I am not a DAP user but I did want to say I thoroughly enjoyed your articulate insights, knowledge, and perspectives that you shared on the passion for sound forum. I certainly hope you will be able to participate more in such future gatherings.
Thanks for the review Amos. I have the M3U and think as a travel device it is a fantastic little unit. Its very pocketable, pairs well with lots of IEM's and is surprisingly good for streaming. But I mainly got this as a digital transport, paired with the Shanling H7 or Chord Mojo and so the ability to add functional streaming services to those DAC/AMPs is a huge benefit to me when I'm travelling, so I can use a decent sert of over ears with them.
I own M3U for 6 weeks now and I have to admit i love it. It's not too bright and analytical (which i don't like), it pairs well with Mest MK2 and EJ07.
Nice to know it is a warmer sound signature. The only DAPs I have found with that have been Sony, which have a litany of other issues, and Cowon, and Cowon may or may not be producing anymore DAPs.
i've ordered the m1s, which is good enough for just outdoor use. m3 is nice but expensive. good vid bud cheers! ✌😎👍m1s has gapless for one third the cost 😁
Have the slightly older model, the M3X. Same issue as well, no gapless playback. Contacted Shanling if they are sending out a firmware update to fix that and they basically said no. Sideloaded the Hiby players and it's fine. Sad that at that price no gapless. Have an 8 year old Cayin N3 and it has gapless and was only 150.00 new.
I'm in the market for portable audio and the M3U is one of the candidates, alongside the FiiO and the A&K SR25/25 MKII which can be found in used condition around similar price/cheaper. Glad to see you're comparing againts the FiiO but is the M3U a better option to the SR25/25 MKII?
My M3U init has very low WiFi range. Contacted customer service, they got back to me finally. Their only recommendation was to return it. I did not have this problem with m3x and they said that m3x was using different WiFi connector. So, I guess they downgraded it in m3u which is sad. Will be returning mine...
Basically what you are saying is just buy it for not drain your phone. You could buy a portable charger or charge it on the plane, that should do it. Did not get the wow factor from you. Thanks for the review.
No, because this thing are made for doing it cabling. If you wanna use your smartphone in the same way, you have to buy a dongle DAC, which is connected to the port battery. So you cannot use your dongle DAC while your phone charges.
How is the line out sound quality from this M3ultra? I know it's not a true line out but a digital line out, I have a tempotec v6 which has a line out and am considering an upgrade, I use mostly at home as a source and that's why line-out quality is important...
Can you compare the sound quality of the usb transport for Chord tt2 between Chord 2 go and Shanling's M3 Ultra. I read that using DAP as transport cause RFI to Chord tt2 or Mojo2, would like to know whether it is applicable for your case.
The Mojo is better than any DAP surely. Is just made for that. Unless it would be a DAP like the M17 or the A&K SP 3000, sound quality could be compared.
If you’re asking yourself whether you need a DAP or not, you most likely don’t need it. The same is true with huge and ugly planar headphones, portable brick dac/amp, and lossless file. Those who needs and love them don’t ask questions, they know.
A very good reason is, regular Android will re-sample the digital output. These DAPs have a custom Android version that doesn't do that, but will output bit-perfect audio to whatever device you connect to USB.
Because you don't want to drain your phone's battery? Use a second phone! My Samsung A12 was FREE with the service but I never used it as a phone and swapped the SIM card out to an iphone It takes up to 1 TB micro SD card Has impressive sound quality (compared to my iphone) Works great for bluetooth playback Doesn't drain my main phones battery Works with external DAC's Want gapless playback on your phone? Try the Fiio Music App Try adding AAC support with an external transmitter (i will next week) My iphone already transmits AptX HD / LL etc with an external USB transmitter perfectly You have Options Baby!
YES! The BluDento T1 USB bluetooth transmitter has AAC and works fine on android phones as well as windows computers My Airpods Pro 2nd gen now connect with AAC to all my Windows computers and android phones AAC has better definition in the bass end and lower distortion in the top end when compared to the SBC codecs when used with the airpods NOTICABLE improvement! :) Turn Bluetooth OFF on your android phone when using the Bludento T1 If you get and access message / hit cancel Works great
A second phone could be a good alternative for having a DAP. With good IEMs, it could sound well enough. With a dongle you could increase the experience. Is just that a DAP is made for listening to music haha it feels made for that.
