SOtM smS-200 unveiled at Munich Hi-End

[romaz]

8 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

Excellent, what Dac have you been testing the prototypes with, just out of interest? 

 

 

 

Chord DAVE.

[asdf1000]

4 minutes ago, romaz said:

 

Chord DAVE.

 

Wowza, which eliminates jitter - but you can still hear improvements, which is impressive. So jitter isn't the only thing that improves with the new clocks. Thanks for sharing.

 

[asdf1000]

15 minutes ago, romaz said:

 

Chord DAVE.

 

Do you prefer optical into the Dave (as per Rob Watts preference)?

 

And that's why you use the dX-USB HD Ultra? 

 

Cheers

[romaz]

27 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

 

Do you prefer optical into the Dave (as per Rob Watts preference)?

 

And that's why you use the dX-USB HD Ultra? 

 

Cheers

 

 

With his other DACs, optical sounds best.  With DAVE, USB sounds best and Rob has stated this many times.  With DAVE's floating USB design, it is galvanically isolated.  It is also the only input that is synchronously tied to DAVE's clock.  The other inputs go through DPLL.

 

The dX-USB HD Ultra is another story and was purchased in anticipation of Chord's new Blu Mk 2 which was originally only going to include a SPDIF input.  Amazingly, even though DAVE sounds best via USB, SOtM's clock is so good that I now have DAVE's SPDIF input sounding better than DAVE's USB input but a very good High Fidelity Cables SPDIF cable has something to do with that as well.  

[asdf1000]

2 minutes ago, romaz said:

 

With his other DACs, optical sounds best.  With DAVE, USB sounds best and Rob has stated this many times.  With DAVE's floating USB design, it is galvanically isolated.  It is also the only input that is synchronously tied to DAVE's clock.  The other inputs go through DPLL.

 

The dX-USB HD Ultra is another story and was purchased in anticipation of Chord's new Blu Mk 2 which was originally only going to include a SPDIF input.  Amazingly, even though DAVE sounds best via USB, SOtM's clock is so good that I now have DAVE's SPDIF input sounding better than DAVE's USB input but a very good High Fidelity Cables SPDIF cable has something to do with that as well.  

 

Nice. When you refer to using SPDIF at the moment with the dX-USB HD Ultra and Dave's SPDIF input sounding better than USB, do you mean Toslink or Digital Coax?

 

[romaz]

Digital coax (BNC).

[asdf1000]

1 minute ago, romaz said:

Digital coax (BNC).

 

Amazing how even the best Dacs on the planet perform better with certain (not all) functions done upstream.

[asdf1000]

9 minutes ago, romaz said:

Digital coax (BNC).

 

Ignoring Toslink, are any of the dX-USB HD Ultra outputs galvanically isolated?

[romaz]

33 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

 

Amazing how even the best Dacs on the planet perform better with certain (not all) functions done upstream.

 

 

I believe all things benefit from being presented a signal of the highest integrity.  I also believe the signal can get molested to such an extent by upstream components that even the best DACs are unable to interpret what is the original signal and what is artifact.

[asdf1000]

Just now, romaz said:

 

I believe all things benefit from being presented a signal of the highest integrity.  I also believe the signal can get molested to such an extent by upstream components that even the best DACs are unable to interpret what is the original signal and what is artifact.

 Absolutely, 2 sides to the coin. Looking forward to hearing more about the SMS-200 Ultra. I'm a microRendu owner but the current SMS-200 has obviously been getting very favorable reviews.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences with the prototype.

 

[romaz]

30 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

 

Ignoring Toslink, are any of the dX-USB HD Ultra outputs galvanically isolated?

 

 

SOtM intentionally chose to avoid galvanic isolation with any of their products as they found it resulted in increased jitter. 

[romaz]

1 minute ago, Em2016 said:

 Absolutely, 2 sides to the coin. Looking forward to hearing more about the SMS-200 Ultra. I'm a microRendu owner but the current SMS-200 has obviously been getting very favorable reviews.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences with the prototype.

