Shanling called its EC Mini a portable CD player. Indeed, powered by two Li-ION 18650 batteries (there is a separate adapter for charging), the device is ready to spin disks for 7.5 hours, outputting a signal to a 3.5 mm unbalanced jack or a balanced 4.4 mm jack on the front panel. The drive boasts slot mechanics from Phillips and a laser from Sanyo.
But that’s not all. The system is controlled by the Ingenic X1000 processor platform running Touch OS from Shanling, and in addition to playing CDs, you can listen to music from USB (and there is also an SD slot) or transfer it to an external USB DAC. All this with support for PCM up to 32 bit/384 kHz and DSD up to DSD256. In this DAP mode, the playback time on a single charge can reach up to 25 hours. The system has an ESS 9219 DAC, which outputs a signal to Ricore RT6863 (for headphones) and LTA8092 (for line output).
The EC Mini also received a Bluetooth receiver with support for LDAC, AAC or SBC and a Bluetooth transmitter (LDAC, aptX, AAC or SBC). That is, the device is ready to work both as a Bluetooth headphone amplifier and transmit a signal via Bluetooth to compatible headphones, speakers, etc. When connected to a car’s audio system, Shanling EC Mini via USB-C automatically detects the turn of the ignition key.
Otherwise, there are buttons for control on the front panel and a 2.3-inch screen with a touchscreen on the top. Later, an optional case for carrying over the shoulder is promised – you can listen to discs on the go. According to Shanling, “To prevent any mishaps during bumpy rides, the EC Mini has additional mechanical and electronic anti-vibration systems.” The device will appear in October.
The price of the Shanling EC Mini portable CD player DAC and DAP in the US was $360.
