CD / SACD players and transports — SMSL PL20

The PL20 is a desktop CD player and digital audio hub from SMSL, built as a $200 update to the brand's earlier PL100 with a versatile three-in-one design - CD playback, one-click lossless CD ripping and a dedicated USB flash-drive audio player, all in a single paperback-book-sized chassis. SMSL's core philosophy for this model centres on versatility, bridging the gap between a physical CD collection and modern digital convenience without ever needing a computer.

Key specs that matter

Dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC chips - an upgrade from the single CS43131 found in the earlier PL100 - deliver refined digital-to-analogue conversion with a low noise floor and high dynamic range. The One-Click Lossless CD Rip function copies a disc straight to an external USB drive in WAV format at the press of a single button, with no computer or complicated setup required. USB flash-drive playback supports lossless formats including DSD64 (DFF/DSF), WAV and APE, alongside common formats like WMA and MP3. Two-way Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity lets the PL20 work as both a transmitter, feeding wireless headphones or speakers, and a receiver, accepting audio from a phone or other Bluetooth source - a genuine improvement over the PL100, which lacked Bluetooth output entirely. Output options include RCA line-out, coaxial and optical digital, plus both 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced headphone jacks, the latter also new over the PL100. The slot-style loading mechanism is silent and reads discs quickly. Construction uses a solid CNC-machined aluminium chassis with gold-plated connectors, weighing 1.39kg on four rubber feet for stability on desktop or car dashboard alike, with a full-function remote control included. The unit requires an external 5V/2A USB power supply, not included in the box, and does not support gapless playback between tracks. One-year warranty covers the amplifier and DAC sections only, not included accessories.

Sound and use context

Expect SMSL's characteristic house sound - lean, textured, very detailed, mid-forward and a touch bright - when used purely as a source into a neutral preamp and amplifier; one reviewer found connecting the PL20 via its optical output to a more capable outboard DAC made a substantial difference, with the same material sounding notably richer, bassier and airier, the performers seeming to move further from the listening position.

Pairing

The optical and coaxial digital outputs let a buyer route the PL20's disc transport into a considerably more capable external DAC for a meaningful sonic upgrade, while the direct RCA line output and dual headphone jacks cover a self-contained desktop system without any additional equipment.

Alternatives

SMSL's own PL150 sits above this model with a higher-power CS43198 DAC chip and added HDCD/MQA-CD decoding, worth the further investment if this PL20's dual-CS43131 architecture and feature set leave ambitions for a more capable single-chip alternative, while SMSL's separate RAW-DAC1 offers a genuine path to noticeably better sound when paired with the PL20 used purely as a transport.