Shanling SM1.3R Brings R2R Into the Streaming Fold

The new model builds on the existing Shanling SM1.3 platform, but replaces its AKM DAC stage with Shanling’s in-house discrete R2R ladder design. It follows closely on from the company’s recent launch of the SM90 streaming DAC with HDMI ARC, suggesting a coordinated update across its digital lineup.

Rather than reworking the form factor, Shanling has left the core hardware untouched. The SM1.3R retains the same compact chassis, 5.8-inch touchscreen and app-driven interface, focusing the update squarely on the conversion stage. The R2R implementation is based on a 24-bit ladder design using 212 precision-matched resistors, reportedly derived from the company’s higher-end disc player architecture.

In simple terms, it’s about pairing the ease of a modern streaming platform with what Shanling sees as a more “analogue-like” sound. That puts the SM1.3R into a growing group of hybrid designs aimed at listeners who want the convenience of streaming but aren’t entirely sold on the sound of conventional delta-sigma DACs, which dominate most mainstream digital audio hardware.

The software side remains unchanged. A customised Android 12 platform underpins the user experience, with native support for services including Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify, as well as Roon Ready, Tidal Connect, and Qobuz Connect. Local playback is also a focus, with 64GB of internal storage and an M.2 SSD slot for onboard libraries, effectively allowing the unit to double as a compact music server.

Connectivity and system integration mirror the standard model, including analogue and digital outputs, plus a headphone stage for desktop use. Inside, Shanling continues with a split power supply design that separates digital and analogue circuits to reduce interference.

If you’re sensing a broader shift here, you’re probably right. R2R has traditionally been confined to standalone DACs or more specialist gear, but it is slowly finding its way into all-in-one streamers. That alone says something about where the market is heading, less about ticking feature boxes and more about how these devices actually sound.

The SM1.3R does not attempt to rewrite the formula. Instead, it puts the emphasis on voicing over features, and that may prove to be the more meaningful point of difference as this category evolves.

International pricing is set at USD $1,699 | €1,799 | A$2,599, positioning the SM1.3R above the standard SM1.3 and directly against similarly specified streamers from Eversolo and Cambridge Audio. 

For more information visit Shanling