If you're using Android... I recommend using LDAC and moving up to the battery powered models (UP vs UA models) for a combination of wireless convenience, more power without draining your phone, and avoiding the USB port. USB audio player pro does a good job of solving USB issues on Android though for a few extra bucks.
Yeah, USB APP is a must have on Android. I find the UA3 and UA5 to be as good or better than the UP4, but if you're happy with the slight downgrade to Bluetooth (even via LDAC) then the UP4 is very versatile
Good question. I'm actually not certain, but normally these devices will mute one of the outputs if both are connected. Fitting the plugs side-by-side can be tricky too.
I like my ua2. Since I mainly use dongles on the go and in noisy environments. It is good enough. There was a firmware update when I go it. I don’t know if it affects the power output but i don’t find it to be lacking. I would even say that i find it too powerful for sensitive IEM. I have to turn down the volume quite low and the jumps between each step is big. I would have prefered An independant volume control.
we love dongles, dont be sorry😅, ... do you know ovidius B1? Its an end game dongle that costs 150 bucks but being discounted very often to 75bucks on linsoul. It has that ,,mojo like,, sound (liquidy in nature with very fast and clean transience, mojo has bassier sound and ovidius lean more towards transparency and air) would love to see your opinion on that dongle 😊. Fun fact ovidius is ,,custom,, quad AKM device.
Lachlan, have you ever reviewed the Hiby FC4? Not for a purchasing decision, as I have already bought it, but to understand what I am hearing. I am not an audiophile, so sometime struggle to understand differences and you are one of the most detailed reviewers that I have subscribed to. I am pairing the Hiby with the S12.
@nikhilsri I have the HiBy fc4 and Shaling UA3, and I also have the Z12. You should definitely try pairing your S12 with the UA3 if you can get it to test…much better synergy in my opinion. A bit more (but controlled) bass, eases the treble bite and makes vocals sound so good.
I use my HiBy FC4 with something like my Tin P1 Max, because it has crazy power for such a small device. So it’s perfect for stuff that’s power hungry like P1 Max. (340mw vs 211mw on the Shanling UA3). The fc4 helps brighten up darker sounding gear, I also find detail retrieval, instrument separation and layering as well as imaging better on the Shanling
I have a UA1 and it literally makes no difference in sound apart from increasing power output. Are the higher models able to induce some character in sound?
For pure portable use, I assume? I'd go with the Questyle M15 with the Diana V2. Beyond that, the Cayin RU6 could be nice or up to something chunkier like the Chord Mojo 2
@@PassionforSound ye forgot to mention the portable thing, i use it with the wa7 on my desktop, but i'd like to enjoy it on the go too. ill see whichever option i can find for a nice deal first and grab it, thank you a bunch!!
I just got the Ua3 months ago and I like it so much how it sounds with my Iem's but would be a good Question if a Upgrade to a Fiio K7 is a real upgrade xD
@Passion for Sound to add, the K7 paired with IE200 iem sounds like pouring honey into your ears. I have no idea why it pairs so well. Very well suited for a more humble setup in an office. For home or studio use, DO200 with HO200 is unbeatable with a HD600 (XLR)
@@danielc5191 I think the problem are the variables , I just use 2 Iem's frequently and dont have a "good" headphone yet but I think a better Unit will give me a little more Sound. And it feels for Desktop use that the Dac being to controlled of Windows. At the Phone it feels much better .
I have an Iphone XS and several dongle DAC/Amps to go along with it and many open back and closed back headphones with not too high of an impedance and I'm never happy with the music coming out of the phone with my headphones which are the Sennheiser 598, 599, 560's, 569's and many others by different companies , it's never clear and sounds compressed, I'm not an Apple music subscriber but have my Itunes music synced up to my Iphone XS and under audio there is no option for me to select 24 bit 96KHZ or higher which I know my DAC's can do and would like an Lossless audio option for my synced music, may I ask why Apple doesn't have this option under their phones or if they do are they only for Apple music subscribers, I can't understand why I cannot choose my bit depth and sample rate at all, I feel Apple should do this for everyone who owns an Iphone regardless if your an Apple music subscriber it should be under the audio tab for anyone to select their output of audio which my P.C. let's me do.
