Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier
The new Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier is the first D/A converter from Shanling Audio to be designed as a so-called 24 R2R DAC and combined with a particularly powerful headphone amplifier, presenting itself in an elegant, compact form.
- The new Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier from Shanling Audio offers impressive features at an extremely attractive price.
Only recently, Shanling Audio launched the Shanling EH1, a D/A converter in combination with a headphone amplifier, which was intended to establish a new product line of compact desktop audio systems focussed on the essentials, which are part of the Shanling Desktop Line. These products are also designed to offer a particularly attractive price-performance ratio, which the latest solution is intended to demonstrate in a particularly impressive way.
With the new Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier, a solution will soon be available that also uses a combination of D/A converter and headphone amplifier in the form of a desktop audio system, but this is a 24-bit R2R DAC solution and the headphone amplifier should prove to be particularly powerful.
Newly developed 24-bit R2R DAC
According to the manufacturer, a completely new DAC module has been specially designed for the new Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier, which represents a major step forward in development. It is a modern 24-bit R2R DAC, which in principle builds on the legendary design based on the Texas Instruments TI PCM1704 converter of the Shanling CD-T300 and Shanling HDCD-H24 models, with particular reference to their special sound characteristics. This sound characteristic is described as particularly natural, and this is exactly what the new Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier has endeavoured to achieve.
S/PDIF, USB and Bluetooth
In terms of interfaces, the new Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier initially offers an optical and coaxial S/PDIF, but there is also a USB port, designed as USB-C, which can be used to connect this solution directly to a PC or Mac to process data up to 32 bit and 768 kHz in Linear PCM or DSD up to DSD512. An XMOS XU316 module from the specialist XMOS Technology is used and Bluetooth is also included, whereby a QCC5125 module from Qualcomm Inc. is used, which corresponds to Bluetooth 5.2 and supports aptX, aptX Adaptive and LDAC in addition to the SBC and AAC codecs.
Powerful headphone amplifier and preamplifier
The headphone amplifier is based on BD139 and BD140 transistors and has been optimised for high-end headphones, as the manufacturer promises. With up to 4.3 W at 32 Ω at its balanced 4.4 mm Pentaconn, the Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier can easily drive even the most demanding headphones, while its unbalanced 63 mm stereo jack output still delivers 1.3 W at 32 Ω. An additional circuit for a line out in the form of RCA sockets and 4.4 mm Pentaconn Line Out or Pre Out has also been added, which uses TI OPA1612 operational amplifiers from Texas Instruments.
This makes it possible to use the Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier as a preamplifier, for example to drive active loudspeaker systems directly.
Finally, it should be mentioned that the front of the Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier has a range of controls for convenient operation, including a bass and treble control.
With dimensions of just 156 x 150 x 36,45 mm, the device, which is available in black and silver, weighs 713 g.
Prices and availability
The new Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier should be available from specialist retailers within the next few days, as the manufacturer promises. The recommended retail price is US$ 369,-.
Getting to the point
Even if it is essentially a desktop audio solution that is kept as simple as possible, the latest offspring from Shanling Audio is an extremely interesting system. The new Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier is based on a so-called 24-bit R2R DAC and should therefore have a particularly warm sound character, also has a powerful headphone amplifier and can – incidentally – also be used as a preamplifier to drive active loudspeaker systems, for example.
| PRODUCT | Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier |
|---|---|
| Price | US$ 369,- |
| Brand | SHANLING |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Shanling |
| Distribution | NT Global Distribution GmbH |
| More about this manufacturer at HIFI BLOG |
