Largely based on your positive review I finally bought an A300 to replace an older AB power amp that I ran with a Schiit Sage+ preamp. Now I'm not a newcomer to "hi fi" having had multitudes of mid-fi equipment for over 50 years. This one is the real deal. Probably the best amp I ever owned ($195?? Really??). The sound is smooth and detailed from top to bottom. Imaging and sound staging is just as you described - wonderful. Plenty of power for my KEF Q350s. The high pass filter does a great job integrating my powered sub. I'm ditching the Saga preamp because the A300 sounds better without it. What a great way to spend $200 in this hobby. Thanks so much for your great review and solid recommendation.
Not one to be happy with a good thing, I bought an Arcam SA10 integrated amp in an attempt to clean up my equipment space. I could ditch the headphone amp and phono preamp and all the associated cables I was using with the A300. Both amps have about the same power output. The SA10 is really a beautiful piece of equipment and it did clear off my equipment space. And it sounded great. Arcam is a thicker sounding amp and a little soft in upper end, not muddy by any means however. The more I listened to it the more I liked it. After a week or so I ran the pre-outs from the Arcam into the A300's line inputs, basically using the SMSL as a power amp. It sounded better that way and I still had not reverted to my phono pre and headphone amps. The A300 is just cleaner than the Arcam. No more thick sound at all. The treble was fully restored. In addition, my separates are all a little better than the included DAC, phono pre and headphone amp of the SA10. The SA10 wins hands down on convenience and appearance. I could be quite happy using it. I'm happier with the SMSL A300.
I like watching your comparisons. I've been following your channel for some time. After watching your presentation, I bought a smsl a300. Compared to the rotel a11 tribute. I connected smsl a300 to topping e50, topping p50, Raspberry pi, audio saxo 40. Smsl was better in every aspect than rotel. The sound was more open. Better instrument separation. Bass was deeper, more dynamic, more precise. All the instruments had more weight. smsl stays with me. I am shocked because not so long ago the class d had no chance with the ab class. Thanks for being there..
@@user-xg6zz8qs3q I did not find any concrete comparisons to the ab class. i found a discount smsl a300 price on amazon. I decided to compare myself. after testing I was shocked. I told a friend about my comparison. We compared on his system with the marantz pm 6007. smsl also won easily in every aspect. I think the smsl a300 is a breakthrough class d amplifier. from now on, class d to ab comparisons will make sense.
I got this amp coming in about 3~6weeks from now from China. I'm planning to run a 6.5" small 20W open baffle speaker with a highpass setup. I have a class D pro-amplifier with stereo open baffle sub-drivers adjustable to 200hz to go with this. I have no idea how its gonna sound together especially streaming with a cheap MP3 player I have laying around. I'm not expecting anything great, I just didn't to make total waste of things I had sitting around I no longer use. Hope I didn't waste another 200$ for extra junk thats gonna sitaround with rest of the stuffs lol.
@@tomaszostrowski363 Wow this sounds promising. I'm after a new amp, and currently own the Marantz Pm5005 and i have to say i'm happy with he Marnatz, but if what you say is true about it beating the Pm6007, i may just have to pull the trigger on the A300!
My a300 came with a floating ground (it’s ungrounded, the ground pin is not connected to anything inside the chassis), it gives me a tingling sensation when touching the unit. I’m wondering if this is a design choice or that I’ve got a faulty unit. I’ve reached out to SMSL and gotten no answer. Would love it if you can check whether your unit’s ground is connected or floating, thx.
I took your advice and bought this amp. Couldn't be happier. I paired it with a Topping DX3 pro+ DAC and a pair of Wharfedale Denton 80th and I feel that I got a perfect match. Before the Dentons I tried a pair of Triangle BR02 but those where much to bright for me with the A300 because I have treble sensitive ears. Thanks for your honest review!
Largely based on this review and your commentary, my A300 was a speedy delivery yesterday. I have the identical setup. YOU, (@MartinKuhlen), however, have the better Wharfedale's..I have the Diamond 225's. I also have a pair of B&W 602s which I have yet to hook up but I think I may find the same ear fatigue you found with your Triangles based on the fact that I'm connected to a Martin Logan subwoofer and the brightness of the 602s might make it just too bright. I really wanted to thank you for your response to the review. I'm also super super super happy with the purchase. Always good to share findings. I think you'd agree that this is a "real" integrated amp that delivers more than the price point dictates. Listen on, man...and thanks again.
@@fluffkiss18 You're welcome! Thanks for your kind words! Great to hear that you are also happy with your setup. I'm 100% satisfied with mine and I would buy the exact same components again if I had to. I wish you all the best. Oh and yes - I totally agree that this is a real integrated amp. Before the A300 I have tried a Yamaha S701 but I prefer the A300 by far.
@@MartinKuhlen Noted. I was running a bunch of older Yamaha receivers and then an S.M.S.L SA300 which was fine but started looking at Cambridge Audio, Audiolab....just expensive stuff that didn't have tone controls, which seems to be important to both of us, but this little gem really surprised me. YUP....glad we're happy .Thanks for the response...my wife just doesn't understand....loves music but doesn't even wanna know why it sounds so clean and "amazing"....We gone done good, man. Cheers!
How much of a difference do you think you would get if you took the DX3 out of the chain? I am wondering considering I don't have a dedicated DAC and just ordered one of these.
