SOtM smS-200 unveiled at Munich Hi-End

[flkin]

On 4/8/2023 at 11:08 PM, stefano_mbp said:

Glad you finally solved the issue … don’t bother, 5.32 is way better than previous versions

 

Where did you get the 5.32 from?

[stefano_mbp]

28 minutes ago, flkin said:

 

Where did you get the 5.32 from?

It’s a typo, sorry … it is 5.31

[Nouchka]

9 hours ago, Mahler and Bach on Computer said:

Yes, it is Samsung EVo Select.  Too bad two typos for a short paragraph.  Thank you for the info.  
 

Yes, the sound quality are hugely different among three cards.  

I didn't know that the SD card can change the sound quality! 

Overall, what is the best sd card for a sms-200 ultra neo? 

[dgilz]

I use the Sandisk extreme pro witch is  very fast, but couldn’t hear any difference from other cards

[Mahler and Bach on Computer]

18 hours ago, Nouchka said:

I didn't know that the SD card can change the sound quality! 

Overall, what is the best sd card for a sms-200 ultra neo? 

It could be relate to the rest of the system as well.  I did not recall to hear such a big difference in SQ with previous DAC, which was Metrum Onyx.  Now I am using Sonnet Pasithea.  
 

The Sotm I use is a basic sMS 200 model.  

[Mahler and Bach on Computer]

I searched around and found the micro card with the highest read speed to be Delkin VHS-II.  Amazon is selling it for $54 at 32GB, still struggling if I should get one for testing.  The second fastest is Samsung EVO Select I currently have.  

[ZeusOdin]

I am quite vexed by this issue and decided to post here. I have the sms-200 ultra neo. I sent it in to SOtM to have the 50Ω clock input added. I received the unit back. I don't think the clock input works.

 

One of the tests I ran is to disconnect the clock from my DAC while it's playing--clock still connected to the sms-200. Volume goes to 0 while the DAC syncs with it's own internal clock. Volume returns to normal. Reconnect the clock to the DAC. Volume goes to 0 again while the DAC syncs to the 10 MHz clock signal. Volume returns to normal. Great. I then connected and disconnected the clock from the sms-200 while music was playing--clock still connected to DAC. This resulted in no change whatsoever to the sound or volume. There is no synchronization or negotiation to the clock signal while the clock is connected or disconnected. No effect on the sound at all.

 

If the sms-200 clock input is working, there should be some disruption of the signal and a change in SQ of some sort no? I have a very resolving system and I doubt that the addition of a clock would be imperceptible. There should be static, echo, loud pop, zero volume. Something? Right?

 

I reached out to SOtM 4 days ago via email and phone. As of yet no response.

[manisandher]

11 hours ago, ZeusOdin said:

I am quite vexed by this issue and decided to post here. I have the sms-200 ultra neo. I sent it in to SOtM to have the 50Ω clock input added. I received the unit back. I don't think the clock input works.

 

One of the tests I ran is to disconnect the clock from my DAC while it's playing--clock still connected to the sms-200. Volume goes to 0 while the DAC syncs with it's own internal clock. Volume returns to normal. Reconnect the clock to the DAC. Volume goes to 0 again while the DAC syncs to the 10 MHz clock signal. Volume returns to normal. Great. I then connected and disconnected the clock from the sms-200 while music was playing--clock still connected to DAC. This resulted in no change whatsoever to the sound or volume. There is no synchronization or negotiation to the clock signal while the clock is connected or disconnected. No effect on the sound at all.

 

If the sms-200 clock input is working, there should be some disruption of the signal and a change in SQ of some sort no? I have a very resolving system and I doubt that the addition of a clock would be imperceptible. There should be static, echo, loud pop, zero volume. Something? Right?

 

I reached out to SOtM 4 days ago via email and phone. As of yet no response.

 

I asked a similar question and got a response here: 

 

 

Looking through the vents, I can't see any green LEDs at all on any circuit boards.

 

I think SOtM really need to add something to the Eunhasu interface that indicates clearly that an external clock has been locked onto.

 

Mani.

[BCRich]

My SCLK-EX board has 2 Green LED’s on it. The Blinking one indicates the board is seeing power, 12V in my usage. The second is a solid one indicating it is seeing a Master Clock Signal. Hope this helps.

Mike

[manisandher]

2 hours ago, BCRich said:

My SCLK-EX board has 2 Green LED’s on it. The Blinking one indicates the board is seeing power, 12V in my usage. The second is a solid one indicating it is seeing a Master Clock Signal. Hope this helps.

Mike

 

Thanks, that's really helpful. Can you see these LEDs without opening the unit up? I can't seem to see any just through the vents in the casework.

