Great Things Do Come In Small Packages......
Specs
- Interchangeable cables, using USB-C connector
- Special mode offering compatibility with Nintendo Switch
- 3.5mm Single ended & 2.5mm Balanced output
- ESS ES9038Q2M DAC & Ricore RT6863 amplifier
- Hi-Res support up to PCM 32/768 and DSD512s
- 2.5mm Balanced output: Output power: 195mW@32ohm
- 3.5mm Single-ended output: Output power: 125mW@32ohm
- Size: 54 x 18 x 9mm
- Weight: 12.6g
- USB-C to USB-C cable, USB A adapter
Equipment
OnePlus3 Cellphone (Used as Transport For UAPP)
Earphones: Kbear BElieve, Hidizs MS2, TRN MT1, iBasso IT01x
Preamble
The Shanling UA2 is a compact and well build all in one DAC/Amp Dongle with the nice addition of a 2.5mm Balanced headphone out. Obvious care has been taken in both it's construction and circuitry implementation. With dongles there really isn't much to say as it's all about how if functions, and most importantly how it sounds. MQA is NOT supported but realistically I don't find this an issue that's worth worrying about really unless you are a diehard MQA fan, which I am not.
Setup & Use
The Shanling UA2 is a pretty much plug and play. As I was using this with my trusty OnePlus3 cellphone as a transport, I only had to make sure that OTG was enabled as it has to be when using any dongle or DAC. There is a small led by the headphone jacks which changes colour based on the type of decoding going on. There is also thankfully a USB-C to USB-A adapter included in the box to make make using the UA2 on computers that may not have a USB-C port very simple. The UA2 does get warm with use but it was never bothersome or harmful to either itself or the device it is connected to. There is one tactile button on the UA2 and this is to aid in getting the UA2 recognized on game consoles or devices with older USB implementations.
Sound
In a perfect world the job of a DAC or Amplifier is to follow the principle of "Straight Wire With Gain". While the "Gain" part is more for amplifiers the "Straight Wire" part can be applied to dacs as well. The Shanling UA2 does for the most part follow this mantra, but injects some subtle characteristics of its own. The UA2 overall presents a very clean and transparent sound. Ample power is on tap and this is heard as it's very good representation of dynamics and transients. Detail abound but never harsh or overdone. When moving over to the balanced output this level of impact was even more pronounced. Layer separation was excellent and imaging was also very good if not exactly 3D expansive. Texture and pacing were very well done with the UA2 not getting in the way of the music.
The instance where there was a slight character was in the bass. It was fast, detailed and went deep with great authority and clarity. What was noted was a slight bass emphasis. When swapping between the surprising $25 Jcally JM20, in particular when using the already bass emphasized iBasso IT01x, there was a definite lift in the lower registers with the UA2. Switching now over to a desktop setup on Sanskrit 10th DAC and Topping a50s Amplifier, this was noted as well. It is subtle lift but in my listening was discernable.
Still the UA2 was exceptional in it's fidelity from top to bottom.
Strengths & Weaknesses
In the Shanling UA2 we have a product that will require lots of mind bending to discover let alone highlight any weaknesses. The UA2 is really a sonic joy. There has been talk of excessive battery drain, but even on my old trusty OnePlus3, I could easily enjoy an extended listening session of a few hours and never ran out of battery. The UA2 does get warm, as mentioned above, but it was also never an issue. Soundstage and imaging may not be as holographic as some much more expensive competitors and desktop setups, but not to the extent that it becomes a detriment to the music. It would have been nice to have tactile volume controls on the unit but I'm really nitpicking here.
Conclusion
In the Shanling UA2 we have a product that for it's very reasonable asking price hits far above it's weight in performance. I can honestly say that the performance of better dongles these days has made some desktop setups obsolete. This is of course when dealing with earphones and a large number of full sized headphones as well, but not all.
The Shanling UA2 offers exceptional sound in a very compact and well built formfactor all for under $85 USD. MQA computability is missing here but is a non-issue in my book. The addition of a balanced out is the real icing on the cake.
The Shanling UA2 gets a strong recommendation.
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