SMSL DO400 Review

Design and Build Quality

Casing

Much like its predecessors, the SMSL DO400 retains everything that has made the brand successful: a chassis with a sober, almost minimalist design, whose only flair is the slightly offset LCD screen (in color). A versatile design that I’m quite fond of; it’s not exactly remarkable, but that’s not the main goal here.

Out of the box, you get a medium-sized DAC measuring 254mm x 186mm x 42mm, a form factor that should suit most desktops and allows you to fit it under your screen for added convenience. And, even if it doesn’t share the exact same dimensions as its predecessor, I was still able to place my HO200 below and the all-new AO300 above (review incoming), creating the familiar audiophile totem that I’m accustomed to.

And if not as small as the DO100 and HO100, the SMSL DO400 remains much smaller than the Cayin i-DAC6 that I regularly use, thanks to its conservative footprint and slick design.

Build Quality

If visually the SMSL DO400 isn’t the most impressive device you can think of, once in hand, that’s a completely different story. Weighing 1.52kg, this is a very dense DAC that inspires confidence, and once installed, the presence it exudes truly lends a premium feel, one you’d expect for a device at 10 times the price, like Rose Audio or Cambridge.

A feeling enhanced by the DAC’s flawless built quality, as well as the refined screens and connectors. While I found the previous potentiometer a bit too loose to my taste, the new one provides excellent tactile feedback and allowed me to reach the perfect volume level, every time.  and consistently allows for the perfect volume adjustment. Same goes for the I/O: the headphone ports on the front are perfectly flush, with no gaps whatsoever, as do the digital/analog inputs on the back.

Speaking of layout, let’s check on that.

Layout

The SMSL DO400 I/O remains one the very best you could find, giving you every port you may ever need, in both ways. The LCD screen is still there too – now upgraded with a new display and a slightly modified UI – giving you lots and lots of options to route, tune, and arrange how and where you want to listen to your music.

The back panel comes with two outputs ports:

• 1x XLR to connect a balanced amplifier / set of powered speakers
• 1x RCA to connect an unbalanced amplifier / set of powered speakers

And no less than six input ports, to cover every type of source:

• 1x XLR AES/EBU port, mostly used in a studio environment
• 1x USB-B port, to connect your computer or a DAP (plus firmware upgrade now)
• 1x Coaxial port, a classic found on a wide lot of sources 
• 1x SPDIF port, same as above, you can find it on CD-Players or even your game console
• 1x Bluetooth antenna, thanks to its new BT chipset, the DAC supports Hi-Res Bluetooth decoding (LDAC, aptXHD, SBC, AAC)
• 1x HDMI port for I2S support, like the DO200 and DO200MKII

Then, upfront, you have:

• 1x XLR 4-Pins, to plug your balanced headphone
• 1x Pentaconn 4.4mm, to plug another balanced headphone/IEM
• 1x 6.35 mm Jack, for your classic, unbalanced headphone
• a clickable control wheel, that allows you to set the volume in pre-amp mode, and access the full menu…
• … available through the LCD screen, located on the right side of the front panel

Finally, I was once again surprised to see that SMSL managed to fit the power supply inside the device instead of relying on a separate one. If a bit heavier, this also means that you can use a classic plug or a Y-splitter that I do on my desk

So, let’s set up the SMSL DO400 and see how it goes.

The review continues on Page three, after the click HERE or by using the jump below.

Page 1: About the brand

Page 2: Design & Build Quality, UI & Usage 

Page 3:UI & Usage 

Page 4: Specifications, Bundle

Page 5: Sound performances