Introducing Shanling M8T - New Flagship Portable Android Player with Tubes

[jjazzy]

had at least 20 smartphones over the yrs. not a single one had a usefull battery capacity left after 3 yrs and yes i charge my batterys as they should be. USer replaceable batterys have been dismissed because of fcn apple! at least some of the better manufacturers are returning to what we already had

It all depends how much you use it ofcourse, for most people don’t use it everyday, so don’t have to charge it everyday like a phone

My phone is charges everyday, not my dap.

But I do agree it should be more common by now, that replacing the battery is not a niche job anymore, but easily purchable with replacement manual. For all devices and brands I mean.

The old way I don’t prefer, because that way devices are getting bulky again, easily replacable yes.

 

[Endine]

Here are my thoughts about the M8T so far.

At this point, I’ve been shilling the M8T during meets but that's how good the M8T is. If you’ve ever used tubes, you know there’s usually a bit of hiss going on—but with the M8T, I’m hearing none of that. Even with sensitive IEMs, I get a super-clean background that’s basically black, as long as the gain is reasonable adjusted for the IEM. That alone makes it a standout for me.

Also it's cool that you're able to switch between three completely different sound profiles. There's the solid state mode, Transistor, and the two hybrid modes, Triode and Ultra Linear. The solid-state mode is super punchy and detailed while the tube modes bring varying degrees of warmth and richness. Triode mode is a bit more laid-back and smooth while Ultra Linear is more thicker and richer. Normally, tube options in a portable player can feel like a gimmick, but here they sound like legit alternatives. It’s not night-and-day, but I can definitely hear the difference, and I’ve had a lot of fun picking my preferred mode based on whichever genre or mood I’m in.

It’s running on Android 13, so if you’re into streaming it's pretty straightforward. Installed TIDAL and Qobuz, and everything else like a charm. The battery life holds up nicely—even in tube mode. The only downside is the size; it’s pretty big, similar to other top-tier DAPs on the market. If you’re cool with that, then it's great. It feels and looks premium, and the hardware controls are well-built. I did run into some charging issues, but as long as it was slow charging everything was fine!

This thing is seriously worth a look, personally I think it's #1 DAP for it's price range.

IEMs I have used/demo on it are Traillii, Anni, Jewel, RN6, XE6, APX SE, Trifecta, Macbeth, Clara, Omega

 

[Shanling]

New Firmware Update V1.25 for Shanling M8T Portable Player

Full notes and download link:
https://en.shanling.com/article-m8tv125.html

 

[Kiats]

New Firmware Update V1.25 for Shanling M8T Portable Player

Full notes and download link:
https://en.shanling.com/article-m8tv125.html

Thanks for implementing LDAC codec for BT amp. Just wanted to check on item (3): fixed issue with access to public wifi networks. What exactly is the issue here and how has it been fixed @Shanling ? Thanks

 

[Shanling]

Thanks for implementing LDAC codec for BT amp. Just wanted to check on item (3): fixed issue with access to public wifi networks. What exactly is the issue here and how has it been fixed @Shanling ? Thanks

It was for Public networks that require additional Login.

It didn't work.

It's now fixed.

 

[Kiats]

It was for Public networks that require additional Login.

It didn't work.

It's now fixed.

As in a log in portal like hotel rooms?

 

[aaf evo]

New Firmware Update V1.25 for Shanling M8T Portable Player

Full notes and download link:
https://en.shanling.com/article-m8tv125.html

Thanks, updated. Here’s to hoping the random charging issues are addressed as I don’t see anything in the notes about this.

 

[subguy812]

Thanks, updated. Here’s to hoping the random charging issues are addressed as I don’t see anything in the notes about this.

Testing it now...

 

[aaf evo]

Testing it now...

Yep I have mine on the charger as well while I’m out for the time being.

Editing my post bc of the new stupid head fi rule.

DAP is no longer frozen at 100% but the battery screen as shown below will flash on and off every few seconds. Better than it was before I suppose.

 

[vsrrr]

I keep hearing the M8T's sound is fantastic, so I'm sold in that respect.
My unresolved question as a potential buyer is whether the software bugs and and hardware/firmware issues are dealbreakers.

Would you guys say the battery charging problems are your biggest issue with the M8T?
Or is there anything else to be aware of?

Definitely crossing my fingers that Shanling can address owners' primary issues with future firmware updates, as it sounds like this DAP is really punching high when it comes to sound quality.

 

[smirks_audio]

I keep hearing the M8T's sound is fantastic, so I'm sold in that respect.
My unresolved question as a potential buyer is whether the software bugs and and hardware/firmware issues are dealbreakers.

Would you guys say the battery charging problems are your biggest issue with the M8T?
Or is there anything else to be aware of?

Definitely crossing my fingers that Shanling can address owners' primary issues with future firmware updates, as it sounds like this DAP is really punching high when it comes to sound quality.

The battery charging issue certainly seems, based on this thread, to be the most common issue at least. I’m still waiting to hear back from folks who updated their FW to see if they’re still experiencing it.

There is a 2x playback speed issue a handful of people were experiencing when their unit achieved a certain heat threshold, but that seems less common.

Luckily in my case, I’ve yet to experience either issue and I’m a happy M8T owner. It sounds great with my Storm and 622B.

 

[ijisi]

For those who updated to the new firmware, did you notice any changes in the sound quality? I've experienced this before with other DAPs, and I regretted the upgrade — especially when they weren't backward compatible.

 

[Leonarfd]

For those who updated to the new firmware, did you notice any changes in the sound quality? I've experienced this before with other DAPs, and I regretted the upgrade — especially when they weren't backward compatible.

Sounds the same, nothing have changed. For bugs I have had none of the issues mentioned by some on the thread, so I cannot say anything about that and the update.
I use it daily and its the DAP I have been the most satisfied with the last years.

 

[Shanling]

As in a log in portal like hotel rooms?

Any public wi-fi that requires login or confirmation in the internet browser.

Yep I have mine on the charger as well while I’m out for the time being.

Editing my post bc of the new stupid head fi rule.

DAP is no longer frozen at 100% but the battery screen as shown below will flash on and off every few seconds. Better than it was before I suppose.

Checking on this.

 

[Shanling]

Would you guys say the battery charging problems are your biggest issue with the M8T?
Or is there anything else to be aware of?

Definitely crossing my fingers that Shanling can address owners' primary issues with future firmware updates, as it sounds like this DAP is really punching high when it comes to sound quality.

The Battery charging should be fixed with the current firmware update.