Shanling EH3 - Desktop DAC/AMP with Wi-Fi, USB Drive Playback and Flagship ESS ES9039PRO DAC

[PenguinHeadphoner]

I don't need an ethernet port. I Live on my own on a mid sized (for Spanish standards) flat with my she-dog, so all I need is my SSD with my ripped CD's and SACD's (as DSD files ) and PCM HiRes files, connected vía USB to a device that can play them gaplessly and if possible do proper upconverting, and output vía I²S to my SMSL D400 PRO.

Hi,
Good to know. So the ET-3 might be the rightr device for you
Wish you the best of luck with it...

 

[EVH5150]

Hi,
Good to know. So the ET-3 might be the rightr device for you
Wish you the best of luck with it...

Thanks Buddy. I still have to check if the issue with the DSD reversed channels can be sorted out either by the ET 3, that is said by Shanling that can be done, or by a proper firmware update for the SMSL D400 PRO (It has this feature on the configuration menu, but it doesn't work, and the firmware update sent to me by e-mail by SMSL doesn't work either).
I still wonder how DSD 64 (from my ripped SACD's) can be upsampled to DSD 128, 256 or 512 without converting to PCM first. As far as I know DSD can't be processed natively without converting to PCM first.

 

[EVH5150]

As an owners of an SMSL D400 PRO D/A converter, that uses AKM's AK4191 IC that is used for Delta/Sigma modulation Up to x256, that is 11.2 Mhz, the same as DSD 256, and filtering for PCM audio, I wonder what's the point of getting a device that can upsampled Up to DSD 512. Many recording engineers say that DSD 512 is overkill and a waste of processing and data storage, that the sweet spot for recording and mixing on DSD is 256.
I contacted AKM and as secretive as they are regarding their chipset design, I asked if owning an AK4191+AK4499EX based DAC as the SMSL D400 PRO, getting a device (I didn't named Shanling ET3) that can upsample Up to DSD 512 would make sense and if It would get any sound improvement compared to playing plain PCM audio, either at Red Book resolution or HiRes as they are by the SMSL D 400 PRO and its Up to x256 Delta/Sigma oversampling (x128 can also be selected).
They said that in their opinión the answer was NO. That doing x256 Delta/Sigma oversampling, either at 1 bit as DSD or 7 bit as the AKM AK4191+AK4499EX does, is like upsampling to DSD 256.
So being very happy with the sound of the SMSL D 400 PRO and the answer I got from AKM, the upsampling feature on the Shanling ET3 is of no use to me. I'll keep on trusting the excellent sound of the AKM two chips combo without any outside processing.

 

[Indrikis]

Hello, just an update on the op-amp swap: fail, the op-amps are tiny compared to the size of the Burson V6 or anything else I've ever seen. The footprint of those amps are miniscule.

Adding all the pictures I took.

Burson V6 Vivid Dual X2 op-amps are available.) €60/each.)

Cheers!

Hello. Tell me, is it impossible to install Burson there at all because there is very little space? Or is it technically difficult but possible?

 

[Indrikis]

Good day. Among the minor flaws of Shanling EH3 that I found. The instructions say that pressing the "dac" button on the remote turns on the EH3, and long pressing the "dac" button turns it off. In fact, long pressing turns it on, long pressing turns it off.

 

[Vazzee]

Hello. Tell me, is it impossible to install Burson there at all because there is very little space? Or is it technically difficult but possible?

Hello! I hope I have posted the photos with my comment.

As far as I remember, the Burson V6 opamps are physically too big to replace the originals with. This is just an example from top of my head, the measurements will be wrong but good to illustrate my point: the original chip is 6mm*4mm, the Burson chip is 10mm*12mm...

I am not a soldering guru, so I haven't checked if soldering thus DIY-ing that thing in there is possible, so I don't know, if there is any space there to accommodate the tall V6 opamps.

That's all I remember from a distance of about 18 months.

Hope this helped!

 

[Indrikis]

Hello! I hope I have posted the photos with my comment.

As far as I remember, the Burson V6 opamps are physically too big to replace the originals with. This is just an example from top of my head, the measurements will be wrong but good to illustrate my point: the original chip is 6mm*4mm, the Burson chip is 10mm*12mm...

I am not a soldering guru, so I haven't checked if soldering thus DIY-ing that thing in there is possible, so I don't know, if there is any space there to accommodate the tall V6 opamps.

