Shanling Unveils M30 Modular Concept
Shanling have been in the audio game for quite some time now, but it’s only in the last few years that they’ve been producing more widely-distributed products, most of which are focused on portable audio. For the most part, their products tend to be very well received as offering very good sound performance, build quality, and value. However, it seems that Shanling have been working hard and spending numerous hours at the drawing-board because they have just revealed a concept-device which is unlike anything we’ve really seen thus far. It’s called the M30 and is device which, if it makes it to production, would arguably be the most feature-packed audio product in existence.
Judging from the images and details released by Shanling, it appears as though the entire idea behind the M30 is to not only stuff it to the brim with features, but then to also go the extra mile and make it modular.
So, just how ‘stuffed full of features‘ is the M30? Well, let’s put it this way…it might practically be the only audio device you ever need apart from a set of headphones, IEMs, or turntable.
The M30 will, of course, have a discreet DAC chip setup as well as an amplifier, and both of these will be independently modular. So, you could perhaps opt for the latest and greatest dual DAC setup, but pair it with a fairly low-powered amplifier module if you only intend to use efficient IEMs. Heck, there might even be one of those THX AAA amp modules available. Who knows?
What’s super interesting is that Shanling are also attempting to incorporate some vacuum tube goodness in the form of the Korg 6P1 tube. If you’re unfamiliar with what this is, we briefly covered it when it was first rumored to be implemented in some of iBasso’s amplifier modules for the DX150 and DX200.
However, it doesn’t just stop there because Shanling also plans to implement WiFi and Bluetooth into the M30, which should cover you for all your in-home and even on-the-go streaming needs.
And even more still, Shanling are even developing a modular section for the DAP portion which will apparently give you the choice of using an open-Android OS module, or one with a more simplified OS (likely a variant of Shanling M-touch interface).
The full details released by Shanling thus far for the M30 are as follows:
Specification:
- Digital Player module – 6-inch 1920 x 1080 Touch Screen, Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 CPU
- DAC module – 2x AKM AK4497 DAC and 2x OPA1612 Amplifier
- Amplifier module – 2x OP42 and 2x BUF634A
- Battery module – 5x 18650 mAh batteries
- Tube modules – Korg 6P1 tube
- Wireless module – DWHP83
Outputs/Inputs
- Balanced Headphones outputs – 4-pin XLR / 4.4mm, 3.5mm, 2.5mm jacks
- Single Ended Headphones outputs – 6.3mm, 3.5mm jacks
- Analog outputs/inputs – RCA and balanced XLR output / RCA input
- Digital – Coaxial RCA / Optical / 2x USB-A / USB-B / Ethernet
- Wireless – 2.4G / 5G Wi-Fi and Bluetooth ( SBC, aptX, aptx HD, LDAC, HWA LHDC)
- Card slot – SD card (up to 1TB)
- Build-in memory – 32GB
I think it’s safe to say that pretty much all of us understands just what a feat of engineering this will be if Shanling can manage to turn the M30 from a mere concept into a feasible product. This could very easily replace a lot of other devices out there as the idea of having so many features in a single device seems very appealing. You wouldn’t need a dedicated headphone amplifier since the M30 has both analogue inputs and outputs, and nor would you require a separate DAC section. Adding WiFi, Ethernet, and Bluetooth are just sweetens the deal so much more since it means that the M30 pretty much can become a single-device-solution.
Whilst Shanling does seem to have been able to create a working prototype of the M30, it’s unclear if/when the device will be ready for wide-spread distribution. There also has been no mention of the expected price, but one can only imagine that such a complicated piece of engineering isn’t exactly going to cost just a few pennies.
