With the Shanling EM range, they aim to offer the ideal all-in-one desktop solution for all headphone listeners. Shanling started last year with the EM5, which packed a lot of features into a fairly large and very affordable package. Now they are moving forward with the Shanling EM7 , improving on the EM5 in every single aspect, aiming for high-end performance that will match any of the best audiophile headphones.
The EM7’s analog section is built around the flagship ESS ES9038Pro DAC, whose eight channels drive a fully balanced amplifier built on our proven OP+BUF architecture. This amplifier circuit was designed specifically for the EM7 and matches the high-fidelity and clear sound of the DAC while delivering powerful output power for the most demanding headphones. The result is our most powerful desktop DAC/AMP, delivering up to 7 W @ 32 ohms // 1 W @ 300 ohms.
As for streamers, EM7 runs our closed and dedicated system, now built on Android 10. It provides access to a range of streaming services, local playback from MicroSD cards or USB drives, DLNA, Airplay, NAS and even simple streaming over Bluetooth. They all work through our Android Global Lossless Output (AGLO) system, delivering the perfect sound quality on the Android system. The EM7 also moves to a faster Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor, making the system significantly faster.
The most eye-catching part of the EM7 is its new flip-out display. The large 5.8-inch 1080p touchscreen can be tilted up to 60 degrees, making it easy to control whether it’s placed on a desk or on top of a hi-fi rack. And of course, there’s always our Eddict player app, which serves as a remote control for local playback or as full screen mirroring, giving you access to all sections of the EM7 directly from your phone.
Mixing a streamer and a Hi-Fi DAC/AMP in one device can be tricky, but we’ve taken steps to limit any unwanted interference. The DAC and amplifier are isolated from the Android section, and we use independent power supplies for each: a low-noise Noratel toroidal transformer for the analog section and a high-quality switching power supply for the Android section.
The EM7 is a truly versatile device, seamlessly switching between being a high-end headphone source, a pure DAC with an additional preamp, or a digital source for your DACs with coaxial, optical or USB inputs. You can even use it as a source for your Bluetooth headphones or speakers if you wish.
Shanling EM7 Specifications:
- Dimensions: 252 x 188 x 67.5 mm
- Weight: 3.2 kg
- Display: 5.8 inch 1920*1080 IPS touch display
- System: Based on Android 10, closed and customizable
- Hi-Res Support: Up to PCM 32bit/768kHz & DSD512
- Bluetooth: Version 5.0, serves as both receiver and transmitter
- BT codec support: LDAC and SBC Receiver // LDAC, aptX-HD, aptX, SBC Transmitter
- Wi-Fi: Dual band 2.4G and 5G
- DAC: ESS ES9038Pro
- Analog section: I/O conversion based on OPA1611, LPF based on OPA2211, amplifier based on OPA2211+BD139+BD140
- Analogue outputs: 4.4 mm and XLR balanced, 3.5 mm and 6.35 mm single-ended, with a pair of RCA and XLR
- Digital outputs: SPDIF coaxial and optical, USB audio output
- Digital inputs: USB-B, coaxial SPDIF and optical, 2 USB ports for USB storage devices, MicroSD card slot
- Single Ended Output Power: Up to 8.5V/2.3W @ 32 ohms // 9V/270mW @ 300 ohms.
- Output Power Balanced: Up to 15V/7W @ 32 ohms // 18V/1W @ 300 ohms
- Output impedance: 1.2 ohms SE // 2.4 ohms BAL
- Balanced THD+N: 0.0003%
- Balanced Dynamic Range: 125dB
- Balanced SNR: 125 dB
- Balanced channel separation: 104 dB
