# Shanling H3 Portable Amp/DAC with Bluetooth



## nmatheis

*Shanling H3 product page: LINK*

*SPECIFICATIONS:*

Output: 210mW @ 32 ohm 
Frequency Response: 20Hz~20KHz(-0.5dB)
THD: <0.004% 
Dynamic Range: >110dB 
SNR: >120dB
Supported Bit Rates: 16bit, 24bit, 32bit
Supported Sample Rates: 44.1kHz - 384kHz

*FEATURES:*

DAC: ES9018K2M
I/V & LPF Opamp: OPA2134
4.0 Bluetooth, APT-X supported
XMOS, supporting up to 384k/32bit PCM and DoP128 DSD128
HP Opamp: OPA2134
HP Buffer: TPA6120a2

*MSRP: *$350


----------



## nmatheis

Reserved


----------



## nmatheis

nmatheis's review: LINK


----------



## hakushondaimao

Very interested in this tour. I agree to all conditions.


----------



## Hisoundfi

Ummmmmm, YA!
  
 This is super exciting! Been itching to try this for a while now!
  
 I agree to the terms and conditions.


----------



## Cotnijoe

Id be interested in giving the H3 a listen


----------



## nmatheis

Welcome guys! I'll tour them together for as long as possible for those who're interested in both and then split them up if needed.


----------



## money4me247

hi, i am interested in this and agree to all conditions. thanks

edited: I am located in the US  texas as well.


----------



## Canadian411

This is nice, direct competitionto Oppo HA-2.
  
 How much is this ?


----------



## Soundsgoodtome

Interested and agreed.


----------



## nmatheis

canadian411 said:


> This is nice, direct competitionto Oppo HA-2.
> 
> How much is this ?




Good question about MSRP. I'm guessing it'll be around $300 but will check in with Shanling and update the first post. 

As far as competition for the Oppo, the H3 one-ups the HA-2 with Apt-X Bluetooth support. I've been using that with my iPhone


----------



## Ivabign

Interested and agree to the rules - also qualify based on tour requirements. (also my 2500th post, so you gotta go with serendipity)


----------



## mosshorn

Agree to all conditions, this certainly looks interesting and could possibly be a game changer!


----------



## nmatheis

ivabign said:


> Interested and agree to the rules - also qualify based on tour requirements. (also my 2500th post, so you gotta go with serendipity)




Congrats on 2500!!!


----------



## jodgey4

Interested myself as well, and I agree to all conditions.
  
 TEXAS!!!


----------



## HotIce

Very nice design. A little bit anemic on the output power front.


----------



## gjllopez

I would like to apply and agree to the terms and conditions. From the U.S.


----------



## nmatheis

Hey guys,

Could you please edit your post and add US or Canada.

Cheers,
Nikolaus


----------



## Canadian411

nmatheis said:


> Good question about MSRP. I'm guessing it'll be around $300 but will check in with Shanling and update the first post.
> 
> As far as competition for the Oppo, the H3 one-ups the HA-2 with Apt-X Bluetooth support. I've been using that with my iPhone




Better be around $299, otherwise people will buy oppo.


----------



## nmatheis

canadian411 said:


> Better be around $299, otherwise people will buy oppo.



No offense intended, but have you heard the H3? I'm curious what's driving your statements. I haven't heard the HA-2 yet and have no basis to judge one versus the other.


----------



## jodgey4

nmatheis said:


> No offense intended, but have you heard the H3? I'm curious what's driving your statements. I haven't heard the HA-2 yet and have no basis to judge one versus the other.


I think he's speaking about name recognition... people usually choose the established brand over a newcomer unless there's a good reason.


----------



## Canadian411

nmatheis said:


> No offense intended, but have you heard the H3? I'm curious what's driving your statements. I haven't heard the HA-2 yet and have no basis to judge one versus the other.


 
  
 Nope sorry, didnt hear H3 yet but you know oppos sounds really good, you name it, cd players, amps, dacs are all in the top notch. If Shanling wants to take over some of the marketshare they better be better than oppo and cheaper, just saying.
  
