As we speak, Thomas evaluations the Shanling M1 Plus, an inexpensive new balanced-capable MTouch OS digital audio participant with as much as 660mW output energy. It’s priced at $209.
Disclaimer: This pattern was despatched to me in change for my sincere opinion. Headfonics is an unbiased web site with no affiliate hyperlinks or standing. I thank Shanling for his or her assist.
Click on right here to study extra about Shanling products we beforehand reviewed on Headfonics.
This text follows our present scoring guidelines which you’ll be able to learn in additional element right here.
On this assessment, I’m testing the Shanling M1 Plus, an inexpensive various to the M5 Ultra launched earlier this yr. In Shanling’s huge lineup of DAPs, the M1 Plus slots simply above their most inexpensive gamers, the M1s and M0 Pro.
Regardless of the low price, the M1 Plus is feature-rich with loads of energy on faucet from single-ended and balanced outputs.
It makes use of the most recent iteration of Shanling’s MTouch OS platform, an interface I’ve loved since first experiencing it in 2018’s M0, a tool I nonetheless routinely use.
With a music-focused working system devoid of unrelated apps and distractions, a horny design, low value, and an enormous function set, the M1 Plus makes a robust case for carrying a devoted music participant in 2024 and past.
Options
MTouch OS in its latest iteration may be discovered within the M1 Plus. I fairly preferred its implementation in 2018’s M0 and may recognize the way it has been up to date and enhanced to work on a display screen with significantly extra actual property.
Versatility to pair with varied earphones comes by way of 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced outputs. Inside is an ESS ES9069Q DAC with twin SGM8262 amplifiers pumping out 660mW @ 32Ohm of energy by the 4.4mm balanced out.
Shanling has simplified the M1 Plus software program utilizing their MTouch OS as an alternative of Android, although you continue to have native Tidal assist. You may as well management the DAP by the Eddict Participant app in your smartphone
Lastly, the M1 Plus is supplied with bi-directional Bluetooth 5.2 with assist for LDAC, aptX, aptX HD, and AAC codecs. Not solely will it sound good however it is going to supply a robust, steady reference to loads of vary.
Design & Controls
Shanling crafted an exquisite system with the M1 Plus. Comprised of aluminum and glass with a contemporary, angular design, it seems and feels wonderful within the hand.
Down the left facet of the system are three buttons used to skip by and play/pause your tracks. The bottom of every button protrudes from the physique with the outer two buttons having a slimmer profile to assist differentiate them with out the necessity to look.
They depress with a satisfying “click on” and are simply accessed whereas holding the M1 Plus with one hand.
On the correct facet of the system is a scroll wheel used to regulate quantity. It doubles as a button when depressed and turns the display screen on and off.
That is the very best wheel I’ve skilled from the model. The one on the unique M1 labored positive however was too simple to press by accident and was recognized to be delicate, although I by no means had points with mine.
The scroll wheel on the unique M0 was stiff to show, laborious to entry with a case on, and too simple to press by accident. The scroll wheel on the M1 Plus is completely weighted with clear detents as you spin and requires simply the correct amount of strain to entry the button facet.
The ambiance mild residing behind the wheel, lighting it in darkness, is a pleasant contact and additional provides to the premium air of the system.
Dominating the entrance of the M1 Plus is the three.2-inch touchscreen. Whereas it’s responsive and works completely, the 480 x 320 decision is low and visibility is missing in direct daylight.
That is particularly noticeable when sat subsequent to the 3-inch 800 x 400 IPS show of the extra inexpensive Hiby R1 which is sharper and extra vibrant.
Battery Life
The M1 Plus is formally rated for as much as 12.5 hours by way of the single-ended output.
I examined by the single-ended output with the quantity set to 12, utilizing a Campfire Audio Mammoth and a mixture of normal and Hello-Res recordsdata with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned off, the ambiance lamp on (blue), and the display screen off more often than not.
All through every week of utilizing the M1 Plus at work, it routinely lasted between 10.5 hours and 10.75 hours and just a little wanting the rated 12.5 hours, regardless of pairing it with an easy-to-drive IEM, limiting display screen use, and listening at low volumes.
I/O
With the M1 Plus, you possibly can join to varied gadgets by the USB-C port on the underside. It has labored seamlessly with the quite a few PC and Android gadgets I’ve plugged it into.
You’ll be able to replace the firmware by way of SD card which is a slipshod course of. I like to recommend updating over WiFi as an alternative which is significantly sooner and simpler.
Subsequent to the USB port is a Micro SD card slot with assist for as much as 2TB playing cards. The M1 Plus doesn’t have any onboard storage, so until you’re planning to make use of the Tidal streaming assist solely, you’ll have to load up a card to take heed to music, podcasts, or no matter media you’re eager on listening to.
On prime of the M1 Plus are two output ports. One helps 3.5mm single-ended headphones, whereas the opposite helps 4.4mm balanced headphones.
Packaging & Equipment
The M1 Plus arrives in a silver cardboard field with a white exterior sheath. This sheath is informative and helpful with a horny format however does nothing to show what the product inside seems like, odd given how proud Shanling is (and needs to be) of their fashionable design language.
Sliding off the sheath and lifting the field’s lid, the M1 Plus greets you, tightly cradled in dense, protecting foam, above a slender cardboard insert containing a Sort-C USB cable. Eradicating the froth reveals one other insert containing the remaining equipment.
