Why was the OP banned? When did that happen?

They're all good, including the original M8...they're all better than most in the same price range. ...And there has always been the option of the linear power supply...which adds about 70% [iirc] to the cost, bringing into another price range, i suppose. You can get DACs that cost more than 2x...

Whatever, someone early in the SMSL M8 thread (the original thread, original M8) tried the standard wall-plug PS, a battery, and the SMSL P1 LPS and found that the P1 seemed to be better than the battery. PS: A starting point re that...

Thanks! Good to know. Now i can feel less concerned about mine burning out. I should probably get one now, to keep as spare.

I bought the SMSL P1 linear power supply with it (going by 1 or 2 reports here,) so the total cost was much more, but still less than an equivalent DAC with built-in power supply. Either way, though, i prefer it to using the USB power.

:) ! Amir! What a good news! (Katji from .za forum here.) So glad you got to it. I'll read just now. So glad to see it's good. :)

I have very old dinner knife for that - very thin, and blunt.

What do you compare it with?

yeah, the problem is that the USB stuff is integrated on the motherboard...and SPDI/F is not better than USB but i suppose that's all you can try. :-/

USB cable. Is it working right, is it proper - as in, is it according to USB spec. Many are not. Just try a different USB cable. Then, after that, the problem might be with the USB hardware of the computer. They do vary - some are noisier, some are more prone to intermittently dropping...

Dude.....This is why email notifications are sometimes... :-s (Sorry for doing it myself too. but...:-s)...just think of it before you LOL to the whole world. :beyersmile:

Have you read the posts about power supply? Experiments /tests with battery and with an external PSU, and with the SMSL P1 Linear PS.

It's subjective, whatever seems to sound better to you. With your other components and the type of music you listen to.

Try the one from the XMOS site. (If it is not obviously the exact same file.) i've never seen that error before...but i've never used Windows 10.

That's interesting. Worse parameters? ...Other than power usage? Topping D30... Just an overall impression that it sounds better, or can you...describe? :) I hope the SMSL prices are where they are because of more expensive components. (According to their marketing stuff.)