[csglinux]

Best thing to do is test them out and trust your ears. Actually it depends a lot on what iems/cans you are using as they have a more pronounced effect on the sound than the dap itself.

Thanks for saving me some typing

The problem with video reviews is it's not so easy to edit out errors afterwards. I'm not denying @cleg heard what he claims. The question is how to attribute the effects. There are some things that really shouldn't be subjective. The M0 has more than double the output power of the M1, so it's able to drive less sensitive cans with more headroom. M0 also has measurably lower THD+N and measurably higher SNR. Also @cleg's comment about M0 having an accentuated or enhanced treble.... nope, it doesn't. Here's the M0's frequency response measured with REW. It's pretty much ruler-flat (corrected minimum fast filter active):

Transient response effects, total harmonic distortion, noise, frequency-response contributions, etc., are all going to be orders of magnitude more with any headphones than they are with the M0 (or any DAP for that matter), and the M0's output impedance just isn't high enough to swing the FR (at least of any headphone I know of). My guess is @cleg's headphones have a resonance peak that he doesn't like and maybe that was counter-balanced by an earlier roll-off with some of his other DAPs(?). If you need HiBy link, a bigger screen, touch controls, then sure, go with the M1. But through any headphones I currently own (FLC-8S, SE846, Xelento, EN700Pro, ER4XR, HD800S, Utopia), the M0 is the winner in terms of SQ.

I do marginally prefer the Hugo 2 for the attack from instruments like guitar and piano, but the differences are pretty small, and soundstage image is an artificial concept anyway when we're listening on headphones to music that was recorded on stereo mics and produced for loudspeaker playback. IMHO, we really need to know what headphones @cleg was using to reach his conclusions - and then all of us should avoid buying those headphones, regardless of which DAP(s) we own

 

[headwhacker]

This video is somewhat confusing to me. I get it - audio and music are totally subjective, but when the overall impressions are so greatly different it makes you just wonder about the quality of this player.

So far I've only heard people highly praising the Shangling M0, making it sound even similar to the likes of Hiby R3 and the Sony ZX300. Based on this video, the Shangling M1 is substantially better, both in terms of SQ and in build/design and even usability.

So where the truth lies? Is it great like most people claim it is, comparing it to the Sony ZX300, or is the sound quality not that good as some may say, and it would be better to get the Fiio M7?

Hope someone can explain the big differences / contradicting opinions

You will soon find out that you need to listen for yourself and decide. There are many factors to consider that cannot be made equal.

Your ear anatomy, your preference, bias/influences are big enough difference that can’t be duplicate by anyone else.

The headphone, environment plus the person’s mood at the time of testing can also have big influences.

 

[niron]

I went down the audio wormhole about 40 years ago and I can explain the differences / contradicting opinions - people. Find one sub-forum on head-fi that has complete agreement on anything. The 2 that I have continue to amaze me with both the sound and the features of such a small package. As with everything audio YMMV...

Maybe he likes a darker sound. I said I liked the sound better than the ZX300 SE out, the balanced is a different story- it sounds better than pretty much everything I’ve heard. The M0 sounds clearer and more transparent than the R3 SE out with a wider stage and better dynamics and more refined detailed treble. On my M0 the attack/decay and timing is stellar and It’s very close to neutral with a tiny touch of warmth.

To my ears both SE outs of R3 and ZX300 are a bit warmer and softer than M0 which really surprised me. Best thing to do is test them out and trust your ears. Actually it depends a lot on what iems/cans you are using as they have a more pronounced effect on the sound than the dap itself.

Plus everybody hears things differently, I thought the M1 was a bit muddy sounding and also a bit ‘soft’. I like the clearer and more dynamic sound of M0 much better. Keep in mind that nobody really has superior components in their audio chain. It’s how everything is implemented that is important.

Of course ymmv or anybody’s mileage may very

Oh and I should add, there is a learning curve to using the M0 as there is only one hardware button. Plus if you hit the wrong part of the tiny screen whilst scrolling you may zip through the whole list as it races through the alphabet instead of the individual artists. There definitely is more of a learning curve than the other players with pause, forward and back hardware buttons. But I still love it and Shanling is pretty proactive with firmware updates.

