Shanling M3X Portable Lossless Digital Audio Player & USB DAC

Product Information

Gear used​Lotoo PAW S1, iFi GO Blu, Shanling M3X, IKKO OH10, THIEAUDIO Clairvoyance, UM MEXT, Moondrop Variations and Sennheiser HD560S. The tuning has Shanling’s usual mid-lows coloration, also gentle roll-off in the treble to color the vocal sweet and rounded, without compromising transparency by adding a bit of brightness to the treble. Dynamics could be a bit better. (High gain mode helps with the dynamic issue, but not without introducing some cons. See Part 3 - "Low gain vs High gain mode" for more info) On the inside, that’s where all the important things changed. Android platform was upgraded to the octa-core Snapdragon 665 and Android 10, refreshing M3 for swift system response and app compatibility going forward. Of course, still combined with our Android Global Lossless Output (AGLO) system for an ideal Android sound performance. We even adjusted Bluetooth, switching to a newer 5.0 version. With full Android and all the advanced features, of course, we are able to hook this DAP up to other USB devices. Like what we have experienced on the M8 and M6 series, there aren’t any issues connecting to other USB devices also no sudden volume changes or pops that will make you jump.

DUNU EST112​I threw my two favorite mid level IEMs at the M3X since I doubt too many people will run anything more expensive off the M3X. I think the EST112 and its mid focus did fairly well with the M3X. It has a nice warm bass that still retains good reach and slam, the mids are a little more relaxed which helps when things get intense with the vocals. The treble struggled a little with the M3X. The EST112 doesn’t have that much energy up top and it sounded a little blunt and dull when it came to the top end bite. Notes just didn’t have that fast speed and sharpness I would like to hear, or would hear off brighter sounding gear. Staging did sound fairly good and if you want a warm overall experience then the EST112 does work well enough.The shrunken size is 25% smaller and lighter than the M6 or M6 Pro players and is perfectly portable for those who want to sacrifice some decoding and amping power for portability. Balanced out gives you better instrument separation, better layering, better soundstage depth, and more power. For its smooth performance, an octa-core Snapdragon 430 processor is running under the hood of the M3X with 2 GB of RAM & 32 GB of ROM in its arsenal. As for its wireless capabilities, the Shanling M3X supports two-way Bluetooth connection with supports for AptxHD and LDAC. The Battery

FiiO JH3​I have a hard time using the JH3 due to the rather intense treble. It has a very sharp and piercing upper energy that just doesn't work well for me. I did this pairing due to the neutral treble the M3X provides. It did indeed help calm the violence down a bit in the upper treble and while it was still a little too bright up top for me, I was at least able to listen to it longer than normal. The Lows are still fairly ok with a little more fullness. The mids still have a slight grainy sound but since it’s much more tolerable, I was able to get a feel for the instruments and vocals. I thought the M3X did a good job of handling the treble and I got decent detail retrieval from the JH3. The staging was just a bit more open than I remember with other gear. It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with Shanling. I’d like to thank Shanling for providing the sample for this review. This review reflects my personal experience with the Shanling M3X. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it. The purpose of this review is to help those interested in Shanling M3X find their next music companion.

Battery life​

BT/TWS: Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 pro, Liberty Air 2 pro | Soundpeats Truengine 3 SE, Sonic, H1, Capsule3 Pro | KZ SK10 | Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2

Before the detailed sound breakdown, I want to tell you that the difference between the bal. and unbal. output is bigger than I thought it would be. I am using the same cable with the same earphones and hearing much better layering and a wider, deeper soundstage from the balanced output. The single-end sounds somewhat linear, somewhat compressed compared to the balanced and the difference is not negligible. The promised 16X unfolding for MQA is done for local files, and it is done 2X by the CPU, and 8X by the DAC, while for streaming, MQA is done at 2X level. I’m not a strong proponent of MQA, but I do recommend trying it for fun. I also own an Astell & Kern Kann which in terms of "multimedia" offers much less even if it belongs to a much higher price range than M3X.

INSIDE: System: Open Android 7.1.1, with AGLO, very fluid, smooth. Excellent brightness and visibility even in sunlight. CPU: 8-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 Customizing the Android system down to the root level ensures no unnecessary digital conversion that alters and degrades the sound signal before it reaches the decoding chipsets. This is an important feature if you want to enjoy the best output with other apps such as Tidal aside from the manufacturer’s own music player app. Large capacity tantalum capacitors for the audio circuit were chosen for its enhancing effects on the lower frequency profile and two Japanese KDS active crystal oscillators for an improved accuracy, decoding capacity and reduction of overall jitter. The M3X is a bit of decoding powerhouse with its ability to render 32-bit 384 kHz PCM files, native DSD256 as well as having the potential to natively unfold and decode MQA files. M3X was designed as a scaled down version of our flagship M8, to be a more practical and smaller player, with only 4.2-inch touch screen. Making it 25% smaller and lighter than our older M6 and M6 Pro players. Shanling M3X is a high-end DAP priced at 340 USD, with one microSD slot, Balanced output, MQA support, and up to 23 hours of battery life from a single charge. The main competition is going to include iBasso DX160, FiiO M11 PRO, Shanling M2X, and iFi xDSD. M3X is a downsized variation of M8, rather than a downgrade, so a lot of the awesome tech and advantages found on the Shanling Flagship can be found on M3X.

The midrange, akin to the bass, is linear with a touch of lushness to keep things from sounding clinical or dry. Like a lot of their line-up, the Shanling M3X’s midrange offers a great tone and timbre. There are some subtle differences between the ‘Single DAC’ & ‘Dual DAC’ modes where the former presents a slightly ‘slower’ sound with more smoothness and body whereas the latter presents a slightly ‘faster’ sound with a tilt towards an analytical signature. Android แบบเปิด เพื่อการใช้งานที่รวดเร็ว ราบลื่นไม่ติดขัด รองรับเทคโนโลยี AGLO ในตัว (Android Global Lossless Output) ทุกแอพเล่นเพลงที่คุณชื่นชอบทั้งหมดไม่ว่าจะเป็น Tidal, Qobuz, UAPP, หรือแอพอื่นๆที่รองรับ Hi-Res จะได้รับการประมวลผลอย่างถูกต้องและมีคุณภาพสูงสุด โดยไม่มีการลดทอนคุณภาพเสียงที่เกิดจากการแปลงค่า Sample Rate ของ Android does not give the idea of being an entry level DAP, especially from a qualitative and multimedia point of view. Tantalum capacitors are used in the circuitry to enhance dynamics and Shanling also puts in custom coded FPGA chipsets, KDS Femto grade oscillators to lower jitter.Customers are to bear the consequences and fees incurred, if the parcel was undelivered due to any of the following situation: What's inside?: Dual ES9219C DAC/Amp from ESS Sabre + Panasonic tantalum capacitors. The non-limited M3X uses "special large-capacity tantalum capacitors" instead.