We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-18 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a pocketable Bluetooth DAC/amp that drives demanding wired headphones from your phone, choose HAA FEE HA10-II; if you need a portable CD player that also works as a USB DAC and wireless hub, choose SHANLING EC Play. These two devices overlap in exactly one place — they both turn digital audio into something your headphones can use — and they solve completely different problems everywhere else. One is a battery-powered headphone amp you slip into a pocket with your phone. The other is a disc player with a screen and physical buttons that you actually sit down and use. I'll break down what the specs really tell you, then give you my pick.
• HAA FEE HA10-II — biggest strength: a serious amplification chain (ES9038Q2M DAC, OPA1612 op-amp, TPA6120 amp stage with ±9V dual supply) rated for 16–300 Ohm headphones, in a 105g aluminum body.
• HAA FEE HA10-II — biggest trade-off: no screen, no CD mechanism, no 4.4mm balanced output, and a 3.5mm-only output — it's a phone companion, not a standalone player.
• SHANLING EC Play — biggest strength: a real CD player with anti-shock disc clamping, a 1.12-inch screen, two-way Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC, and both 3.5mm and 4.4mm headphone outputs.
• SHANLING EC Play — biggest trade-off: it's 418g and roughly the size of a small book — portable in the sense that you can carry it, not in the sense that it disappears in a pocket.
• Who each pick is for: HA10-II → phone or laptop listeners with wired headphones who want more power and LDAC wireless freedom. EC Play → anyone with a CD collection who wants to keep playing discs, plus Bluetooth and USB DAC duty.
The HA10-II is built around a chain you'd normally find in desktop gear: an ES9038Q2M DAC with DSD support, an OPA1612 op-amp, and a TPA6120 headphone amp stage running on a positive/negative 9V dual supply. That dual-supply design matters more than the chip names — it's the reason the amp can deliver 750mW into 32 Ohm and still push 150mW into a 300 Ohm load. If you own planar magnetic headphones or high-impedance dynamic models that sound thin and flat straight out of a phone, this is the spec line that should get your attention. The claimed 0.007% distortion and 102dB SNR are consistent with a clean, low-noise implementation, and the 16–300 Ohm rating covers essentially every wired headphone a normal person owns.
Who should buy it: someone who listens from a phone, tablet or laptop, uses wired headphones in the 16–300 Ohm range, and wants both a wired amp and LDAC wireless in one 105mm x 59mm x 16mm aluminum slab that weighs 105g. It also works as a line-level source into car audio via the 3.5mm output. Who should skip it: anyone who wants a screen, physical transport controls, balanced output, or the ability to play music without a phone attached. There's no noise control and no built-in storage — it's a companion device, full stop. If price is your deciding factor, check the current price on Amazon before committing.
SHANLING EC Play: Who It's For
The EC Play is a different animal entirely. It's a portable CD player first — full aluminum alloy CNC body, a magnetic suction anti-vibration disc clamping structure designed to reduce skipping, and a CD lid lock plus button lock so playback isn't interrupted by an accidental press. That anti-shock system is the headline feature for a reason: it's what separates a CD player you can carry around the house or on a trip from one that lives permanently on a desk. It plays CD-R/RW discs and handles one disc at a time.
The audio section is genuinely capable: a CS43198 DAC paired with dual SGM8262 amplifiers, supporting up to 384kHz/32bit PCM and DSD256, with output up to 700mW at 32Ω. You get both a 3.5mm and a 4.4mm headphone output — the 4.4mm balanced jack is the one that matters if you own balanced cables or harder-to-drive headphones. Connectivity is broad: two-way Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC, AAC and SBC, meaning it can receive from your phone or transmit to wireless headphones and speakers. There's also coaxial and USB, so it doubles as a USB DAC for a computer.
Battery life is rated up to 12 hours from a 3450mAh cell — noticeably longer than the HA10-II's 8–10 hours, which makes sense given the different use pattern. A 1.12-inch screen and physical buttons handle track switching, volume and playback, and you can switch UI themes. It measures 5.59" x 4.93" x 1.02" and weighs 418g — the lightest in its own line, but still a device you carry in a bag, not a pocket.
Who should buy it: anyone with a CD collection who wants to actually listen to it on the move or on a desk, and who also wants a Bluetooth transmitter/receiver and a USB DAC in the same box. Who should skip it: pure streamers with no discs, and anyone who needs something that fits in a jeans pocket. If you never touch physical media, most of what you're paying for goes unused.
• Best for driving high-impedance headphones → HAA FEE HA10-II. The 150mW/300 Ohm rating and ±9V dual supply are aimed squarely at 250–300 Ohm dynamic headphones.
• Best for a CD collection → SHANLING EC Play. Nothing on the HA10-II plays a disc; the EC Play's anti-vibration clamping is built for real disc use.
• Best for wireless freedom → SHANLING EC Play. Two-way Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC beats the HA10-II's Bluetooth 5.1 in version and adds transmit mode.
• Best for pocketability → HAA FEE HA10-II. 105g and 16mm thin versus 418g and roughly an inch thick — this isn't close.
• Best for balanced output → SHANLING EC Play. 4.4mm plus 3.5mm versus 3.5mm only.
• Best for battery endurance → SHANLING EC Play. Up to 12 hours from 3450mAh versus 8–10 hours from 1700mAh.
• Best for a phone-only setup → HAA FEE HA10-II. Bluetooth in, 3.5mm out, no screen to manage, works into car audio too.
• Best for a desk with multiple sources → SHANLING EC Play. CD, USB DAC, coaxial and Bluetooth in one unit.
For most people reading this comparison, I'd point to the HAA FEE HA10-II — but only if your listening already happens through a phone or laptop. In my opinion it's the smarter buy for the modern listener: a genuinely strong amp section for 16–300 Ohm headphones, LDAC wireless, and a 105g aluminum body you'll actually carry. I'd choose the SHANLING EC Play instead if you own CDs and want them to keep mattering — the anti-shock clamping, 4.4mm output and 12-hour battery make it a complete little system, not just an accessory. Decide which of those two people you are, then check the current price on Amazon.
FAQ
Yes. It lists USB and coaxial connectivity alongside CD playback, and its CS43198 DAC handles up to 384kHz/32bit PCM and DSD256. That makes it a legitimate desktop DAC/amp, not just a disc spinner.
Yes, but differently. The HA10-II receives Bluetooth and outputs to wired headphones through its 3.5mm jack. The EC Play is two-way — it can transmit to wireless headphones or receive from your phone — which is the more flexible arrangement.
The SHANLING EC Play, by the numbers: up to 12 hours from a 3450mAh battery versus 8–10 hours from 1700mAh on the HA10-II. Real-world results vary with volume and whether Bluetooth or the CD mechanism is running.
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