Since their founding in 1988, Shanling has primarily produced CD players, turntables, and other home electronics. It wasn’t until 2014 that they produced their first portable player, the M3, a robust and multi-functional device that’s been iterated to near-perfection since.
The M8 is the most recent iteration and Shanling’s flagship portable. Boasting two top-of-the-line AKM DAC chips, Bluetooth 5.0, MQA decoding, and much more, the M8 is an endgame portable with more bells and whistles than a marching band.
AKM AK4499EQ x 2 DAC
The AK4499EQ DAC chip is Japanese manufacturer AKM’s premiere digital-to-analog decoding chip. Used in only the highest of high-end audio equipment, it supports 32-bit audio with 4 channels, native DSD512 and PCM 768kHz. It also features six digital filters for deep sound profile customization.
Qualcomm Bluetooth 5.0
The M8 features a low-latency Qualcomm Bluetooth 5.0 chip. This chip is able to both send and receive Bluetooth signals, enabling you to pair the M8 with a pair of Bluetooth headphones or use the M8 to receive music from another device, such as a laptop, phone, or tablet.
Interchangeable sockets
In an effort to reduce the number of outputs crowding the device, Shanling has outfitted the M8 with a single output port that can be modified with various sockets. These sockets (which include a 4.4 balanced, 2.5 balanced, 3.5 pro, and 3.5 single-ended) make it possible to connect a variety of headphone types--all without pointless clutter.
MQA
The M8 supports full MQA, or Master Quality Authenticated, decoding. MQA is one of the hottest recent trends in hi-fi music, and it’s easy to understand why. MQA is an audio codec like MP3 or FLAC, but unlike MP3, which only delivers about 10% of the quality of the original studio recordings, MQA files deliver the full uncompressed studio quality. It allows you to hear everything that lesser codecs leave out--just as the artist intended.
AGLO Technology
The M8 includes AGLO, or Android Global Lossless Output, a Shanling proprietary technology that processes the music from all apps on the M8 at its full quality, without any degradation from Android’s processes.
8-Core Snapdragon 430
Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 430 Octa-core processor, the M8 is a lag-free music machine. With 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage, it can handle transfers, downloads, and playback with blistering speed.
7000mAh Battery with 14 hours playback
The M8’s 7000mAh battery lasts up to fourteen hours with a single charge. If that doesn’t make your jaw drop, then consider this: you could fly from LA to Geneva, listening to the M8 non-stop, and still have some juice left over at baggage claim.
Single Block of Aluminum
The chassis of the M8 is constructed from a single block of aviation-grade aluminum with a CNC machine. This ensures maximum durability, natural shielding, and no extraneous screws.
Product highlights
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2x AK4499EQ DAC
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Qualcomm Bluetooth 5.0
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Interchangeable sockets: 2.5, 3.5, 4.4, 3.5 pro
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8-core Snapdragon 430
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AGLO audio
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DSD512 32bit/768kHz
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7000 mAh battery
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Screen: 5” 1080 x 1920 touchscreen
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System Open Android 7.1
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Supported file formats: DSF/ DFF/ ISO/ DXD/ APE/ FLAC/ WAV/ AIFF/ AIF/ DTS/ MP3/ WMA/ ACC/ OGG/ ALAC/ MP2/ M4A/ AC3/ M3U/ M3U8
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Hi-Res: Up to 32 bit/ 768kHz & DSD512
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Gain: Low, High, Turbo
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Storage: 64GB built-in and micro SD card slot (up to 2TB)
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DAC: AKM AK4499EQ x 2
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Digital Filters: 6
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Bluetooth
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Version 5.0
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Transmitting codecs: LCAC/ LHDC/ aptx HD/ aptX/ SBC
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Receiving codecs: LDAC/ LHDC/ aptX HD/ aptX LL/ aptX/ AAC/ SBC
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Single-ended output
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Output power
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Low Gain: 18mW@32Ω
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High Gain: 48mW@32Ω
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Turbo Gain: 260mW@32Ω
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Frequency response: 20Hz - 40kHz (0.5dB)
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THD+N: 0.00089%
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Channel separation: 75dB@32Ω
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Signal-to-noise ratio: 121dB
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Dynamic range: 121dB
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Noise floor: >115dB (1.7uV)
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Output impedance: <1Ω
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Balanced output
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Output power
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Low Gain: 71mW@32Ω
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High Gain: 184mW@32Ω
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Turbo Gain: 840mW@32Ω
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Frequency response: 20Hz - 40kHz (-0.5dB)
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THD+N: 0.00085%
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Channel separation: 115dB@32Ω
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Signal-to-noise ratio: 123dB
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Dynamic range: 123dB
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Noise floor: >113dB (2.1uV)
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Output impedance: <2Ω
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WiFi: 2.4G/5G, Wi-Fi file transfer/ SyncLink/ DLNA/ AirPlay/ OTA Updates
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Battery
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Charging: DC 5V/2A, support QC3.0
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Battery life: up to 14h (SE)/ 9h (Bal)
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Battery: 7000mAh
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Dimensions: 5.4 x 3.1 x 0.7” (138 x 80 x 20mm)
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Weight: 12oz (342g)
What’s included
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Shanling M8 Portable Player
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Walnut display box
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Leather case
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Screen protectors
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USB cable
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User manual
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Interchangeable sockets
What pairs well