Shanling ct90 cd transport

Shanling CT-90 Brand new. Available in both Black and Silver.

The new Shanling CT-90 – Available in both Black and Silver finishes.

In a digital streaming-dominated landscape, Shanling continues to demonstrate unwavering commitment to physical media with the introduction of the CT90, an upgraded dedicated Hi-Fi CD transport designed for audiophiles who demand pristine digital output from their CD collections.

Building on the success of predecessors like the ET3, the CT90 adopts a sleek new aesthetic inspired by Shanling’s recent high-end components, such as the SCD3.3 SACD player. It features a premium top-loading mechanism with a dedicated CD puck and a tiltable cover for easy disc access, paired with the highly reliable SAA7824 servo system and DA11 disc drive for stable, low-error reading.

Shanling CT-90 key highlights

Key highlights include support for standard CDs, CD-R, CD-RW, and MQA-CD formats. A dedicated upsampling circuit enhances playback quality (though not available on the USB output), while high precision 45MHz and 49.9MHz clocks ensure exceptional timing accuracy. For ultimate flexibility, there’s even a clock input compatible with external 10MHz master clocks or 44.1kHz bases.

Connectivity is comprehensive and geared toward integration with high-end systems:

Dual AES/EBU outputs (ideal for direct connection to active speakers)

Coaxial SPDIF

I2S HDMI with FPGA supporting 10 different pinout modes for optimal third party DAC compatibility

Shanling’s proprietary USB audio output

Bluetooth input supporting LDAC, aptX HD, aptX, and AAC codecs

USB drive playback (up to high-res files, controlled via the Eddict Player app)

USB input for use as a digital transport from computers

Power comes from a robust linear supply with a 35W transformer, contributing to clean signal delivery without the noise associated with switching supplies. Notably absent is Wi-Fi, keeping the focus purely on transport duties rather than full streaming integration.

Its a dedicated CD transport offering advanced features and build quality that rival far more expensive competitors.

For enthusiasts with extensive CD libraries seeking a modern, versatile transport to pair with their favorite external DACs, the Shanling CT90 represents a thoughtful evolution in physical media playback. It underscores that, in high end audio, the compact disc is far from obsolete.