Marcus reviews the Shanling EC Zero T, the company’s first-ever “Kunlun” R2R DAC and JAN6418 micro-triode tube-based portable CD player. It is currently priced at $589.00.
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 products previously reviewed on Headfonics.
This article follows our current scoring guidelines, which you can read in more detail here.
Portable CD players became ‘a thing’ just over a year ago, driven in part by the rise in Gen Z’s curiosity in all things retro and physical, and enthusiastically supported by elders like me with a sizeable CD Collection.
Shanling ‘dipped their toes’ into the trend with the EC Mini last year, though perhaps a tentative release given its well-endowed digital capabilities, it could be argued the company was hedging its bets.
The launch of the $589 EC Zero T feels like Shanling is going all-in with a far more confident rendition of what made the portable CD player so special.
This is a slick combination of everything analog wrapped into a modern package with R2R decoding, tubes, and yes, a competitive portable CD Player. Modernity is not forgotten either with wireless connectivity.
The resulting output is nostalgic-smooth, ranging from solid-state analog to tube warmth, and an excellent interpretation of a classic house sound that Shanling has been producing in their DAPs and dongles for quite some time now.
Is the EC Zero T a step up on the EC Mini, and how does it compare to striking alternatives such as the MOONDROP DISCDREAM 2 Ultra? I found out in my full review below.
Features
Usage Options
The Shanling EC Zero T is more than just a portable CD Player with gapless playback capability and an anti-shake system for headphone enthusiasts on the go.
You can use it as a modern USB-DAC or as a Bluetooth-capable transmitter, allowing you to connect to TWS or wireless headphones.
You can also plug the EC Zero T into a HiFi system and use it as a transport or standard DAC source with provision for digital and analog line-level outputs.
Given that a standard Redbook audio CD is typically 74 minutes long, and those with hi-fi setups often engage in long listening sessions, Shanling has equipped the EC Zero T with a 5500mAh battery capable of up to 8 hours of portable playback time and an alternative USB-C power port to bypass battery limitations.
Decoding & Amplification
Inside the EC Zero T is a solid mix of classic decoding and amplification technologies. For the DAC, Shanling has chosen their in-house ‘Kunlun’ R2R implementation, first seen in the EH2 desktop DAC and expanded out in their flagship models such as the high-end SCD3.3 SACD player.
This is an all-to-PCM NOS/OS-capable 24-bit balanced DAC design with 192 precision resistors (48 x 2 per channel) capable of up to PCM 32-bit/768kHz and DSD512 decoding via its USB-DAC mode.
And because the EC Zero T is BT5.3-equipped, you can also transmit up to aptX Adaptive, though sadly no LDAC capability, which is a bit of an omission for me.
For headphone users, the EC Zero T has two amplification options: solid-state (transistor) and tube via a pair of Jan6418 tubes, which is a similar setup to the recently reviewed M7T DAP.
Output power varies depending on your amplification and power choice, with up to 1.2W balanced into a 32Ω load in Transistor Mode, dropping down slightly to 1087mW in tube mode using the DC power high gain option.
Just one caveat, the EC Zero T’s PO output impedance is rated at 4.7Ω single-ended and 6.6Ω balanced, meaning there is potential for impedance skew with certain drivers.
The tube output option is also active for the EC Zero T’s balanced and single-ended lineouts.
Design
Aesthetically, the EC Zero T looks more like a modern portable CD Player than the EC Mini, which had echoes of a 1-Din head unit.
It’s not quite as flashy as the MOONDROP DISCREAM 2 Ultra’s brushed stainless steel, but with a transparent top-loading lid and similar glass over the tubes, it has enough talking points in any gathering to impress.
As with most of these new modern players, the form factor is large and relatively boxy rather than sleek and pocketable. Materials are a mix of CNC aluminum and tempered glass, with the controls and I/O to the front/top and rear.
If anything, the EC Zero T design language reminds me of the classic portable CD players, such as the Sony D-50 MKII (complete with battery pack), rather than the latter-era flat round consumer versions.
At 669g and measuring 158 x 150 x 28mm, this is the type of portable device that will go into a bag when on the go. Thankfully, Shanling has seen fit to offer an optional leather carry case to protect the EC Zero T during playback and transportation.
I/O
This is where Shanling gets top marks from me because the EC Zero T comes packed with loads of connectivity options for a portable CD Player, much more so than many competing alternatives.
Special mention has to be given regarding the volume slider alongside the 4.4mm/3.5mm PO jacks on the front panel, a very analog interpretation indeed.
It reminds me of the volume slider on my 15-year-old Colorfly C4 Pro DAP, producing a nice tactile and engaging experience over blander digital rocker buttons.
DUNU also uses one on their high-end Concept R CD Player, a unit I would dearly love to review at some point. So, volume sliders on CD players are not necessarily a new concept, but it is an enjoyable one all the same.
The rear panel has an excellent selection of connectivity options, including separate USB-C sockets for power and USB-DAC functionality, balanced and SE line outs, SPDIF, and a small switch to control the power mode, be it battery or DC-powered.
Controls
The control suite on the EC Zero T might be a bit more challenging for those looking for a simple setup, but I find it easier to understand than the option-laden touch and swipe EC Mini system.
The EC Zero T has a small 1.6″ LCD screen on the top of the main chassis near the front, which provides most of the basics for CD Playback, but might be a touch too small to read some of the diminutive icons and characters at the top.
It does seem Shanling has a penchant for these tiny screens in audio devices such as the H7 and H5 portable amplifiers, so I am not so surprised to see it here.
The good news is that it’s brightly colored with decent viewing angles for the main playback readout. Battery levels and operational modes are quite small, requiring you to move closer to see what is going on.
Since it is not touch-capable, the mini-menu system is button-operated with plenty of options at your fingertips, including gain, timbre, and sampling modes, BT pairing, and some environmental controls.
I would advise reading the manual for some aspects, like how to bring up the menu and navigate it for the first time, and how to BT pair, as it’s not immediately obvious.
The newly developed CD mechanism inside the EC Zero T is a relatively speedy disc reader with about the same start-up and read time as the DISCDREAM 2 Ultra, and definitely quieter (and safer) than the EC Mini slot loader.
The EC Zero T also has a reliable laser, being able to read new CDs fresh out of their trays as well as banged-up old Memorex 700MB CDRs over 20 years old.
Packaging & Accessories
The Shanling EC Zero T is packaged well, but the accompanying accessories are sparse. The box is similar in size to the EC Mini, just a little more colorful on the exterior, but with the same sliding wrapper and copious amounts of protective foam.
The player is on a top layer inside an anti-static bag with the accessories box just underneath, which contains a USB-C to USB-A cable, guides, and warranty cards.
That’s it for included accessories. The most important one is sold separately, the leather case/strap combo, which sells on Amazon for $110. You can buy it in orange or gray, depending on your preferences, with our sample being the orange one (company colors).
For purple lovers, there is a cheaper PU leather carry case option for around $40-50.
It’s a good case with a neat fit, most every control accessible, and decent thickness to protect it against accidental knocks. Its lid design means you can quickly lift it to allow you to change CDs rather than having to slide the CD player out of the case first.
I am on the fence about the case strap. It looks a bit silly carrying it around on your shoulder, especially in orange. Maybe this is a generational thing.
Click on page 2 below for my sound impressions and recommended pairings.