 This is for them, not for me, and I hope to hear it one day.


----------



## MrLazyAnt

Very interested,
  
 Location: Israel
  
 Reviews: SoundMAGIC HP100
               FiiO X1
  
 Agree to all terms and conditions


----------



## Bananiq

Is it iOS compatible?


----------



## nmatheis

bananiq said:


> Is it iOS compatible?




Yes, with the CCK and as long as you turn on the H3 first. If you plug in with H3 off, you get the "too much power" warning. Plug in after turning it on, and everything's good.


----------



## Bananiq

Thanks!
  
 I really wonder how does it compare to say C5DAC or HA-2


----------



## nmatheis

canadian411 said:


> Nope sorry, didnt hear H3 yet but you know oppos sounds really good, you name it, cd players, amps, dacs are all in the top notch. If Shanling wants to take over some of the marketshare they better be better than oppo and cheaper, just saying.
> 
> This is for them, not for me, and I hope to hear it one day.






jodgey4 said:


> I think he's speaking about name recognition... people usually choose the established brand over a newcomer unless there's a good reason.




I understand. The Android/iOS Amp/DAC competition is fierce right now with Cayin, Onkyo, Oppo, Teac, etc. throwing their hats in the ring.


----------



## nmatheis

bananiq said:


> Thanks!
> 
> I really wonder how does it compare to say C5DAC or HA-2




Well, I just happen to have H3 and C5 DAC right now and will be comparing them soon :wink_face:


----------



## Bananiq

nmatheis that would be highly appreciated


----------



## nmatheis

bananiq said:


> nmatheis that would be highly appreciated




I'll probably get to that next week. This week has been focused on the upcoming RHA T20.


----------



## nmatheis

Deleted. Wrong thread :wink_face:


----------



## Armaegis

I'm interested and located in Canada. I have plenty of reviews if you check my profile.


----------



## Peter West

Thought I had replied already...oops my bad...I'd be very interested in joining the Canadian tour.


----------



## nmatheis

Thanks to all who expressed interest! 

I'm out of town and have sporadic internet access. I'll work on coordinating the tour and get a list of tour members up next week


----------



## nmatheis

FYI: Lend Me Ur Ears has Shanling H3 bundled with select Dunu and Vsonic IEM on sale right now. For instance, but an M3 and get Vsonic GR07 Classic for ~$20 or Dunu Titan for ~$55. 

LINK


----------



## nmatheis

Finalizing tour logistics...


----------



## nmatheis

Here's a rough timeline for the tour:


----------



## Cotnijoe

Heyyy where did i go nikolaus


----------



## nmatheis

cotnijoe said:


> Heyyy where did i go nikolaus




This is all the people who agreed to review both H3 + M3. If you're still interested in just the H3, I can probably fit you in at the end of the H3 + M3 co-tour :wink_face:


----------



## nmatheis

Tour members: Please post any impressions, question, etc. about the H3 in the dedicated H3 thread I just set up: *LINK*


----------



## Cotnijoe

OH i see. Is the individual stuff not happening anymore? If you can I'd be alrite being fitted at the end and give both a listen. It should be pretty free by september or october


----------



## nmatheis

cotnijoe said:


> OH i see. Is the individual stuff not happening anymore? If you can I'd be alrite being fitted at the end and give both a listen. It should be pretty free by september or october




There were several people interested in both, so it was easier to keep them together. I'll pop you on the end of the list for now.


----------



## nmatheis

Revised timeline:


----------



## Seamouse

Hi, any thought on the h3 yet? Ive been looking at the lendmeurears titan 1 deal for a while now but was hoping for sone reviews before pulling the trigger, however time is running out.

Thanks


----------



## nmatheis

seamouse said:


> Hi, any thought on the h3 yet? Ive been looking at the lendmeurears titan 1 deal for a while now but was hoping for sone reviews before pulling the trigger, however time is running out.
> 
> Thanks




Why yes. Yes, I do :wink_face: 

Others will soon, too. I'm going to be shipping the Shanling H3 & M3 out soon for the *Great Shanling North American Review Tour of Summer 2015!!!*

Some listening notes...


