Years ago when recorded music on vinyl was first available, music fans would dress up as if going to a concert in order to listen. It seems daft now, but with their limited frame of reference and their respect for musicianship, we can understand.
And the same has happened many times since; with developments in technology over the past century or so, our relationship with music changes again and again. The development of such things as amplification in the 1920s, magnetic tape, and the famous Sony Walkman all affected our lives in one way or another. It brought more options when listening, and it brought more lifelike and better-recorded music to us. So much so, that we can now take it for granted to the point of listening to our musical heroes in our underpants.
Apple created its own musical revolution years ago with the iPod; although these little players tended to cost big bucks, it was another Walkman-like effect on how we consume music with the iPod’s (then) huge capacity of 20 or 40 gigabytes. Since then we’ve had micro SD cards which increase capacity, but the lasting perception since the iPod is that decent mobile audio is expensive. Step forward, Shanling!
The M0 achieves the mobile audio holy trinity; it’s small, can accept Micro SD cards of up to 512Gb, and costs only £99. Added to that, the M0 has features such as Bluetooth Hi-Res transmission, a touch screen and build quality you can bang nails in with.
Don’t believe us? Give the M0 a try and if your relationship with music doesn’t change within 30 days, we’ll give your money back!
Shanling’s shrinking players know no bounds; the titchy M0 measures just 4cm by 4.5cm. Add to that the touchscreen feature, two-way bluetooth, DSD capabilities and 512Gb Micro SD compatibility and you have a fully functional micro miracle! Much smaller, and we may start needing tweezers to handle the thing..
Pros:
Tiny size and light
Good sound
Versatile
Touchscreen operated
Cons:
Can require some practice to operate
Small screen can omit parts of longer folder/file names
Design and Appearance
The Shanling M0 is very smart and simple-looking from the outside with only one control; that being the combined power and volume control on the right side. On the left is a covered slot for a micro SD card of your choice (all currently available capacities are supported) and along the bottom is a USB-C socket and a 3.5mm headphone socket.
The casing is metallic, with an anodised-style paint job which looks the part and is kind to fingers in that no obvious marks are left after handling. The touchscreen is not so fingerprint-proof but a quick wipe deals with that.
Since the screen is so tiny, any list of folders and tracks may not be so meaningful if you have a few folders which are named starting with the artist name, for example. The album titles are not visible as they are cut off by the edge of the screen, leading the user to guess which album they are going into. There is no option to alter the text size, or use two lines of the display to display the folder or file names – perhaps a future firmware update will address this.
The touchscreen operation is quite intuitive, but some may require a little practice with their swiping actions in order to use the M0 and navigate through the various menus and options.
Durability and Build Quality
The bevelled edges make it sit great in the hands of most people; it feels like a solid and dependable unit with a combined power button, selector and volume control which has a knurled edge so it’s not fiddly. If your fingers are dry (or banana-like) and you’re concerned about dropping this little fella, there are natty little leather cases available for the M0 which will offer some additional grip and protection.
Suitability for intended application
The Shanling M0 is a versatile unit; there is a number of bluetooth standards it can operate by, and the two-way bluetooth feature will allow the M0 to act as a receiver so it can be used with a full-size music system (outputting audio at line-level) if you wanted to listen to the music stored on it whilst relaxing at home. Just remember to alter the output setting back to ‘PO’ (phones out) when connecting headphones again.
Its light weight (37.5 grams or about an ounce and a bit) makes it perfect for joggers who are keen on using bluetooth headphones; slip it in a pocket and it can be virtually forgotten about!
Sound
Considering the diminutive size of the Shanling M0, it packs a surprising punch and can adequately power any portable headphones, with a decent amount of bass and clarity. It also has a few EQ presets for a limited amount of sound customisation but the sound is really quite good as it comes, with the EQ off.
The Shanling M1 is the perfect everyday DAP, also doubling up as the perfect gym companion, offering a clean and detailed sound for under £150, very impressive.
The Shanling M1 is a tiny player, it is shaped like the later iPod Nano and is sleek and easily slips into your pocket. The front is glass, the edges are aluminium and the back is plastic, you have a volume wheel (which is also the select button) on the top right hand side and the power button underneath. On the other side you have playback buttons (skip track and back), on the bottom you have the USB C port for charging and also file transfer along with the headphone jack and MicroSD slot. The power button also works to unlock the screen, overall the look and feel of this player is excellent.
The M1 comes with a USB cable, Card reader and 4 screen protectors, all you need is a microSD card with music on. Available separately is a leather case, and you can also purchase extra screen protectors.