@@revanshy498 Not sure about this. I heard from some reviewers, that the internal DAC isn't that good but I've never tried it. I think if you feed this Amp with a decent source the sound should be very good. I also use a turntable with a cheap preamp as a source and the result is great. I am still absolutely happy with this little amp!
Love mine, I snagged 2. Got one running bass shakers on a racing sim and the other for 2.1 setup in my room. Love the bluetooth capability for the speakers, and the built in dac for the racing sim
SMSL should build a 2nd simpler unit to be the Monoblock companion of the A300 but without Bluetooth, volume control, or any digital inputs (“Just a Power Amp”), even if they sell it for the same price of the A300. In a similar manner to IotaVX entry level Integrated + Power Amp; it would be a great combination and people will buy it. Because of your review of SMSL AO200, DA9 and A300 I am going to get the A300; class D have treated me well over the years, that is why I’m interested in this amplifier. It would have been imposible to make this decision without your reviews. Thank you for the great reviews!!!
@@rockrocks009 You should be good with just the A300. It has both a USB and Bluetooth digital input, so an external DAC is not needed. It also has a low pass filter and sub out.
a300 can actually work as a monoblock. i was hoping to use a90d as a preamp hooked up to 2 of these. do you know ir using a300 as monoblocks, features like eq or tone controls can be used?
@@JoseFerreira-zb7wh I don’t own the A300, but I recommend that you download the manual to see if it says something about this. I tend to believe that such features like EQ will be disable when you configure the unit as a Monoblock, but in my opinion a pair of A300 is too expensive to use as Monoblocks. You are better off with an Emotiva BasX A2 Mini, if you care more about the sound that would be my recommendation.
It would be nice if this amp had some sort of master - slave mode. Where one unit would be pre amp and power amp and other just power amp. Or is this maybe possible?
I just bought the Triangle Borea br03 for my daughter. I went ahead and bought this to run them off. From all the good reviews and great price, I couldn't really go wrong. She can always get a better dac or upgrade as she chooses in the future. I am kind of jealous, those speakers look great, I have never been this intrigued by a set of bookshelf speakers and I would love to play with the a300. I am afraid though, once I help her set it up I will never get to hear it again because it is for her bedroom. She is grown and doesn't live with us anymore. I am going to recommend to her to get a better dac. Your videos are very helpful in my decision making.
I just ordered it just a day before your video came.... Now Im pretty sure Im on the right direction, and it would do best on my humble system. Thanks for the nice feedback. it doesnt took me much time to find this review.... Appreciated your work...
Thanks. This help me a lot. This was one of the reviews that inspired me to buy one of these, I'm using it and until now I'm still surprised by the quality, detailed, neutral, informative, a little bit gentle and analog-like sound for a class D amp.
I want to plug this amp into a power strip to turn on multiple components with one switch. If I turn the amp on and then remove power with the power strip switch, can you tell me if this amp needs to be turned on again via the remote or front panel switch after power is re-applied. I appreciate any information you can provide on this.
@davidcooper5442 I had a question - did you buy 2 X A300s to run them individually or to "mono block" them? I just bought 2 as well but having a heck of a time getting a visual of how they chain together properly...plenty of worded guidance but my requirements for visual learning are stepping in here. It would be interesting to learn that you successfully used the BTL set up, (or otherwise). Thanks in advance for any consideration regarding this.
@@fluffkiss18 One amp does the right speaker the other does the left speaker. So passive bi amped. Have not tried the BTL set up as i need 4 channels of amplifier to run my speakers passive bi amp. lLooking at the BTL set up in the instruction booklet. It seems an odd way to do it. I would just put the right channel out from pre amp into the BTL input of the amp and use the BTL set up for the power amp speaker connectors. Then do the same on the other amp for the other speaker. Doing the daisy chain just seems odd to me.
@@davidcooper5442 Thanks for the response...much appreciated. Yeah, there seem to be some trials and tribulations for several others when using two of these units...I'll forge ahead. Thanks again, sir.
I have a decent amount of time on my a300 now. I can offer much more feedback as requested, but I did a few hours of AB testing with them driving the Emotiva B1+ (86 db sensitive, neutral, airy highs) vs the XSA Vanguards (83 db sensitive, darker, midrange forward, rolled off treble). Short story: it treats both speakers very well. The emotivas sound great on the A300 AND an older Yamaha receiver, (I hated the ayima ao7 with the emotivas). The Vanguards were bad with the yamaha reciever and really good on the a300 (ok with the a07). I am feeding it with a topping e30 and Wiim streamer.
I may buy a second to try the monoblock mode, and worse case, I'm going to use the second a300 for my basement system. It's ridiculously good. It's not colored at all. The speakers voice the music. Music is warm and rich on the vanguards, neutral on the emotivas. Excellent clarity and detail with the emotivas, less with the vanguards (the speaker, not the amp making this distinction).
Thanks for the feeback, man, Interesting how this is really a neutral and clean amp, produced with audiophile sensitivity, never had a class d that was good and comfortable to listen to, I also use it with an e30 topping connected to a linear source and the wiim mini, with Pioneer SB22-LR, which is a bit aggressive and unerfined in the tweeter as I noticed using other amps, the smsl a300 drives these speakers easily and without perceptible stress, it tames the highs a little and without losing details, I always prefer with eq -1 in the highs, because I have sensitivity. Highly recommended this amp, everything in it is clean and firm in the sound.
