S.M.S.L - DO200 DAC - digital analogue converter

Compact and sober, the Hi-Res SMSL DO200 DAC has a metal chassis, premium finishes, and pairs perfectly with the AO200 stereo amp from the same manufacturer. It includes a 1.9” tempered glass display (IPS-type with dimming function), next to the central volume/select knob.

The DO200 houses a pair of ESS DAC chips (ES9068AS) to support fully balanced output. It also features five SoundPlus OPA1612 operational amplifiers, quite common, and is capable of handling high-resolution files including DSD512 and PCM up to 768 kHz / 32 bit. The USB input is supported by an XMOS XU-216 interface, and the DO200 offers LDAC, aptX and Bluetooth 5.0 inputs. Essentially, the DO200 is currently the only DAC on the market to offer complete MQA decoding on all inputs including USB, optical, coaxial and even the AES serial interface. MQA playback does not require additional software; Foobar2000 or Audirvana can be used for playback since it supports ASIO or WASAPI audio output (it is recommended to set the computer volume at the maximum possible).

As for sophistication, it is a desktop DAC of standard size, among the few, if not the only one, that natively supports LDAC and aptX HD. On the rear there are balanced XLR outputs as well as single-ended RCA outputs, AES/EBU inputs, Bluetooth antenna, exotic I2S input, coaxial input, optical input, and USB input. Beside the power socket there is the physical power switch; a small remote is included in the box. PCM filters available are “Slow Minimum”, “Minimum Phase” and “Fast Linear”, while for DSD or MQA support on coaxial & optical you must enable processor mode (then turn off and restart the unit), invoking the XMOS instead of using the DIR (Digital Interface Receiver) chip as is often done with other DACs. There is also a DPLL (Digital Phase-Locked Loop) function to limit jitter and avoid interruptions with marginal input sources. Among the specs: THD+N 0.00008%, dynamic range 129dB on XLR and 125dB on RCA, SNR 128dB, output impedance a fairly standard 100 Ohms. Bluetooth compatibility SBC / AAC / APTX / APTX HD and LDAC. USB bit depth: 1 bit, 16-32 bit; optical/coaxial/AES/EBU: 1 bit, 16-24 bit. Power consumption 5 Watts; the low-noise linear power supply is a discrete component designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce consumption. Dimensions 210 x 40 x 170 mm (L x H x D) and weight 1.2 kg.

Used very little, the best DAC in terms of value for money. Free pair of XLR cables included.

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