Shanling UA5

Shanling UA5

DAC
2 min read

Shanling UA5 USB DAC/AMP

Shanling will be adding some brand-new elements into its latest USB DAC-AMP UA5.
Switching to a combination of 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm Balanced. With its growing popularity and more robust construction, Shanling is implementing the 4.4mm output into the UA model.
Adding a volume wheel for direct volume control. No longer need to rely on the volume control of your smartphone or computer, UA5 provides more precise volume settings and many will appreciate the “analog experience”.
Shanling UA5 3 1
Monochromatic OLED Display. Allowing for settings adjustments directly on the DAC/AMP, without any need for additional apps. And keeping you clearly informed about the current sampling rate, volume level, gain setting, and battery level.
Shanling UA5 3

Hybrid powered USB DAC/AMP

UA5 will be Shanling’s first portable DAC/AMP with a built-in lithium battery, that allows it to run in special “Hybrid power” mode.
When enabled, certain sections of UA5 will still be running on USB power, like USB Controller and FPGA. But the crucial parts of DAC and amplifier will instead use a cleaner power from the battery.
In the testing, this set-up proved helpful in three scenarios:
Consistent analog performance and noise floor, independent from the quality of USB power of the connected device.
Shanling UA5 4
Reduced power drain from the connected device, which can be crucial when running it with a smartphone.
Reduced power demand allows for compatibility with certain devices, that are normally unable to provide enough power for USB DAC/Amps.
UA5 is of course capable of running in a standard USB Powered mode, in which the battery is completely disconnected and all sections of UA5 runs out of USB power. UA5 will also automatically switch to this mode when the battery runs too low.
Shanling UA5 2
Build with two ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M DACs and a dedicated Ricore RE6863 amplifier, UA5 will be Shanling’s best-sounding Portable DAC/AMP.
Shanling UA5 1

Specs

–        Monochromatic 1.44-inch OLED display, giving access to multiple settings directly on the UA5, without any need for an app on the phone.

–        Volume wheel for independent volume control. Also serving as menu navigation.

–        3.5mm Single-ended and 4.4mm Balanced outputs.

–        Possible to switch between full USB Power and Hybrid Battery Power mode. In Hybrid mode, DACs and amplifiers are using clean power from the build-in 220 mAh battery.

–        Fully balanced circuit with two ESS ES9038Q2M DACs and two dedicated Ricore RE6863 amplifiers.

–        Digital SPDIF coax output through the 3.5mm connector.

–        Compatible with Android, Windows, Mac, and iOS. Special lightning cable needed for use with iOS.

–        UAC2.0 and UAC1.0 mode compatible, for use with a Nintendo Switch and other gaming systems or older devices.

–        Hi-Res support up to 32bit / 768khz and DSD512

–        Output power 137 mW @ 32 Ohm SE // 211 mW @ 32 Ohm Balanced.

–        USB-C Connector. USB-C to USB-C cable and adapter to USB-A included in the packaging.

–        Available in black or red anodized aluminum.

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Leather case will cost 15$

Price: 235$ (March)