I've been living with mine for a few months now. It's not the most revealing amp compared to high end gear, but especially for the price, it's pretty amazing. I can listen for hours, it's just a really nice sounding piece of equipment. I find the sound is rich and full.
You MIGHT have helped me finalize my choice of a capable (integrated) amp to go along with my pending purchase of a new pair of Emotiva B1+ speakers… Thanks!
So I've just received mine for couple of hours,the first stand out is it has balls and the clarity and instrument separation The cymbals on Robert Plant Big Log have never sounded so realistic and metallic, stunning Soundstage is wide and 3d It controls the woofers so tightly and crisp Vocals almost gave me tears of joy Thankyou for the recommendation I'm going to enjoy this over time and really analyse it 🥂
@@YOYO-vl6xr Hi,yes definitely it's worth trying It's not warm though so keep that in mind, very neutral Everything he describes in the review is true from my experience now Hope you enjoy it 👍
Your explanation was so detailed and practical, like a dissecting knife that cuts open and reveals everything without reservation. Thank you for your review.
🤗THANKS SRBOLJUB….👍FOR SHARING THIS WITH US … your descriptions help us to understand what we can get for $200 and it’s the best time to be an audiophile 😁👏👏👏💚💚💚😍😍😍
Adding a cheap tube buffer stage would add some body. There are also EQ settings built in to play with. I have one with a 2nd one on order, it sounds as good as my NAD and Cambridge AB amps and receivers.
Very interesting amplifier I think 4 amplifiers bridged into mono and biamping some quality speakers would be a very interesting proposition. A very thorough in depth review as usual.
Had to choose between this and AO200. Ordered AO200, cause there was no reviews for this((( And it seems it will be good match for my D300 and Kef Q350. Now want a pair of A300.
Great Review Buddy I use a touch screen Raspberry pi4 , usb out to a SMSL Ao100, Aiyima 07, and 4, JBL E20 speakers, 8ohm, wired in parallel to give 4 ohm load, FX Audio tube preamp, running Voskhod Rocket 6J1P-EV / Matched Pair, and this is the best sounding setup I have put together in 40 years of this audio hobby. Great sound doesn't have to cost a lot anymore, $700 all in price. Keep rockin these reviews
@@wesleymostien the software I use for the touchscreen RPI is moode, moode can set the rpi4 to be volume control or wide open volume. Some DAC's can be set same way, the preamp also has volume control, plus bass, treble. To change the sound signatures, play with all the volume controls until you find a combination that works for your speakers or headphones
This guy's a real muthaf***ing G. Been using the Rega Brio for about a year and he was spot on about it. These reviews are packed with detail and stripped of all BS.
I am glad that we are getting Class D amps that are tonally well balanced - and that don't have too small binding posts. My new standard for reasonably priced Class A/B integrated amp - that sounds really, really good - is the Cambridge Audio AXA35. It is an amazingly clear and engaging and punchy and neutral sounding device, in my opinion. At $400 US with 4 inputs and a phono input, it is a stunning unit.
@@NeilBlanchard Even the cheap Yamahas which don't have much bass or speed? I actually prefer a Tripath T2024 amp over my Yamaha RN402. Sadly the Teipath amp is underpowered. The Cambridge Audio AXA25 should be a step above in terms of quality. Hence my confusion.
Such an informative and great review that I bought one for myself. After having heard it live in my home, I can attest everything he says in this video is very accurate. I'm surprised by just how smooth yet accurate and precise the sound is coming from this budget amp. Bought mine during Black Friday sale on Amazon for $175. Also got SU-1 external dac but A300's internal dac is no slouch either for a budget setup. I watched this video before buying and after buying SMSL A300 and SMSL SU-1, and I'm surprised just how accurate iiWi reviews are. Kudos to iiWi. Btw, is it feasible for you to review Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ bookshelf speakers? If you have an access to either Emotiva BasX TA-1 amplifier and Emotiva Airmotiv B2+, I'd be highly interested in viewing. Anyway, thanks for SMSL A300 review. Your review hit the bullseye, a dead accurate review with objectivity and balance.
Just got this amp base on your recommendation and q 3010i to replace my desktop speakers for a total 320usd, sounds really great and fun for a budget setup.
It arrived 2 days ago... Now my ancient Sonys SSB2ED sing ! At the tiny moment I got an idea that oldschool "stereo wide" effect is on ... Only thing that is really bad is remote ...
Just my 2 cents: If the SQ is as good as it seems to be, I'd buy the Int. Amp if they made a couple of modifications. First, lose the BT and USB connections and tech inside, it only serves to degrade its capabilities and perceived value. Second, make it with XLR connections (truly balanced would be nice) as a lot of dacs provide these (although not always truly balanced). Second, upgrade the speaker terminals a bit, space out the RCA a bit, so one could be for Vinyl users with a pre (or build in a Vinyl option), the other for a source, or both for whatever source. Personally, I only need one RCA and one XLR input (my dac has everything and BT all the Codecs needed). Doesn't have to be gobs of power, I have a small AB amp 50 watt that doesn't embarrass itself against my h160 although harder to drive speakers, those that dip below 4 ohms and need lots of current gets it pretty warm. Still, at moderate sound levels, it does fine. If you want to go crazy, make it with dual mono power. Make sure the pre section is of commensurate quality. That would make it real budget audiophile product. I'd pay more for quality efforts, and up to $300 or a bit more is still affordable. Heck my little amp now costs over 700US. So, class D that sounds good in a small, light package would be highly desirable if it is capable. This amp, a dac, sources and speakers and cables could still all fit in a banana box...hows that portability? So, if the Company is listening, take the best this has to offer and make it a real lifestyle, with long term product reliability and with the above suggestions. Offer a choice in XLR type connections too as some may prefer one over the other. Then, when you come out with a really high end/high power model, brand loyalty will be in place for those who wish to upgrade, even against the plethora of other highly regarded brands.
