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Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP Dongle - Mobile D/A Converter and Headphone Amplifier for a Fistful of Dollars

Once again, the Chinese company Shanling is expanding its range of mobile D/A converters and headphone amplifiers in the Shanling UA Line, with the new Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP dongle now being presented as a low-budget model.

Michael Holzinger 23 July 2023Last Updated: 1 October 2023

0 4 minutes read

The new Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP dongle is another compact solution from Shanling.

The new Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP dongle is part of a product series that the Chinese company Shanling has been offering for some time as solutions for portable D/A converters with integrated headphone amplifiers. This is the product group to which most manufacturers in the field of personal audio devices are dedicated, and in which there are quite a few different products in different price ranges. Shanling Audio understands the new Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP Dongle as an offer with a particularly good price-performance ratio, as they state.

The Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP Dongle is the latest low-budget model, which nevertheless comes up with an impeccable D/A converter, but also with an output stage that can easily drive most headphones and in-ear monitor systems, with easy handling and last but not least with particularly compact dimensions and low weight.

Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP Dongle – The latest addition to the Shanling UA Line

As already described, Shanling has been focusing on particularly compact D/A converters with integrated headphone amplifiers for quite some time and has founded the so-called Shanling UA Line for this purpose.

These are solutions that are designed for use on the move, using smartphones, tablets or notebooks as a source.

Impeccable performance in a compact form at a particularly attractive price

Shanling describes the complete Shanling UA Line as solutions that deliver “great sound in small package”, and the new Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP Dongle is intended to serve as a prime example of this concept.

D/A converter from Cirrus Logic Inc.

The focus of the new Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP Dongle is a D/A converter from Cirrus Logic Inc., namely a Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC, which is used in a so-called Dual DAC configuration, so that each channel relies on a separate converter in order to achieve a particularly high sound quality with high dynamics and at the same time lowest noise.

Amazingly, signals in Linear PCM can be processed up to 32 bits and 768 kHz, and the spectrum also extends to DSD256 for signals in DSD.

USB interface with particularly low power consumption

A very important feature of the new mobile D/A converter with headphone amplifier is its particularly efficient USB interface. The manufacturer states that it requires up to 60 per cent less power in standby mode and 40 per cent less during playback than previous solutions. This puts less strain on the battery of the source device – especially smartphones or tablets – and significantly increases the battery life.

The Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP Dongle is connected via USB, whereby USB-C is used and a USB-C to USB-C cable is included in the scope of delivery, as is a USB-C to USB-A adapter. An Apple Lightning to USB-C cable is also available as an option, so that nothing stands in the way of use on smartphones with Google Android and Apple iOS, tablets with Google Android and Apple iOS, notebooks with Microsoft Windows, Linux and Apple macOS, but interestingly also on game consoles.

By the way, a separate app is available for Google Android, the Shanling Eddict app, which can be used to adjust various settings of the Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP dongle. For Apple iOS, however, there is no app available yet.

Ultra-low Noise Output

In the case of the new Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP Dongle, the manufacturer particularly emphasises its especially high-quality output stage, which is supposed to be characterised by sufficient power with especially low noise and free of distortion, and is thus supposed to be able to operate a large number of headphones without any problems, especially also particularly demanding models in the IEM (In-ear Monitor) sector.

The 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack provides 1.6 V at 32 ohms or 80 mW for headphones, as the data sheet reveals.

Compact, lightweight and easy to use

The new Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP dongle measures no more than 40 x 17.7 x 8.2 mm, and the housing is made of aluminium, so it weighs no more than 9.5 g. A lanyard is included.

Since a so-called lanyard is included in the scope of delivery, it can be easily attached to a pocket, for example, so that it is always ready to hand on every trip.

The Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP Dongle is very easy to use, usually all you have to do is plug it into the source device and it is ready for use. On the device itself, there is a control element for volume and playback control, and an RGB status LED indicates the type and resolution of the signals present.

Prices and availability

The new Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP Dongle is expected to be available in stores within the next few days. The amazing thing about this solution is the price: Shanling lists the new member of the Shanling UA Line at only US$ 49,-.

Getting to the point

The new Shanling UA1 Plus USB DAC/AMP Dongle is supposed to be a prime example for the concept behind the entire Shanling UA Line, says Shanling about the latest addition to this product line of mobile D/A converters with integrated headphone amplifier. And indeed, from a technical point of view, this is an impeccable, compact and lightweight solution at a particularly low price.