SMSL SU1 OPTICAL VS COAXIAL INPUT

Listening to the SMSL SU-1 DAC via the optical input and comparing against coaxial input to determine which sounds best.

[@WILLIAMMCLEAN-nn1my]

I found the same with the SU 1 DAC. Optical was generally better sounding than coax. Thanks again for a most informative video.

[@JohnGlen502]

It's worth knowing what chip your DAC is using. It's not always the same one depending on the DAC they might have different chips inside for the different connections. People point out the chip isn't everything, like an engine, the electronics around it. This is an area of fun-ness where some the cheap DACs trump their more expensive rivals.

[@robertaksland1471]

Firstly, the SU-1 needs a 5V audiophile power supply, like the Ifi Xpower. Secondly the optical cable has the advantage of electrically shielding it from the other equipment. These two factors is all that is needed to make the SU-1 really shine.

[@raynerstuelgalid]

Any link on how to modify SU-1 so it can have 5V power supply?

[@robertaksland1471]

@@raynerstuelgalid You need an adapter to usbc. When you buy a Ifi power X it is included in the package.

[@raynerstuelgalid]

@@robertaksland1471 Thanks. I got a 5V Linear PSU. Just need an adapter then.

[@raynerstuelgalid]

That means the USB will be unable for music source...

[@robertaksland1471]

@@raynerstuelgalid That is right. I use it with a 3,5mm optical adapter to toslink from my laptop. My desktop computer have a toslink port.

[@iainhall5477]

thankx

[@jp93309]

I’m doing a/b listening tests with an SMSL SU-1 and the new SMSL PS200. The PS200 has a new ESS9039Q2M dac chip. The SU-1 has an AKM4493S chip. So far I’m favoring the PS200. Just as punchy as the SU-1 but a little clearer up top w/o sibilance.

[@ebernardr]

I have also experienced the same. My SMSL SU-1 sounds the best via optical output. My source is a Wiim Pro powered with a LPS (which also powers the SU-1). I already was using optical and recently I tried coaxial, but the sound is better via optical; it sounds more open and holographic. However, with my SMSL D300 it is the other way around: it gets the best sound via coaxial.

[@thedude3423]

Very interesting. Just more proof of the overall improvements in toslink connections. Typically, coax would win hands down in the past. Early optical wasnt that great, but im glad optical has caught up and in some cases surpassed coax...😊

[@yankidiot]

I'm using Optical from my PC into this Dac, it sounds great on my NAD AV716 & KEF Reference Model 2. It is a big improvement from a simple 3.5mm jack to RCA into the amp, I have only had it a few days I dont think you can buy better even used for the money, I also had a Music fidelity x dac 24k that did sound better I think but didn't cost £79.99

[@BruTay5454]

I use optical for my SMSL SU-1 from my Bluesound Node (N130). I used coax initially but got random dropouts with it; the dropouts stopped when I switched to optical. FWIW.

[@tedross2424]

im trying to feed the this dac from a 3.5 mm from my older iPad to optical on the dac, any suggestions would be appreciated.

[@victoresteva3246]

Thanks for your video, I hope you can help me with my question, can I use a tablet to play my local files, wav, dsd with the SMSL SU-1?

[@Konrad_K.]

Why not just connect it by usb?

[@yellow_noise3]

You compare apples and pears. If you use ddc between laptop and dac, it always sound better (even on shitty toslink) than cd spdif straight to dac. Because what ddc does (your douk audio converter you call it) is cleaning signal from jitter and noise and reclocking it. Really no brainer, it will sound better, but not because of toslink, it is because of ddc itself. If you use spdif coax out on your ddc and feed it to su-1 coax, it will sound even better than toslink.....

[@mrnobodyz]

Yeah that comparison wasn’t right😂optical on cd v coax on cd what’s so hard about that when trying to make a credible comparison.

[@terrywho22]

I have the SU-1 and have tried it with with a few different sources. Optical was OK, but coax was better in every case. To each their own I suppose.

[@AudioRamblings]

Everyone has a different system so will get different results I guess.

[@JingoLoBa57]

If the converter collects EMI and RFI does it feed into the preoptical signal. This option was found to be the best… so just wondering.

[@AudioRamblings]

I use the optical output on the convertor so any EMI/RFI should stop at this point in theory.

[@gwine9087]

Easy choice, for me. My streamer only has an optical output.

[@Jean-LucCoeurdevey]

How about powering it with a 6V lead battery?

[@SvenfromKiel]

I use toslink from my Imac playing .flac via Foobar. Sound is nice without any distortions or dropouts. A big influence seems to have the USB to 5V power supply. From SMSL I go directly into a active Dali Zensor via 3.5 mm stereo jack plug. Parallel I listen to an old Onkyo DV 503 CD-Player which uses directly toslink. This sounds not so good...more flat and less dynamically.

[@yellow_noise3]

Meh. Obviously you have better sound using DDC between laptop and DAC. It is not Toslink that good, rather DDC clean up all the noise from laptop and (maybe) reclock. If your CD player had usb output you could hear even better sound passing it thru your DoukAudio DDC, regardless of used DAC input....

[@hificonspiracy]

I'm sorry, what kind of noise are your isolating/shielding from in a digital signal ?

[@mrnobodyz]

Just before the one minute mark he explains it clearly.🤷🏻‍♂️

[@mrnobodyz]

You are definitely not comparing interconnects, if you prefer your laptop to your cd than you are not even comparing formats accurately as you are also using a different interconnect for each format, what a messed up mix up!!!😂