SHANLING EC3
Desktop CD player and DAC with headphone amplifier
For the last 30 years, Shanling has focused on CD players, ranging from affordable models to high-end ones. The EC3 is a compact yet powerful CD player, ideal for use in any desktop system, even when placed on top of a rack. It is built on the well-proven Philips CD80 drive mechanism and Sanyo HD850 laser head, with a top-loading design and transparent cover. It features digital outputs in coaxial and optical SPDIF formats for easy connection to external DACs or receiver units. It also includes its own audio circuitry, using ESS ES9219C DAC and LTA8092 op-amp for a 3.5mm headphone output or RCA, and can be used as a preamplifier as well.
However, the EC3 is not just a simple CD player. It uses the Ingenic X2000 platform and a convenient 1.6" screen that provides additional settings and functions directly on the player. It can serve as a Bluetooth DAC or Hi-Res music player by connecting any USB drive, and all of this is controllable through Shanling's free Eddict Player application. The EC3 matches the size of Shanling's EM4 and EA5 stereamers, available in black and silver. The package includes a remote control.