*Sources compared*
Fiio X5
Shanling M3
iPhone 5s -> Shanling H3

Volume matched @ 1kHz tone with AKG K553

*Soundstage*
H3 vs. X5: comparable width, H3 has better depth and height
H3 vs. M3: comparable width, better depth and height

*Lows*
H3 vs. X5: Tighter, faster, more linear bass with less mid-bass bloom. More natural but less fun. Less impact / slam, but it's still there and satisfying. 
H3 vs. M3: Less linear and more impactful. M3's bass sounds more relaxed / softer in comparison. 

*Mids*
H3 vs. X5: Mids are cooler and less intimate. X5 feels like the vocalist is singing directly to you. H3 feels like they stepped back a bit and are singing to the room. 
H3 vs. M3: Similar presentation but M3's mids are drier, conveying less emotion. 

*Highs*
H3 vs. X5: Crisper and more detailed but less harsh / digital. X5 highs sounded a bit aggressive in comparison. X5 was more prone to accentuating sibilance. 
H3 vs. M3: H3 highs feel a bit edgy compared to M3. H3 feels crisper and more detailed. 

*Overall*
H3 vs. X5: H3 has more linear bass, a more holographic soundstage, and is detailed without sounding aggressive, giving the H3 a more neutral, natural sound signature. In comparison, the X5 has a more intimate soundstage, is mid-bass heavy, and has a more aggressive high end, giving it a more "fun" sound signature. 
H3 vs. M3: H3 now feels like the fun sound signature, with more bass impact, sweeter mids, and more detailed high end. The M3 sounds quite neutral in comparison, making it easier for longer listening sessions but less exciting. 


Some more notes vs. Cayin C5DAC:
* C5 DAC has less holographic soundstage
* C5 DAC has warmer sound signature
* C5 DAC has less impactful, slower bass response
* C5 DAC has warmer mids
* C5 DAC is less shimmery up top


*Other*
Bluetooth DAC is limited to 16/44 and sounds ok but I'd much, much rather use a cable for significantly better sound. 

Bluetooth transmitter is easily blocked, leading to intermittent cutouts. This is best used if you throw the H3 in a bag or on your desk-table. In my pocket, I got a lot of cutouts when my leg blocked the transmitter. 

The gain switch doesn't feel up to the build quality of the rest of the H3. I found it switched from L to H gain settings by removing it from a pouch I placed it in. Not good!

The volume pot is quite nice - large knurled dial. 

The gain settings are great, and I get good use out of both L and H gain settings. IEM and most HP are good with 25-50% on L gain. My HE400 planars are good with 25-50% on H gain. 

Connection via CCK to my iPhone was picky since the H3 only had one micro USB port. You need to hook up your IEM/HP first and then connect to your iPhone or the H3 will be in charge mode, and the iPhone will reject the connection. 

No carry pouch/sleeve???

Looks ok but not very high class...

Battery life is ok. Just charge it overnight every day or two. 

Overall, I quite like quite a lot. In my time with this and the Cayin C5DAC, I liked the C5DAC because of its warm sound signature that was still detailed. However, when listening to the H3 in comparison it made the C5DAC sound too mid-bass heavy and sweet. The H3 was the more neutral, resolving choice. Of course, what you prefer depends on your preferences. 

*Cheers*


----------



## Seamouse

Thank you


----------



## nmatheis

The H3 & M3 are on their way to @Soundsgoodtome


----------



## nmatheis

Whew, just finished my review...
  
 Here's a LINK.
  
 Here's the whole shebang 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 



Spoiler: Full review ahead...



 

 
 
 

*BACKGROUND*

A bit of information about Shanling excerpted from their *Website*:

Shenzhen Shanling Digital Technology Development Co., Ltd. is a joint-venture high-tech enterprise specializing in research and development, manufacture, marketing and sales of audio products.  Shanling began as a developer of audio products in 1988, producing its first Hi-Fi stereo power amplifier.  Since then, Shanling has grown and now manufactures a wide range of products – SACD/CD player, high fidelity solid-state and vacuum tube amplifier, advanced mini music center, tuner, audio/video amplifier, etc.

