[Telin]

Ok so I had to reset network settings (incl Bluetooth) and it works fine!

Somehow I have the feeling that unpairing the phone from the M200 and pair it again had worked to.

 

[Sonic Defender]

In an update I cancelled the sale of my M200 and still happily have it. I do have the Gustard X16, but that is for a system that I don't currently get to use and probably won't until late May early June. In the meantime I am happily enjoying the M200 and quite pleased that I kept it. Now I will have a well done AKM based DAC and an ESS based DAC.

 

[StarTreker]

In an update I cancelled the sale of my M200 and still happily have it. I do have the Gustard X16, but that is for a system that I don't currently get to use and probably won't until late May early June. In the meantime I am happily enjoying the M200 and quite pleased that I kept it. Now I will have a well done AKM based DAC and an ESS based DAC.

Oh thank God! I was sweating buckets over your intention to sell the M200. OK ok, sweating buckets was a bit of an exaggeration lol. But I was feeling a bit bad about that, so I too am glad that you kept it. BTW, you'll know when your super deep in this hobby, that you keep your M200, but sell your car. LOL

 

[Dannemand]

Now I will have a well done AKM based DAC and an ESS based DAC.

Not only that, you will have an AKM V-out DAC (where they have traditionally shone) and an ESS I-out DAC (their strength). It's a significant design difference.

AK4499 is AKM's first I-out DAC, with some saying they only choose this route in order to match ESS's numbers game. It's easier to deliver high SINAD with an I-out design.

As I mentioned previously, I originally wanted the M200 because I specifically sought a V-out design with its simpler output stage (without I/V conversion). And AK4497 is AKM's latest V-out flagship.

It took some convincing and a bit of crow eating for me to end up choosing the I-out AK4499 instead

So you have TWO well done DACs!

 

[StarTreker]

Not only that, you will have an AKM V-out DAC (where they have traditionally shone) and an ESS I-out DAC (their strength). It's a significant design difference.

AK4499 is AKM's first I-out DAC, with some saying they only choose this route in order to match ESS's numbers game. It's easier to deliver high SINAD with an I-out design.

As I mentioned previously, I originally wanted the M200 because I specifically sought a V-out design with its simpler output stage (without I/V conversion). And AK4497 is AKM's latest V-out flagship.

It took some convincing and a bit of crow eating for me to end up choosing the I-out AK4499 instead

So you have TWO well done DACs!

I don't know about you, but I was very happy to receive the upgraded DAC chip that is in my M200! I literally upgraded my DAC from a Fiio D3 to a S.M.S.L M200, and thats a huge upgrade. The M200 DAC does a much cleaner conversion then the D3 does. And the M200 producers more RCA line volt power, to keep the source line level up. Its all about maintaining that resolution before it enters the AMP. And the SP200 cleans up the sound even further with THX, so the result is a very clean conversion and amplification.

Once you have your stack, in most cases, you don't need anything else. Most headphones can be powered by 6-watts into 16-OHMS, and 3-watts into 32-OHMS. But for the select few that do require much more power, thats when you have to upgrade to a Rebel AMP lol. Like I said though, most headphones don't require that much power, so once you have your stack, your set! I liked your post Dannemand, I couldn't agree more.

 

[Telin]

I don't know about you, but I was very happy to receive the upgraded DAC chip that is in my M200! I literally upgraded my DAC from a Fiio D3 to a S.M.S.L M200, and thats a huge upgrade. The M200 DAC does a much cleaner conversion then the D3 does. And the M200 producers more RCA line volt power, to keep the source line level up. Its all about maintaining that resolution before it enters the AMP. And the SP200 cleans up the sound even further with THX, so the result is a very clean conversion and amplification.

Once you have your stack, in most cases, you don't need anything else. Most headphones can be powered by 6-watts into 16-OHMS, and 3-watts into 32-OHMS. But for the select few that do require much more power, thats when you have to upgrade to a Rebel AMP lol. Like I said though, most headphones don't require that much power, so once you have your stack, your set! I liked your post Dannemand, I couldn't agree more.

Since when do audiophiles stop buying new things because they need to... they want to!
Every upgrade after the M200/SP200 stack in incremental yet people are apparently willing to spend ten thousands of dollars just to get that 0.1% more.

 

[StarTreker]

Since when do audiophiles stop buying new things because they need to... they want to!
Every upgrade after the M200/SP200 stack in incremental yet people are apparently willing to spend ten thousands of dollars just to get that 0.1% more.

