Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier – Portable Bluetooth DAC/AMP

Shanling expands its offer in the field of portable Bluetooth DAC/AMP Line with a new solution whose task is to take the role of flagship in this segment. In the near future, the new Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier will enrich the product range.

Shanling, a proven expert in the field of personal audio devices, is once again expanding its range of portable Bluetooth receivers with the new Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier.

The company is relying on the extremely popular Shanling UP4 Bluetooth Amplifier, but has significantly improved it in many areas, so that the Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier is the new flagship in this segment.

Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier – A new level of quality

The primary task of the new Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier is, of course, to “make contact” with smartphones or even notebooks via Bluetooth, to transmit their signals wirelessly, and to raise them to a new level of quality with the help of high-quality converters and an equally high-quality headphone amplifier in conjunction with fine headphones.

Far more than a mere Bluetooth receiver

But according to Shanling, the new Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier can do more than just be a Bluetooth receiver with a transducer and headphone amplifier.

This solution, he says, is designed to also make direct wired contact with source devices, via USB. The new Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier is thus also a portable USB DAC with integrated headphone amplifier.

Compact solution

Since it is a mobile solution, attention was naturally paid to a particularly compact form. Thus, the new Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier measures no more than 68 x 39 x 14.5 mm and thus brings it to only 50 g.

Sufficiently small and light to carry the Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier as a constant companion.

The device is presented in discreet black and makes a very solid impression.

Fine electronics

The heart of the new Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier is a Bluetooth module from the specialist Qualcomm, to be exact it’s a Qualcomm QCC5120, which transmits signals with Bluetooth 5.0 and supports the Bluetooth codecs SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX LL as well as LHDC and LDAC. The signal transmission is not only lossy (SBC and AAC), but also in “CD quality” (aptX) and even hi-res audio up to 24 bit and 48 kHz (aptX HD) and even 24 bit and 96 kHz (LDAC).

Two ESS Ssabre ES9219C DAC/ AMP are available for signal processing.

If signals are fed directly via USB, an XMOS USB chipset serves to ensure reliable transmission.

Of course, the new Shanling UP5 Bluetooth amplifier understands the signal processing of hi-res audio and is even able to process content encoded in lossy and DRM-addled MQA.

Diversity in the outputs

In order to be able to operate the most diverse headphones in the best possible way, the new Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier is equipped with an unbalanced 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack as well as a balanced 2.5 mm and 4.4 mm jack.

If the single-ended output is selected, either one DAC or both DACs can be used and 90 mW into 32 ohms or 112 mW into 32 ohms are available. The balanced outputs provide 240 mW at 32 ohms.

Simple operation

Especially a solution like the new Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier should be easy to use. This is ensured by the integrated NFC alone, which ensures particularly simple pairing with the source device, provided that it also has this equipment.

A button, a rotary encoder, as well as a small OLED display should enable the control in everyday life in a simple way.

By the way, for use in the car, the new Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier has a separate Car Mode available, this is mentioned for the sake of completeness.

Long playing time

The Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier is equipped with a 680 mAh battery, which allows your playing time of up to 15 hours in single-ended and single DAC mode, but symmetrically also still holds up to eleven hours. Charging is done via USB, of course.

The new Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier should be available soon, at a price of € 179,-.

Getting to the point

Portable Bluetooth receivers with integrated D/A converters and headphone amplifiers are still very popular with customers who don’t want to miss out on the best quality from devices such as smartphones and notebooks. The new Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier is supposed to be just such a device, but it can also be used as a USB DAC with integrated headphone amplifier. The fact that this is offered at an extremely attractive price…