That's all I remember from a distance of about 18 months.

Hope this helped!

Thank you. Perhaps we will wait for a hero who can do this and share information.

 

[EVH5150]

Why do you bother with this DAC and its capability of converting PCM to DSD?
Have you ever tried to PROPERLY convert PCM to DSD with Weiss Saracon? Depending on the music content, being dinamic range of It one thing to keep in mind? You need to use diferent Delta Sigma modulation orders, ranging from 6th to 10th, and if one doesn't use the right modulation orders, the convertion doesn't sound right.
Next, and this has to do again with PCM dinamic range and the máximum level at what the original PCM Signal is mastered. If you are to convert PCM to DSD you need to take care of this. Remember that that on PCM 0 dB = -6 dB on DSD.
In a nutshell, PCM to DSD convertion IS not a one size fits all.

 

[Zuzanna]

Hi there!
I’m interested in the Shanling EH3. I’m familiar with its specs and have read plenty of reviews and articles about it. However, I’m still a bit unsure about its sound signature, and I’d really appreciate feedback from people who have actually listened to it.

Some opinions describe it as a neutral and transparent-sounding device, which makes sense considering the ESS Sabre DAC inside. On the other hand, I’ve also come across comments saying that it has a characteristic slightly warm / warm-leaning Shanling sound signature, and yet Shanling uses different DAC chips in their products, such as AKM, so these mixed opinions leave me a bit confused.

How would you describe the sound of the Shanling EH3?
Thank you so much for your time and advice!

 

[Vazzee]

Hi there!
I’m interested in the Shanling EH3. I’m familiar with its specs and have read plenty of reviews and articles about it. However, I’m still a bit unsure about its sound signature, and I’d really appreciate feedback from people who have actually listened to it.

Some opinions describe it as a neutral and transparent-sounding device, which makes sense considering the ESS Sabre DAC inside. On the other hand, I’ve also come across comments saying that it has a characteristic slightly warm / warm-leaning Shanling sound signature, and yet Shanling uses different DAC chips in their products, such as AKM, so these mixed opinions leave me a bit confused.

How would you describe the sound of the Shanling EH3?
Thank you so much for your time and advice!

Good morning & Happy Friday!)

First of, I hope you gonna get more competent reply to your question than what I can give you.

I was coming from an Aune X7 + X8 stack with a Burson V6 Vivid op-amp upgrade to the EH-3.

I love how it sounded with my Meze Empyreans, Meze Elites and how it sounds with the Monarch MK3.

I am using it with my speakers /Duevel Enterprise - Duevel Bella Luna/ too as a Dac, and I love it that way as well.

I have no idea if this helped you at all, just wanted to give you at least some pointers.

Have a great weekend!

 

[Indrikis]

Should be soldered.

Good day. Please tell me. Is it planned to add Tidal/Qobuz services to Eddict Player? I think all Shanling users are waiting for this.

 

[Shanling]

Good day. Please tell me. Is it planned to add Tidal/Qobuz services to Eddict Player? I think all Shanling users are waiting for this.

In regards to using with EH3, you can use a 3rd party DLNA/UPnP app with support of Tidal/Qobuz and stream into EH3 over Wi-Fi.

No need to be implemented into Eddict player.

 

[PenguinHeadphoner]

Hi,

Funny answer.

So to use the EH-3 we can use third-party apps.
With the exception of the very limited mConnect, NONE of them works properly on the EH-3.
Unless you can point out an app that will play more than 1/2 tracks in a row and in gapless mode.

To sum it up :
- when it is convenient => third-party app
- when it not conveninet => Eddict.

But I see a step forward : I really hope you will abandon that Eddict project.
It probably costs some resources (financial ones) and it is leading nowhere...
I do not know where the problem lies (por foundations ; incompetent software team ; no will to make it happen...) but features that has been asked for by almost all users for several years now did not make their way to Eddict... When free third-party apps, develop by a really small team can add them.

I see a hope for a device that will be Eddict independent.
Once that happens, I'll regain interest in Shanling brand because I love their sound !

 

[Indrikis]

By the way. It works great as an amplifier.

 

[PenguinHeadphoner]

By the way. It works great as an amplifier.

As an amplifier ?
Or as a pre-amplifier ?