Shanling M5s now with TIDAL - Dual AK4493EQ DAC, fully balanced, Wi-Fi, 2way LDAC BT, 3.2 Touch screen, FW 3.7

[Leonne]

Couldn’t agree more, it’s like somebody posted in the AK SR15 thread that that Ultima SP1000 sounds so much better.

God I hope so, it’s 3500 bucks! I’m also a HUGE believer in the law of diminishing returns. That’s why I will never own a flagship dap and I’m pleased as punch with ‘mid tier’ models like M5s and ZX300 or SR15 - pick your poison. Even M0 sounds damn good - although I do love the expansive soundstage and power of the mid tier stuff especially balanced.

I don’t know it my aging ears could even appreciate the difference from mid range to flagship. But I do think the best bang for your audio buck is good cans iems first and then good mid range stuff- and the price of M5s is really good.

Hi, im in the middle of choosing between ZX300 and M5s, can you explain how M5S sound like compared to ZX300? Ive tried ZX300 and love it

 

[abitdeef]

Hi, im in the middle of choosing between ZX300 and M5s, can you explain how M5S sound like compared to ZX300? Ive tried ZX300 and love it

Sorry I don’t currently have access to an M5s. I’d like to rectify that and give it a whirl though

I’ve got zx300 and sr15 and AP80 and old Nano atm. But I had M2s and M0 and they were both excellent.

 

[twister6]

So I just tried to order the M5S from amazon.com which uses musicteck and my final cost including duties and clearance would be $729.17 CDN. Sorry but I am not about to pay over $700.00 CDN for the M5S when I paid $158.00 including tax for the M0. @Shanling help me out here, if you can't get your products into Canadian dealers outside of the M0, M1 and maybe M2S which is currently unavailable I can't consider buying your DAP's as much as I want to. I can buy the Cayin N5IIS and even the N8 and Fiio DAP's from over 40 Canadian dealers but Shanling not an option.

What makes Cayin DAP's worthwhile for Canadian dealers to carry but not Shanlings higher end DAP's? Clearly it isn't the quality of the products so what am I missing here? You said several pages back that your Canadian distributor didn't think the demand was high enough for Shanling's more expensive DAP's, so why is the demand high enough for Canadian dealers to carry the Cayin's more expensive DAP's. Am I missing something?

God forbid I have to look at buying Fiio DAP's as I am sure the M6 will be readily available as the M7 and M9 are. Please don't make me have to settle for a Fiio DAP!! Is there any eta on the M5S being shipped to Canada?

Just a thought, but have you tried contacting Musicteck directly or ordering from their website instead of Amazon? I think it worth a shot.

 

[457139]

Hi, im in the middle of choosing between ZX300 and M5s, can you explain how M5S sound like compared to ZX300? Ive tried ZX300 and love it

The M5s and the ZX300 are about equal in terms of sound quality. The M5s has more driving power for full-size cans. The ZX300 has a slight amount of hiss on all of my iems. M5s is dead quiet on my iems. ZX300 has a better screen.

 

[vodanhkhack]

Hi, im in the middle of choosing between ZX300 and M5s, can you explain how M5S sound like compared to ZX300? Ive tried ZX300 and love it

You could also read the post 1334 also from @equalspeace that he compares the Shanling M5s vs ZX300 and even vs WM1A
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/int...3-2-touch-screen.886502/page-89#post-14686816

 

[Slashn77]

The M5s and the ZX300 are about equal in terms of sound quality. The M5s has more driving power for full-size cans. The ZX300 has a slight amount of hiss on all of my iems. M5s is dead quiet on my iems. ZX300 has a better screen.

I am using the M5s with my Andromedas which are some of the most sensitive IEMs on the market and I cannot hear any hiss at all either. An upgrade to my xdsd to me

 

[Dsnuts]

The M5s and the ZX300 are about equal in terms of sound quality. The M5s has more driving power for full-size cans. The ZX300 has a slight amount of hiss on all of my iems. M5s is dead quiet on my iems. ZX300 has a better screen.

Owning both I can say I do enjoy both but the Shanling M5s has a more richer quality to the sound is the best way to describe it. ZX300 is more neutral by default with some sound filters it has it's own take on a more warmer type sound. Both have great dynamics but the M5s due to the blacker background has the edge here.

It has more power more in the way of dynamics with a richer tone. Better for more sensitive in ears. Not to mention cheaper than the ZX300.

Better value is the M5s.

