Introducing Shanling M8T - New Flagship Portable Android Player with Tubes

[Leonarfd]

Received mine today. Have 2 questions:
1-is there any double tap screen wake up available in m8t?
2- how many hours burn-in is needed? What changes will I notice? What mode do I need to use?

1 Yeah, in the settings. Go to settings and just write "double", its in the General menu.
2 No idea about burn in

 

[German Expat in Vietnam]

The M8T is very interesting. I also had the original M8 and loved it. I could bite myself in the ass for selling it. At the moment I have the N6iii with the C201 and E203 motherboard. I'm also very happy with that. Nevertheless, I'm tempted to try out the M8T. Does anyone have a comparison with the N6iii and one of the two boards???

 

[UnknownOperator]

The M8T is very interesting. I also had the original M8 and loved it. I could bite myself in the ass for selling it. At the moment I have the N6iii with the C201 and E203 motherboard. I'm also very happy with that. Nevertheless, I'm tempted to try out the M8T. Does anyone have a comparison with the N6iii and one of the two boards???

I believe that @aaf evo can shed some light on this.

 

[German Expat in Vietnam]

I believe that @aaf evo can shed some light on this.

Yes, I know that @aaf evo had or still has the N6ii with both modules. But he had an accident while removing the E 203 module. In any case, I saw in the classifieds that aaf evo was selling its replacement devices. But I'm not sure. I like the N6iii better with the E203 motherboard. It is a perfect combination, especially with the Jomo Nautilus. The Nautilus easily plays in the 2000-3000 bucks class. You should try it out for the 800 bucks it only costs.

 

[aaf evo]

Yes, I know that @aaf evo had or still has the N6ii with both modules. But he had an accident while removing the E 203 module. In any case, I saw in the classifieds that aaf evo was selling its replacement devices. But I'm not sure. I like the N6iii better with the E203 motherboard. It is a perfect combination, especially with the Jomo Nautilus. The Nautilus easily plays in the 2000-3000 bucks class. You should try it out for the 800 bucks it only costs.

Yeah unfortunately I didn’t spend much time with the ESS card as mine didn’t fit very well and with others reporting the issue I was too worried about opening a new one and having the same issue.

Both are excellent DAPs tbh. I do think I prefer the tone of the M8T to both current options of the N6iii that are available but I don’t think I’d worry about selling that to buy this either. They’re really nice DAPs.

I find the M8T to be quite versatile in being able to go from transistor mode which is slightly warm with a more dynamic and edge sound and then swapping to either tube modes which slow the overall decay and thicken up/smoothen out the sound as well.

Outside of this I’m not sure it would be fair to say much else as far as comparisons go to the N6iii and I didn’t directly A/B them.

 

[German Expat in Vietnam]

Yeah unfortunately I didn’t spend much time with the ESS card as mine didn’t fit very well and with others reporting the issue I was too worried about opening a new one and having the same issue.

Both are excellent DAPs tbh. I do think I prefer the tone of the M8T to both current options of the N6iii that are available but I don’t think I’d worry about selling that to buy this either. They’re really nice DAPs.

I find the M8T to be quite versatile in being able to go from transistor mode which is slightly warm with a more dynamic and edge sound and then swapping to either tube modes which slow the overall decay and thicken up/smoothen out the sound as well.

Outside of this I’m not sure it would be fair to say much else as far as comparisons go to the N6iii and I didn’t directly A/B them.

If I order the M8T I will of course keep both . I have no problems with the E 203 board when taking it out. Unfortunately you were unlucky. I burned in the E 203 board for 250 hours and it sounds really fantastic, even though I don't actually like ESS. I'm looking forward to more motherboard.

 

[gc335]

The M8T is very interesting. I also had the original M8 and loved it. I could bite myself in the ass for selling it. At the moment I have the N6iii with the C201 and E203 motherboard. I'm also very happy with that. Nevertheless, I'm tempted to try out the M8T. Does anyone have a comparison with the N6iii and one of the two boards???

I have a M8T arriving today for review. I will compare to both modules of the N6iii. I will post initial thoughts here. I just did a full review of the N6iii and really like it.

 

[zlayde]

I've had the M8T for about 10 days now and I have to say I'm loving it. Highlights:

• That really elegant, smooth yet detailed AKM/Shanling house sound is there in spades. Organic and not analytical.
• It's incredibly versatile. Tubes are sufficiently tube-y and solid state is really great.
• Snappy open Android.
• It's not $3000+. Relatively reasonably priced.

 

[gc335]

I just went back and forth with the M8T in Tube mode and the N6iii C201... The sound is VERY similar in both staging and tonality. I'm guessing the E203 and M8T in Transistor mode will be similar with the M8T having the staging a bit more around you versus in front. Sonically, the N6iii and M8T are on the same level. I need to do more comparison but so far, it's close.

 

[Frabera]

It really seems the tube mode on the M8T is a marketing point and do not add much to the regular M8 and there are some DAP's which sounds more Tuby without any tubes.

 

[McCol]

It really seems the tube mode on the M8T is a marketing point and do not add much to the regular M8 and there are some DAP's which sounds more Tuby without any tubes.

I'd have to disagree on this

The M8T's tube mode is more than marketing, there is clear difference in sound between the modes and I'm finding the tube mode superior to other DAPs that I've tried or owned with tube options.

 

[zlayde]

I'd have to disagree on this

The M8T's tube mode is more than marketing, there is clear difference in sound between the modes and I'm finding the tube mode superior to other DAPs that I've tried or owned with tube options.

Definitely a clear difference to my ears: less incisive. Definitely warmer. Less analytical.

 

[Leonarfd]

It really seems the tube mode on the M8T is a marketing point and do not add much to the regular M8 and there are some DAP's which sounds more Tuby without any tubes.

Disagree, its warmer and a little softer in tube mode over transistor.

I'd have to disagree on this

The M8T's tube mode is more than marketing, there is clear difference in sound between the modes and I'm finding the tube mode superior to other DAPs that I've tried or owned with tube options.

Yeah, its a noticeable change and some IEMs suite one mode over the other making M8T very versatile.
I'm supposed to work on two IEM reviews now, but instead have been playing around with M8T to check for how well it pairs with different sets.

It clearly has some of the tube magic, and tube amps can sound quite different from amp to amp(some gooey and slow, other more clear and spacious with just added harmonics etc)

 

[gc335]

I don't think it's marketing. It's a noticeable difference. They may be using filters or other hardware to further alter the sound. That said, the same sound is achievable with different methods. The N6iii's C201 module has a very similar sound to the Tube mode on the M8T but doesn't use tubes. Different topologies with the same signature.

Edit: This similarities may change with time. The M8T is fresh out of the box and the C201 has about 50 hours on it.

 

[aaf evo]

I am also really loving this DAP… not only does it sound quite musical and dynamic but the versatility between the SS and tube modes are wonderful and easily noticeable as others have stated. It also offers a great software based LO for the Fugaku and it can drive the Storm really well… there’s a lot on offer here for what would be considered “mid fi” pricing in 2024/2025. Good stuff.

Now I am just curious as to what’s going on with the random charging bugs/issues/whatever but I'm assuming we'll hear back from Shanling after CNY.