S.M.S.L AD18 Audio HiFi Stereo Amplifier with Bluetooth 4.2 Supports Apt-X,USB DSP Full Digital Power Amplifier 2.1 Small 80Wx2 Class D Amplifier with Subwoofer Output

Wow. Just awesome! I purchased this DAC/amp for a specific purpose, but even without that need, I would have bought this little gem because I've been waiting for a product like this for a long time. This little guy offers much more than your average DAC or DAC/Amp combo. Given the reasonable price and extensive list of features and capabilities, it's impressive to me that this little amp does everything that it does, and does everything at least adequately well. Most of what it does, it does very well, and a few things (including power output and sound quality) it does exceptionally well. There have been many nice DACs or DAC/Amps on the market for some time now, but there was always some limiting factor when you bought one (including high price). For example, I also own the Audioengine D1, which is a fine little DAC/Headphone Amp, but it is only usable with powered speakers or headphones. It gives you only 1 USB and 1 optical input, but no analog input, no COAX input, no speaker amp, and no Bluetooth. The S.M.S.L. AD-18 gives you 2 Optical inputs (44.1KHz-192KHz/24 bit), A COAX input (44.1KHz-192KHz/24 bit), a USB input (44.1KHz-96KHz/24 bit), an Aux analog input, Bluetooth (4.2), a Sub-woofer output (line level), L/R speaker terminals (5-way binding posts with 80 watts/channel @ 4 ohms), a built in headphone amp with 3.5mm output (front), bass/treble/volume controls, 7 preset EQ's, a remote control, and a nifty display screen! The D1 has a decent headphone amp (a little stronger the the AD-18's actually), but no speaker amp, and that's what I needed for my bookshelf into computer desk speakers project. Many of us out there have noted, with some sadness, at what passes muster for good sounding speakers these days. This is especially true for those products that slide the word "computer" in front of speakers. Basically, they suck for the most part, unless you are willing to spend way too much $$ for overpriced powered speakers that have (IMO) just average sound quality. For anyone out there like me, with a pair of really great sounding passive bookshelf speakers which they would love to use again, or use as computer speakers, then this is the amp for you! I have an old pair of Advent AR1122's that positively sing as oversized computer speakers now that the AD-18 is powering them! I used the line level sub output to add a powered Polk sub-woofer, and the sound with this combo is just amazingly full, rich and dynamic. The sound quality is sweet and detailed even at very low volume levels, and is impressively lively and powerful, with no harshness, when playing near the full-monty level. I had not expected that. I expected that the AD-18 would be an improvement over other DAC/amps in terms of connectivity and functionality, but not sound quality. It sounds significantly better than other DAC/Amps I've heard. I certainly didn't expect it to rival some full size stereo receivers in terms of power and clarity, but it definitely does. The AD-18 sounds very, very, good indeed, and for an audio product, that's easily the most important thing. So, what needs improvement? Well, if S.M.S.L. is reading these reviews, then the following is my suggestion box for your already great product: Headphone amp - For the vast majority of people out there, the Headphone Amp on the AD-18 will be more than adequate, especially considering what it's usually replacing (computer/phone HP jack). However, for those folks that have high impedance headphones, you may want to look at a dedicated high output headphone amp instead. The HP amp on the AD-18 works fine on my Grado's, so that's all I care about, but if S.M.S.L. wanted to add more power there, it would certainly widen the fan-base for the AD-18. Additional Outputs: It's not a must have, but it would be really nice if there was a line level analog output. Also, a digital output with pre/post or bit-stream output would be really nice, but that might raise the cost too much. Still it would be a nice and useful addition. In conclusion - this is a fantastically good product, that, if it lasts, will also be an exceptional value. I like it so much that I just bought a second one for another project! Note: Video was updated to prove to the doubters that 'Yes indeed, it can - power those in-efficient speakers!' In this case it was a pair of B&W DM 610's. Sounded beautiful, and LOUD! **UPDATE - July 17, 2019** After reading several negative comments about this product, claiming that it is a poorly designed piece of junk, I felt it necessary to update my original review. I have 3 of these units, and I can say that it is definitely a 5 star product. The one on my desktop, has been in daily service for more than a year, and is just as impressive today, as the day I unboxed it. I imagine that some of the negative reviews are genuine, but I believe that many of them are from competitors, trying to steer people away from this excellent, segment leading, product. If you're in the market for a desktop, workshop, or even main stereo amplifier, with excellent sound, power, and features at an affordable price, then shop no further because this is the one you want! Don't be dissuaded by the naysayers. This is a fantastic and RELIABLE product.

