Comparison Shanling M0 vs Shanling M2s

The maximum size of the memory card that can be used in the player. This parameter is directly related to the card type (see above): each type has its own volume limits. At the same time, the ability to work with capacious media is limited not only by the type of card, but also by the player's hardware. Therefore, many models have a lower capacity limit than the memory card suggests — for example, 128 GB in a model that supports the SDXC format (the theoretical maximum for which is 2 TB).

Note that the reverse situation also occurs — for example, when a device with a maximum capacity of 16 GB only supports microSD cards (theoretical maximum is 4 GB). This usually means that the player can work with newer formats (in our example, at least microSDHC), but for some reason this point is not mentioned in the official specifications (for example, the manufacturer could make a mistake in the documentation).

Model of the digital-to-analogue converter installed in the device.

The DAC is one of the key components of any player: it converts the digital data recorded in the audio file into an analogue audio signal, which is fed through an amplifier to the headphones. The quality of the DAC directly affects how accurately the output sound will match the original signal, as well as whether the player can work with advanced digital signal formats: many of them require high computing power, which is not available in every DAC.

Note that the DAC model is indicated only if it is a high-end converter with above-average sound quality. On the modern market, in particular, DACs from such manufacturers are represented: AKM, Cirrus Logic, ESS Saber, Texas Instruments, Wolfson. And players with such equipment usually refer to Hi-Fi devices(see "Type").

It is also worth mentioning that the number of DACs can be different. The simplest option is one module for both sound channels, however, there are players equipped with two converters at once — one per channel. This "division of labor" affects the cost, but reduces the load on each individual DAC, which has a positive effect on the quality and reliability of the sound.

The ratio between the level of the useful signal (clear sound) and extraneous noise, given by the player at the output. This parameter directly characterizes the quality of the built-in amplifier: it mainly takes into account the intrinsic noise of electronic circuits, and the higher the signal-to-noise ratio, the less these noises and the clearer the sound.

Note that in the case of players, this characteristic is often not particularly critical: the noise of the amplifier can be lost against the background of ambient sounds, especially in an urban environment, and for such situations even the most modest indicators, at the level of 70 – 80 dB, are enough. At the same time, for Hi-Fi models (see "Type") this moment is one of the most important; in the most advanced devices, the signal-to-noise ratio can exceed 120 dB.

The higher the power, the louder the sound you can get on the headphones, all other things being equal. In addition, higher power allows you to connect "ears" with higher impedance to the device (although there is no hard correlation here, and models with the same output power may have different headphone impedance limits). However, in the case of ordinary (non-Hi-Fi) players, this parameter is more of a reference than practically significant: usually, the power of the amplifier in such models is quite enough to “rock” most consumer-grade headphones. But for Hi-Fi devices (see "Type") models, output power is of key importance: it determines compatibility with high-resistance studio-class "ears". Detailed help on this issue can be found in special sources.

The nominal impedance (impedance) of the headphones that the player can handle normally.

Most consumer-grade headphones are 16 or 32 ohm impedance, which is supported by almost all modern players. Therefore, you should pay attention to this parameter only if you plan to use a device with high-quality "ears" of a studio or audiophile class. A characteristic feature of these headphones is high resistance, already in the hundreds of ohms, and not every player is suitable for them.

Also, it will not hurt to clarify the permissible headphone impedance if you are buying a Hi-Fi class device (see "Type"). Some of these models have a fairly high minimum resistance and are not compatible with standard 16 ohm (and sometimes 32 ohm) "ears".

The coefficient of harmonic distortion produced by the player.

This parameter directly characterizes the amount of distortion introduced by the device into the original sound: the lower the coefficient, the clearer the sound, the less such distortion. It is impossible to completely eliminate them, but they can be reduced to a level that is practically not perceived by a person. So, it is believed that distortions at the level of 0.5% are already invisible even to an experienced listener. At the same time, in modern audio technology, there are also much lower values \u200b\u200b- up to ten thousandths of a percent. In the case of players, such indicators play mainly an advertising role — they are a sign of a high level of the device.

Note that the coefficient of harmonic distortion is indicated mainly for Hi-Fi players (see "Type"), for which the maximum purity of sound is critical; in conventional models, it is of secondary importance.

Audio file formats that the player is able to work with.

— MP3. The most famous of modern digital audio formats; supported by almost all compact players, the name MP3 has even become a household name for them. Provides so-called. lossy compression, where some of the audio frequencies are lost. However, during compression, the sound is processed in such a way that it "disappears" mainly frequencies, the loss of which is imperceptible to the human ear. As a result, the sound quality can be quite high, and you can clearly distinguish high-quality MP3 from lossless format only on Hi-Fi equipment.

— WAV. Another popular audio standard, originally developed for storing sound on a PC. It can technically be used to store audio in a variety of formats, but is most commonly used for uncompressed audio. Due to this, the sound quality can be quite high, and its processing does not require special computing power. The downside of this is the large volume of audio files — many times more than MP3s.

— WMA. An audio format, at one time specially created for the Windows operating system. By default, it uses lossy compression (although there is also a lossless version of the WMA codec). WMA is particularly suitable for low bitrates, under such conditions it provides better quality than MP3 and takes up less space. On the other hand, this format is much less popular in high-quality digital audio.

...— AAC. A format developed as a potential successor to MP3. Also provides lossy compression (see above), but allows you to achieve better quality with the same file size; this difference is especially noticeable at low bitrates. Actively promoted by Apple in iPod players; nevertheless, it is noticeably inferior to MP3 in terms of prevalence, although it is supported by a considerable number of players.