Thanks for saving me some typing

The problem with video reviews is it's not so easy to edit out errors afterwards. I'm not denying @cleg heard what he claims. The question is how to attribute the effects. There are some things that really shouldn't be subjective. The M0 has more than double the output power of the M1, so it's able to drive less sensitive cans with more headroom. M0 also has measurably lower THD+N and measurably higher SNR. Also @cleg's comment about M0 having an accentuated or enhanced treble.... nope, it doesn't. Here's the M0's frequency response measured with REW. It's pretty much ruler-flat (corrected minimum fast filter active):



Transient response effects, total harmonic distortion, noise, frequency-response contributions, etc., are all going to be orders of magnitude more with any headphones than they are with the M0 (or any DAP for that matter), and the M0's output impedance just isn't high enough to swing the FR (at least of any headphone I know of). My guess is @cleg's headphones have a resonance peak that he doesn't like and maybe that was counter-balanced by an earlier roll-off with some of his other DAPs(?). If you need HiBy link, a bigger screen, touch controls, then sure, go with the M1. But through any headphones I currently own (FLC-8S, SE846, Xelento, EN700Pro, ER4XR, HD800S, Utopia), the M0 is the winner in terms of SQ.

I do marginally prefer the Hugo 2 for the attack from instruments like guitar and piano, but the differences are pretty small, and soundstage image is an artificial concept anyway when we're listening on headphones to music that was recorded on stereo mics and produced for loudspeaker playback. IMHO, we really need to know what headphones @cleg was using to reach his conclusions - and then all of us should avoid buying those headphones, regardless of which DAP(s) we own

You will soon find out that you need to listen for yourself and decide. There are many factors to consider that cannot be made equal.

Your ear anatomy, your preference, bias/influences are big enough difference that can’t be duplicate by anyone else.

The headphone, environment plus the person’s mood at the time of testing can also have big influences.

Thanks guys for the very detailed explanations. Unfortunately, we don't have it in our area, so I won't be able to test it out before I make the purchase. But you made me convinced

 

[fogma]

I dont know what was that, but i left m0 playing on the table just for 20 mins while preparing to go work and when i came back , it was turned off. Couldnt do anything to make it work. After few minutes plugged to my pc it finally turned on. However , battery level was high enough (more like 80% or higher). This happens second time to me. I used the same samsung evo card fully formatted. It stopped resetting m0 settings and i cant understand if its causing the problem with turning player off.

 

[cleg]

The problem with video reviews is it's not so easy to edit out errors afterwards

well, I've prepared long answer, with multiple quotes from your post… but then I've erased it as I see no sense in arguing in this case "if you are against the mainstream, it's an error, sad you can't fix it"
anyway, few thesis:
- audio perception is subjective anyway, good measurements doesn't mean good sound, bad measurements doesn't mean bad sound. it can be so, but I know pretty lots of exceptions
- accents in sound not necessary means FR change, for about 5 years, almost all DAPs have absolutely flat FR, but some are bright, some are dark, etc
- accent on M0's treble is really small, main issue isn't with accent
- as for "driving power" of M0, I prefer to wait for https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro measurements with real loads, before sharing my thoughts about that, but there are few suspicions
- as for headphones, you should "avoid" UM Mason V3, Noble Kaiser Encore, AA LAM7-C, IMR R1, moreover, actually, brighter models sounded better with M0, as they are a bit leveling treble issues
- I'm not saying M0 is bad, it's really good for this price and size, it's just not so good compared with other DAPs (having, actually higher prices)

Anyway, MY REVIEW IS SUBJECTIVE, as all my other review, and they can be totally against your experience and perception. If you prefer calling that error, I can totally live with that.

I'm testing another DAP and I don't agree with all that hosanna singing chorus, so now I'm off to make another "error review"

 

[puppyfi]

well, I've prepared long answer, with multiple quotes from your post… but then I've erased it as I see no sense in arguing in this case "if you are against the mainstream, it's an error, sad you can't fix it"
anyway, few thesis:
- audio perception is subjective anyway, good measurements doesn't mean good sound, bad measurements doesn't mean bad sound. it can be so, but I know pretty lots of exceptions
- accents in sound not necessary means FR change, for about 5 years, almost all DAPs have absolutely flat FR, but some are bright, some are dark, etc
- accent on M0's treble is really small, main issue isn't with accent
- as for "driving power" of M0, I prefer to wait for https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro measurements with real loads, before sharing my thoughts about that, but there are few suspicions
- as for headphones, you should "avoid" UM Mason V3, Noble Kaiser Encore, AA LAM7-C, IMR R1, moreover, actually, brighter models sounded better with M0, as they are a bit leveling treble issues
- I'm not saying M0 is bad, it's really good for this price and size, it's just not so good compared with other DAPs (having, actually higher prices)

Anyway, MY REVIEW IS SUBJECTIVE, as all my other review, and they can be totally against your experience and perception. If you prefer calling that error, I can totally live with that.

