Lynn reviews the Shanling EC Play, a compact portable CD player with a CS43198 DAC, Bluetooth, and 700mW of 4.4mm balanced output power. It is currently priced at $220.
Disclaimer: This sample was sent to me in exchange for my honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or status. I thank Shanling for their support.
Click here to learn more about Shanling Audio products previously reviewed on Headfonics.
This article follows our current scoring guidelines, which you can read in more detail here.
Shanling has long been known for producing stellar home CD players, and with this recent boom in compact disc players, Shanling has now taken that history and technology to the more portable market.
Marcus came away impressed with the EC Zero T, stating, “The Shanling EC Zero T is probably the most complete portable CD player I have tested to date.” High praise from the head guru here.
The Shanling EC Mini he reviewed earlier was a hybrid media center and slot-loading model that again drew upon Shanling’s expertise from prior releases.
The EC Play departs from the “strictly” desktop mode, making it portable with an internal battery. Think of a modern-day Sony Discman, and you are in the right ballpark.
Shanling and others are hoping to catch on to the latest re-formatting of listening with this player, especially since it is portable.
The EC Play can also fit into a desktop situation when called upon, adding to its versatility. How does it compare to the likes of the Fosi Audio Merak and SMSL’s PL100PRO? I found out in my full review below.
Features
Shanling uses the Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC paired with dual SGM8262 headphone amplifiers.
Shanling’s in-house audio engineers have done the tuning, with the DAC section balancing technical precision with a natural, vibrant sound, hoping to make the most from your CDs.
The amplifier stage delivers up to 700mW at 32Ω through the 4.4mm balanced headphone output, providing plenty of power for both sensitive in-ear monitors and many of the more demanding full-size headphones.
You can choose between 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced headphone outputs, with a selectable gain setting to match the power needs of your wired headphones. The submenus are numerous and will be discussed in detail below.
The EC Play also includes a 3.5mm coaxial SPDIF digital output so you can easily add CD playback to your two-channel system or powered speakers.
Shanling has built in a 1-minute buffer just for that purpose for shocks and stutter, as well as a clamp that helps position the CDs
Bluetooth 6.0 enables two-way wireless connectivity, allowing the player to function either as a Bluetooth transmitter for wireless headphones and speakers or as a Bluetooth receiver for music streaming from smartphones and tablets.
BT Receiver mode supports LDAC, AAC, and SBC codecs, while the transmitter mode supports the SBC codec.
The Shanling EC Play can also operate as a USB DAC, supporting PCM playback up to 384kHz/32-bit and DSD256 through USB connectivity with laptops and phones.
The 3450mAh battery is capable of delivering up to 12 hours of continuous playback, Shanling’s longest-lasting portable CD player to date.
Design
The Shanling EC Play weighs 418 grams, measuring 142mm x 125.1mm x 26 mm. The EC Play also features an aluminum construction, with a traditional square design for use on your desktop, two-channel system, or while travelling.
The three finishes include Feather Green, Onyx Black, and Moonlight Silver. The Feather Green seems to change color depending upon light situations, much like a Peacock does.
The redesigned active magnetic clamp system, adapted from the company’s previous EC models, helps to keep CDs in place.
The mechanism continuously adjusts pressure and positioning on the CD to improve playback stability while reducing mechanical vibration and noise.
Combined with a custom CD drive system, EC Play continuously delivers accurate CD reading and seamless gapless playback support for CD, CD-R, and CD-RW formats.
The lid does have a mechanical lock toggle, which should be for portable use, in my opinion, and the finish can be a fingerprint magnet.
The tactility of the buttons is top-quality Shanling, but the overall construction falls below their strict standards and some other recent models I have reviewed.
While those buttons work well, the lettering is hard to read unless you are at the right viewing angle due to glare. Making the lettering more readable should have taken precedence.
I do like the sleek, nearly equal-sided design, and appreciate the understated look to the EC Play, though.
I/O
The Shanling EC Play comes with dual headphone ports (3.5mm SE, 4.4mm balanced), an SPDIF digital out, and 6.0 Bluetooth for listening pleasures.
Since the EC Play is also ready for cordless operation, the 3450mAh battery allows play without connection, for portable use.
The SPDIF output can be used for connection to active speakers, your soundbar, or your two-channel system if applicable. I used the Shanling across all the options listed above, without issue.
The EC Play can also work as a USB-DAC with a USB-C connection for use as a “streamer,” supporting PCM playback up to 384kHz/32-bit and DSD256 through connectivity with laptops and phones.
Besides CD playback, the Bluetooth 6.0 support enables two-way wireless connectivity, allowing the EC Play to function either as a Bluetooth transmitter for wireless headphones and speakers or as a Bluetooth receiver for music streaming from smartphones and laptops.
