Shanling M1 Plus – New DAP with Shanling MTouch system

It was not until April 2024 that the company Shanling Audio presented the Shanling M5 Ultra HiFi Portable Player, a DAP that was to be characterised by very good sound performance, compact dimensions and an elegant design, but also by versatility, and was to be offered at a very attractive price. The Shanling M5 Ultra HiFi Portable Player was intended to give the Shanling M Line a new lease of life, while relying on the successful concept of the Shanling MTouch system.

Now Shanling Audio is presenting another solution from the Shanling M Line, namely the new Shanling M1 Plus, which has been designed as an even more affordable alternative to the Shanling M5 Ultra.

Based on the Ingenic X2000 system platform

As already described, the new Shanling M1 Plus, like its big brother Shanling M5 Ultra, is characterised above all by its flexibility. That is why the developers are once again relying on the Ingenic X2000 System Platform from Ingenic Semiconductor Co. Ltd. as the basis for the Shanling MTouch system, which Shanling itself has developed and which is specially designed for the specific requirements of a DAP. The manufacturer itself once again refers to a pure music system.

Foto © Shanling | Shanling M1 Plus

Foto © Shanling | Shanling M1 Plus

ESS converters for 32-bit and 768 kHz and DSD512

Audio files are stored on MicroSD cards, which are processed by converters from ESS Technology Inc. These are ESS ES9069Q DACs, which can process signals in Linear PCM with up to 32-bit and 768 kHz, as well as DSD up to DSD512.

The Shanling M1 Plus’s output stage is equipped with two SGM8262 amplifiers from SG Micro Corp. and, in addition to an unbalanced 3,5 mm stereo mini jack, a balanced 4,4 mm Pentaconn is also available for connecting headphones.

The unbalanced output is said to provide 195 mW at an impedance of 32 ohms, and the balanced output 660 mW at 32 ohms.

It should be mentioned that the 3,5 mm stereo mini jack mentioned above also hides a digital output in the form of a coaxial S/PDIF interface.

WiFi, Bluetooth and USB-C

The Shanling M1 Plus primarily uses the integrated WiFi module to connect to the outside world, which, in addition to OTA updates (over-the-air), also allows streaming via UPnP as a dlna-certified streaming client and Apple AirPlay.

Bluetooth is also included, with a Bluetooth 5.2 module from Qualcomm Inc. that is designed as a transceiver to allow bi-directional signal transmission and supports the SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC codecs.

Bluetooth also allows control via an app on a smartphone, using the Eddict Player app via SyncLink, as the manufacturer emphasises.

Of course, a USB-C port should not be left unmentioned, which allows the new Shanling M1 Plus to be connected directly to a PC or Mac and used as an external D/A converter in this way.

Compact and lightweight

The DAP, with a size of 86 x 61 x 17 mm, weighs 116 g with its aluminium housing and has a 3.2-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels as the primary user interface, but it also has a rotary encoder on the side for controlling the volume and three buttons for direct playback control.

Battery life of more than twelve hours

According to the data sheet, the new Shanling M1 Plus has an integrated 2.100 mAh battery that is said to offer a playing time of up to 12,5 hours. Of course, it is charged via the aforementioned USB-C interface of the DAP.

Prices and availability

According to Shanling Audio, the new Shanling M1 Plus is expected to be launched in August 2024, with the company quoting a price of US$ 209,-. This new DAP is available in black and silver.

Getting to the point

If you are looking for a high-quality DAP at a particularly attractive price, Shanling Audio‘s Shanling M5 Ultra has been available for some time. However, the Chinese company now wants to prove that it can be a little cheaper with another device in the Shanling M Line based on the Shanling MTouch system, namely the new Shanling M1 Plus.