SMSL DO300EX DAC/Headphone Amp/Preamp All-In-One Review

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Thanks to Aoshida Audio for sending the DO300EX!
Buy from Aoshida (affiliate link): aoshida-audio.com/products/sm...
Buy from Amazon (affiliate link): aoshida-audio.com/products/sm...
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Reviews of Mentioned Gear:
Austrian Audio Hi-X60: • Austrian Audio Hi-X60 ...
Focal Radiance: • What Gear is My Gear? ...
Focal Utopia: • What Gear is My Gear? ...
HiFiMan Arya Organic: • HiFiMan Arya Organic H...
HiFiMan EF400: • HiFiMan EF400 DAC/Head...
HiFiMan Susvara: • What Gear is My Gear? ...
Schiit Asgard 3: • Schiit Asgard 3 Headph...
Schiit Modius: • Schiit Modius Digital ...
Schiit Magnius: • Schiit Magnius Headpho...
Sennheiser HD6XX: • What Gear Is My Gear P...
Singxer SU-6: • Singxer SU-6 DDC Revie...
SMSL DO300: • SMSL DO300 DAC Review ...
Somore ultraRendu: • Sonore ultraRendu Netw...
Violectric HPA-V281: • What Gear Is My Gear? ...
My Hearing Quirks: • WaveTheory Reviews Wav...
Timestamps...
00:00 Intro, Pricing, Disclaimer
01:16 Shameless Self Promotion
01:40 How Should With Think About AIOs?
03:21 Features & Specs
05:10 Build & Connectivity
09:15 Test Gear
12:26 Sound
17:43 DAC comparison w/ SMSL DO300
19:13 DAC comparison w/ Schiit Modius
20:43 DAC Section Takeaway
21:28 Comparison to HiFiMan EF400
24:42 Is the DO300EX Worth It?

Опубликовано:

2 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 42

@heywoodx5353 10 месяцев назад

Hi. I recently bought the Schiit Asgaard, based on your recommendation. And, it sounds fantastic. So, thanks so much for a super review. It is incredibly realistic, just as you described. You have the best ears in the business, from my point of view. I'm pairing it with the Ifi Zen Dac V2, and the Arya Stealth. The results are amazing.

@hiraksarma3068 10 месяцев назад

+1 for the V550 review, looking forward to it.

@SimonP2 10 месяцев назад

Thanks for the comparison with the EF400, very useful.

@Havanero52 4 месяца назад

Great video. 😊

@jamesmoore4827 10 месяцев назад

Just leaving a comment to help out with YT algorithm wise 🙂 Can't wait for the Ananda Nano review though! One of the few reviewers i trust not to jump on to hype band wagons.

@blue6point62 10 месяцев назад

I have the EF400 and my DCA headphones are matched to god mode. But my dynamic headphones are less a match. My dynamic were a great match with the Xduoo TA-22 but the DCA was narrow and less fun on that rig.

@Thiago_TS_BR 8 месяцев назад

I would like to see you reviewing the Aune S9C. Apreciate your reviews👍👍

@Havanero52 4 месяца назад

Thanks for a fantastic video ……😊 I have a question the óptica decode MQA CD?

@progrock3603 10 месяцев назад

The one dac review I’m waiting for is the new Smsl VMV DR2 with the rohm chip. At 999.00 I’m hoping it punches above its price point because of that chip.

@CinemaDemocratica 9 месяцев назад

There's a companion piece (sort of) called the AO-300, which is the same chassis with a speaker amp included. I assume the chipsets are different because it's only $290 but I'd love to see a review. (Not the A-300 or the AO-200. which are similarly named but different.)

@JMAudioEditions 10 месяцев назад

three thumbs up

@iScorpio1971 10 месяцев назад

I've recently purchased it, with a discount and find it trully revealing, musical and versatile. I don't hear the digital shimmer you're mentioning, also think the 4.4 is balanced architecture, but I'll look into it. Great reviews!

@JackFX1 9 месяцев назад

Probably because he once saw someone mention how chinese equipment is bad and "digital" so just repeats the nonsense. On A/B tests of most modern dacs you cant hear a difference

@iScorpio1971 9 месяцев назад

@@JackFX1 Agreed. The notion of digital sound, tube-like resonance is nonsense on this TOTL next generation DAC, and to say that is heard in some songs more than others is ludicrous just to bring up products that he lkes/prefers, looks more like advertising than a real review.

