Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
With a familial semblance, shut your eyes a bit and you might mistake the SU-10 for the SU-9 Pro. From the curved corners, flat top, and full-color display, the SU-10 is in a lot of ways a close derivative of the earlier SU-9 line. Mostly though I'm into the DIY aspect and building my own speakers and the electronics are sort of a means to an end. I do find the technical aspects of DAC and amps interesting though so I plan on getting a Bifrost to see what multbit is about and just a higher-end DAC in general as well as build a Class A ACA amp because I've never had anything Class A and unlike Amir's test my current speakers efficient enough to pair with it. srkbearThe differences between a Chord or Yggdrasil and an ES9039-based DAC are likely inaudible, but if you want to pay the DIY brands more cash for that excess of noise and distortion, detectable or not, it would be best not to get officious or haughty about it. It’s nothing to be proud of.This is an odd distinction to make. Schiit make the Modi 3 which by ASR objective measurements is a great entry level DAC on par with anything else using the same chipset but Schiit is "DIY"and unreputable because they make things like the Yggdrasil with their own architecture and DAC chips typically used in other applications. Yet SMSL is ok and reputable even though they use chipsets like the ES9039 which by ASR's methodology is performing well beyond any metric that could be contributing anything remotely useful to audio quality? Maybe there isn't anything wrong with the SU-9 Pro or the Yggdrasil and the problem is with over simplified measurements? If you want a more uplifting type of vocal staging, then the DX5 will give this region a more sparkling and hard-hitting perception. Here, SMSL went in a different direction as I am getting a more resonant and less strict tuning that is also more full-bodied. Cada bola que cae en la canción “Bubbles” de Yosi Horikawa parece caer en un lugar distinto alrededor de mi cabeza cuando se escucha a través del SU-9. Esto me da la impresión de que el SU-9 puede colocar con precisión elementos de sonido dentro de un determinado escenario sonoro. Increasing the pace with some R.AT.M. – Know Your Enemy ( Tidal / Spotify) the bass notes were so obvious even from the start, it was almost too much bass, too much impact and body hits. At 1:41 mark, I was toe tapping like I had double drum pedals under my feet and a huge spike of positive energy went through my spine. As I have mentioned before, SU-9 is a natural hitter, it doesn’t want to be linear, straight as a line, it doesn’t follow those rules. It’s very mean in the bass and midrange section, brutal at times, raw around the edges, unsophisticated, messy and aggressive, but when it’s time to land some well-balanced hits and decay everything in an instant, as it does that with its chin up like it’s nothing. SU-9 is not the most refined and smooth sounding digital source, nor the most detailed one, it always presses the gas pedal, it’s like you best friend that always looks for a fight after a drink or two. It is brutally impactful and hard hitting and I love it for that!
Both units can work as DAC and preamp combos, but instead of offering actual line-amplifier (preamplifier) circuits, they implemented some digital attenuators and that is precisely why I’m calling them digital preamplifiers. Looks like we started a trend to achieve perfection in desktop DACs and the SMSL SU-9 is yet another example of that. We have another great "instrument grade" DAC on our hands providing absolute transparency to the source beyond any threshold of human hearing. If you are hearing issues I suggest you either have your hearing examined, or learn to do a proper controlled test. Either way, what you hear is what is on your recording. Guaranteed!
Select Comparisons
The pair of RCA outputs are rated to 2.5Vrms with a 128dB dynamic range. But if a single-ended connection isn’t enough or you have a properly balanced amplifier or powered monitor to pair, then the 5.2Vrms capable XLR outputs are ready with their higher 133dB dynamic range. I think the potentiometer could be striped, but without that, it keeps the whole thing of clean design. For even less critical listening, the HarmonicDyne G200 burrowed deep into the more playful aspect of the SU-9 Pro and only lightly on the work part.
Reverb on both devices gets a similar showing with stringed instruments letting out a clean and metallic twang. The DO100 ends up being the thinner and shoutier of the two as it arrives a bit less organically as a whole pushing female vocal more forward. Both fresh releases, the SU-10 has the bigger task of proving itself worthy simply by being positioned directly above the SU-9 Pro in terms of product line and at almost double the price. El sonido general del SU-9 es bastante suave, pero no equivale automáticamente a que se le pase por alto. Tiene una buena dinámica en la región de los graves y unos agudos suaves y detallados. Audio DAC SMSL SU 9 Balanced con soporte MQA especificaciones ¿Vale la pena comprar el DAC? Nuestro veredicto El SMSL SU-9 es un DAC con una gran variedad de conexiones de entrada y salida que se puede utilizar en cualquier equipo de escritorio.If you can hear anything special that cannot be achieved by this SMSL unit, which achieves a level of SINAD and linearity that is well beyond the limits of our human ear, I say more power to you. Just don’t make similar promises that others will, especially if the DAC you’re endorsing costs more. That’s the most I want to say about this, I only care that folks are happy with the gear that brings them the joy of music. Peace.
Great Deal 
New Comment