Shanling - UA2

Portable Balanced DAC & Amp

Sale price₹ 6,999 Regular priceMRP: ₹ 8,599
Discontinued
This product is permanently discontinued by the manufacturer and continues to live on in Headphone Zone's Museum.

Unfortunately, even if we desire to, we won't be able to resurrect this product. The Museum is where we pay our respects to end-of-life, old, archived, but not forgotten products. This page was made with a lot of love and will live on for posterity. What to say, we're sentimental people. 😔

While this product is gone forever, here are others we recommend

Customer Reviews

Based on 36 reviews
58%
(21)
28%
(10)
11%
(4)
3%
(1)
0%
(0)
S
Shameer Mohamed (Coimbatore)
It's a Beast

This review is after 1 month usage., Because am not able to give positive nor negative , intially my mindset was like that
I bought these because of hyped reviews, and it's using the same chip of AQ Cobalt which is 30k & this is 7k only
Also using Ak XB10, Fiio K1 Dac

Am not able find the difference between these 3 dacs ..mild ..I felt
But after started using NEUTRON MUSIC PLAYER , switching on its 64 bit processing & Resampling - Audiophile mode
My Audio Technica M40x sounds like never before in just 60% volume , (Ak Xb 10 dac 100% volume is low compared to UA2 60%)
And because of this much power it's provides, the mobile battery drain very fast, that's why taking 1 star out

Hey Shameer,
Nothing makes us happier than knowing you loved your purchase, hope you had a comfortable shopping experience & thank you for the great review & ratings!

N
Naisadh Kumar (Delhi)
Great Value for the price !

What's Bad - The only downside is that this drains a lot of battery from my phone. The only downside which made me give 4 stars.

What's Awesome - Excellent sound separation and stage. A slight warm sound signature which makes the listening experience very enjoyable.
I have been using this with ATH-M50x and Moondrop Starfield. Blown away by the improvement in clarity.
If you are a rock music lover - in my opinion - Moondrop Starfield + Shanling UA2 = Most value for money eargasm.

Hi Naisadh, Thank you so much for sharing your honest review with us. It is very important to us that each customer of ours gets the best deal on the product they buy. Happy Listening! :)

H
Hari (Aruppukkottai)
Over Rated explanation and reviews

Performance is not as you explained so please try to stop giving hyper explanation !

Hey Hari, its sad to see that the product is not meeting your expectations. Feel free to let us know what went wrong with your purchase and we will try and make your experience any better.

S
Supriya Das (Kolkata)
Musical and Enjoyable

This is a very enjoyable sounding dac with very powerful amplifier. It can drive hifiman he400i 2020 with adequate power which in my opinion a very power hungry headphone(as it is a planner magnetic headphone). It has above average sound stage in terms of width and depth. It is not a neutral sounding dac , it adds some colours which makes it very enjoyable and relaxing sound producing dac(little bit W shaped). It is little bit warm dac. guitar, piano, cymbals, voice are excellent. The addition of balance connection is the cherry on the top. It not only provide more headroom and power but also it provide more clear sound and more details. In terms of detail retrieval, it is not super detail producing dac. But it does its job very well. With very annalytical iem or headphone it really makes music out of the world. At this price this is a really value for money. there is other option too for neutral sounding dac with more detail retrieval (may be, as I have not heard any of these dac so I m not sure) like earman eagle, hiby fc3, ibasso dc03, e1da etc. But this is worth considering as the balance output outperform them all(in my opinion).

Hey Supriya, we're happy to hear that you are loving your new purchase. Thanks for sharing this amazing feedback with us.

L
Lionel Faber (Chennai)
Design and Comfort:
Great
Poor
Sound Quality:
Awesome
Awful
Value for Money:
Bang On!
Not at all
Simply Brilliant

I was very skeptical about making this purchase at first so I went for the 'Talk to a Headphone Guru' option. On the same day I got a call from Mr. Raghav Somani himself. It was kind of a fanboy moment for me since I've seen his videos on YouTube and I really enjoyed them. We had a very insightful chat about the different products available and I was given some suggestions based on my budget, personal requirements & usage. I purchased the Shanling UA2 to go with my KZ ZSN Pro X which I was already enjoying to the fullest. I found it a bit tricky to get the most out of the DAC at first but after a few rounds of trial and error I was about to figure out how to play audio with higher bit-rate without it being down-sampled by the Operating System. The status LED was super-helpful to identify if I'm doing it right. This was on my Linux machine. On windows it was pretty much just plug and play :)

The start of my audiophile journey has been exciting and I look forward to a long standing relationship with Headphone Zone.

Hey Lionel,
Thank you for the great review & ratings! So delighted that you are loving your purchase & hope you had a comfortable shopping experience. Cheers!


Chi-Fi
Excellence

1 Year of
Warranty

Ideal for
Commuting

Best Suited for Portable Use

2.5mm Balanced
Output

DAC Chip
You may not even realise it, but most of us use a digital-to-analogue converter (commonly known as a DAC) daily. Built into your computers, tablets and smartphones, a DAC is fundamental to unlocking the convenience of digital music. Any device that acts as a digital sound source will need a DAC to convert digital audio to analog. A DAC converts the digital information stored in “0s and 1s” into an analog signal that's passed to speakers or headphones and ultimately our ear. In short, DACs play a large part in making digital music hearable. 

While this technical process is undoubtedly impressive, the DAC embedded into your smartphones or laptops is nowhere good enough to listen to your favourite music recordings in high quality. So, if you want to listen to music in high quality, an external DAC is essential to allow headphones or speakers to perform at their potential. An external DAC, first and foremost, will improve audio quality dramatically.
Pair with Laptop via USB

A majority of people use a laptop as the primary source device to listen to music or watch movies. Since the laptop is an essential part of the audio chain there are headphones and devices designed to work a laptop or computer system flawlessly. With the availability of USB connectivity, it becomes easier to pair various devices like an Amp, DAC or even headphones without worrying about drivers or any additional piece of software.


Upto 195mW @ 32Ω
Power Output

Metal
Build

Super Lightweight
Design

My favourite DAC, for use on the go. It comes with a 2.5mm balanced output which is an absolute game-changer when using it with Headphones and IEMs. The soundstage widens, the bass tightens, and the details become crisper.
RAGHAV SOMANI

About RAGHAV SOMANI

Raghav Somani is the Founder & CEO of Headphone Zone. An avid audiophile and musician since 2008, his choice of headphones include STAX Electrostats, Audeze LCD 3, and for music on the go, the JH Audio Roxanne + Astell&Kern SP1000 is never too far away. On his playlist, you'll find A.R. Rahman, Michael Jackson, and the Eagles.

ELEVATE TO HIGH-RES MUSIC LISTENING WITH THE SLEEK & COMPACT UA2

An advanced USB DAC & AMP from Shanling's UA line, the UA2 features a powerful ESS ES9038Q2M DAC and a Ricore RT6838 amplifier to deliver a high-grade sonic experience. Sporting a compact and portable design, the UA2 is a powerhouse DAC & AMP designed to help you enjoy Hi-Res Audio of up to PCM 32Bit/768kHz and DSD512.

NOTE: Shanling UA2 Firmware V1.92.12 - Optimized performance for a more stable connection with a range of smartphones and computers. Click here to download

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UNINTERRUPTED TRANSMISSION & NINTENDO SWITCH COMPATIBILITY FOR GAMING

A USB-C port makes connectivity simple, and you can connect the UA2 to practically any current smartphone to enjoy pristine audio. It is possible to use the portable UA2 with iOS (Lightning cable sold separately), Android, and personal computers. The UA2 has a special mode for Nintendo Switch compatibility. Shanling UA2, with its USB-C connection, can work with any smartphone and all its apps without delay. Enjoy movies without audio sync issues and keep your game at the top level with immediate reactions.

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IDEAL FOR STANDARD HEADPHONES ALONG WITH STANDARD CONNECTIVITY OPTIONS

With a power output of up to 195mW at 32 ohms (2.5 mm balanced output) and 125mW at 32 ohms (3.5 mm single-ended), the Shanling UA2 can drive low impedance headphones with absolute ease. Additionally, you get two output connections with the UA2 - a standard single-ended 3.5 mm output for regular headphones and a 2.5 mm balanced output.

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WITH A NOISE-ELIMINATING LOW-DROPOUT REGULATOR & A LED INDICATOR

With a low-dropout regulator, the UA2 can keep the background noise in check, ensuring that the sound stays clear and free of noise and hiss. Shanling UA2 is a perfect match for sensitive earphones because of this functionality. You can keep an eye on the current sampling rate through the LED indicator, which lets you know if you are playing the high-quality DSD format. Additionally, when connected to your gaming console, the led indicator illuminates red (Red light, UAC1.0 mode).

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TAILOR THE SOUND TO YOUR PREFERENCE WITH THE DEDICATED COMPANION APP

With the Companion App (Eddict Player), you can customise your sound and access settings. Utilise this App to have more control over the Shanling UA2. It enables you to adjust various boost modes and digital filters so that the sound is precisely tailored to your musical preferences.

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1 Year Warranty

Don't sweat it, this Shanling - UA2 comes with a 1 Year warranty from Shanling that covers manufacturing defects. All products featured on Headphone Zone are backed by an original manufacturer's warranty.

Read more about Shanling's warranty in India.

Setting the Standard for Audio Excellence Since 1988

Founded in 1988 in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, Shanling has been a key player in the audio industry for over 30 years. Specializing in audio products, it gained recognition for its Hi-Fi stereo amplifier and expanded into Hi-Res portable music players, amplifiers, headphones, DACs, and more. Committed to innovation and integrity, Shanling incorporates patented technologies like SONY LDAC, Hi-Res from the Japanese Audio Association, and others, ensuring top-notch product quality. Renowned for its dedication, Shanling has become a trusted name in the industry, prioritizing customer satisfaction.

Over the years, Shanling has maintained strong relationships with high-end manufacturers, solidifying its position as one of the most respected companies in the audio industry. The spirit of innovation and dedication to quality continues to drive Shanling as it evolves and expands its range of audio products, catering to the needs of audio enthusiasts worldwide.

Explore Collection
Headfonics

"The single-ended output of the UA2 outperforms lots of dongle DACs in terms of fidelity and raw power and it gets better when you connect into the UA2 balanced output."

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MAJOR HiFi

"I very much enjoyed my time listening to the UA2. It delivered on build, detail, and soundstage extension, and costs less than a hundred dollars. This is definitely one to consider"

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Audiophile Heaven

"At the end of the day, if you're looking for a really high quality Amp/DAC based on the Type-C Connector, Good Amount of driving power, affordable price, UA2 should fit your bill."

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Head Fi

"I love the compact metal casing, the detachable cable, and the balanced output option. Drive a wide variety of headphones, and the detachable cable makes it easy to use with an iPhone."

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Audio Reviews

"It feels good, is well accessorized, sounds organic, it has two powerful circuits - and also works with portable gaming consoles. And it is a brand-name product with R&D behind it."

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Audiophile Heaven

"The Shanling UA2 is among the few portable DAC/amps to feature a dedicated amplifier stage and a balanced output together with a single-ended one. This makes it quite versatile and useful."

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