Shanling M8 Android Portable player

[Giraku]

Neutron should be able to play dsd natively. I am just saying that Neutron is the real hi-res supporter here. UAPP is more like for smartphone stuff lol

@Shanling Could you clarify, please?

 

[Whitigir]

@Shanling Could you clarify, please?

You can download Neutron and use it. You will see it displaying DSD and not PCM

 

[Twjones]

So I've been puzzled by this too since joining the UAPP camp. On the top, by the battery indicator, I see 352.8kHz. I expected 11.2MHz or DSD indicator there. This is the same whether I have bit perfect on or off. Are you saying that the system still sees this as 352.kHz but the DAC is interpreting it as DSD stream?

Is that why I also get stuttering when bit perfect is on?

I am not an expert on UAPP, but what I THINK it is trying to tell you is that it is reading your DSD256 file as a bitstream that is being packaged in chunks (DSD over PCM) at 352.8 chunks per second. I have not done the math, but I believe that at that frequency and I believe 24bit depth, DSD256 is possible, but not 512. It is likely stuttering as that requires some wicked fast computation It is not “native” DSD but it IS DSD - your DAC is reading a bitstream that just happens to be packaged in larger containers.

 

[Giraku]

You can download Neutron and use it. You will see it displaying DSD and not PCM

I do use Neutron on my M8 as well. Yes, I see it. But the display does not guarantee how the signal is processed inside. That's why I would like to have clarification from @Shanling directly.

BTW, when I compared Shanling, Neutron, and UAPP apps on M8 playing the same tracks I found the followings:
1) PCM files (mostly FLAC at 24/192 or 24/96): UAPP > Shanling = Neutron (though the difference is small)
2) DSD files (11.2): Shanling > Neutron = UAPP

So I use Shanling player just for DSD. All the other files, I use mostly UAPP. Main reason why I use non-Shanling players is for gap-less playing and better library handling.
Of course, YMMV.

 

[Rockwell75]

I do use Neutron on my M8 as well. Yes, I see it. But the display does not guarantee how the signal is processed inside. That's why I would like to have clarification from @Shanling directly.

BTW, when I compared Shanling, Neutron, and UAPP apps on M8 playing the same tracks I found the followings:
1) PCM files (mostly FLAC at 24/192 or 24/96): UAPP > Shanling = Neutron (though the difference is small)
2) DSD files (11.2): Shanling > Neutron = UAPP

So I use Shanling player just for DSD. All the other files, I use mostly UAPP. Main reason why I use non-Shanling players is for gap-less playing and better library handling.
Of course, YMMV.

I too notice an improvement in DSD SQ on the Shanling app...but it's not a huge difference an unless I'm really sitting their focusing I probably wouldn't notice. UAPP is better for the library handling and equally as importantly imho it's super fluid and snappy when navigating/scrolling around.

 

[Vitaly2017]

I can clarify @Shanling said only the native shanling music app plays dsd natively nothing else

Any other app will convert it to pcm

 

[Twjones]

I can clarify @Shanling said only the native shanling music app plays dsd natively nothing else

Any other app will convert it to pcm

Agreed that the Shanling app is the only way to play DSD natively, but I think there is a distinction to be made between ”converting“ (to say. FLAC or PCM) and “packaging“ (https://www.dcsltd.co.uk/support/what-is-dop-dsd-over-pcm). UAPP appears to be doing the latter. Neutron the former. But I make no claims

 

[Whitigir]

I still see DOP as PCM, not Direct stream. But whatever people want to market it for. This isn’t the first time though, like selling R2R and claims it being different than DAC-IC or Sigma Delta Chips...while using the same Sigma Delta modulations for the DSP processing

 

[Rockwell75]

I am just saying that Neutron is the real hi-res supporter here. UAPP is more like for smartphone stuff lol

Well the M8 is Android so pretty much a SmartPhone. Neutron UI renders it pretty much unusable imho...and UAPP bit perfect mode actually sounds better on the M8.

 

[Ojisan]

I too notice an improvement in DSD SQ on the Shanling app...but it's not a huge difference an unless I'm really sitting their focusing I probably wouldn't notice. UAPP is better for the library handling and equally as importantly imho it's super fluid and snappy when navigating/scrolling around.

Thanks to y'all, I do find the UAPP interface much more navigatable. I like the display density, speed of scroll, scroll bar on side, and Japanese language titles properly ordered after A-Z. Just these 4 points on Shanling app would keep me happy for a good while.

I think I find the UAPP to sound slightly more neutral with reduced bass. Is that what people are hearing?

 

[Shanling]

Interesting...
My SanDisk Extreme Pro 1TB works without any problem with M8 regardless the player apps (Shanling, UAPP, and Neutron).

I have SANDISK Ultra PLUS card

What format are you using on your SD card? FAT32 formatted 1TB SD works perfectly on my M8. I tested another 1TB SD formatted in exFAT (default on many large capacity SDs) and could reproduce your problem. So I think the most likely cause is the format.

We will try to look into this, what can be a difference.

So I've been puzzled by this too since joining the UAPP camp. On the top, by the battery indicator, I see 352.8kHz. I expected 11.2MHz or DSD indicator there. This is the same whether I have bit perfect on or off. Are you saying that the system still sees this as 352.kHz but the DAC is interpreting it as DSD stream?

Is that why I also get stuttering when bit perfect is on?

Native DSD playback should be supported only in Shanling Music App, as far as I got feedback from our engineers. Not sure if some other app can go around it.

 

[Whitigir]

Thanks to y'all, I do find the UAPP interface much more navigatable. I like the display density, speed of scroll, scroll bar on side, and Japanese language titles properly ordered after A-Z. Just these 4 points on Shanling app would keep me happy for a good while.

I think I find the UAPP to sound slightly more neutral with reduced bass. Is that what people are hearing?

It sound that way with many DAP I tried, even A02 and Dx300 as well .

 

[Trance_Gott]

I'm running a Daphile server (it's type of logitech server) at home. With the M8 under NAS i can open the server and the folders. But all folders are empty. Has someone the same problem?

 

[Twjones]

Just saw this great review - first I have seen or read that highlights the use of JFETs in the amp design. I was a big fan of FET tech back in the day - MOSFET and especially VFET.

 

[Whitigir]

Just saw this great review - first I have seen or read that highlights the use of JFETs in the amp design. I was a big fan of FET tech back in the day - MOSFET and especially VFET.

They are JFet Opamps based, the interesting thing is the combination of Bipolar + Jfet, but they are opamp based