Is This Affordable Hi-Fi Player the Next Best Alternative to Apple’s Old iPod Nano?

It certainly looks the part. And it costs as much as Apple’s most affordable AirPods.

Two portable music players, one orange showing "Safe and Sound" by Capital Cities and one red showing "Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra, next to black and copper wired earphones on a black surface.

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Apple introduced the last iPod Nano, the seventh-generation model, in 2015. It was then discontinued two years later in 2017. For those nostalgic for Apple’s tiny, standalone music player, it was a sad time.

Fast forward to the present and Apple no longer makes any iPods (the Shuffle and iPod Touch have also been long discontinued). However, several audio companies have seized the opportunity to introduce to fill such a gap.

Shanling is the latest one.

Shanling M0 Pura

Three compact digital music players in black, red, and orange with screens and control knobs on a white surface. — The Shanling M0 Pura features a 1.54-inch touchscreen display. It looks just like the original iPod Nano.

Shanling is a Chinese hi-fi manufacturer that is probably best known for its CD players. In fact, as of late, it has released several new models for physical media enthusiasts (most recently, an affordable CD player named the EC Play).

Now, the company has introduced a fourth-generation model of its iPod Nano-sized player with the M0 Pura. It shares a similar ultra-compact design as its predecessor, the 2024-released Shanling M0s, but boasts updated components and new features to better cater to modern audiophiles.

Blue smartphone with a fish-patterned case, wired earphones, and a small black music player connected by cables on a brown surface next to a white keyboard. — The Shanling M0 Pura can function as a USB DAC/amp for your laptop or smartphone.

Distraction-free, portable hi-fi

Like previous models, the Shanling M0 Pura is positioned as an affordable, distraction-free way to listen to music while on the go. It runs the company’s customized operating system, which it says has been “developed specifically for fast, hassle-free navigation through albums, playlists and settings.”

It doesn’t support any music streaming apps. There’s no Apple Music, Spotify or Tidal. Instead, all music storage is handled by a microSD card. It’s meant to handle digitized CDs, ripped vinyl and digital downloads (say, from your old iTunes library).

According to the brand, it’s compatible with all digital file formats, including FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, APE, MP3, AAC, OGG and DSD.

Close-up of a black electronic device showing a metal kickstand, USB-C port, headphone jack, and a slot on a black background. — It supports microSD cards up to 2TB.

Compared to its predecessors, Shanling has upgraded the M0 Pura with improved DACs and more powerful headphone amplifier, so it sounds better and supports even higher-end wired headphones.

Specifically, the M0 Pura has been equipped with dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 DACs that support PCM playback up to 32-bit/384kHz and native DSD128.

According to the brand, the “new design delivers improved audio performance while providing up to 250mW of output power into 32 ohms when used with Shanling’s optional 3.5mm to 4.4mm balanced adapter.”

Three Shanling portable music players on a black surface, one black showing the back, one orange playing "Safe and Sound," and one red playing "Mr. Blue Sky. — Shanling offers the M0 Pura in three finishes: orange, black or purple.

Modern features, versatility

Naturally, the M0 Pura has a few other tricks up its sleeve. Most notably, it supports two-way Bluetooth.

This means that if you don’t want to use wired headphones, it can stream high-resolution audio to your wireless headphones. When functioning as a Bluetooth transmitter, it supports LDAC, aptX, AAC and SBC codecs.

It also functions as a Bluetooth DAC and headphone amplifier. So you can stream music to the M0 Pura from your smartphone or computer and listen to superior audio.

Lastly, you can plug it into your computer and use it as a USB DAC. (The built-in DAC/amp on today’s consumer electronics is notoriously average.)

Hand holding a small square red digital music player with a touchscreen showing a green music note icon. — The M0 Pura works with a companion app, the Eddict Player (iOS and Android compatible), which lets you customize sound settings and adjust screensavers.

Availability and pricing

The Shanling M0 Pura comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable and two screen protectors. Other accessories (include a leather case, a clip case and a 3.5mm to 4.4mm balanced adapter) are sold separately.

It costs $129 and is available now from authorized retailers, including Amazon.

Red Shanling MO Pura portable music player with color display and control wheel.

Shanling M0 Pura

About the Author: Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. With a passion for consumer tech and hi-fi, he tracks everything from headphones and turntables to smartphones and wearables. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.

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