S.M.S.L M500

⚠️ Safety Notes

• Install this unit in a well-ventilated, cool, dry, clean place, away from direct sunlight, heat sources, vibration, dust, moisture, or cold.
• Use only the voltage specified on this unit. Using this unit with a higher voltage than specified is dangerous and may cause fire, damage to this unit, or personal injury. The company will not be held responsible for any damage resulting from the use of this unit with a voltage other than that specified.
• Do not attempt to modify or fix this unit yourself. Contact your salesperson or customer service when any service is needed. The cabinet should never be opened for any reason.
• When not planning to use this unit for long periods of time (e.g., when going on vacation), disconnect the power cable from the AC wall outlet.

? Warranty Terms

Term of Service: Foshan Shuangmusanlin Technology Co., Ltd. promises good quality products. If the product is defective under normal use within 7 days after purchasing, the customer can choose to return or repair it (return is only possible if the product does not affect secondary sales). Faulty products will be repaired free of charge within one year of normal use warranty.

Date of Purchase: The date of purchase is determined by the invoice or receipt issued by the seller. For online purchases, a screenshot of the transaction may be used.

Situations Not Covered by Warranty ("Three Guarantees" Service):

• All damages caused by human factors, including use under non-normal working environments or failure to follow manual instructions.
• User privately disassembling, modifying, or repairing the unit.
• Damage caused by using non-designated or unapproved accessories.
• Damage to QC or warranty stickers on the cabinet.
• Inability to provide a valid proof of purchase.
• Products not belonging to the company's product line.

Guarantee Method: Repair by sending the unit in.

These terms are applicable only to mainland China. For other regions, please refer to the policies of local sales agents and national regulations.

✨ Features

• Supports MQA decoding.
• Features the top-performance D/A chip ES9038PRO from ESS Technology.
• Utilizes the high-performance power supply chip ES9311, with noise as low as 1uVrms, to maximize the ES9038PRO's performance.
• Includes XMOS XU-208 for true 32-bit audio processing, supporting DoP and Native DSD, with PCM up to 768kHz and DSD up to DSD512.
• Employs ultra-low phase noise and optimized clock processing circuits for ultra-low clock jitter.
• All inputs support DSD streaming, including coaxial and optical (DoP64).
• Independent headphone volume design that does not interfere with the preamp volume.
• Discrete component, high-current headphone amplifier design for a higher damping factor.
• Uses a tempered glass display panel for higher light transmission and longer service life.
• Built-in shielded, low-noise power supply processing, improving power efficiency and reducing consumption.
• Specially designed discrete component linear regulated power supply and multiple low-noise regulated power supplies for the analog circuits.
• High-quality gold-plated input and output terminals.
• Uses 3 high-end dual op-amps (OPA1612) and numerous audio-grade components.
• Features a 2.19-inch LG TFT LCD display.
• Holds JAS Hi-Res certification.
• Equipped with a remote control and full-function remote control.

? Specifications

Firmware and driver download: http://www.smsl-audio.com/cn/download.asp

?️ Component Introduction

Front Panel:

• 1 Display: Shows device status, settings, and audio information.
• 2 Remote window: Infrared receiver for the remote control.
• 3 Knob*: Multifunction control. Rotate to adjust volume or navigate menus. Press briefly to enter menus or confirm selections. Press and hold to exit menus or power on/off.
• 4 6.35mm headphone jack: For connecting headphones.

Rear Panel:

• 5 Balanced output: XLR balanced audio output.
• 6 RCA output: Single-ended audio output.
• 7 USB input: For connecting to a computer or other USB audio sources.
• 8 AC IN: Power input.
• 9 Optical 1 input: TOSLINK optical audio input.
• 10 Optical 2 input: Second TOSLINK optical audio input.
• 11 Power switch: Main power on/off switch.
• 12 Coaxial input: Coaxial digital audio input.

? Remote Control

Operation:

• Install 2 x AAA batteries as instructed.
• When using the remote control, point it towards the remote control signal receiver on the main unit from a distance of 5 m (16 ft) or less. Do not place obstructions between the main unit and the remote control.
• The remote control might not work if the receiver is exposed to direct sunlight or bright light. Try moving the unit.
• Beware that use of this remote control could cause unintentional operation of other devices controlled by infrared.

