Does anyone have more information about this product.. inside pictures and some sort of schematic..
http://www.amazon.com/SMSL-ES9018-Optical-Coaxial-Asynchronous/dp/B00SIERMW4
SMSL M8 DAC ES9018 Optic Coaxial Xmos USB Asynchronous 384kHz 24bit DSD64 128 | eBay
http://www.amazon.com/SMSL-ES9018-Optical-Coaxial-Asynchronous/dp/B00SIERMW4
SMSL M8 DAC ES9018 Optic Coaxial Xmos USB Asynchronous 384kHz 24bit DSD64 128 | eBay
I also had a look at it.
People over at AudioAsylum were quite pleased with the performance of that
$250 DAC.
To me the major NoGo was that it turns off automatically after a while (afaik 5 minutes being without signal). It then requires manual interaction to get it back on.
People over at AudioAsylum were quite pleased with the performance of that
$250 DAC.
To me the major NoGo was that it turns off automatically after a while (afaik 5 minutes being without signal). It then requires manual interaction to get it back on.
For me major NoGo will be analog output..
DIYINHK's XMOS_ES9018 combo seems wiser investment..
I received it yesterday.
Well, the sound is very good. I had used x-fi elite pro before..(upgraded).
Of course I opened the box, almost all components is SMD. Very nice and carefully made. I think need some time to warm it. In plans, I think to change the external PSU unit and maybe op-amps. Regarding op-amps what they used, no marking on it, so I can't recognize exactly.
One issue is automatic power off after 10 minutes if no input signal. Hopefully they will change that option in the next driver release.
Well, the sound is very good. I had used x-fi elite pro before..(upgraded).
Of course I opened the box, almost all components is SMD. Very nice and carefully made. I think need some time to warm it. In plans, I think to change the external PSU unit and maybe op-amps. Regarding op-amps what they used, no marking on it, so I can't recognize exactly.
One issue is automatic power off after 10 minutes if no input signal. Hopefully they will change that option in the next driver release.
Just about to buy one of these too.
Quoting from the data sheet:
DAC:
The M8 use the ES9018K2M as DAC, the ES9018K2M is the newest DAC of ESS technology.
The ES9018K2M SABRE32 Reference DAC is a high-performance 32-bit, 2-channel audio D/A converter, Using the critically acclaimed ESS patented 32-bit Hyperstream DAC architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator.
USB:
The M8 use the most advanced USB receiver solution : the XMOS U8 solution.
This USB use a 500mips x-core chip to decode the USB audio, And it can support PCM up to 32bit/384kHz and DSD up to 5.6MHz sampling frequency. So this is the Spec of M8 in USB input.
And the XMOS is also asynchronous USB transfer, so the accuracy of the USB just depend on how good oscillator you use, and we use two very low phase noise oscillators, one is 22.5792MHz for 44.1k, 88.2k, 176.4k, 352.8k and the other one is 24.576MHz for 48k, 96k, 192k, 384k.
FILTER:
The M8 use a low noise 2-pole dual differential active filter to filter out the out-band noise , and also has 7 kind of digital filter to remove the digital noise. 3 for PCM and 4 for DSD, and user can select which to be used, and different filter makes different sound.
CLOCK:
The M8 use a low noise 2-pole dual differential active filter to filter out the out-band noise , and also has 7 kind of digital filter to remove the digital noise. 3 for PCM and 4 for DSD, and user can select which to be used, and different filter makes different sound.
POWER:
The M8 use total 10 ways LDO to supply the power. Each oscillator use a single LDO. And for ES9018K2M, we use 2 Ultra low noise LDO ADP150, which output noise just 9 μVrms. So making the M8 achieved 0.0004% in THD+N.
We also use a very good quality AC adapter to supply the 9V power to M8.
And if the user wants to Upgrade the sound quality, we also have a very good linear power supply -- P1, user can buy this and the P1 is just design for M8, so they will work together very well.
and pic of the optional power supply:
Quoting from the data sheet:
DAC:
The M8 use the ES9018K2M as DAC, the ES9018K2M is the newest DAC of ESS technology.
The ES9018K2M SABRE32 Reference DAC is a high-performance 32-bit, 2-channel audio D/A converter, Using the critically acclaimed ESS patented 32-bit Hyperstream DAC architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator.
USB:
The M8 use the most advanced USB receiver solution : the XMOS U8 solution.
This USB use a 500mips x-core chip to decode the USB audio, And it can support PCM up to 32bit/384kHz and DSD up to 5.6MHz sampling frequency. So this is the Spec of M8 in USB input.
