Shanling is a Chinese company, founded in 1988, Shanling began to develop audio products and launched their first Hi-Fi stereo amplifier in the same year.
Shanling is a high-tech company combining R&D, production, processing and sales of products,
including Hi-Res portable music players, portable amplifiers, Hi-Fi headphones, SACD/CD players, Hi-Fi amplifiers, power conditioners and many other Hi-Fi products
This is the place to discuss everything about Shanling company !
That M0 is an amazing looking tiny DAP. It’s on my short list for new gadget purchases.
Shanling M6, UP4, ME700 and MW200 released together this week
M6 Features:
I’ve got one, it’s very nice for what it is. Plenty of power, clean sound, selectable filters. The UI is a bit fiddly but workable, and definitely better than older non-touch screen DAPs.
Hi, does the M6 Android version come with the Google Play software store? Thanks
Hi, I have talked with their service, M6 will support google play. But not sure when
Shanling’s latest portable budget digital audio player is the M3X and it comes with a price tag of $339 USD and features an android-based system, 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced circuitry, and a nice 4.2 inch touchscreen display. This review will take a quick look through the various features of the player and see how it performs.
Before I go deeper, I’d like to thank Linsoul for providing this review sample of the player. They carry the Shanling M3X, as well as other Shanling products on their main website at http://www.linsoul.com as well as on Amazon.
The M3X is a smaller and budget version of Shanling’s flagship M8 product. It features a similar design style to many of their new Android-based products, and houses a pair of the latest ESS DAC, the Sabre ES9219C DAC/Amp combination chipset. In addition, Shanling chose to go with a more popular Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 CPU with 2GB RAM, as well as 32 GB internal storage. Going with a more common Snapdragon SOC means it’ll be pretty snappy as a music player and basic usage, and it has significantly better battery optimizations than some of the other SOC choices on other hi-res audio players.
The player also includes bluetooth transmission and receiving capabilities for many bluetooth codecs including LDAC and AptX HD. In addition to bluetooth, there is wifi streaming capability since this is an android device, as well as USB-C DAC and transport functionality.
The overall design shares much in common with other Shanling products, from the basic shape and design and the volume dial appearance and functionality (it also acts as a power button). The 4.2 inch screen has 1280 x 768 resolution, so it’s not quite Full HD but it looks sharp for the small screen size. There’s very little bezel on this device, which is a great thing. It means no space is left unused.
The volume dial is on the right side, while the left side features the playback buttons. The bottom of the device has a USB-C port. The top has the 3.5mm single-ended standard headphone jack, as well as the 4.4mm balanced jack. one of the things to note here, is that the female connectors here don’t have a surrounding plate that I am accustomed to seeing on many other players these days, so it does look a little bit cheap here, though nothing that detracting from actual performance.
The main body is all-aluminum metal and with the front and rear panels featuring glass inserts. The front screen is is bright, but not the most vibrant I’ve seen. It doesn’t show any signs of viewing angle issues, and does not saturate with turning or tilting the device.
In addition to this, I was also sent the Shanling leather case in blue. It reminds me of the Dignis cases with the X-design on the back with metal stripes. It’s a nice case overall, and is really lightweight.
The main interface of the Shanling uses a modified version of Android 7.1.1. The device does not come with Google Play Store support, but does include ApkPure and CoolAPK market apps. You can easily install Google Play Store from one of these alternative apps, and get that going again. This is what I did and then quickly installed Play versions of Qobuz, Spotify, Tidal, and Roon Remote.
The interface designed by Shanling does not have a typical launcher menu. Instead, all the apps are placed on one of the main screens, more similar to how Apple’s iOS looks. I am not a huge fan of this, and prefer a launcher menu for cleanliness and organization.
There is also no on-screen back or home buttons. Going back or home, requires using gestures, likes swiping up. It’s not super intuitive at first, but I did get the hang of it later.
The pull down meu has quick links to wifi, bluetooth, and various audio settings. These include thigns like line out, gain level, as well as Airplay and switching between Android and “Prime” mode, which focuses on the Shanling music player only.
