I plan to upgrade from iBasso DX80 and choosing between M3X and DX160. Which one do you think would be a better pairing for Periodic Be? I mainly listen to jazz, soul, funk and disco and prefer something smooth for a long listening sessions. I have previously worked on their M5s, M6 and both of these were the best sounding DAP of their time, much better at balance and value proportions than their competitors like DX120 or DX160. Even the Sony ZX300 had more colored and uneven emphasis across the spectrum.

The Shanling M3X has a Line-Out mode as well, in this mode, the device forces the volume at max and doesn’t let you control it. It can be accessed from the scroll-down menu and on that menu, you can see a couple of audio-related options such as gain, DAC mode, and Android mode. You can also access the audio settings menu from here. In that menu, you can change lowpass filter mode, output type between LO and PO, gain, DAC mode, and channel balance. You can also set a max volume to protect your ears and set a certain value as the boot volume. OTA Firmware Updates Great, make my choice on what mid level DAP to get as a daily carry for work even harder. Had almost settled on the iBasso DX170 over the Hiby R5Gen2 and M3X but this changes things up. Listen before echoing comments, listen with an open mind with no bias towards hype, name, or price. It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with Shanling. I’d like to thank Shanling for providing the sample for this review. This review reflects my personal experience with the Shanling M3X. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it. The purpose of this review is to help those interested in Shanling M3X find their next music companion. The 430 SOC integrated processor with 2GB of RAM is proven to be fast enough to handle various music apps with little bugs and glitches while consuming very little power. This allows the player to run for more than 20 hours, without compromising smooth operation.

Exciting News is the SDM430 has QC 3.0 and can be topped up in around 1hour 40 mins with a 15w charger. Using a 10w charger will take around 2 hours and 30 mins.

On the inside, that’s where all the important things changed. Android platform was upgraded to the octa-core Snapdragon 665 and Android 10, refreshing M3 for swift system response and app compatibility going forward. Of course, still combined with our Android Global Lossless Output (AGLO) system for an ideal Android sound performance. We even adjusted Bluetooth, switching to a newer 5.0 version. Ultrasone PRO900i) In some ways, Shanling became a much better company after splitting from Hiby, but not because Hiby wasn’t great, but because Hiby offers a more limited support to their partners, compared to the support they can offer for their own DAPs. As it stands I've just spent 330 dollars for a replacement for my btr5 and have ended up using it in the same manner.The M3X has all the connectivity options as any other android device. After the usual wired connectivity you can connect it to your PC via the USB cable and use it as a DAC too (Shanling PC app needed). This can typically be seen in the midrange and bass frequencies where some even harmonic tones add to a rounded and smooth signature. There is some treble lift which is especially evident in the ‘Dual DAC’ mode which add some transparency and greater level of resolve in the overall sonic soundscape. Customers are to bear the consequences and fees incurred, if the parcel was undelivered due to any of the following situation:

Introducing Shanling M3X​M3X is our newest Android Hi-Res portable player, built on the same platform as our previous three Android models. But this time we are aiming at the more affordable part of the market, with a little bit less focus on the most demanding DAC chipsets and the most powerful amplifiers. With Hifiman and Final Audio’s TWS earphones tested on the M3X for a few train rides, I am not experiencing any issues. MQA Dynamics could be a bit better. (High gain mode helps with the dynamic issue, but not without introducing some cons. See Part 3 - "Low gain vs High gain mode" for more info)

In this section, I will pair the M3X with a couple of IEMs and the Sennheiser 58X, which is relatively easy to drive. I will talk about the pairings in the upcoming sections so that you will have a better understanding of how the M3X sounds. Sound Signature Large capacity tantalum capacitors for the audio circuit were chosen for its enhancing effects on the lower frequency profile and two Japanese KDS active crystal oscillators for an improved accuracy, decoding capacity and reduction of overall jitter. The M3X is a bit of decoding powerhouse with its ability to render 32-bit 384 kHz PCM files, native DSD256 as well as having the potential to natively unfold and decode MQA files. I find the linear phase filter to sound more natural, with fuller bass and better timbral characteristics. Compared to phones or entry-level DAPs this will still be a good upgrade that sounds more spacious and with instruments more separated and defined.