I have over 25-years in IT. Every once-in-a-while I love trying new toys [that is what I consider New Audio Electronics in general - Sorry]. I typically use Headphones in the $350 - $500 Range [Audiophile Grade], with a nice Flat Balanced Engineered Tone.______________________I wanted to Learn more about the DAC and AMP Chips inside the Shanling UA4, so I asked the Google AI:Is this a good combination: Brand new ESS ES9069Q DAC - Dual Ricore RT6863 Headphone Balanced Amplifier?Yes, using a brand new ESS ES9069Q DAC with a Dual Ricore RT6863 Headphone Balanced Amplifier is generally considered a good combination, as it leverages high-quality components for a potentially excellent audio experience.Here's a more detailed explanation:DAC (ES9069Q): The ES9069Q is a high-performance DAC chip known for its excellent sound quality and low distortion. It's a good choice for audiophiles seeking to improve the sound of their digital audio sources.Amplifier (Dual Ricore RT6863): The Ricore RT6863 is a well-regarded headphone amplifier chip, known for its clean and powerful output, especially in balanced configurations. Using two of these chips in a balanced configuration can provide a significant boost in power and soundstage.Why it's a good combination:High-Quality Components: Both the DAC and amplifier chips are known for their quality and performance, leading to a potentially superior audio experience.Balanced Output: The balanced configuration of the amplifier can reduce noise and distortion, resulting in a cleaner and more detailed sound.Power and Clarity: The RT6863 amplifier can provide enough power to drive a wide range of headphones, and the ES9069Q DAC can ensure that the signal is processed with high fidelity.Considerations:Headphone Compatibility: Ensure that your headphones are compatible with the balanced output of the amplifier.Power Needs: If you have very high-impedance headphones, you might need a more powerful amplifier.Budget: This combination is likely to be on the higher end of the price spectrum, so consider your budget before making a purchase.Generative AI is experimental.______________________To put all this into perspective, the UA4, is a member of the Shanling Family of Audiophile Grade Electronics, which is world renowned for exceptional Design and Engineering.I tested this on my Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook, with three Wired 50mm 32-Ohm Drivers Headphones [One Open-Back and two Closed-Back - One was the FIIO FT1 32-Ohm with 4.4mm Balanced Cable [Available on Amazon - Now Considered one of the Best Closed-Back 50mm by Audiophile Experts - I love the Factory Tuning as do the Experts as well] - All of the others I use their respective 3.5mm Non-Balanced Cables]. Any Wired Headphone with a 32-Ohm Rating can typically be run directly from your Phone or Computer [Pad / Laptop / Desktop] easily and be considerably enhanced by the Shanling UA4.The only Caution I need to add is if you are dealing with a Wired Headphone [Audiophile Grade with a 300 to 600-Ohm Rating - Also known as Impedance], this may not be for you [check your Impedance and Power requirements]. This is made for easy portability, with Low Power Requirements for the Wired Headphone [as the Price would suggest - This is Mid-Tier in the Shanling Offerings], so do not try to fool yourself into believing this will work, it might not, so do your homework and find out for sure.Additionally, I am now blind in one-eye with somewhat poor vision so the Small-Font Manual is useless for me. I did find a PDF Manual on the Shanling [China and USA] Sites, but it was the same [written in Chinese]. Fortunately, I have worked with these types of Desktop and Portable DAC/AMP before. So I have some Images below that will assist you in Control and Setup, if you are like me.I did notice about +10-25% [Set at Gain Level 1 for all]. More Power with the Non-Balanced 3.5mm, and appropriately +25-45% [Still Set at Gain Level 1 - Level 2 was not required] with the Balanced 4.4mm [primarily due to my 32-Ohm 50mm Drivers]. Additionally, I received cleaner beautifully Balanced Lossless Audio throughout. [see the Images below]Considering the cost, the Shanling UA4 is a great high-quality starter DAC/AMP for your Phone or Computer.. I highly recommend the Shanling UA4. Enjoy.

I was curious to see how well this Shanling UA4 headphone amp performed. I'd say that it works well at this price point. The Shanling has enough power to improve the sound on my Sennheiser headphones as compared with no headphone amp at all, and at about the same level of improvement as a Fiio portable headphone amp I've used for years.The amp's build quality is very good, and I like that it includes both 3.5 and 4.4mm output. The screen is also good: clear, easy to read. The enclosed instructions could use a bit more clarity, though, as I think the product offers more than is immediately apparent from this information.I like that the Shanling draws its power from the source device; this especially works well on a computer. I've tried it with a Windows desktop and a laptop, and these sources coordinate well with the Shanling. I'm somewhat less impressed with phone use; my iPhone, with the proper connecting cable, showed a measure of improvement, though. I haven't borrowed an Android phone to test it out yet, and I expect this combo--which the Shanling appears to have been designed for--would work well.The only real limitation of this headphone amp is with devices that don't combine power with data/power connection, like current smartphones. If you have an older media player with a headphone jack, you're out of luck. (Fortunately, my Fiio still works for this situation.) I guess most people have current smartphones or use computers, so that might not be a source of limitation for them.Overall, I'm giving this headphone amp good marks because I think it works well for this price point. While it provides sufficient power for my Sennheisers, I'm not sure it's beefy enough for some of the more demanding (and expensive) cans out there. For most people's needs, though, this Shanling amp does a good job.

What I like:- small size- intuitive display and controls- powerful enough to drive any of my headphones or IEMsWhat I dislike:- Sound lacks depth and definition of bigger DACsIf you are listening to high definition audio streams but only using the Bluetooth earbuds that came with your phone then buying a small DAC like this and a decent pair of headphones will make a huge difference to your listening pleasure. Even the best Bluetooth earbuds are limited by the technology and the device converting the digital signal to an analogue sound. This small SHANLING UA4 headphone amplifier is a great introduction to small, portable DACs. It is relatively low priced but manages to deliver a reasonable sound for the price. It takes over the heavy lifting duties of turning the digital signal to an analogue one, and has more than enough power to drive most headphones or IEMs.The three button controls are very intuitive, and the small LCD display provides enough information about the quality of the signal received, the filter applied, and the volume. In testing with my usual playback device (a Google Pixel 8a) and my current everyday headphones (Sony MDR-M1) using high quality FLAC files the sound was surprisingly good for the price. Much better than earbuds, or the budget USB-C to 3.5mm adapters that many people use. Testing with my audio test track playlist I noticed that the sound was a more sterile, and sharper than with my more complex DAC. The sound also lacked the depth and sense of space that the larger DAC could provide. However, if I was going to be travelling and didn't want to risk damaging my preferred DAC it would make a reasonable travelling companion.So a solid budget performance, and a well deserved 4 out of 5 stars.