Shanling EC Play Launches to Rival FiiO DM13

The Shanling EC Play was officially announced last Tuesday (April 28). The EC Play enters the market to compete with the FiiO DM13, Moondrop DiscDream2, and Fosi Merak CD players, which are priced between $150 and $200. Below are all the details of this new Shanling release.

Update (July 30): The Shanling EC Play is now available on the international market and can be purchased from the Woodes Store on AliExpress.

EC Play offers the longest battery life and highest output power in its price range

The new Shanling EC Play CD player delivers the longest battery life and the highest output power in its price segment. However, this comes at a cost, as its price is the highest compared to models from FiiO, Moondrop, and Fosi.

In addition to the features mentioned above, there are other aspects that should be considered before purchasing the EC Play. Below are the main features of Shanling’s CD player.

Battery Life

The EC Play offers up to 12 hours of continuous playback. Compared to FiiO’s DM13, this represents two additional hours of battery life. In the case of Moondrop’s DiscDream2, the difference is even greater (3 hours).

It is important to note that the Fosi Merak does not have an internal battery. It is powered via a USB cable, requiring a power source of at least 5V/2A.

Output Power on 4.4 mm and 3.5 mm Outputs

On the balanced 4.4 mm output, the EC Play provides the highest output power in its price range. With 700 mW at 32 ohms, Shanling’s CD player is capable of driving nearly any headphone with ease.

The DM13 is the only CD player that comes close to the EC Play’s output, delivering 660 mW at 32 ohms. Coincidentally, both use the same pair of op-amps (operational amplifiers), the SGM8262.

However, when analyzing the single-ended (SE) 3.5 mm output, the EC Play loses its lead. Here, the model with the highest output is the Merak, capable of delivering 210 mW at 32 ohms. Next is the DM13 with 180 mW, followed closely by Shanling’s CD player at 177 mW.

The least powerful CD player on the 3.5 mm output within this price range is the DiscDream2, with only 124 mW at 32 ohms. It is worth noting that only the EC Play and DM13 feature a 4.4 mm output.

Bluetooth Transmission and Reception

The EC Play can connect to Bluetooth headphones and speakers. In addition to it, only the DM13 supports wireless transmission via Bluetooth. For the DiscDream2 and Merak, an external Bluetooth transmitter is required to achieve the same functionality.

The only Bluetooth codec supported by the EC Play for transmission is SBC. The DM13, on the other hand, supports SBC, aptX, aptX Low Latency, and aptX HD.

It is important to note that the EC Play also supports Bluetooth signal reception. In this case, the supported codecs are SBC, AAC, and LDAC. This allows, for example, a smartphone to stream music from streaming apps.

Optical Output for Connection to an External DAC

Like most portable CD players under $200, the EC Play unfortunately uses a mini TOSLINK optical output, which has the form factor of a 3.5 mm plug. In this price range, only the Merak features a standard TOSLINK output (F05/F07).

Using the TOSLINK optical output allows the CD player to be connected to an external DAC. In this configuration, the EC Play functions purely as a transport, without using its internal DAC or amplifier.

Connection to an External Amplifier

If you wish to connect an external amplifier to the EC Play, this can be done via the line-out (LO). Since the connection is single-ended (SE) 3.5 mm, the recommended cable is a 3.5 mm to RCA cable. Note that the DM13, DiscDream2, and Merak also feature a 3.5 mm line-out.

Absence of CD Ripping Functionality

The CD ripping feature is not present on the EC Play. Only the DM13 and Merak offer CD ripping functionality. This feature is particularly useful when a computer does not have an optical drive.

Shanling EC Play: Specifications

General Parameters

• Amplifier: 2 × SG Micro SGM8262-2
• Bluetooth 6.0
• DAC: Cirrus Logic CS43198
• Dimensions: 14.2 cm × 12.5 cm × 2.6 cm
• Display: 1.12-inch screen
• Supported discs: CD/CD-RW/CD-R
• USB DAC mode support
• Weight: 418 g

Battery Parameters

• Battery capacity: 3450 mAh
• Battery life: up to 12 hours

Bluetooth Parameters

• Supported codecs (reception): SBC, AAC, LDAC
• Supported codecs (transmission): SBC

Audio Parameters – 3.5 mm Single-Ended Output

• Channel separation: 73 dB @ 32Ω
• Dynamic range: 120 dB
• Noise floor > 113 dB
• Output impedance: 0.5Ω
• Output power (high gain): 177 mW @ 32Ω (2.38 Vrms)
• Output power (low gain): 44 mW @ 32Ω (1.19 Vrms)
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 121 dB
• THD+N: 0.0006% (A-weighted, 2V)

Audio Parameters – 4.4 mm Balanced Output

• Dynamic range: 106 dB @ 32Ω
• Dynamic range: 125 dB
• Noise floor > 111 dB
• Output impedance: 0.8Ω
• Output power (high gain): 700 mW @ 32Ω (4.75 Vrms)
• Output power (low gain): 177 mW @ 32Ω (2.38 Vrms)
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 125 dB
• THD+N: 0.0005% (A-weighted, 2V)

Release, Price, and Availability

The Shanling EC Play is now available on the international market in Silver, Green, and Black for US$220 from the Woodes Store on AliExpress.