SMSL SU-1 DAC with Ultra?

[BowsAndArrows]

I wish there were more new equipment using AKM DACs.

There was a fire at the AKM factory a couple of years ago that massively disrupted their operations...

I think they are back to normal now but over the past couple of years many manufacturers switched to ESS or TI chips. Even for older products that had AKM chips originally.

 

[Burnside]

There was a fire at the AKM factory a couple of years ago that massively disrupted their operations...

I think they are back to normal now but over the past couple of years many manufacturers switched to ESS or TI chips. Even for older products that had AKM chips originally.

Or in Linn’s case, developed their own Organik DAC..

 

[Wiimer]

Or in Linn’s case, developed their own Organik DAC..

Did Linnda, who ran away from home, come back?

 

[Burnside]

Did Linnda, who ran away from home, come back?

Yes, happily returned home to look after her little WiiM children

 

[getfranz]

I am using my Wiim Ultra with the Willsenton R8 and PMC FB-1 speaker and the sound was very good. I added the SMSL SU-1 to this setup and the sound blew me away. There is a great improvement in the sound separation and the sound stage is awesome. The AKM 4493 chip on the SU-1 made the difference. SU-1 is highly recommended

 

[mrroyal88]

I am using my Wiim Ultra with the Willsenton R8 and PMC FB-1 speaker and the sound was very good. I added the SMSL SU-1 to this setup and the sound blew me away. There is a great improvement in the sound separation and the sound stage is awesome. The AKM 4493 chip on the SU-1 made the difference. SU-1 is highly recommended

You dont have popping sounds when switching tracks?

 

[getfranz]

No. I do not have popping sounds when switching tracks.

 

[jluce50]

I was really happy with the SU-1 until I tried the Fiio K11 R2R. Huge improvement in almost all areas. And, as a bonus, absolutely no popping or clicking when switching tracks!

 

[mrroyal88]

I was really happy with the SU-1 until I tried the Fiio K11 R2R. Huge improvement in almost all areas. And, as a bonus, absolutely no popping or clicking when switching tracks!

How it an improvement? Its a red flag to me that there are a huge amount of people selling them on hifishark after 1 or 2 months

 

[slartibartfast]

How it an improvement? Its a red flag to me that there are a huge amount of people selling them on hifishark after 1 or 2 months

Most of the sellers are probably dealers.

 

[Bozzz]

I was really happy with the SU-1 until I tried the Fiio K11 R2R. Huge improvement in almost all areas. And, as a bonus, absolutely no popping or clicking when switching tracks!

Love mine

 

[jluce50]

How it an improvement? Its a red flag to me that there are a huge amount of people selling them on hifishark after 1 or 2 months

Large soundstage, much better texture/timbre in bass and mids, and just an overall richer more pleasing tone (even in OS mode, which I tend to prefer since I already have a tube amp).

That's strange, I had an alert on hifishark for the K11 R2R that was active for a couple months and only saw a few come up for sale. Much fewer than the number of Bifrost or Ares dacs I saw for sale, for example. My guess would be that a lot of people buy it to get a taste of R2R for not much money and then some of them decide to move up the food chain.

 

[Mr Ee]

My guess would be that a lot of people buy it to get a taste of R2R for not much money and then some of them decide to move up the food chain.

I thought that too.
I tried a topping centaurus the other week, preferred the fiio k11 r2r.
One and a half grand saved

 

[jluce50]

I thought that too.
I tried a topping centaurus the other week, preferred the fiio k11 r2r.
One and a half grand saved

Nice! I had a similar experience with a Schiit Bifrost 2. The 2/64 may be better, but I was still surprised that the I preferred the k11 r2r to the Bifrost 2.

 

[Solfer]

Love mine

With the lack of remote on the Fiio, can I ask if you're using the Ultra for volume control? As a relative novice I'm a tad confused about signal integrity in the Wiim/DAC/amp chain..

 

[Bozzz]

With the lack of remote on the Fiio, can I ask if you're using the Ultra for volume control? As a relative novice I'm a tad confused about signal integrity in the Wiim/DAC/amp chain..

Yes. I use the Ultra as a preamp and control volume with it. I have usb out from WiiM Ultra to fiio k12r2r. Then line out to my tube l amp from fiio. Works great.

 

[Solfer]

Yes. I use the Ultra as a preamp and control volume with it. I have usb out from WiiM Ultra to fiio k12r2r. Then line out to my tube l amp from fiio. Works great.

Great, thanks for that. So do you set the volume to max on the k11 and leave it there?

 

[Djalife]

Has anyone tried the SMSL SU-1 DAC with the Ultra and if so, what were your thoughts? Im loving my Ultra so far, but I am curious to how much more it could be improved with the addition of a relatively cost effective external DAC.

I have my ultra connected to a Topping D10 via a quality USB then to my SMSL D0100 via a Mogami Coax then Mogami RCA TO MY YAMMY Amp. Sounds dynamic, clear and just plain awesome!
The D10 xmos chip is reclocking the signal to the dual ESS 9038Q2M chips inside the D0100. The RXV2095 is set to tone control bypass with no DSP using the Ultra's equalizer and volume control. I couldnt be happier. The SU-1 should work just fine and if you can find a decent USB converter with XMOS chips etc your system will rival others costing many tim

I tried to hook my SU1 to the Ultra via optical but no sound could be heard. I had my sub connected to Ultra and when I attempted to connect, I only heard the sub. No music out of speakers.

Power on off hard reboot. Should work

 

[Bozzz]

Great, thanks for that. So do you set the volume to max on the k11 and leave it there?

Yes on line out it goes to 99

 

[F1 Fan]

Ultra > Topping D70 Pro is also fantastic