Hi, is it normal that its temperature goes over 43° celsisus? I only used Spotify, I worried mine came damaged and seller told me it is totally normal in this types of daps. Please help
@@Currawong thank you for responding. What I ment it was almost 110° (Fahrenheit). It's really uncomfortable because I feel that my finger prints burns while using it
Earphones connected, I ran Spotify for an hour with the DAP in its case, while charging, and it got comfortably warm, but not any temperature that would worry me at all.
Wouldnt it be more cost effective to purchase a power bank and use your existing phone, if the only advantage is saving your phones battery life whilst travelling?
Since a few people mentioned it, one other advantage a dedicated DAP has over my iPhone is the ability to store 1TB of music on a micro SD card.
Or over any Android recent flagship sadly, except for brands such as Asus and Sony.
I am not a DAP user but I did want to say I thoroughly enjoyed your articulate insights, knowledge, and perspectives that you shared on the passion for sound forum. I certainly hope you will be able to participate more in such future gatherings.
Thanks for the review Amos. I have the M3U and think as a travel device it is a fantastic little unit. Its very pocketable, pairs well with lots of IEM's and is surprisingly good for streaming. But I mainly got this as a digital transport, paired with the Shanling H7 or Chord Mojo and so the ability to add functional streaming services to those DAC/AMPs is a huge benefit to me when I'm travelling, so I can use a decent sert of over ears with them.
I own M3U for 6 weeks now and I have to admit i love it. It's not too bright and analytical (which i don't like), it pairs well with Mest MK2 and EJ07.
Nice to know it is a warmer sound signature. The only DAPs I have found with that have been Sony, which have a litany of other issues, and Cowon, and Cowon may or may not be producing anymore DAPs.
Thanks for the review. Some intriguing things about this, but no gapless probably writes it off as something I would get.
Good work dude
Great review! I just got the Sony NW707 and would love to get your opinion on how the Sony DAPs stack up to the Shanlings.
i've ordered the m1s, which is good enough for just outdoor use. m3 is nice but expensive. good vid bud cheers! ✌😎👍m1s has gapless for one third the cost 😁
Correction, is using snapdragon 665 not 660
Have the slightly older model, the M3X. Same issue as well, no gapless playback. Contacted Shanling if they are sending out a firmware update to fix that and they basically said no. Sideloaded the Hiby players and it's fine. Sad that at that price no gapless. Have an 8 year old Cayin N3 and it has gapless and was only 150.00 new.
I'm in the market for portable audio and the M3U is one of the candidates, alongside the FiiO and the A&K SR25/25 MKII which can be found in used condition around similar price/cheaper. Glad to see you're comparing againts the FiiO but is the M3U a better option to the SR25/25 MKII?
My M3U init has very low WiFi range. Contacted customer service, they got back to me finally. Their only recommendation was to return it. I did not have this problem with m3x and they said that m3x was using different WiFi connector. So, I guess they downgraded it in m3u which is sad. Will be returning mine...
Are you going to review the new flagship M9 Plus? I'm interested in your impressions of its synergy with Audeze LCDi4, if you have a pair.
It has the snapdragon 665!
Can you get bit-perfect playback from apple music in this?
i’m apple music user and never had dap before. can i download my music from apple music to this dap? so i can play it offline?
These DAPs support Apple Music because are based on Android. So you can using it.
How much do you sacrifice in sound quality with a DAP when compared to a similarly priced desktop setup? 60%, maybe as high as 80%?
Maybe Stephan would be interested in this one. 🤔
He'll probably have a listen to the Cayin N7, depending when we next organise something.
Is it ok if we use AKG N5005 with this DAP?
Basically what you are saying is just buy it for not drain your phone. You could buy a portable charger or charge it on the plane, that should do it. Did not get the wow factor from you. Thanks for the review.
