Marcus opinions the Shanling EC Zero AKM, a brand new entry-level wireless-capable moveable CD participant with an AKM DAC and solid-state amplification. It’s at the moment priced from $319.00.
Disclaimer: This pattern was despatched to me in change for my trustworthy opinion. Headfonics is an unbiased web site with no affiliate hyperlinks or standing. I thank Shanling for his or her assist.
Click on right here to be taught extra about Shanling Audio merchandise beforehand reviewed on Headfonics.
This text follows our present scoring pointers, which you’ll be able to learn in additional element right here.
Shanling EC Zero AKM Assessment
Abstract
The Shanling EC Zero AKM moveable CD Participant is an attractive counter to the upper price ticket of the flagship EC Zero T. It delivers a high-energy cleaner, punchier sound signature, and with a sub-ohm output impedance ranking, it has a stronger deal with IEM customers.
Execs
Punchy, thrilling sound signature.
Secure CD mechanism with first rate learn occasions.
Low impedance headphone outputs.
Cons
Lacks LDAC and ACC BT codecs
After only a few weeks of testing and awarding the flagship EC Zero T CD participant from Shanling, I now have the extra inexpensive EC Zero AKM moveable CD participant in entrance of me.
The EC Zero AKM is a stripped-down model of the EC Zero T however nonetheless retains a wealth of options from its larger sibling, together with an identical retro design, type issue, and bodily management suite.
Most necessary of all, the EC Zero AKM delivers the acquainted easy Shanling ‘home sound’ that may be a agency favourite of lots of the firm’s followers.
At $319, it’s nonetheless a premium worth over earlier requirements such because the MOONDROP DISCDREAM Extremely 2 and solely only a few {dollars} lower than the multifaceted EC Mini from 2024.
So, the place precisely does the EC Zero AKM sit in Shanling’s fast-growing vary of moveable CD gamers, and the way does it stack up in opposition to the Third-party opposition? I discovered in my full overview under.
Options
As with the EC Zero T, the brand new EC Zero AKM is primarily pitched as a contemporary moveable CD participant for headphone and IEM customers, full with accented traditional styling to seize the current group’s thirst for all issues ‘retro’.
To that finish, the 2nd technology in-house designed CD mechanism and servomotor are the identical, and thus, you will see no noticeable distinction in its top-loading and anti-shake efficiency.
Inside is a similar-sized 5300mAh battery to maintain issues chugging alongside at as much as a extra spectacular 10 hours balanced versus simply 7 hours from the EC Zero T. And, there may be additionally a separate exterior energy mode (P Mode), permitting you to bypass and lengthen the lifetime of the battery with a separate DC enter.
Just like the EC Zero T, the EC Zero AKM may also perform as a USB-DAC and ship an analog lineout in balanced and single-ended codecs with provision for digital output to rework right into a CD transport.
As earlier than, the EC Zero AKM can ship audio wirelessly by way of a BT5.3 transmission module able to as much as aptX Adaptive decoding, with an identical listed whole run time of as much as 18 hours, in comparison with the EC Zero T’s BT efficiency.
DAC
That is the place we take a step down from the flagship participant with a single delta-sigma AK4493S DAC chipset implementation versus the R2R resistor array contained in the EC Zero T.
It’s nonetheless a stable DAC, however a much less emotive variant and one that’s easier to engineer and rollout than R2R.
Decoding assist is simply pretty much as good as its larger brother, with the EC Zero AKM able to dealing with as much as PCM 32-BIT/768kHz and DSD512 with coaxial and optical assist
You aren’t shedding out right here by way of USB-DAC playback functionality, and it will probably nonetheless rip CDs at as much as 1X in WAV format in the event you so require it.
Amplification
That is the second step down, although with a far decrease sub-ohm output impedance for IEMs and headphones, some may argue that the EC Zero AKM’s amplification is an improve.
Nonetheless, the selection of transistor or tube is eradicated. As a substitute, we have now a single solid-state output courtesy of twin SG Micro SGM8262 op-amps, able to delivering as much as 836mW right into a 32Ω load, balanced by way of exterior energy, and 525mW into the identical load on battery energy.
Balanced and single-ended line-level output is fastened at 2.05Vrms and 4.1Vrms, standardizing the EC Zero AKM for slotting simply into most HiFi techniques, must you want to use it as a transport and DAC.
