Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org

Thanks for a nice review and helpful comparisons. perhaps a trivial questions but I note the top-side placement of the tubes, next to headphone jacks. Does this area of the DAP get warm?

Thanks! No, it doesn’t get warm. The glow is from an LED not heating element.

Thank you so much for this review. I have poured over your comparisons and read and re-read and caught up on some of the technology you reference and the Cayin's own sound signature. I have been disengaged from these discussions for several years. I have purchased the M8T and feel i can understand the tech and now will have a listen, "eyes wide open", TY

You’re welcome! It’s a great DAP for sure.

Really enjoyed this review, I'm coming from a short time with the M8, was ready to jump to M9 Plus but then Shanling came with a good surprise.

I'm curious what your take on the sound comparison would be between this 2025 flagship and their last with M9+ in 2024.

Thanks so much! I never heard the M9+ but my understanding is that it’s more analytical versus the warmer M8T.

So cool. Too bad another noisy Android DAP

How does it sound with the E3 ?

It was pretty good with the E3. It didn’t drive it to its potential but still enjoyable.

Shanling?I had an EM5 full of software bugs, they've been promising an update for 3 years, be careful with it..

does it soun like the m15? I would have expected higher than that especially with the tubes and taking the higher price into account??

In tube mode, yes they are similar. Keep in mind that you need to run the M15S in desktop mode the M8T can do it on battery.

But I meant stage wise, I like smoothness and stage but not if the price is air and space, that’s why I have the mojo2+poly and tt2+mscaler. I love! the sound of the astell sp3000, but for a dap that is too much for me in price.

I bought the fiio m15s when it came out, but really was missing stage and air in the signature. Like it was too dark sounding. So returned within two weeks.

There are two things I judge on, too smooth, so loosing stage, or too much bass.

So could you eleberate, because I don’t know the cayin sound?

I think if you didn't like the M15S, you won't like the M8T. Maybe look at the M17. It's a little more analytical with great staging. I personally found the M17 very good but a bit dry especially with more neutral headphones.