Shanling SM50

All-in-One Streaming DAC, Headphone Amplifier and Preamplifier 

• Desktop streamer, DAC, headphone amplifier and preamplifier in a single device
• ESS ES9039Q2M DAC with FPGA and dual precision clock management
• THD+N as low as 0.0004%, dynamic range and signal to noise ratio of 122 dB
• 3.5 mm single ended and 4.4 mm balanced headphone outputs with high and low gain
• RCA and XLR analog outputs plus USB and coaxial digital outputs
• DLNA, AirPlay 2, QPlay, Roon Ready, Tidal Connect and Qobuz Connect
• 4.5 inch 1080 × 1920 touchscreen, physical control knob and app control
• Supports up to 768 kHz / 32 bit and DSD512, with 8 digital filters
• Bluetooth 5.2 with LDAC, dual band WiFi and wired LAN
• Aluminium housing with glass front panel, available in black or silver

Your All-Round Music Center

The Shanling SM50 brings streaming, headphone driving and flexible audio outputs together in one compact desktop device. It combines network streaming, local playback, Bluetooth reception, USB DAC operation, digital decoding, headphone amplification and preamplifier or line output, so a single unit can sit at the center of a headphone setup, an active speaker system or an amplifier based hi-fi chain.

Streaming and Local Music in One Place

With the Eddict Controller app you can use streaming services such as QQ Music, Tidal, Qobuz, Sony Select Hi-Res, Kugou HiFi and Baidu Netdisk at any time. You can also send music from a phone or computer to the SM50. It supports DLNA, AirPlay 2, QPlay, Roon Ready, Tidal Connect and Qobuz Connect, so connecting is straightforward.

Local music and NAS libraries are fully included. The SM50 supports several local network playback protocols, and the Eddict Controller app lets you browse and manage your collection by album, artist or folder.

High Grade Decoding for Every Source

At the core of the SM50 is the ES9039Q2M DAC chip. An FPGA and two high precision crystal oscillators manage the clock. According to the manufacturer, the device reaches a THD+N as low as 0.0004%, with a dynamic range and signal to noise ratio of 122 dB. Local playback, network streaming and USB DAC input all use the same high grade decoding path, so the sound foundation stays consistent no matter how the digital signal arrives.

Formats and Sound Shaping

The SM50 plays resolutions up to 768 kHz / 32 bit and DSD512. It handles a wide range of formats, including DSD, DXD, APE, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, DTS, MP3, WMA, AAC, OGG, ALAC, MP2, M4A, AC3, OPUS and TAK, and CUE sheets are supported. Eight digital filter types let you adjust the sound to your taste. The unit runs on AC 100 V to 230 V.

For Headphones and Speaker Systems

For headphone listening, the SM50 offers a 3.5 mm single ended output with 182 mW at 32 Ω and a 4.4 mm balanced output with 700 mW at 32 Ω. Both outputs offer a high and a low gain setting, with 46 mW and 176 mW at 32 Ω respectively on the low setting. For active speakers or an amplifier, the RCA and XLR analog outputs serve as preamplifier or line outputs. The USB and coaxial digital outputs also allow the SM50 to be used as a pure transport feeding an external DAC.

Connectivity

On the input side, the SM50 accepts streaming, Bluetooth, local and NAS playback, and USB DAC connections. For the network, it provides a wired LAN port and dual band WiFi on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. A dual antenna design supports the wireless connection. Bluetooth 5.2 is on board, and Bluetooth reception supports the LDAC, aptX, aptX HD, AAC and SBC codecs.

Design and Operation

The SM50 has a 4.5 inch high resolution touchscreen with 1080 × 1920 pixels. It can be operated by touch, with the physical control knob or through the app. The housing is made of aluminium alloy with a glass front panel and is available in black or silver. With dimensions of 188 × 205 × 53 mm and a weight of about 1.7 kg, it fits easily on a desk or in a rack.