Shanling ME500 Review

Associations

 

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  • Shanling ME500 + Shanling M2X : unsurprisingly, the Shanling combo works pretty well. It looks amazing, feels and sounds like an upper-tier system. There is too many highs in my opinion, but a quick move into the EQ makes it a whole lot keener to the ear.
  • Shanling ME500 + FiiO M11 Pro : spaciousness and accuracy. Once combined with the FiiO M11 Pro, the ME500 becomes terrifically good. The sound stage expands, the bass goes deeper and most of all, it magnifies the dynamic without altering the signature
  • Shanling ME500 +FiiO UTWS : practical but noisy. If you want to go, full nomad, you can plug the UTWS from FiiO and go wireless. It’s lighter and thankfully easy to configure, but, there is too much ground noise. The ME500 seems to be a little too sensitive to be correctly attached to the FiiO BlueTooth adapter.

Comparisons 

Want to compare with other chi-fi gears? Voila :

  • Fearless S8F: the best choice in the low-range in my opinion. The Shanling ME500 are definitively sturdier than the S8F, which will be a major selling point for some, but also less comfortable. Soundwise, the S8F is much more bass-oriented, where the ME500 shines on the upper range.
  • BGVP DM7: the DM7 remains one of the best contenders in this price range. Dynamic is on par with the ME500 but the voices are more laidback. The low-mids seems to offer more texture on the DM7, but the better the DAC, the less you feel the difference. Two great options for sure.
  • TinHifi P1: overall, the P1 keep the edge on accuracy, speed, details. The planar driver offers more presence and much more authority… if properly driven. Yes, the P1 is much harder to push than the Shanling ME500, and that alone makes a real difference for those with a weaker source.

Conclusion

The Shanling ME500 is a surprisingly good IEM.

They are built like a tank, comfortable, well-designed (yes that’s subjective I know) and most of all, they sound great. They can become hissy with some sources but once correctly driven they give a crisp and clear performance. If you favor voices and dynamics, the ME500 should definitely be on your list.

Under 300$, this may be one of the best blend available at the moment, just be sure to pair it with a good DAP.

4.3/5 - (19 votes)
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A nerdy guy with a passion for audio and gadgets, he likes to combine his DAC and his swiss knife. Even after more than 10 years of experience, Nanotechnos still collects all gear he gets, even his first MPMAN MP3 player. He likes spreadsheets, technical specs and all this amazing(ly boring) numbers. But most of all, he loves music: electro, classical, dubstep, Debussy : the daily playlist.

3 Comments

  • Reply March 2, 2020

    Matt C

    Hi there, just wondering how thus IEM would match up to either HiBy R5, Shanling M5s, or Ibasso DX160 for listening to classical music? thanks

    • Reply March 2, 2020

      Matt C

      Sorry I was referring to the ME500 Platinum, thanks

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