Authorized dealers for s.m.s.l D12

Addicted to Audio — online and in-store — Epping, Victoria, Australia (website)
Apos Audio — online and in-store — Oakland, California, United States (website)
Audio 46 — online and in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
Audio Hum — in-store — Norte Sierra, Andalucía, Spain (website)
Audio Magic - EU — online and in-store — Wola, Województwo mazowieckie, Poland (website)
AUDIOPHONICS — in-store — Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France (website)
Bloom Audio — online and in-store — Gibbsboro, New Jersey, United States (website)
Elise Audio — online and in-store — Paddington, England, United Kingdom (website)
Headphone Zone — online and in-store — Laxmi Industrial Estate, Maharashtra, India (website)
Hifi Passion — in-store — Neustadt, Bremen, Germany (website)

and 4 more verified dealers

82%

s.m.s.l D12

Name: s.m.s.l D12
Brand: s.m.s.l
SKU: 813
Price: 189.00 EUR
Availability: InStock
Rating: 82 (4 reviews)

View at s.m.s.l

MQA Decoding

USB Audio

DSD Support

Hi-Res Audio

Asynchronous USB

MQA audio DAC

USB supports MQA ;

Ultra-tiny shape design and supports a variety of placement ways ;

The latest XMOS XU-316 solution supports sampling rate up to 32bit/768KHz and DSD512 ;

Use two low -phase noise crystals ;

One pieces of AKM's new AK4493S chip, and carefully adjusted it to an unprecedented 0.00015% ;

Built-in high-performance power filtering system, so that it can achieve the best performance using only one USB interface for power supply !

Anodized CNC aluminum alloy housing ;

Japan Electronics Association Hi-Res Audio certification ;

Easy to control the volume of the machine through the computer ;

Full-featured remote control .

WATT RECOMMENDS

Save your favorites. Compare them anytime.

Create a free HiFi Hub account to save products to your Wishlist and compare your favorites side by side.

Join us at T.H.E Show - September 25-27 - NJ!

Professional Reviews 82/100

Nicely Roasted

Sound Quality

83/100

Build Quality

78/100

Features Connectivity

77/100

Value for Money

85/100

The s.m.s.l D12 delivers a neutral, well-balanced desktop sound with satisfying bass authority, naturally placed vocals and open, airy treble. IWII Reviews found its compact headphone stage capable with demanding models, making this USB/Bluetooth DAC-amp a practical, unfussy choice for systems that value clean tonal honesty over excessive coloration.

What Reviewers Are Saying

"it will basically let your headphones lead the way with their own tonality it will not add much of its own tonal character"

— IWII Reviews

Pros

Balanced, neutral tonality with decent bass depth, natural mids, and extended airy treble.

Headphone output drove relatively demanding headphones, including AKG K702 and Gold Planar GL2000, confidently.

Compact desktop format combines USB-C, Bluetooth, RCA outputs, and a front 6.35 mm headphone socket.

Cons

No optical or coaxial digital inputs, and all analogue connections are single-ended rather than balanced.

Soundstage and dynamics are competent but not especially expansive, vivid, or class-leading in ultimate fidelity.

SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 83/100

The D12 is described as a balanced, neutral and generally well-rounded little DAC/headphone amp. It offers respectable bass weight, open treble and decent scale, though the presentation is more competent than especially vivid or revelatory.

Tonal Balance and Musicality

86/100

IWII Reviews found the D12 well balanced and comfortably neutral, with neither an overly warm nor thin tonal balance. Bass has decent depth and authority, while vocals and instruments sit naturally rather than being pushed forward or recessed; the treble is described as extended, open and airy.

Resolution and Detail

84/100

The review hears good extension, air and atmospheric information from recordings. However, it also frames the D12 as suitable for listeners who do not require every last degree of fidelity, so ultimate resolving power is not its central strength.

Digital Performance

78/100

The D12 is reported to work reliably in the reviewer's desktop use and to avoid sounding small, thin, lazy or flat. The review does not offer detailed comments on noise floor, glare, grain, timing or other digital artifacts.

Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.

Build Quality

78/100

The D12 is a very compact desktop unit with separate USB-C signal and 5 V power connections. Reviewers say little about chassis materials, internal layout, component quality or long-term durability.

Features Connectivity

77/100

Connectivity is deliberately simple: USB-C and Bluetooth inputs feed single-ended RCA outputs, while the front panel adds a 6.35 mm headphone output. There is no coaxial, optical or balanced connection, but it includes a functional display, adjustable volume and a headphone stage with useful power for a compact desktop unit.

Value for Money

85/100

The review identifies a price of about $150 and presents the D12 as a decent, practical desktop DAC/headphone amp. It does not directly compare its value against competing products or make a stronger claim about whether it is exceptional for the money.

Reviews

Online Reviews & Mentions

No reviews found yet

YouTube Reviews

Thumbnail of the video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VY7bXCQ9Ns

Giz Audio

S.M.S.L D12 DAC/AMP

2/23/2023

Thumbnail of the video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8mahKRcarA

IWII Reviews

Good and Affordable - SMSL D12 DAC

5/2/2023

Thumbnail of the video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC4d4snWhC4

AV Atmos

SMSL D12 AKM DAC Debuts with Dual AK4493S DACs plus Bluetooth Input & Headphone Output Support

1/9/2023

Forum Mentions

No forum mentions found yet

Verified Dealers

Online Dealers

All Dealers

Zoom out the map to see more dealers

Authorized dealers for s.m.s.l D12

Addicted to Audio — online and in-store — Epping, Victoria, Australia (website)
Apos Audio — online and in-store — Oakland, California, United States (website)
Audio 46 — online and in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
Audio Hum — in-store — Norte Sierra, Andalucía, Spain (website)
Audio Magic - EU — online and in-store — Wola, Województwo mazowieckie, Poland (website)
AUDIOPHONICS — in-store — Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France (website)
Bloom Audio — online and in-store — Gibbsboro, New Jersey, United States (website)
Elise Audio — online and in-store — Paddington, England, United Kingdom (website)
Headphone Zone — online and in-store — Laxmi Industrial Estate, Maharashtra, India (website)
Hifi Passion — in-store — Neustadt, Bremen, Germany (website)

and 4 more verified dealers