Henry Audio DA 256 vs SMSL RAW-MDA1
The Henry Audio DA 256 scores 0.2 higher; the SMSL RAW-MDA1 costs $1,491 less. The reviews favour the DA 256 on bass and system matching, and the RAW-MDA1 on connectivity.
By Jakub Charkiewicz, updated .
Our pick Henry Audio DA 256 The DA 256 is 0.2 ahead on score: two steps, more than the $1,491 the RAW-MDA1 saves can buy back under the rule. The reviews favour the RAW-MDA1 over the DA 256 on connectivity, which is its case.
When to choose the RAW-MDA1 over the DA 256The short version
The Henry Audio DA 256 scores 8.2/10 (Recommended) and the SMSL RAW-MDA1 8.0/10 (Recommended). At €1,600 against $239, the RAW-MDA1 saves you $1,491 over the DA 256. On bass, the DA 256's review lists "Full, deep, controlled bass and standout imaging" where the RAW-MDA1's lists "Bass is clean but lacks ultimate slam and punch". On connectivity, the reviews favour the RAW-MDA1 over the DA 256. The published pick rule chooses the DA 256 over the RAW-MDA1.
Higher score
Henry Audio DA 256
Which one to buy
Our pick is the DA 256, unless its connectivity would be a dealbreaker; then the RAW-MDA1.
Henry Audio DA 256
Our pick. Choose it if:
- The DA 256's bass and system matching matter more to you than the RAW-MDA1's connectivity.
- You would pay $1,491 over the RAW-MDA1 for the DA 256's 8.2 against 8.0 on the rubric.
- You want the DA 256's wider-staged sound, where the RAW-MDA1 runs more intimate.
SMSL RAW-MDA1
Choose it instead if:
- The RAW-MDA1's connectivity matters more to you than the DA 256's bass and system matching.
- Keeping $1,491 matters more to you than the DA 256's two-step lead over the RAW-MDA1, 8.2 against 8.0.
- You want the RAW-MDA1's more intimate sound, where the DA 256 runs wider-staged.
What matters most to you?
| What matters | Henry Audio DA 256 | SMSL RAW-MDA1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sound | 8.4 | 8.0 |
| Technical performance | 8.3 | 8.0 |
| Build & comfort | 8.4 | 8.2 |
| System fit | 8.2 | 8.1 |
| Value | 7.4 | 7.8 |
The widest gap is sound: 8.4 for the DA 256 against 8.0 for the RAW-MDA1. Each column comes from its own review's pros and cons, 15 for the DA 256 and 14 for the RAW-MDA1, and recombines to its headline score, 8.2 and 8.0. How a score is built
Where they differ
The RAW-MDA1 has an XLR output and a display and the DA 256 does not.
Only the DA 256
Only the RAW-MDA1
Bass
The DA 256 review lists one strength here, the RAW-MDA1 review one flaw.
- DA 256, strength: "Full, deep, controlled bass and standout imaging"
- RAW-MDA1, flaw: "Bass is clean but lacks ultimate slam and punch"
Power and system matching
The DA 256 review lists one strength and one flaw here, the RAW-MDA1 review one strength and two flaws.
- DA 256, strength: "Runs off USB bus power, any 8 to 16 V supply, or a 9 V battery"
- RAW-MDA1, flaw: "Not enough power for Susvara, HE6, or Tungsten"
Features and formats
The DA 256 review lists three strengths and two flaws here and the RAW-MDA1 review one strength, with no clear edge.
- DA 256, strength: "Coax and optical are buffered and replayed on the DAC's own precision clocks, not the source's"
- RAW-MDA1, strength: "High-resolution LCD with tempered glass front"
Inputs and outputs
The RAW-MDA1 review lists one strength and one flaw here, the DA 256 review one flaw.
- RAW-MDA1, strength: 'XLR + RCA outputs, 1/4" + 4.4mm headphone outs'
- DA 256, flaw: "No XLR outputs at all - one pair of RCAs and that's it"
Build and controls
The DA 256 review lists one strength here, the RAW-MDA1 review one strength and one flaw.
