SMSL SU-6

[melvinjames]

While I don’t actually need a new DAC I thought it was high time to purchase one of the latest under $200 ASR-recommended DACs. According to the measurement brigade these DACs compete with or better many higher-priced DACs. I decided on the SMSL SU-6 which uses the ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip. This $170 DAC was released in December 2021. You can read all the specs here:

https://apos.audio/products/smsl-su-6-high-resolution-dac-digital-to-analog-converter

and/or the ASR review here:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/smsl-su-6-review-desktop-dac.28402/

It’s been 4 years since my last stand-alone DAC purchase which, as it happens, was the MHDT Lab Pagoda (dual PCM1704). The Pagoda has the dubious distinction of being the worst measuring DAC in ASR history.

Other DACs I still have laying around for comparison are all a bit long in the tooth but should prove interesting nonetheless:

Chord Qute EX (FPGA)
dB Audio Labs Tranquility (TDA1543)
Schiit Bifrost Multibit (AD5547CRUZ)

I’ll be using the latest Bluesound Node (PCM5242) in the mix. Perhaps I’ll also drag out my Sonore microRendu to test DSD and higher than 24/192 rates, we'll see.

Amazon tells me the SU-6 should arrive on Tuesday. Should be fun and hopefully enlightening. Anyone else have this DAC?

 

[melvinjames]

After living with the SU-6 for a week I think it’s time to share some impressions.

There’s a lot to like about this DAC. The remote is simple and nicely done. Menu settings are logical. Volume control is terrific (100 steps, ½ dB until -70, then larger, as measured by a guy on ASR). Filters are easily discernible. The display shows sample rate, has 4 brightness settings, and can be turned off. For added functionality, the Bluetooth 5.0 implementation includes LDAC, which is a nice touch for those of us with capable phones.

While the SU-6 supports DoP256, native DSD512, and PCM 32bit/768 I don’t bother with DSD or bit/sample rates higher than 24/192. I streamed music from Qobuz and my own library of WAV files using both USB and coax via my Bluesound Node (N130).

How do you describe the sound quality of a DAC that has no apparent sound of its own? Neutral? Transparent? Colorless? Nothing about this DAC seems exaggerated or overly saturated. Nor is it lean. To my ears it sounds balanced across the frequency spectrum. I have no complaints with timbre or vocals. In fact, I have no complaints at all.

In the past I’ve had a hard time wrapping my head around DAC reviews where only measurements matter. (Seriously? No need to actually listen?) This experience has furthered my understanding of the concept and of the “measurement brigade”, a descriptor I will no longer use.

While the SU-6 has found a permanent place in my system I will continue to use and enjoy my NOS multibit DACs when I want to add some flavor.