Shanling M5s now with TIDAL - Dual AK4493EQ DAC, fully balanced, Wi-Fi, 2way LDAC BT, 3.2 Touch screen, FW 3.7

[csglinux]

I’ve written about quality of m0. If you want sound quality that’s not the way. Even with ldac.

I've written about quality of M0 too. I'm living proof that writing about something doesn't give one's subsequent rantings any validity whatsoever.

The better dac with better implementation gives you more with ldac.
Example: centrance bluedac without ldac soundes better than m0 or even hiby r3.
But it’s your choose.

So you're making the same gamble as the one I'm considering - the chance that the M5S will sound better than the M0. Maybe it will, but I bet the differences will be small. I find the M0's SQ awfully close to that of the Hugo 2. And I doubt the M5S will beat the H2. Diminishing returns.

P.S. I had another thought on how ridiculous this situation is with Apple/Airplay. I know we all regard this as normal now, but just take a step back for a second and pretend you're an alien observing from another planet and look at how completely insane this is...

Apple removes the headphone socket, because they're "courageous" and because there's not enough room in their phones anymore (ignore, for a moment, the fact that SoC progress has a downward trend on device size and that iPhones have been getting bigger each year). Now you have to carry two devices around with you: your iPhone, and the separate device you have to carry around to plug your headphones into. It's nuts. And we only have ourselves to blame if we, as consumers, are gullible enough to fall for this crap. There are alternatives. The LG V30 plays Tidal offline & MQA direct from its 3.5 mm headphone socket, which - for some bizarre reason - LG managed to find space for. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[deniska80]

I've written about quality of M0 too. I'm living proof that writing about something doesn't give one's subsequent rantings any validity whatsoever.



So you're making the same gamble as the one I'm considering - the chance that the M5S will sound better than the M0. Maybe it will, but I bet the differences will be small. I find the M0's SQ awfully close to that of the Hugo 2. And I doubt the M5S will beat the H2. Diminishing returns.
¯

are you really compare m0 with h2?
I think you have to change your phones or...you are lucky man In these situation of course you shouldn’t buy m5s)

 

[csglinux]

are you really compare m0 with h2?

Yup. Transient attack and soundstage image are fractionally better with the H2, but even there I have to be in a quiet environment and concentrating pretty hard to appreciate the improvement. And in day-to-day use my portable DAPs are never in a situation like that.

 

[originalsnuffy]

Interesting philosophical questions about M5S vs M0. Is it 5x better because its 5x the price? No, not likely. But it will be better, because if it was not it would not sell.
So far Shanling has done a good job of moving people up the product ladder.

 

[Shanling]

I don't believe the M5S supports any streaming services (other than local Airplay/DLNA).

We will do our best to bring streaming apps. Which and in what state, that more depends on current state of music streaming industry.

Interesting philosophical questions about M5S vs M0. Is it 5x better because its 5x the price? No, not likely. But it will be better, because if it was not it would not sell.
So far Shanling has done a good job of moving people up the product ladder.

I can safely say, anybody who complained about too small screen and small UI on M0 will be happy to buy M5s!

 

[episiarch]

Re sound quality of M0, I thought it was remarkably good for the size and price, but (at least used as a DAP and not just a source to an external amp) for my tastes it was just not sonically competitive with my M3s (to which M5s seems to have some architectural similarities). I was auditioning with Ety ER4-SR, for what that's worth. To me it had the hallmarks of a somewhat weak amp section - when the music gets busy, timbral definition gets indistinct, and dynamics aren't all they should be.

I'm not trying to pick a fight with csglinux, many of whose opinions I agree with. What I'm saying is that there's a lot of diversity in how we hear things (probably any randomly chosen page on Head-Fi will confirm this ), and for at least some of us M5s looks likely to be a useful sonic upgrade over M0. Your own mileage, as always, may vary.

 

[csglinux]

We will do our best to bring streaming apps. Which and in what state, that more depends on current state of music streaming industry.

Frankie, you guys rock!

 

[iichigoz]

Just gotten the m0 and I absolutely love it! It pairs so well with my Zeus XRA as well as the Layla.

 

[Shanling]

What I'm saying is that there's a lot of diversity in how we hear things (probably any randomly chosen page on Head-Fi will confirm this ),

Hahaha, tell me about it. On our players, I'm always hearing comments from one end to another. One person will complain how player is way too warm, bassy and with not enough air. While other will praise it for clarity and light tone.
Since then we decided we will try to limit our personal opinions on the sound, let reviewers do it first.

Frankie, you guys rock!

Here we stand against music industry and big software companies, we will do our best, but some people will be sad in the end. I will just try to make them understand why it ended this way.

 

[SciOC]

Ahhhhhh. Damn it. Gotta figure out what gear to sell to get this. All signs point to this being the new benchmark at this price point.

I just can't imagine from a technical standpoint that the ibasso dx120 can be better than this.


Can't wait to get this in my hands (assuming output impedance isn't an issue).

 

[albocaj]

I tend to separate Bluetooth & Tidal apart from stored music & cables/balanced. I will even risk it and say that either LDAC or Tidal streaming present losses, at least somewhere in the traveling of information. It's just not the same as wires. But don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of BT. In fact, I'm rocking Tidal on my wireless Sonys and it sounds great, but I don't think it can replace an M5S on balanced, for example.
Portability to me means just that. I don't like carrying a smartphone AND dap for a music solution, unless I have to (HotSpot)
I think I would purchase the M5S if it had Tidal. Whenever I have the chance to sit and listen it usually means I have Wi-Fi around

 

[Shanling]

Alright, one news for you all.

Price will be under 500 USD

 

[crabdog]

Alright, one news for you all.

Price will be under 500 USD

Very cool. Can't wait to see more of it.

 

[abitdeef]

Alright, one news for you all.

Price will be under 500 USD

499.99 USD ha ha

 

[chaiyuta]

@Shanling : Is it possible to see 4.4 mm output Shanling DAP product in the near future?