SMSL M500 MKII DAC & Headphone Amplifier

SMSL M500 MKII DAC & HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER

The SMSL M500 MKII is a high-performance desktop digital-to-analogue converter, headphone amplifier and stereo preamplifier. Combining the flagship ESS ES9038PRO DAC with an XMOS XU216 USB interface, powerful headphone amplification and versatile wired and wireless inputs, it offers excellent flexibility for demanding desktop and Hi-Fi systems.

FLAGSHIP ESS ES9038PRO CONVERSION

The M500 MKII incorporates a single ESS ES9038PRO DAC chip with HyperStream II conversion technology. An ultra-low-noise ESS ES9311 power regulator and carefully designed analogue circuitry help deliver precise stereo reproduction with exceptionally low measured distortion.

SMSL specifies a dynamic range of up to 131dB through the balanced XLR outputs and 126dB through the unbalanced RCA outputs.

PCM 768KHZ AND DSD512 VIA USB

The XMOS XU216 asynchronous USB interface supports PCM up to 32-bit/768kHz and native DSD512 from compatible computers and digital audio sources.

Optical and coaxial inputs support PCM up to 24-bit/192kHz and DSD64 via DoP, allowing the M500 MKII to work with CD transports, televisions and other digital components.

POWERFUL HEADPHONE AMPLIFICATION

A dedicated PLFC headphone amplifier circuit delivers up to 2W per channel into 16 ohms and 1W per channel into 32 ohms. The low-distortion design is suitable for a broad range of compatible full-size headphones.

A front-panel 6.35mm headphone output and selectable low/high gain provide convenient personal listening. The headphone section has independent volume settings from the rear analogue outputs.

BLUETOOTH 5.0 WITH LDAC AND aptX HD

The built-in Bluetooth receiver supports LDAC, aptX HD, aptX, AAC and SBC. Stream music wirelessly from compatible smartphones, tablets and computers without requiring an additional Bluetooth receiver.

The supported codec is negotiated automatically with the transmitting device.

MQA AND MQA-CD SUPPORT

The M500 MKII supports MQA decoding through compatible USB, optical and coaxial sources. MQA-CD playback is supported when a suitable CD transport sends the encoded digital signal to the DAC.

Selectable S/PDIF processing modes provide additional flexibility when working with different digital sources and formats.

BALANCED XLR AND RCA PREAMPLIFIER OUTPUTS

Balanced stereo XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs allow direct connection to compatible integrated amplifiers, power amplifiers and active loudspeakers.

Fixed and variable output modes make the M500 MKII suitable for use either as a conventional DAC or as a digital-source preamplifier. When connecting directly to a power amplifier, select variable output and begin at a low volume level.

ADJUSTABLE DIGITAL FILTERS AND SOUND MODES

The ESS DAC offers selectable PCM and DSD reconstruction filters, adjustable DPLL settings and nine sound-colour presets. These controls allow users to explore different processing options and optimise compatibility with digital sources.

COMPACT CONSTRUCTION AND REMOTE CONTROL

The M500 MKII features a compact aluminium enclosure with a tempered-glass front panel and a 1.9-inch colour TFT display. Its shielded internal power supply and carefully separated digital and analogue circuitry are designed to limit unwanted electrical interference.

An included remote control provides access to volume, input selection and operating settings from the listening position.

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