SOtM sMS 200 Neo Review (My favorite little streamer)

[@gee3883]

brilliant thanks dude.

[@dugdugi2296]

So finally i recived my SMS-200 recently. I am just going crazy over one thing and that is instrument separation. Every time i sit down and listen my system all i am asking to my self again and again what is the technical explanation of a streamer to stream a music through same dac and same amp but huge noticeable instrument separation. I love the way it looks and feels beside the streams it's a beautiful brick 😁.

[@YuriBrus]

It's great to hear that you are enjoying your SMS-200! Instrument separation is a critical aspect of sound quality, and it can be attributed to various technical factors such as the resolution, dynamic range, and the overall design of the system. The specific technical explanation for why you are experiencing such great instrument separation with your SMS-200 streamer is likely due to the combination of all of these factors, working together in harmony to produce a clear and immersive audio experience. Keep enjoying your beautiful brick and the fantastic sound quality it provides!

[@VintageStereoCollectorChannel]

I want to buy an SotM Neo to replace my Bluesound Node 2021 (N130). Question - I currently run the Bluesound Node “wireless” in my music room. If I connect the Ethernet cable to my Roon Core on a Mac Mini M1 and run the Roon setup as you mentioned will I be good to go? I will connect the Neo with USB to a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ I don’t want to run a long Ethernet cable to my router in the living room. PS - I always enjoy your presentation & delivery style as you helped me decide to buy the Bluesound Node. Glad to see a fellow Luxman user. Love that phono preamp!

[@YuriBrus]

Hello @VintageLuxmanStereoCollector, Thanks for reaching out and for your kind words about my presentation and delivery style. I'm glad to hear that my videos have been helpful to you, and it's great to connect with a fellow Luxman enthusiast! Yes, you can definitely connect the SotM Neo to your Roon Core on the Mac Mini M1 via Ethernet. Since your Roon Core is on a Mac Mini, you’ll just need to ensure the Mac Mini itself is connected to your network, ideally via Ethernet for the best performance. Connecting the Neo to your Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ via USB is a great choice. Ensure you use a high-quality USB cable to maintain the best possible audio fidelity. While I don’t personally have much experience with setting up Roon, since I use Audirvana, I can tell you that once your Mac Mini and the SotM Neo are on the same network, Roon should recognize the Neo without any issues. You can then configure it in Roon's audio settings. Happy listening, and I hope you continue to enjoy your Luxman gear! Best regards, Yuri

[@VintageStereoCollectorChannel]

@@YuriBrus - I will order one. 1. are you still using the Neo? I have an S-Booster linear power supply for my Mytek DAC+. 2. Did you ever decide if the S-Booster you own made a noticeable difference in soundstage when powering your SotM Neo?

[@YuriBrus]

@@VintageStereoCollectorChannel 1. No, I currently use a Lumin D2, but that does not sound significantly better than the SotM Neo. 2. Yes, with the S-Booster, the soundstage really opened up. It's a great combo, and now that you mentioned it, I really regret selling it.

[@VintageStereoCollectorChannel]

@@YuriBrus THANK YOU YURI!!

[@YuriBrus]

Anytime 😊

[@Dpak1980]

I'm thinking of adding this to my RME Ada 2 fs, once I get it. Just ordered the RME.

[@YuriBrus]

I also have an RME, LOVE IT!

[@Toki1908]

So sooo soooooo helpful. Thanks.

[@XENONEZZ2]

Nice clear review thank you !! I have a Dali Compact Hub I would like to get Tidal Masters into.... wondering if this Neo is the way to go ?.

[@YuriBrus]

Hello David My apologies for replying so late. In your case I would probably look into exchanging the compact for the DALI Sound Hub. Or is that not an option? Best regards, Yuri.

[@XENONEZZ2]

@@YuriBrus I have found that just using my phone and Bluetooth streaming Tidal straight into the Compact hub works rather well. I could exchange for the Soundhub but that hasn't HDMI ARC....the Compact has ....it's a feature I like to use with my TV. Just wondering what the Mytek Brookyn Bridge / DAC would sound like.

[@YuriBrus]

@@XENONEZZ2 I have not yet listened to the Mytek Digital Brooklyn Bridge, but I bet it sounds great. Spec wise, it definitely ticks all the right boxes.

[@XENONEZZ2]

@@YuriBrus That was my thinking too....maybe Santa will be kind to me this Xmas :-)...🤣

[@YuriBrus]

@@XENONEZZ2 I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!

[@miusicmene]

imo this fantastic sotm sms-200 neo is better paired with the uptone LPS 1.2 Power supply, just amazing and really much better than the sbooster ;)

[@YuriBrus]

Thank you very much for the tip, I'll look into that👍

[@antonelloalessi]

Good morning, is there a video to connect Daphile to SOtM? A thousand thanks

[@YuriBrus]

No, unfortunately not. For that kind of connectivity, the Rivo might be an interesting alternative. kzbin.info/www/bejne/enWxqZ2vpbt7pJYsi=aq8WmVJbx4ahAFE3

[@davidnewboult6887]

Can only agree with Keystone below, nice and simple, will have to do a bit more research, at the moment using a mini pc with MusicBee, preferred to Foobar2000 which I'd been using before.

