SMSL VMV PL100 CD player £110

[pacman]

What about the headphone output? It's good? Can drive a HD 660S?

 

[Ismapics]

Why would anyone get one of these, when a $29 DVD player with digital output to a DAC would do exactly y the same thing.

 

[Blew]

Why would anyone get one of these, when a $29 DVD player with digital output to a DAC would do exactly y the same thing.

Most cheap DVD players don't have one or all of:

1. Decent DAC
2. External controls / display
3. Quiet operation
4. Play CD audio without gaps (TBC if this does)
5. Apply de-emphasis on pre-emphasis CD audio (TBC if this does)

 

[DavidM1]

Why would anyone get one of these, when a $29 DVD player with digital output to a DAC would do exactly y the same thing.

Yes, it’s an indulgence but I had to come up with a birthday present and it came along at the right time. lol.

I’m looking for a bit less spin noise and better ui than my $20 Sony. I like the size, the retro graphic and the choice of digital connection. But no, not strictly necessary.

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

Graphic on front plate is... ugly, to say at least.

 

[DavidM1]

Graphic on front plate is... ugly, to say at least.

Yes, that’s a common take. I quite liked it from the beginning and haven’t changed my mind. It will be interesting to see it in reality.

Hifi gear is pretty conservative. Mine currently consists of 4 black boxes and a hockey puck.

 

[Bleib]

Most cheap DVD players don't have one or all of:

1. Decent DAC
2. External controls / display
3. Quiet operation
4. Play CD audio without gaps (TBC if this does)
5. Apply de-emphasis on pre-emphasis CD audio (TBC if this does)

Especially quiet operation can be difficult to find
The DAC inside this should do fine as well, but I connected it directly to my SMSL DAC anyway

I hope they make a new version one day with USB input and better looks

 

[Esprit]

€120 is not much, I wonder if it is worth using it only as a mechanical device or if, as written above, any €30 DVD player is more than enough.

https://www.amazon.it/LEAUDIO-lettore-CS43131-coassiale-telecomando/dp/B0DQ4NQNH7/ref=sr_1_3?__mk_it_IT=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=202UKSLHSOP3V&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.OT7dRg4_sMrtV9J68FvvK-K3lCQCAv2A8hy632fHlSVWEe-1KCnEwtFGmPhq61dJ0XPv_gn7Zy322laXiOUVn5hI4E1SSQ2KteWX1R63c2PpuejUABcePH-C6j6DQs93AIdN7E376B9lmSn9Jbh9fdMRK220ia0LSygA18HjWFqocKBSFoyvJua2rtNqsXX2FB4HFPBEngffmQ3p03KpvrjrHbQW88SMJKDi1hqgBt5BN7AFNM8v7WnVF7qauPjMwSeKkE2M8ww-YWZQ-fampB-APIUPYYVlRWJERicly7HEtr7PgiaHc7C8uRl4NWL85Cl8Z4OTCvkfwgsRz7T1On9zKwniAvADrJjM3vGAMcD9sKIhCwQLJKdYmbm9ZYpqxh40pk-2G0C2r3u3S9C_2qY0zKVvKdE9I-uoTO0Jd0OWp-Prnyh9UQ2TFlDDq8DH.4BlKDl-_jTxgTK4qn8jTrpPxwoK4c415aig3wSiHBTM&dib_tag=se&keywords=SMSL%2BVMV%2BPL100%2BC&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1736259979&sprefix=smsl%2Bvmv%2Bpl100%2Bc%2Caps%2C591&sr=8-3&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.9d4f9b77-768c-4a4e-94ad-33674c20ab35&th=1

 

[Bleib]

€120 is not much, I wonder if it is worth using it only as a mechanical device or if, as written above, any €30 DVD player is more than enough.

https://www.amazon.it/LEAUDIO-lettore-CS43131-coassiale-telecomando/dp/B0DQ4NQNH7/ref=sr_1_3?__mk_it_IT=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=202UKSLHSOP3V&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.OT7dRg4_sMrtV9J68FvvK-K3lCQCAv2A8hy632fHlSVWEe-1KCnEwtFGmPhq61dJ0XPv_gn7Zy322laXiOUVn5hI4E1SSQ2KteWX1R63c2PpuejUABcePH-C6j6DQs93AIdN7E376B9lmSn9Jbh9fdMRK220ia0LSygA18HjWFqocKBSFoyvJua2rtNqsXX2FB4HFPBEngffmQ3p03KpvrjrHbQW88SMJKDi1hqgBt5BN7AFNM8v7WnVF7qauPjMwSeKkE2M8ww-YWZQ-fampB-APIUPYYVlRWJERicly7HEtr7PgiaHc7C8uRl4NWL85Cl8Z4OTCvkfwgsRz7T1On9zKwniAvADrJjM3vGAMcD9sKIhCwQLJKdYmbm9ZYpqxh40pk-2G0C2r3u3S9C_2qY0zKVvKdE9I-uoTO0Jd0OWp-Prnyh9UQ2TFlDDq8DH.4BlKDl-_jTxgTK4qn8jTrpPxwoK4c415aig3wSiHBTM&dib_tag=se&keywords=SMSL%2BVMV%2BPL100%2BC&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1736259979&sprefix=smsl%2Bvmv%2Bpl100%2Bc%2Caps%2C591&sr=8-3&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.9d4f9b77-768c-4a4e-94ad-33674c20ab35&th=1