Today, we'll be looking at their first entry into the ever-expanding DAC/Amp market targeting smartphone users, the *Shanling H3*.

Here's a *LINK* to the dedicated H3 thread, where you can look for upcoming impressions, ask questions, etc.

 

DISCLAIMER  I was provided the Shanling H3 as a review sample as part of a *U.S. + Canada Review Tour *I'm coordinating.  There is no financial incentive from Shanling in writing this review.  I am in no way affiliated with Shanling, and this is my honest opinion of the H3.  I would like to thank *@Shanling* for giving the Head-Fi community a chance to test drive the H3, and I hope our feedback proves useful for fellow Head-Fi members as well as for Shanling.

 

*INTRODUCTION*
Ok, so why review the Shanling H3.  Well, when I saw it announced I wondered how well this DAC/Amp would compare to the Cayin C5DAC.  I'd just signed up for that review your and thought it would be a good opportunity to compare the two first-hand.  I was also intrigued by the Apt-X Bluetooth feature.  Wireless connectivity is something I think we're going to see more and more of in the future, so I was curious how well it worked and whether or not it would improve upon the listening experience with my iPhone and also how well the iPhone + H3 could replace my trusty Fiio X5 Classic.  On top of this, a review tour would provide other Head-Fi members a chance to check out this new DAC/Amp, compare it to existing products, and make a more informed choice about which DAC/Amp fits their needs!
 
Read on to find out whether or not the H3 met my expectations…
 
 
ABOUT ME I'm a 43 year old father who loves music.  From electronic (Autechre, Boards of Canada) to modern/minimalist composition (John Cage, Philip Glass) to alternative rock (Flaming Lips, Radiohead) to jazz (John Coltrane and Miles Davis) to metal (Behemoth, King Diamond) to classic rock (Eagles, Rush), I listen to a wide variety of genres and artists. 
 
My portable music journey started with the venerable Sony Cassette Walkman and then progressed to portable CD players, minidisc recorders (still have my Sharp DR7), and finally on to DAPs like the Rio Karma, iRiver IHP-1xx, iPod 5.5, iPhones, and the newer crop of DAPs from Fiio and iBasso. 
 
I typically listen with IEMs from my ever-growing collection from budget to mid-fi. Less often, I grab a pair of full-size cans.  Recently, I've been listening a lot with my AKG K553 and HiFiMan HE400, as well as the Alpha & Delta AD01 and RHA T20 IEM I had in for testing.  I do have a lot of other gear, though.  You can always check my profile for a reasonably up to date gear list. 
 
As with a lot of people my age, I've got some hearing issues.  I've got mild tinnitus and suffer from allergies, which can affect hearing in my right ear.  I'll admit it, I'm not blessed with a pair of golden ears.  That said, I've been listening to portable gear for a long time and feel confident in assessing audio gear - just wanted to be transparent up front. 
 
 
*SPECS*
*SPECIFICATIONS:*

Output: 210mW @ 32 ohm
Frequency Response: 20Hz~20KHz(-0.5dB)
THD: <0.004%
Dynamic Range: >110dB
SNR: >120dB
Supported Bit Rates: 16bit, 24bit, 32bit
Supported Sample Rates: 44.1kHz - 384kHz
 
*FEATURES:*

DAC: ES9018K2M
I/V & LPF Opamp: OPA2134
4.0 Bluetooth, APT-X supported
XMOS, supporting up to 384k/32bit PCM and DoP128 DSD128
HP Opamp: OPA2134
HP Buffer: TPA6120a2
 
*MSRP:* $350
 
 
*PACKAGING & ACCESSORIES*
Similar to the Cayin C5DAC, the H3 arrived in nuclear bomb proof packaging.  Shanling one-upped Cayin at DIY-ing some of the toughest, most packing tape covered packaging I've ever experienced, and I've received a lot of packages!  Do Chinese audio companies hold stock on packing tape companies or something?  I mean, seriously!
 
The actual H3 comes in a classy matte black hinged box with embossed writing on the lid and a very snug outer sleeve that mimics the inner box - just like the M3 DAP from Shanling.
 

