SMSL SU-3 Launches: The Next Chapter in the SU Series

SMSL's SU series has always been a case study in reinvention: the SU-1 won fans with its low price, AK4493S chip, and MQA support, whereas the SU-2 leaned heavily toward traditional HiFi with an ESS ES9039Q2M and AES/EBU input, abandoning USB entirely. Now this series is back with the SU-3. Let's see what the newest member of the SU series has to offer.

To deliver a pure and flawless sound, the SU-3 uses AKM's AK4496 decoding chip, known for its excellent signal conversion and very low noise. After many rounds of acoustic adjustments, circuit improvements, and careful tuning, the chip’s performance is refined and the signal path is optimized. This helps prevent signal loss and harmonic interference, achieving ultra-low distortion as low as 0.00012%. The result is clear sound, smooth frequency transitions, detailed dynamics, and faithful music reproduction.

The accuracy of the timing has a direct effect on the purity of the sound, since even a small amount of clock jitter will damage the integrity and clarity of the audio. The SU-3 is equipped with two high-precision, low-phase-noise femtosecond crystal oscillators, which serve as the main clock reference for the device, allowing the clock jitter to be compressed, the phase noise to be reduced, the transmission timing of each group of audio signals to be accurately controlled, and the process of digital signal conversion to become more stable and accurate.

The SU-3 is equipped with a new-generation XMOS XU-316 high-end audio master control system. Owing to its powerful multi-core computing capabilities and its well-developed audio processing architecture, it fully supports a high PCM sampling rate of 32bits/768 kHz and is compatible with DSD512 ultra-high-rate lossless audio decoding, allowing it to accurately capture the subtle overtones, the airiness, and the dynamic details in music. Regardless of whether it is delicate vocals, a grand symphony compilation or a pure instrumental solo, it can reproduce them completely.

Considering both the professional sound quality and the need for personalised listening, the SU-3 is fitted with a professional audio tuning feature and offers a 32-band fine PEQ balanced adjustment that covers the entire audio tuning range. It is able to make fine adjustments to different types such as vocals, pop, classical and rock music, as well as to individual listening preferences and the characteristics of the equipment, accurately optimising the gain of the high and low frequencies, the timbre brightness, the soundstage width and other aspects, and easily adapting to all kinds of listening situations. The SU-3 also has an EQ power-off memory function, so the exclusive equalisation settings which have been adjusted do not need to be set again and can be automatically saved and recalled after a restart.

The SU-3 is equipped with a high-performance, dedicated power filter system that greatly improves the circuit design in accordance with the characteristics of the USB power supply, accurately filtering out the noise, ripple, and electromagnetic interference that occur during the power supply process, stabilizing both the voltage and current output, and purifying the power supply environment. Even when powered only through the standard USB interface, the chip, crystal oscillator, and decoding module are able to remain in a stable operating condition, so that its sound quality performance is easily comparable to that of conventional high-power supply equipment, thereby unlocking the potential of HiFi sound and taking into account both convenience and acoustic performance.

To ensure lossless output of high-definition audio signals, the SU-3 is equipped with an XLR balanced line output interface. As a standard high-end output specification for professional audio equipment, the XLR interface offers strong anti-interference capability, effectively shielding electromagnetic interference, signal attenuation, and noise crosstalk during transmission. The balanced output architecture further broadens the soundstage, improves dynamic performance, and reduces the noise floor, delivering a cleaner and more dynamic listening experience. It pairs perfectly with a variety of setups, including home HiFi audio systems and professional desktop audio equipment, meeting professional-grade demands.

The SU-3 housing delivers exceptional texture through exquisite craftsmanship. It features an anodized CNC aluminum alloy shell, cut and formed with high-precision CNC machining. The surface is smooth with finely finished corners. The mature anodizing process ensures scratch resistance and worry-free use, offering both the delicate touch of metal and the solid feel of a well-built shell. The SU-3 showcases an artistically and precisely crafted front panel. Through multiple rounds of fine polishing and precise carving, the craftsmanship is exquisite and durable, while the clean, refined design style suits any desktop. It combines industrial aesthetics with a luxurious feel. More than just professional audio decoding equipment, it is a refined acoustic centerpiece for your desktop.

Building on its powerful performance, the SU-3 breaks through the limitations of traditional decoding equipment with a compact, integrated, exquisite body design that minimizes its footprint, takes up no extra desktop space, and is portable, compact, and space-saving. Meanwhile, placement flexibility is optimized to support multiple orientations, including flat, vertical, and side placement. It adapts effortlessly to various scenarios such as desktop audio and video, bedroom listening, study listening, and portable external connections, easily blending into diverse aesthetic atmospheres at home or on the desktop. The compact body houses superior acoustic strength, achieving the perfect balance of aesthetics and practicality.As always, If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please feel free to contact us for product details or any other inquiries. You can reach our customer support team through live chat or email us directly at support@shenzhenaudio.com. Additionally, you can easily find us on our social media accounts.