This music app has a standard look similar to many other players. It takes a bit of time to load the library initially, but is otherwise pretty snappy. It also has the ability to view files from Network Attached Storage (NAS) and can transfer via Wifi.
There is also a white and black theme to choose from. I prefer the dark black theme over the white one, which is more of a gray color than white.
The Shanling music app also includes a standard 10-band equalizer. I would have preferred for more control with a parametric EQ, but having EQ is better than not at all.
The M3X, in general, has a warm sound that I feel is a bit forward and intimate overall. The treble range is sweet, but does sound a tad roll-off as well. The bass area sounds like it’s boosted a small amount giving the overall sound a more lush feel to it, while the mid-range is focused and present.
These impressions are mainly with driving the Hidition Viento and Unique Melody MEST MK2, and a little bit of time playing the M3X with the Sennheiser HD600.
For these three products, I did not have any issues with power. I used the two IEMs in low gain on balanced output, while I used the HD600 with 3.5mm single-ended on high gain. I had plenty of headroom in each combination.
There does sound like a little bit of a compressed sound stage and imaging is just alright, and I’m mainly comparing it to my Lotoo PAW 6000 DAP, which cost roughly 4 times as much as the Shanling M3X, so it may not be great comparison.
From memory though, it sounds a lot more similar to my experiences with the Hiby R5, the Sony ZX-507, and the A&K SR15 in terms of general sound signature and technical ability. The ZX507 and SR15 probably best it in resolution, but only slightly. The R5 is probably the more comparable in overall technical ability, but I do feel the M3X is more engaging.
If I were to pick out the three favorite qualities of the M3X DAP, it’d probably be:
Great Size and Screen
Flexible Android capabilities
Really nice case
And if I had to pick the three least favorite qualities of the M3X, it’d probably be:
Lacks resolution and treble extension/air of higher-tier portable DAPs
A little too much low end emphasis for my tastes
The design feels a little too wide to comfortably hold in my small hands
Overall, I think the M3X is a great value for its price tag of $339. There’s not a lot of competition at this price point that can offer the amount of features it has, with a large screen, and good processor, speed and battery life. It isn’t my favorite for general sound performance, but it makes up for it elsewhere.
I’m guessing that newer versions of Android can’t run well on the SOC processor they chose. Or something like that.
Potty because that version is getting pretty old. If I were to entertain purchasing an Android device, I’d want an up-to-date version.
It’s been a while since anything was posted in this thread, so here is a review of the Shanling MW200 bluetooth collar thingy…
As always, this review is also available in Spanish on my blog and on YouTube, links at the end of the post.
Intro…
The Shanling MW200 is a bluetooth neckband designed to be able to be used with IEMs of your preference, although it doesn’t always quite work that way. It is a product that I have seen around for a while (it was released around the middle of last year) and while I have been interested in trying it out, I didn’t actually get around to it. Due to it being my birthday recently, this was a gift from my wife and I am actually surprised at how much I use it and how it has actually changed a lot of my IEM listening time.
The MW200 is currently available for around 100€ and gives you an option of either MMCX or 2-Pin connectors. Personally, due to my slight disfavour of MMCX connectors, I have the 2-Pin version and picked up a couple of set of 2-Pin to MMCX adapters, allowing me to use any of my IEMs, well, almost.
Personally, I am someone who prefers cables over wireless where possible (not just Bluetooth, but also networking etc.) and I don’t really choose to use Bluetooth except for convenience. The MW200 has proven to be very convenient.
Presentation…
The presentation of the neckband is very simple. Arriving in a simple plain white box with an image of the neckband on the cover, inside we find a molded plastic insert where the neckband sits. Other than the neckband itself, the only other things included are an imitation leather drawstring bag, a USB-C cable and an instruction manual. The bag is handy for keeping the dust and scratches away when not in use, however, it will not protect the neckband during transit if thrown in a bag etc.
