S.M.S.L SH-9 and SU-9 Reviews | The Mid-Tier Go To Stack?

The S.M.S.L SH-9 headphone amp and SH-9 DAC are two mid tier offers that provide a lot of nice features for their price. The SU-9 in particular I find to be a particularly compelling option at its price that you should absolutely take a look at.
HUGE thanks to Shenzhen Audio for providing both of these for review!
SH-9/SU-9 stack:
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SH-9:
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SU-9:
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Twitter:
/ maxsettingsyt
Want to loan me a headphone or contact me?
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[@SHENZHENAUDIO]

Really nice loan project! Thanks for your guys efforts! This stack deserves to take an audition!

[@ohnonate]

Does the S.M.S.L SU-9 allow you to have both the RCA and XLR output active? so i can connect the XLR to my active and RCA to my subwoofer?

[@StillAlive666]

I just bought this, nice review. I am stacking it with the Monoprice Liquid Platinum, and LCD2 Classics. I bought a balanced cable too, going all out.

[@HiFiGOAudio]

An incredible stack, incredible performers for incredible sound clarity!!! Excellent review

[@bluevoodooiv7072]

This is the first time I see the S*-9 stack. Looks good. It's a shame that SH-9 is single ended amp only. It makes the fully balanced SU-9 redundant. I really wish to know the SMSL reasoning behind this decision.

[@itzmezelio5433]

What does single ended amp mean? I'm new to the game and looking to buy some equipment for Argons MK3. I recently looked at the Topping DX7 pro for an all in one solution but still looking around the market + learning more on how the gear works.

[@bluevoodooiv7072]

@@itzmezelio5433 You have already the most important part of you audio chain - the headphones. Argon MK3 are single ended, with modhouse option to wire them balanced for you. If yours are single ended, there is no point using them with balanced amp/dac, because at the end your audio chain is single ended. If your headphones are balanced, and you use them with balanced cable, there is no point using them with this amp, because at the end your audio chain is again single ended. On the other hand you should choose your amp mostly on sonic qualities and less on topography.

[@itzmezelio5433]

@@bluevoodooiv7072 Sorry. I do not actually have the Argons yet. I’m looking to get some and wondering about connections. I just haven’t ran into the term single ended amp yet and was wondering the cons or pros from it. I do think I’ll take the Topping DX7. I have a pair of Kanto Tuks and I’m wondering if I can connect them to it.

[@steviesteve750]

Why do you want balanced conection to your phones? Are you running huge cable lengths? XLR between dac and amp i a good idea if streaming from a PC using USB, but I've never understood why you'd want to use a balanced connector to your phones.

[@bluevoodooiv7072]

@@steviesteve750 Bigger soundstage, and no ground loop noise.

[@JPC326]

How this would go against a Schiit Modius/Magnus combo ?

[@vladimirhoffman7653]

I would like to know too

[@SkeledroMan]

You tried the Soncoz SGD1? Would be interesting to compare that to the SU-9 since it is around the same price.

[@BunnyslippersEUC]

SMSL sp200 has apparently issues with the volume pot. The Relay Volume Control in the SH9 doesn't have the same issues.

[@samgh7166]

Great review. I should add that M200 does not support mqa at all, or at least is not listed anywhere under the m200 specifications. I have read in your other response that roon shows that decoding is happening in m200. Could it be that smsl has put it there without knowing that? Could you please check this again? Could it be a problem in roon?

[@ohnonate]

Great Review ! Does the S.M.S.L SU-9 allow you to have both the RCA and XLR output active? so i can connect the XLR to my active and RCA to my subwoofer?

[@carlosalvarez7445]

I personally have not done it, but in my pre-dive research I found it is certainly possible. Great DAC no doubt about it!

[@digitalnation2876]

how does it compare to l30+e30 ?

[@maxsettings7884]

SH-9 less bright and a bit fuller sounding. SU-9 much more detailed and dynamic, particularly much better at resolving micro-details.

[@86Sheephead]

Are you sure the m200 supports MQA decoding? I can't find any further info on it on Shenzhen Audio. Awesome if so, just received mine and enjoying it so far.

[@maxsettings7884]

Roon shows that the M200 is decoding MQA when playing something back encoding in MQA.

[@nicost7866]

Should i connect Line RCA outs whith fixed volume to use with my avr amplifier ?

[@lassmirandadennsiewillja3943]

Is Max Power your brother?

[@musicxxa6678]

Love this SH9 and SP400 but they are too expensive and their power output actually half of what is advertised.

[@phrankdatank]

dumb question, where would you plug in a mic in this stack?

[@maxsettings7884]

You wouldn't. You would get a mic interface for that

[@nathan7265]

Favorite 1000k-2000k dac?

[@xzackly7131]

SU-9 vs Soekris 1321?

[@maxsettings7884]

That's a tough one being that they are both top picks in their price. 1321 is a warmer DAC that I would say is more "musical" while SU-9 is a much more analytical sounding DAC that I would say is slightly more detailed. So I guess you could say 1321 is a more fun DAC while SU-9 is more dry and serious.

[@xzackly7131]

@@maxsettings7884 Sounds like the 1321 would fit better for me then, thanks!

[@r423sdex]

Warmer dac !!!😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@RYTHMICRIOT]

This or the Topping 50s stack?

[@theodorezurla496]

Topping 50s with su9 👌

[@Morofra89]

does it work well with active speakers? thanks

[@maxsettings7884]

The DAC would sure.

[@carlosalvarez7445]

I just bought the SU9 to be used with a pair of KRK Rokit 8 G4s, the setup sounds spectacular!

[@clevername8832]

I'd pay $25 for a non crooked amp.