Today, Marcus reviews the Shanling CA80, a desktop ES9219MQ CD player with Bluetooth and up to 100W of amplifier output. It costs around $539.
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For more information about Shanling Products We have previously reviewed it on Headfonics, click here.
Please note that this article follows our current trend. Scoring Guidelines which you can read here.
Shanling CA80 Review
Summary
As a CD player, the Shanling CA80 offers a reliable and enjoyable performance with a tendency towards the smooth and natural side accompanied by excellent bass weight and a clean black background.
Advantages
The natural, heavy tonal quality works well with a wide range of equipment.
Reliable CD slot mechanism
Solid build quality
Cons
The remote control lacks a numbered track selector.
It doesn't have as many features as some competitors.
Today I have another CD player to review, and again it's from Shanling, but this time it's a desktop player rather than the more portable one. EC-Mini Reviewed at the beginning of the year.
The Shanling CA80 is priced at $539 and up and is part of a dual launch with its slightly cheaper sibling, the CD80 in Q3 or Q4 2023. The main difference is the CA80’s additional amplifier feature for connecting speakers directly to the player, something the CD80 player doesn’t have.
Otherwise, both players are the same in almost every aspect, from the driver mechanism, DAC, CPU, Bluetooth capability, and overall external design.
So, much of what you'll read in the review below will apply to both units, and since we're a headphone audio website, we'll focus primarily on how well the CA80 (and CD80) work with headphones.
If you're an EC-Mini owner looking for a higher level, the CA80 doesn't have as many features. However, the performance and coloration are more dynamic and tonally accurate, which might suit audiophiles with more purist preferences.
Characteristics
Most people think of the Shanling CA80 primarily as a desktop CD player. Its Philips slot-loading CD drive and a Sanyo HD860 optical laser are a consistent choice from Shanling for its player in this price range. However, as noted in the EC-Mini review, I found the damping on this version to be superior and quieter.
The CA80 (and CD80) will play standard 16-bit/44.1kHz or Red Book-type CDs, and MQA CDs, but will not have SACD capability.
It also has the same DAC chipset as the EC-Mini, a single ES9219MQ chipset. However, there’s no direct interface with PCs and Macs. Instead, it has a front USB-A slot for loading local files via flash drive with decoding speeds up to PCM 32BIT/385kHz, native DSD256 and MQA decoding.
The CA80 also offers a 3.5mm TRS SE output for IEMs and headphones. It’s a similar setup to the EC-Mini with two RT6863 op-amps, however a better power supply and improved capacitors produce a more dynamic performance which you can read about in more detail on page 3 of this review.
The CA80's PO output is nothing special, being 130 mW into a 32 Ω load. This should be sufficient for most IEMs and some efficient headphones. I found the CA80's (CD80) peak performance to be at its standard LO SE rating at 2 Vrms.
The amplifier output for passive speaker connectivity is quite good at 50 W into 8 Ω (0.3%) and 100 W into 4 Ω (0.3%), so there's enough for a decent bookshelf or efficient tower speaker system.
And in a nod to modern audiophile tastes, the CA80 can also function as a wireless receiver (without streaming) with a BT5.0 module that offers SBC, AAC and LDAC, but not aptX.
Design
The Shanling CA80 is a mid-sized CD player, not at all bulky or wide (5cm x 20.5cm x 5.2cm) and weighing in at a solid 2.4kg. I can imagine it fitting neatly between a set of bookshelf speakers, on a small shelf or even next to your PC at work, depending on your preference.
You can buy the CA80 in black or silver and I usually prefer the silver but this time I think the black looks ideal due to the tube-lit display panel.
The styling looks pretty retro to me. It has a square but well-built shape with ribbed side panels and a clean front panel with narrow but wide physical control buttons below a front-loading slot mechanism.
The large digital tube display on the front panel reminds me of my Meridian CDP 506 20-bit player, a high-end vintage player from the 90s with all that information accented with a cozy yellow glow.
The finish on the aluminium chassis is excellent, with very few visible screws save for two on the rear panel, and thankfully the case isn't a huge fingerprint magnet. Four rubber feet on the base of the CA80 provide a firm grip on various surfaces, so it won't move around either.
IS
The rear panel is where you'll find the main differences from the CD80 version and the reason behind the CA80's price increase with two speaker posts slightly to the left. Thankfully, they support banana plugs, which is my preferred configuration, although there's no bi-wiring capability.
On the far right of the CA80's rear panel, you have room for two SE analog connections, an input and a pre-out so you can receive an analog output from a DAC and output it directly to your speakers or use the pre-out for a variable volume or fixed volume output to an amplifier.
The final output is a classic optical output that will send a maximum of PCM 24BIT/96kHz to a third-party digital audio decoder.
Just one final note on the power supply. It's switchable and has no fixed regional variations, which sets it apart from their all-in-one players, like the EC3 (which we also have for review).
Controls
You can control the CA80 in three ways: manually via the physical control buttons on the front panel, via a supplied remote control, or via a BT connection using your smartphone or the Shanling Eddict app.
The front controls are very easy to understand and use, offering instant response when pressed.
The CD playback buttons are just below the slot-changer, with a volume control and the source/power selector below the beautiful digital display. All buttons have good press and an audible mechanical click when changing the current source.
You can also browse and play local files loaded via USB, though my experience tells me it's a bit of a hassle to do this manually with long playlists or large media libraries. It's easier to manage your media on USB via the Eddict app or the remote control for this mode.
The remote will duplicate most of the manual options, but this is where I wish they would follow suit. Cayin Mini-CD MK2Remote design includes individual digit buttons that allow you to select specific tracks.
Currently, you can only select tracks in a rotating (linear) fashion, which involves pressing a lot of buttons to get to the desired song if the CD has a long list of tracks.
Sync Link
It has several controls available through the Shanling Eddict app which can connect to the CA80 via Bluetooth.
Acting as a remote, you can switch between CD, USB, or AUX playback, though I wish there was some way for the player to replace the physical remote for CD playback when connected.
You can also use a two-stage gain control, although this only applies to the CA80's PO output. I didn't hear any change when using its line output to a headphone amp.
There are two digital filters available: a linear fast-phase one and a fast apodization roll-off one. Of the two, I preferred the fast-phase one, which sounds a bit clearer and more dynamic. The final option is a channel balance slider that works with both the CA80's line output and its PO.
Slot loading
The CA80 uses a front-loading slot system which will divide CD player enthusiasts as I know some prefer trays or lids.
However, I've been using the CA80 for a few months now and have never found the player to fail to read any CDs I've inserted, even ones I wouldn't necessarily classify as clean at the bottom.
I also rate the CA80 slot-loading mechanism as much quieter and faster, with better cushioning, than the cheaper EC-Mini, which is very loud in comparison.
Disc read times are average out of the box, and not as fast as the competing SMSL PL200's read speed, but once loaded, track selection, play and pause were all pretty decent in response times.
Packaging and accessories
The CA80 comes in the standard Shanling brown box and foam set. I have quite a few of these boxes in the office from previous Shanling units, such as the EM5They are surprisingly compact and offer excellent protection for the unit during shipping.
There are not many accessories included, not even batteries for the remote control. To be fair, that is out of Shanling's control due to Chinese shipping regulations.
In addition to the unit, you will receive a manual, warranty card, remote control, and a detachable 3-prong AC power cord (may vary by region).
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