Shanling M3X Impressions + Q&A

I been super lazy in making this post for awhile, and I still don't have a full blown review on this one. So for this Long Impressions I'll do a summary and blah blah blah.

Long story short: Want a less than $400 DAP with Android that sounds quite solid for a Warm-Neutral mid-focused device? M3X is something heavy to think about if that is what you want. M6 and above models from Shanling should outperform the M3X with better DACs and Amp section (plus better gain settings), but I'll bet $20/Large Pizza Hut Pan Crust that majority of SBAF users won't care for the better improvements for the higher price. Instead, they will most likely be happy with the M3X because it gives them almost everything they want in a nice size/performance/price ratio.

It's an Android DAP running 7.1. I do not expect Shanling to upgrade the OS higher than this. Already one big fault of the DAP is how long the apps on the device will support 7.1 before it stops being supported? I already had bad flashbacks with the Sony ZX2 with it underpower SOC, outdated Android OS, and apps stop being supported of it (unless you get an older APK that can still access the servers of the service). If there is one negative on this device, it is that. Other than that, any other faults are super minor. For a DAP it feels lighter and the size is like a pack of poker cards in its box.



Build quality is quite excellent for the price. Only minor cheapness I see is the scroll wheel button/power button. Thankfully if you feel like it you can change the volume and shut off the DAP within the Android OS. Another thing that could be an issue down the road is how solid are the 3.5 mm/4.4mm/USBC connectors on the motherboard? If not solid, then they will break after heavy use in the future. I don't think this will be an issue here since the build quality is once again quite excellent. 4.4mm has the gold plating around it, the 3.5mm doesn't. The Back/Pause/Forward buttons feel solid and I don't expect them to fall off the unit. Unit already comes with a screen protector installed, and Shanling gives you two more screen protectors if needed. I recommend spend the extra $20 on the official M3X carrying case. Yes, the X on the back of the carrying case might feel a little weird, but it is a nice touch.



Thank goodness the 3.5mm/4.4mm inputs are on top of the M3X. This makes it super easy to put it in your pocket and not worry about stressing the input jacks if they were at the bottom of the unit for pocketing purposes. More DAPs need to have their jacks for audio on the top of the unit. M6 having them at the bottom of the unit was a turnoff. The best sound quality for me is running 4.4mm with Dual DAC mode on. Don't use 4.4mm cables, you can pick up a 3.5mm to 4.4mm adapters from Amazon and they work. However, with those adapters you have to be careful if they are made like crap because it could cause damage to your IEMs.

There are different gain modes and DAC modes on this. Running this on low-gain, Single DAC mode with no Wi-Fi can perhaps give you 15-20 hours of battery life. However, sound is meh in Single DAC mode. Run this on Dual-Dac mode for best sound regardless of using 3.5mm or 4.4mm. I mostly use the high gain setting with Linear Phase Fast Roll-Off Filter for my liking. If you are curious on the Filter settings, you only get Linear Phase and Anodizing Fast Roll-Off. Gain is only Low and High. Wi-Fi is both 2.4ghz and 5.0ghz, which is nice. For an Android 7.1 DAP, LDAC is supported for both receiver and source for flexibility. If you use bluetooth, there is a LED light on the right side of the unit that changes color depending on Bluetooth code you use. LDAC stuff works fine here. Internal storage is small, so get a MicroSD card in there. I think 1 TB MicroSD cards are supported, but I bet people will use this in their house for streaming via Wi-Fi. Almost forgot, for an older Android OS Shanling really did work on the Android OS so it loads fast with no sluggish. If you push the hardware too hard (loading SD card while playing music and watching Youtube), it can be slow. If you use Wi-Fi all the time plus Dual-DAC Mode on top of using 4.4mm output, expect less than ten hours of battery life. For an Android DAP and mixed usage, I been getting 13-15 hours of battery life.

There are also two modes within the DAP: Pure Mode shuts off all other programs except for the Shanling app (which isn't bad but no gapless support) and Android mode for well Android with any apps you want. This version of Android has audio all not being routed internally by the Android OS. This means almost all of your apps will play bit-perfect audio without any upsampling by the Android OS to the internal DAC. Only downsize is Roon still have that minor issue that it will upsample everything to 192khz. Honestly, the screen is too damn small for Roon so I prefer to use UPnP and Qobuz all being controlled by USB Audio Player Pro. Recent version of USB Audio Player Pro supports Shanling M3X for bit-perfect Hi-Rez audio and so much more. I recommend people who use Qobuz/Tidal/UPnP/etc. to just use USB Audio Player Pro on this for best audio quality and bit-perfect settings. It's an Android DAP, it slices and dices. Use it for Bluetooth, or an USB DAC/AMP, use it as a Dummy device where it gets Audio Data via UPnP or Airplay (Airplay is supported) and have M3X output data/music to any device, and so much more.

