Shanling has launched the UP6, a DA converter and headphone amplifier with Bluetooth connectivity. The circuits for DA conversion and amplification are dual mono and the UP6 also has a connection for a balanced headphone.
Shanling UP6
The Shanling Up6 is equipped with a 3.5 millimeter and a 4.4 millimeter jack plug. The latter allows for a balanced connection of a suitable headphone. DA conversion is provided by two ESS ES9069Q DAC chips, after which the analog music signal is passed on to two SGM8262 amplifiers for the fully balanced headphone output. Together they offer an output power of up to 626 mW at 32 ohms, fed directly from the internal battery, without the need for an external power supply or additional cables. With such a powerful output power, the UP6 is, according to the manufacturer, one of the most powerful compact Bluetooth DACs and can easily compete with top-class USB dongle DACs.
The Bluetooth function has been upgraded compared to the previous model with the Qualcomm QCC5125 module, which supports LDAC, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and AAC for smooth, top-quality wireless streaming. When the occasion arises, the UP6 can be used as a USB DAC with computers or smartphones, taking full advantage of lossless Hi-Res playback thanks to the XMOS XU316 USB input.
Following the trends of our UA dongle DACs, the UP6 adopts the design of the UA6. The durable aluminum construction remains, but is placed in a slightly larger chassis, while the weight remains at around 50 grams. The UP6 also features a larger 1.54-inch color display, essential for direct access to all important settings directly on the device.