This is a long one. I had been looking for a replacement computer speaker set and getting wholly frustrated. I finally decided to try something else. This SMSL amp is much more than I imagined it would be. Being class D it barely gets warm under load. Not to mention the quality is surprisingly good. I am running Optical off my ASUS Tuff motherboard to the unit. The speakers of choice are old Samsung units off a surround unit purchased for $20 from ebay. The sub is a Polk home unit PSW110. Its WAY over kill for any computer set, and sounds AMAZING. I do wish it had Hi pass for the speakers so I could adjust them but the Samsungs seem to be doing ok. Much better than the Sony set I tested first. Now the "whaaaat???". The speakers are 3 ohms and I have noticed no issues whatsoever. No clipping, no power drop, no distortion. Oh and its RIDICULOUSLY loud if you aren't careful with the volume. Design wise its much smaller than expected and the screen is a little tough to read. It could use a selection button for headphone/Speaker. Instead you have to click the main dial twice then switch and then wait to turn up/down the volume. However this allows me to leave my 3.5mm splitter plugged in (I run Sennheiser Game 1 for PC and Xbox). Note: The Sennheiser Game 1 I still have to max out the volume, something that drives me nuts on the Xbox as well. However a pair of HD515 were near blasted out at full headphone volume. I believe the volume adjustment on the Game 1's is the culprit, not the amp. For such a quality amp, a 6.35mm plug would have been a better choice. OR a mic input in the rear and a gaming 3.5mm out in the front. One major complaint. The volume is placed way too close to the headphone out. The other minor complaint is the silly 3.5mm to Coax needed to run a subwoofer (you will need to buy one) and then you get to guess which side is the sub. I have no doubt this could power large bookshelf speakers based on preliminary testing. Considering getting a second one to power speakers in the garage (plan on using some Polk 6.5 components I have lying around from my last car). However I have no way to power a sub in this case so I am looking at other options as well. Bottom Line: EXCELLENT value for the money. Small, powerful, and great sounding. This is a tough little guy to beat. Will test NFC at a future date and update if there are any issues. Also did not test remote.

So far so good. I've had it about a week so far. It's driving a pair of Fluance SX6's and a 10" Polk audio powered sub. The Bluetooth works flawlessly and easily. I assume the Bluetooth has the newest tech considering how well it sounds. I've been playing 320kbps mp3s with the Bluetooth. Bluetooth seems to be mixed louder than the other inputs for some reason, but not enough to be a nuisance or anything. The "aux in" works great. The optical works great as well. I haven't used the USB out yet, buy I'll go ahead and assume that it works well too. My only complaint and the reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 is that during dry winter months, the static you build up walking on carpet can cause problems. Anytime you touch the unit without grounding yourself first, the unit will drop the audio output regardless of the input. You have to turn the unit off and then back on. Luckily it comes with a remote. I may try to ground the unit a little better myself later on, but until then I can deal with the static issue. It's probably not the best thing for the unit, but I'll consider my troubles a test. EDIT**** SIX WEEKS IN, THE ZAPPING ONLY PRODUCES AN AUDIBLE POP AT A LEVEL BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE AUDIO. IN MY EYES, THIS IS AN IMPROVEMENT. I DIDNT DO ANYTHING TO IT. THERE FOR A WHILE, IF I TOUCHED ANYTHING CONNECTED TO THE AMP AND IT ZAPPED, THE AUDIO WOULD CUT. WHETHER THE TV, XBOX, OR RECORD PLAYER WAS TOUCHED. ILL BUMP MY RATING UP TO 5 IF IT LASTS LONGER THAN A YEAR. Well worth the money. Would recommend. EDIT**** IF YOU THINK ITS BROKEN, CHECK TO MAKE SURE OUTPUT IS SET TO SPEAKERS AND NOT HEADPHONES. THAT'LL SPARE YOU OF ANY EMBARRASSMENT, IF YOU KNOW WHAT IM SAYING.

