[graphidz]

Color me intrigued. Balanced DAP for around $200-$250 with high end DAC. Too bad it's using 2.5mm instead of 4.4mm. Really need to move on to 4.4mm. Battery life seems short though.

Power out is almost similar. 180mW VS 212mW. Don't see what's the actual benefit going balanced on this tbh (let's not argue if balanced does/doesn't affect sq)

Now the only issue is there doesn't seem to be an official distributor in Malaysia.

 

[AndySocial]

Is there any plan to include capabilities tailored to podcast or audiobook listeners? Specifically, bookmarking of long files (preferably automatic bookmarking), speed control of files with genre tags of Audiobook or Podcast, and separating podcast/audiobook files from the main music database - all are features that were available in a $40 Sansa player circa 2003, but seem to have been ignored in the modern DAP revival.

Not everyone carries a smartphone, so the response of "just use your phone" is not helpful. Also, the same rationale that makes us want standalone music players applies to standalone spoken-word players - battery life, lack of phone-based notifications interrupting listening, etc.

 

[gemmoglock]

Shanling M2X Specification

Audio Circuit:

- single AKM AK4490EN DAC

- single TI OPA1612 acting as the low-pass filter

- dual AD8397 amplifier

Dimensions: 98 x 60 x 16 mm

Weight: 147 g

Battery:

- 2400 mAh, fully charged in 2.5 hour

- 10.5 hours of playback in Single ended mode

- 7.5 hours of playback in Balanced mode

Hi-Res sound support:

- PCM up to 32bit/384kHz, DSD up to DSD256

Audio output Single ended (3.5 mm jack):

- Output power 180 mW @ 16 Ohm / 106 mW @ 32 Ohm

- SNR 117 dB (A-weighting)

- Output impedance 1 Ohm

- Channel separation 70 dB (32 Ohm)

Audio output Balanced (2.5 mm jack):

- Output power 212 mW @ 16 Ohm / 120 mW @ 32 Ohm

- SNR 116 dB (A-weighting)

- Output impedance 2 Ohm

- Channel separation 107 dB (32 Ohm)

​

Looking forward to trying this out!

 

[dblml320]

Looking forward to trying this out! Any news on a M1x release this year?

Impressive specs, but at >$200, I don't think this is price competitive with the FIIO M6 ...

 

[TooPoorForHiFi]

Ouch. 7.5 Hours in Balance Mode, Thats pretty bad TBH.

 

[Ivan TT]

Shanling M2X Specification

Thank you!
Was really hoping for AK4493 (as more modern AK4490 substitute) and OPA1622/INA1620 (as more modern/advanced HP driver solution).

 

[Shanling]

yup..as i predicted, was hoping something like cirrus logic or dual ESS dac.
all of shanling products are akm..expect m0, being their most successful product i thought they will change to ESS.
oh well...at least the amp section looks good...wounder whats the targeted sound signature

Big part of choosing ESS SoC for M0 was its practicality. But for players not so limited by size, our engineers still prefer to use AKM DACs.

Color me intrigued. Balanced DAP for around $200-$250 with high end DAC. Too bad it's using 2.5mm instead of 4.4mm. Really need to move on to 4.4mm. Battery life seems short though.

Power out is almost similar. 180mW VS 212mW. Don't see what's the actual benefit going balanced on this tbh (let's not argue if balanced does/doesn't affect sq)

Now the only issue is there doesn't seem to be an official distributor in Malaysia.

Power output in balanced mode is limited due to excessive noise, that would show up if the power was pushed higher.

And since we still aim our portable players to be mainly used with portable headphones and IEMs, we prefer lowered noise to rough power for bigger headphones.

Impressive specs, but at >$200, I don't think this is price competitive with the FIIO M6 ...

Specification and features is one thing, sound quality is other. Now choice is up to customers.

 

[435279]

But for players not so limited by size, our engineers still prefer to use AKM DACs

Maybe that quote has lost a bit in translation, but I'm and engineer, and I certainly don't get to control things that should be the choice of a marketing department.