The user interface is easy to get around, you have plenty of settings and then when in your music you can either browse by Artist, Album, Genre, Playlist, Favourites or display all tracks. The wheel acts as the scrolling mechanism, and click inwards on the wheel to select. The playing screen displays the album artwork, with the format below and the track name and artist. The button layout is not as intuitive and natural as the M2s, but it doesn’t take long to get used to it.
This player has some added functions, it can be used as an external USB DAC for your computer.
The USB C port can feed a digital signal to an external DAC too, it has high and low gain settings, EQ, two way Bluetooth (AptX) support and more.
Sound
I would class the Shanling M1 as one of the more neutral sounding players, it’s sibling the M2s has a noticeable warmth to the sound that the M1 doesn’t have. The M1 has plenty of gain, but the actual output power is lower than the M2s, meaning the M1 is best paired with in-ear headphones and easier to drive full size ones.
There is still a slight smoothness to the sound, which makes this an easy listen. The lows are slightly full and easy to follow, they are not lacking in extension are definition but they are slightly fuller than a strictly neutral sound.
The mids are detailed and present, and the highs are well extended with possibly a hint of softness making this a non fatiguing and easy listening player.
Conclusion
The M1 is the perfect player for everyday easy listening and also for sports use. It’s size and aftermarket case allow you to clip it to an armband, and the bluetooth support allows you to go wireless when out jogging.
It has some great features like USB DAC support, USB output support, Bluetooth and more, it may not be the most powerful player but for under £150 you get a surprisingly clean and detailed sound.
Shanling UP Portable Headphone USB DAC and Amplifier
Up your portable audio game with the Shanling UP, with excellent detail retrieval and a wide soundstage, a must have for the audiophile on the go.
Pros:
Clarity
Size
Value for money
Cons:
None for the price
Aesthetics, Build Quality and Accessories
The Shanling UP is a tiny little device, the size of a memory stick, with a glossy black front and matter black rear. It has a USB tybe C socket on the top and a 3.5mm headphone jack output on the bottom, on the front an LED will light up telling you the device is on and what sample rate is playing. It is so simplistic and elegant it will fit into any system with ease.
The build quality is excellent with the glass front and the rest of the body being aluminium. Both sockets feel tight, and there is nothing on it to go wrong.
Accessory wise all you get is various cables, which is all that is needed. You get a lightning to USB C, USB C to USB C, Micro USB to USB C and a regular USB to USB C cable, so it covers most phones and PC use.
Ease of use
The UP does not have an internal battery, it just plugs into your device and runs as a DAC/Amp. It should work with most android devices that support OTG accessories, iPhones with lightning port and also PC’s. With the new Windows 10 creators update you no longer need to install drivers.
The devices has no buttons, thus you control the volume level via your phone or PC, I had no issues getting it to work with a Samsung phone, and a regular Windows 10 PC. It is recommended you use the Hiby music app when using the UP.
The UP is so clean, so clear it is hard to go wrong for the price. I am a DAP user, and don’t use my phone for music as I like having files stored locally. But the trend to not want to carry an extra device nowadays has grown and also Apple did away with the headphone jack so the market for portable DAC/Amps is booming.
There are plenty out there, but few that offer full DSD support and an ES9018 DAC chip for this price. The Shanling UP may only be able to output 35mW @32 Ohms, but it gets loud and driver easy to medium hard to drive headphones.
From IEM’s to portable full-size headphones you will be guaranteed to get much cleaner and better separated sound with the UP.
Bass
The bass is tight and controlled, with precise kick and good body to back it up, the bass notes also decay as they should.
Mids
There is no added body to the lows, this means the midrange is allowed to shine and it does, with vocals coming across clean with excellent detail retrieval. There is also plenty of air around notes which allows you to pinpoint each and every part of the recording.
Treble
The treble is well extended without any harsh metallic tone to it, what is best about the highs is their imaging, the placement within the soundstage is critical and this little device has managed to get it spot on.
Conclusion
The Shanling UP is a superb High Resolution DAC/Amp for portable use, if you have some good headphones, you are not hearing their full potential out of a phone. This will change that, the UP with give you the clarity, detail and soundstage that your phone simply cannot.
Even being used with a PC there is a substantial upgrade from the on-board audio, so this can be used on your morning commute with your phone, then plug it into your PC at work and enjoy the same quality of music.
We’ve been treated to a few of Shanling’s products lately; as well as the excellent M1 and M2S players, this little amp promises to give brands like Fiio a run for their money! The entry-level portables market has been truly cornered by Fiio in recent years, so it will be interesting to see what impact Shanling can make here.