This amp has been my COVID special. Its on almost all the time everyday. I use it with BT from my iPad or iPhone in the morning for some quick news or a podcast. Once I get my coffee going I switch into some music via the Coax connection while I read my email. Then I flip on the TV monitor to catch the rest of the news through the optical 2 connection, which also works fine for mirroring the President's Corona Briefings. I bought an HDMI adapter for the iPad and found I get a better picture and sound than mirroring. I'll use that for movies. I don't use the tone controls very much but they boost the realism for an action movie from one of the services. The bass response is powerful enough to rattle the walls. I never had a class D amp before, this was a surprise. I have no problem with the sound quality, sounds just like my class A amps, and it's so incredibly flexible it makes a great attachment point for all my electronic devices on the long days of sheltering in place. OK, it's been 6 months and I can't tell you how impressed I am with this powerful little Amp . In the meantime I've noticed a few things. As good as the BT sounds from my phone or iPad, the coaxial connection blows it away. So much so that I only use BT for non-audiophile applications, or if I'm too lazy to plug the powered Doc into the iPad. I'm using an old Blue Circle Thingee (which was very well regarded in it's day) as my USB to Coax converter because my Peach Tree X1 is on another system. I tried an original HiFace. I didn't think it would work because it needs a driver, and it didn't. I'm going to pick up a better USB to coax converter because even with the Blue Circle I can easily hear the difference between an ALAC or 320 internet radio broadcasts and standard lower bit rate broadcast and I know a better converter is going to sound even better. For Speakers, I recycled a 3 piece Polk Satellite system from an old surround hook up and am using it for nearfield listening... and every time I listen to it it blows me away. Clear crisp bass notes and well a articulated treble. These speakers didn't sound this good when I had them connected to an 80W per Ch class A amp, (also in nearfield). I'm impressed. The only other thing I'll mention is that using the Coaxial input sounds sounds better than using the USB input. I haven't tried headphones so I can't comment on the headphone amp. So now it’s 10 months and everything is working well. I have it on a lot during the day and then again at night. After a long session, I noticed that it was warm to the touch but not hot. Never the less, with all the failures that have occurred, I’m looking around for a replacement in case my unit fails too. It’s too bad that these units fail because I really like it. The Blue Circle Thingy has been replaced with a Douk Audio U2 XMOS XU208 USB to COAX converter. Very nice upgrade. Sounds fantastic. One of the things I’ve discovered is that my iPad Pro can Bluetooth video to the TV. Not nearly as good as mirroring, which is not as good as HDMI. I ended up buy a UNI dock for the iPad which allows me to connect a wired mouse, (Bluetooth keyboard) , USB to COAX converter, thumb drives for the file system and a HDMI cable, and charge the iPad at the same time. The only downside to this arrangement is that every once in a while I forget to plug in the 60W Anker charger and the iPad batter runs down until I notice that it’s not charging and plug the charger in. Maybe I should leave it plugged in all the time.... Anyway, back to a Netflix movie... I’ll update this if it fails. It’s now 2024. The S.M.S.L AD18 never failed. I moved it to another room along with the satellite speakers and the subwoofer and it’s no longer Nearfield. My new Nearfield set up is now an RME ADI-2 DAC, 2 Genlec 8010A Powered Studio Monitors and a Genlec 7340A Powered Subwoofer. - Very Nice - The question is always, Does it sound $3000. Better? I think so, but the SMSL AD 18 is very hard to beat and the speakers are different and in another room, so it’s hard to make a valid comparison. What I do know is that the AD18 can EQ my satellites to a very close approximation of the much more expensive rig. ( But the connections have to be wired, and you need the higher Specs of the Douk USB to COAX to do it. The Bluetooth sound is acceptable, but not outstanding )