 
 
Open the box and you see the Chinese-only owners manual.  I know there's a bit of English on the cover.  Disregard that.  Once you open it, nada...
 

 
 
Under that, you find the H3 and accessories nestled in foam.
 

 
 
Accessories include one stacking band (_just one band - what's up with that?_), a short 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable, and a long micro usb to usb cable.  There were also some silicon feet for the amp which aren't pictured here, since I'd already installed them.  Note that there's no protective case or pouch for your new H3!.  *@Shanling*, at this price point a protective case or much should be a mandatory accessory!
 

 
 
Speaking of the usb cable, the micro USB connector was the longest I've ever seen and stuck out on the H3's case more than any of my other micro USB cables.  Here it is fully inserted in the H3.  Notice how much metal is showing.  It was perfectly stable, though.  If I were using the H3 long-term, I'd plan on purchasing a much shorter left or right angle micro USB cable to make a lower-profile connection with my iPhone.
 

 
 
The only thing I needed to get up and running that wasn’t provided was an Apple Lightning Camera Connection Kit cable, and it’s certainly not on Shanling to provide one of those for us Apple fans.
 

 
 
 
*BUILD & ERGONOMICS*
The H3 comes in black or silver and has mostly metal build with a small plastic plate on top,a small plastic cover over the Bluetooth receiver on back, and a plastic gain switch.  I'm honestly not sure what Shanling was going for with the design language here.  Compared to the very unique industrial design of their *M3 DAP*, the H3 is very plain looking although I do think the black H3 is much better looking than the silver H3.  The build is solid with one exception which I'll cover later, so stay tuned.  Ergonomics are pretty well thought out, but there is room for improvement there, too.
 
Let’s start with the front of the H3.  Here we see the nice, large knurled metal volume knob.  It turns smoothly with just enough resistance to prevent accidentally pushing the volume too high too quickly, which is great when you're using IEMs. My one gripe with the knob is that I have gotten my fingers pinched when adjusting volume by gripping the knob from the front instead of just nudging it along from the top or bottom.  As you can probably tell from the picture below, the case has some pretty sharp edges right around the knob, so be careful.  *@Shanling*: If you're listening, please round these off next time!
 
The front also has the headphone jack and input selector on either side of the volume knob.  All of my plugs clicked in very snugly with no loose connections.  The metal toggle switch has nice resistance.  It clicks firmly into place and stays put.  I never had it accidentally switch to another position.
 

 
 
 
On the back, we see the Line In jack and the black plastic cover for the Bluetooth receiver.
 

 
 
 
Left side.  Nothing to see here.  Move along...
 

 
 
 
On the right side, we find the micro USB receptacle and the gain selector, which is one of my main complaints about the H3.  The gain selector is a small, raised plastic switch with far, far too little resistance.  Since the H3 didn't come with a protective case or pouch, I used a spare fabric carry pouch I had laying around.  When I removed the H3 from the pouch, it was a crap shoot whether or not the H3 would be on the gain setting I left it on.  So a friendly reminder to all of you, please make sure you turn the volume all the way down and check your gain switch when using any portable amp.  Your ears will thank you!  *@Shanling*: A nice solid metal slider with adequate resistance like those used in the Fiio E12 series of potable amps would be a much appreciated improvement!
 

 
 
 
How big is the H3?  Here's a comparison pic with my iPhone and the Cayin C5 DAC (another DAC/Amp I recently tested).  It has basically the same dimensions but is twice as thick.
 

 

 
 
*SOUND*
I’m the first to admit that describing sound isn’t an easy thing to do, so I’ll try to describe this as clearly and concisely as possible without waxing eloquent about subtle nuances that only the highly-trained ear will hear.  If you’re looking for that, there will soon be other reviews that meet your needs.  With that said, my listening was done with three goals in mind: 

How competitive is the H3 + my iPhone 5s vs. the Cayin C5 DAC + my iPhone 5s?
How competitive is the H3 + my iPhone 5s vs. my main DAP, the trusty Fiio X5 Classic?
How similar is the H3 to Shanling's M3 DAP
  
I used many different HP and IEM during my time with the H3. Critical listening was done with my AKG K553 and HiFiMan HE400, volume matched with a 1kHz test tone and the Decibel 10th iPhone app. 
 