 

[fish1050]

So I was holding onto my M0 until I found out what was next from Shanling. Got tired of waiting and bought a Fiio M7 and now I see this. Basically looks like a Fiio M6 with more power and less battery life. The M6 has it beat for bluetooth support as does my M7. That seems like alot of power and not much battery life for a device Shanling says is geared toward iem's and portable headphones, way more than my headphones need. When using LDAC bluetooth battery life will be disappointing, was hoping to see closer to M5S type battery life or at least equal to the M0 at 15 hours.

Looks like I made a better choice for me with the M7 as I have no use for wifi and streaming and if pricing is accurate it will cost as much or more than the M7 in Canada. I will take the much better battery life from the M7. With both my M0 and M7 using ESS Sabre DACs I now much prefer them to the AKM based DAP's. I was hoping for maybe an M0 with a bigger screen and a bump in battery life, this is to far in the direction of the M5S. Now I have to wonder what Shanling will do with the M3X which to me is closer to what this should have been.

 

[Shanling]

Maybe that quote has lost a bit in translation, but I'm and engineer, and I certainly don't get to control things that should be the choice of a marketing department.

Foundations of our company are engineers, so what DAC ends up in player is decided by them, by their approach to audio design, by their approach to sound.

If our engineers believe Sabre or Cirrus Logic DAC will be better choice for that design, it will be used. If you look over past few years of Shanling, you can find DACs from AKM, ESS and Cirrus in our players and dedicated DACs.

So I was holding onto my M0 until I found out what was next from Shanling. Got tired of waiting and bought a Fiio M7 and now I see this. Basically looks like a Fiio M6 with more power and less battery life. The M6 has it beat for bluetooth support as does my M7. That seems like alot of power and not much battery life for a device Shanling says is geared toward iem's and portable headphones, way more than my headphones need. When using LDAC bluetooth battery life will be disappointing, was hoping to see closer to M5S type battery life or at least equal to the M0 at 15 hours.

Looks like I made a better choice for me with the M7 as I have no use for wifi and streaming and if pricing is accurate it will cost as much or more than the M7 in Canada. I will take the much better battery life from the M7. With both my M0 and M7 using ESS Sabre DACs I now much prefer them to the AKM based DAP's. I was hoping for maybe an M0 with a bigger screen and a bump in battery life, this is to far in the direction of the M5S. Now I have to wonder what Shanling will do with the M3X which to me is closer to what this should have been.

Funnily, complains that it doesn't have enough power were one of first responses I got.

I hope you will be happy with your Fiio M7.

 

[fish1050]

Foundations of our company are engineers, so what DAC ends up in player is decided by them, by their approach to audio design, by their approach to sound.

If our engineers believe Sabre or Cirrus Logic DAC will be better choice for that design, it will be used. If you look over past few years of Shanling, you can find DACs from AKM, ESS and Cirrus in our players and dedicated DACs.



Funnily, complains that it doesn't have enough power were one of first responses I got.

I hope you will be happy with your Fiio M7.

I understand you can't please everyone but I am pragmatic at heart, I use portable headphones for portable devices and hard to drive headphones on my home system. I don't understand it when people try to pair higher impedance headphones with a portable device when they were clearly not designed for it and aren't really portable. Perhaps if there is a new M1 in the offing down the road that will fill the gap between the M2X and the M0 with the bigger screen or perhaps even the M0K . If that day ever comes I will definitely consider it for purchase.

 

[Blazer39]

sooo any review soon?!

 

[Shanling]

sooo any review soon?!

Got first final units this week, will be sending them to first reviewers soon.

 

[Shanling]

Last missing piece of info:

Price 219 USD / 219 Euro

Available worldwide April / May

 

[fish1050]

Last missing piece of info:

Price 219 USD / 219 Euro

Available worldwide April / May

So price is about $70 US higher than the M6, I hope it isn't priced to high to compete. It may sound better than the M6? but is that enough to overcome everything the M6 offers. It will be interesting to see how it stacks up when released and reviewers compare it to the M6 which you know they will.