SOtM SMS-200 Ultra Neo SE, TX-USB Ultra SE and SPS 500 SE streaming system

Korea has yet to become a country that’s associated with high end audio, possibly it’s too busy dominating the TV and car businesses, but there is undoubtedly a raft of brands waiting to make an impression on western markets. SOtM (short for Soul Of the Music) has been making inroads for some time, building a range of digital and amplification products that start at very accessible prices and rise to the distinctly exotic. The bundle seen here is put together by UK distributor Elite Audio and comprises the SMS-200 Ultra Neo SE network streamer, TX-USB Ultra SE USB regenerator and SPS-500 SE power supply, all of which inhabit compact cases that are just over 10cm wide. This means a set of three like this take up less space than most components.

SMS-200 Ultra Neo SE streamer takes an unusually hairshirt approach to its job; features are not what it trades on as anyone who attempts to attach a non-USB DAC will discover. SOtM is very much a forward-looking company and see no benefit in coaxial or optical outputs. SOtM also eschews wireless operation in favour of a direct ethernet link to the network; this is undoubtedly the most reliable network connection but not one that everybody can accommodate. The absence of antenna also indicates that there is no option to wirelessly stream to the SMS-200 Ultra Neo SE. Bluetooth and Airplay are not considered worthy too, and if high sound quality is the goal, this arguably makes sense. Going antenna-free also reduces the amount of RF noise that can get into the circuitry, which is definitely desirable.

What this streamer does have onboard (that its non Ultra alter ego does not) is an upgraded clock dubbed sCLK-EX, while the Neo suffix indicates that this SMS-200 is an updated version of the original model. SOtM doesn’t specify what it has done but says that this change brought “an extra dose of musicality to the party”. As SOtM does not have its own control application, you need to use a third party app to ‘drive’ this streamer; it’s Roon ready but can also be run with DLNA apps, including BubbleUPnP and HQPlayer. You choose which system to use by looking up the streamer’s IP address on a browser (using a network scanning app such as Fing) and activate the preferred control system. This isn’t as complex as it may sound and in some respects easier than turning the thing on, a process that’s not helped by the translucent green indicator/button on the front, which is also reflective and will apper to glow if there is the feintest amount of light in the room, so almost always looks like it’s on. Pressing it for a second will actually turn it on, at which point, it’s possible to detect an LED behind the green acrylic, press it for three seconds however and it shuts down. Let’s say there’s a knack to it.

The SPS-500 SE power supply is an upgrade to the switched mode wall-wart that is supplied with the streamer and in this bundle has a ‘Y’ cable that allows it to power both streamer and USB regenerator, which means just a single plug in the wall for all three units. It can supply 7, 9, 12 or 19 volts at 50W, the two devices in this package running off 7V.

The third item in this bundle is the TX-USB Ultra SE, this is a regenerator or reclocker for signals on a USB connection and sits between the SMS-200 Ultra Neo SE streamer and your DAC. There are a few of these on the market from iFi and Innuos among others and they focus on removing jitter from the signal and the better examples can be remarkably beneficial. This SOtM has the same clock inside as the partnering streamer, which would seem to be an unnecessary doubling up but the benefits are clearly audible. It has a single USB input and two outputs though I’m not sure what the second output could be used for. You can order this unit with a master clock connector as well and SOtM makes a rubidium clock for this purpose.

SOtM recommends the mConnect control software for its streamers and fortunately there is a ‘lite’ version of this app you can get free; it’s not the prettiest of control apps but once you get the hang of it operation is pretty straightforward. It’s possible to access the TIDAL and Qobuz streaming services as well as servers on the cloud and locally, most of the material used came from a Melco N1A EX server hardwired into the SMS-200 Ultra Neo SE. I used my regular USB cable between that and the TX-USB Ultra SE and the cable supplied in the box out to the DAC, which was mostly an AURALiC VEGA 2.1 but included an iFi Pro iDSD.

What strikes you first and foremost about the sound this combo produces is a sense of speed. With their pared-down features sets, these devices are built a bit like track cars and the sound matches that notion. Actually that suggests that every tune races along, what really happens is that the sense of tempo has a spring in its step, if the music is upbeat you know all about it. The Grateful Dead’s ‘Cumberland Blues’ [Europe ’72, Warner Bros] had a pep to it that brings out the joi de vivre of the musicians making the music, the energy of the performance is very much front and centre. Fortunately that doesn’t mean it’s a bright or forward sound but rather that it’s light on its feet, however it did make me seek out the ‘smooth’ filter setting on the VEGA G2.1 DAC rather than the ‘balance’ option that suits the AURALiC streamer. This proved a good match and opened up the soundstage without undermining the thrilling sense of pace it brings to the party, I particularly enjoyed the propulsive rhythm section on the Weather Station’s ‘Kept It All To Myself’ [The Weather Station, Paradise of Bachelors], the guitar on this album sounding particularly good and stealing some of the limelight from Tamara Lindeman’s sublime voice.

The counterpoint to this speed is that there isn’t as much body to the midrange as you get with better (see more spendy) streamers but there is no shortage of power in the bass which is often distinctly weighty. It’s a very appealing presentation with Laurie Anderson’s ‘Gravity’s Angel’ [Mister Heartbreak, Warner Bros], a track with some great effects and lovely synth bass in this streamer’s capable hands, the speed of the latter being particularly intoxicating. Well-produced music works a treat with these components, a wide variety of tunes were sampled and the polished ones sounded great every time, including ‘Haunted & Known’ by Six Organs of Admittance [Companion Rises, Drag City], where the combination of plushness and intensity made for a powerful listening experience.

With the iFi DAC the result was similar but more open and lively; not quite as richly rendered but equally engaging in its own way. Here the pared back rawk of Scout Niblett’s ‘Gun’ [It’s Up To Emma, Drag City] worked well, winding up the climax without losing control or getting edgy and unleashing a powerful torrent when required. I contrasted the set up with and without the TX-USB Ultra SE and found that this element contributes significantly to the overall result. It has a disentangling effect with dense passages, opening up the soundstage and making the time and space for each performer to do their thing. It also adds body and depth to the picture. I also listened to the standalone power supply with the SMS-200 Ultra Neo SE, and here the upgrade was even greater with increased three dimensionality of imaging, greater articulation and all round stronger coherence. It’s safe to say that this streamer likes clean power.

This package from SOtM is a little bit different to the usual fare but offers an engagingly pacey and coherent sound for the money, its limited feature set will be sufficient for all but those who wish to send their music through the ether and the compact nature of the parts means that it doesn’t take up much space. It would be worth searching for a nicer control app than mConnect and those after a premium experience should consider Roon, but that said I got the hang of the software quickly and enjoyed many hours of listening with the SOtM streaming system.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Type: Solid-state network streamer, USB regenerator & power supply
• Analogue Inputs: N/A
• Digital Inputs: One ethernet (via RJ45), two USB A
• DAC Resolution/Supported Digital Formats: N/A
• Music services/Wi-Fi inputs: Dependent on control app/no Wi-Fi inputs
• Analogue Outputs: None
• Digital Outputs: Two USB A
• Frequency Response: Not specified
• Distortion (THD + Noise): Not specified
• User Interface: Third party control applications eg Roon, mConnect, BubbleUPnP etc
• Dimensions (H×W×D): 48 × 106 × 227mm each
• Weight: 1.5kg each
• Package price: £3,440

Manufacturer: SOtM

URL: sotm-audio.com

UK Distributor: Elite Audio

Tel: 0800 4647274 (UK only)

URL: eliteaudiouk.com

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