@Eric_In_SF 3 месяца назад

@@iScorpio1971 yeah it's a weird review considering so many other people seem to like it. But can you really trust the guy that uses a gamertag instead of his real name :P These are down to 250 bucks on Amazon right now. I picked one up to compare to my topping dx5. I only like the dx5 just the hair more than the smsl c200 so my hopes are high.

@radicalturkey 7 месяцев назад

Hi. The headphone amp is listed as 1Wx2@32 ohms. I am confused by this. Doesn't this mean 1 watt per channel balanced? I.e. Equivalent to 2 watts unbalanced? You say it is unbalanced with essentially a fake balanced output. If so, what does 1Wx2 mean? Why not just 1W? Thanks! Please respond as I want to buy this. I am using t60rp headphones which I think like more power.

@radicalturkey 7 месяцев назад

Also you seem unconvinced by the amp. Is there no point on getting this of I already have a k5 pro ess? Thanks

@s18018 5 месяцев назад

Is the DL300 the same ?

@beans4dmasses 3 месяца назад

why don't you have an audio comparison?

@Michael_mki233 10 месяцев назад

28:17 This just struck me when you said it, but if you have a fairly large DSD library...large enough to the point that you prioritize a DAC that handles DSD natively, are you shopping in this price bracket?

@wavetheorysound 10 месяцев назад

After buying all those dsd albums? Maybe! 😜😆 It's a fair point. I can see this being important to someone relatively new to audio being dsd-curious though.

@lextr3110 10 месяцев назад

Please review their flagship rohm dac!!

@user-md3oc6xp7m 8 месяцев назад

DO300EX VS D400PRO?

@rudyvirupakshaiah5818 2 месяца назад

This has the top of the line AK4499EX DAC which is purportedly better than ES9039MSPRO ? I can't understand how you'd rate DO300 to be better than EX ? the other reviews state completely the opposite ?

@laszlokiss3578 10 месяцев назад

hi, will you also review the Geshelli J2S AK4499 and the Archel Pro 3? ☺️

@TriAmpHiFi 10 месяцев назад

Yup, the J2 is the comparison the SMSL demands. Good call.

@wavetheorysound 10 месяцев назад

Likely the 4499 soon. I'm not sure about Archel 3 yet.

@adamrupert9238 5 месяцев назад

I am grateful for your work. I have recently purchased it and disagree with your review. The adjustments it offers are identifiable even by my over the hill ears. It took the place of my Geshelli J2S in my main system.

@vincentstephenson2397 10 месяцев назад

If your budget is in this ballpark the options are plenty. In my experience, spending 500-1500 is a much diminished return. Cheapish audio all pretty much sounds the same as the technology stands today. The only step change in performance i hear from 500 is spending >2.5 or 3k Basically if your budget is 500 or thereabouts, its pretty hard to fk up. Caveat, I do not have golden ears

@wavetheorysound 10 месяцев назад

Thanks for your thoughts. I hear a fairly significant jump from $500-1500 most of the time. IME and to my ears that's one of the steeper parts of the price-performance curve.

@aceofspades6667 10 месяцев назад

Seems decent but smsl and topping units are commodities at this point. Just another box. I also have a disagreement on the AIO value prop. If you can get an aio for factor to sound as good as separates I’m willing to pay 25% more just to save the desktop space.

@wavetheorysound 10 месяцев назад

A fair point on the AIO value question. I prefer sound first and then I'll figure out how to make it work on my desk. But there must be a sizable chunk of the market who agree with you because units like this keep coming out somewhat regularly. Someone is buying them. Thanks for being a regular viewer and commenter 🍻

@beaverish 10 месяцев назад

Cant take SMSL seriously anymore when they keep releasing new products every other months.

@aaronTmusic-250 10 месяцев назад

Will this power Arya Organics? Cheers🍻

@wavetheorysound 10 месяцев назад

Power it yes. The AO will scale up much higher on improved source gear. Should be a reasonable starting point though.

@aaronTmusic-250 10 месяцев назад

Awesome, thanks! Just asking for my future self 😆

@aaronTmusic-250 9 месяцев назад

@@wavetheorysound is there a break-in period with planars such as the Edition XS? I got a refurbished pair at a decent price and I am wondering if I need to let them run?

@wavetheorysound 9 месяцев назад

@@aaronTmusic-250 Sometimes. My memory of the XS was it took about 12 hours for the bass to fully flesh out.

@aaronTmusic-250 9 месяцев назад

@@wavetheorysound Hey one other question for you - is there a amp dac combo thats somewhat budget-friendly you recommend with the XS? Ive been hearing that a Tube amp may be a good pairing - someone recommended the Schiit Vali 2