SMSL PL200 CD Player / Transport – A Modern Take on Top-Loading Design

When I first learned about the SMSL PL200, I ordered it right away from Audiophonics.

I’ve always liked the idea of a top-loading CD player. There’s something tactile and deliberate about lifting a lid and placing the disc yourself. It reminds me of those beautiful Burmester or C.E.C. transports – mechanical precision, no ugly plastic drawes, just a clean, direct experience comparable to a turntable.

Of course, I wasn’t going to spend five figures on a nostalgia trip as I stream most of my music through my Eversolo DMP-A8 (advertisement link) and it’s built-in SSD storage. I could have happily connected an external DVD drive to play back my discs but the noisy and toyish mechanisms are not what you want to be dealing with long term.

The PL200 looked like a smart middle ground with solid engineering, high functionality, and a price under 1000 Euros that still makes sense.

My PL200 arrived in a stylisch black box and the unboxing experience kinda reminds of unwrapping the newest iPhone :)

Going beyond the (beautiful) surface

The first impression is excellent. The aluminum body feels dense and precisely machined. The top lid opens smoothly, and the magnetic clamp centers the disc with a reassuring click. Everything about it feels more serious than the humble price suggests.

The CD drive mechanism, even though it’s hidden quite well under SMSL marketing slogans PASS is apparently a cheap one taken from a boom-box and it’s a far cry from the likes of the magnificient Philips CDM1 or the CD Pro2 but that is to be expected at that price point. But it’s very quiet and super-fast. It reminds me on a top class 90s CD player. Unlike many competitors, the SMSL has a true CD drive and not some wonky DVD drive built in. Just don’t expect the CD drive to last you the next 25 years although its outer appearance may suggest otherwise. However, even very expensive CD players from Accuphase are prone to early failure these days which is a shame.

The display is small but readable. On the front you’ll find the funny “piano key” buttons which I’m not a big fan of but they work well. On the neat rear panel you’ll find balanced XLR and RCA outputs, optical and coaxial digital outs, and a USB input. You also get Bluetooth 5.1 with LDAC support for wireless playback, which makes it even more versatile for casual listening. I personally unmounted the Bluetooth antenna as I don’t really use it.

What the PL200 Can Do

This little machine wears a lot of hats. It can act as:

Standalone CD Player – just connect it to your amp or powered speakers
Digital Transport – output the signal via Toslink / Coax into an external DAC (I use mine with the Eversolo DMP-A8 (advertisement link))
USB DAC – connect it to a PC, laptop, or streamer to take advantage of its wonderful AKM DAC
Bluetooth Receiver – stream from your phone or tablet
Full Balanced Preamp – control volume and feed powered monitors or a power amplifier directly
Headphone Amplifier – with a proper, low-noise output stage that can drive demanding headphones cleanly. Internally, it features the TI TPA6120A chipset which is a perfect companion for a Sennheiser HD600 / 650 and many other demanding headphones. Unfortunately, SMSL placed the headphone jack on the rear panel which is very inconvenient but I guess this must be a design choice

How I use my PL200

I mainly use the PL200 in two different configurations:

1. As a CD transport → via Toslink into my Eversolo DMP-A8 (advertisement link). The SMSL handles disc reading; the Eversolo does the D/A conversion. Works flawlessly.

2. As a DAC / preamp → using the balanced outputs straight into my Stax electrostatic amplifier. In that setup, the Eversolo acts as a transport to an external USB DAC, and the PL200 handles conversion and volume control – although I’ve disabled volume control on the PL200 entirely and let the Stax amp handle it for me

Switching between modes is simple – a few button presses or the remote, which, while not luxurious, works reliably.

How Does it Sound?

The sound is clean, full, and well-balanced. It’s not hyped or artificial; it just reproduces what’s on the disc. Dynamics are lively, treble stays smooth, and the stereo image is precise. Whether used as a DAC or transport, timing and coherence remain solid. The internal analog stage has enough drive to feed long cables or active monitors without strain.

With headphones, the output is quiet, neutral, and powerful enough for most models. I wouldn’t call it a “statement” headphone amp, but it’s far beyond the typical CD player’s token output.

Bluetooth and Digital Inputs

Bluetooth pairing is straightforward and stable. Using LDAC, streamed files sound surprisingly close to wired playback — not identical, but more than good enough for background listening or checking new tracks quickly. USB input works plug-and-play with Windows, macOS, and most streamers. It accepts high-resolution PCM and DSD without needing extra drivers on modern systems.

Preamp Functionality

One of the nicest touches is the variable output control. You can bypass it for fixed output, or enable it and use the PL200 as a preamp. Volume adjustment is precise, and channel balance remains perfect even at low levels. If you prefere a minimalist audio system or office setup, you could easily run CD → PL200 → active speakers or integrated amp and be done. It’s that self-contained.

What I Didn’t Like….

The remote control looks and feels a bit cheap – lightweight plastic, generic buttons but it’s responsive and does the job.
The display isn’t large, but it’s legible and gives you all the info you need. Otherwise, I don’t have much to complain about. Build quality and reliability have both been excellent so far. It takes a few commands to switch from “Transport Mode” to “DAC” mode and vice versa. But you’ll quickly get used to it.

Final Thoughts

The SMSL PL200 brings back the joy of physical media in a device that also fits perfectly into a modern digital setup. It’s a CD player, DAC, Bluetooth receiver, preamp, and headphone amp in one beautifully built chassis.

If you still own a CD collection and want to play it on something that feels substantial and sounds genuinely good, this is one of the few affordable players that gets it right. It delivers the tactile satisfaction of a high-end top-loader, the connectivity of a modern DAC, and the flexibility of a compact preamp, all at a very reasonable price point.