I knew a guy who did that with computer's. It was all about the benchmarks with him, and trying to get a leg up on the online competition with other gamers. I thought he was nuts spending thousands of dollars every year, just to keep his computer 100% all the time. But he had a job that provided him good money, so thats why. My computer is 9-years old, and I am just now getting ready to replace it lol.

 

[Telin]

I knew a guy who did that with computer's. It was all about the benchmarks with him, and trying to get a leg up on the online competition with other gamers. I thought he was nuts spending thousands of dollars every year, just to keep his computer 100% all the time. But he had a job that provided him good money, so thats why. My computer is 9-years old, and I am just now getting ready to replace it lol.

Well at least with computers there are hard numbers that can't be disputed. That's why the GTX 3090 is not selling more then it does. It's proven beyond any doubt that the performance increasement is no where near in line with the added cost over other cards.

In the world of audiophiles it's all about feelings and experiences.
Technology has advanced so fast and so much that I personally feel that we reached the point that a "simple" and "cheap" $299 DAC will be enough for 99.9% of the people.
Today even a $99 DAC outperforms a DAC that an audiophile payed thousands of dollars for a while ago.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Well at least with computers there are hard numbers that can't be disputed. That's why the GTX 3090 is not selling more then it does. It's proven beyond any doubt that the performance increasement is no where near in line with the added cost over other cards.

In the world of audiophiles it's all about feelings and experiences.
Technology has advanced so fast and so much that I personally feel that we reached the point that a "simple" and "cheap" $299 DAC will be enough for 99.9% of the people.
Today even a $99 DAC outperforms a DAC that an audiophile payed thousands of dollars for a while ago.

I agree absolutely.

 

[ph58]

Combo SP200 M200 pairing with the HIFIMAN SUNDARA
It sound fantastic !

 

[StarTreker]

Combo SP200 M200 pairing with the HIFIMAN SUNDARA
It sound fantastic !

Oh wow, its been awhile since we've had a new S.M.S.L owner post here! See, we weren't pulling your chain, this stack is the real deal yo! Will you be doing the volume knob mod for the SP200? That is a beautiful setup you have there, those Hifiman Sundara's looking mighty fine resting on that box, catching up on some of that SP200 love, yes sir! And you even got a nice braided XLR cable, which I assume is at least 22-gauge copper conductor core. And you see that, its even got a 100% kickarse turtle rating right there, you can't beat that!

 

[Sonic Defender]

Indeed, the M200 is fantastic.

 

[ph58]

Oh wow, its been awhile since we've had a new S.M.S.L owner post here! See, we weren't pulling your chain, this stack is the real deal yo! Will you be doing the volume knob mod for the SP200? That is a beautiful setup you have there, those Hifiman Sundara's looking mighty fine resting on that box, catching up on some of that SP200 love, yes sir! And you even got a nice braided XLR cable, which I assume is at least 22-gauge copper conductor core. And you see that, its even got a 100% kickarse turtle rating right there, you can't beat that!

Thank you for the compliment about the combo, it is indeed a stack with an unbeatable quality ratio, no need to spend a lot to have a high quality set, you are right about the cable for the Sundara, it is a very good one, of the most beautiful aspect and moreover not very expensive (41 Euros) bought on Aliexpress
The turtle is very cute, it is a souvenir brought back from vacation
Thank you very much for your kind words
Sincerely

 

[Sonic Defender]

I'll bet that is a solid rig @ph58. I have sold pretty much all of my headphones but I would like a decent, but affordable planar so the Sundara might be it. I was on the HiFi Man loaner tour when it first came out but I was so busy in school at the time that I couldn't get much time with it, but I remember liking what I heard and wanting more time with it. I wish I hadn't, but I sold my Edition X V2 which was a beautiful headphone, very special. Not sure, but hopefully the Sundara can surprise me.

 

[Telin]

Just a quick update to tell that my M200 died today.
The display was already flaky for sometime; Not turning off when putting the device in standby, Displaying DSD512 while playing 16/44.1 FLAC, Randomly lid parts of the display. All the time the sound was just fine.. Till today now the unit died completely and there is no output at all from any source or to any output.
Tossed the unit in the recycle bin. Looking at the cost of the unit it just doesn't make sense to me to send it back and forth to China where it will probably never arrive to begin with.