Shanling UA4 Hi-Fi Headphone Preamp Titanium

Shanling UA4 Titanium — Portable DAC/AMP with ES9069Q Sabre Decoding

This model is a pocket-sized USB dongle DAC and headphone amplifier that brings desktop-grade decoding to a phone or laptop. Built around the new fourth-generation ESS ES9069Q Sabre DAC chip, it supports 32-bit/768 kHz PCM, native DSD512, and MQA 16x rendering. Weighing roughly 20–25 g, the titanium-finished aluminum chassis slips behind a phone without adding noticeable bulk. The Shanling UA4 Titanium is the right choice for IEM and portable-headphone users who want reference-level decoding without carrying a full desktop stack.

What makes this device different from other dongle DACs

Most dongle DACs in this price band rely on older ESS chips; the UA4 is among the first to ship with the new ES9069Q, which improves time-domain performance and reduces power draw. Six Kemet-brand 100 µF tantalum capacitors and ultra-low-noise LDOs sit on the audio PCB, giving the unit a notably black background free of hiss. A 22 mm OLED screen with three physical buttons is rare at this tier and lets users change gain, filter, and volume without touching the host device.

ES9069Q DAC architecture — clean, low-jitter signal chain

The DAC stage is the heart of any portable amp, and the ES9069Q brings Hyperstream IV modulation and programmable FIR filters to a dongle form factor. This translates into a 120 dB THD+N rating and stable decoding of high-resolution audio without breaking up on multichannel sources.

• The DAC features ESS ES9069Q Sabre architecture with Hyperstream IV modulation.
• PCM Decoding: 32-bit / 768 kHz — full coverage of studio-master resolutions
• DSD Decoding: Native DSD512 — bit-perfect playback of DSD256 and DSD512 files
• MQA Rendering — 16x full hardware unfold, with the verified MQA logo appearing on the OLED when active
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RT6863 dual-amp stage — 227 mW balanced drive

The headphone amplifier section determines whether a dongle can drive demanding IEMs and over-ear headphones. Two independent Ricore RT6863 op-amps feed both the single-ended and balanced outputs, with separate voltage rails for clean channel separation.

• Amplifier Chips: 2× Ricore RT6863 — dual-independent configuration for balanced drive
• Balanced Output (4.4 mm): 227 mW @ 32 Ω, 4 Vrms — drives most full-size portable headphones
• Single-Ended Output (3.5 mm): 137 mW @ 32 Ω, 2 Vrms — clean signal for sensitive IEMs
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Titanium chassis, OLED menu, and cross-platform support

A dongle DAC lives or dies by its physical design and host compatibility. The anodized aluminum shell resists scratches, while the OLED screen and three-button layout remove the need to dig into companion apps for basic adjustments.

• Chassis: Machined aluminum with anodized titanium finish — weighs roughly 20–25 g
• Display — 22 mm monochrome OLED showing active bitrate, volume, gain, and filter at a glance
• USB Modes: UAC 1.0 / UAC 2.0 dual mode — plug-and-play with Nintendo Switch and gaming consoles
• OS Support: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac — Eddict Player app for deeper configuration
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For IEM listeners and portable-headphone users seeking reference decoding

Commuters and studio engineers who own high-quality IEMs or efficient portable headphones will find this device allows them to bypass the mediocre DAC stage inside a phone or laptop. It decodes MQA, DSD, and high-bitrate PCM without draining the host battery. Players using sensitive multi-BA IEMs will appreciate the dark background and low-noise floor, while those with harder-to-drive planar headphones gain usable headroom from the 4.4 mm balanced output.

Shanling — over 35 years of high-fidelity craftsmanship

Shanling was founded in 1988 and has built a reputation for high-fidelity audio products ranging from classic CD players and tube amplifiers to modern portable players and dongle DACs. The UA series represents the brand's portable USB DAC/AMP lineup, with this model sitting between the entry-level UA1/UA2 and the flagship UA5. By adopting the new ES9069Q chip early, the manufacturer positions this product as a reference point within its own dongle family.