SOTM SMS 200 Ultra - what’s next?

[Carsten Chr]

Some years ago, I purchased the SOTM SMS 200 Ultra (internally silver wired and powered by a Paul Hynes SR8) for my main HiFi-setup - been fully satisfied by its sound quality!…🤓

But as it is, I’m always looking for the next step up?!?…🤷‍♂️🙄

Anyone with experience upgrading from the SOTM SMS 200 Ultra?…🤓

All inputs is highly appreciated - thanks!…👍🏻

Best wishes Carsten

[creativepart]

I'm with you - I've had the SMS200 ultra (DIY Neo) with SPS500 power supply for 4-years or more. Everything sounds great. Most other network streamers, bridges, transports, etc have bunches of features I don't want. I use my SoTM with a Chord Hugo TT2 so I don't need a DAC in my streamer. I use Roon with HQ Player so I don't need an app or music player in my streamer.

 

A big display seems like it would be nice and I don't like being stuck with only one output... just USB. I suggested to SoTM that they should release a SMS300 model that is just an updated SMS200 with a display and all flavors of digital outputs. But got silence on that idea.

 

I don't want to take a step down to some $800 streamer with tons of unneeded features or a step up to a $3000 streamer with a DAC I'll never use.

 

Recently, I added a Audiowise SRC-DX which takes the SoTM's USB output and converts it to S/PDIF BNC outputs and has two BNC outputs to use with Chord DACs to get 768hz from S/PDIF. That's been a real improvement and it only costs about $300 so it's not an expensive option. The sound improvements even with just one BNC output instead of USB into the Hugo TT2 is very evident and welcomed.

 

I'm not a big believer in high priced USB cables but recently needed a new USB cable to replace my near bottom tier Audioquest USB and found a pretty cheap price on a 3-levels higher Audioquest (Carbon) cable. I didn't expect any improvement, but as long as I needed a cable that I'd get one that was "better." To my surprise, I do hear a noticeable improvement. Shocked! So, depending on what you're using you might play with boutique USB cables.

 

Also, you might consider getting a DDC for your SoTM to experiment with different outputs to your DAC, especially if your DAC has multiple different input options like AES-EBU or I2S.

 

I had been looking for a Holo Audio Red - Streamer/DDC but I'm not convinced it will do much more for me than what I've already got.

 

Maybe some others here will have other options to consider.

[Gerardo61]

On 3/10/2024 at 10:01 AM, Carsten Chr said:

I’m always looking for the next step up?!?…

The biggest improvement I got was provided by using a linear power supply.

Audio Switch, super Ethernet cable can't do miracles. UTP Cat6 works fine.

I have 200 ultra neo

Gerardo

[Confused]

I used to have the sMS-200Ultra Neo together with the tX-USBultra. The best improvement I found was from feeding the 'Ultra via HQPlayer, rather than the various alternatives.

 

Worth at least trying if you are not already doing this.

[Gerardo61]

42 minutes ago, Confused said:

The best improvement I found was from feeding the 'Ultra via HQPlayer, rather than the various alternatives.

 

Yup, me too use HQPlayer Desktop 5 under Ubuntu 😉

[creativepart]

The other things I've tried:

 

I added a Netgear GS305 network switch between my main router and the SoTM and noticed no difference, but when I changed the OEM wall wart PS of the switch to the iFi SilentPower iPower2 for $60 this did make an improvement in SQ.

 

I switched from Cat 5e to Cat 6 and saw perhaps a small bit of improvement in SQ. Very small.

 

I bought the SoTM iSO-CAT6 Network Isolator - but I hear no changes at all. None.

 

Going from an Audioquest Forest USB to an Audioquest Carbon USB made a dramatic improvement. I plan to try some other USB cables now. I'm not much of a cable believer but this changed my mind some.

 

As I said previously, the Audiowise SRC-DX USB>S/PDIF converter made a substantial improvement - at least with my Chord Hugo TT2 DAC.

 

A year ago I made the power cap change in my SoTM Ultra to make the device on par with the OEM Ultra Neo and this too made a noticeable improvement. I was able to find and use the same power supply cap used by SoTM. The swap was slightly intimidating but ultimately very simple.

[Gerardo61]

37 minutes ago, creativepart said:

but when I changed the OEM wall wart PS of the switch to the iFi SilentPower iPower2 for $60 this did make an improvement in SQ.

I agree. I believe that quality of PS is very important. I have a chinese Switch Audio that use LPS and 10M ox and I get small improvement. I think depends on LPS. 

37 minutes ago, creativepart said:

Network Isolator

I believe that Network isolator could not give any improvement.