Shanling UP6 Advanced Bluetooth DAC/AMP

Personal audio devices have always been an important segment for the Shanling brand, in particular headphones, portable Hi-res audio players, so-called DAPs, but also Bluetooth amplifiers can be found in the company’s product portfolio. Such as the Shanling UP5 Bluetooth amplifier, which was launched a good four years ago and established itself as an extremely successful solution.

Now the time has come to give the Shanling UP5 Bluetooth Amplifier a successor, as Shanling has realised, and the new Shanling UP6 Advanced Bluetooth DAC/AMP is now being presented.

More commitment to personal audio devices again

Almost four years ago, the Shanling UP5 was launched as the top model in the Shanling UP Series of portable Bluetooth DAC/AMPs, and it was in fact the last model in the range to be produced. In the following years there were no new personal audio device solutions centred around Bluetooth as Shanling’s focus shifted to the larger Shanling H Series DACs, as the manufacturer admits.

Completely redesigned new flagship

Although the new Shanling UP6 is the direct successor to the Shanling UP5 on paper, it is actually a completely redesigned product that has been given the role of flagship in the Bluetooth amplifier product segment at Shanling.

The improved audio section utilises two ESS Technology Inc. DACs, the ESS-ES9069Q, and pairs them with two SGM8262 operational amplifiers from SG Micro Corp. to provide a fully balanced headphone output (4.4 mm Pentaconn) in addition to an unbalanced (3.5 mm stereo mini-jack) output. This offers an output power of up to 626 mW at an impedance of 32 ohms. With this output power, the Shanling UP6 is one of the most powerful compact Bluetooth DACs and can compete with top-class USB dongle DACs, as Shanling promises.

The Shanling UP6 is capable of processing signals in Linear PCM with up to 32 bit and 768 kHz as well as DSD including DSD512.

The Bluetooth section is state of the art with the Qualcomm QCC5125 Bluetooth module and based on Bluetooth 5.2 supports SBC and AAC as well as aptX, aptX HD, aptX LL and LDAC for smooth and high quality wireless streaming. If the occasion allows, the Shanling UP6 can also be used as a USB DAC with computers or smartphones. The benefits of lossless Hi-res playback are fully realised thanks to the XMOS XU316 USB input.

The new Shanling UP6 Advanced Bluetooth DAC/AMP can only be linked to smartphones with Google Android using the Eddict Player Companion App for Google Android. This makes it possible to control the portable Bluetooth amp not only via its 1.54 inch LCD display, but also very conveniently via smartphone.

Compact and with a long battery life

The integrated battery of the Shanling UP6 Advanced Bluetooth DAC/AMP has a capacity of 950 mAh and is designed to ensure a battery life of up to 6.5 hours in single-ended mode and 4.5 hours in balanced mode. Charging takes place via USB-C, which should be completed in just two hours.

The Shanling UP6 Advanced Bluetooth DAC/AMP measures 70 x 39 x 14 mm and weighs no more than 51,2 g.

The scope of delivery includes a USB-C to USB-C cable, a USB-C to USB-A adapter and a USB-A to USB-C cable, so it is ideally equipped for almost all application scenarios.

Prices and availability

The new Shanling UP6 Advanced Bluetooth DAC/AMP will soon be available from specialist retailers at a price of US$ 199,-.

Getting to the point

A dual ESS ES9069Q DAC for 32 bit and 768 kHz or DSD512, a connection to mobile devices via Qualcomm QCC5125 and thus Bluetooth 5.2 including all relevant current codecs, such as aptX, aptX HD, aptX LL and LDAC, plus the option of pairing via USB using a powerful XMOS XU316 USB input, and last but not least a powerful output stage and the option of using both unbalanced and balanced headphones – all this clearly speaks in favour of the new Shanling UP6 Advanced Bluetooth DAC/AMP, which the Shanling company describes as its new flagship in the portable Bluetooth DAC/AMP sector.