SMSL PS200 HiFi High Fidelity DAC – Unpretentious Design, Alacrity Attack
SMSL PS200 is a $89 USD Multi Function Audio Converter with Bluetooth 5.0 input, DSD512 Support, MQA-CD support, and with an ES9039Q2M DAC at the heart for decoding the input signals. With all the signals going through the XMOS Xu316 popular USB interface, today we will review the PS200, how it sounds like and whether it should be the next step in achieving your dream setup on a budget.
Introduction
SMSL is a popular company from China and we have reviewed quite a few products made by them, through multiple channels. One such channel is Aoshida, the one mainly selling the PS200 that we are reviewing today, and Aoshida is one of the stores with the best support, quickest shipping times, and friendliest staff, always being a pleasure to work with both as a reviewer, but also as a customer. As we can judge how satisfied our readers are from the messages we receive, Aoshida is one of the companies that no one ever complained about and which everyone always said they will return to. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Huge thanks to Aoshida Store for providing us with the sample for this review.
PROs – Excellent details and resolution, strong revealing abilities, small form factor that does not get hot or even warm during usage, good versatility for the type-c input, a deep and powerful bass, sharp and detailed treble, and a vivid, engaging midrange. Price / performance ratio is insane, and the tuning is versatile.
Cons – Bluetooth input only supports SBC, it is extremely light and most cables can lift it off the table.
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/3MtBuVu
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DBakRRh
Build Quality/Aesthetics
SMSL Ps200 is one of the smallest and most compact DACs, made for the budget audiophile to have fun even when their money’s tight, by offering an audio performance which is not compressed or limited in any way. PS200 comes with 4 OPAs inside, and it also comes with a lightweight plastic shell, that offers it matte and elegant design, with a single button on the front for cycling through the inputs. The XU316 USB interface at the heart combined with the ES9039Q2M DAC will offer plenty of performance, and this is a DAC chip that we’ve seen before on Topping D50 III, and Matrix Mini-i PRO 4, also in a single DAC configuration for both.
There is a built-in low noise power supply, and you only need to always have a USB Type-C cable connected to Ps200, with no need for an additional power converter. There is an UAC1 / UAC2 switching, and UAC 2 is perfect for windows computers, while UAC 1 for consoles and devices that typically have poor support for devices that require UAC 2. In practice, there usually is no sonic difference, although in theory UAC 2 has a higher buffer and should be more stable with a better sonic performance. To be more specific UAC 1 will work with Nintendo Switch and Sony PS5, while UAC 2 will work with Windows PC computers.
To give you the sound, SMSL PS200 uses 4 high-end Dual Operational Amplifiers, and all connectors are gold plated. The dynamic range is set at 123 dB, and so is the SNR or Signal To Noise Ratio. The input list includes USB input, Optical, Coaxial and Bluetooth input. Although the Bluetooth Antenna is not visible, a case made of plastic allows for internal antennas, while this is not possible with metallic casings that act as a Faraday Cage for most devices, isolating the internal components from the external noise. The Bluetooth input supports SBC, with no LDAC or aptX support.
The package is rather simplistic, it includes the DAC and a USB Type-C cable, and that’s about it. The maximum power consumption is as little as the size of the DAC, with a max of 1W, while the standby power is less than 0.1 W. The THD+N is extremely low at 0.0001% or -118 dB, while the output level is set at a standard 2Vrms. The OS support includes Windows, MAC Os and Linus, Android, iOS, Sony and Nintendo systems. With a weight of 90 grams, this is one of the lightest and least intrusive DACs you can hope for, and as SMSL stated it, with such a low power consumption, it can even work in a Car setup.