Design
When you have performed with the EC Zero T, the shape issue of the EC Zero AKM will probably be fairly acquainted. At 158 x 150 x 28.6 mm, the housing shouldn’t be precisely FiiO DM13 compact, however it’s tidy sufficient to throw in a bag or arrange in a confined desktop house.
The boxy exterior, clear lid, and management button aesthetic nonetheless has a retro vibe to it. Nevertheless, the lacking twin tube window on the entrance management panel diminishes the area of interest fun-factor a little bit.
Technically, the EC Zero AKM is a top-loader, which I a lot desire, although it won’t run CDs with the lid open. Shanling has supplied a small open lid equipment for about $20 if you wish to try this.
A clear lid, nonetheless, ought to fulfill most gazers, and to that finish, it’s a really easy 2nd-gen mechanism with an honest anti-shake buffer and a small lock on the aspect of the lid to maintain it safe.
Housing flex and hinge noise is minimized with good damping. There may be only a single purposeful click on if you carry the lid past a sure angle that instructs the participant to cease the CD rotating.
This explicit EC Zero AKM pattern is completed in silver. I have already got the EC Zero T in black, so it’s good to see the distinction between the 2.
The silver feels extra like a traditional participant, however the black end on the Zero T jogs my memory extra of the previous Sony gamers from the early 80s.
I/O
I’ve zero complaints concerning the EC Zero AKM’s inputs and outputs as a result of they match the dearer EC Zero T choices, that means you’re getting quite a lot of worth right here.
You get 4.4mm balanced and three.5mm single-ended line output, SPDIF, two USB-C sockets for information and charging, and the exterior energy mode change to let you use an exterior DC brick and bypass the battery.
On the entrance, you’ve the identical retro-style quantity slide with a 100-step incremental improve vary and three.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced, sub-ohm PO outputs for headphones and earphones.
If I’ve one critique of the EC Zero AKM quantity slider, primarily based on my expertise with the EC Zero model, the extent of resistance when transferring it’s quite mild, that means you may by chance knock it ahead and dramatically improve the quantity.
That is the place the small lock on the appropriate aspect of the panel turns out to be useful, as it is going to additionally safeguard you from unintentional quantity hikes, in addition to forestall skipping from unintended button presses.
Controls
The EC Zero AKM has the identical colourful 1.68-inch LCD display screen because the EC Zero T and is positioned on the left-hand aspect of the entrance panel and managed by bodily buttons on the far proper.
The menu choices are comparable, with the main change being the lack of the tube mode possibility and the change from NOS/OS filtering to the 5 filters constructed into the AKM DAC.
The EC Zero AKM doesn’t include any distant management or wi-fi Eddict app integration, which is a bummer for these wanting to make use of it as a part of their HiFi system and plan on sitting again a bit from the participant. Every thing is manually managed by hand.
Choices for the uninitiated embody a two-stage acquire management, filters, channel balancing, a display screen dimmer, and headphone, line-level, or SPDIF output choices. The ability mode is managed by a guide change positioned on the again panel.
Quantity and energy are additionally separated from the software program system with the guide slider on the entrance panel and a small energy change on the left panel.
Packaging & Equipment
The Shanling EC Zero AKM is packaged equally to its larger brother and comes with an equally sparse collection of equipment.
The mid-sized field has a plainer exterior, only a image of the CD participant itself on the entrance, with copious quantities of protecting foam inside to guard the unit throughout transport.
The participant is on a prime layer inside with the equipment field simply beneath, which accommodates a USB-C to USB-A cable, guides, and guarantee playing cards.
There isn’t a material pouch this time. Nevertheless, you should purchase a carry case, starting from the dearer however appropriate leather-based EC Zero T model or a less expensive PU leather-based carry case for round $40-50.
The leather-based orange case I’ve here’s a neat match, with nearly each management accessible, and first rate thickness to guard it in opposition to unintentional knocks. Its lid design means you may rapidly carry it to let you change CDs quite than having to slip the CD participant out of the case first.
I don’t have the PU leather-based model to check and evaluate, however it seems to be equally purposeful on paper.
Click on on web page 2 under for my sound impressions and advisable pairings.
