It’s super-small, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t pack a punch. The SMSL PS200, developed in partnership with Aoshida Audio, is a diminutive DAC which has it all but keeps the footprint to an absolute minimum. Despite being barely larger than a packet of tissues, the PS200 offers USB, optical, coaxial and even Bluetooth input. It’s basically perfect as a desktop device – or to update an existing system.
Disclaimer: I received this unit gratis from Aoshida Audio. It retails for $89.99.
TL;DR: recap
| Pros |
Cons |
| + Incredibly small
+ Has Bluetooth too! + Neutral sound signature |
– No volume adjustment |
Rating: 9/10
Packaging & Accessories
The packaging is more essential than that of the other SMSL products I’ve tried so far, as it is made with thin cardboard and foam, though the contents are similar: there are the device itself, a USB to USB-C cable and a manual.
Design & Build
The SMSL PS200 is a DAC that looks very serious and modern, with a minimalistic design which goes well with just about everything. It just looks like a black parallelepiped, with the front covered by a glossy black panel and the rest of the chassis made of matte black plastic. The front hosts a power button on the right hand side, as well as multiple status LEDs that tell you what kind of media is being played (with LEDs for MQA and the media type being played; although it is labelled “DSD” it actually works for all media types!) and what is the active input (USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth). Pressing the power button while the unit’s on switches the input; in order to power it off you have to long-press it.
The back hosts the various input and output connectors: there are a USB input (for both data and power), as well as coaxial and optical connectors, and two RCA connectors. There is also a switch which allows you to enable USB Audio Class 1.0 compatibility, which is useful in case you want to use the SMSL PS200 with a console like the PlayStation 4/5 or the Nintendo Switch.
As I mentioned in the introduction, the SMSL PS200 is very small, at just 105 x 80 x 22 mm. It also weighs just 90 g! This makes it suitable not just for usage on a desk or in a stereo system in the living room, but also in more atypical settings such as a car – where you can use it as a high-quality Bluetooth adapter. Surprisingly, the PS200 does not have an external antenna for Bluetooth.
Build quality is excellent; the device feels very well built, and the plastic feels and looks robust and durable.
Features & Specs
As a “traditional” DAC, the SMSL PS200 features a variety of input: on top of USB there are optical and coaxial. What sets it slightly apart from conventional DACs is the fact that it also supports Bluetooth. The Bluetooth connection only offers the basic SBC codec, so the PS200 is not a substitute for the bigger (though slightly less expensive!) SMSL B2, which also supports aptX and LDAC. Bluetooth does add a dimension of convenience, however, and the connection is stable and reliable with a good range.
The SMSL PS200 works with Windows 7 and onwards (though it requires drivers), as well as macOS (10.6+) and Linux without drivers needed. It works with iOS and Android on the mobile front, while on the console front it is compatible with the PS5 and the Nintendo Switch when set to use UAC 1.0. As it is compatible with Linux, it also works flawlessly with the Steam Deck.
SMSL PS200 |
| Input | Bluetooth (up to 24 bit / 96 kHz)
USB (PCM up to 32 bit / 768 kHz, DSD up to DSD256, DoP256, MQA) Optical and coaxial (up to 24 bit / 192 kHz, DoP64, MQA) |
| Output | RCA |
| Frequency response | N/A |
| THD+N (@1 kHz) | < 0.0001% |
| SNR | 123 dB |
| Crosstalk | N/A |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC |
The PS200 is built around the ESS Sabre ESS9039Q2M DAC chip, which eas expressly developed for mobile applications and targets high audio quality while keeping power consumption down (the PS200 consumes less than 1 W!). The chip is accompanied by an XMOS XU-316 USB controller as well as by four unnamed op-amps.
Sound
I tested the SMSL PS200 by connecting it to an AIYIMA A70 which, in turn, drove a pair of ELAC DBR62 speakers. I used both USB and Bluetooth connections.
Just like you would expect, the SMSL PS200 offers a completely neutral sound signature. It does not introduce any colouration in the sound, which means it won’t alter the music in any way – leaving that task to the amplifier or the speakers, if that is what you would like to achieve. The background is completely silent, with no sound coming out of the DAC when no media is playing.
Although the PS200 only features the SBC codec, I cannot hear any differences between the Bluetooth connection and the wired one.
Final Thoughts
The SMSL PS200 is a very nice device which makes high-quality sound affordable, as well as available in an incredibly small package. It is only slightly larger than a case of TWS earphones! This means you can use it anywhere, from a desk to a hi-fi system in your lounge (and beyond!), without needing a lot of space – which is always nice. It also offers quite a bit of flexibility in terms of available connections, which makes it possible to use it with a wide variety of devices, from network streamers to CD players to computers and smartphones. The only possible limitation it has is a lack of volume control, which makes it more difficult to use it with active speakers and other devices which require volume adjustment. Apart from this, the PS200 stands out as an affordable, compact yet very complete DAC that gives you everything you need. Recommended!