The system is quite small, and it's hilarious to see peoples faces when they see it for the first time and the sound that it can output, with all of its features in such a small box. I paired the SMSL AD18 with a pair of Micca MB42X speakers, it happily drives them without issue, the two are a perfect match. The unit does get warm when playing for a while, but it's nothing to be worried about, I had it playing for 10 hours straight at lvl 15 on the volume and it just got a little warm (not hot to where you burn yourself) just have it in a well ventilated area like with any device that puts off heat. The screen is well lit but some of the text is quite small, so at a distance it will be hard to make some of the on screen text out, but the most important settings as well as when changing the volume are using the bigger text size. The headphones I own are also a perfect match (Sentry black diamond), the headsets are 32ohms which is the the optimum for the SMSL AD18, it'll will push them to very loud levels with plenty of bass and highs and mids. And yes the AD18s EQ and bass and treble settings also apply to the headphone output. But just a heads up, the AD18 only has a max headphone output of 53mW at 32ohm, so anything with a higher ohm load it won't be able to push as good (headphones at 64ohms outputs only 26mW, and at 150ohms 11mW, so make sure you have headphones with at least 32ohms to get the best possible output from the headphones. I made sure I bought the newer version with the sub out (they still sell the older version here on Amazon which does not have the sub output), so if you want the one with the Sub out, make sure you click on the listing that says sub output at the end. The Bluetooth is very clear and has a pretty darn good range (all thanks to its little antenna). I haven't tried the USB input yet (it is to turn the AD18 into an external sound card), the USB port does not play audio files (and I knew this going in). With the many input options on this unit I can just buy a stand alone Fm and audio file player is I really need to play FM and MP3s or other types of audio files. Being that this has Bluetooth Mp3 and other audio file playback can be done on your phone or other device that has Bluetooth, or you can just plug the PC into its USB port and play them that way. I have my AD18 hooked up to my TCL Roku TV by Toslink, and the audio quality is amazing (this is a far better option than a soundbar, and even better option that the upcoming Roku wireless speakers which can only be used on a Roku). NFC works flawlessly with my SONY Xperia XA1 ultra, tapped my phone on top of the AD18 a few times and it paired without any drama. I don't own a powered sub yet to to use the sub out, but that'll come soon. I'm totally happy with my purchase.

I’ve had the SMSL for a few weeks now. I hooked it up to my Bose 301’s expecting it not being able to push them very hard. The reviews I had seen were it powering much smaller bookshelf speakers. Let me tell you..... This thing is incredible!!!! Not only did it push my 301’s but it pushed them HARD!!! I have nice floor standing speakers also. I almost feel like the SMSL AD 18 would power those as well! This unit is very solid with great build quality. I have had no issues with it yet. I am having a hard time putting into words just how impressed I am with this little powerhouse!! I have shown it off constantly and everyone has been impressed with it as well with eye popping and jaw dropping results!!! Also... the Bluetooth is incredible! I pumped up the volume and walked all around my whole house changing songs and volume levels on 2 floors (not including my basement) from end to end top to bottom with NO issues what so ever! In my photo the SMSL is to the left of my PS3 (yes I still play it... Lol) You will not be disappointed with the SMSL AD 18 if you decide to purchase one!!! Update..... I’ve hooked it up to my 10” powered sub. 8th inch headphone jack to red side (mono) rca. The ad18 runs it great!!! I let it play for a while with some hard hitting bass to see if the unit heated up. It ran a little warm but nothing to be concerned about. I had the volume on my phone at full with the volume on the unit at 20. I think the bass on the unit is at 4. The sub was set to about 90 hz. And regular polarity with the sub volume a little over quarter way up. Still very impressed with this little power house!!! Update #2 I had the AD running optical from my cable box which was great. Come to find out my Samsung TV has Bluetooth and can search for devices. I searched and found the AD18 and paired no problem. Even better I can control the volume through my Samsung remote now. I just leave the AD18 on because even though it’s paired with my tv, evertime I turn off the tv it disconnects. So leaving it on means all I have to do is connect to it beings that it’s already paired which is fine. I’m still amazed at this little power house!!! Update #3 It is March 2022 now, four years after the original purchase and the AD 18 is still working great with no issues !!! It still sounds incredible !!! I hooked it up to a pair of OHM Walsh 2’s with no issues !!’

