What's inside?: Dual ES9219C DAC/Amp from ESS Sabre + Panasonic tantalum capacitors. The non-limited M3X uses "special large-capacity tantalum capacitors" instead. Ultrasone PRO900i) The M3X is Shanling’s latest mid-level DAP entry with a brand new DAC implementation, 16x MQA unfold capability, doubling from the flagship M8. This latest X version of the M3 is the successor to the M3s or M3, which debuted a few years ago, now comes with enhanced battery life, a new-gen processor, and a switch between single or dual DAC mode. The unboxing experience here has been nothing be spectacular. The M3X Limited comes with a big white box with both Moondrop and Tanchjim's mascots in front. Once opened, I am presented with a custom white leather case, a few custom art pieces, a USB cable, a user manual, and lastly, the M3X Limited itself. The ESS DAC configuration on a Shanling machine definitely brings in some fun changes in the way frequencies are shaped.

M3 Ultra overall sounds a bit warmer and more relaxed than the original M3X, while managing to improve on the technical aspects of the sound. At the bottom of the DAP, the M3X hosts a USB/DAC port as well as a single micro SD card slot (supporting up to 2TB of storage). Hello thanks for the great review. I have a little question which DAC is more worthwhile (as a fun player) {I already own a FiiO M11 / M15 & others} the M3X or rather the M6 ​​2021? I can not decide….*thx and kind regards The tonality is good, it is not overly warm or analytical. It does not sound digital or artificial. With most of the pairings, it sounds clean and linear with good dynamics. Instrument separation is satisfactory and I will talk about the soundstage in the next chapter as there are some things you have to know about that. Balanced vs. Unbalanced All tests are done using the balanced mode and linear phase fast roll-off filter aka the factory default.

Imaging/Soundstage​

The ES-3 is a warmer earphone that offers great PRaT for the price. Combining it with the M3X results in a great pairing. The presentation is warm, energetic, and exciting. The sub-bass goes deep and the bass is impactful and textured. The midrange is clear with plenty of details. The upper midrange is slightly recessed but shows good resolution and definition. The treble extension is brilliant, clean, and precise. The soundstage has moderate width with good depth. The instrument separation is excellent, as well as the layering. The general presentation is quite airy and spacious with the M3X. Overall, they offer a great synergy together. Pairing: Sennheiser HD58X

If you’ve read through my review of the M2X DAP, you probably know that I’m a huge fan of the M2X DAP, and I loved the unique sweet tonality Shanling went for when creating the M2X. The overall support from Shanling is on a whole nother level compared to most companies. This is because they employed a dedicated rep for their DAPs, and they are a high-end audio company from China, having some really expensive products in their store. This means that they mean business in China, where rules are far more strict and where the folks into audio don’t take music lightly. True to its form, the Shanling M3X weighs a relatively lightweight 168 grams which manages to shave around half the weight of the M8 DAP. Despite this, the M3X still retains a similar premium quality feel. The Screen Roon(NUC)+ HQPlayer(MBP) -> Singxer SU-6 with Ferrum Hypsos(I2S) -> Sonnet Pasithea -> Schiit Freya+ -> EC ZDS/ECP DSHA-3F -> ZMF Ironwood VC/ Ziricote VO/ Aged Cherry AO/ 800s There M6 comes in a clean and simple looking box and a few necessary accessories can be found inside it. There is a type C cable, a user manual and a warranty card rounds up the list of things out of the box. Both the screen guards are pre applied so one needs not to bother. Hi how would you compare tue m3x to shanling m2x soundwise. I know that m3x is an android player and m2x not. Fiio FH9 w/Fiio LC RE Pro 2022) Introducing Shanling M3X​M3X is our newest Android Hi-Res portable player, built on the same platform as our previous three Android models. But this time we are aiming at the more affordable part of the market, with a little bit less focus on the most demanding DAC chipsets and the most powerful amplifiers.

The Cayin N3Pro is a hybrid DAP implementing dual AKM4493 chips & a JAN6418 vacuum tube. Like the Shanling M3X, the N3Pro offers users the ability to switch between tonalities. The differences in the N3Pro ‘switches’ are more evident, however, with its solid-state and tube modalities. In all modalities, the N3Pro offers a warmer sound compared to the M3X. In my opinion, if you are looking for a DAP that is warm-neutral, with full forward mids, snappy bass, and airy treble, the Shanling M3X Limited Edition should definitely be considered. High gain seems to give the M3X Limited a slight V-shaped tonality. Bass becomes punchier and more dominant. Upper midrange are slightly pushed forward, and mids/lower mids are slight recessed. I find high gain mode to sound more dynamic and tighter overall, but soundstage seems to be tighter and smaller. Features: 16x MQA unfolding, Bluetooth both ways, AirPlay, Wifi… You name it, the M3X Limited has it. However, I find that the WiFi here takes a bit longer than expected to connect to 5Ghz Wifi bands. Do keep that in mind as I find it annoying at times. There is more and more software and hardware supporting this licensed codec and the M3X is considered one of the more advanced MQA streaming players in the market right now.

Bluetooth/Wired connectivity​

Though its not a fully bezel-less display, the screen does occupy a large proportion of the device. Of course, DAPs such as these do not compare to the UltraHD standards of modern-day smartphones but this should be the case considering audio quality and battery life should be more important considerations. The User Interface The ESS Sabre decoder decodes up to 32/384kHz and supports DSD256 native decoding. You can switch instantly on the drag-down menu between a single DAC mode to save power or the dual DAC mode that gives you the full performance, this will also affect the output in some ways. For its smooth performance, an octa-core Snapdragon 430 processor is running under the hood of the M3X with 2 GB of RAM & 32 GB of ROM in its arsenal. As for its wireless capabilities, the Shanling M3X supports two-way Bluetooth connection with supports for AptxHD and LDAC. The Battery This pairing offers a linear and fairly neutral presentation. The EVO‘s bass is tight and fast, quantity-wise it is adequate but the sub-bass extension is somewhat limited. The midrange is clear and the general presentation is transparent. The upper midrange shows quite a bit of energy and the treble extends into the top octave. The separation is good and the instrument positioning is precise. Pairing: Earsonics ES-3

Customers are to bear the consequences and fees incurred, if the parcel was undelivered due to any of the following situation: With Dual DAC on, you get better detail retrieval, better separation, more resolution, crispier notes. Anyone got random constant “tzk” (the same sound when you change music mid playing in youtube) sound when using m3x as dac? I tried 2 usb c port and 3 cables and a reboot, still have that electronic sound, while i tried using same cable and port to xd05 basic it is clean That said, the M3 Ultra looks good, basically a smaller M6 Ultra. Of which I like the design and subtle details it has along with that green color.DAC&s: DragonFly Cobalt, FiiO Q5s, Hiby FC3, iFi audio ZEN CAN Signature 6XX / ZEN DAC Signature, Schiit Vali 2 / Modi Multibit, Exciting News is the SDM430 has QC 3.0 and can be topped up in around 1hour 40 mins with a 15w charger. Using a 10w charger will take around 2 hours and 30 mins. Its forgiving bass and adequate resolving power work well with different genres of music. It will easily impress if you are migrating from the previous-gen players or phones.