Personally I don’t really carry it in my bag much, when I take it with me it is usually around my neck, but I ordered a semi rigid case for it anyway which cost around 3€ from Aliexpress, just for the few times I do need to throw it in my backpack.
Build and aesthetics…
I really don’t have much to compare in terms of neckband devices to compare but the MW200 seems to be well built and looks much better than some other options I have seen available.
Made from plastic and a skin-friendly silicone material for the part that goes around the neck, there seem to be no flaws and shanling have opted to cover the exterior with the same glass they use on the back of their DAPs, giving it more of a premium look (and feel) than other options.
As far as comfort, I find the neckband to be very comfortable, even for wearing it for 8 hours straight (my usual work day), although I do have a couple of issues with the cables. I will mention more in the functionality section in just a moment, but in regards to comfort, I found the cables to be a little too long (although it is better to be too long than too short obviously) which also leads to them pointing out at a strange angle sometimes. This is not really uncomfortable, just feels a little strange at times when the cable doesn’t go flush behind your ears and sort of leaves at an angle. As the MMCX version spins at the connection point, this may not be the case but with the 2-pin connectors, it is held at a specific orientation.
All in all, I think the MW200 looks and feels good, is comfortable and I don’t really have any major complaints about anything in the build or comfort.
Functionality…
The functionality of the MW200 is very simple. You turn it on, you connect it to your device, that’s it, up and running.
As far as physical controls, there is nothing located on the right hand side of the neckband, with the controls on the left, along with the USB-C port.
Starting with the USB-C port, this is located below the neckband, pointing down. When charging this location is not bad but when using the MW200 as a wired DAC/Amp (which is possible), you will need to use a 90Âş USB-C connector in order to be able to wear the neckband without hindrance.
The buttons on the neckband are also simple and straightforward. On the top of the neckband, towards the rear, there is the power button, press for a few seconds to turn on or off (a voice command will confirm) or if the device is off, press and hold for longer to enter pairing mode.
Slightly forward of the power button, located on the inside of the neckband, is the volume rocker. Pressing forwards increases volume and backwards decreases, if long pressed, it will skip to the next/last track.
The final button is located also on the inside, forward of the volume control, and serves as play/pause or to start/end a call with a single click, whereas a longer press will summon the assistant on your mobile device. This button also has a coloured LED ring around it that changes colour depending on codec or pairing mode etc.
One final thing to note under functionality is the Shanling control app. This app works with various Shanling products and allows you to control them via bluetooth from your device (at least on Android, I am sorry but I have no idea about Apple products). With this app, you can control a few things on the MW200:
RGB LED indicator: the app allows you to turn the LED ring on or off.
Volume Level: You can choose if the MW200 should remember your previous volume level or not.
HWA Auto Connect: You can choose if HWA should be used automatically or not.
L-R Balance: Allows you to change the balanced towards left or right
Codec Selection: Allows you to choose which Codecs you would like the MW200 to be able to use, the unselected ones will not be presented to your device. In total, if all are selected, the MX200 offers SBC, aptX-LL, AAC, aptX-HD, aptX, LDAC, HWA (LHDC). This toggle function is something that I find very useful, allowing me to avoid using codecs that don’t interest me (which are most of them).
Equalizer: This gives you a 10-band graphic equalizer, however, the EQ will not work while using LDAC due to performance limitations of the chip inside the MW200.
Filter: Allows selection between 4 different filters for the DAC of the MW200.
Instructions: The same as the printed ones included with the device.
That covers all of the functionality of the device, which is not a huge amount but we have to remember that there isn’t exactly much space in a device of this size to start including more things. I think that the MW200 does at least cover the basic necessities with this device, at least for me.
Usability…
While I just mentioned the functions of the MW200, I would like to comment a little on how I use it and why I find it a good option for me personally, which may not be the case for everyone.
