Shanling M0 Pro Review

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Technical Performance & Synergy

The M0 Pro has an excellent black background. The player has good separation and transparency for that matter and good positioning. The sound stage is of course not very wide, it is pretty close and intimate when compared to higher-end models. Yet, the M0 Pro is significantly better than the original M0 in terms of layering, separation and overall stage magnitude. Especially stage depth was not great with the M0, but the M0 Pro has better layering between frequencies.

The overall sound could’ve been better with more brightness and definition in the treble region. Still, the presentation is soothing and relaxed, and when I wrap my mind around it, I think people mostly wouldn’t pay attention to the most neutral and detailed performance with this device. It should provide some good music on the go with good enough quality, and it does that.

For this price, I don’t have many complaints about its overall performance. The resolution, transparency and tonal balance are all very good and strong. The dynamism is quite good as well, but it’s easily noticeable that better sources put a big margin in there.

Power-wise it’s all good for almost any IEM, although some high-impedance IEMs need a bit more juice to perform best. For full-size headphones, I managed to drive Meze 109 Pro and Hifiman Arya Stealth. I struggled a bit with the Hifiman, but I still got to extract some juice to listen to music at a sufficient volume.

For synergy, I recommend bright IEMs and headphones with the M0 Pro. Its warm and highly smooth sound can be countered best with those types of equipment.

Comparison

The new R3 Pro Saber is a good DAP, with excellent features and form factor. The M0 Pro has the Shanling house design though, which is notably cooler, striking and more modern looking. It wins on aesthetics. For form factor, the M0 Pro is almost impossible to beat, with extreme compactness. On the features side Shanling players have the excellent SyncLink function, which I like better than Hiby’s HibyLink. But that’s just a personal matter. The R3 has streaming and WiFi, which the M0 Pro doesn’t have of course.

For sound, the R3 Pro Saber 2022 has a more neutral and realistic sound which is more on the audiophile side, whilst the M0 Pro targets a smooth, forgiving sound which is much warmer, thicker and darker. The R3 Pro 2022 sounds brighter, airier and more spacious in the staging department and overall delivery. It has a more realistic tonality, with a studio type of approach. The M0 Pro has a musical delivery, with a full-bodied sound, even though its bass is on the flatter side.

I’ll soon get the new Shanling M1s and will include a comparison in its review.

Conclusion

The Shanling M0 had been the most popular DAP from Shanling, because it was a perfect replacement for the legendary Sansa Clip, with a better sound and more features. Well, it seems Shanling nailed this one as well, and the M0 series is going forward with an updated, cool-looking and feature-packed device which sounds even better overall.

M0 Pro has made it to our Best DAP Recommendations. It replaces its predecessor while doing that. I recommend the new M0 Pro to everyone who has an active lifestyle, who has good IEMs for sports, etc. and who wants to have the good sound quality from their source.

Pros:

• Super Compact
• Updated DAC, BT 5.0
• Good Battery Life
• Musical, Smooth Sound
• Improved Dynamics and Layering Over Original M0

Cons:

• 4.4mm Connection is Sold Separately
• Too Small For Some?

Page 1: Intro, Design, Build

Page 2: Software, Experience, Settings, Battery, Connectivity

Page 3: Sound