No, because this thing are made for doing it cabling. If you wanna use your smartphone in the same way, you have to buy a dongle DAC, which is connected to the port battery. So you cannot use your dongle DAC while your phone charges.
you could use a power bank with your phone tho
How is the line out sound quality from this M3ultra? I know it's not a true line out but a digital line out, I have a tempotec v6 which has a line out and am considering an upgrade, I use mostly at home as a source and that's why line-out quality is important...
This Shanling is not an upgrade of the V6. To doing that you have to buy the Fiio M17, Sony WM1AM or an Astell & Kern SP
How does it compare soundwise to the mojo 2?
That’s a great question.
Mojo is better
Can you compare the sound quality of the usb transport for Chord tt2 between Chord 2 go and Shanling's M3 Ultra.
I read that using DAP as transport cause RFI to Chord tt2 or Mojo2, would like to know whether it is applicable for your case.
The Mojo is better than any DAP surely. Is just made for that. Unless it would be a DAP like the M17 or the A&K SP 3000, sound quality could be compared.
I currently have a Fiio BTR-5 and a Xduoo XPA-2 pro. Will this be an improvement in sound quality over those two?
If you aren't bugged by the slightly harsh sound of the BTR-5, then probably not.
If you’re asking yourself whether you need a DAP or not, you most likely don’t need it. The same is true with huge and ugly planar headphones, portable brick dac/amp, and lossless file. Those who needs and love them don’t ask questions, they know.
Not sure why anyone would buy a dedicated DAP and use as a digital transport
A very good reason is, regular Android will re-sample the digital output. These DAPs have a custom Android version that doesn't do that, but will output bit-perfect audio to whatever device you connect to USB.
Can the screen rotate on it
Because you don't want to drain your phone's battery?
Use a second phone!
My Samsung A12 was FREE with the service but I never used it as a phone and swapped the SIM card out to an iphone
It takes up to 1 TB micro SD card
Has impressive sound quality (compared to my iphone)
Works great for bluetooth playback
Doesn't drain my main phones battery
Works with external DAC's
Want gapless playback on your phone?
Try the Fiio Music App
Try adding AAC support with an external transmitter (i will next week)
My iphone already transmits AptX HD / LL etc with an external USB transmitter perfectly
You have Options Baby!
YES!
The BluDento T1 USB bluetooth transmitter has AAC and works fine on android phones as well as windows computers
My Airpods Pro 2nd gen now connect with AAC to all my Windows computers and android phones
AAC has better definition in the bass end and lower distortion in the top end when compared to the SBC codecs when used with the airpods
NOTICABLE improvement!
:)
Turn Bluetooth OFF on your android phone when using the Bludento T1
If you get and access message / hit cancel
Works great
A second phone could be a good alternative for having a DAP. With good IEMs, it could sound well enough. With a dongle you could increase the experience. Is just that a DAP is made for listening to music haha it feels made for that.
Hi, is it normal that its temperature goes over 43° celsisus? I only used Spotify, I worried mine came damaged and seller told me it is totally normal in this types of daps. Please help
43 degrees is quite low. Electrical components are rated to 85 or 105 degrees from memory.
@@Currawong thank you for responding. What I ment it was almost 110° (Fahrenheit). It's really uncomfortable because I feel that my finger prints burns while using it
I didn't have it get that hot. I'll run it for an hour with music playing and see how warm mine gets. What app and music are you playing?
@@Currawong Just Spotify
Earphones connected, I ran Spotify for an hour with the DAP in its case, while charging, and it got comfortably warm, but not any temperature that would worry me at all.
No gapless! I’m out
it measures uv rays too?😂
i thought they're called vu meters aren't they?
Yes those, thanks. What happens with completely unscripted videos.
Shanling fails to build volume knobs. ALL our Shanlings had problems with that! Will never buy one! Expensive rubbish!
Wouldnt it be more cost effective to purchase a power bank and use your existing phone, if the only advantage is saving your phones battery life whilst travelling?
That's a good question. If you have an iPhone, as I do, a DAP has higher quality Bluetooth audio, and it can store up to 1TB of music.