I do have a few bluetooth receivers and TWS IEMs but to be honest, I really don’t use them that much. I will use TWS IEMs while doing things around the house but in my day to day life, I generally don’t use bluetooth that much (except for in my car). I can stream from my phone to my DAPs via bluetooth but, as is the case with other bluetooth receivers I own, I still have a cable going from my ears to the DAP. As I still have to deal with the cable, I prefer to just use local files on the DAPs or stream to them directly via WiFi (using my phone as a hotspot when out and about).
As I am usually in the process of testing something to review, I will be using different IEMs or headphones on a weekly basis, which means that TWS IEMs end up getting very little use after their review, except for household work as I mentioned. While at work, sitting at my desk, I am almost always connected (via cable) to an Atom. This means that when I need to get up from my desk (which is sometimes very often, depending on the day), I need to remove the IEMs and lay them on the table. The same goes when I receive a voice call via my PC, I remove the IEMs and put on my PortaPro’s (my choice for long conference calls).
With the MW200, I put it around my neck before I leave home in the morning and it stays there until I get home in the evening. This stops the need for removing the IEMs each time I get up from my desk and also lets me just remove them and let them dangle around my neck when needing to switch to the PortaPro’s.
If I am working on something that is going to keep me at my desk for a longer period of time, then I will still opt to switch to a cable connection to the Atom, I also always use the Atom for any IEM comparisons and detailed listening. However, on days that I am moving around the office a lot, or into the warehouse and back, I now keep listening to the IEMs whereas before, I would only really put them in if I knew I was going to be sitting down for a while or I would use a DAP in my pocket which means I am disconnected from my phone (which is a positive thing but not always a good idea while at work 
)
I find the MW200 to have plenty of power to drive all of the IEMs I have tried so far and the sound quality (via LDAC) is of sufficient quality for me to feel that I am listening to music via IEMs and not necessarily focusing on bluetooth qualities.
The range is not great, once more than 4 or 5 meters away from my phone I start to get interruptions (again, using LDAC), but I always have my phone with me anyway, so it is not something I have issues with.
As I said at the start of this section, this is my personal use case, so it may or may not apply to you, however, I do find that the MW200 has increased my listening time of IEMs during the week.
My only issue, which is something I mentioned at the beginning of this review, is that I can’t use all of my IEMs with the MW200. The 2-pin to MMCX adapter does allow me to change between connection types, however, it is not possible to use IEMs that have their cable connection at the bottom. I would have preferred the cables to not be pre shaped but, being honest, the majority of IEMs being sold at the moment do have top entry.
Sound…
As far as sound, there really isn’t much to say. The MW200 is very clean and has enough power for all of the IEMs I have tried with it so far.
In comparison to something like the M0, which has been my usual LDAC receiver when wanting something small that can clip to my collar etc., I must say that I prefer the sound of the AKM chip used in the MW200.
While I say that I prefer the AKM chip, the comparison between the MW200 and M0 is not really fair as the M0 is more of a “all in one solution”, allowing local playback, streaming via bluetooth etc. If I am playing back local files on the M0, the results change but it is not a fair comparison as bluetooth is not involved in the process. When strictly comparing sound via bluetooth from my phone, I prefer the MW200 over the M0.
As I have already said, power is enough for all the IEMs I have tried but I think I should mention something else on the subject. My phone actually distorts the bluetooth signal when played at full (this happens no matter what device I am streaming BT to), so I always have to run my phone at around 70% to avoid this. Even with my phone at 70%, the power of the MW200 is more than sufficient to drive IEMs above comfortable (to me) levels with plenty of room to spare.
I know that this sound section, which is probably the most important part of a music listening device, is going to be extremely short but I really have nothing more to say that it sounds clean, has no noticeable errors and is plenty loud enough for me. There isn’t much more I can ask for from a device of this style.
Conclusion…
I have been tempted many times to pick up a Qudelix 5k, or one of the similar devices available, but have never actually done so because I know that it just won’t get the use it deserves. I am not sure if I would have ever actually purchased the MW200 if it wasn’t a gift but I am actually very glad to have received it.
The microphone (which I forgot to mention earlier) is great, in fact, it is the best sounding bluetooth headset I have tried until now, and it is always available around my neck for any time that my phone rings.