Hi there On amazon it says high pass cut off 50hz... If true this might be (on the amp section) the Best thing so far in the perspective of class Do budget stereo 2.1 integration 🤯🌹
Great review! You say that you recommend a fuller or warmer source, but I feel like you've described most DACs under 400$ as lean sounding but perhaps I have missed some review. Would really appreciate it if you could point me to a warm-sounding DAC that would have good synergy with this amp, thanks :)
@@iiWiReviews the d300 seems to be what smsl wants us to pair it with. it has the same look and the same numbering (300). According to your description of how it sounds, i suppose it would be a really good paring and they would kind of balance each other nicelly.
It all depends on what type of sound that you like. Don’t be in a hurry to purchase a DAC right away, take your time and pair it with what you already have (even if it is a phone or a laptop). Geshelli Labs J2 is a slightly warmer DAC than the other options available around $300 USD, and you can get it with or without USB interface. Another good pairing could be SMSL D300, that has the very same chassis as the A300, and is a very musical DAC for the price. But if you are on a budget maybe JDS Labs Atom DAC Plus, and install the Beta / Experimental firmware that emphasizes 3rd Harmonics and sounds “like Tubes”. If you didn’t like that particular sound you can always go back to the default firmware on the next firmware update for the Atom DAC Plus; the default JDS Labs firmware is very neutral, and their products are simply amazing for the price, they also have a more expensive Element Line DAC Plus that is comparable to Geshelli's DAC but does not offer the experimental firmware with Tube like sound.
@@geoffreydebrito7934 I wouldn't use youtube as a source for info on a topic like this, but at least you took the time to learn what the differences between the 2 were before you replied.
@@AT-wl9yq Other than operating under a superiority complex, upon what basis did you assume I didn't already understand the difference? I took the time to understand the difference long ago, at 73 quite possibly before you were born. This youtube video does an adequate job of explaining for the unaware. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gPc9Kpb6w9Y.html
Thanks Srbo for another very fine review of an affordable piece of gear. So, I'm wondering now: why do most of us even bother to pay hundreds of $/€ more for something that "sounds just a bit more lush/transparent/full/..." when these things exist? Of course I do understand that an inexpensive SMSL amp could not really compete with the likes of an Acoustic Invader or an Exposure or something even more expensive, but is there something like "enough quality"? Can we even hear all of those subtle nuances that cost 100's / 1000's of dollars/euros? Anyway, thanks for the review, it's really great. Keep up the good work and keep up finding these affordable little gems.
Yeah, I have been wondering the same. I guess it's just human nature to always want a little bit more, and we are often going to great lengths to indulge that urge. Just look at other hobbies and how much are some ready to pay for faster cars, leather seats, seat heaters... People actually take a loan from the bank to do this even though they don't spend all that much time in their cars. So I guess we're all very irrational when it comes to some sort of personal passion.
@@iiWiReviews Since I'm the automotive industry, I appreciate your analogy very much. Most of our HiFi journeys really resemble the acquisition of a car process: there's always something more you can put in the car to make it more to your liking, even though you end up not using 80% of those gismos when you drive. As you say, it's irrational... I guess, if it brings joy to someone's life, then why not? If one can afford it, of course... If not, then I guess it's an even better thing that these little gems exist
"Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need.(...) We're consumers. We are the byproducts of a lifestyle obsession." by Tyler Durden (Fight Club) I'd say this goes for audio as well. 😄
The irony with Hi-Fi is that sometimes less expensive and less revealing speakers sound more pleasing with "badly" recorded music. So you could argue that striving for "good enough" is more fulfilling than "best quality". Moreover, critical listening requires a lot of effort, repetition and reflection. So you kind of forget that you're listening to music as you're looking for differences and flaws. In that sense reviewers are missing the plot and going towards dry analytical speaker systems which measure better on a graph and sound more neutral. But warmer/smoother sounding speakers and amps sound better overall with most "badly recorded" mainstream music. This is why I'm torn with the SMSL A0200. This amp is on the analytical side and is meant to be reviewed very well by the audiophile community which obsesses over objective performance. I would argue that something like a NAD 316BEE with Q Acoustics 3030i speakers is more to my taste and more forgiving. And I would be objectively wrong, but subjectively happier.
@@user-xg6zz8qs3q i seem to realize that it all comes down to the genres and types of music you listen to and the quality of recordings. With music that is complex and has a lot of nuances (and is quality recorded) i enjoy a more analytical experience (not Bright or very sharp sounding). otherwise a fuller and Warner sounding experience is better. Either way, these brands (smsl, topping, etc.) all have a trademark sound that leans to the clinical side of things.
