Specifications
Cirrus Logic CS43131 + Infineon MA5332MS
If not as high-end as the DO400, the SMSL AO300 was still given some very nice components, starting with the Cirrus-Logic CS43131 DAC. A chip we’ve encountered many, many times, delivering “superior audio performance” and embedding DSD/PCM hardware decoding, and the wide dynamic range exclusive to the Master-HiFi series in Cirrus catalog. And, history has proven that Cirrus really knows cirrus knows a thing or two about it, improving year after year, for the last decade.
As usual, this chip is more of an SOC than a simple DAC, embedding all kinds of features like advanced 32-bit oversampled multi-bit modulator with mismatch shaping technology, or an Integrated GND-centered, Class H headphone driver, helping brands like FiiO to create all-in-one devices, with smaller PCB.
To sum it up, you get:
- up to 32bits / 384kHz PCM decoding + DSD256 support
- Hardware MQA renderer
- -115dB THD + 30mW @ 32ohm
- low power consumption, between 6.25-40.2 during playback
- Seamless switching between high performance and low power playback
- Volume matching of the analog output levels and channel mixing
Upstream, to feed those chips, the brand gifted the AO33400 an ARM CPU and the latest generation of XMOS chips, the XU-316.Dedicated to the USB and I2S (HDMI) port, this chip offers full support for 32-bit PCM stream, up to 768kHz, and DSD512/DoP256 files for utmost precision.
As for the headphone output itself, SMSL stayed vague but announced conservative numbers. With a 32 ohm Load, the SMSL AO300 harmonic distortion reaches 0.003 while maintaining an average signal-to-noise ratio (107dB). A league below the DO400 and even DO200, but the brand top that with the all-new Infineon MA5332MS, which makes the AO300 very interesting.
Why? Because this Class D chip makes the AO300 one of the most powerful speaker amplifiers available in this category, outputting no less than 165W per channel at 4 ohm, and 85W per channel at 8 ohm. Numbers that make the AO300 battling with mid-range amps like the Teac TN-303 – that shares a lot of common traits, but at 2-3 times the price.
Is it as good as a DAC/AMP as it is as an integrated amp, we’ll see?
Bundle
Inside the box
As usual with SMSL, the AO300 bundle is quite good and comes with everything you need to start.
Inside, you’ll find:
- the SMSL AO300
- a power plug
- one Bluetooth antenna
- a type-A to type-C USB cable
- an HDMI cable
- an IR remote (without batteries)
- some documentation
And if I usually vent about how the brand should have provided a RCA cable, the inclusion of an USB-C cable and HDMI cable completely make up for it. And so, all you’re going to need after that is a good source like a computer, a digital transport, or even a DAP with a digital output – it’s up to you.
For the nerdiest one, here is the full technical data, for the rest, you can go to the next page already.
Technical Data
- Model: SMSL AO33
- Type: Digital Audio Converter + Desktop amplifier + speaker amplifier
- DAC: Cirrus-Logic CS43131
- Digital controller: XMOS XU-316
- Power amplifier: Infineon MA5332MS
- Outputs : speakers, 4.4mm Pentaconn, 6.35mm Jack,
- Input: USB, Optical, Coaxial, Bluetooth, HDMI
- THD: 0.003%
- SNR: > 107dB
- Output power: 165W x2 (4 ohm) / 85W x2 (8 ohm)
- Sampling rate: USB/I2S – PCM up to 32bit/768kHz / DSD512,( Optical/Coaxial/AES – PCM up to 24bit/192kHz / DSD64(DoP)
- MQA compatibility: full decoder (USB, Opt, Coax, AES)
- Bluetooth: SBC / AAC / aptX / aptX HD / LDAC
- Size : 219mm x 185mm x 42mm
- Weight: 1520g
- Power consumption: 40W (in normal use), < 0.5W (idle)
- Price: $289
The review continues on Page four, after the click HERE or by using the jump below.
Page 1: About the brand
Page 2: Design & Build Quality, UI & Usage
Page 3: Specifications, Bundle
Page 4: Sound performances