In all you obtain:
- M1 Plus DAP
- Sort-A to Sort-C USB cable
- Display protector
- Fast Begin information
- Guarantee card
- Product showcase pamphlet
Whereas it isn’t an expensive unboxing wealthy in extras, I wouldn’t anticipate it to be given the M1 Plus is an inexpensive DAP. The USB cable is a helpful size, and the additional display screen protector (one comes preinstalled) is welcome.
It will have been good if a primary protecting masking was included however Shanling has made a leatherette possibility obtainable individually for round $15. It’s a good, although primary case, and you must be keen to pay further for it.
Software program Impressions
That includes the most recent iteration of MTouch OS (up to date to model 1.7), the M1 Plus felt acquainted on first use. The M0 that I nonetheless use options an earlier iteration of this software program, although designed for a significantly smaller display screen.
The primary display screen can show 6 icons per web page with as much as 17 icons whole. You’ll be able to add and take away icons by scrolling to the rightmost web page, after which scrolling right-to-left throughout the display screen to pick out which objects to show.
Having the ability to faucet and maintain to maneuver and prepare icons can be good, however that doesn’t appear to exist. As a substitute, you should add them to the display screen within the order you need them to look.
Swiping from the highest down brings up a fast menu. It offers you entry to 9 generally used objects like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and display screen brightness.
I recognize that the monitor enjoying at all times seems on the backside of the display screen when on the house menu and may be tapped to convey you to the now-playing display screen. It will be good if there have been an choice to have it seem whereas in sub-menus as properly.
Total, I discover the UI’s format logical and navigation intuitive. I by no means discovered it complicated to find what I wanted or determine how a function labored.
Bugs
That mentioned, there have been two bugs I’ve come throughout. The primary is that the time repeatedly modifications.
No matter whether or not I set the time manually or mechanically by choosing a time zone, the clock is more likely to be flawed in some unspecified time in the future shortly after correcting it, typically. I say typically as a result of on some days, it’s right and it’ll be that approach all day, whereas on others, it merely fails to stay to the proper time it doesn’t matter what.
The second is that not all songs seem within the “All Songs” menu. Songs that don’t seem within the “All Songs” menu will seem within the “Folders” menu, on the backside under all of the folders.
It appears to be tied as to whether the songs are within the SD card’s root folder or a sub-folder. Songs in a sub-folder present up within the “All songs” menu whereas songs within the root menu solely seem within the “Folders” menu.
Sound Impressions
The next sound impressions of the Shanling M1 Plus had been accomplished with the HE 150PRO, Massdrop x Mee Audio Planamic, I/O Audio VOLARE, and the Lime Ears TERRA.
Abstract
With the M1 Plus, Shanling dialed in a well-balanced sound that sits someplace between the unique M1 which has a leaner, cooler presentation, and the M0 which is thicker and hotter.
The M1 Plus is near-neutral with a light mid-bass bump that offers vocals some added heat and density, however not on the expense of readability or excessive coloration.
Signature
Due to its near-neutral tuning and high quality elements, the M1 Plus affords a refined listening expertise.
It gives an impressive end-to-end extension that’s well-suited to the whole lot from easy single-dynamic outfitted earbuds just like the HE 150PRO to extra unique choices just like the I/O Audio VOLARE with its mixture of dynamic, BA, and electrostatic drivers.
The M1 Plus treble presentation is clear and easy, and because it doesn’t exaggerate or increase the higher ranges of the merchandise enjoying by it, pairs properly with treble outstanding gear.
The Astrotec Phoenix’s electrostatic tweeters may be free and harsh by the flawed system, however when listening with the M1 Plus are clear, outlined, and equally pure to how they’re when paired with my desktop amp, the TEAC HA-501.
The M1 Plus mids are correct and pure with a tilt towards being heat. The added thickness introduced on by the delicate mid-bass bump helps give merchandise with a thinner midrange, such because the Elysian Acoustic Labs PILGRIM, extra weight and prominence, with out negatively harming merchandise already beset with a thicker midrange.
It additionally does an awesome job of leaving a product’s pure timbre qualities alone. Standouts just like the VOLARE from I/O Audio stay correct, however this additionally means the wonkiness of one thing like FiiO’s FH1s is retained.
The M1 Plus low-end efficiency is spectacular and merchandise excelling on this space, just like the Astrotec Phoenix, completely shine. There is no such thing as a early roll-off so earphones with prolonged sub-bass presence present the type of visceral suggestions you’d anticipate.
Element, readability, and texture throughout the board are additionally improbable with the M1 Plus getting out of the way in which. Merchandise that excel in these areas like I/O Audio’s VOLARE will not be held again in any approach, and merchandise which might be missing, similar to Astrotec’s Volans, stay so.
Staging & Dynamics
The M1 Plus staging and dynamic presentation is a transparent constructive.
The M1 Plus strikes the default vocal positioning of merchandise additional again and enhances merchandise with an already good sound stage, such because the I/O Audio VOLARE.
The impact is extra outstanding on merchandise with a compact stage, like Campfire Audio’s unique Polaris which not solely sounds wider by the M1 Plus however positive aspects stage depth which it’s sorely missing when run by most sources I’ve tried it with.
The M1 Plus’s open staging additionally helps enhance layering and instrument separation. Whereas the Lime Ears TERRA isn’t missing in these qualities within the mids and treble, the low-end advantages from what the M1 Plus brings to the desk and balances out the earphone’s presentation.
Imaging from the M1 Plus can also be improved on merchandise that lack precision. The TERRA from Lime Ears lacks precision simply off-center, although by the M1 Plus I heard enhancements, significantly when working it as a DAC and utilizing the TERRA for gaming.
Click on page 2 below for my recommended pairings and selected comparison.
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