The commodity of being able to have any IEMs (well, almost any) around my neck and also be able to jump on and off calls without any hassle is great. I can go from very enjoyable sound (depending on the iEMs in use obviously) to a not so enjoyable call and back again just with a touch of a button.
I have had no issues with connections, it always connects instantly when I turn it on. It also can be connected to two devices at once and can even be used via USB cable if I should end up running out of battery (which I have not yet done, it easily lasts me all day and usually still has over 40% left when I get home at night).
I really can’t complain about the MW200. It is obviously not using any super hi-end chips or functions but the commodity makes it more than worthwhile for me.
I also don’t have the feeling that I am wanting to get away from it and back to cable as soon as possible, something that I do experience with any other BT products. I can happily listen to my IEMs and enjoy them without being tied to the desk or another device in my pocket.
A nice review of the M3X, like the cream white leatherette case.
I have two non-Android Shanling DAPs. I like them a lot.
I have a Shanling M3 player and I thought it would accept a 2TB micro SD card. I have a 1TV and a 2TB Verbatim card. The Shanling will not recognize any music on the 2TB card. Both are formatted exFAT.
Just as an experiment, I used Asus Partition Manager and deleted the partition on the 2TB card. Then I created a 1.5B partition. Still no luck. Does anyone have suggestions? Firmware is up to date. Thanks in advance.
I suspect your 2TB microSD card is fake.
There are only a handful of companies that are actually shipping them right now. Verbatim do not even claim to be one of them; the largest card they list is 512 GB.
Thanks for the reply. I bought it off of Amazon but I guess that market place is like the wild west. The card was over $200 CDN so it could get pricey trying to find one that works. Do you have a suggestion for a reliable product from a reputable vendor?
Cheers
Return the card to Amazon.
If it’s real (doubt it), it’s faulty so they can swap it. If it is fake, that’s fraud and they either have to refund, or go after the vendor that sold it to you (assuming you paid via Amazon).
If you use a microSD card test, with a capacity-validation function, does it test out as being 2TB on a computer?
Amazon (in the US) used to have a litany of fake 2TB cards (and a huge array of cards that claimed much more space than they really had, and just used modified config data), and it took ages before they cleaned that up. I’m sure some still make it through.
Well my error but the 2TB card from Amazon was a “Micro SD Extreme Pro” and I bought it in August of last year so my loss.
My 1TB card was a SanDisk and I see SanDisk offers a 2TB card. However, it Canada it is $303 on Amazon. My Music library is 1.5TB but for $303, it’s not that important that I have all my toons with me. lol
Sorry to hear that.
If you bought it last year, it is definitely fake (it’s probably a real card, just not 2TB; there are tools that’ll tell you big it actually is) … the first commercial 2TB microsd card didn’t come out until January of this year.
Yes, I read the Western Digital announcement in April. I’m guessing WD owns SanDisk now?
I mentioned in my OP that I loaded up Asus Partition Master and deleted the 2TB partition and created a new one 1.5TB. I noticed in Asus it recognized the card as 1.9TB and the utility allows you to create a partition custom to your specs. Still didn’t work.
Interestingly, when I was looking at my past Amazon purchases I read the comments on the 2TB card I bought and almost all negative reviews. I should have known better. Incidentally, the vendor and his 2TB card is no longer listed.
Cheers
You need to use a tool like “H2testw”, or something low-level, to determine the real capacity. Partitioning tools, and the OS in general, just go by whatever the high-level storage descriptor on the card says; which is how such fake cards are possible.
You can make that high-level descriptor say anything you want.
It’s worth checking because while the physical card capacity could be as low as 2GB, the smaller physical card the counterfeiters/scammers use the faster their ruse is discovered. So the card may be of a useful size; just not 2TB (nor apparently 1.5TB).
…
As much as I need 2TB cards, I still haven’t bought any. I’ll wait until the brands I trust have been shipping a little while and there’s a reasonable level of inventory in the channel.
And, yes, Western Digital bought SanDisk.