Shanling M8 Android Portable player

[Kiats]

I love getting broke on music improvements! Please tell us more. How would you describe the differences to the M8?
Does th M30 deliver the same level of musicality / engaging sound as the M8? (higher number is often but not always "better" )
Where would you say it excels?
I really like the general concept of the M30. Since I have two M8 of which one replaced my former "big" digital solution, M30 might be an even better replacement.
Mobility is not an issue here. But it needs to be at least on the musical level of the M8.

I have just been listening to the M8 and the M30 over the weekend. Let me consider it from the perspective of an IEM. I am using the FitEar DC which is pretty tough to drive. I think the M30 has a more spacious sense to the sound signature while retaining the musical and emotional slant of the tuning on the M8.

 

[Whitigir]

I love getting broke on music improvements! Please tell us more. How would you describe the differences to the M8?
Does th M30 deliver the same level of musicality / engaging sound as the M8? (higher number is often but not always "better" )
Where would you say it excels?
I really like the general concept of the M30. Since I have two M8 of which one replaced my former "big" digital solution, M30 might be an even better replacement.
Mobility is not an issue here. But it needs to be at least on the musical level of the M8.

I have just been listening to the M8 and the M30 over the weekend. Let me consider it from the perspective of an IEM. I am using the FitEar DC which is pretty tough to drive. I think the M30 has a more spacious sense to the sound signature while retaining the musical and emotional slant of the tuning on the M8.

I agreed, and he answered your questions !! Basically the M30 is an M8 with better soundstage, imagings and most importantly Dynamic, in Solid state

Now, in the Tubes mode. It still is as musical and engaging, but it take on another level of musicality, fluidity, cohesiveness with tube distortions that are so very well controlled. Imagine an M8 but with a more creamy viscosity, but in this Tube mode, the M30 sacrifices the spaciousness, speediness.

If you want to get even further Analog and Tape or cassettes like liquidity, add in an HDD. I am not sure if all HDD sounds the same...but the WD P10 Black 5TB is awesome !! It improves further dynamic, richness, and analog like (it cost only $120-150)

 

[RTodd]

Think you are likely right @Shanling. I did OTA update for both M8 and M30 and they were done within 30 minutes or so. No really complaints there. And I had also DLed the M8 FW off the Shanling website into my MacBook Pro within 5 minutes the evening before.

I did mine last night from server 2 OTA about 30 minutes as well.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Have been researching the M8. Most of the members that I follow and respect have one. I am in no hurry. Just waiting for a good sale.

Claud, the M8 }

I did mine last night from server 2 OTA about 30 minutes as well.

Yeah, it took right at 23 minutes for me on Server 2.

 

[JSBachFan]

I have just been listening to the M8 and the M30 over the weekend. Let me consider it from the perspective of an IEM. I am using the FitEar DC which is pretty tough to drive. I think the M30 has a more spacious sense to the sound signature while retaining the musical and emotional slant of the tuning on the M8.

I agreed, and he answered your questions !! Basically the M30 is an M8 with better soundstage, imagings and most importantly Dynamic, in Solid state

Now, in the Tubes mode. It still is as musical and engaging, but it take on another level of musicality, fluidity, cohesiveness with tube distortions that are so very well controlled. Imagine an M8 but with a more creamy viscosity, but in this Tube mode, the M30 sacrifices the spaciousness, speediness.

If you want to get even further Analog and Tape or cassettes like liquidity, add in an HDD. I am not sure if all HDD sounds the same...but the WD P10 Black 5TB is awesome !! It improves further dynamic, richness, and analog like (it cost only $120-150)

Thank you guys! That all sounds dangerous for my budget. Let's see when I will get a chance to listen to it somewhere myself.

 

[blotmouse]

New 1.3 firmware seems trouble free. The M8 is so much more sure of itself. At the risk of sounding like a computer forum, the update makes it "snappier" and some of my general use issues appear to be fixed. Need some more charge and listening/use cycles before I am sure of this, but so far its a winner. Good job team Shanling!

 

[SBranson]

Forgive my ignorance but is there any point in the update for me using UAPP and only music from my micro SD card?
It feels like, if it ain't broke, don't fix it... Or does this update solve the album art issue with the Shanling app?

 

[FooFighter]

Hi
Is UApp MQA support there meanwhile?

 

[blotmouse]

Hi
Is UApp MQA support there meanwhile?

Yes, but PCM only. No full HW support. Which is better if you are following the recent MQA test debacle anyway. Less noise introduced apparently if you DON'T let MQA unfold at the DAC level and apply its custom filtering. Only full unfolds in Shanling app for local files and Tidal app from streaming. But honestly, I don't care all that much. Going by my ears, UAPP sounds better than Tidal app in pretty much all but one instance so far I have come across. I don't see UAPP supporting full rendering support anytime soon or ever, honestly. I am not sure what the technical limitation is there? See my post here

 

[SMOoth Operator]

Thought the M8 could not sound any better, then......... Enters the Cayin C9! What a fine little beast it is!

 

[FooFighter]

Thought the M8 could not sound any better, then......... Enters the Cayin C9! What a fine little beast it is!

Thx for sharing!
Does M8 have a true LO?

 

[szore]

I tried to find out when I did my update just a minute ago (btw. manual download, which I always do to avoid stress ).
Setting was with Ely to be able to hear every detail.
Maybe I wouldn't have recognised it if you wouldn't have asked, but treble and mids might be a bit smother now. But I wouldn't swear on it.
Quite some time ago I had the same question with FiiO X5 firmware updates that where at the time IMO changing the sound. Sometimes it got worse. Since software is a part of the playback process, of course this effect could happen. But I guess Shanling would have announced if there is a software driven sound improvement on purpose. There is some theory around how to improve the sound by reducing the CPU usage or by "leveling" the CPU usage in order to avoid jitter. Pretty complicated stuff.

Sounds fascinating!

 

[fzman]

Thought the M8 could not sound any better, then......... Enters the Cayin C9! What a fine little beast it is!

Have you tried the C9 with the SP2000 yet? (meant in good fun)

 

[SMOoth Operator]

Thx for sharing!
Does M8 have a true LO?

It does, but can actually be way too powerful. It drives the output to "Turbo" mode and jacks the volume to 100%. It actually sent my Continental Duel Mono amp into clipping the input, that has never happened before, so I had to disable it and use the volume instead. I have not tried the line out into the C9 yet, because I perceive it to be overkill and unecessary on battery drain.

 

[szore]

It does, but can actually be way too powerful. It drives the output to "Turbo" mode and jacks the volume to 100%. It actually sent my Continental Duel Mono amp into clipping the input, that has never happened before, so I had to disable it and use the volume instead. I have not tried the line out into the C9 yet, because I perceive it to be overkill and unecessary on battery drain.

Yes, but aren't you 'double amping' it? LO comes off the DACS, not the amps...