SMSL RAW-MDA1 dac/amp

Equipment / Electronics / Gear / Accessories Headphone Amps
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SMSL knocked it out of the park. The RAW-MDA1 sounds neutral and transparent. The sound isn’t colored nor completely analytical. Comparing it with the SU-1 DAC, the RAW has a wider soundstage with more transparency. I may see people not as fond of it because it might be too transparent without the special sauce. What’s special about it is delivering clarity without being too analytical. Maybe that’s its fingerprint. The word “neutral” gets tossed around so frequently that it becomes less meaningful and more of a cliche which I’m guilty of doing myself but this unit is the epitome of the term. Not only referencing tonality but the complete frequency range where nothing is particularly emphasized. The PCM filters and Sound Color are useful features that make a difference in the sound presentation.

The headphone amp has more than enough power (6x OPA1612A). I don’t own hard to drive planar headphones so I can’t speak on those circumstances but it drives my HD600 and IEMs with ease. My integrated amp has a headphone jack but the RAW has a much cleaner sound with a blacker background. Comparing it to the ONIX Alpha which some reviewers have stated it’s as good as desktop headphone amps, the RAW is more of a reference level unit compared to the Alpha dongle. The ONIX Alpha has a smoother sound with a more analog approach which I enjoy on a portable device when listening to music for hours with IEM’s. At home or at the shop I prefer the sound of the RAW. I tend to gravitate towards neutrality and transparency with no additives. Let the sound be manipulated by your choice of speakers or headphones/IEM.

Amplifiers like speakers can also be chosen based on a particular sound signature but you sacrifice some flexibility with correctly matching speakers or headphones. DAC’s shouldn’t have any influence in tonality other than to pass information at its purest form. The RAW does a great job at that. The headphone amp is strong and clear. The only nick picks I can point out is the RAW’s soundstage and depth could be more immersive. Also, it could have a more dynamic presentation. Perhaps have a more refined headphone amp but I can’t complain because it’s a solid unit that’s hard to beat for the price. You’ll have to spend at least double the price to reach pass those shortcomings. The RAW-MDA1 at $280 is a great bang for the buck.

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How’s the treble on this thing with HD600 ?

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It’s good but the HD600 itself has some peaks around 4k and 13-15kish. I EQ it down with the WiiM.

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After nearly three weeks of ownership, I thought it was about time I shared a few thoughts on this great little DAC/Amp. I was so curious about the new implementation of this ESS chip that I had to try this device. Don’t get me wrong, I have been enjoying my Bifrost 2 for years and still do, but I felt like I wanted to try something new. And for 280 bucks I couldn’t resist. I have owned various SMSL products and had confidence that this device would not disappoint. It surely didn’t.

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To say that this device punches above it’s weight class would be quite an understatement. I won’t try to get into all the technicalities, ASR does a really great job in his review, so I would direct you over there. What I can share is what it sounds like and what it’s like to use.

The physical build is really quite nice and shows a kind of refinement in the manufacturing. I love the layout of all the connectors and such. The connectivity options are impressive with (2) coax and (2) optical interfaces available. There is also the latest Bluetooth and a USB-C interface, if you are into that sort of thing! I am feeding mine through one of the optical interfaces. The front panel and the UI are a nice step up. I like how the information is displayed. You have 2 options as to physical presentation, and I like them both! I am just going to alternate.

From a useability standpoint, this DAC is easy and enjoyable to use. Part of that comes from the familiarity I have with the SMSL menu system, of course. But the RAW-MDA 1 has a very nice feature set, and I enjoy tinkering with it. The filters do work and make small, very nuanced changes in the presentation, but it’s there, it’s noticeable to me. I ended up going with the Slow Roll-Off filter as opposed to the Fast-Roll-Off. Same goes for the coloration options available, of which, after much experimentation, I have gone with Tube 3. These slight tweaks have added a kind of richness and depth to the stage.

As for how it sounds, I think this was the biggest surprise. To my ear, it’s superb. The dual ESS chips provide such accuracy and detail retrieval. Dynamic range is the first thing that hit me when I started listening. You hear everything. It’s a slightly more energetic presentation than the Bifrost without getting into that glare phase. It gets close, but for me at least it’s not a problem. The adjustments I have made above helped with this. I am using the preamp mode to drive the AMP-F2 / speakers and the preamp circuit is excellent, it’s strong and very transparent. The remote is a clear step up from the cheap remotes SMSL are known for. I have tested the headamp circuit as well, and it is very competent. It drives IEMs very well and sounds great. That said, the headamps I already have are better, so this won’t get used much in my system, but it’s a very good sounding amp circuit. The overall listening experience is extremely satisfying. This competes on every level with the Bifrost, and given the cost differential, that is a worthy achievement.

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After weeks of enjoying the RAW-MDA 1 DAC in the desktop system, I have come to a decision. It is a great DAC with a great feature set, but as a DAC, it’s not better than the Bifrost 2. It just isn’t. So I decided to redeploy it. But instead of replacing the M200 in the bedroom setup, I put it into the main system in the living room, replacing the older SU-8 DAC.

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The SU-8 has been a very solid DAC that has performed extremely well for years. It has in it the best ESS chips that were available in the day. But I gotta say, the RAW-MDA 1 provides a significant improvement in performance and capability. The synergy between the DAC and the amp is superb. The sound field is now even deeper, more natural and more immursive. I couldn’t be happier with it. :ok_hand:t2:

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Verry few ESS based DACs under $1,000 that compete with the BF2 (depending what your preferences are). Having different flavors of sound is always a good thing in my book though. :wink:

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Totally agree. To be honest, I have been lusting after the Gungnir 2. But it’s just so dadgum big. It would be a challenge to integrate it into the setup. If anything were to happen to my Frost, I would most likely end up getting the Frost 2/64. That Gumby, though… :laughing:

Getting back to the RAW-MDA 1, I am blown away by how well it has integrated into this home theater system in the living room. The soundfield being produced is incredible. I’m watching the Ravens-Chargers game, and I feel like I am there. For the money this thing is crazy good!

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