rather than an inexpensive wall wart/cell phone charger for your listening tests? They can make a noticeable difference as well.

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

yes, it does sound stronger and clearer, your best ps would be the linear and adjustable voltage ps

[@OvidiuPacuraru]

I'm really curious why the power supply would make a difference? Do you have some keywords I could google or a link, so I can read up please?

[@HiFiMods]

My topping e50 is arriving tomorrow! 😭😭😭😭😭🤣 But I need it to play DSD... apparently this one does it too..

[@goodsound4756]

Please review Eversolo DMP-A6 streamer. It is below a $1000 so it is your price bracket. It seems that the company is willing to send a review unit to every serious KZbinr to test it.

[@iiWiReviews]

Already testing it. It's coming next week.

[@goodsound4756]

@@iiWiReviews as if I knew it 😀

[@legione1capone]

What power supply did you use when testing this DAC?

[@richardhusbands5956]

He's not lying! Just got one. Amazing for the money

[@cassl7001]

Amazing review, love your accent too

[@MegaEpstein]

I bought it few days ago to check it out. So many good reviews and comments, so I was intrigued how it's really sounds like. It has very clean sterile sound with metallic unpleasant High Frequencies. Midrange sounds a bit flat. Bass is really good but closer to the top it has strange metallic tone what i really don't like in this dac. I'm not disappointed but it definitely not my cup of tea

[@AquilaKhi]

I just got this dac to try it out too, overall it's great compared to the one in my wiim pro and i find it has a lot more separation etc and sounds clearer, but i find the same thing with the slightly metallic highs. it's a bit grating over time. im not sure if I'll keep it or return it, did you end up keeping yours?

[@gatosoul]

Hi, sad that doesn't have a remote control, thank you for sharing!

[@singkoi9639]

Please do a demonstration

[@BatteryAz1z]

Have you tried the E30 II Lite yet? Should be basically the same unit, but with some extra features.

[@MrRourk]

I just wonder how it sounds connected to a 300b SET Amp? Perhaps even a First Watt Solid State? I just worry about the errors in electronic format being to prevalent and exaggerated.

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

🙋‍♂️SRBJ…THANKS 🙏 FOR SHARING THIS INFO WITH US 😎💚💚💚

[@wim1983]

Seem like a Fostex HP-A3 experience to me, except that Fostex has the headphone output with volume knob control, I might really tempted to buy the SMSL SU-1 for my mom TV box decode purpose as she does not listen to headphone. I'm not sure it's the chip design to be blamed, I tend to never like ESS Sabre vs AKM...

[@D1N02]

I was curious about this. Another reviewer took one apart and I saw it uses at least one LME49720MA op-amp which is usually seen in much more expensive dacs. There is another op-amp that is not marked, so probably they have tune it with two different op-amps. (I do the same with my little fosi/aiyima tube preamps that have two switchable op-amps)

[@iiWiReviews]

It sure feels like someone listened to this one and chose parts with care.

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

Would like it if you could review the new m300 se from smsl. It's a bit more expensive than the su-1 but it offers SO MUCH MORE in terms of features. (remote, screen, balanced circutry, headphone amp, volume knob, bluetooth, independent usb inputs for dac input and power...)

[@carlsitler9071]

I have 3 dacs and with this review, I will soon have 4 (Sanskrit 2, Hidizs S9 Pro and Prozar).

[@mtiken]

SU1 - full body and good bass but bloomy Sanskrit MK3 - a bit bright and low bass Schiit Modi 3E - Good bass but not bloomy and very refinement in the mid and high even If you put the best of the SU1 and Sanskrit 3 - you get Schiit Modi3E. I returned SU1. Can't return Sanskrit MK3 with the discount and using now as a standby DAC. Primary DAC is Schiit Modi3E. My audio chain is WiiM Pro + Modi 3E (with topping P50 Linear Power supply) + Rotel A11 Tribute + ELAC Unifi Reference

[@silkhead44]

you can't power down the schiit unless you turn your computer or notebook off..SMSl has a power switch...as for sound... playing a Bruce Cockburn cd ...Dancing In The Dragon's Jaws...through my sony transport via the coaxial...the SMSL was sonically superior to the Schiit

[@IanRoberts-sz8nx]

Hello Srboljub. Great review again. I have had one of these SU-1’s for about 8 months now. It’s so good for the money. I have a question please. You mentioned that the USB can be used as a digital input. Does that mean that I can connect an iPhone in this manner, via a lightning otg cable then USB C into the SU-1 please? This should give full lossless from Apple Music and the phone will power the DAC? Thanks for any advice you can give.

[@Pe721]

you could solder some better op amp in the su 1 and tell us ur results. Sparkos Bersons or MUSES would be nice. The bigger ones that outperform it have opamps that cost more than the su1

[@DIVA-MC-7]

and what about smsl su-1 vs geshelli j2s ? is it a real upgrade ?

[@Truth-Machine5000]

Curious, if you tried with battery (power).

[@sonhouse9636]

Hi and thanks, It replaced my little Khadas Tone Board on my desk. I generally prefer the AKM DACs sound compared to the ESSs one. Have you tried it with a good linear power supply? Is it worth it?

[@isaacn751]

i have the schiit modi + last version , in your opinion is this one better ?

[@miladinseratlic5984]

Захваљујем ти бескрајно на овом видеу јер на основу овога наручио сам пре неки дан смсл су-1 и једва чекај да стигне! Оно што ме баш занима је да ли би неки LPS уз мало "твиковања" био боље решење од самог усб напајања...?