Original Review Okay, I need to preface some things here. First I have been in the electronics industry my entire adult life. Next, I am picky about sound. And last, I put this device in a system for a friend that has some really neat components and others a little eclectic. Here is the system; A pair of Revel 6.5" bookshelf speakers (awesome!), an old MTX 12" subwoofer (from the 90's), an Echo Dot, a 55" TV, a Roku, and a bluetooth source (usually my cell phone). So, we have compressed sound from every source, not exactly the best reference, but in today's world, a pretty common thing. The sound from this device is ample, when coupled with the 12" subwoofer, it has room filling sound and is impressive. As far as sound quality, it is better than I expected (maybe the Revel speakers are helping here?). I am not a Class D fan, but this device was purchased with one thing in mind, size and it is small! So it gets 4 out of 5 as it fits exactly what I needed. Now for usability, it is ok. The remote is not really intuitive and the display is fairly small, you can't see it from across the room (at least I can't). It would be nice to have the remote function in a way that you select the source directly instead of a toggle? If you are using this on a desk, no issues. The unit seems to be reliable, sounds good enough, powerful enough, and is compact. In the system it sits sideways just under the edge of the television. No big components to hide here. The cost is near that of some AV Receivers, but again, size was my concern. Hope this review helps! ***UPDATE*** The Bluetooth and the Optical input failed! The analog parts are still operational, but who cares? The cool part was the optical from the TV and linking my phone. Now it is an overpriced amplifier that does not have the features I wished for. I requested a refund and it appears I am outside the "window" and it is an 80% refund? GRRRRR!!!! I am on with Amazon customer service as I write this. There are SOOO many more options than this device at just a little bit more money. I just didn't want to go to a full on AVR, but it appears that this is what I am going to have to do. To put this in perspective, I can buy a Sony AVR that is a refurb for $179 which adds surround, HDMI switching, AM/FM etc. So lesson learned. Amazon is going to refund the extra 20% and I am happy with that, just not this product. It is not ready for primetime in my opinion. Ordering the Sony today! Was nice while it lasted, going to waste the "real estate" on a big old AVR instead. Hope this review helps.

I really like the feature set of this integrated amplifier...especially for the price. Unfortunately, my first one had a fair amount of noise. It sounded like intereference and I thought maybe it was due to the AC Infinity cooling fans I had to ventilate my pre-existing AVR. However, the sound persisted after I turned the fans. I don't have anything else that should be causeing interference noise, so this one needs to go back. Thus, I am currently 0 for 1. I will maintain a tally until I get a good one as this is a perfect solution for my needs (assuming I can find one that works properly). If the reviews are legit, it seems there are more good ones than defective units. Update: Well the second time was the charm for me! The second one one works great (the only thing I haven't tested is the subwoofer output). I will up my overall rating from 2 to 3 stars. If SMSL would get their QC checks worked out, their rating would be excellent because when it works it is a great product with tremendous flexibility! I should also add that I am an amateur musician and an avid audio-nerd. Music is my passion and I have more audio gear than sense. I bought this out of curiosity and was pleasantly surprised once I got a good unit. This amp sounds perfectly fine, has good power, and will do fine with normal speakers.