[@YuriBrus]

Thanks 😊. MusicBee is great, very user friendly too. Were you able to test the 'control app' for it?

[@davidnewboult6887]

@@YuriBrus No, I will have to look into that, at the moment I have only installed it in my pc and am now able to play music. I've had a look at settings, all to complicated for me and I don't understand what most of the things do, mainly because I don't understand the jargon, I did increase the volume from 50-100% though. Strangely enough I came across Wtfplay today, never heard of it before, seems to be extremely well thought of, but looks a little to complicated for me. I have actually written to the distributor asking about playing music files from an hard drive through the Neo200, I did see a comment saying it was not the best way to play music, and maybe to do this it would be better to look elsewhere.

[@jc6993]

Can I use my Ifi Power 12V adapter on my Neo Streamer? I know the streamer is rated at 9.25V. Will I be giving it too much voltage? Thanks.

[@YuriBrus]

SBooster specifically recommends the 12v version for the NEO. That is the one I used, and I never had any issues. I can't guarantee that the Ifi power supply is compatible as well, but I suspect that it is fine.

[@davidhajrabedjan808]

Hi guys, I’m not sure to take the mini or the ultra? And also for the linear power supply sbs 500. Is the ultra and the power supply worth the money? Nice evening from Germany! David

[@drewabe1410]

Great video, I just ordered a sms200 neo and the 9v sBooster ultra. I'm going to run my iMac with Audirvana. Do I select dlna and is it just initial set-up or will I have to go to that website every time? Thanks

[@YuriBrus]

Hi Drew, thank you for your feedback, it's much appreciated. As long as the power supply from the SOtM is not disconnected, you only have to do that once. Wish you lots of fun with your new device and if you have any questions, just let me know.

[@drewabe1410]

@@YuriBrus thanks for your quick response, that's good to know, thanks you. I'm excited to use this product and can hardly wait!

[@YuriBrus]

@@drewabe1410 You're gonna love it 👍👍👍

[@cemsomaklar4165]

Thank you for your useful information. Is it possible to install this player in Audirvana other than Roon?

[@YuriBrus]

Thank you very much. Yes, it works great with Audirvana.

[@cemsomaklar4165]

@@YuriBrus Although dlna audirvana sees it as a network. It doesn't come installed on the device like Roon. I think this might be a problem.

[@YuriBrus]

Currently, I don't use the sMS 200, but when I did, I used it solely with Audirvana.

[@stefanhansen5882]

Just found your channel. Good stuff! You said it sounds better than streamer from your PC. How much better and how? Thanks!

[@YuriBrus]

Hi Stefan, thanks for your feedback. Yes, I am still very happy with the SOtM and after extensive comparing, I am convinced hat none of my PCs sound as good as the SOtM, when connected to a DAC via USB. I do use it with an Sbooster power supply, that raises the price by another 250,-. The biggest difference is the increased soundstage that the SOtM delivers and the lack of harshness. Especially with female singers, I hate too much sibilance and in direct comparison to any PC you will notice the much smoother 's' sounds. One thing to keep in mind is that the SOtM is not completely plug 'n play and I have read of others finding it rather hard to set up. Best regards, Yuri

[@stefanhansen5882]

@@YuriBrus Thanks a lot. I am trying to find the best combination of headphone amp, DAC and PC/streamer, so this is helpful.

[@greenbeginner9221]

Can it interface with Idagio and Qobuz?

[@everitsimpkin2366]

Truly an amazing piece of equipment is the sMS200 Neo. Why am I throwing mine in the bin? Well, trying to log into eunhasu.local takes an absolute age. When it finally gets connected to the elusive SOtM server, one has to spend even longer to log into the Logitech Squeezelite. After a long day at work I just want to listen to music, not battle against trying to log into it. To frustrating in my case. So, whilst I would dearly love to keep mine as the sound is I think the best $450 one can spend on a streamer, it just has to go before I throw it out of the window. Nice review BTW.

[@YuriBrus]

Hello Everit Thank you very much for your feedback, it's very much appreciated. I am very sorry to hear about your experience with the sMS200 Neo. Is this problem restricted to using it with the Logitech Media Server? Have you given Audirvana a try? So far, that has given me the most hassle free network music experience, plus it seems to sound better than all the other options I've tried. Here's a link for a 30 day trial version: audirvana.com/try-windows/ I am in no way commercially involved with Audirvana, I'm just a happy customer. Best regards, Yuri

[@everitsimpkin2366]

@@YuriBrus Hi Yuri, I do have Audirvarna on the trial basis. I like it a lot, the sound is very good when paired with my SOtM sHP-100 Dac. I am not sure how to connect the sMS200 to be used in conjunction with Audirvana. I've tried googling it but no luck. I do have Jriver also but used it in awhile..