 

[abitdeef]

Can I ask, are these ZX300 comparisons comparing balanced outs or SE out? Because I find a bigger difference on the balanced on the ZX300, a couple of daps I’ve tried easily beat the SE out of the Sony.

If it rivals the balanced of the ZX300, I will definitely have to check it out.

Oh, and one more question if I could, it looks to be about the same size in hand as ZX300- is it?

 

[se7en7]

Can I ask, are these ZX300 comparisons comparing balanced outs or SE out? Because I find a bigger difference on the balanced on the ZX300, a couple of daps I’ve tried easily beat the SE out of the Sony.

If it rivals the balanced of the ZX300, I will definitely have to check it out.

Oh, and one more question if I could, it looks to be about the same size in hand as ZX300- is it?

I had the Zx300 loved it would still have it if it didn't have battery issues.
The 4.4mm was beautiful the sound very very nice I believe that the M5s is at least equal although without Zx300 to hand I'm working from memory.
Now if @Shanling could add a 4.4mm at some point to a dap that would be icing on cake.

 

[457139]

Can I ask, are these ZX300 comparisons comparing balanced outs or SE out? Because I find a bigger difference on the balanced on the ZX300, a couple of daps I’ve tried easily beat the SE out of the Sony.

If it rivals the balanced of the ZX300, I will definitely have to check it out.

Oh, and one more question if I could, it looks to be about the same size in hand as ZX300- is it?

The comparisons I've done were regarding the balanced outputs on the ZX300 and the M5s. The two devices are about equal in length but the M5s is slightly thicker and wider.

 

[abitdeef]

The comparisons I've done were regarding the balanced outputs on the ZX300 and the M5s. The two devices are about equal in length but the M5s is slightly thicker and wider.

Thank you

 

[457139]

The M5s and the Shozy Hibiki Mk 2 with a Ares 2, 4 wire cable pairs nicely.

 

[abitdeef]

Owning both I can say I do enjoy both but the Shanling M5s has a more richer quality to the sound is the best way to describe it. ZX300 is more neutral by default with some sound filters it has it's own take on a more warmer type sound. Both have great dynamics but the M5s due to the blacker background has the edge here.

It has more power more in the way of dynamics with a richer tone. Better for more sensitive in ears. Not to mention cheaper than the ZX300.

Better value is the M5s.

I know what you mean, I’m comparing the AK SR15 to the ZX300 and the sr15 just has a bit more ‘presence’ to the sound. It sounds more effortless and natural in presentation I’m guessing it has to do with the class D implementation compared to the class A.

Battery life though of course the Sony kills it- M5s could be the sweet spot I’m looking for. If it really does get mine or ten hours on blakaced out, and isn’t too warm like Fiio X5iii was.

 

[457139]

Owning both I can say I do enjoy both but the Shanling M5s has a more richer quality to the sound is the best way to describe it. ZX300 is more neutral by default with some sound filters it has it's own take on a more warmer type sound. Both have great dynamics but the M5s due to the blacker background has the edge here.

It has more power more in the way of dynamics with a richer tone. Better for more sensitive in ears. Not to mention cheaper than the ZX300.

Better value is the M5s.

This is definitely what I was getting at with my original comparison.

The M5s and the ZX300 are about equal in terms of sound quality. The M5s has more driving power for full-size cans. The ZX300 has a slight amount of hiss on all of my iems. M5s is dead quiet on my iems. ZX300 has a better screen.

I probably wasn't as clear as I needed to be above. I think in terms of level of detail the M5s and ZX300 are equal, but because of the blacker background, better power, and soundstage, it edges the ZX300 in terms of overall SQ.

 

[Leonne]

I had the Zx300 loved it would still have it if it didn't have battery issues.
The 4.4mm was beautiful the sound very very nice I believe that the M5s is at least equal although without Zx300 to hand I'm working from memory.
Now if @Shanling could add a 4.4mm at some point to a dap that would be icing on cake.

can you please tell more abut the battery issue? when did it occur?

Owning both I can say I do enjoy both but the Shanling M5s has a more richer quality to the sound is the best way to describe it. ZX300 is more neutral by default with some sound filters it has it's own take on a more warmer type sound. Both have great dynamics but the M5s due to the blacker background has the edge here.

It has more power more in the way of dynamics with a richer tone. Better for more sensitive in ears. Not to mention cheaper than the ZX300.

Better value is the M5s.

and i thought nothing could get blacker background than ZX300, btw in Indonesia ZX300 cost even cheaper than the titanium colored M5S (yes it is from sony official store)