 

Mani.

[BCRich]

1 hour ago, manisandher said:

 

Thanks, that's really helpful. Can you see these LEDs without opening the unit up? I can't seem to see any just through the vents in the casework.

 

Mani.

Hi Mani, 

My board is exposed and installed in a server so there is no problem confirming a locked clock signal. I attached a video so you can see the Blinking LED indicating power. I don’t have a Master Clock right now as it is being repaired. But the locked LED is right next to the power one (to the right). Not sure you have to same size board but I would imagine you should be able to see a hint of light especially if the room is dark.

Mike

[manisandher]

Thanks Mike. Wow, that's a bright LED. It really should be easy to see something like this blinking inside my sMS-200 Ultra. I'll investigate further at some point.

 

Mani.

[ZeusOdin]

Thanks for the replies. A fellow AudiophileStyler sent me a video SOtM. So I knew about the lights. I purchased my sms-200 in June 2021. I've looked through all vent holes. I don't see any lights whatsoever. SOtM added the BNC connector to my unit so I am sure they added the clock board. I am sure they checked it before sending it back to me. I want physical confirmation. Just because there is a green light does not necessarily mean there is a synchronized clock signal. I believe that there is, I just want to prove it.

 

Can I send the streamer to someone with an oscilloscope? Does the clock signal change the sine wave of the sms-200? I am sure it does. But how? @Superdad, any thoughts? I didn't want to bother JohnSwenson.

[manisandher]

I can't be bothered to open up my Ultra, but I found the following pic here: Test music server, D/A converter, amplifier power amplifiers - (hifitest.de):

 

 

I'm assuming my unit would be exactly the same. I've been looking for the green LEDs through the rear vents of the unit, but there seem to be a lot of components that could get in the way there. I'm going to try looking through the front vents.

 

Mani.

[MayfromSOtM]

it can be checked through the vent hole on the front panel, the first video is to show the lamp is on when synced 10Mhz.

 

The second video is to shown the lamp is blinking when operating normally.

 

I had to updown the unit to see the lamp status clearly..

Best regards, May

[manisandher]

Thank you May. I will try this.

 

Mani.

[ZeusOdin]

@MayfromSOtM, is there any other confirmation besides a blinking light that is objectively scientific? How does a 10 MHz clock affect the sine output of the sms-200?

[MayfromSOtM]

3 hours ago, ZeusOdin said:

@MayfromSOtM, is there any other confirmation besides a blinking light that is objectively scientific? How does a 10 MHz clock affect the sine output of the sms-200?

Synchronizing 10MHz  signal is difficult to be measured without professional measuring equipments.

Even if 10MHz is synced, the sine wave does not change enough to be measured with simple measuring equipments.

You may be able to confirm the change if you measure it with a very well set audio measurement equipment.
However, if your audio system is well set, you will be able to hear the difference in sound.

[manisandher]

On 7/3/2023 at 5:40 AM, MayfromSOtM said:

it can be checked through the vent hole on the front panel, the first video is to show the lamp is on when synced 10Mhz.

 

I can confirm that my Ultra is behaving exactly as May's videos show.

 

Mani.

[stefano_mbp]

New eunhasu firmware update 0.5.4 (and new kernel) now available

[Oepsie]

Nice ☺️ Upgrade took 250 sec and kernel update about 6-7 mins. No time to listen yet 🤕

[Jean Plum]

Does it matter the order you do the upgrade in ?

[stefano_mbp]

48 minutes ago, Jean Plum said:

Does it matter the order you do the upgrade in ?

In the page I linked in my previous post it is recommended to update the firmware for first and then the kernel

[creativepart]

I updated the firmware without problems. However, when I click Kernel Check it thinks for a while and then displays the REBOOT button, at that time all other choices are no longer clickable. After clicking REBOOT I do not ever get an UPDATE button for the Kernel. And, my Kernel reads:

 

Current Kernel version : 5.10.20-210.fc32.armv7hl

 

I've tried this half a dozen times and I get the same result each time.

 

I do not have any USB drives installed. The device is connected only via an Ethernet cable to the switch and a USB cable to a Chord Qutest DAC.

 

Perhaps I need to download a new disc image? Where would I find that?

 

I have a similar issue with the NAA - I uninstall it but never get an Install button. And my NAA version shows as NONE. Though I know it's an older 3.X version.

[stefano_mbp]

7 minutes ago, creativepart said:

Perhaps I need to download a new disc image? Where would I find that?

0.5.4 is not yet available for download but you can download the 0.5.31 image from here (bottom of the page) and then update to 0.5.4