[@YuriBrus]

The way I set it up is like this: Audirvana and my music collection are running on a PC, this PC is connected to a Switch., that is connected to my home network. The sMS200 is connected to the same Switch and via USB to my DAC. In Eunhasu I activate DLNA and in Audirvana I select the sMS as playback device. After that I can control Audirvana either directly on the PC or use the free APP.

[@everitsimpkin2366]

@@YuriBrus Hi Yuri, Thanks for your reply and advice. I've just connected an Auralic Aries Mini that I had in a cupboard for a few years. I have no trouble with sounds/connections/downloads with my ipad. The SOtM is now relegated to the hi-fi storage cupboard I am happy at the moment with the quality of the Aries Mini until the upgrade bug hits. lol.

[@YuriBrus]

@@everitsimpkin2366 The Aries Mini is a good streamer too and in the end all that matters is that you are happy. Depending on where you live, you should be able to sell the sMS for a good price. I actually had two units and sold one here in Europe without hardly any loss.

[@BrokenFiddles]

Can this streamer be used for Tidal or Qobuz? Thanks.

[@YuriBrus]

Pretty sure you can, at least with BubbleUPnP. Never use either service myself, though.

[@BrianS-xg5uq]

Hello HiFi, thanks for your review I just purchased the unit today. Just wondering if you had a chance to test the sms 200 neo with sbooster.

[@YuriBrus]

Hi Brian, thanks for your question. Yes, I did and the Sbooster is now permanently attached to the sMS200 Neo. The difference compared to the included wall wart is not huge, but still enough for me to justify the upgrade. Plus the Sbooster comes with loads of plugs, so it can be used with lots of other gear.

[@BrianS-xg5uq]

@@YuriBrus Thanks!

[@seowlay9897]

hi hifi reference, I just bought a Sotm neo. I connect it to my dac and using audiravana. Audiravana sees my sotm but there is no sound going to my audio. I did what you said to make DLNA active. All devices are on the same network. Please advise

[@YuriBrus]

Hello Seow Lay. Sorry to hear that. If you select a track and press play, does Audirvana start counting the seconds of the track, in other words, does it appear on your screen that the track is playing without you hearing any audio?

[@seowlay9897]

HiFi Reference thanks so much for replying. Yes it looks like it’s playing but no sound. In my roon all songs were skipped when I click on play all. What could the problem? Could it be the hardware itself?

[@YuriBrus]

@@seowlay9897 could you please tell me with what kind of file formats this problem occurs (FLAC/DSD etc.) and which DAC you are using, or in case your Amp has a USB Input, which amp. Thanks, Yuri

[@seowlay9897]

HiFi Reference I’m using micromega mydac and I’m playing flac and tidal

[@YuriBrus]

@@seowlay9897 I believe the Micromega MyDac is capable of handling 24/192 FLAC files, so that can't be it. I have had the same problem one time, but in that case the file was corrupted. I assume you have tried different albums as well? Also, if you connect your PC via USB to the MyDac, do those same files play properly?

[@kurt120032002]

This product is very confusing and really lacking in information about some specific areas. For example if I choose external word-clock, does it also come with an internal one, or I need to spend an aditional 3500$ to the original 1900$ for product and psu, does it actually recognize the DAC or has something similar with ASIO? For flac up to 24/96 doesn't really matter, but I don't buy 1200 - 8000$ streaming sistem (with word-clock, usb filter, and 3 clock cables, and PSU for everything) to play that. I am building a DSD capable system, and Iit is called direct stream for a reason. Also can I plug in another ssd storage and play DSD out of the sms 200 or I need another server that will cost another 1200-1500$ with software. Huge amount of money on just assumptions.

[@YuriBrus]

Hello Cotoi and thanks for your question. I think you have this one mixed up with the more costly Ultra series. This regular 200 costs $450.00 and comes with a decent wall wart. I upgraded mine with an Sbooster BOTW P&P ECO Linear Power Supply, this costs an additional $330,- but then you're done. No more upgrades available for this model. You can connect an external drive directly to the SMS200 Neo and use free Squeezelite software for playback, but I would recommend testing the trial version of Audirvana first. Personally, I prefer it over ROON and a full, lifetime license costs around $90.00. In that configuration, it's been really easy to setup and operate. Also tried out three different DACs (Soulution/Pioneer/Luxman) and they were all recognized without any issues or the need for installing firmware. If your budget is a bit higher, though. I would suggest to take a look at Auralic as well. Their products sound great as well and may be more transparent in specifications and operation. Have a great weekend, Yuri.

[@goodsound4756]

This is a digital transport only, yet you comment on sound quality and the audio presentation?! This is more about your DAC, not the SMS 200.

[@AWEG-qu8bz]

But SotM has also one of the cheapest lookin Websites i´ve ever seen. If this presentation also reflect the quality of the Products i say: Good Night. EDIT: And i give you another reason to stay away from products like this. SoTM offers this streamers or what it is and on the other hand powersupplys wich are expecier than the unit itself. What tells me this? For me it is easy to see: create a product with a bad powersupply and from this moment on you have a licens to print money. Because your product will NEVER been as good as it could. Smart? I dont think so. I think that this reflected what SoTM think about his customers.