Anybody else using the S.M.S.L M200?

[sebtdi]

M200 feeling right at home with the Stax/BHSE rig!

 

[StarTreker]

M200 feeling right at home with the Stax/BHSE rig!

My oh my how big your tubes are.

And yes, I agree, I think your S.M.S.L M200 DAC does look mighty good right there with all your equipment.

Thats quite a sample rate your running there, your source must be heavily capable to push it that high!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Dolores Dolomites]

Sow-uh... Bought the infamous S.M.S.L. "200" combo at Hifi-express, 459$ on Black Friday week and quickly sent to Italy from a warehouse in France.
Set up this balanced-wired, bedside pedestal, dirty corner in roughly five minutes, and absolutely loving the sound and convenience these twins provide!
A joy to use.

My best regards to all of you M200 companions and gentlemen out there! Cheers!

 

[sebtdi]

My oh my how big your tubes are.

And yes, I agree, I think your S.M.S.L M200 DAC does look mighty good right there with all your equipment.

Thats quite a sample rate your running there, your source must be heavily capable to push it that high!

Thanks for sharing!

TIDAL streaming !

 

[Sonic Defender]

Still using my M200 and think it sounds audibly transparent which is all a DAC needs to do. I really enjoy using it via Bluetooth as that is so convenient and I do not hear anything different when I use it via USB so I pretty much always use Bluetooth as my phone is a dead silent source whereas when I use USB if the music is very quiet I sometimes hear the computer fan, although rarely. Still, I never hear any noise from a phone and it holds a very large collection of Flac albums so I'm happy, or I can stream from Tidal. So amazing that we have all of this functionality and technically perfect sound (from an audible stand point) for the small sum the M200 is sold for.

 

[StarTreker]

I'm just happy that S.M.S.L SP200 and M200, are finally getting some much needed recognition! You don't have to pay 5,000 dollars for a good amp and another 5,000 dollars for a good dac.

 

[sebtdi]

I'm just happy that S.M.S.L SP200 and M200, are finally getting some much needed recognition! You don't have to pay 5,000 dollars for a good amp and another 5,000 dollars for a good dac.

100% agree on the DAC, not on the amp speakers or headphones! been there done that

 

[Sonic Defender]

I don't think you need to spend more than maybe $400-$500 (and less is absolutely possible) on an excellent solid state headamp these days. There are several great options that have performance that was unheard of at any price even 5 years ago. Thanks to Topping, SMSL, JDS, Schiit and even Monoprice and Drop we have seen quite the advancement in excellent performance at truly affordable prices. Good stable, clean power is getting cheaper all the time just like how faster and large storage space has been steadily and significantly dropping in price.

 

[Telin]

So how does the M200 fare against the SMSL M300 MKII?
Both seem pretty similar except the form factor and the LCD screen of course.

 

[StarTreker]

The only real difference between the two, is the M300 MKII has some better features. Primarily, the LCD screen gives you more flexibility in navigating through the DAC modes, and it has a better bluetooth chip. But the real issue I see, is that the M300 has less connectivity options then the M200 has.

Here is the front and rear of my M200

Here is the front and rear of the M300

The real next logical step up from the S.M.S.L M200, would really be the M400, but you would have to swing mulla cash in order to afford it. Unless you require upgraded features, the M200 sounds amazing for the price and I highly recommend it.

 

[Telin]

The real next logical step up from the S.M.S.L M200, would really be the M400, but you would have to swing mulla cash in order to afford it. Unless you require upgraded features, the M200 sounds amazing for the price and I highly recommend it.

The M400 is 3x as expensive as the M200.
This is where, for me at least, the law of diminishing returns comes in. 3x the money doesn't make the M400 3x better then the M200. The M400 is undoubtedly better then the M200 but the difference would be way too small to justify the 3x price tag for me.

By the way..
Does anyone use the XMOS V4.82 driver with the M200?
On the SMSL website the V4.76 driver is offered for download when selecting the M200 but SMSL offers the V4.82 if you select another device.
From what I've found online it should be all compatible but never hurts to get some first hand confirmation.

 

[StarTreker]

Thats exactly why I didn't go out and actually recommend the M400, and instead said, unless you require the extra feature sets of the M400, I recommend the M200, as it truly sounds amazing for the price. I also agree with you about the price, I myself couldn't justify the 800 dollar price tag for it. Most people who have listened to the M200 really love it, including myself. 250 to 300 dollars is a lot easier to justify, and I consider the M200 to be my be all end all DAC, same goes for my SP200 AMP.

I have my DAC connected via OPTICAL, and its getting a digital signal from my notebook computer from HDMI, through my TV. I could get a higher sampling rate if I connected directly through USB, but then that would leave me with limited options. The way I have it connected now, anything that is connected to the TV as a source, and outputs directly through TOSSLINK, gets patched through the DAC, and that just works for me. I got a 48K sampling rate, and I am running it in 24-BIT.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Yes the M200 hits all the sweet spots and like pretty much every properly done DAC implementation for the last 10 or 15 years it is audibly transparent. I have and love my M200 although I am moving to the Gustard X16 simply because I can get it in silver which matches my NAD M3. Other than that I would just keep the M200. I actually almost exclusively use Bluetooth with it as I find the sound indistinguishable as compared with USB. Great purchase for the money for sure.

 

[Telin]

Just noticed something...
All spec sheets lists the power usage of the M200 to be 3.5W @ 5V
So why does SMSL supply an 5V 4A power adapter with this unit?

I already have an 5V 2.5A power supply routed to my desk and I don't see why that isn't enough when the unit only uses 3.5W
Anyone has any idea why SMSL supplies a 4A adapter?

 

[StarTreker]

Just noticed something...
All spec sheets lists the power usage of the M200 to be 3.5W @ 5V
So why does SMSL supply an 5V 4A power adapter with this unit?

I already have an 5V 2.5A power supply routed to my desk and I don't see why that isn't enough when the unit only uses 3.5W
Anyone has any idea why SMSL supplies a 4A adapter?

NEVER EVER use a power adapter that was NOT made for your device. I did that once when I was a kid, and toasted a CD player!

I know how you feel, but in the end, don't be lazy, and rout the new power cord.

The reason they provide a 4-AMP power adapter is for the pre-amplification circuit. It makes sure there is enough power going to the box, so that it can push its full potential without getting restricted, which keeps heat generation down, and provides proper efficiency.