I'm not an Apple user so I can't answer that question for you - sorry. It's actually part of why I'm not an Apple user though - a bit too much control in certain areas and not enough user freedom
@@PassionforSound Oh thank you for the feedback I really appreciate it. Yes Apple doesn't let users decide what bit depth their music is to be played at, I would change how I listen to music portably but I've been in the Apple music eco system for over 20 years starting with the original Ipod classic and have all my music on Itunes and don't know how else to listen to my music portably, I've recently in the last year or so gotten into hi-res music and don't like streaming or anything to do with music subscriptions but want my Iphone music to be played at a higher bit depth and sample rate then 24bit 44Khz, which on my P.C. I can force it do 24 bit 96Khz and all of my low res music from 20 years ago sounds so much better now that I forced my P.C.'s sound card to do better than than 16bit 44khz.
It's a tough transition from the Apple ecosystem. I did it years ago to move over to digital audio players with micro-SD cards so I could have my own music on the go. JRiver Mediacenter is a nice iTunes alternative to manage your media and portable devices if you decide to take the plunge
@Passion for Sound Oh thank you for the feedback, I'll definitely look into JRiver media center, now that I've gotten into high-Res audio and have heard the benefits of it with it's crisper sound, I definitely see why more people are jumping on board with it, it sounds so much better than mp3's compression. I've also recently purchased a ton of headphones open back and closed back and quite a bit of dongle DAC/Amps for the iPhone but without an option for me to choose a higher bit depth than 24 bit 96khz or higher I don't think my old mp3's compressed music will benefit in hearing the crisper audio quality of higher res files, I might have to find a way to Rip my old CDs into better file formats for portable listening, I'm from Melbourne, Australia and I've found a great place for audio gear called Addicted To Audio which is a fantastic place for Audiophiles in Melbourne, Thank you again, I really appreciate the help and I do watch your channel and find it very informative for newbies like myself that would like to get into high-Res audio, I wish I knew about this topic 22 years ago when I first got my ipod classic but now I know about higher fidelity music I really see the benefits of it.
I've tried all 3 including the newer UA2 Plus. UA2, UA2 Plus and UA5 sounded smooth and warm. UA3 sounded warm but not as smooth and analogue sounding as the UA2 & UA5. The vocals on the UA3 were crisp. But overall, I prefer the smoother and more analogue sounding UA2, UA2 plus & UA5. UA3 sounded like a totally different DAC IMHO.
@Emptrix And in the technical performance section, would you say that the ua2 plus version is a noticeable improvement over the previous ua2? I'm also interested in whether to keep the warm acoustic sound that sounds like tubes
No, it's just a way to avoid using 3-4 lines of text on a phone for a single link. I am very transparent about having affiliate links to Apos, Linsoul, Amazon, HiFiGo and others.
I'm just curious did you mean "Jumbo" and not "Jungle"? I want to believe there's such a thing as a mumble-jungle but also don't want to get my hopes too high.
Finally, someone I like who reviews dacs
Glad you like my content! Lots more coming in 2023 🙂
If you're using Android... I recommend using LDAC and moving up to the battery powered models (UP vs UA models) for a combination of wireless convenience, more power without draining your phone, and avoiding the USB port. USB audio player pro does a good job of solving USB issues on Android though for a few extra bucks.
Yeah, USB APP is a must have on Android.
I find the UA3 and UA5 to be as good or better than the UP4, but if you're happy with the slight downgrade to Bluetooth (even via LDAC) then the UP4 is very versatile
That cheeky smile at 0:58.
😁
Happy new year Lachlan!
You too, Ace! Thanks again for your ongoing viewership and commenting. Always a pleasure.
can one use both outputs of the UA2 simultaneously so that 2 persons can listen together?
Good question. I'm actually not certain, but normally these devices will mute one of the outputs if both are connected. Fitting the plugs side-by-side can be tricky too.
I like my ua2. Since I mainly use dongles on the go and in noisy environments. It is good enough. There was a firmware update when I go it. I don’t know if it affects the power output but i don’t find it to be lacking. I would even say that i find it too powerful for sensitive IEM. I have to turn down the volume quite low and the jumps between each step is big. I would have prefered An independant volume control.