I'm testing another DAP and I don't agree with all that hosanna singing chorus, so now I'm off to make another "error review"

For someone like me who depends on reviews to make decision on my next purchase, I really appreciate your subjective review. It's good to have diverse review instead of always a lopsided one.

 

[tim0chan]

This video is somewhat confusing to me. I get it - audio and music are totally subjective, but when the overall impressions are so greatly different it makes you just wonder about the quality of this player.

So far I've only heard people highly praising the Shangling M0, making it sound even similar to the likes of Hiby R3 and the Sony ZX300. Based on this video, the Shangling M1 is substantially better, both in terms of SQ and in build/design and even usability.

So where the truth lies? Is it great like most people claim it is, comparing it to the Sony ZX300, or is the sound quality not that good as some may say, and it would be better to get the Fiio M7?

Hope someone can explain the big differences / contradicting opinions

You like hardware control and u like a warmer smoother sound I guess?
The m0 sound more bright but smooth enough to be easy on the ears. Just not your sound.

 

[goody]

Maybe he likes a darker sound. I said I liked the sound better than the ZX300 SE out, the balanced is a different story- it sounds better than pretty much everything I’ve heard. The M0 sounds clearer and more transparent than the R3 SE out with a wider stage and better dynamics and more refined detailed treble. On my M0 the attack/decay and timing is stellar and It’s very close to neutral with a tiny touch of warmth.

To my ears both SE outs of R3 and ZX300 are a bit warmer and softer than M0 which really surprised me. Best thing to do is test them out and trust your ears. Actually it depends a lot on what iems/cans you are using as they have a more pronounced effect on the sound than the dap itself.

Plus everybody hears things differently, I thought the M1 was a bit muddy sounding and also a bit ‘soft’. I like the clearer and more dynamic sound of M0 much better. Keep in mind that nobody really has superior components in their audio chain. It’s how everything is implemented that is important.

Of course ymmv or anybody’s mileage may very

Oh and I should add, there is a learning curve to using the M0 as there is only one hardware button. Plus if you hit the wrong part of the tiny screen whilst scrolling you may zip through the whole list as it races through the alphabet instead of the individual artists. There definitely is more of a learning curve than the other players with pause, forward and back hardware buttons. But I still love it and Shanling is pretty proactive with firmware updates.

Exactly my thoughts on the MO ..my favourite is the treble nicely refined and detailed for the size i do wonder how they did it ....i wish the battery was better though

 

[abitdeef]

Thanks guys for the very detailed explanations. Unfortunately, we don't have it in our area, so I won't be able to test it out before I make the purchase. But you made me convinced

What I meant by testing it was to try and buy it from a retailer with a good return policy ie Amazon. That way if you don’t like it you can easily return it

 

[abitdeef]

well, I've prepared long answer, with multiple quotes from your post… but then I've erased it as I see no sense in arguing in this case "if you are against the mainstream, it's an error, sad you can't fix it"
anyway, few thesis:
- audio perception is subjective anyway, good measurements doesn't mean good sound, bad measurements doesn't mean bad sound. it can be so, but I know pretty lots of exceptions
- accents in sound not necessary means FR change, for about 5 years, almost all DAPs have absolutely flat FR, but some are bright, some are dark, etc
- accent on M0's treble is really small, main issue isn't with accent
- as for "driving power" of M0, I prefer to wait for https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro measurements with real loads, before sharing my thoughts about that, but there are few suspicions
- as for headphones, you should "avoid" UM Mason V3, Noble Kaiser Encore, AA LAM7-C, IMR R1, moreover, actually, brighter models sounded better with M0, as they are a bit leveling treble issues
- I'm not saying M0 is bad, it's really good for this price and size, it's just not so good compared with other DAPs (having, actually higher prices)

Anyway, MY REVIEW IS SUBJECTIVE, as all my other review, and they can be totally against your experience and perception. If you prefer calling that error, I can totally live with that.