However, while it slices and dices most just will listen to music on it with IEMS/Headphones. Power output isn't strong on here, so stick with IEMs on this one. Grados should work on here, but honestly use Grados for deskamps and not DAPs. If you have a fetish for more power needed on DAPs, spend more money on either a higher end Shanling or something.

Shanling uses Dual ESS Sabre ES9219C DAC ships on M3X, and they do not suck donkey nuts. I was hoping they didn't suck since I also own the Shanling UP4 Bluetooth Amp/DAC and that uses a last gen ESS Sabre ES9219C series chip and it was quite good. Lows are quite solid with good enough impact, but won't win the rewards for more detail bass on there, mids are the Shaling bread/butter here that depending on your IEM or EQ setting that it might be too much forwarding. Vocals aren't an issue for whatsoever depending on music and IEM. I have to use EQ at times when using the Campfire Audio Ara where the 2k-8k range was an issue for me on certain recordings. JVC/DROP HA-FDX1 and Moondrop Starfield DD IEMs works great via 4.4mm output due to more power to drive those drivers. I enjoy the Gaudio Nair on the M3X, but maybe for some they may not like the BA IEMs on here depending if the BA IEMs is already mid-focused that is forwarded a bit. Almost forgot about treble, it is quite solid but can be minor plastic sounding at times. Remember, this is a budget DAP and while the SQ isn't perfect, it is so minor that most people will just overlook it faults due to this isn't a f'ing four figure DAP that weights a ton and makes you look like a forever alone virgin in your mom's house.

I know some were looking at the M6, but were like nope on the MSRP of the M6. Some just want a good high quality budget Android DAP without blowing a lot of money. Some want something that works on the go but at the same time it doesn't suck. Some want the Wi-Fi Android features without the sound being a complete crap. Understanding that this is an Android 7.1 with apps not fully be supported forever, I enjoy using the M3X when I'm walking around in my boxers blasting whatever music that I feel like playing, and for the price fantastic sound quality. If you can get around the limited life of Android 7.1, and understanding that the M3X won't win rewards on top tier bass/treble/mids, then M3X will be great for you.

I blabbed about it enough, and I keep thinking that I'm forgetting something on this post. If you have Qs, I'll attempt to have the A for ya.

 

Thanks for the review!

Note on this, we do not recommend to be using 4.4mm Balanced to 3.5mm adapters if the earphones have standard single ended 3.5mm. Please only use balanced earphones with the balanced output.

Also, single/Dual DAC setting is affecting only mm output. On Balanced output both DACs are working at all times.

 

Yeah I think for some only use 3.5mm to 4.4mm with caution. With the Gaudio Nair using that adapter makes the IEM have too much hiss. Then again, I haven't had any luck using the Nair in 4.4mm jacks anyway and I prefer just using that with 3.5mm.

 

Any line out options on this player?

 

Yes it does via 3.5mm output. You have to go into the menu of the OS to adjust line out or headphone out. It is quick access via Android dropdown.

 

Thanks! I will look into it.

 

Well @YMO has summed up this device very well. Not sure if I can add any value to it but here is what I jot down while listening to it


Build - Beautiful looking device with glass back panel. Just the right size and weight. Screen is big enough at 4.2 inch to watch some YouTube videos with decent resolution at 1280X768. Buttons feel sturdy just that volume wheel feels flimsy and doesn’t quite match up with the standard of rest of the device. SoC used is not something to brag about as it uses Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 which is good enough to support WiFi 802.11ac. It has 2GB of RAM, again something expected at this price point. Even the higher priced M8 is using the same SoC but with 4Gb RAM. I didn’t face any issue running multiple apps but I would suggest running one app at a time for smooth operation. No drop out while streaming. So far so good.




DAC Chip - it uses 2x ESS Sabre ES9219C.

Battery - this is the best. Streaming Apple Music or Spotify or Qobuz via UAPP gives me backup of more than 10 hrs in high gain balanced with screen open most of the time. Battery is one of the most important feature of DAP and M3X is best in that regard cutting across all price range.

Output - 3.5mm(SE), 4.4mm(Balanced) with 240mW@32Ohm. On paper may be on lower side but I had enough headroom for all my headphones. Out of SE there is an option to run single DAC or dual DAC. Balanced will run dual DAC. Gain can be set to low and High as per headphone or IEM connected.