I like that you caveat your review of this product by mentioning system synergy and matching. So many times we hear glowing reviews of a product, rightly or wrongly so, as if they exist in a vacuum totally unrelated to the rest of the hi-fi system. I’m sure this amp will sound quite nice with some Wharfedales and not so much with Klipschs…
In your opinion would this SMSL A300 be an aprovement over my meager Aiyima A07 with AiyimaT8, Schiit Modi3e & Emotiva B+s, or just maybe buy an upgraded supply 48 volt & upgraded omamps...thank you for all you do on your channel
I just found this comparison since you had recommended the A0300. I think i'm also just going to bite down and buy the SMSL D300 DAC to go with it and also be a nice clean look on my desk. I know i can save a bit by going with a cheaper DAC but i kinda want it all to look nice on my desk and i dont plan on upgrading anytime soon. I already went ahead and pulled the trigger on the pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 100's and i'm going to get a subwoofer later on next month. This setup will be strictly for movies and watching streaming services, anime and gaming so i really needed something different than speakers that would lean towards Music. Thanks again for the great recommendations.
Running a Schiit Bifrost2/Lokius/Jotunheim2 stack and currently a NAD C316bee amplifier. The class AB NAD is a truly good amp, but it's not desktop sized which sucks for a PC-based setup in a small room. It's also HILARIOUSLY overpowered for my Elac Debut B6.2s and they're considered fairly demanding speakers. Like it has enough power to effortlessly destroy them. For a good music session I am using just over 1/3 of the dial on the NAD and 1/2 of the dial on my pre-amp, and I like it pretty loud. So I hope that means I can get away with a lot less heat, size, and power consumption by using a Class D miniature desktop amp. I looked for one a few years ago, but the market just kinda sucked at the time. Not a lot of good options for cheap only T amps seemed to be going anywhere. Buying the A300 as an experiment to see if it has the power I need, and if I like its functionality and sound quality. The newer Infineon chip in it is supposed to be outright higher powered and higher specced than that in the DA-9 and AO200 and many MANY other competing amps. And from anecdotal evidence I can guess pretty confidently it is far more powerful than either of those other SMSL amps. Any future speakers will likely be more efficient than these Elacs so it should be a good test. If it can run these without choking it should do very well with others. I like how it looks and really enjoy the boring 90s aesthetic and chintzy blue LED display. For some reason to me it says "function over form". I am a fairly demanding listener and expect to be underwhelmed by the A300, but what I REALLY hope is that it sounds as good as my NAD. I only need so much power.
You're videos are really good. Thank you for your effort and your nice and easy to understand English :-) Maybe someone can answer my question. This AMP works without A/D and D/A conversion even if the sub out and / or the tone control is used ?
the NAD 320bee is already 20+ yrs old. I owned one in 2002. While it wasn't the most resolving amp it was not even close to being muddy. It's possible that your friend's NAD should be tuned up with some new caps. all of the pinpoint imaging that you seem to be seeking can be really fatiguing after just a short listening session. I can tell you that the NAD 320 Bee is an amp that you can listen to for hours and not get tired.
I am currently using a DO100, with AO200 and Mission LX-5 speakers, and I am very happy with the combination. I tried my NAD C316BEE amp with the same speakers and the bass was too muddy, boomy (for lack of a better word). To your point about power amps it would be interesting to see SMSL or Topping come out with a cost effective power amp based on this chip to be used with a DAC as a pre-amplifier. The new Sabaj 2022 A10a and A20a are close but they still have volume controls.
These analog low-quality volume pots (non-bypassable) are a major drawback of all the "Sabaj" branded dedicated amps (except 2020 series), I fully agree.
My daughters A300 just showed up. I won't see her for a couple weeks, so I took it with me to work. I have a set of Cerwin Vega! VS100 3-ways (with rebuilt boxes that I made) in my tool cabinet at work. They are hooked up to a very cheesy Sunbuck receiver with a class D amp rated at 100wpc, so they say. It's the only thing they have ever been hooked up to since I built them. Either way, they have always sounded OK for the maintenance shop, but like s*** for any real listening. So, I brought the speakers into the breakroom and hooked up the A300. I couldn't believe it, my mutant Cerwin-Vegas sounded beautiful. I was only streaming Amazon Music on Bluetooth and the sound and power were very surprising. Those 10" Vegas came alive. I figured with all the good reviews it would be decent, but this unit is very nice sounding for -$200. I am going to hook it up at home properly and check it out. BTW, ended up not getting her the BR03 because of shipping issues. Went with Elac Debut Reference DBR6. Found them on an open box discount and couldn't pass them up.
I know what you mean,the way it controls the woofers is fantastic I've only had it a couple of hours, running on some expensive 90s audiophile floorstanders Very impressed so far, looking forward to thorough testing Also let me know how you go with the Elacs I'm considering grabbing some just for fun 😄
@@ArtVandelayOfficial the Elacs are really nice. In a smaller room I would love them (probably with a sub). They are soooooo much better Than my Polk t15, the only thing I own in the same "class", as in bookshelf. Though the Elacs are fairly large for bookshelves, they definitely warrent a stand. Really clean sound. Nice bass. I haven't hooked them to the A300 yet but I will this week so it's operational when my daughter gets here.
Thanks! The inclusion of a remote and mono-block ability suggests they don't just see it as a desktop/nearfield solution. Which makes me utterly mystified by the lack of an optical in so that you can connect a TV/Media device. It seems like they need to think through use cases a bit more.