Controls
The small LCD screen in the lower left part of the cover is readable from close range. And since this is meant to be a portable unit, it functions just fine in the EC Play. To the right are all the business buttons.
I mentioned above how hard it is to view the lettering above these buttons unless you are at a perfect angle.
Tilting the EC Play up helped me view the buttons when using it in a stationary position. The user’s “manual” somewhat helped me through the functions of those buttons.
The symbols are not intuitive, though. It took me a good long bit to decipher them and then learn the functionality.
Granted, they did become easier the more I used the unit, but there is a learning curve.
For instance, accessing the submenus that change gain, theme, filter, output, brightness, and other options takes a long press on the oblong middle button. Then a single click allows scrolling between each function.
Changing each, though, requires you to use the FF and REW buttons next to the function button.
To me, this is akin to an old PC where functionality required 4-5 steps to achieve something that should take 1-2 at most. Once learned, the functionality of the Shanling EC Play became easier, but it should not be that hard in the first place.
Packaging & Accessories
Shanling has pretty much always been at the forefront of minimizing packaging without losing the protective nature of the unit. The EC Play continues this theme, with a solid, smaller square box not much larger than the unit itself.
Nestled inside a plastic sleeve and protective foam inserts, the Shanling EC Play sits well protected.
And in a paperboard box below, you’ll find all the accessories. A single USB-A-to-USB-C cable is included, so the user will need to provide their own 3.5mm SPDIF cable.
Sound Impressions
Listening impressions for the Shanling EC Play were made using the Noble FoKus Prestige Encore (BT), Noble FoKus Apollo Pro, Noble Knight, and the Edifier M90 powered speakers.
Streaming was briefly done through my iPhone 16 Pro Max, but CD play took precedence over all other methods.
Summary
The goal of the Shanling EC Play is not to promote top-class audio first.
Instead, the EC Play is tuned to provide a fun, vibrant signature reminiscent of the old Discman players. Oriented towards Gen Z, who may not have a CD player yet, the EC Play largely succeeds.
Promoting an enthusiastic but not bright or forceful signature, the EC Play represents a vibrant tonality, which is indeed audio quality and fun.
I found myself raising the volume in situations that were quite appropriate. Vibrantly produced CDs come with a fun signature that promotes an energetic sound, while keeping detail retrieval at a maximum.
Varying the filter of choice made small differences while using the more sensitive Noble Knight, but I tended to stay with one filter.
The bass reach was dependent upon the source CD, but on tracks with low-reaching bass, there was indeed rumble while using the Noble FoKus Apollo Pro.
The midrange and treble promoted very good clarity while allowing the separation of notes to promote an airy and fulfilling sound.
Timbre
The Shanling EC Play presents a vibrant tonality, which presents very good detail retrieval with a natural, energetic sound. The lows provide rumble, but with very good control due to speedy decay.
CD quality can often be dry and analytical, but Shanling has instilled an energy into the sound that presents itself as light and fun, without losing the accuracy and precision of notes.
I would not call the signature smooth or rich, like many of the Shanling DAPs, but again, that fun and energetic terminology comes into play.
There is more detail, but the signature does not lose either depth or weight of notes too much in the search for CD-like sound quality.
The detail retrieval and clarity usually associated with CDs is certainly there, but a certain lilt comes through with the tuning towards the fun side.
Again, note weight does not parse into thin or short like it could, due to that tuning.
There is air between the notes, and a speedy attack and decay come into the signature. But Shanling tunes the EC Play so as not to lose the character quality of the sound. This is where the fun, energetic side of the sound signature plays its part.
As a result, there is a certain loss in overall detail and clarity. But, as stated in Shanling’s own literature, the EC Play is tuned for energy, fun, and a reminiscence of portable CD players of old.
Staging & Dynamics
I mentioned the sound dynamics somewhat in the above section, but it can certainly be carried over into this section. With a fun signature, the vibrant, energetic tone can promote an untamed dynamic sound.
Think of an over-engineered production where a loss of depth occurs because the sound is tuned too far towards the fun part.
The Shanling EC Play does not promote this, balancing nicely between detail and fun energy through that vibrant personality.
The tuning of my older Shanling M6 Pro is one of smooth richness, almost a polar opposite of the EC Play. But it shows how Shanling can wield their tuning forks into a wonderful listening tool in both. And it works.
The soundstage of CDs has traditionally been the panacea of the medium. That is, unless you are presented with a high-quality pressing. Mass-produced CDs of old represented the mainstream approach, which led to many calling the technology a step backwards.
Shanling has tuned the EC Play for energy, which also happens to expand the height in a three-dimensional manner, lending a high-ceiling approach.
This allows the notes to expand upwards, but without losing definition as width and depth are quite adequate, too.
The Shanling EC Play is first and foremost about fun. And the dynamic presentation provides the listener with a fun, expansive production.
Click on page 2 below for my recommended pairings and selected comparisons.