OS - Open Android 7.1, with AGLO. It’s old but few suggested that the support of it is not ending any time soon as lot of devices are running on it. Also to make you feel better higher priced M6, M8 are also running on same OS. So let them worry about it and start a petition for support once it ends. We will just sign it. One key thing here is Shanling’s proprietary AGLO ,Android Global Lossless Output, which bypasses Android upsampling or downsampling and supports up to 32/768khz sampling. There is an option to switch off android and run it as standalone DAP but who needs standalone DAP in this age of streaming.

Connectivity - USB C is for charging and to connect to laptop or phone to work as DAC. It supports 1st Gen Airplay and most of the Bluetooth codecs. It works as receiver and transmitter in bluetooth mode. But if connected as DAC I don’t think it can transmit to Bluetooth headphone . I don’t think anyone here would try that as well. Bluetooth is 4.1 if it matters to you. Should work as UPnP receiver and renderer as well

Streaming services used - Apple Music, Spotify, Qobuz via native app, Tidal via Native app, Qobuz and Tidal via UAPP for running EQ.

Sound Profile with dual DAC mode in balanced on High Gain -

1. Neutral - Headphone will sound as they are supposed to. Absolutely no coloration. This DAP will sound best with warm IEM.
2. Not warm at all. I wish it had some warmth
3. Bass goes deep but is soft and won’t hit hard.
4. Mids is great. There is push to upper mid but Mids as a whole is just great. Vocals with good headphone will sound good out of this DAP.
5. Treble is energetic but is smooth. There may be slight roll off of high treble so detail junkie may miss out few. It won’t make dark IEM sound bright. This SAP never gets excited in Treble
6. Non fatiguing sound may be due to soft bass and smooth treble.
7. Transient is good and is fast enough to keep the PRaT to our liking
8. Width is same as Mojo but Mojo wins in depth. Separation and layering is decent. Sometimes the instrument got mushed together in JVC but out of my full sized headphones I didn’t face this issue. So it will work well with more capable IEMs for sure.

Pairing

1. JVC FDX01 Sounds thin but with enough detail. It’s not like DAP sounds thin but that’s how JVC sounds to me so I feel Mojo pairs better with JVC as Mojo is warm. Separation is better in Mojo with JVC. I wouldn’t get this DAP with the hope of making JVC sound warm and less energetic. If you only have JVC then warmer DAP from Shanling is what I would look for.
2. Sony MDR Z1R(not the IEM one)- Fantastic pairing at low volume. Z1R has tonality issue however at lower volume the DAP gives out satisfactory bass out of Z1R and sounds great. Goes on to show that the DAP will pair well with thick and warm headphones/IEM. Amplitude of treble peaks are not high in Z1R as compared to mid bass and hence at low volume it is listenable. However the vocals will not sound organic like that of ZMF but that’s headphone issue and not that of Shanling. DAP makes Z1R listenable is no small feat in itself and just goes on to show that although treble has energy it is smooth. Enjoyable pairing
3. ZMF VC Ironwood - low OI and hence decay is fast. Bass is very soft here. But bass of VC will be soft out of all low OI devices. However Vocals is sweet and surprisingly staging and layering is decent. Better match then THX 789 + VC which was more 2D like. This one is much better and sweeter in Vocal with decent width, layering and height within instruments.

Cons-

1. No way to run system wide EQ. Not an issue for Local files or Qobuz or tidal streaming out of UAPP but I haven’t found a way to EQ Apple Music streaming as it runs Android 7.1
2. I like warm sound so I wish it had some warmth for cold headphones.

 

One of the key reason for such a good battery back up is the usage of ES9219C chip. This chip not only does DAC duty but also amplifies the signal and hence Op-amps are not needed. Only downside is it won’t drive power hungry headphones but who in SBAF does that. This is a serious DAC if you want neutral sound and best battery backup.

 

I really agree with the battery life. It's leagues better than the M6 if you care about battery life. It isn't perfect, but I also not the biggest fan of paying stupid money on DAPs for casual listening.

 

I've had my eye/ear on this one as I have a fetish for small daps - like the Sony ZX507 whch I already have but the battery on it is abysmal + I miss usb dac/bluetooth receiver on it..

It's a shame this one is running ancient Android version.. but I think the SOC allows for higher versions so maybe just maybe we'll see an update.

I have a key question I hope someone can help me out on this - is there any lag at all when it's used as a usb DAC (say computer > dap)? I might want to use it for performing music/gaming as a dac with my computer, if there's even a slight lag it won't work for me... most DAPs have lag here, so I'm not too hopeful

 

I don’t do gaming but can test it out for YouTube videos and Netflix if that’s what you are looking for. So far I haven’t connected it with laptop but will try it out.

 

That'll be much appreciated thank you. Give it a try with this video it's a good way to check delays - if you sense even a small delay please let me know