Thanks so much for the great review. Thanks for pointing out the USB input - it is not readily apparent that this has a DAC in it. Also, what is the RCA jack that is above the subwoofer output? It is labeled BTL-R. The SMSL brochure says it is "Right channel output during BTL". I don't understand this. Is it a mono subwoofer output? Thanks for any help. Keep on rockin'!
Thanks for review. LP filter is great, but knob design IMHO is terrible for using as desktop solution. Loxjie A30 have same chipset, more inputs, modern USB input, no LP filter and better design.
I'm guessing that this integrated would give approx 50/100 watts at 8/4 ohms at a reasonable distortion level, say 0.1% THD. For $200...not bad. I'm tired of buying expensive gear, nice that they may be. At 3 lbs...that's easier lifting than 40 lbs. BTW, I enjoy these reviews.
Which amp is better with Topping E70 Velvet - SMSL A300 vs Topping PA7 Plus vs Cambridge Audio AXA35 ? (I like clear but softer sound which E70V makes it perfect for me; Sonos amp is not bad but need a 2nd amp for KEF LS50 meta speakers)
Which cheaper type of amps would you recommend to pair with Gustard A26? In other words - what is the next level options from SMSL A300 amp? Thank you.
Excellent review!Thanks. I wanted to try how digital amps sound, also try high pass filter. Current set up Cambridge AXR100 with KEF LS50 meta. Allo digi one streamer + topping e30. What are you’re thoughts is it worth getting an a300? Do they pair well? Very tempting at this price.
Don't do it unless you have a genuine space constraint! I have two SMSL DA9's for my bedroom setups (due to WAF - wife approval factor) and a Cambridge Audio CXA81 and Marantz PM6006 for my primary. The CXA81 simply smokes the SMSL DA9 in every single area by a considerable margin, as it should. But surprisingly, even the Marantz PM6006 which is price comparable sounds better than the SMSL DA9 while having more features than the latter i.e. a whole host of digital and analog inputs including a phono stage. Which goes on to show that the said amp is not a giant killer as it was made out to be. Don't get me wrong, the SMSL DA9 is a fine sounding amp. Just not better than similarly priced competition from the likes of well established brands like CA and Marantz. Remember, there are no giant killers, only vested interests. Speakers tested with the abovementioned 3 amps were the Quad S5, Wharfedale Evo 4.2, KEF Q350, Klipsch RP 600M, PSB Alpha P5, Boston Acoustics A26 and the Mission LX-2 Mk-IIs. Subwoofers were dual REL T9is. DACs that I used were the RME ADI-2 DAC FS, Chord Mojo, Topping E30 and Ifi Zen DAC. No matter whichever combination I tried, speaker or DAC, the Marantz and CA came out on top. Now somebody might say that the reason for me preferring the CA and Marantz over DA9 is a matter of personal taste in presentation, in which case, the SMSL DA9 is not clearly better than other budget amps as it is made out to be, right?
@@tharak123 There's no such thing as a digital amp. A class D amp may, or may not, implement digital technology, but the analog signal that enders the amp stays analog through the amp, so what you actually hear is never converted to digital. Advertising claims may say otherwise.
@@darpanbhuyan1909 Thanks for sharing your detailed opinions. You clearly have great equipment, knowledge and experience in audio. However, the Marantz is still more than double the price of the DA-9 and triple the price of the A300.
Since this amp doesn't have XLR inputs, would it make a difference when compared to the DA-9 or the AO200? Meaning, would you still choose this a300 over the other two using XLR inputs ? Thanks! Love your reviews
Another great and in-depth review mate, I owned a Cambridge audio axa35 for a short while but moved it on as it didn't sound great with metal/punk types of music, not enough body to the sound, can the smsl produce a bit more upper bass & midrange oomph for my tastes?
Yes you're right but it is a great amp and a conservative 35 watt per probably as good or better than amps at twice the price point. Nice and warm. The xax won the amplifier of 2022 by more than a few reviewers. The downside..it won't push my 3way elac unifi ub52 2.0s to their full capacity as they do crave power. Currently looking for something with at least 80 per. I do like this little unit though and might get it just for the price. Believe I saw one for 180 usd..
(edited) Nice review! So sad there is not one of the smaller "western" brands willing to design and release a solution based on Infineon integrated chipsets. Question goes to.... Roksan (UK), Exposure (UK), Atoll (FR), Gold Note (IT), Unison Research (IT), Dayens (RS), Hifiacademy (DE), Haiku Audio (PL), TAGA Harmony (PL), and many many others. Why do you remain in stubborn refusal? I simply don't understand that. These all have the capability - in general - to do the little tweaks with implementation neccessary to squeeze out the last 10 to 20% sonically.
Thanks again for another informative and detailed review. I realize the features are different but if you had to choose between A300, AO200 and DA-9, which would it be? Anyone?
the a300 is more powerful than the da9, but preferred the sound of the da9 more, cannot comment on ao200 as I have not heard those. The SDB EQ on DA9 is wonderful, but not so much on a300 as it could some sharp and fatiguing.
