There’s a clear shift happening in hi-fi. Fewer boxes. Fewer cables. Less compromise between convenience and sound. The Shanling SM90 lands right in the middle of that movement — a compact, all-in-one digital hub designed to take control of your entire system without diluting the experience.
This isn’t just a streamer. It’s your DAC, your digital pre-stage, your network bridge, and potentially your entire music ecosystem in one solid aluminum chassis.
Built around sound, not just features
At its core, the SM90 runs a dual AKM AK4493S DAC configuration — a setup that leans toward musicality rather than sterile precision. The result is a presentation that feels full-bodied and natural, with enough resolution to satisfy detail hunters without tipping into harshness.
Shanling pairs this with a carefully designed analog stage using OPA1612 op-amps, and a proper linear power supply with a toroidal transformer — something you don’t always see at this price. That alone tells you where the priorities are: clean, stable power and a signal path built for listening, not just measuring.
Android flexibility without the usual frustration
Instead of locking you into a closed system, Shanling gives you an open Android-based platform. That means native apps for Spotify, TIDAL, Qobuz, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, running directly on the device — no workarounds needed.
Performance is handled by a 64-bit ARM platform with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, which is more than enough for smooth navigation and app use. The interface lives on a sharp 4.96-inch 1080p touchscreen, making it feel closer to a modern smart device than traditional hi-fi gear.
And for those who prefer external control, you still get TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, AirPlay 2, DLNA, and Bluetooth 5.2 with LDAC.
Connectivity that actually makes sense
The SM90 isn’t trying to limit how you use it. It’s designed to sit at the center of everything.
You get:
- HDMI ARC for TV integration — a rare but very practical addition
- USB DAC, coaxial, and optical inputs for external sources
- Balanced XLR and RCA outputs for proper system matching
- USB, coaxial, and optical digital outputs if you want to use an external DAC
Storage is equally flexible. There’s an M.2 SSD slot inside, support for USB drives up to 2TB, and full NAS compatibility over network. Add Wi-Fi 6 and Gigabit LAN, and it’s ready for anything from casual streaming to serious local libraries.
A cleaner, smarter system
What makes the SM90 interesting isn’t just what it does — it’s what it replaces.
Instead of stacking a streamer, DAC, network bridge, and maybe even a preamp, this single unit can handle all of it. And it does so without feeling like a compromise box.
The sound leans slightly on the musical side of neutral, the feature set is genuinely complete, and the user experience feels modern in a way hi-fi often doesn’t.
Shanling SM90 specifications
- DAC: Dual AKM AK4493S
- Platform: Android
- Processor: 64-bit ARM (Rockchip)
- Memory: 4GB RAM / 64GB ROM / M.2 SSD slot
- PCM: up to 32-bit / 768kHz
- DSD: up to DSD512
- Bluetooth: 5.2 (LDAC / AAC / SBC)
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6 (2.4GHz / 5.8GHz)
- Network: Gigabit LAN
- Streaming: TIDAL Connect / Qobuz Connect / AirPlay 2 / DLNA
- Inputs: USB DAC / Coaxial / Optical / HDMI ARC
- Outputs: USB Audio / Coaxial / Optical / RCA / XLR
- Storage: M.2 SSD / USB / NAS
- Analog stage: OPA1612
- Power supply: Linear with toroidal transformer
- Display: 4.96″ 1080p touchscreen
- Dimensions: 280 × 230 × 83.1 mm
- Weight: 3.3 kg
Price
At around $969, the Shanling SM90 hits a sweet spot. It’s not entry-level, but it’s far from ultra high-end pricing — and yet it delivers a level of integration and usability that many pricier setups still struggle with.
If you’re building a modern hi-fi system and want fewer boxes without sacrificing sound quality, the SM90 makes a very strong case for itself.