I'm testing another DAP and I don't agree with all that hosanna singing chorus, so now I'm off to make another "error review"

Hey if everybody liked the same thing the world would be quite boring For instance I use mayonnaise with my French fries as a dipping sauce instead of ketchup. Which grosses a lot of people out here in the states- but I like it! I mean I don’t always agree with reviews but I appreciate the time and effort that goes into them.

That’s why I say, trust your ears. I’ve been listening to portable audio since the 70’s and I know what kind of sound sig I like. I’ve never really heard a modern dap that sounded ‘bad’ they all have pretty much slightly different presentations of the sound.

I still think cans and iems are way more important in the way things sound than a dap. Anyways even if I disagree on your review ( and this time I do ) I still enjoy them and appreciate the time and effort.

Plus your accent is cool.

 

[twister6]

Just a side comment, but I think sometimes we put a little too much emphasis into the "sound sig" of the DAP without realizing what we hear is a synergy between the DAP and a pair of headphones with its own sound sig.

 

[spinworkxroy]

Its a 100dollar tiny player that i can use as a dap in the car and as an ldac receiver when I'm not in the car and it fits inside my jean coin/pocketwatch pocket! I finally found a use for that pocket in my jeans!
And the sound is fantastic over ldac. I had many other Bt receivers from creative and radsone but none does ldac.
There's absolutely nothing to complain about the m0 considering it's price and what it can do for me. The only flaw is the lack of a bt remote profile but shanling did mention that's coming in a future firmware update.

 

[abitdeef]

A Shanling version of Hiby link would be awesome also. It’s funny to that every time I get a new dap I go through the same rituals of testing the sound.

I use the same songs and audio cues in those songs I’m familiar with, sonetimes I record from my pro Sony recorder some live piano and acoustic geetar and throw it on the player to see how accurate it sounds.

I also pull out my old, old cowon and my old iPod Nano with the Wolfson chip to compare to the newcomer ( stuff has really improved, especially with hiss in the signal). I actually use a lot of the stuff- music- particular parts of songs HBB uses for testing various sonic attributes. I’ve been using those for years, although I did steal the America ‘Tin Man’ triangle one from him haha. Oh and I Always listen to HD Fleetwood Mac ‘Rumors’ and Steely Dan’s Aja. And some classical and Ozrick Tenticles ‘Spirals in Hyperspace’ to test out how it can handle ‘busy stuff’

I bet everyone has similar stuff they do also. Well because we are creatures of habit. Or was that Hobbit?

Didn’t mean to derail the thread but I think it would be neat to hear what songs and whatnot people use to test for sound quality.

I don’t like reviews that don’t tell you specifically what they listened to to to test the dap or what cans they used.

 

[zhubajie]

This weekend I received my M0 too.
The first thing I did was put the latest firmware on it.

I have to get used to operating it. The sensitivity isn't perfected yet but it usually 'feels' my gestures.

I found there is one small but irritating problem with Bluetooth.
I have the Sony SBH80 headset and it connected well with it and kept the connection flawlessly.
However when I pause the music for longer than a few seconds, say a minute, I am unable to resume playing. I only get beeps from the headset.
When I browse to the Bluetooth menu on the M0 it would work again (no need to toggle anything, just browse there).

Did anyone else have this problem?

 

[Mike-WI]

This weekend I received my M0 too.
The first thing I did was put the latest firmware on it.

I have to get used to operating it. The sensitivity isn't perfected yet but it usually 'feels' my gestures.

I found there is one small but irritating problem with Bluetooth.
I have the Sony SBH80 headset and it connected well with it and kept the connection flawlessly.
However when I pause the music for longer than a few seconds, say a minute, I am unable to resume playing. I only get beeps from the headset.
When I browse to the Bluetooth menu on the M0 it would work again (no need to toggle anything, just browse there).

Did anyone else have this problem?

I think the M0 in a larger form factor would have easier ergonomics including bigger screen, more computational power, etc.
I have some cheap BT headphones for biking that the M0 didn't connect to. Need to experiment more.

Mike