And the XMOS is also asynchronous USB transfer, so the accuracy of the USB just depend on how good oscillator you use, and we use two very low phase noise oscillators, one is 22.5792MHz for 44.1k, 88.2k, 176.4k, 352.8k and the other one is 24.576MHz for 48k, 96k, 192k, 384k.
FILTER:
The M8 use a low noise 2-pole dual differential active filter to filter out the out-band noise , and also has 7 kind of digital filter to remove the digital noise. 3 for PCM and 4 for DSD, and user can select which to be used, and different filter makes different sound.
CLOCK:
The M8 use a low noise 2-pole dual differential active filter to filter out the out-band noise , and also has 7 kind of digital filter to remove the digital noise. 3 for PCM and 4 for DSD, and user can select which to be used, and different filter makes different sound.
POWER:
The M8 use total 10 ways LDO to supply the power. Each oscillator use a single LDO. And for ES9018K2M, we use 2 Ultra low noise LDO ADP150, which output noise just 9 μVrms. So making the M8 achieved 0.0004% in THD+N.
We also use a very good quality AC adapter to supply the 9V power to M8.
And if the user wants to Upgrade the sound quality, we also have a very good linear power supply -- P1, user can buy this and the P1 is just design for M8, so they will work together very well.
and pic of the optional power supply:
TI OPA
1612A
46EJR
link to photo detail
https://www.evernote.com/shard/s297/sh/6886ca71-6bbe-4635-98a5-067d7a1858f5/a290f09a3fa129f9
Hope that helps 🙂
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It is currently at $150 on massdrop.
How do you think it compares to the (not yet available) hifime 9018mk2+9601 combo?
Hifime SPDIF Optical 9018 DAC
How do you think it compares to the (not yet available) hifime 9018mk2+9601 combo?
Hifime SPDIF Optical 9018 DAC
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I am thinking of modding this DAC (I bought it last year). The weakness appears to be the analog stage where it generates +/- 12V from a switchin regulator:
S.M.S.L M8: reach up to 32 bit/384 kHz and DSD64/128 with this compact, yet refined, DAC!
What do you think?
S.M.S.L M8: reach up to 32 bit/384 kHz and DSD64/128 with this compact, yet refined, DAC!
What do you think?
smsl m8 setup problem
Hello,
I just got a smsl m8 dac. Connected it via usb but my pc will not recognize it in any way, shape or form. No icons and it seems to be listed in the device manager as 'usb audio device' with a code 10 error. I'm running windows xp and I know there have been some problems here. It seems to need a driver but I haven't been able to find any. The included mini cd contains a rar file which appears to do nothing (and I can't open). Would greatly appreciate any help.
TIA
Hello,
I just got a smsl m8 dac. Connected it via usb but my pc will not recognize it in any way, shape or form. No icons and it seems to be listed in the device manager as 'usb audio device' with a code 10 error. I'm running windows xp and I know there have been some problems here. It seems to need a driver but I haven't been able to find any. The included mini cd contains a rar file which appears to do nothing (and I can't open). Would greatly appreciate any help.
TIA
Attachments
The driver you are looking for is in the .rar package (like a .zip file). You will have to download winzip or something to be able to open/uncompress/expand the .rar file.
Let me know if you are still having issues after you give winzip a try. I have a M8 driver installer I know works with win7/10 on my file server I can give you access to if needed.
Let me know if you are still having issues after you give winzip a try. I have a M8 driver installer I know works with win7/10 on my file server I can give you access to if needed.
Downloaded winzip, opened .rar folder which contained 2 files. One was a .pdf manual, the other a zip driver, which, when I clicked on it, displayed the following dialog box "Setup cannot run on the current operating system". Does this mean I can't use the m8 with windows xp? I've heard there were problems, but that it was possible using the right firmware, though I don't know where you'd find it.
Went to the 'add hardware wizard', ended up with this (fig-1). Clicked the troubleshooter, selected what I think is the device (fig-2) and received this message 'This device cannot start [code 10]' again. Not very encouraging. Maybe the unit is defective, though I hope not, as I could be out a significant amount of $$.
Attachments
I doubt the device is defective. I've not tried the driver on XP but have on Win7/Win10 and it's worked fine. My guess is its time to upgrade the computer.
This DAC sounds quite detail. The limitation is the power supply. Using a linear PS improve sound a bit but it's still a single 9V PS. The opamp works better with dual rail PS and higher voltage.
I think it better the hifimediy DAC posted above.
I think it better the hifimediy DAC posted above.
This part seems not right. I have opened and studied the design before. I did not see this part. The Regs for the dac chip look like common ones but I will check again tonight.
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My mistake. It does have some special regulator chips for the D/A part.
parts are of high quality and board layout is neat.
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