Shanling AE3 Review

Sound performance

My main sources were: EarMen Eagle / NuPrime Hi-mDAC / Shanling M6 Pro. Trusted sources from trusted brands that I used extensively for the past months.

As usual, files were played from either Qobuz / Spotify or my own music library. Some tracks will be highlighted, just so you can try them home too!

Overall signature

“He who can do more, can do less”

Frankly, I didn’t expect much from the Shanling AE3, and I happened to be more than gladly surprised. If nice to look at, those ears are also very pleasant to listen to. Out of the box, I even find them better than the previous ME500 Platinum, with deeper lows, cleaner mids, and the same razor-sharp highs.

AE3 reaches deep into the sub-bass, even with a drive as small as the NuPrime Hi-mDAC. It’s immersive, powerful, and deeply addictive, but it never overshadows the other frequencies, as some dynamic drivers do, improperly tuned. Compared to the ME700 and ME500, it’s even more striking, as the AE3 gave me a fuller sound, every time.

It’s a superb IEM, one with excellent articulation, fast transients, and the right amount of force to match, and even surpass its predecessor. On the same note, the dynamic level is remarkable and I’ve been able to easily retrieve small nuances in my test-track, even at low volume.

Paired with the Shanling M6 Pro, the AE3 soundstage widens even more. Yet, I couldn’t find the same holographic effect I found with the ME500 and ME700, so I guess Shanling kept it for its “high-tier” models. Fortunately, the resolution level is on-par with the bigger model, as is the layering, which is, again, quite impressive.

Out of curiosity, I plugged the AE3 into my iPhone with the infamous Apple dongle. If not as impressive (duh), the IEM remained a joy to listen to, where other models simply crumbled. A versatility I missed in the previous models from the brand, even if 90% of us (audiophiles) now use a DAC or a DAP. That said, it remains one of the best in-ear I heard recently, just followed by the FiiO FH3 and the AudioSense DT200.

Tonality

Highs: crisp and clean. Unusually with Shanling, there is no emphasis here and you won’t feel any harshness, nor fatigue over long listening. Everything sounds sharp and fast, even with a small DAP like the FiiO M3 Pro.

Good test-track:  Butter Chicken

Mediums: spaciousness and accuracy. The sound stage is amazing, even if for once voices seemed a bit laid-back. Again the strong point of this IEM is the super-wide dynamic. Excellent soundstage, razor-sharp mids, and the right amount of warmth give outstanding results. 

Good test-track: Rain Makes the River – Jazzanova

Bass: deep and strong. Unlike the ME500 and ME700, the AE3 is pretty impressive on the lower end. Bass is there, well-defined, impactful and it never takes over the mids and highs. Up-to-date, this is my favorite Shanling IEM, at least for the lows. Super impressive.

Good test-track : No Tech A*S*Y*S

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