- DA 256, strength: "Thick brushed aluminum case on a real solid wood base, designed in Norway and built in Germany"
- RAW-MDA1, flaw: "Volume knob can be unpredictable on fast adjustments"
Only the DA 256 review discusses detail (one flaw) and in-box accessories (one flaw); only the RAW-MDA1 review discusses treble (one flaw) and circuit design (two strengths).
What they have in common
The DA 256 is a DAC and the RAW-MDA1 a DAC/amp, and both have a USB input, an optical input, a coaxial input, and RCA outputs. The DA 256 and RAW-MDA1 reviews both praise tonal balance and measured noise.
Sound signature, overlaid
On stage size the DA 256 sounds wide-staged where the RAW-MDA1 sounds intimate. The DA 256 and the RAW-MDA1 both sound analytical and energetic. Neither the DA 256 nor the RAW-MDA1 leans either way on tonal balance. The DA 256 review reads bass weight and the RAW-MDA1 review does not, so the two go uncompared there.
On paper
The DA 256 ranks #2 and the RAW-MDA1 #4 of the 8 DACs reviewed here; on value the DA 256 rates Steep and the RAW-MDA1 Fair. The DA 256 lists 4 inputs and 1 output; the RAW-MDA1 lists 4 and 4. Inside, the DA 256 uses Texas Instruments PCM5142 delta-sigma, chip filter only, no upsampling and the RAW-MDA1 Dual ES9039Q2M (dual-mono) + 6× OPA1612A + XMOS XU-316.
The DA 256 and RAW-MDA1 figures come from Henry Audio's official site and SMSL's official site.
| Spec | Henry Audio DA 256 | SMSL RAW-MDA1 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Texas Instruments PCM5142 delta-sigma, chip filter only, no upsampling | Dual ES9039Q2M (dual-mono) + 6× OPA1612A + XMOS XU-316 - PCM 32-bit/768 kHz, DSD512, MQA |
| Inputs | USB-B, USB-C (front), Coaxial, Optical x2 | USB-C, 2× Coaxial, 2× Optical, Bluetooth (LDAC / aptX / AAC / SBC) |
| Outputs | RCA | Balanced XLR, RCA, 4.4 mm (HP), 6.35 mm (HP) |
| Output level | 2 V | 5.2 Vrms (XLR) / 2.5 Vrms (RCA) / 8.2 Vrms (HP) |
Only the DA 256 review records SNR, weight, format support, power input, case, origin, and licensing; only the RAW-MDA1 review records power output and dynamic range / THD+N.
How these verdicts were reached
The RAW-MDA1 was reviewed in December 2024 and the DA 256 in September 2026, nearly two years later, on one reference chain and rubric. The DA 256 review never mentions the RAW-MDA1, nor the RAW-MDA1 review the DA 256: two separate sessions. The DA 256 and RAW-MDA1 reviews were both re-checked in September 2026.
Questions about the DA 256 and RAW-MDA1
What is the difference between the Henry Audio DA 256 and the SMSL RAW-MDA1?
The Henry Audio DA 256 edges the RAW-MDA1 where it is measured, 8.2 to 8.0. In the reviews' own lines, bass and system matching go to the DA 256 and connectivity to the RAW-MDA1. Where they really split is voicing: the DA 256 runs clearly wider-staged, the RAW-MDA1 more intimate.
Which should you buy, the Henry Audio DA 256 or the SMSL RAW-MDA1?
The DA 256: its 8.2 against the RAW-MDA1's 8.0 is two steps, a lead the published pick rule keeps even at $1,491 more.
Which has the better bass, the DA 256 or the RAW-MDA1?
The DA 256: its review lists one strength on bass, the RAW-MDA1 review one flaw.
How do the DA 256 and the RAW-MDA1 compare on power and output?
The DA 256, narrowly: its review lists one strength and one flaw on system matching, the RAW-MDA1 review one strength and two flaws.
Is the DA 256 worth $1,491 more than the RAW-MDA1?
On the pick rule, yes: the DA 256's 0.2 lead over the RAW-MDA1 is two steps, more than the rule trades for $1,491. In the reviews' own lines, it buys the DA 256's bass and system matching over the RAW-MDA1.
Where they rank
In Best DACs the DA 256 ranks #2 and the RAW-MDA1 #4.
DA 256 #2 RAW-MDA1 #4 8 picks