 

 

 

Sure.  I have the mR, too, and it's a wonderful product but the Ultra is in a class of its own.

[jtwrace]

Personally I found the sMS-200 sonically better than the µRendu.  

[asdf1000]

Just now, jtwrace said:

Personally I found the sMS-200 sonically better than the µRendu.  

 

I've read that a lot (and read about a lot of people switching over to the SMS-200).

Can you share the differences between the 2, in terms of your experiences?

Cheers!

 

 

[jtwrace]

1 minute ago, Em2016 said:

 

I've read that a lot (and read about a lot of people switching over to the SMS-200).

Can you share the differences between the 2, in terms of your experiences?

Cheers!

 

 

I don't think I can add anything to what's been written already in the many reviews.  

[asdf1000]

1 minute ago, jtwrace said:

I don't think I can add anything to what's been written already in the many reviews.  

 

Completely understand. Some reviews say the differences are subtle, some say not so subtle. All subjective of course and yes YMMV, but what were your experiences?

[jtwrace]

Just now, Em2016 said:

 

Completely understand. Some reviews say the differences are subtle, some say not so subtle. All subjective of course and yes YMMV, but what were your experiences?

Yes, subjective for sure obviously.  I'd LOVE to see objective measurements but highly doubt that will happen from either manufacturer.  If I wasn't so busy I'd have it done.  Anyway, both being powered from my Vinnie Rossi MINI the differences aren't so subtle IMO.  Perhaps subtle to one might be dramatic to another?  

[asdf1000]

6 minutes ago, jtwrace said:

Yes, subjective for sure obviously.  I'd LOVE to see objective measurements but highly doubt that will happen from either manufacturer.  If I wasn't so busy I'd have it done.  Anyway, both being powered from my Vinnie Rossi MINI the differences aren't so subtle IMO.  Perhaps subtle to one might be dramatic to another?  

 

I was just about to order the SMS-200 but just recently heard about the Ultra in this thread and then also recently heard that there is a sequel to the microRendu coming. May wait to hear what the masses say about both of them.

 

[jtwrace]

2 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

 

I was just about to order the SMS-200 but just recently heard about the Ultra in this thread and then also recently heard that there is a sequel to the microRendu coming. May wait to hear what the masses say about both of them.

 

I think the Ultra is going to be $1k though...

[asdf1000]

Just now, jtwrace said:

I think the Ultra is going to be $1k though...

 

Wowza. There must be new features in the Ultra coming, other than new clocks? Or do the new clocks legitimately double the price?

 

[romaz]

3 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

 

Wowza. There must be new features in the Ultra coming, other than new clocks? Or do the new clocks legitimately double the price?

 

 

The new clock by itself costs $700 for 1 clock and the sMS-200 has 2 clocks.

[jtwrace]

5 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

 

Wowza. There must be new features in the Ultra coming, other than new clocks? Or do the new clocks legitimately double the price?

 

I doubt the clocks cost that much but that's not official info.  Just what I was told.  Who knows!?!?!  Either way, at $450 the sMS-200 is a great deal.  Also, from what I understand the sMS-200 isn't going to be phased out.  

[asdf1000]

2 minutes ago, romaz said:

 

The new clock by itself costs $700 for 1 clock and the sMS-200 has 2 clocks.

 

Ok the premise of my question was correct, the new parts are super expensive. Expensive new parts is always a fair justification for jacking the sell price up.

[limniscate]

I've tested the sms-200 v. mR in my system as well and preferred the sms-200.  I'm waiting for the Utlra though.

[lljames]

I have received my SMS200, initial sounds quite good, better than mac mini.

 

I have one issue though, dsf file has click sound at album beginning. This is for LMS mode and Roon mood. If I use Jriver/DLNA mode, it clicks at beginning of each track, and I can see the rate on DAC (chord dave) changing/flashing from PCM176.4 to DSD64 once every track changes.

 

Anyone experience this?  With Mac Mini and JRiver, same DAC same DSF files, no such problem.

BTW, no problem for FLAC files on SMS200