Es de un tamaño mas pequeño de lo que uno imaginaria, aunque el truco está en que tiene su eliminador de corriente casi del mismo tamaño que el aparato, para mi mejor, no estorba y se calienta menos asi. Múltiples entradas que le otorga gran flexibilidad a la hora de conectarlo, con salida amplificada directa a las bocinas y al subwofer. Lo conecté a unas bocinas Yamaha gama media que tenia y suena espectacular. Lo compré para una tableta buena pero con sonido horrible en verdad, tanto por sus bocinitas como por auriculares, la conecto por el puerto USB para "puentear" el dac de la misma y el cambio es abismal. Ahora pasó de ser solo para redes sociales a mi centro multimedia principal, escuchas todos los detalles de la música y las películas como home theatre, solo conectalo a unas buenas bocinas y sub y suena mejor que mis auriculares sennheiser hd599. El bluetooth se conecta también sin problemas y sin lag. Muy contento con la compra, lo recomiendo ampliamente.

This is my 2nd AD18 from SMSL. Been using it since 2019. Buying it for a family member. Its Afforable and I got significant time-limited discount offer from Amazon, if compared buy from Lazada! Seller was fast to ship and deliver the product. Thank you FINE MUSIC and Aamazon!

That's not very quality sound but i'm happy the same.Hope this amplifier will not die fast >.<

Works good when it comes to basic functionality. Controls are hard to master because everything is with one knob. Pushing knob is not consistently picking up what I want to do and turns volume instead. When in USB mode if left turned on and I turn on my PC I get loud speaker breaking sound. This is super annoying because I need to remember to turn it off every time I turn PC off. Bluetooth can connect only to 1 device. There is no firmware update available at all. Manufacturer do not care about this model. Consider buying newer model.

===EDIT=== Despite the product description claiming it's supported, there is a problem with this amplifier and the 96kHz USB sampling rate, where every so often the speakers will output a deafeningly loud cracking/hissing noise. This can be resolved by setting the sampling rate in windows back to the default 44.1kHz sampling rate. ========== I bought this wanting a compact, Bluetooth-enabled amplifier that would compliment my Wharfedale Diamond 220 speakers without breaking the bank while also not being so incredibly cheap the quality is in question. I'm a student so the limited space of my student bedroom meant I was looking for something with a compact package. I managed to get a relative bargain by getting a customer return from the Amazon Warehouse, thankfully it was in perfect condition as I've found the warehouse to be a bit hit-or-miss. The unit has loads of connectivity, I opted to use the USB connection (configured at 96kHz) from my laptop as this would bypass my laptop's sound card and instead send the digital signal directly to the amplifier. I connected my speakers up with some speaker cable bought from Richer Sounds and some soldered banana plugs from Amazon. I'm very happy with the sound, my speakers are rated for 50W each and this amplifier can go up to 80W per channel. This amplifier is **loud**, and I've gone nowhere near the limits. The proprietary 'SDB' EQ mode makes for a good listening experience, I also did a +2dB bass offset because I don't have a subwoofer (although there is a port for connecting an active/powered subwoofer in the future). I'm no audiophile but I think it sounds pretty great! The Bluetooth interface supports APT-X, a low-latency audio codec. My phone and laptop both support this, I think it sounds fantastic too. This is great if I'm watching movies in bed from my laptop as I can avoid using my laptop speakers, I do notice a tiny bit of lag where the audio is behind the video. (With VLC video player you can set a delay on the video if this annoys you). The display is good for configuring the amplifier, it works well and is intuitive enough. The remote is nice for controlling the volume and settings from in bed, however, the remote leaves a little to be desired... Sometimes the amplifier doesn't respond to button presses on the remote, so you have to press 'A' to sync it back to the amplifier. The remote won't allow you to change to modes without direct sight of the display because there are no buttons like 'Bluetooth', 'Aux', instead there's a button for switching between inputs, but you can't tell which is selected without sight of the display. If I'm in bed and want to switch from 'USB' to 'Bluetooth' it's hard to read what the display is set to from that distance. Overall I'm really pleased with this amplifier. It's small, affordable, well built, sounds great and has great specs.