— OGG. A lossy compressed digital audio format is one potential alternative to MP3. One of the key features of OGG is that as audio is encoded, the bitrate is constantly changing; at the same time, on fragments where there is no sound, the bitrate drops to almost zero (unlike MP3, where the data stream is constant, including in sections of complete silence). This makes it possible to achieve small file sizes while maintaining sound quality. Also note that the OGG format is open and not limited by patents.

— FLAC. One of the formats that uses lossless audio compression. With this compression, all the details of the original sound are preserved, so lossless formats are especially appreciated by sophisticated music lovers and audiophiles. The reverse side of this quality is large volumes of files. Specifically, FLAC is perhaps the most common of today's lossless formats. This is largely due to the fact that this standard is not particularly demanding on the processing power of the player. Thanks to this, its support can be implemented even in relatively simple and inexpensive players (unlike another popular format — APE, see below). On the other hand, FLAC files are larger than APE files.

— A.P.E. One of the popular lossless audio compression formats. Compared to another common standard — FLAC (see above) — APE allows you to achieve smaller file sizes with the same quality. On the other hand, to play such files, electronics with a fairly high processing power are required, so APE compatibility is relatively rare in compact players.

— DSD. A specific digital audio format using the so-called. sigma-delta modulation (as opposed to pulse code used in most other formats). Such modulation provides a very high sampling rate — 2822.4 kHz; however, it cannot be compared with the usual sampling rate (see above): in this case we are talking about a specific signal format. Its properties are such that DSD support can be provided even if the player's DAC formally has a much lower sampling rate. In general, this format is considered professional, its support is found mainly in Hi-Fi models (see "Type").

— DXD. Professional audio format originally created for editing DSD files (see above) — For technical reasons, original DSD is not well suited for editing. DXD uses a bit depth of 24 bits (8 bits higher than Audio CD format) and a sampling rate of 352.8 kHz (8 times higher than Audio CD). Like the original DSD, it is found mainly in Hi-Fi players.

— AIFF. Audio format developed by Apple for Macs and Macbooks; a kind of "apple" analogue of the WAV described above, also in most cases used for uncompressed audio.

— Audible. Proprietary file format used by the online audiobook store of the same name. One of the features of this format is that file playback is available only if you enter a login and password for the Audible online store; thus, supporting this standard usually means having a client programme to access the store.

This list is not exhaustive, modern players (especially the top category) may support other types of audio files.

The player supports Bluetooth technology.

This technology was developed for direct wireless communication between various devices. The ways in which it can be used can vary; in the case of players, the most common option, which is almost mandatory for any model with Bluetooth, is to broadcast sound to wireless headphones, speakers or other similar devices (aptX is highly desirable, see “Functions/capabilities”). In addition, other methods of using Bluetooth may be envisaged - in particular, exchanging files with other devices and remote control (player or from the player); the specific set of additional functions should be specified separately. And Bluetooth versions (the latest of which at the end of summer 2021 is Bluetooth 5.0) indicate the advancedness of the device and its increased capabilities.

Characteristics of the display installed in the player.

— Color(color/monochrome). The display color is selected by the manufacturer taking into account the functionality of the player. So, for a device that supports video and graphic materials (see “Other formats”), a color display is mandatory, and if the player only works with audio, a monochrome (one-color) screen is quite sufficient for it, especially since such screens are cheaper and consume less energy.

- Size. The diagonal dimensions of the display is directly related to the type of device (see above). Thus, classic audio players do not require large screens, in most of them this figure does not exceed 1.5"; but for a media player, 1.5" is, in fact, the absolute minimum, usually the diagonal is 3" or more. Also large Hi-Fi players are equipped with screens, they also provide a similar feature for the convenience of working with special tools.In general, a large screen, on the one hand, is convenient to use, on the other hand, it affects the dimensions and price of the device.

— Display resolution. Display dimensions in pixels vertically and horizontally. With the same diagonal, a higher resolution provides a clearer and more detailed image, but increases the cost of the player. In addition, not every player needs high detail: if the screen is used only for service information like the title of a so...ng, you can get by with small resolutions. Therefore, you should pay attention to this parameter only when it comes to a media player (see “Type”) on which you plan to often watch videos. In other cases, we can assume that the screen resolution is guaranteed to be sufficient for the tasks for which the device is intended.

— Sensor type. The type of matrix used in the screen.

• OLED. An OLED matrix in which each pixel is actually a separate LED. In portable players, most of these screens are monochrome; for color displays it is more convenient to use other technologies.
• TFT. General name for liquid crystal displays. In this case, the TFT designation is used mainly for relatively simple screens that do not use advanced technologies like the IPS described below and have rather limited characteristics. However, such screens can be made in color and have high resolution.
• AMOLED. A development of the OLED technology described above, designed to create high-quality color displays. AMOLED screens are characterized by high brightness, rich colors and good viewing angles. Among their disadvantages, we can note a slightly shorter service life than the same IPS, as well as a tendency to fade in areas where bright parts of the image are often displayed.
• IPS. One of the most popular color screen technologies used in modern portable technology. Provides good color rendering quality and wide viewing angles; The picture quality is somewhat inferior to AMOLED, but is cheaper and lasts longer.

- Touch screen. The touch screen is similar to tech used in modern smartphones. On-screen controls are often more convenient and versatile than using buttons and other hardware controls. For normal use, such a display must be quite large. We also note that a touch screen is mandatory for models with a full OS (see above).