SMSL SP200 vs SH-9 Comparison Chart

SMSL SP200 Headphone Amp

SMSL SH-9 Headphone Amp

Price

$265.99 (USD)

$289.99 (USD)

Dimensions

6.3 x 5.9 x 2.9 (in)

16 x 14.9 x 7.3 (cm)

7.4 x 6 x 1.5 (in)

18.75 x 15.4 x 4 (cm)

Weight

1.7 (lbs)

.77 (kg)

1.74 (lbs)

.79 (kg)

HiFi Standard

THX AAA-888

THX AAA-888

Inputs & Outputs

• One (x1) Balanced
• One (x1) Unbalanced

• One (x1) Balanced
• One (x1) Unbalanced

Output Power

• 6W x 2 (16ohm)
• 3W x 2 (32ohm)
• 440mW x 2 (300ohm)
• 220mW x 2 (600ohm)

• 6W x 2 (16ohm)
• 3W x 2 (32ohm)
• 440mW x 2 (300ohm)
• 220mW x 2 (600ohm)

SNR

130dB

137dB

THD

THD+N:

• -122dB, 0.00007% (1kHz, 32ohm)
• -117dB, 0.00013% (20 - 20kHz, 32ohm, -3dB)

THD:

• -125dB, 0.00006% (1kHz, 16ohm, -3dB)

THD+N:

• -123dB, 0.00006% (A-weighted)
• -117dB, 0.00013% (20-20kHz, 32ohm, -3dB)

THD:

• -125dB, 0.00006% (1kHz, 16ohm, -3dB)

Output Impedance

• Near 0ohm

• Near 0ohm

Frequency response

• 0.1 - 500,000Hz

• 0.1 - 500,000Hz

Power supply:

• AC100-240V, 50-60Hz

• AC100-240V, 50-60Hz

Influencer Sound Opinion

“I connected my sensitive IEMs and I am glad to report that the noise floor is nowhere to be spotted in low gain mode.

In terms of the noise floor, SP200 is indeed playing with the big boys like HPA4 and THX-789 and may put to shame some more expensive designs.

System matching is crucial with SP200, you really need to love your source as it will enhance all its sonics, including its flaws. 

It feels at home when it comes to resolution. When you lower down the noise, you hear everything else clearer, louder and more outlined. SP200 as the rest of the THX family of products are excelling at recreating the original intent of the recording engineer, it will extract everything that the engineer intended us to hear. It is brutally honest.

Probably the only thing that I don’t consider impeccable is the soundstage size, it is medium in size, sounds outside my head but doesn’t envelop my entire body how hybrid, all-tube designs or just bigger solid-state headphone amps are sounding. 

Sub-bass is incredibly tight, I think this is the right word, it is palpable and very detailed yet layered and deep.

Mid-bass is not overdone or emphasized, the mid-bass hump is not present and will not color the overall performance. It’s there in the right dose and again it comes when it’s called for. What I really like is how tactile, fast and instant it can be.

Midrange is again neutral to a point that at first, it might sound as dry or uninvolving but the more I listen to it the more it impresses me and the more I understand why it changes its character so often and so easily. 

Sometimes it will sound wet, smooth and involving, sometimes dry or even bright or unbearable. A true chameleon of an amp. 

Treble is extended and top-octave can be spotted without even closing my eyes, it extracts treble information so easily and so amazingly vivid and clear. 

—Sandu Vitalie, Soundnews.net

“It is extremely transparent sounding, extremely detail sounding, so much so that it simply pushed my hearing abilities to the limit. The fact that I needed a substantial amount of time to differentiate this one from my beloved Benchmark HPA4, tells how much better SH-9 is compared to SMSL’s first attempt with the SP200 amp. Out of all THX based amplifiers, SP200 sounded the most upfront, unpolished, less-clean let’s say...but I cannot say the same about the SH-9. In my THX balanced headphone amp comparison, I found SMSL SP200 went slightly ahead of the Drop 789, but at this point there is no contest that the SH-9 is a much better device.

The immediate impression with SH-9 is that nothing is standing out in front of your music, nothing is being added to your music, nothing is being subtracted from your music; it’s just the music and the sound signature of your headphones, DAC, and that is pretty much it. I am liking transparency in its purest form. I like detail retrieval, i like layers of musics and SH-9 got that in spades. I don’t find it bright sounding or clinical, it is not really coloring my music, and this is pretty much how I would summarize the sound of the SH-9.

In terms of noise floor, SMSL tried with their SP200 — but failed — at delivering a noiseless performance. This time around, the SMSL invested a lot more time and energy in the network of relays that you typically see in high-end amps, and it paid off big time. Offering a perfect general balance and lowering the noise floor even more: it sits at just 1.9 microvolts of noise. Yes, that is pretty much the same as the Benchmark HPA4.”

—Sandu Vitalie, Soundnews.net

“I tested the SH-9 with my killer load: the Ether CX with its 25 ohm impedance and low efficiency. The SH-9 had no trouble whatsoever driving it with authority with no sign of distortion to any loudness level you wanted. Likewise it took the Sennheiser HD-650 headphone's neck and drove it to skull resonating levels with ease.”

—Amir, Audio Science Review

Influencer Conclusion

“In the past, I believed that a top-performing headphone amp with top specs and sonics can be only achieved at over $1,000.

SMSL proved me wrong on so many levels with its SP200, it offers a balanced sound across the board and delivers truly high-end sonics without murdering your wallet.

Did it impress me? You bet it did, it wiped the floor with some higher-priced amps and this is why it gets my highest recommendation.

You know what its best feature yet? It is available right now, you don’t need to wait for the next batch and you don’t need to preorder anything.”

—Sandu Vitalie, Soundnews.net

“Most of the things I had to say about the Benchmark HPA4 in its dedicated review, can be said about the SMSL SH-9 as well. In terms of value, SH-9 just outperformed the awesome sounding TOPPING A90. It really deserves my highest recommendation, especially if you like undistorted and uncolored sound.”

—Sandu Vitalie, Soundnews.net

“The SMSL SH-9 Joins other instrument grade, ultra-fidelity headphone camp. It mates nicely to its DAC sibling, the SMSL SU-9. It has an attractive, high contrast high resolution display with accurate digital volume control. The cost is also quite attractive. Misses are few which is lower power due to lack of balanced output, soft control buttons, and slow volume control.

I love differentiation without sacrificing performance which SMSL SH-9 brings. I am happy to put the SH-9 on my recommended list.”

—Amir, Audio Science Review

Apos Audio Customer Reviews

Take a look at the community reviews:

SMSL SP200

Take a look at the community reviews:  

SMSL SH-9

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