Shanling has announced the launch of EC Play, a compact CD player that combines, to quote, the “nostalgia” of CDs with modern wireless and high-resolution features.
Said to be “designed to restore the comfort and enjoyment of portable CD listening,” the EC Play is said to be the most compact model produced by Shanling to date.
Drawing on over 30 years of experience in CD player development, Shanling created the EC Play as (in their words) “a lifestyle player that prioritizes portability, ease of use, and modern design.” According to Shanling, the year-over-year increase in CD sales driven by a younger audience looking for physical media, ownership, and an alternative to live streaming is a key part of the timing of EC Play’s launch. (And we all do that.)
Weighing 418g and measuring 142 x 125.1 x 26mm, the EC Play features aluminum construction and a “lightweight” design intended for use at home, work, or on the go. The three EC Play finishes include Feather Green, Onyx Black (shown below), and Moonlight Silver.
At the heart of the EC Play is Shanling’s improved magnetically active clamp system, taken from the company’s previous EC models. The machine continuously adjusts the pressure and position on the CD to improve playback stability while reducing machine vibration and noise. Combined with a custom CD drive system built by engineers with decades of experience in CD player design, EC Play is said to deliver “accurate CD reading and seamless playback support” for CD, CD-R, and CD-RW formats.
In terms of audio performance, Shanling went with a Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC alongside two SGM8262 head amplifiers. Tuned by Shanling’s in-house audio engineers, the DAC section is designed to, quote, “balance technical precision with a natural yet pleasing sound that complements your CD collection.” The amp stage is said to deliver up to 700mW into 32ohms through a standard 4.4mm headphone output, powering both “sensitive” in-ear monitors and “demanding” full-size headphones.
Users can choose between standard 3.5mm and 4.4mm headphone outputs, while a selectable gain setting allows users to match the power needs of their wired headphones for “optimal sound.”
EC Play also includes a 3.5mm coaxial SPDIF digital output to add CD playback to the user’s hi-fi system, compatible speakers, or sound bars.
In addition to CD playback, Bluetooth 6.0 support enables two wireless connections, allowing the player to act as a Bluetooth transmitter for wireless headphones and speakers or as a Bluetooth receiver for streaming music on smartphones and tablets.
The receiver mode supports LDAC, AAC, and SBC codec, while the transmitter mode supports SBC codec.
The EC Play can also function as a USB DAC, supporting playback of PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256 via USB connection via laptops and phones.
The EC Play 3450mAh battery is capable of delivering up to 12 hours of continuous playback, which is said to make the EC Play Shanling the longest-lasting portable CD player to date.
The Shanling EC Play is available now, and sports an SRP of $199 / €220 / £209.
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