Sound Quality
Pairings – It has been interesting implementing such a tiny DAC in multiple systems, but realistically, it will see most usage in entry-level setups, so I chose to pair it with Topping A50 III to drive ZiiGaat Cincotres, JDS Labs Atom AMP 2 to drive Aune AR5000, Fosi Audio V3 to drive the NHT C3 Speakers, and for a bit of extra fun, Keces S300+ to drive the Pylon Audio Diamond 30 MKII speakers, using an Aune S17 PRO as a PRE in between. The interconnects between the DAC and the AMPs have always been ddHIFI RC20A, while between the AMPs and the speakers I have used the mighty Ricable Invictus Speaker reference cables. SMSL PS200 allows Windows to retain its volume control, and you can use it if you want, although I suggest against doing this, as it will lower the sonic quality, instead using a PREamp allowing for better sonic quality. I can confirm that there is no USB dac delay with either UAC 1 or UAC 2 modes, and everything works perfectly well. The best sound can be had when using the USB Type-C input, with the other inputs sounding more compressed, especially the Bluetooth input, as it has support only for SBC protocols.
Overall Signature – Generally speaking, the sound is powerful, detailed and controlled with very little added noise or background noise. In fact, I was expecting at least some background noise considering the plastic casing, but PS200 is really well controlled, and I placed it near noise generators such as my router or smartphone, and it still does not show a noise floor that would be audible with most setups where a PREamp is included. The signature is natural, clean, detailed with a high dynamic range, lots of punch and a good sense of dynamics. Despite the entry-level price point, the sound has all the bass extension and treble extension you can dream of, offering a bright and sharp treble, combined with a punchy bass. A strong point for PS200 is that it sounds very linear, there is little to no coloration for the sound, it simply is transparent and has a good resolution.
Bass – Starting from the bottom, Ps200 has a good strength in the low-end, with a clean punch and a strong presence. The bass extends down to 20 Hz, and it will rely far more on the AMP’s ability to produce that response, as well as the IEMs or Headphones, or even speakers, but the DAc is fully capable to deliver a strong punch with EDM, pop and even with metal music.
Midrange – The midrange is where I found something surprising, and that’s a musical, vivid and colorful midrange. Usually, SMSL is known for a mid-forward sound that has a lot of punch but also strong detail. Compared to most entry-level DACs, Ps200 sounds revealing, vivid, and as I chose the title, attacks with alacrity, it is uplifting and engaging. There’s a good sense of width and depth, and it is a far cry from the traditional SMSL flat and mid centric sound, with a much more balanced response and a more enjoyable presentation.
Treble – Also far from the standard SMSL tuning is the treble, which here has strong energy, excellent extension and a really clean output. There’s a good sense of width and sparkle, air and sharpness in the treble. If anything, the sound is a little too sharp and clean, but it really helps reveal micro details in the background, and things which were usually very hard to hear. As this is a DAC that outputs the sound at maximum volume always, there is no difference for volume control, you will need to use a PReamp to set the volume.
Dynamics / PRaT / Textures – Textures of the SMSL PS200 are on the hard side, with strong impact, edgy corners in square waves, and a strong expression of details and textures. This type of sound is super pleasing and most detail addicts will love it. The downside is that it does not smooth any edge or over-refine it, so you will hear a lot more information in music, including harsher sounding masters / mixes.
Soundstage – The soundstage is fairly interesting, as PS200 shows a clean separation between instruments and a wide image, but flattens the depth of the image, bringing the background instrument in your face, and very close to the listener. This creates a wide, holographic sound, but with very little depth.
Value and Conclusion
The value of PS200 is at the level insane, this is the one DAC that has the detail and resolution to be impressive even to acquainted listeners, but costs as much as a meal at an entry-level restaurant, yet it will live with you for years. No extra heat, small shape, but no background noise, it literally has everything you may need from an entry-level DAC.
At the end of the day, if you’re looking for a vivid, engaging sound with strong detail, sharp and well defined treble, wide soundstage, and a deep, punchy bass, SMSL PS200 should be your DAC and bring you lots of fun for years to come.
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/3MtBuVu
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DBakRRh
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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