Shanling is not a well-known audio brand in the U.S., but we have reported on several of their products that have been well-received, including the CR60 CD Transport and Ripper, SM1.3 Streamer, HW600 Headphones, and BA1 Hi-res Bluetooth Adapter.
As a follow-up to those components, Forte Distribution is showing the Shanling EH2 Desktop DAC/Headphone Amplifier at CanJam NYC 2025 (February 22-23) in conjunction with making it available to dealers and consumers in the U.S.
The EH2 (SRP: $399) is a sleek, stylish, compact model that is designed to perform well above its price class, with power and sonic detail to spare.
From Roger Fortier, VP and Director of Sales, Forte Distribution, U.S. distributor of Shanling Electronics: “Desktop DAC/amplifiers are a great way to turn computers and portable players into true high fidelity sources, but consumers are often forced to choose between performance and affordability,…But with the EH2, our team created the perfect high-fidelity/high-value hybrid with advanced technology and a price tag that is within reach of nearly every music lover with a pair of high-end headphones.”
Designed by Shangling’s in-house engineering team, the EH2 features a 24-bit R2R DAC that follows in the footsteps of previous high-performance/high-value models that are based on Burr Brown PCM1704 DACs.
The EH2 has the power output to run any set of headphones, with up to 24.3W @ 32 ohms via its 4.4mm balanced output, and 1.3W @ 32 ohms via its single-ended 6.35mm output.
Adding to the flexibility of the EH2 is an additional circuit for RCA & 4.4mm Line-out /Pre-out, based around the OPA1612 amplifier and its low noise/low distortion characteristics, providing pure R2R output to active speakers and power amplifiers.
As a further upgrade to the previously released EH1, the new EH2 includes the XMOS XU316 module for its USB input and Qualcomm QCC5125 chip which Bluetooth 5.2, ensures maximum connectivity with high-resolution LDAC and aptX codecs. Other additions to the EH2 include both digital optical and digital coaxial audio inputs.
Two headphone outputs are provided — 4.4mm and 6.35mm — that are placed on the front, as are volume, tone, gain, and source controls
Shanling EH2 and EH1 Comparison
| Model | Shanling EH2 (2025) | Shanling EH1 (2024) |
| Product Type | DAC/Headphone Amp | DAC/Headphone Amp |
| Price | $399.00 | $229.00 |
| Hi-Res Audio Support | USB: 768kHz/32-bit, DSD 512 | USB: 768kHz/32-bit, DSD 512 |
| Inputs | USB-C, Coaxial, Optical, Bluetooth | USB-C |
| Outputs | 6.35mm & 4.4mm Headphone output, RCA & 4.4mm Line Output. | 6.35mm & 4.4mm Headphone output, RCA Line Output, Digital Coaxial |
| 4.4mm Headphone Output Power: | Low gain: 2365mW @ 32 ohms High gain: 4351mW @ 32 ohms | Low Gain: 250mW@32ohms High Gain: 980mW@ohms |
| 4.4mm Headphone Output Frequency Response | 20HZ-40KHZ (-0.5dB) | 20Hz-40kHz (-0.5dB) |
| 4.4mm Headphone Output THD + N | 0.02% @ 32 ohms | 0.008% (A-Weight@1Vrms High Gain@32Ω) |
| 4.4mm Headphone Output Dynamic Range | 118DB @ 32 ohms | 119dB |
| 4.4mm Headphone Output Channel Separation | 111dB @ 32 ohms | 99dB |
| 4.4mm Headphone Output Signal-to-noise Ratio | 118DB @ 32 ohms | 119dB (A-Weight High Gain) |
| 4.4mm Headphone Output Output Impedance | <2 Ohm | 0.8Ohms |
| 6.35mm Headphone Output Power | Low Gain: 632mW @ 32 ohms High Gain: 1280mW @ 32 ohms | Low Gain: 632mW @ 32 ohms High Gain: 1280mW @ 32 ohms |
| 6.35mm Headphone Output Frequency Response | 20HZ-40KHZ (-0.5dB) | 20HZ-40KHZ (-0.5dB) |
| 6.35mm Headphone Output THD + N | 0.02% @ 32 ohms | 0.007% @ 32 ohms |
| 6.35mm Headphone Output Dynamic Range | 117dB @ 32 ohms | 119dB @ 32 ohms |
| 6.35mm Headphone Output Channel Separation | 74dB @ 32 ohms | 75dB @ 32 ohms |
| 6.35mm Headphone Output Signal-to-noise Ratio | 117dB @ 32 ohms | 119dB @ 32 ohms |
| 6.35mm Headphone Output Output Impedance | <1 ohm | <0.4 ohm |
| Line Out | RCA / 4.4mm | RCA |
| Line Out Output Power | 2.2V / 4.5V | 2.38V |
| Line Out Frequency Response | 20HZ-40KHZ (-0.5dB) | 20Hz-40kHz (-1.2dB) |
| Line Out THD + N | 0.02% | 0.0007% (A-Weight High Gain) |
| Line Out Channel Separation | 118 dB | 114 dB |
| Line Out Signal-to-noise ratio | 119DB | 122dB |
| Dimensions | 156 x 150 x 36.5mm (6.14 x 5.9 x 1.44 inches) | 156 x 90 x 36.5mm (6.14 x 3.5 x 1.44 inches) |
| Weight | 713g (1 lb 9 oz) | 392.5g (14 oz) |
The Bottom Line
Shanling is slowly building a reputation for offering practical audio solutions at fairly reasonable prices. The EH2 adds additional connectivity over its predecessor, the EH1, which supports more user flexibility.
The physical appearance of the EH2 reminds us of something that might come from iFi, such as their ZEN CAN 3 and Zen Blue 3.
At $399, the EH2 is a lot less expensive than many offerings (refer to our Related Reading section for examples), but with some of the lower-priced desktop USB DAC/Headphone amps from Schiit Audio, iFi, FiiO, and Audioengine, the EH2 still faces some formidable competition.
Price & Availability
Forte Distribution is Now Shipping Shanling’s EH2 DAC/Headphone Amplifier for the U.S. Market at a price of $399 direct from Forte or from authorized dealers.
The EH2 is also a part of Forte Distribution’s extensive display at CanJam NYC 2025 which also includes Shanling’s CR60 CD transport and ripper, ET3 CD transport, SM1.3 streamer, M8T portable audio player, HW600 headphone, and, from Onix, the MX10 LTD portable player.
Related Reading
