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For all that, there is a somewhat “clinical,” quality to the C100, which is to say that instruments are so etched and presented so cleanly that your ears tend to focus on the individual performers rather that the integrated whole. If you have trouble using it with the optical cable, be sure to increase the DPLL value to at least 6-7. Should solve the audio issue. Measuring 12 x 16.8 x 5.5 centimetres, we can say that the K7 is “compact” for an all-in-one device. Let’s take a closer look at what FiiO has changed and improved with the K7. The FiiO K5 PRO ESS is another all-in-one solution featuring the ES9038Q2M DAC chip with an admittedly excellent sound performance. On top of the device itself and the Bluetooth antenna, which you need to install manually, the SMSL C200’s box comes with a rather slim set of accessories which only includes the remote control, a USB to USB-C cable and the power cable. There are also a manual and a warranty card. Design & Build
Bluetooth implementation is great, the connection is stable without drop outs and the sound quality is just fine with the usually expected degradation due to the Bluetooth technology inherent weaknesses. Over on the rear panel are (from left to right): AC power input, Bluetooth antenna mount, USB-C input, optical input, coaxial input, RCA output and TRS balanced output. Bluetooth This warranty extends only to personal use & does not extend to any product that has been used for commercial use, rental use, or use that is not intended. There are no warranties other than expressly set forth herein. Customers are to bear the consequences and fees incurred, if the parcel was undelivered due to any of the following situation: Reading the numbers of the C100 may not be the best out there but they’re surely not lagging too far behind even compared to some slightly more expensive DACs.
Product details
Covering every genre, from high-end DAC, to power amplifiers and dedicated headphone amplifiers, the brand is best known for its excellent quality/price ratio. Some, like the SMSL AD18 , or SH-8S are now all-time classics and can be found on many chi-fi enthusiast desks. Mine, for example, hosts the brilliant DO200 + HO200 combo, a superb DAC + headphone/amp duo that earned my personal recommendation as one of the best combos you could get in this price range, and above. With a power output of 1.3Wx2, it should have enough muscle to drive all but the most demanding headphones. Thanks to a near 0 Ω output impedance from the headphone section, the C200 is ideal for sensitive all-BA IEMs too. In addition, the headphone output has 2 gain settings: Low-gain 0dB and High-gain 11dB giving you more precise control over the output. Design
All functions can be adjusted with the multifunction knob or the remote control and there are no other buttons. For a device this small, the SMSL C200 is quite versatile and offers a lot of input and output options. Not only can you use USB, but there are also optical and coaxial ports as well as Bluetooth. Speaking of which, you get Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity with SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX and LDAC codecs, which makes the C200 able to deliver great sound quality even without using the wires. You can select both the input and the output, though you can’t differentiate between balanced and unbalanced (and that’s reasonable). I tested the C100 primarily as a DAC/preamp in a secondary system consisting of a Sony ES5400 CD transport and a Parasound amp, or as just a DAC with a Schiit SYS passive pre—I heard no difference when the Schiit was in the chain, which is, I suppose, a credit to the Schiit. The FiiO K5 Pro ESS is another all-in-one solution featuring the ES9038Q2M DAC chip with an admittedly excellent sound performance. If you’re at all familiar with the house sound of SMSL’s newer DAC offerings, the slightly warmer sonic signature of C200 will not surprise you. This warmth is most noticeable in the bass and midbass sections that lend nice fullness to the overall sound signature without influencing or muddying the midrange. Midrange itself is nicely resolving and natural sounding, without excessive sharpening or being obsessed with outlining the edges of a tone with laser-like precision. The same can be said about the highest part of the frequency response which feels open and revealing, but not too prominent or overly bright. All of this put together makes for a natural blend with a slight hit of warmth that doesn’t deviate much from something that most of us would call neutral.
Packaging & Accessories
But it has an RCA line input though so you can use it as a standalone headphone amplifier to connect another source like a phono. Although it’s so small, the SMSL C200 is able to drive practically any headphones out there. Even fairly demanding headphones such as the HiFiMAN HE-560 are driven easily and show no issues at all. This tiny thing has a remote supplied! SMSL actually gives a remote with a C200…Will you use it? The volume knob can do all the stuff the remote can but, of course, takes a little learning to master. If you’re on a long lead with the display switched off then, for sure, it will have some benefits. I suppose my usage was more about discovery than it will be for those who live with this as their constant companion. If you have a dime to spare, please donate, and help us! It would make the day brighter for me and my wife- The sound is transparent, crystal clear and neutral with an absolutely flat frequency response and great fidelity.
There’s one less cable to hide noticing that the C100 runs completely fine from a single USB data cable. Not demanding a wall wart, what it needs is a USB port with enough juice to support this extra load. This is crucial for those using USB hubs since in my experience you’ll have to use powered kinds for the C100 to turn on. We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
Tech Highlights
The SMSL HO100 is a compact desktop headphone amplifier, designed as an entry-level version of the HO200. From the look, it reminds me of Topping recent amp, with a footprint no bigger than an A5 book and front toggles to select your source/gain.
After cycling through a startup sequence, the display rests to show the sampling rate instead of the volume level which by the way is set to max by default. A remote is included since it is the only way to use the C100 as a preamp.Trading some of the conveniences of the C200, the C100 is alternatively given MQA functionality which is made obvious by the printed logo below the seven-segment display. The logo itself doesn’t light up so there is a dedicated indicator on the side. The 2nd generation XMOS solution supports DoP64 and native DSD512,and PCM supports up to 32bit/768kHz; So what does the C200 have to offer when it comes to audio quality? Plenty as it turns out. Once again SMSL has gone with a flat, neutral tuning for the C200. It measures exceptionally well with its linear frequency response and low THD+N. Sound Details and Pairing While it may seem like a very simple box, the C100 starts with a fairly nice USB-C input that can read music libraries of up to 32bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512. It then adds the usual host of other connectivity options such as optical, coaxial, and Bluetooth. The Bluetooth spec though is curiously omitted. Coming at around two hundred dollars, SMSL C200 doesn’t bring anything new and exciting to the table. What it does offer is a good balance of features, sonic qualities, and value. So let’s take a closer look. Build and Features
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