Remote Control Buttons:

• Power ON/OFF: Turns the unit on or off.
• Mute: Mutes/unmutes audio output.
• Volume +/up: Increases volume or navigates up in menus.
• MENU/OK: Enters menus or confirms selections.
• Next level menu: Navigates to the next menu level.
• Return: Returns to the previous menu or screen.
• Volume -/down: Decreases volume or navigates down in menus.
• FN: Function button (context-dependent).
• Output select: Selects the audio output mode.
• Input select: Selects the audio input source.
• A, B: Reserved / Invalid functions.
• C: Switch to control M500.

Note: This remote controller uses 2 x R03/AAA batteries. For the first operation of the M500, press the C key first.

?️ User Interface

Main Display:

• 1. Output indicator and volume level: ? Indicates Line out, ? indicates Headphones out.
• 2. Volume Level: Displays the current volume setting.
• 3. Input source: Shows the currently selected input (e.g., USB, OPTI1).
• 4. Stream indicator: Indicates the type of audio stream.
• 5. Audio format indicator*: Displays the audio format (e.g., PCM, MQA, DSD).
• 6. Current Sample rate: Displays the current audio sample rate. It shows "NO SIGNAL" when there is no connection or unlock, and "MUTING" when the unit is muted.

Note:

• When the PCM audio is 88.2 kHz or higher, it will display " ? Hi-Res ".
• When it is MQA audio, it will display " MQA ".
• When it is DSD audio, it will display " DSD ".

? About MQA

MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) is an award-winning British technology that delivers the sound of the original master recording. The master MQA file is fully authenticated and is small enough to stream or download. The M500 includes MQA technology, which enables you to playback MQA audio files and streams, delivering the sound of the original master recording.

For more information, visit https://www.mqa.co.uk/how-it-works.

MQA Files Playback

• The M500 supports MQA decoding only on the USB interface. Other interfaces do not support it.
• M500's MQA playback does not require additional software. You can use software like foobar2000 or Audirvana, as long as they support ASIO or WASAPI audio output. When playing MQA audio, it is suggested to set the computer's volume to maximum for the best audio output.
• The M500 LED next to the MQA logo glows green or blue to indicate that the unit is decoding and playing an MQA stream or file, ensuring the sound is identical to the source material. It glows blue to indicate it is playing an MQA Studio file, which has been approved in the studio by the artist/producer or verified by the copyright owner. The M500 LED glows magenta to indicate that the unit is rendering an MQA stream or file, delivering the final unfold of the MQA file.
• When playing an MQA file, the sampling rate of the original master recording is displayed.

MQA and the Sound Wave Device are registered trademarks of MQA Limited. © 2016

⚙️ Settings

2. SETUP MENU

1. INPUT (Input Source):

• USB (USB Input)
• OPTI 1 (Optical 1 Input)
• OPTI 2 (Optical 2 Input)
• COAX (Coaxial Input)

2. OUTPUT (Output Mode):

• LINE OUT (Line Output)
• HP OUT (Headphone Output)

*Note: The output of the circuit is both RCA and XLR output when Line Out is selected.

3. FILTER (PCM Filter): This setup is only valid for non-MQA PCM format. Products with a full MQA Decoder unfold the file to deliver the highest possible sound quality. At this level of playback, you are hearing what the artists created in the studio – with precise file and platform-specific DAC compensation and management.

• Fast Linear (Fast roll-off, linear phase filter)
• Slow Linear (Slow roll-off, linear phase filter)
• Fast Minimum (Fast roll-off, minimum phase filter)
• Slow Minimum (Slow roll-off, minimum phase filter)
• Apodizing (Cubic, fast roll-off, linear phase filter)
• Fast Hybrid (Mixed, fast roll-off, minimum phase filter)
• Brickwall (Brickwall filter)

4. DIMMER (Display Brightness): LEVEL 1 ~ LEVEL 9

5. SYSTEM (System Information): This page shows system information, such as model name, version, etc.

? Factory Reset

With the unit powered off, press and hold the power button while connecting the power cord. Release the button once the screen displays the logo. Then, restart the unit.