[@PaulLodewijk-dc7xq]

The SU 1 is not on the website anymore from S.M.S.L Audio company. Sold out?

[@BostonMike68]

I just got mine yesterday and I am streaming tidal masters with it and I can't stop listening to music. I hear little nuances in music i couldn't hear before.

[@2134yanto]

Thanks for a great review. Really enjoy your videos. I’m interested in trying this DAC in my current set up of WiiM Pro, Audiolab 6000a, and Dali Oberon 5’s. I am using the ESS9018 SABRE 32 inside the 6000a and sometimes the upper mids and treble can be a little harsh to my ears. I have a mild tinnitus in my right ear. Do you think that the SU-1 would be ok for me. I listen mostly to classical music. Thanks

[@BassPlayer66]

I stream Qobuz and Tidal from my desktop. I have been using the Dragonfly Red for 3 years. It sounds OK but I have been wanting to upgrade. Would you say the SU-1 would be better than the Dragonfly Red? Greetings from Ontario Canada! ✌ Cheers.

[@pask56argos85]

Hi, I wanted your advice on powering the Smsl DAC. Su 1, when I use the optical input, is 5 volt 1 ma or 5 volt 550 ma better? Thanks and congratulations for the channel. Good boy.

[@iiWiReviews]

Both will do but I would use the one with more Ampers. It means it works with less effort.

[@pask56argos85]

which of the two: 5 volts 1 ampere or 5 volts 550 micro amperes? Thank you

[@iiWiReviews]

5V/1A

[@pask56argos85]

THANK YOU.

[@pask56argos85]

hi, I tried with the smsl dac on 1 to play an mqa file from KZbin but it always comes out at 44100 and the LED doesn't light up. How can I fix it on Windows 10? I also downloaded the driver from the SMSl audio site. Thank you.

[@brucew13]

Hello, I am new to the DAC world, I am not into high end audio but the good value for money, I think this is where this DAC sits, after watching your video I decided to buy one of these mighty we DACs. I had to order from over seas, I have a question, using the coaxial input (have not used optical as have no cable) my SU-1 is distorted on the loud parts of the audio, all my other gear runs fine, tuner, CD player using RCA, PC and turntable. With all your experience what can casue this to happen? (I have a preamp driving a single ended EL34 tube amp) Thanks Bruce

[@ericchen66tw]

How do you compare it with Schiit Modi 3 or its variants? Thank you.

[@chrislampe6397]

Wondering how this would compare to the D300 when paired with an A300?

[@spoonthumb]

Can you review the Sanskrit mk3? I would be interested to hear if you think that is an improvement on th mk2 and perhaps a better DAC that the SU1. Thanks, great informative videos.

[@boubakane]

Have the c100(same+ Vol control & BT)🎉 What about vs topping e50?

[@brooksc900]

Good news, thank you.

[@tallpaull9367]

how about vs SMSL DO100 ?

[@jackelofnar]

Great review. Do you think it's worth paying the extra for a SU-6? it will be attached to a SH-6 headphone amp

[@ebernardr]

I'm interested in this budged DAC, but it's weird this DAC is not listed on SMSL official web site.

[@brendano2140]

Now I need recommendation for an amp to pair up with SMSL SU-1

[@VirusForPrez]

Let's see , .. i'd go for a Topping l30ii or maybe Geshelli 2.5 xl .

[@HugoUS2]

@@VirusForPrez TOPPING L30II or TempoTec M3? Currently using a Edifier S350DB. Thanks!

[@Alex-dj7nc]

Thanks

[@Fahad1999win]

Very nice detailed reviews! Can you recommend dongle portable dac/amp sound like topping e30 ii? In budget (I care about soundstage 3d sound full warm juicy sound signature) Thanks!

[@TheKb117]

Would have preferred he mentioned the DAC chips in the other DACs, besides the unit price. Noob question here, are DAC chips tuned to specific sound signature, or thru other electronic parts on the board?🤔

[@jayros]

Remove the coaxial input, the optical input, give me a line in (RCA or 3.5mm) and a headphone output and I'm in.

[@sheiksdetail]

Does it make sense to pair with onkyo tx-nr6050, wiim pro plus and this dac? Will my audio improve?

[@iiWiReviews]

I don't have any experience with that Onkyo model so not sure that I can advice you on this.

[@srdjanstevanovic3543]

Did you try it with some better power supply, and if you are, does it change sound noticeable, and do you recomende some for SU-1 ? Btw, thanks for great reviews.

[@iiWiReviews]

I have tried it with a cheap 5V supply, then phone charger, and with Allo Shanti LPS with very good power cable... Shanti cleaned up the sound nicely and created darker/deeper background. But given the price of that PS with the power cable, I can't say its a logical investment. Topping E70V goes for that kind of money. iFi iPower would be a more logical partner but I didn't have one to try it.

[@ekjellgren]

​@@iiWiReviews you should perhaps have mentioned this in the video.

[@hawkins55]

Hi. The SU-1 looks awfully similar to the older C100 which has the same AKM and XMOS chips, except the C100 has remote, Bluetooth and volume control. Have you tried the C100? Thanks!

[@hameedn.b7004]

Pleasant surprise Nice review by the way What amp would you recommend to go with this dac?

[@iiWiReviews]

SMSL A300 is a great little amp, I did a review on it too.

[@ysubman]

Great review! smsl M300 se seems good for its price, any review soon?

[@iiWiReviews]

I don't think I'll be doing that one. Too many SMSL models, they're like Pokemons, no matter how much you try, you can't catch them all. 😅