Greetings! I am wanting to upgrade my integrated amplifier that won't break the bank. My current system: -Marantz PM5005M with V curve signature and only 40 w @ 8ohms - Topping E50 - Wharfdale EVO 4.2 3way bookshelf (rolled of highs but with authorative bass. Reasons why need update: - EVO 4.2 has a rolled off highs and I want to extend it. I bought Topping E50 After viewing your review and it helps a little. - A fried of mine said I need 50 wpc @8ohms to bring out a descent sound to my speakers. - i thought of buying SA9 or AO200 AFTER viewing your reviews. - now here's smsl 300 with 85 wpc and I have 3 Amps to choose 😀. I am now confused 😕. -i will also be adding ifi zen stream i (HOPE YOU CAN MAKE A REVIEW on this streamer) or maybe bluesound node. Hoping you can help me decide. Thank you and God bless.
I've heard an Emotiva that I thought had good high end extension but the bass was a bit muddy and the presentation a bit 2D. I would trade off some extension for more depth, separation and easier upper mids while having a solid and defined bass. My Keces e40 does that but it goes for $750 US now. When it first came available it was $599. Big jump like most products nowadays. But the size is perfect albeit wattage is limited like even these small class D amps but good current output. I would be interested on the current capability of the A300.
@@nc3419 yes I'm intrigued with the power that A300 could deliver 😀. I check your Keyes e40 wow for its built. Big heavy duty toroidal. Physical looks is pretty Solid
The 4.2 isnt rolled off, there isnt one measurement that show so. What you really meant was the 4.2 isnt as resolving, which is in no way connected to FR. In that case, get a more resolving speaker or a less warm sounding one, there is no point in trying to get different amps to make a speaker more resolving, there would barely be a difference. I know how Wharfedales sound like because I own them, even the Elysians can sound overly warm giving an illusion of being rolled off.
@@odannyblueso the Model 5 isnt really a resolving speaker either. May I suggest taking a listen to Focals, particularly the Chora and Aria series depending on your budget? Now those are very transparent and airy speakers, not for a lot of money too. I think those are what you are after.
Thanks for the review. It is honest and presents what it should be. I have a Denon 600NE integrated amplifier. If I use this SMSL A300 as a preamplifier integrated with Denon, will it work well?
Ez az erősítő dubstep meg drum&bass - re a legjobb!! Aktív subwoofer kell hozzá azzal az igazi, a bass fantasztikus, a subwoofer muzsikál tőle! A magasak szarok nincs csillingelés!!
Considering a budget dac with the A300. I have two options to try at arms reach, the SMSL Sandskrit 10th v2 and the iFi Zen dac v2....both have an element of warmth to them so it will be an interesting trial. Pairing up with a pair of Tannoy Eclipse 3 floorstanders (90db) with QED XT25 airlok speaker cables and QED Performance interconnects which are a slightly more analytical set of wires all round but not overly. Maybe Chord cables might be a slightly better choice as they reveal a slightly more musical, warmer sound, but that said, with these two dacs and the QED I might just strike a respectable budget balance!
the zen dac v2 does pair exceptionally well with the smsl da9 but not with a300, it could sound somewhat sharp and fatiguing at times, the d300 pairs better with the a300 but still somewhat lean sounding with diamond 12.2
@@fatboyvin ...and the 12.2 is not a 'lean' speaker either...I tried the A300 but didn't like it. It did not sound balanced at all to my ears and focused on upper mids and highs. I returned it and stuck with my Aiyima A04 and the iFi Zen dac v2...more balanced and well rounded sound.
@@Panslapper true the diamond 12.2 are not lean sounding as such, but the mid bump could make some recordings sound harsh with the A300 which I also feel is focused on mids and highs. The zendac and a300 is definitely not a good pairing. FX Audio M160E is based on the same chipset as those from Aiyima if I am not wrong, and that little amp pairs nicely with zen dac v2. The A300 is a beast power wise though, but I do not really like its sound.
@@fatboyvin I thought it felt cheap too. That thin plastic dial felt awful...yeah, overrated and overpriced imo. I know what you mean about the 12.2 bumped vocal range and can imagine how that would have sounded, too much.
@@qwer7yy the three amp are good and are different. I don't like the sound of A300 and I noticed several glitches in the menu. It Is a good amp, but it is not my cup of tea. That sound for my ears is not exciting. The volume knob Is unusable with my hands and I had to use the remote. Very disappointing. AO200 is a good amp as well. Very detailed, clean, fast and no distortion (80 db with my kef R3). Compared to a300 has the same sound but livelier and adds an extra kick to bass (punch frequencies). I like it. Both a300 and ao200 are more linear and cleaner than Aiyima D03. Both a300 and ao200 have worst Bluetooth and dac compared to D03. Both a300 and ao200 seems have more power than d03. I kept D03. Why? I like that sound with my speakers (R3 and old elac el50): more organic than smsl. D03 gives you an unexpected very good image (way better than smsl). Details are there but D03 has different bass (less controlled) and more mid-bass than smsls. For classic rock and my speakers is better. For electronic music I think ao200 would be the winner. Probably for speaker with big bass I would prefer ao200.
@@andreacabrini6160 Thank you VERY much for your reply! Last questions: did you use a300 and ao200 with the external DAC? Most reviewers say that it gives much improvement
@@qwer7yy the internal dac is not so good. Internal dac of my laptop and smartphone are better... I also connected the BlueSound Node 2i and the sound was way better. In my opinioni the internal dacs of the ao200 and a300 are ok for casual listening.
