My (very) mini review of the Singxer SU-1 DDC

[tboooe]

Let me first say I am not good at reviewing audio products. I dont focus on minute details nor do I have "golden ears". All I care about is if the music is enjoyable and pleasant to me. So hopefully I have properly lowered everyone's expectations here we go....

So I've had the SU-1 for exactly a week now. It replaced a MUTEC MC3+USB. I reason why I got rid of the MUTEC was because it does not support DSD (well it does but it converts up to DSD256 to PCM). My plan is to upgrade my DAC to one that can accept native DSD via I2S(not DoP) so getting the SU-1 was the first step towards this upgrade. I am using the SPDIF BNC output.

I would characterize the SU-1 as clear, crisp and dynamic. Strings, drum, etc sound very well defined and have just enough of an edge without sounding bright or too sharp. High and lows are presented with a lot of energy and detail I did not hear previously with the MUTEC. The overall sound is very very clear, open, airy. Notes just rise in the air and lingers in a pleasant way. In no way is the SU-1 bright though.

The midrange is where I am bit more conflicted. I will admit I am a bit of a closet/wannabe tube guy, though due to laziness I dont own any tube gear. I listen to mainly female vocals and acoustic music so I like a warm, intimate, organic environment. The MUTEC presented the midrange with more weight and texture (aside...maybe the texture I am hearing is graininess which the SU-1 definitely does not at all). There is more of a 3d effect with the MUTEC. Vocals seem to have shape and size. With the SU-1, vocals are definitely more flat and not as "warm". I wont go so far as to say mids are bleached out but compared to the MUTEC, the SU-1 presents mids in a different way. In my system, which already leans towards the warm and lush side, the SU-1 provides a good balance.

Overall, I am very pleased with the SU-1. The dynamics and energy of the SU-1 is very addictive. I was worried that perhaps I was falling in love with the BOSE effect but after a week, I havent experienced any listener fatigue. I am still trying to get my head wrapped around the presentation of the midrange though. However, i would say this comment is purely based on preference and not some shortcoming of the SU-1.

The build quality of the SU-1 is fantastic. Installing the driver was a breeze. Note that the included driver does not have settings for latency and buffer size which I am used to having.

Hope this proves useful to someone.

[tboooe]

I was almost sold on this or the F1, but your comments on midrange is holding me now....

Well for less $200 it could be worth going for the F-1 anyway.

 

Also want to make sure that no one gets the impression that the SU-1 is lean or bright. Relative to the Mutec, the SU-1 does not sound as warm and lush. I think most people would probably say my system is overly warm and maybe too syrupy in the midrange. This is why I made the comment that the SU-1 balances out my system.

[tboooe]

So is the primary use of this to feed older DAC's?

Yes it can be used for that. But it's USB implementation may be better than what is available on a modern DAC, allowing you to use inputs that may sound better.

[tboooe]

If that unit didn't have good USB implementation why would the other interfaces be any better? You are also relying on it's clock. Where you previously had a better async interface.

Not sure I understand your point here. There are plenty of instances where people prefer the AES or spdif input of their DAC's over its usb.

 

Are you certain the Mutec had a better asynchronous interface l. If so can you please explain why? I genuinely do not know.

[tboooe]

How many hours did you put on the SU-1?

 

ahhhh...I knew I forgot to include something in my original post. I only had about 40 hours on the SU-1. I think at this point I am up to 60 hours. I will pay attention to how the sound changes over time. Its interesting to see how much our initial impressions are similar though I must admit your review was much more eloquent than mine!

 

BTW, too bad that thread on Head-fi got locked. It was/is is a very good and informative one. I wish the mods would consider re-opening it.

[tboooe]

I highly recommend you try a SET Tube amp with efficient speakers (94+dB).

My speakers are not efficient at all but I do not listen at high volumes so I am thinking of getting the Line Magnetic LM-518IA based on the 845 tube. Someone on the web uses this with the same speakers I have and says the sound is to do die for!

[tboooe]

I am burning-in one SU-1. I think I can answer one thing, which I plan on doing in next couple of weeks. I opened the top cover of SU-1, and found that there is a 2-pin connector coming from the power supply to the board, which can very easily be connected to any other better power supply. I will try few power sources like, Anker battery, Paul Hynes, and UpTone LPS-1. It takes 5V. I want to try changing the power supply after 200-300 hours on the unit. I just have about 60 hours on it.

Great info. I've been meaning to take the cover off my SU-1 but Ive been too busy enjoying it! So to be sure, we can bypass the internal supply by simply providing 5V to the board? Does that mean I can completely unplug the SU-1 from the AC? Do you have a pic of the connector? I can try using my LPS.

[tboooe]

The above listed connectors are very hard to work with. I do not recommend these.

That's a shame. Another option would be cut the wire and add connectors so you can easily reconnect to the SU-1 power or an external lps. I will try this. Just need to find a suitable 2 wire connector set.

[tboooe]

su1 with my Ultra cap 5Vpower.

sound AMAZING!!!

 

Awesome! Can you please let me know where you bought the connector from? Can you also please try to describe the improvement by providing the separate 5V power?

[tboooe]

full dark background,many details,much softer,relaxed ,shocked.......

