[hackstu]

SMSL M9 or Topping DX7?

 

[Jimster480]

SMSL M9 or Topping DX7?

I would say the DX7 for sure.
I have been considering picking up an M9 to test it out but..... it has no real headphone output capabilities... It has no real sets of jacks either..
So considering that its more expensive than the DX7, there is no reason to get it over the DX7.

 

[hackstu]

Dx7 has mobile version of the DAC where the m9 hasn't. Wouldn't the latter be better?

I won't be using the headphones output, more interested how the DAC sections perform.

 

[crabdog]

Dx7 has mobile version of the DAC where the m9 hasn't. Wouldn't the latter be better?

I won't be using the headphones output, more interested how the DAC sections perform.

From my review:

There’s also a possibility of an upgraded version in the future that will use the ES9038Q2M.

It might be worth looking into if you're not in a hurry.

 

[Jimster480]

Dx7 has mobile version of the DAC where the m9 hasn't. Wouldn't the latter be better?

I won't be using the headphones output, more interested how the DAC sections perform.

The DAC sections are incredible and amazingly accurate and revealing.
Very deep sound with incredible soundstage and clarity and instrument separation as long as you have headphones to match.
The internal Amp and outputs are very good aswell, and it has a coax output to plug in another DAC to it.

 

[hackstu]

From my review:



It might be worth looking into if you're not in a hurry.

How long a time frame could it possibly be before they change the DACs?? one month?six month?

The internal picture looks good, compared to the m9, a lot more components if that makes a difference.

 

[Jimster480]

How long a time frame could it possibly be before they change the DACs?? one month?six month?

The internal picture looks good, compared to the m9, a lot more components if that makes a difference.

It has alot more features than the M9... And the dacs don't need an upgrade honestly they are already incredible in their clarity and resolution of music.

I honestly am so impressed by this that I put all the rest of my hardware for sale.

On paper it doesn't look that great but in practice it is.

 

[hackstu]

It has alot more features than the M9... And the dacs don't need an upgrade honestly they are already incredible in their clarity and resolution of music.

I honestly am so impressed by this that I put all the rest of my hardware for sale.

On paper it doesn't look that great but in practice it is.

I'm in two minds though, i have already a tube head amp so i wouldn't use the head amp stage on the DX7. thats why i thought of the M9 over the DX7, but there seems to be a decent power supply contained within the DX7 compared to the M9.

 

[Jimster480]

I'm in two minds though, i have already a tube head amp so i wouldn't use the head amp stage on the DX7. thats why i thought of the M9 over the DX7, but there seems to be a decent power supply contained within the DX7 compared to the M9.

It has a linear psu built in.

 

[badman]

I just got mine Tuesday and have played only a bit through it. I can say that the build quality seems superb, setup on USB was just a driver install, the form factor is nice, large and heavy enough that it feels like "hifi proper" but smaller than a full size piece. The remote is very nice. My flirtations with headphone listening have historically been modest and I'm using new Sennheiser 600s with this unit, so I can't do a proper comparison to other headphone amp systems, but I can say that it sounds excellent in an absolute sense- terrific space, soundstaging and I haven't noticed any artifacts yet. Nice deep black background, tons of resolution without edge. I haven't had a decent sound setup at work in a over a decade (had an isolated office with a proper diy speaker system and tubes) and it's a welcome thing to have back.

 

[crabdog]

Yeah that remote

 

[Jimster480]

Absolutely loving this unit, except that my computer will NEVER go to sleep when its connected

I am trying to get a Coax/Optical connection for it instead now because of how annoying it is to have the computer never shut the monitors off or go to "idle" which also affects my backups.

I have talked to Topping though and they are working on it which is a major plus!

 

[kingofzero]

Really interested to hear how it compares to the Audio-gd NFB 11.

Will it pair well with the K712 ?

 

[Jimster480]

Really interested to hear how it compares to the Audio-gd NFB 11.

Will it pair well with the K712 ?

I don't have I don't have either of those but I can't imagine that it will compare nicely with just about anything as it has two of the best DAC chips on the planet and they are working in tandem. The level of micro details on this device is just incredible.

Despite the problem with the USB keeping my PC awake I bought a SMSL xUSB and it fixed the problem entirely. Now I am driving the DX7 via Coax.

 

[Protek67]

Just an FYI for everyone, this is on Massdrop right now for $80 off msrp and amazon price. 2 day's left on it.