It has an acrylic glass lid, like a saucepan.
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SMSL PL200 MKII Review (CD Player, DAC & HP Amp)
- Thread starter NTTY
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Roland68
Master Contributor
You are overlooking the high-quality TEAC CD-5020A, which is used not only within the TEAC group (TEAC, Esoteric, Tascam) but also by other manufacturers.
Although it is merely a CD drive—rather than a theoretically more precise DVD/SACD drive like the Sanyo—it appears to offer superior drive performance and control. See the Tascam CD200 review.
Introduced in 2008… which manufacturer uses it as well?
Roland68
Master Contributor
It is installed in all current Tascam CD200 units (and their variants), all current Teac CD players and drives (except VRDS models), and various other devices.
Roland68
Master Contributor
It has been used by manufacturers such as Primare, Atoll, and Audio Analogue, and is frequently employed in the pro audio sector, as it is considered one of the most reliable drives available.
However, I haven't kept up with it lately, as I already have enough CD players in my collection and the various Tascam CD200 models are hard to beat.
Well, I haven’t kept up since 1995, besides DACs
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Yes, the build is full aluminum, including the buttons. The chassis is CNC-machined, and the main buttons feature a mechanical keyboard-style design with satisfying tactile feedback. It feels solid and premium in hand.
Hello) I'm thinking about getting this player, but I'm having doubts. I'm choosing between completely different devices: the Smsl pl200mk2 and the Cayin cdt15a mk2. I need the player specifically, as I don't see the point in connecting the transport to the Onkyo a-50 DAC built into the amplifier. What do you think about the sound quality of CD audio via RCA?
OP
- Thread Starter
- #51
It is best in class too since you lose only 2dB of THD+N at 24bits (at full scale), meaning that the resolution is well above what’s required for the CDA.
What about overall sound?) Not in dry numbers, but in auditory perception.
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OP
- Thread Starter
- #53
You might have not reached the right place for that type of questioning.
Maybe try to ask an AI, it could be a good start.
But in a nutshell, by its measurements, this one is so totally transparent that it does not alter what’s been put on the master you’re listening to. There nothing more to desire.
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RetroStereo
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You're comparing apples and oranges: 1 is last generation (nothing wrong with that) intended to permanently occupy a space on an equipment rack. It plays old (pre-emphesis) CDs and current CDs perfectly. But at 20++ pounds, it isn't going anywhere. I have never heard it but I'm told it has a near flawless "tube sound" warmth.
The other is a current generation solid state portable marvel that handles pre-emphasis only through its line level and headphone outputs. Digital out to an external DAC will have older CDs sounding excessively bright.
Neither device plays SACDs.
Build yourself a menu of traits and purchase accordingly or continue your search elsewhere.
Best I can do.
The Onkyo A-50 is an amplifier/streamer - which makes it a good starting point to consider stop using physical media invented in the 1980's, and instead rip your CD collection to FLAC files. If you have any old CD's with pre-emphasis you can correct the equalisation digitally before the final FLAC is created.
Then all you need to do is install a DLNA server application - or better still, Lyrion + DLNA plugin - on the same computer where your FLAC files are located, then your A-50 will "see" and play these files.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #56
All depends on the size of the CD collection: make it several thousands and the "all you have to do/need" is a little more demanding.
My "all you need to do" reference was in regard to the installation of a DLNA or Lyrion server, not ripping CD's.
Regarding the latter; yes, it's an arduous task if you have an enormous CD collection, but maybe a necessary bitter pill to swallow, caused by not taking on the task at an earlier stage.
I have offered the OP an alternative solution beyond the parameters of what they wanted, and in hindsight that's rarely a good idea on this forum.
Regarding the latter; yes, it's an arduous task if you have an enormous CD collection, but maybe a necessary bitter pill to swallow, caused by not taking on the task at an earlier stage.
I have offered the OP an alternative solution beyond the parameters of what they wanted, and in hindsight that's rarely a good idea on this forum.
Roland68
Master Contributor
Just try conducting a proper, level-matched, blind test using several units in perfect working order.
You’ll quickly realize that these phenomena don't actually exist. With devices that measure reasonably well and aren't defective, you’d find it extremely difficult to hear such differences—or to distinguish between the units based on them.
Of course, you’re free to keep falling for the kind of reviewers who spread this nonsense. After all, if they simply told the truth, they wouldn't get any clicks.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #59
I went that route almost 20 years ago, spent the next decade slowly scanning not all my CDs as I ended up spending too much time, efforts and money on software and hardware upgrades/updates, not to mention classifying my music the way I wanted to. In the end, it was obvious I would need a major hardware and software update (again) to continue ripping so to have a decent speed to access my own music. And I just got tired of it all after another software update that messed up with the library and had me waste hours and hours to fix it.
A change was necessary and so I subscribed to online music for D2D and spin the real disc when I want to spend quality time with my music. And that’s how I rediscovered my own library, as I search for something, don’t find it quickly but fall on something else and I often get the "Oh yeah, I completely forgot I bought this one!" simple pleasure.
No more software/computer issues between my library and my ears. I’m too old for this, I think. Back to the real media.
I really prefer having all my options open. I have ripped my 2000 discs including CDs, HDCDs, Blu-ray audio, SACDs and DVD-As. It is convenient to just play them and they work perfectly without worrying about hardware compatibility with deemphasis, HDCD decoding and so on. DBPowerAmp and other tools took care of all that up front. However, I still like to relax and just pull discs off the shelf and play them. I also had a recent issue where Asset updated and broke the Mac version. I went from having all my music ready to go to having nothing working. While I waiting a week for it to get fixed I was fine, because I still have all the hardware hooked up to play all those discs. I hope they never stop making CD players. There are 100s of millions of discs still out there in circulation.
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