SMSL PL200T Review (CD Transport)

[Roland68]

Laut meinen digitalen Messungen verhielt sich der PL200T genauso wie der PL200 und wies eine höhere Taktgenauigkeit auf (der SMSL PL200 lag bei -4,5 ppm, der PL200T hingegen deutlich unter 1 ppm). Die Laufwerke sind identisch, und ich habe denselben mechanischen Widerstand gegenüber fehlerhaften CDs gemessen, was auf eine hohe Konsistenz hindeutet – ein erfreuliches Ergebnis.

Ich hatte eigentlich vor, den Takteingang mit einem externen Gerät zu überprüfen, aber da der interne so gut ist, muss ich, wenn möglich, eine ausgefeiltere Methode zum Testen finden!

What would be the point of using the G1 OCXO clock generator at this point?
Does anyone believe there's an audible difference between better than 1 ppm and 3 ppb?

The question is how much of the 3 ppb from the G1 actually remains with the SMSL PL200T, and whether you can measure that.

 

[Leeken]

That's still a lot of money for a CD transport you know. Selling via a dealer with their margin added on top, the price is pushing a grand very hard!

Currently £500 on Amazon uk

 

[NTTY]

What would be the point of using the G1 OCXO clock generator at this point?
Does anyone believe there's an audible difference between better than 1 ppm and 3 ppb?

The question is how much of the 3 ppb from the G1 actually remains with the SMSL PL200T, and whether you can measure that.

I'll review the G1 soon, but I need to organize myself.

So far I did one interesting test of the pitch error, from a CD Player (Pioneer PD-D9) with the SMSL D200. The Pioneer had a 14.5ppm clock precision and that transitions to the SMSL D200 (optical input). But when I sync the D200 with the G1, then that goes down to 5.5ppm. I don't have an explanation yet, this is what I see. But that's off topic at the moment

 

[amper42]

I wonder why no USB out?

 

[solawind]

I wonder why no USB out?

for some reason USB DDC does not seems to be popular.
i use https://www.cubilux.com/products/spdif-to-usb-a-receiver always attached to my PC

 

[NTTY]

I wonder why no USB out?

What for?

 

[Roland68]

I'll review the G1 soon, but I need to organize myself.

So far I did one interesting test of the pitch error, from a CD Player (Pioneer PD-D9) with the SMSL D200. The Pioneer had a 14.5ppm clock precision and that transitions to the SMSL D200 (optical input). But when I sync the D200 with the G1, then that goes down to 5.5ppm. I don't have an explanation yet, this is what I see. But that's off topic at the moment

SMSL has a circuit in most DACs that re-clocks the USB and SPDIF signals to reduce jitter, which is also supposed to improve accuracy. As far as I know, this works in several stages.

 

[Roland68]

I wonder why no USB out?

What would be the point?
The device would be even more expensive, since a USB host would have had to be integrated, and as a CD player, it doesn't offer anything above SPDIF.
USB can't improve this transmission, but it can certainly degrade it and also create ground loop problems.

for some reason USB DDC does not seems to be popular.
i use https://www.cubilux.com/products/spdif-to-usb-a-receiver always attached to my PC

The PL200T has a USB input and can function as a DDC.
If the PL200T had a USB output, it would only be for a DAC, not for a PC/Mac.

What you have is a device to get the digital SPDIF signal back into the computer, something completely different.

 

[solawind]

What you have is a device to get the digital SPDIF signal back into the computer, something completely different.

Why different? amper42 asked about USB OUT, it is exactly what he needs if he wants an PC connection and its what i am using with my spdif sources.

 

[amper42]

What for?

USB out is my favorite connection for use with RME ADI-2 DAC. It would also allow the device to be used for ripping CD with a computer connection. Seems if you are going to have every possible connection out, but no USB its a little odd. I can't image wanting or using AES/EBU and I2S out. Can you?

 

[Ted G]

This is a fine well made product. I wish I had one. My question is will I hear a difference with this compared to a $20 CD player from Goodwill? I’m not trying to be funny- I really want to know.

 

[EJ3]

I love its style, especially the vintage looking tape-player-like buttons, really cool. Chinese hifi getting more sexy everyday.

Kind of like when push button land line phones where sexy?:

 

[solawind]

It is convenient if you want to rip CDs or have your AC connected to your PC, so you can switch sources in software (use your PC as a digital switching "preamp").

USB out is my favorite connection for use with RME ADI-2 DAC

you can use spdif coax for this dac, there shouldnt be any difference. But for ripping CDs or using a PC for digital source switching the only way is to use an external DDC like the one i use https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...pl200t-review-cd-transport.67018/post-2436459

 

[Karmacoma]

Kind of like when push button land line phones where sexy?:
View attachment 487165

Those were the days, right?

 

[Nzama]

I'll review the G1 soon, but I need to organize myself.

So far I did one interesting test of the pitch error, from a CD Player (Pioneer PD-D9) with the SMSL D200. The Pioneer had a 14.5ppm clock precision and that transitions to the SMSL D200 (optical input). But when I sync the D200 with the G1, then that goes down to 5.5ppm. I don't have an explanation yet, this is what I see. But that's off topic at the moment

Looking forward to it. Also could you validate its use as DDC? How could it be done properly?

 

[MC_RME]

Maybe I misunderstood something, but just for clarity: if a DAC is connected to the CD-Player and syncs to the player‘s SPDIF output, then any change in sample rate will also change the test tone frequency at the analog output of the DAC. If not synced and at lower deviations the tone frequency will not change, but generate a click or dropout from time to time.

 

[DavidM1]

This is a fine well made product. I wish I had one. My question is will I hear a difference with this compared to a $20 CD player from Goodwill? I’m not trying to be funny- I really want to know.

If you are using both as transports to an external dac the differences will be in use rather than audio quality. As transports, the PL100, PL150 and PL200 and PL200T will all sound the same.

I upgraded from a $20 Sony Bluray to a PL100 for the following features:

No mechanical noise (I could hear the Sony spinning the CD during silences)
Front panel display
Front panel controls
Choice between optical and coax digital out
Faster loading
More stylish remote
V good internal dac should I ever want to use the RCA outputs
No wall wart
Brand new device

These differences were easily worth it for me and the SMSL completed my compact but capable streamer/ dac/ power amps/ cd player system.

 

[Roland68]

Why different? amper42 asked about USB OUT, it is exactly what he needs if he wants an PC connection and its what i am using with my spdif sources.

A typical USB output on a CD player acts as a host and is used to connect a DAC, such as the one on the CR60.
You cannot connect it to a PC to transfer data to the PC.

 

[VientoB]

That's still a lot of money for a CD transport you know. Selling via a dealer with their margin added on top, the price is pushing a grand very hard!

S.M.S.L PL200T MQA-CD Triple Power Digital Transport Reference, Anti-Vibration 32bit/768kHz DSD512 Clock IO 44.1kHz/10MHz CD Player MQA: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Shop S.M.S.L PL200T MQA-CD Triple Power Digital Transport Reference, Anti-Vibration 32bit/768kHz DSD512 Clock IO 44.1kHz/10MHz CD Player MQA. Free delivery and returns on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

£469

I do think there could have been something else in place of the MQA badging. Imagine plastering a defunct encoding system on the front panel of an expensive CD player...

 

[NTTY]

I added a test of the USB-DDC function in my initial post. It works as expected, on a quality perspective. I did not check HDMI nor AES outputs since I don’t have a DAC with these inputs.