Glad you're enjoying your UA2. If you're on Android, USB Audio Player Pro can help with the volume steps
we love dongles, dont be sorry😅, ... do you know ovidius B1? Its an end game dongle that costs 150 bucks but being discounted very often to 75bucks on linsoul. It has that ,,mojo like,, sound (liquidy in nature with very fast and clean transience, mojo has bassier sound and ovidius lean more towards transparency and air) would love to see your opinion on that dongle 😊. Fun fact ovidius is ,,custom,, quad AKM device.
Thanks for the tip! I hadn't heard of that one
BTW - that why it is called UA5. 2 + 3 = 5
I wonder how shanling's stuff matches up with ibasso
I don't currently have access to iBasso easily, but that's a very interesting question that I'd love to answer with a direct comparison or two
Lachlan, have you ever reviewed the Hiby FC4? Not for a purchasing decision, as I have already bought it, but to understand what I am hearing. I am not an audiophile, so sometime struggle to understand differences and you are one of the most detailed reviewers that I have subscribed to. I am pairing the Hiby with the S12.
@nikhilsri I have the HiBy fc4 and Shaling UA3, and I also have the Z12. You should definitely try pairing your S12 with the UA3 if you can get it to test…much better synergy in my opinion. A bit more (but controlled) bass, eases the treble bite and makes vocals sound so good.
I use my HiBy FC4 with something like my Tin P1 Max, because it has crazy power for such a small device. So it’s perfect for stuff that’s power hungry like P1 Max. (340mw vs 211mw on the Shanling UA3). The fc4 helps brighten up darker sounding gear, I also find detail retrieval, instrument separation and layering as well as imaging better on the Shanling
@@conroyscott2206 thank you. I will check it out.
@@conroyscott2206 thanks man.
@@conroyscott2206 the iFi Go Bar is a surprisingly powerful USB dongle DAC/amp at 475mW into 32 ohms but it’s expensive compared to rivals
Would the UA5 even be good with Xenns up ? Or should I get the M15
The UA5 is great in general, but the M15 has a dash of magic to its sound.
I have a UA1 and it literally makes no difference in sound apart from increasing power output. Are the higher models able to induce some character in sound?
There are definitely improvements as you go up through the models for sure
theyre really 'sweet spot' as others stated, ofc higher 'fancier' in sound but those a12t range is okay
will you recommend tha ua5 for the diana v2 or you'd offer a better alternatives? (both budget and higher end alternatives are welcome)
thank you! : )
For pure portable use, I assume? I'd go with the Questyle M15 with the Diana V2. Beyond that, the Cayin RU6 could be nice or up to something chunkier like the Chord Mojo 2
@@PassionforSound
ye forgot to mention the portable thing, i use it with the wa7 on my desktop, but i'd like to enjoy it on the go too.
ill see whichever option i can find for a nice deal first and grab it, thank you a bunch!!
I just got the Ua3 months ago and I like it so much how it sounds with my Iem's but would be a good Question if a Upgrade to a Fiio K7 is a real upgrade xD
I haven't yet tried the K7 to answer that one - sorry! Why not go to the UA5 given that you like the Shanling sound?
You can't go wrong with a K7. It sits in my office and dethroned a DO200 and HO200 setup.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with the K7, Daniel
@Passion for Sound to add, the K7 paired with IE200 iem sounds like pouring honey into your ears. I have no idea why it pairs so well. Very well suited for a more humble setup in an office. For home or studio use, DO200 with HO200 is unbeatable with a HD600 (XLR)
@@danielc5191 I think the problem are the variables , I just use 2 Iem's frequently and dont have a "good" headphone yet but I think a better Unit will give me a little more Sound. And it feels for Desktop use that the Dac being to controlled of Windows. At the Phone it feels much better .
Have you tried ibasso dc03 pro and xduoo link 2 balance?
