Shanling UA2 Plus DAC Review (1) – Sharp And Slick
In this Article
INTRO
The Shanling UA2 Plus is the successor to the obvious UA2 and the upgrade piece to the UA1s with the additional balanced 4.4mm output jack and further DSD support. It joins a plethora of other great USB DACs like the UA3, and entry level small portable DAPS like the M0 Pro and M1s.
With its straightforward plug and play capabilities combined with tweaking capabilities when paired with their Eddict Player app, there is something for everyone at a reasonable MSRP of $89. Based on the literature and the singular “mode” button to pop it into legacy UAC 1.0 connection protocol, it appears aimed towards Nintendo Switch users who want improved sound, but in truth it can be for anyone.
Jacked up with the top of the line portable ESS DAC chip ES9038Q2M, Shanling pairs it with their choice of Dual RICORE RT6863 opamps to provide additional output power and 4.4mm balanced outputs for improved stereo separation. The addition of the opamps takes the ES9038Q2M single-on-chip (SoC) DAC amp from 80mW to 125mW of output power in standard 3.5mm jack connection or 195mW when utilizing the robust 4.4mm balanced jack.
These RICORE opamps are found in many of their DAC’s and portable DAPs to carve out the signature Shanling sound. I have not really seen them used elsewhere besides the Khadas Tone Board as the NE5532 is still an amazing clean and precise opamp going on for decades. I am curious as to the choice to utilize a rather less popular opamp.
FEATURES
Shanling was smart to equip the UA2 Plus with a detachable USB-C to USB-C cable while also offering the L3 USB-C to Apple Lightning connector as an optional accessory for an additonal $20. This keeps it versatile and helps prevent cable failures from dooming it to the landfill. Inside the package is an included USB-C to USB-A adapter.
Shanling UA2 Plus boasts about a power efficient strategy in which it uses 60% less energy than previous generations in standby mode and 40% less during actual use. I measured about a 40-50mA power draw dubbing itself on the lower end of the scale for power consumption of similar USB DACs. My fellow cohort Jurgen stressed the UA2 was a battery hog, so this was another area Shanling improved upon.
So why would you buy the Shanling UA2 Plus is the bigger question. The SoC devices are ok in terms of your basic device that should be part of any smart phone that cares about sound quality. Unfortunately those are few and far between these days. Instead it makes sense to look at the DAC/Amp dongles that use additional opamps to boost the power output, but hopefully not at the expense of battery consumption. The Shanling UA2 Plus meets this criteria. The only other additional nice to have feature is the 4.4mm balanced jack that everyone might not require.
SOUND
The Shanling UA2 Plus has a clean and lean sound to it, trending towards a brighter signature with a upper midrange focus. The quad DAC of the LG G8 and the Truthears SHIO add additional warmth and meat to the midbass section given the less brighter nature.
Given that the frequency response is still flat, this difference in sound has to be attributed to other features of the system design as a whole and perhaps the noise shaping. The HIDIZS XO utilizing a dual ES9219C DAC chip sounds bolder, a tad less sharp but also doubles the current consumption. The Shanling UA2 plus presents a more open larger stage and unforgiving, with digital like timbre.
Shanling wins here with their proper detail to power consumption and a more robust 4.4mm balanced connection. Soft and smooth the Truthear SHIO is a less sharp DAC compared to the Shanling UA2 Plus. I would pair warmer sounding headphones with the Shanling UA2 Plus to help even out, or if you prefer a brighter sound pair it with your treble enhanced earphones for extra zing.
The Shanling UA2 Plus is also the smallest, rounded contours, most compact of the bunch, and the extremely flexible braided cable fits nicely into my pocket with the LG G8 and Iphone 13. To unlock the additional features of the DAC you need to use the Eddict Player. The app adds low and high gain control, as well as the typical 7 low-pass filters programmed by ESS. Out of this bunch the HIDIZS XO is the only DAC that includes MQA decoding.
Paired with full size cans, the Shanling UA2 Plus can power the Drop Sennheiser HD6XX, but you really need a real desktop solution to unlock more potential. The Shanling UA2 Plus is more at home powering 100ohm or less headphones.
FINAL REMARKS
The Shanling UA2 Plus is small yet powerful upgrade to the LG G8 quad DAC (basically a UA1), that is noise free and feature packed. Sharp, precise and open sounding, the small increase in price over the UA2 adds a 4.4mm jack and a dual Ricore opamp amplifier section. It is a nicely built portable DAC at a reasonable price given the feature set.
Something sporting these specs and features would have been in the $120+ price bracket a few years ago, but now you can find it for under $90 with less power consumption. Basically, like all these USB portable DACs, decide on the features you need and buy the one that fits your budget, the UA2 Plus neatly meets nearly all my personal requirements.
Disclaimer: Unit provided free of charge by Shanling .
SPECIFICATIONS
DISCLAIMER
Get it from the Shanling Amazon Store
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