SMSL DL100 Audio Decoder Earphone Amplifier,4*CS43131 Chip,HDMI(ARC) Can be Decoded for TV, Dual Mode ISB,6.35mm+4.4mm Dual Headphone Output,XLR Balanced+RCA Output,Full Function Remote Control

SMSL DL100 Latest All In One Amp/DAC ComboPros: Runs coolSmooth volume wheel away from plugs5.1 volt DAC for under $200No sound switching bit rates like DL200Silent noise floor with IEMsScreen turns off completely with selectable timerCons: Smaller form factor than DL200 won't fit all amplifiers on itNo low/high gain, only one stageNo 4/5 volt mode, just volume adjustmentJust got one of these in, here some photos including a couple with a ruler to see the size of what amplifier could fit on it. It's indeed smaller than the DL200 so full size amps like the A90 won't fit (though the A30Pro fits great). There's no high gain mode, just a single one. There's no 4/5 volt switch like was confirmed. Volume control is in decibels (-99 to 0) and not the usual 0-99 on the DL200. It's got a no oversampling filter with the others, I just kept it on the default for now. The plugs on the front are pretty recessed, so thick connectors might have clearance issues. It runs ice cold, even under heavy load for an hour or so. I ran different file formats like DSF (SACD) and it handled them well with the current SMSL driver in Foobar2000. The 4.4mm jack is smooth now, previous models have been pretty scratchy inserting a plug until worn in.One nice thing is there's no tick/pop when switching bit rates like on the DL200 and D-6s, so speaker people rejoice. All the rest checks out, Bluetooth 5.1 works well, but didn't try the HDMI yet. Coax and Optical is smooth even with a cheap Sybasonic I use to test for functionality. Noise floor is silent when pausing a song with 18 ohm IEMs and turning the volume up to listen for a hiss, nothing to hear. I'll believe the power rating when I see measurements, I remember the DL200 in high gain being a lot more impressive. If I was going to pair this to an amplifier, it would be the Drop SMSL HO150x which would easily fit, and has twice the power. I have an H300 and H400 but doubt those or the A90 are going to fit on it.It sounds great, and I'm sure this will measure really well. I just don't know why they made it smaller when the XLR plugs on the back are larger than the DL200 with it's 1/4" balanced outputs. One really nice feature is the volume wheel is so far away from the headphone jacks, no chance you'll run into them. The wheel is smooth, but has soft clicks for each DB change. Overall it's really nice, but if you plan to put a full size amp on it, check the ruler measurements I did to make sure it'll fit. It uses the standard RC-8C remote that comes with many of their other things. As you can see, the XLR connectors are upside down, so short 6" interconnects won't work, 1ft or longer are best so you have some room to twist them.It's a great value for a 5.2 volt DAC with XLR and not 1/4" RCA if you have a ton of XLR cables already. The display turns off completely with an adjustable timeout. People with speakers will like this a lot more than the DL200 or D-6s, which make a slight pop when switching bit rates. This is a different chipset and is silent when switching. Also the 4.4mm connector is smooth on this one, other recent models like the M300SE and DL200 felt pretty "grindy" rough when inserting a plug. If it's not enough power down the road, the Drop SMSL HO150x or Topping A30Pro are my top choices to sit on top of it.The only mystery or reason not to buy it, is the single gain stage. Without a high gain, I can nearly max out the volume when equalizing my Hifiman Deva Pro Wired (basically it's the stealth driver version of the HE5XX). I'm going to run some volume measurements with others I have with the same claimed power output. It just seems more like 1 watt into 32 ohm, but I'll soon find out. Will update my Audiosciencereview and Head-Fi reviews as well if anything changes. As a DAC into the A30Pro it's amazing though. - Dunring

The DL100 is good, but to me, it's outperformed by the DL200 for only $10 more.I bought the DL100 ($180), DL200 ($190), and DO400 ($500) at the same time, feeding to an Adcom GFP-555 II to a Fosi V3 to Klipsch Heresy II speakers, and for headphones Sennheiser HD650 and Hifiman HE1000 Stealth. It's been awhile since I compared them, but basically DL100 sounded 'thin' compared to the DL200 - both from the RCA and headphone outputs. The DL200, however, sounded closer to the DO400 than it did the DL100. I felt like I probably couldn't reliably tell the difference between the DL200 and DO400 in a blind test over RCA. Hard to tell if the differences I did see were just placebo. It seemed a bit more distinct over the headphones, but again I'm not confident I could accurately guess in a blind test. I kept the DO400 because I got it for only $350, and it has a feature the DL200 doesnt: turning off the PCM filter, which, imo, does impact sound quality, at the very least making the signal louder at the same volume level. Worth noting the DL200 has an ES9039Q2M while the DO400 has an ES9039MSPRO, which may account for why they sound so similar to me.

I've been very pleased with the quality of this device, both in driving headphones and as an external DAC for my high-end stereo. As a DAC it's fully transparent, so I saw no need to spend more.

Pair the SMSL DL100 with a pair of Sony SSCS5 3-Way bookshelf speakers and you'll have a far better setup than any soundbar, plus a good stereo setup as well.The DL100 has a full compliment of inputs and outputs, including USB-C, digital optical, HDMI, digital coaxial, balanced XLR, RCA, Bluetooth 5.1, and 6.35mm headphone jack and 4.4mm headphone jacks. Comes with a serviceable remote control (batteries not included). I like the integrated power supply, no external PSU brick required!!The size is medium to small. Not small like some of their other products, nor the slightly larger format of the DL200.The SMSL DL100 DAC uses four CS43131 chips which generally have a good track record as far as DAC chips go. It has 5 PCM filters, but I find it difficult to discern the difference between them. It is claimed to support up to 768kHz/32bit. I tested it with an Oppo SACD player, as well as Amazon Music and it sounds terrific!The noise floor must be ultra low, as there's zero hiss/noise at full volume with an audio source paused. There's no pop sound switching bit rates (like on the DL200). I tested the headphone amp with my HiFiMan planar magnetics and the output was both clear, and I could drive the headphones to uncomfortable listening levels, so no issues driving HiFiMan planar magnetics.For the price, a balanced high quality DAC with remote control, this is a solid purchase!

I am writing this for the person who does not take free product recommendations as being the same as a person who actually purchased this DAC AND AMP AT RETAIL. Basically I dont want to go over the same specs as the other reviews have. Instead I am just going to say if you on the edge of buying this dac then go forward knowing everything you have read is true. This thing functions just as the other reviews have said. For the money you wont find another offering that matches this one in performance or sound. I am very happy I went with this DAC as it sounds fantastic and is very smooth in operation. Just buy it especially if its your first purchase for a DAC AND HEADPHONE AMP. You will learn what a good amp and dac can bring to your music system. I did not try the tv functions as I have no need for a tv amp.

I purchased this unit specifically for the HDMI ARC connection but it does not work. Hooked up an AV receiver subsequently and indeed the HDMI ARC function works fine. The problem lies with the SMSL DL100.