I haven't ☹️
I have an Iphone XS and several dongle DAC/Amps to go along with it and many open back and closed back headphones with not too high of an impedance and I'm never happy with the music coming out of the phone with my headphones which are the Sennheiser 598, 599, 560's, 569's and many others by different companies , it's never clear and sounds compressed, I'm not an Apple music subscriber but have my Itunes music synced up to my Iphone XS and under audio there is no option for me to select 24 bit 96KHZ or higher which I know my DAC's can do and would like an Lossless audio option for my synced music, may I ask why Apple doesn't have this option under their phones or if they do are they only for Apple music subscribers, I can't understand why I cannot choose my bit depth and sample rate at all, I feel Apple should do this for everyone who owns an Iphone regardless if your an Apple music subscriber it should be under the audio tab for anyone to select their output of audio which my P.C. let's me do.
I'm not an Apple user so I can't answer that question for you - sorry. It's actually part of why I'm not an Apple user though - a bit too much control in certain areas and not enough user freedom
@@PassionforSound Oh thank you for the feedback I really appreciate it. Yes Apple doesn't let users decide what bit depth their music is to be played at, I would change how I listen to music portably but I've been in the Apple music eco system for over 20 years starting with the original Ipod classic and have all my music on Itunes and don't know how else to listen to my music portably, I've recently in the last year or so gotten into hi-res music and don't like streaming or anything to do with music subscriptions but want my Iphone music to be played at a higher bit depth and sample rate then 24bit 44Khz, which on my P.C. I can force it do 24 bit 96Khz and all of my low res music from 20 years ago sounds so much better now that I forced my P.C.'s sound card to do better than than 16bit 44khz.
It's a tough transition from the Apple ecosystem. I did it years ago to move over to digital audio players with micro-SD cards so I could have my own music on the go. JRiver Mediacenter is a nice iTunes alternative to manage your media and portable devices if you decide to take the plunge
@Passion for Sound
Oh thank you for the feedback, I'll definitely look into JRiver media center, now that I've gotten into high-Res audio and have heard the benefits of it with it's crisper sound, I definitely see why more people are jumping on board with it, it sounds so much better than mp3's compression. I've also recently purchased a ton of headphones open back and closed back and quite a bit of dongle DAC/Amps for the iPhone but without an option for me to choose a higher bit depth than 24 bit 96khz or higher I don't think my old mp3's compressed music will benefit in hearing the crisper audio quality of higher res files, I might have to find a way to Rip my old CDs into better file formats for portable listening, I'm from Melbourne, Australia and I've found a great place for audio gear called Addicted To Audio which is a fantastic place for Audiophiles in Melbourne, Thank you again, I really appreciate the help and I do watch your channel and find it very informative for newbies like myself that would like to get into high-Res audio, I wish I knew about this topic 22 years ago when I first got my ipod classic but now I know about higher fidelity music I really see the benefits of it.
Glad I could help. Enjoy the journey!
I've tried all 3 including the newer UA2 Plus. UA2, UA2 Plus and UA5 sounded smooth and warm. UA3 sounded warm but not as smooth and analogue sounding as the UA2 & UA5. The vocals on the UA3 were crisp. But overall, I prefer the smoother and more analogue sounding UA2, UA2 plus & UA5. UA3 sounded like a totally different DAC IMHO.
Thanks for sharing your experiences
@@PassionforSound forgot to appreciate your videos. Thank you for the detailed sound comparisons between these dacs. They are really helpful!
My pleasure!
@Emptrix And in the technical performance section, would you say that the ua2 plus version is a noticeable improvement over the previous ua2? I'm also interested in whether to keep the warm acoustic sound that sounds like tubes
What 's about Bass ? between UA2 Plus and UA3
And what about Shanling UA4.
I haven't tried that one - sorry
bitly links hiding referral links is always a red flag and conflict of interest 🚩
No, it's just a way to avoid using 3-4 lines of text on a phone for a single link. I am very transparent about having affiliate links to Apos, Linsoul, Amazon, HiFiGo and others.
R2r still rules them all: deltasigma dacs. Cayin ru6.
The RU6 is a really nice dongle
Dongle-Mumble-Jungle...
I'm just curious did you mean "Jumbo" and not "Jungle"? I want to believe there's such a thing as a mumble-jungle but also don't want to get my hopes too high.
@@dasninjastix just kidding.
Happy New Year!
@@sergiymarchenko1002 awww man.. I wanted to visit a mumble jungle 🙁. Happy New Year to you too! 🎊🧨🎉