Introduction

S.M.S.L is short for Foshan ShuangMuSanLin technology Co. Ltd., and is an audio brand founded in 2009 in China, with another branch (VMV) based out of Hong Kong since 2013. Between the two, S.M.S.L has put out a long line of audio sources including DACs, power/integrated amplifiers, and headphone amplifiers with internal R&D and manufacturing. The company has always been compared to the likes of TOPPING and yet more people today seem to agree that S.M.S.L is the first to come out with new features and chipsets alike. Soon after my TOPPING E30 II/L30 II stack review, I had the opportunity to test the S.M.S.L offering at the same overall price point thanks to SHENZHENAUDIO.


Today we take take a closer look at the S.M.S.L SU-6 DAC and SH-6 headphone amplifier that are meant to be used alongside each other as a stack. This does not mean you are forced to do so, as each item works individually of course, just that the form factor and features work synergistically and accordingly make sense to be paired up. I will also refer to S.M.S.L as SMSL going forward, for convenience, so please keep that in mind. The SU-6 and SH-6 both come in black or silver color options, with the thumbnail showing the silver version to contrast with the black versions I have here. SMSL refers to both of these as "desktop mini" products in its extensive lineup, aiming to offer a lot of value in not only the price point, but also the footprint occupied on your desk. Let's put these claims to the test in this review, beginning with a look at the product specifications, which I have taken directly from the respective SMSL product pages, since there is much to report. Click on the respective thumbnail twice for the full-size image.

Specifications

S.M.S.L SU-6 DAC:


S.M.S.L SH-6 Amplifier: