Shanling ET-3 CD Transport Review - Golden Schlong Worthy

I'm new here, hello everyone!
I am very interested in the technical characteristics of this CD transport. Does anyone know what kind of power supply stage the ET3 has: linear or switching?

 

Doesn’t seem relevant. My Emm Labs XDS1 ($25k MSRP) has a switching power supply. A friend’s Playback Designs MPT-8 ($20kish MSRP) has a linear power supply and they are both fantastic.

The relevant question is does ET3 have a properly designed PSU for a $700 unit? The answer is yes based on performance.

 

I agree with you, but when I have to choose a product, in addition to making a fundamental sonic evaluation, I like to have a complete knowledge of its technical characteristics. In this case I was unable to obtain this specific information from the manufacturer's website or from reviews online.
In any case, I remain very interested in the ET3.

 

I am pleased to report my ET3 is newly arrived and I have had the chance to have a test play of a couple of CDs yesterday afternoon.

I played via AES to my Cambridge Audio 851d DAC on this occasion and will likely explore usb audio today.

As a Roon user my listening directs my usb out via matrix audio x-spdif 2 to AES then on to this DAC which gives a fine sound.

No i2s on this DAC but I do have a couple of non matching pin out DACs from Topping and SMSL.

Reading on the x- spdif site I came across transcoding DoP to native dad and typed this into Google. I will attach what the ai generated.

I am a complete novice in matters of the science of digital electronics and was wondering if the Shanling might work from the x-spdif through i2s via an ordinary hdmi cable? Even if it simply sends pcm it may have an improved delivery to the DAC?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1owLvhPXL0U5wh6I1tkoEcQDZ9eGn2eQo/view?usp=drivesdk

 

I2s is an audiophile hack introed by audiophile companies for marketing purposes. It’s not a real external transfer standard and not suitable for use in connecting gear. Because there is no standard companies can do whatever they want.

 

Hello Bina, Thanks for your answer. I have questions for you about shopping on https://store.shanling.com/ ...the people there are not in because of Chinese New Year - Congratulations

 

Today's development is the cancellation of my request for a custom i2s cable by the vendor Theater-KTVstore on AliExpress on the grounds that this won't work.

I have to say that is very decent of the merchant who could have easily pocketed the money and continued to do so from future purchasers . Yet I had an incling, as I did my research prior to purchase, that the pin outs between the ET3 and my dacs would not match. Anyway I went ahead and this is where we are.

As mentioned above the lack of a standard for i2s is hamstringing the connection between products of different manufacturers. Some, it would seem do match, (Denafrips with the ET3) many different do not.

The above vendor is that mentioned in the Head-fi thread, yet I have read of a successful creation on the Matrix Audio forum.

Another interesting piece of information I cleaned from my reading was the potential to sever the mains wire in a usb cable with the premise that would reduce noise carried from the source. Whether this is hog wash I don't know and at fifty seven I don't have the hearing of a bat to notice the difference!

 

Does the Shanling ET3 transport work with the PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC II DAC via an i2s cable?

I have information that this transport cannot be connected via an I2S cable to the PS Audio

 

This is supposed to be the perfect wave dac ii pin out from pin one down to nineteen:

PS Audio
PWD MKI/MKII, PWT
SD (-)
GND
SD
BCK
GND
BCK (-)
L/RCLK (-)
GND
L/RCLK
MCLK
GND
MCLK (-)
NOT USED
NOT USED
SCL - i2c
SDA - i2c
GND
NOT USED
GND

Copied from;
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h5PMUBkldkpt1rCnAR4ZHYGZNeCe-vwIFyKWYMZWsX0/edit#gid=0 on the ps audio forum.

A Google of shanling et3 i2s pinout will reveal all.

My main dac does not have i2s but I have two that do. Neither match the Shanling. However, an ordinary hdmi cable works and delivers pcm, NOT dsd.

The describe the sound? I would say it's different, vivid and full bodied. Worth losing sleep over in comparison to usb audio/coaxial/aes ? No.

The ET3 still bests Roon to me on cd v streaming in a same pcm track played back to back comparison both via same source cable (tested usb coax an aes. Top upscale max 192) . Not a blind test, just good old close listening to what I am hearing.

It is a top quality product as a cd transport.

 

I thought the same thing. ET3 is a nice product but it's a pity that an image of the interior is not available.

 

Yes, that’s a block of wood in there. No, I did not put it there.

 

Thank you

 

I imagine that's the reason. Otherwise what would be the point. Next YouTube channel video idea for you: ET-3 wood block rolling experiments, replete with measurements!

 

And janka comparisons with xZMF collabs LOL

 

Linear power supply!

All our offices, including the official store, were on holidays for CNY.

We just got back today.

We use the same standard as PS Audio for I2S, so ET3 should be compatible.

We use the wood blocks in many of our designs, both under Shanling and other brands we produce.
And yes, in theory they are there for an improved audio performance of the device.
But it's not something we would be advertising normally.

 

Now I am tempted to roll the wood with my Cardas block cut according to the golden ratio.

 

Better testing the same dimensions, but different types of wood and with the grain cut in different directions. The different densities, and density anisotropies due to grain and grain orientation, of a particular block will determine the sonic velocities within it. Same principle with different rock types used as equipment supports.

Measurements-vs-subjective-impressions thread please