It's a bit cheaper from places like Hifigo and schenzenaudio, but of course warranties are easier through Amazon

I had to buy 7 different players previously to find a quiet DVD player. The reason I got the SMSL anyway is just to save space, and it's likely more energiefficient

 

[Ismapics]

Most cheap DVD players don't have one or all of:

1. Decent DAC
2. External controls / display
3. Quiet operation
4. Play CD audio without gaps (TBC if this does)
5. Apply de-emphasis on pre-emphasis CD audio (TBC if this does)

What, I said with an external DAC 1 is out, for $29 maybe no controls, but for $89 or used you can find plenty with, Quiete operation, really? Gaps, I guess it would work for the 0.01% of disks where that makes sense, I give you that one, De emphasis? Enlighten me as this is the first time I hear such a thing. Keeping in mind that CD only has to do one thing, extract the file from a spinning disc this is somewhat overpriced. I rather buy a used one or a DVD Player and use the leftover $ for CDs.

 

[Ismapics]

It's a bit cheaper from places like Hifigo and schenzenaudio, but of course warranties are easier through Amazon

I had to buy 7 different players previously to find a quiet DVD player. The reason I got the SMSL anyway is just to save space, and it's likely more energiefficient

Quiet? I get that you want what you want, but my Sony BlueRay is quite silent.

 

[Bleib]

Quiet? I get that you want what you want, but my Sony BlueRay is quite silent.

Well, I've read quite a bit online and found that X800 model from Sony is quiet, but far from all models are.
There are topics here and there where people discuss trying to find quiet gear, it's not so easy.

 

[DavidM1]

Quiet? I get that you want what you want, but my Sony BlueRay is quite silent.

That’s good. Mine is a Sony BDP S1500 and it would be quiet enough for watching movies but disc spinning can be faintly audible between tracks. The rest of the chain is silent. Will the SMSL be better? Perhaps and I hope so.

I like the Sony and it was $20AUD used with remote. They can be very cheap but be sure to hook it up to a tv and choose the quick-play setting so that it doesn’t take as long as a Bluray when loading a CD.

 

[ChenHui]

Especially quiet operation can be difficult to find
The DAC inside this should do fine as well, but I connected it directly to my SMSL DAC anyway

I hope they make a new version one day with USB input and better looks

Maybe they have already released a better looking version with USB input called PL200

 

[Bleib]

Maybe they have already released a better looking version with USB input called PL200

Ridiculously overpriced

 

[tmtomh]

IMHO if you're going to play CDs these days, there's little if any reason to use a full-on player with its own DAC and analogue outputs - for most of us, a disc transport feeding a DAC (standalone or built in to your downstream equipment) makes the most sense.

So IMHO it's really about three things:

1. Silent operation
2. Remote control and decent interface
3. Reliable disc-loading and playback mechanism

Item #1 is in my experience very difficult to achieve with a cheap DVD player or the like - cheap transports are quiet but far from silent, and they often make seek noises during playback, which are very audible in quiet passages and between songs. To each their own, but I find it incredibly annoying - and it seems silly to spend so much time assembling a low-noise system only to blow it by cheaping out on a $29 disc transport.

So if it really is silent or near-silent during playback, then I don't think it makes any sense to call this SMSL unit "ridiculously overpriced."

Item #2 is IMHO fairly easy, and as for #3, if the mechanism is quiet enough to fulfill item #1, then it's likely reliable enough to use for several years.

My own personal favorite is the Sony UBP-X800 or X800M2. The M2 is still in production, although Sony's jacked up the MSRP to $329, which is ridiculous. You can get either model used for $150 or less. It's very low-profile, all black, no display while playing, with a nice, heavy, metal enclosure that makes it totally silent when playing discs. It totally gets out of the way, no distractions.

 

[Blew]

Quiete operation, really?

I've tried cheap DVD players but the mechanical operation noise has been too distracting to enjoy.

Gaps, I guess it would work for the 0.01% of disks where that makes sense, I give you that one

I have quite a few CDs containing audio which flows from one track to another. Unnecessary gaps in playback destroys the listening experience for them as unnecessary silence interrupts the music flow. Also, while the gaps are silent, the player creates more mechanical sounds as the laser resets to change tracks. Pink Floyd DSOTM and The Wall are good examples, but there are plenty of others. It's very common in live and orchestral music albums.

Aside from the annoyance, introducing gaps in CD audio doesn't conform to the Redbook audio standard and means the players are essentially broken out of the box. It *shouldn't happen*, but it does because modern cheap DVD players read the CD audio as Track-At-Once (TAO) like a CD-ROM.

, De emphasis? Enlighten me as this is the first time I hear such a thing.