*Soundstage*

Compared to the M3 and X5, the H3 had comparable width but greater depth and height.
The C5 DAC had comparable depth and greater width, but I found the H3 again excelled in height.
I remember listening to a song where the music audibly rises over several seconds.  With the DAPs and C5 DAC, the sound seemed to rise up to my forehead level.  With the H3 the sound just kept rising and rising, feeling like it was pulling me upwards.  Nice!
  
*Lows*

Compared to the C5 DAC and X5, the H3 had tighter, faster, more linear bass with less mid-bass bloom. This made the H3 sound more natural but less fun, with less impact / slam.  Not that it's not still fun, the bass impact is still there and is satisfying - just not at the same levels as the C5 DAC and X5.
Compared to the M3, the H3's bass felt like the more fun option with a bit more mid-bass and slam / impact.  The M3's bass sounds even more linear, feeling more relaxed / softer in comparison.
  
*Mids*

Compared to the C5 DAC and X5, the H3's mids are cooler and less intimate. With the the X5 to a lesser degree and the C5 DAC to a greater degree, vocals sound warm / lush, making it feel like the vocalist is singing directly to you. The H3 on the other hand feels like they stepped back a bit and are singing to the room.
Compared to the M3, the H3's mids have a quite similar presentation but the M3's mids are a but drier, conveying less emotion. 
  
*Highs*

Compared to the C5 DAC, the H3's highs were a bit less shimmery and less analog sounding.
When comparing to the X5 however, the H3's highs were crisper and more detailed but less harsh / digital. The X5's highs sounded a bit aggressive in comparison, and the X5 was more prone to accentuating sibilance.
Compared to the M3, the H3's highs were a bit edgy. The H3 sounded crisper and more detailed, lacking the M3's smooth, relaxed presentation. 
  
*Layering / Separation*

H3 > C5 DAC > M3 > X5 
  
 
*Bluetooth vs. Wired*

Bluetooth sounds better than my iPhone but can't keep up with a wired connection or with my DAPs.  My suggestion is to stick with a wired connection.  Your ears and the H3's battery will thank you.  That said, you can certainly do worse than the Bluetooth connection.
  
*Driving Power*

The gain settings are great, and I got good use out of the volume knob with both Low and High Gain settings. IEM and most HP were good with 25-50% on Low Gain. My HE400 planars were good with 25-50% on High Gain.
  
*Resolution*

Bluetooth is limited to 16/44
Wired is capable of up to 24/384 and DSD128
  
*Miscellaneous*

I wasn't bothered by channel imbalance, EMI, or hiss when using the H3. The H3 is missing a bass boost setting, but I didn't find myself missing it.
  
*Overall*
I quite liked all of the gear I was testing out, and I think each has it's time and place and will suit someone's listening tastes well.  Sonically, I felt like my iPhone 5s + H3 (and the C5 DAC) compared very nicely to both the Fiio X5 Classic and the Shanling M3.  I could see a smartphone + either C5 DAC or H3 being a great option vs. a dedicated DAP.  Depending on your preferred sound signature, one of these options could work very well for you.  Hopefully the above descriptions will help guide you in making a decision.  In my case, the H3's cooler sound and more reasonable gain settings would lead me to reach for it over the C5 DAC in most cases.
 
 
*BATTERY LIFE*
My main criteria for success here was whether it would keep up with my iPhone, and it just pulled that off.  That said, the battery life isn't stellar.  I didn't time it, but I'd peg it at about 8 hours with a wired connection and 6 hours with a Bluetooth connection.  For me, this would mean I'd need to charge the H3 every day or two to keep it charged.  Hopefully other reviewers will prove their overachiever status and time the H3's wired and Bluetooth battery life.  
 
