Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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SMSL D1 DAC review
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Watch the SMSL R1 review next - youtube.com/watch?v=55Az_BbiuWQ

SMSL D200 review: youtube.com/watch?v=puYLrpy8zx8

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In this video, I’m putting a very affordable piece of hifi gear to the test to see if budget audio has finally caught up to the high-end. I’m reviewing the SMSL D1 DAC, a surprisingly simple $80 device that ditches the usual ESS and AKM chips in favor of a Rohm BD34352—the same silicon found in much more expensive units like the SMSL D200.

I explore how this minimalist Digital-to-Analog Converter performs when paired with high-end gear like the Burson Voyager Stellar. I also dive into a direct sound comparison between the D1 and its bigger brother, the D200, to see if the extra cost for balanced outputs and dedicated mains power is actually worth it for your audiophile setup. Whether you’re a headphone user looking for a smartphone DAC or a music lover seeking a plug-and-play solution, this experiment reveals exactly where the point of diminishing returns begins in budget hifi.

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00:00 SMSL D1 DAC review
00:21 Design & features
03:27 Sound quality
05:23 Final thoughts

#Audiophile #Hifi #SMSLD1 #DACReview #BudgetAudio #DesktopAudio #HeadphoneAudio #MusicLover #AudioGear #PassionForSound