Pros:
Small, handy unit
Thoughtfully designed volume control
Well constructed
Cons:
None
Design and Appearance
The Shanling H1 amp is a small unit, being 7cm x 6cm and about 1.5cm thick; about half the size of the average mobile handset. The edges are bevelled and the unit feels good in the hand, with enough weight to feel substantial for its size, although the unit is itself not heavy.
Key Features
The main feature is the recessed knurled volume knob which is centred on one side of the amp, which is protected from accidental operation by the amp’s housing. Power/charge lights are on the top, plus there’s a gain switch and micro-USB socket on the rear for charging. That’s it! The H1 is as simple as it gets for an amp, and it’s all that’s needed.
Durability and Build Quality
The Shanling H1 headphone amp is constructed from aluminium and has a pretty solid feel about it. It will probably have no problem being dropped occasionally, but we’ve not tried this here! The volume knob has a smooth, solid feel as it’s turned and it has enough stiffness not to be operated accidentally whilst in the pocket.
This amp goes loud for its size; we couldn’t resist pairing it up with a HiFiMAN HE-6 which is notoriously difficult to drive. On the low gain setting, and using an incoming line-level signal, the volume goes up to hearing damage levels with the HE-6 on some pieces. Not bad! Of course, we don’t recommend this pairing for getting the best out of the HE-6!
The H1 is designed for portable use, so was tried versus being directly connected to a cheap phone with portable earphones . The sound is faithful and quite neutral, although there is a little more thump coming through with the sub-bass. Music appears to be more relaxed and natural through the amp, where it sounds a little strained with a direct connection. Listening to this amp with a pair of SoundMAGIC E80 earphones is actually very enjoyable!
Summary
Shanling’s new H1 portable amplifier is a palm-sized affair, but Fiio had better start making room anyway!
The Shanling M2s is a highly capable, small footprint, high resolution DAP that is feature packed and has superb sonic abilities, do not look further for a sub £200 player.
Pros:
Excellent value for money
Feature packed
Power
Cons:
4.8 Ohm output impedance
Aesthetics, Accessories and User Interface
The Shanling M2s is a great looking player, it is small, sleek and easily slips into your pocket. The front is glass, the edges are aluminium and the back is plastic, you have a volume wheel on the side, a back button underneath. On the other side you have playback buttons (skip track and play/pause) and the MicroSD card slot, on the bottom you have the USB C port for charging and also file transfer, and the headphone jack next to it. The power button on the top also works to unlock the screen, overall the look and feel of this player is excellent.
The M2s comes with a USB cable, Card ready and 4 screen protectors, all you need is a microSD card with music on. Available separately is a leather case, and you can also purchase extra screen protectors.
The user interface is easy to get around, you have plenty of settings and then when in your music you can either browse by Artist, Album, Genre, Playlist, Favourites or display all tracks. The wheel acts as the scrolling mechanism, and click inwards on the wheel to select. The playing screen displays the album artwork, with the format below and the track name and artist.
This player has some added functions, you can set the headphone out as a line-out for use with a hifi system for example, or portable amp. And also it can be used as an external USB DAC for your computer.
The USB C port can feed a digital signal to an external DAC too, it has high and low gain settings, EQ, Bluetooth (AptX) and more. All this for under £200, but none of that matters if it doesn’t sound good.
The Shanling M2s does not disappoint in the sound department, you would have thought with all those features they may have forgotten about the sound. But they have not, the M2s comes across as a very clean and balanced player, with plenty of power and authority. There is no part of the sound that stands out in particular, it just gets out of the way and lets you enjoy your music.
From sensitive in-ear monitors, to full size headphones, this player can handle most easy to medium hard to drive headphones with ease.
Ok so what’s the catch? Well more expensive players do have the upper hand in build quality and features most of the time (This has lots, but no balanced output). But also high end players are more resolving of the finer detail in music.
Now for on the go use, the extra detail from high end players is not needed, and the M2s is truly excellent for the price, it is balanced with maybe a hint of warmth to the sound, never fatiguing but also not altering the sound of your headphones to a huge extent. It has good dynamics, but a slightly limited soundstage, this is nitpicking however.
Conclusion
The M2s is a perfect partner for your daily commute, or exercise routine, it is also the perfect transport for the audiophiles out there. Hook it up to an external DAC and you have an excellent rig. But on it’s own it really doesn’t disappoint with a clear, balanced if not slightly smooth sound that works with all sorts of headphones.
