SMSL DO200 MKii Review

dac-smsl-do200-mkii-headfonia-12

Sound performances

For this review, I almost exclusively used the SMSL DO200 MKII with the SMSL HO200. A setup, made to match, that I used extensively for the past weeks. For headphones, I picked my old Audeze LCD-X, the all-new Nostalgia Audio Camelot, and the mighty Beyerdynamic DT900 Pro X.

Music was streamed directly from my computer with Apple Music (Hi-Res), my own Plex library (Hi-Res), and Spotify (Lo-Res)

Overall signature

Sound-wise, the SMSL DO200 MKII is identical to the DO200 and, that’s a really good thing, as the previous model remains one of my favorite DAC available in this price range and above.

First, the DAC is impressively silent, with pitch-black background, whatever the input you use. Even when connected as a Bluetooth endpoint, the DO200 delivered a flawless signal and allowed the HO200 to show its full potential. Paired together, the combo exhibits the same behavior I found the first time: exquisite detail retrieval, at no expense of musicality, with fast decay and rapid transients. 

dac-smsl-do200-mkii-headfonia-14

It’s sweet when needed, hard when you want it and, if not as straight as RME’s soundcard, this DAC is a solid solution for anyone in need of a prosumer solution – especially with an XLR-EBU input available. With crisp highs, deep lows, perfect layering, and a wide soundstage, the DO200 MKII ticks all the right boxes, plus the ability to tune the sound to your very own liking.

And, if I couldn’t really grasp the differences between the three roll-off settings, playing with the sound-color settings appeared to be quite effective. The tube mode in particular happened to warm up the sound by a few degrees, emulating the peculiar render of vacuum tubes quite brilliantly. On the other hand, the crystal effects were a bit too bright for my taste, but maybe some of you will like this extra crispness – while I didn’t.

For those asking, I didn’t hear any difference between line and pre output, once I maxed out the volume, but there’s a clear improvement going balanced with some XLR plugs. First comes power, then follows depth. In balanced mode, the pan effects are more natural and if some notes could appear muffled, switching from RCA to XLR definitely makes a difference. 

dac-smsl-do200-mkii-headfonia-10

On my usual electro tracklist, paired with the SMSL HO200, the combo outputs good headroom and hard-kicking lows, even at low volume. I could immediately hear the enhancement on You Make My Life A Better Place from the Mammas Gun, a small ring unheard before was unmistakable after. Especially with the Audeze, which really enjoyed the combo, especially when I used the full combo with my Steam Deck – for gaming, it’s overboard, but it’s simply amazing. It’s still not up to par with my Cayin IDAC-6 and head-to-head the Cayin was able to deliver more punch and more air. But… the SMSL DO200 MKII is also twice cheaper, and for that price, you get a lot of sound!

I also paired it with the old-but-mighty ALO Audio Studio-6 – an amp that I bought a few years ago now – and was pleasantly surprised to see how new, and old blood, match quite splendidly. SMSL found the sweet spot between accuracy and musicality, displaying exceptional resolution with the Amp, even more than with the HO200, but that was to be expected.

Overall, the same lovely experience.

dac-smsl-do200-mkii-headfonia-16

Tonality

The sound signature is linear, but each frequency range has flaws and qualities—a quick overview.

Bass: deep, fast, accurate. The DO200 MKII managed to reach deep notes with ease on my LCD-X and, paired with the HO200, the combo was almost equal to my Cayin in this aspect. Clearly, in this price range, the  SMSL manages an awesome job and with planar headphones, the result is amazing!

Test track : Ylang Ylang – FKJ

Mids: flat and clean. Good dynamic range combined with exceptional accuracy and absolutely grain-less/flawless background make the DO200 MKII unsurprisingly good in this regard. That said, its most impressive feat remains how musical it sounded, even with difficult tracks, the small DAC out matching many of its competitors, with an equally detailed sound tainted with a delicate sweet touch.

Test track : Customer is King – Meute

Highs: straight and technical. If everything seems flat to my ears, some might find the SMSL DO200 MKII a bit too conservative, or even lacking in this regard. But, the DAC shows excellent control and showed the same level of refinement as the amp in USB mode, but fell short on spatialization when connected via the Toslink/Coaxial port.

Good test track : The Spoils – Massive Attack

dac-smsl-do200-mkii-headfonia-20

Conclusion

Once again, SMSL delivers an excellent piece of gear, and the DO200 MKII, if a minimal upgrade of the first gen, remains one of the best DAC available for less than $500.

The perfect addition to the HO200, to make a compact but powerful headphone listening station, or even a power-amplifier like the AO200 to make a complete desktop station. Build quality is excellent, the sound is very good, I/O is amazing, and either as a pure DAC or a DAC + pre-amplifier, the device was just impressive. 

Then the question remains: should you upgrade? If you own the first gen: no, you won’t get any sound improvement. If you don’t own the prior model, then yes, you should consider getting one, especially if you’re seeking a versatile, audiophile DAC.

 

4.5/5 - (102 votes)
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedin

A nerdy guy with a passion for audio and gadgets, he likes to combine his DAC and his swiss knife. Even after more than 10 years of experience, Nanotechnos still collects all gear he gets, even his first MPMAN MP3 player. He likes spreadsheets, technical specs and all this amazing(ly boring) numbers. But most of all, he loves music: electro, classical, dubstep, Debussy : the daily playlist.

Be first to comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.