This brings me to one of my gripes with the H3, which is the lack of a useful battery indicator.  The Power LED lights up solid red when charging, solid blue when the H3 is powered on, and then changes to blinking red when the battery is low.  That's it.  There's no way I could figure out to determine how much more battery life is remaining.  Not cool!  Maybe there is a way, but having a Chinese only manual certainly didn't help.
 
*@Shanling*: Please give us some way to get a battery life estimate.  The Cayin C5 DAC's three Power LEDs is a better solution.  Even the Aune B1's "morse code" method is better than nothing at all. 
 
 
*CONNECTIONS*
Connecting to my iPhone and MacBook Pro via Bluetooth was a snap!  I flipped the H3's input toggle switch to Bluetooth, selected Shanling H3 on my iPhone or Macbook, and was up and rocking in no time.  Nice!
 
Connecting to my iPhone via USB was a bit more complicated.  Something I learned during my time with the C5 DAC and H3 is that having a separate USB receptacle dedicated just to charging makes life much, much easier for smartphone users!  With the C5 DAC, I just plugged it in and made sure it was selected as my output device.  With the H3, I had to make sure I plugged in headphones *before* connecting the H3 to my iPhone.  Plugging in headphones switches the H3 from charge to output mode.  So if I forgot to plug in headphones before connecting the H3, my iPhone would give me a warning message and I had to completely disconnect the H3 and try again.  Is it the end of the world?  No.  Is it a pain?  Yes.  
 
*@Shanling*: Please find a way to simplify this to make sure iPhone users don't get a frustrating error message when connecting the H3 when there are no headphones plugged in! 
 
Final note on connections: The H3 works just fine for watching movies.  I didn't get any lag while using it as a DAC with my MacBook Pro to watch an episode of Vikings.
 
 
*SUMMARY*
As I mentioned in the introduction, I was interested in testing out the Shanling H3 for a couple reasons.  
 

I wanted to see if it fared favorably against other portable gear I owned or was testing. *CHECK!*
I wanted to see how well the Apt-X Bluetooth feature worked.  _*Not too bad, but not as good as a wired connection.*_
  
The Shanling H3 is a flexible audio tool capable of greatly enhancing the audio experience with you smartphone.  If you want freedom from cables, connect via Bluetooth and it'll sound good.  If you're ok with a cable, connect via USB for great sound.  It can also spice up your DAP listening experience via Line Out.  Although I didn't write about it here, it sounded great hooked up via LO from my Fiio X5 and the Shanling M3 I was testing.  After testing the very powerful Cayin C5 DAC, I was happy to test a DAC/Amp with much more reasonable gain settings.  Good show, Shanling!  I was also happy with the H3's dimensions.  It was basically the same size as my iPhone 5s but twice as thick.  This made it very easy to pair the two.
 
Although I was mostly happy with the H3, there were a few detractors.  My main concern was the sloppy gain switch, and I hope Shanling changes to one with much more resistance in the future.  I was also disappointed with the lack of a protective case or pouch.  Other amps I've purchased include some kind of protective case or pouch - even at lower price points.  There's really no excuse not to include one, in my opinion.  And finally, the lack of a useful battery indicator left me with a battery-drained H3 on a couple occasions.  I'd strongly encourage Shanling to provide a way for H3 users to get a quick and easy battery life estimate.  This could be by multiple LEDs or coded blinking.
 
Despite any issues, if you’re using a smartphone without using an amp or DAC and think the sound signature I described for the H3 matches your listening preferences - please give the Shanling H3 some serious consideration.  This is especially true if you use harder to drive cans.  It will *significantly* improve your listening experience!
 
Thanks again to *@Shanling* for providing the Head-Fi community the opportunity to give the H3 a listen.  My iPhone already misses it!  I look forward to hearing more great portable audio products from Shanling in the future.
 
*And please remember to stay tuned for more reviews from my fellow tour members.  I'm sure you'll get many **different views of the H3 over the next couple months!*


----------



## Anjolie

nmatheis said:


> Whew, just finished my review...
> 
> Here's a LINK.
> 
> ...


