[wwmhf]

  I was about to close on the SMSL M8 on massdrop (4 days to go) for US$160 when I discovered the TEMPOTEC Serenade DSD which can be had on ThanksBuyer (yet another Chinese online gadget shop with Paypal) for US$152 - http://www.thanksbuyer.com/tempotec-serenade-dsd-dxd-32bit-384khz-music-workstation-usb-sound-card-audio-decoder-46219?keyword=serenade. Its also available on Amazon for US$169 (http://www.amazon.com/TEMPOTEC-Serenade-32Bit-384KHz-Sound/dp/B00V67JXKY)
 
It incorporates a C-Media CM6632A USB processor,  Burr Brown PCM1795 DAC, 2 TPA6130A2 headphone amplifier and processes native DSD64,DSD128,DSD256 and DSD512 as well as 32 Bit/352.8KHz and 32 Bit/384 KHz PCM. I have ordered one and will compare it with my Schitt LOKI.
 
I would be interested to know if anyone else has tried one of these. I realise it is not a sabre ES9018 dac but this could also be its strength. There are very few useful reviews other than Quobuz (http://www.qobuz.com/ie-en/info/hi-res-guide/bancs-d-essai/tempotec-serenade-dsd-improved177846).

 
At those prices for both the DAC and AMP, I am afraid none of these two modules are good enough.

 

[fritobugger]

   
Did that, no joy. Windows won't even register that it's connected in the device manager. Sent an email to Massdrop to start the exchange process.

 
Bummer.  Good luck.

 

[wwmhf]

Using external power supply is really good feature of the SMSL M8 DAC . I have built a simple power supply by putting some part together and my SMSL M8 DAC sounds obviously better.

 

[Aplle]

Where can I get the latest driver? Smsl site is blocked by ESET for some reason...

It's also blocked by Google, I wonder what the deal is with that.

 

[willowbrook]

  It's also blocked by Google, I wonder what the deal is with that.

Can't download the driver.zip on Chrome...weird.

 

[ozrick]

Firefox notified me that there was malicious software on the site as well, but I'm using optical so didn't try to download it.  I don't know if there is a registry that all these companies subscribe to in order to black list the site or if they are actually detecting something.  My guess is that the site found itself on some registry in error, but it's just a guess.
 
The unit doesn't seem to even get warm when using optical.  Sounds great.  Liking the purchase.

 

[wwmhf]

SMSL M8 is a good budget DAC, and it has a great potential to sound even better if mated with a better power supply and a better USB receiver.

 

[wersuss]

SMSL M8 is a good budget DAC, and it has a great potential to sound even better if mated with a better power supply and a better USB receiver.

Hi. what is better USB receiver for M8 dac?

 

[willowbrook]

Anyone successfully downloaded the latest driver? I got the M8 right now, but can't seem to get access to smsl-audio.com...

 

[willowbrook]

I guess the site was having some problem, anyone having trouble downloading I uploaded the latest driver to zippyshare. http://www39.zippyshare.com/v/mgzGDrLj/file.html taken from smsl-audio.com ^^
Don't have my HE-560 with me, so I don't really notice too much difference from Modi 2U. I do notice an overall cleaner sound, especially around higher frequency instead of slightly congested from modi 2. One huge advantage is the 2.5v output compared to 1.5v output from modi 2. Low output voltage has been a problem for my amp op amps lately.
When I get the HE-560 in my hands, hopefully I can do a detailed comparison.
 
If you're having trouble Windows recognizing, you have to make sure you go to sound settings and make it as default communication & default device if you are having trouble.

 

[wwmhf]

  Hi. what is better USB receiver for M8 dac?

 
"USB receiver" is how I called it. A fancier name might USB digital audio interface or something like. Check Gustard U12 for example. 

 

[wwmhf]

  Anyone successfully downloaded the latest driver? I got the M8 right now, but can't seem to get access to smsl-audio.com...

I could not download anything from SMSL's web page too. But you can try the following places to download XMOS drivers: 
 
2.26:
 

• http://pan.baidu.com/s/1ntDUtqp

 

• https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AKASKTkcgS8A2xE&id=D0AB7686EA250D95%214056&cid=D0AB7686EA250D95

 

• http://pan.baidu.com/s/1ntDUtqp

 
3.2:
 

• http://pan.baidu.com/s/1V7oJG

 

[willowbrook]

 
I could not download anything from SMSL's web page too. But you can try the following places to download XMOS drivers: 
 
2.26:
 

• http://pan.baidu.com/s/1ntDUtqp

 

• https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AKASKTkcgS8A2xE&id=D0AB7686EA250D95%214056&cid=D0AB7686EA250D95

 

• http://pan.baidu.com/s/1ntDUtqp

 
3.2:
 

• http://pan.baidu.com/s/1V7oJG

I already uploaded the v3.2 driver from smsl-audio.com on zippyshare.

 

[P701]

SMSL M8 is a good budget DAC, and it has a great potential to sound even better if mated with a better power supply and a better USB receiver.

 

 
"USB receiver" is how I called it. A fancier name might USB digital audio interface or something like. Check Gustard U12 for example. 

 

Could you enlighten me/us how routing the data through another device in the signal-chain can make it sound better?
How do you output it from Gustard for example? Optical?
What is the purpose of that / Why does it differ from feeding USB right into M8?

 

[wwmhf]

 

SMSL M8 is a good budget DAC, and it has a great potential to sound even better if mated with a better power supply and a better USB receiver.

 
 

   
"USB receiver" is how I called it. A fancier name might USB digital audio interface or something like. Check Gustard U12 for example. 

 

Could you enlighten me/us how routing the data through another device in the signal-chain can make it sound better?
How do you output it from Gustard for example? Optical?
What is the purpose of that / Why does it differ from feeding USB right into M8?

This is how a USB digital audio interface is used in my playing systems:
 
PC->USB->Gustard U12->Coaxial cable->M8 (or other DACs)->Amp
 
There might be many reasons, but the fact that a USB digital audio interface such as Gustard U12 or Breeze U8 (I have both and I like U8 better) has its own (good) power supply and its own (good again) clock is an important factor.