It was used in the early 80's as a way of noise reduction technique. It was implemented on a number of albums in the 80's but is not used nowadays. Still, as part of the Redbook standard, all CD players *should* support it but many don't. It should also be implemented in DACs, but many don't.
Read about it here:

Pre-emphasis - Hydrogenaudio Knowledgebase

wiki.hydrogenaud.io

Keeping in mind that CD only has to do one thing, extract the file from a spinning disc this is somewhat overpriced. I rather buy a used one or a DVD Player and use the leftover $ for CDs.

Yes you may be able to find a good quality and good condition DVD player which meets your requirements for cheaper. I've been lucky to find an early 2000's era Pioneer DV-686A new in box that does all the above (although I don't use the DAC). You never know how much life they have in them though as the components fail with age and use, so it's great to have a well-priced current option. I need one to replace a Sony Blu-ray player which doesn't have an inbuilt display.

In addition to the other requirements, I'd also like it to support HDCD. I'd much rather HDCD support than MQA.

 

[Ismapics]

I've tried cheap DVD players but the mechanical operation noise has been too distracting to enjoy.

I have quite a few CDs containing audio which flows from one track to another. Unnecessary gaps in playback destroys the listening experience for them as unnecessary silence interrupts the music flow. Also, while the gaps are silent, the player creates more mechanical sounds as the laser resets to change tracks. Pink Floyd DSOTM and The Wall are good examples, but there are plenty of others. It's very common in live and orchestral music albums.

Aside from the annoyance, introducing gaps in CD audio doesn't conform to the Redbook audio standard and means the players are essentially broken out of the box. It *shouldn't happen*, but it does because modern cheap DVD players read the CD audio as Track-At-Once (TAO) like a CD-ROM.


It was used in the early 80's as a way of noise reduction technique. It was implemented on a number of albums in the 80's but is not used nowadays. Still, as part of the Redbook standard, all CD players *should* support it but many don't. It should also be implemented in DACs, but many don't.
Read about it here:

Pre-emphasis - Hydrogenaudio Knowledgebase

wiki.hydrogenaud.io

Yes you may be able to find a good quality and good condition DVD player which meets your requirements for cheaper. I've been lucky to find an early 2000's era Pioneer DV-686A new in box that does all the above (although I don't use the DAC). You never know how much life they have in them though as the components fail with age and use, so it's great to have a well-priced current option. I need one to replace a Sony Blu-ray player which doesn't have an inbuilt display.

In addition to the other requirements, I'd also like it to support HDCD. I'd much rather HDCD support than MQA.

All good but I am willing to say you are in an exclusive group smaller than 1/2 of a % of audio gear consumers.

 

[Blew]

All good but I am willing to say you are in an exclusive group smaller than 1/2 of a % of audio gear consumers.

Agree, but you could probably say that about most people on ASR. It's a niche market that SMSL is catering to here.

 

[DavidM1]

I've tried cheap DVD players but the mechanical operation noise has been too distracting to enjoy.

I have quite a few CDs containing audio which flows from one track to another. Unnecessary gaps in playback destroys the listening experience for them as unnecessary silence interrupts the music flow. Also, while the gaps are silent, the player creates more mechanical sounds as the laser resets to change tracks. Pink Floyd DSOTM and The Wall are good examples, but there are plenty of others. It's very common in live and orchestral music albums.

Aside from the annoyance, introducing gaps in CD audio doesn't conform to the Redbook audio standard and means the players are essentially broken out of the box. It *shouldn't happen*, but it does because modern cheap DVD players read the CD audio as Track-At-Once (TAO) like a CD-ROM.


It was used in the early 80's as a way of noise reduction technique. It was implemented on a number of albums in the 80's but is not used nowadays. Still, as part of the Redbook standard, all CD players *should* support it but many don't. It should also be implemented in DACs, but many don't.
Read about it here:

Pre-emphasis - Hydrogenaudio Knowledgebase

wiki.hydrogenaud.io

Yes you may be able to find a good quality and good condition DVD player which meets your requirements for cheaper. I've been lucky to find an early 2000's era Pioneer DV-686A new in box that does all the above (although I don't use the DAC). You never know how much life they have in them though as the components fail with age and use, so it's great to have a well-priced current option. I need one to replace a Sony Blu-ray player which doesn't have an inbuilt display.

In addition to the other requirements, I'd also like it to support HDCD. I'd much rather HDCD support than MQA.

Yep, I have to remind myself that a lot of people don't listen to classical music. If your diet is pop and dance music then gapless playback probably doesn't count for much. If your diet includes motets, cantatas, trio concerti or baroque opera there is a good chance that artificial gaps between tracks could be annoying.

The question of mechanical noise has come up a few times. I think BluRay players typically have an audience that likely never hears it. If the movie is on, why would you? For that reason standards might not have been as rigorous as those for CD players.

For music listening I think it depends on a few things such as the distance from the player to the listening position, time of day and the amount of background noise generally, whether gear is behind glass or out on display, whether you've been listening to loud or quiet music and whether you are actively listening for mechanical noise. If you are listening late at night in a very quiet suburb to generally softer music in a room that is not that large... well, I'd expect you to hear most cheap BluRay players in the gaps between tracks. Perhaps not all but most.