 

Thank you. Can you pls let me know where you bought the connector from or did you re-use the one in the SU-1?

[tboooe]

Arrived two days ago, the 4.5V Booster Ultra is installed between internal power supply and Singer main board. Less edgy, more clean and organic sound. This is a very simple one box solution for who don’t want to go for a two box and in my opinion a must for any SU-1 owner.

 

Giuseppe

 

I am not sure what you did here. Did you buy the Sbooster Ultra then removed it's internals and installed it inside the SU-1?

 

Is this what you bought? https://www.sbooster.com/sbooster-ultra/

[tboooe]

Yes, that's what I did.

but the Sbooster is a special version (4.5V) made specifically for the Singxer.

I have installed the board between the internal power supply and the singxer SU1 main board.

In the picture you can see the original cable cut. One pair of cable from the power supply to the Ultra 4.5V then output from ultra to the main board.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]31820[/ATTACH]

Thank you. So why 4.5v versus 5v? I assume I need to contact sbooster and ask for this special version?

[tboooe]

I confirm, 5V in, 4.5V out.

Thank you very much for confirming. I wonder if Sbooster will sell just the board so I don't have to go through the hassle of removing it from the case.

[tboooe]

Yes, I confirm.

I have received the board already out of the case.

 

Regards,

Giuseppe

Thank you very much. I contacted Sbooster to see if I can purchase the board. I know that it is no big deal but I would prefer to not cut any of the wires inside the SU-1. I would prefer to make two new cables, one that I can connect to the end of one in the SU-1 and the other as output from the Sbooster board. However, I have not had any luck identifying the connector used in the SU-1. Anyone know?

[tboooe]

Thank you very much. I contacted Sbooster to see if I can purchase the board. I know that it is no big deal but I would prefer to not cut any of the wires inside the SU-1. I would prefer to make two new cables, one that I can connect to the end of one in the SU-1 and the other as output from the Sbooster board. However, I have not had any luck identifying the connector used in the SU-1. Anyone know?

 

Still no word back from Sbooster. @granosalis how long did it take for you to get in touch with Sbooster?

[tboooe]

I just bought a SU-1 off head-fi and will be pairing it with a microRendu and Yggy.

Congrats! I am curious how it will sound with the MR. So right now you go straight from MR to Yggy? The SU-1 will sit between the MR and Yggy? I am thinking about getting a MR.

[tboooe]

Does anyone know the current draw with the SU-1?

[tboooe]

I am feeding it's board with LPS-1, so should be less than 1.5 A, 5V. LPS stays cool.

 

Great to know! That was my plan too. No issues with DSD too right (I am assuming DSD draws more power)?

 

BTW, did you perceive and improvement in sound quality by using the LPS-1?

[tboooe]

No issues with DSD. You sure get improvement over feeding it through the built-in PS.

Great! I am excited to try it out. I am going to first feed the SU-1 with my HDPlex linear power supply then compare it to the LPS-1.

[tboooe]

tboooe, do you still feel the mids are flat after burn-in?

 

Absolutely not! I think the SU-1 is great and I have no regrets selling the much more expensive Mutec 3+.

[tboooe]

I went "all out" and purchased from Sound Affairs" the Elementa cable with the connector already attached and their PLiXir Balanced DC power supply and I can't put into words the transformation!

 

Without a doubt any power upgrade to the SU-1 yields incredible results. I could never go back to the stock power supply.

 

Transaction was flawless and James Soh was always very accessible via email.

 

For more info:- Here is the link

 

https://www.mysoundaffairs.com/products/singxer-su-1-with-plixir-elite-bdc-modification

 

Thank you so much for this info. I didnt realize there were upgrades for the Su-1. I wonder how this would compare to the LPS-1 for about the same price. I do like how this upgrade is a kit though with the new input plug and plate. Very clean looking.

[tboooe]

For anyone on this thread that has modified the SU-1 to allow it to be powered by Uptone LPS-1, and you are willing to provide step by step details on how you did that, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

Blake! I am in the process of obtaining all the bits and pieces required to do this. I will let you know when I am ready.

[tboooe]

Excellent! I will follow your lead

Should be easy. The hardest part was find the right connector that fit the one inside the SU-1. I imagine in the next week or so I will have the writeup.

[tboooe]

I connected the SU-1 directly to my PC and used the ASIO and still am not getting anything. I'm wondering if my AES input on my Yggy is defective.

Have you tried the other outputs from the SU-1? What ASIO driver are you using?

[tboooe]

Tim at Kitsune contacted me about possibly offering a kit (internal or external depending upon room) to upgrade the Singxer SU-1 with an UltraCap LPS-1. We are going to talk about it--and other things--this weekend. No promises, but it has been on my mind. Tim has had an LPS-1 himself for about about a month, though I don't know what all he has used it with.

 

By the way, Kitsune has a special going on the Holo Spring Level 3--through early February--before the price goes up. I think it's free shipping, $100 off, and a nice HDMI/I2S cable when bundled with an SU-1. Sounds like a great deal on a giant killing combo!

@Superdad please let me know if you need an SU-1 to experiment with. I will be happy to let you borrow mine.