Will it sound good on my B&W 602 ? I found my speakers a bit dull lacks brightness in my opinion. I hope this little budget amp will shake them up a bit :)
Thank you for the great review! Clearly it is designed to match D300, but you seem to prefer M500 MK2 in its review. Do you think M500 MK2 will be a better match (considering it only costs 10% more than D300)? Similarly, will M500 MK2 and AO200 be the best match for a balanced setup under $1k?
M500 MKII is a livelier and more dynamic sounding... D300 is good and smooth but laid back, not much slam and kick either - it's mild sounding. It might be a choice of preference too but I personally prefer M500 MKII. I didn't particularly like AO200 and would sacrifice XLRs to get A300. A0200 has a warm bassline but also very aggressive upper mids and vocals that I couldn't tame no matter how EQ was set. A300 is better balanced tonally and more refined in the mids.
@@iiWiReviews wouldn't that pairing (m500 mkii + a300) be a bit too in your face sounding, like...a bit agressive? they both seem to be lively and dynamic as you say...
Love this amp but one complaint. I can't run high res Tidal through Bluetooth streaming. Program cuts out after 30 seconds. Can't handle the data stream; it may be because it isn't MQA compatible.
How does the USB DAC on this model sound? Also it's strange that they used a full sized USB A for the input. Doesn't affect the sound but I might have to buy a new cable if I buy this amp.
My digital amplifier (NuForce dda-100), which I have had for a few years, stopped working a couple of days ago. It was an amp that I really liked and it also got a lot of good reviews. The shock was therefore total when I connected an older class AB amplifier (pioneer a-07) to my system. Suddenly the music came to life, the musicians appeared as people and not as "thin straws". The bass may not have gotten any tighter, but it did get physical in a way that no Class D amp I've listened to (and I've listened to many) even comes close to. I was very close to ordering an SMSL a300, but no, not a chance! Class D is for those who like to listen to sounds. If you like listening to music, class AB or class A applies! No more digital amps for me!
This integrated amp is very compelling as it has all the right features to replace an old Yamaha AVR in my desktop system that is dying. I need a sub out and two line ins: one for my Topping e50 and one for my phono preamp. Are there any other competitors with these features to consider?
Hi, thank you for the great review. Unfortunately I came across it a bit late. Maybe you or someone else who owns the unit can tell me how exactly the EQ modes change the sound of the AMP and which setting you prefer. I would be very grateful for the input. Kind regards!
fantastic reviews with comparisons. currently using a topping pa3s and looking to upgrade. how does the a300 compare vs the nad d3045 or 3020. cd player with an ancient msb link dac and audioengine da1 for digital sources along with vintage french made reference 3a 91 db hoping to hear some input
Thanks for your great reviews. I am currently looking for a good sounding system for around 1000€, with a nice design and small footprint) to listen to music on Spotify (at relatively low level) and connect my TV (with a single remove => ARC). I must say it is quite difficult and confusing. I saw the Yamaha WXA50 in your reviews which seems to fit my requirements. But now I'm wondering if I should now look at combining such an SMSL with some other components (but I can't see a solution to connect my TV through ARC). It would be great if you would propose some standard, quality configuration options for various types of profiles, use cases and budgets. In any case, thanks for your great reviews.
I belive that something like SMSL A300 joined with a full sounding DAC (SMSL SU6, Schiit Mod Multibit, SMSL D300...) is a better sounding combo than Yamaha. But no DAC that I know of supports ARC, that's a home theater receiver thing... Instead I would use optical Toslink connection.
@@iiWiReviews There is no Spotify Connect nor Tidal Connect in the SMSLs unfortunately... So I guess I should add a streamer. How can they not propose an option for music streaming other than connect a PC? or am I missing something?
I have it on my desktop but I'm under the impression that it's vastly inferior to Topping PA5. But I love the digital volume control and it's quite many features. It doesn't sound very good when listened through USB or BT, so do connect something better to it in any case. Both my Topping DX3pro+ and Sound Blaster AE-7 soundcard sound vastly superior to what's inside the amp.
Great review as usual Srbo!!! Which DAC (200-300 $) would you recommend for this amp and Wharfedale diamond 12.2 for an easy, relaxed but resolving ( not too much so just a tad warmer) sound that I could listen to all day long? thank you very much for your reviews on hifi!
Maybe Schiit Modi Multibit if you're in the US. SMSL D300 is also fine but a slightly more expensive. Finally, Sanskrit 10th MKII is a very decent budget solution that fits that description.
@@iiWiReviews Thank you very much Srbo! I'm in France so, unfortunately, no way to have access to shiit product anymore... Something with topping dac that fit ? Or maybe Smsl D0100? maybe these 2 brands are too forward-sounding?Maybe not/ Thanks a lot for your reply and expertise
I would avoid Topping, too forward most of the time to be combined with A300, in my opinion. SMSL DACs are all fuller/warmer sounding and better match in this case.
@@iiWiReviews thanks a lot! Finally before ordering my setup For the kind of sound i like: revealing, wide but with detail not too much forward and a bit warm (detail but kind of easy listening) Which combination would you recommend regarding sound and price:: smsl a300 or da9? With shiit multibit or smsl D300 or smsl do100.? Do you see something else between 450 and 650? Thanks one more time for beeing on RU-vid ! ;-)
