As we noted earlier, there seems to be an “explosion” of portable CD players lately—the latest example being the Shanling EC Play.
It turns out your old CD collection is far from obsolete. Just like vinyl records and even cassette tapes, it may be time to pull those boxes of silver discs down from the attic again. More and more CD players are being released, including portable models. A new generation has rediscovered the retro medium, while older listeners are also returning—at least partly—to physical media.
The brand-new Shanling EC Play lets you once again enjoy CDs on the move, just like in the old days. An active magnetic clamp is designed to improve playback stability, while a custom CD transport mechanism should ensure highly accurate data reading from discs.
Wireless or wired
For D/A conversion, Shanling has chosen the Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chip. The built-in headphone amplifier delivers up to 700 mW into 32 ohms via a balanced 4.4 mm headphone output. If you do not own a balanced headphone, a standard 3.5 mm mini-jack is also included.
Prefer going wireless? Bluetooth support is onboard as well. The player can additionally function as a USB DAC, supporting PCM up to 384 kHz / 32-bit and DSD playback up to DSD256. Its internal battery provides up to 12 hours of playback on a full charge.
The Shanling EC Play is available immediately for €220 in the colors Feather Green, Onyx Black and Moonlight Silver.