 
 Great review!  I've been searching for a portable DAC/Amp and came across this thread.  The H3 looks really promising and the price isn't bad either


----------



## nmatheis

FYI: I'm getting a review sample for a related product and am going to have the M3 and H3 sent back to me before sending them off to our Canadian brothers. I'll restart the tour after a week or two to give myself time with the M3 and the new product but need to switch up the tour order and will be shipping to @hakushondaimao instead of @Armaegis. Sorry for the last minute change in plans, but such is life 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Cheers,
 Nikolaus


----------



## Hisoundfi

anjolie said:


> Great review!  I've been searching for a portable DAC/Amp and came across this thread.  The H3 looks really promising and the price isn't bad either


H3 is the booooooooooomb!


----------



## nmatheis

Wazzup, Hisoundfi!!!

Sounds like we've got a bonified H3 lover in the house :wink_face:


----------



## apaar123

What does it mean that is has aptx?


----------



## jodgey4

aptx is a proprietary from of BlueTooth that allows for uncompressed audio to be transferred... most other Bluetooth connections compress the audio, which results in worse sound quality. aptx = good


----------



## apaar123

So if my headphones have aptx can it enhance their quality?


----------



## jodgey4

No, it just means that compared to older Bluetooth versions, they'll be receiving a higher quality bitstream from your device to begin with.
  
 Idk how bad the older version of Bluetooth actually are, but it's like this: imagine you're playing a full quality CD file (WAV, FLAC, etc). With aptx, that's what your DAC inside your headphones will receive. With older versions of BT, that bitstream might look more like a 192 kbps MP3 (compressed). So you won't be getting the most of your files.


----------



## apaar123

jodgey4 said:


> No, it just means that compared to older Bluetooth versions, they'll be receiving a higher quality bitstream from your device to begin with.
> 
> Idk how bad the older version of Bluetooth actually are, but it's like this: imagine you're playing a full quality CD file (WAV, FLAC, etc). With aptx, that's what your DAC inside your headphones will receive. With older versions of BT, that bitstream might look more like a 192 kbps MP3 (compressed). So you won't be getting the most of your files.


so it useful for wired or wireless headphones?


----------



## jodgey4

Bluetooth is a wireless connection. Wired headphones won't be using Bluetooth. Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions, so we don't distract from the thread .


----------



## apaar123

it has the same dac as oppo ha2 so is it eqaully good?


----------



## jodgey4

The ES9018 is a quite good chip when implemented correctly. If not, it can sound quite harsh. The chip doesn't tell you much, as there are many other important factors in the chain.


----------



## nmatheis

jodgey4 said:


> The ES9018 is a quite good chip when implemented correctly. If not, it can sound quite harsh. The chip doesn't tell you much, as there are many other important factors in the chain.




True that! This is my one of my favorite implementions. Sounds nice and dynamic / energetic without veering off into harsh / sharp territory.


----------



## apaar123

what is the maximum impedance for which it can give good power?


----------



## apaar123

Can anyone compare these to xduoo xd05 or oppo ha2?


----------



## jodgey4

apaar123 said:


> what is the maximum impedance for which it can give good power?


 
 This device states 210mW output at 32 ohms. From there, you can use Power = Voltage^2/Impedance to figure out how much power it can put into other loads (it would be 1/2x the power at 2x the load).

 It's not just impedance that matters, there's also sensitivity. There should be some power threads around here to explain the concept further. What headphones did you have in mind? It can probably power most portable headphones just fine.


----------



## apaar123

How does it compare to oppo ha2?


----------



## HotIce

jodgey4 said:


> This device states 210mW output at 32 ohms. From there, you can use Power = Voltage^2/Impedance to figure out how much power it can put into other loads (it would be 1/2x the power at 2x the load).


 
  
 If the device had unlimited power rails, yes.
 Those devices, unless they use a boost regulator (like the E12, the iFi iDSD, ...), they are fed with the 5V of the USB, which trims the power at higher impendances pretty massively.
 The 210mW at 32 Ohms tells you that they are not using a boost regulator, this is why they list power on relatively low impedances.
 They can sink current to low impedance loads, but not provide voltage for higher ones.


----------



## apaar123

does it have bass boost?


----------



## nmatheis

^^^ Nope


----------

