SACD Returns With a Vengeance: Shanling’s New SCD3.3 Is the Disc Player No One Expected in 2025

A true DSD transport, a 212-resistor R2R ladder, a tube stage, and engineering heft rarely seen in the streaming era.

SACD in 2025: A Format That Refuses to Die

If you told someone in 2005 that SACD would still be alive two decades later, they’d have laughed. And yet, here we are: audiophiles buying premium SACD transports, labels reissuing DSD masters, and companies like Shanling treating the format with fresh reverence.

The new Shanling SCD3.3 ($3,990) is the latest proof that physical media isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a quiet rebellion. With native DSD output, a 2nd-generation R2R DAC, and a 12AT7 tube output stage, this machine is built for listeners who believe great sound deserves more than a streaming URL.

A Serious SACD Machine for Serious Listeners

The SCD3.3 is not a warmed-over CD player with SACD compatibility thrown in. Shanling engineered it as a full-fledged disc platform, centered around:

• A proprietary top-loading transport using the HD850 laser

• True DSD extraction from SACDs (no PCM conversion)

• A 212-resistor, 0.01% precision R2R ladder DAC

• Selectable solid-state or 12AT7 tube output stages

• A 10kg aluminum chassis built for vibration control

  
  

In other words: SACD treated as a reference source—not a legacy checkbox.

R2R + Tubes: The Signature Shanling Blend

Where most modern disc players rely on off-the-shelf delta-sigma chips, Shanling doubles down on analog-leaning digital:

Second-Generation R2R Ladder DAC

• 212 ultra-precision resistors

• Hand-matched for linearity and tonal consistency

• Offers the density, texture, and naturalness that R2R fans crave

  
  

Selectable Output Stages

• Solid-state for maximum speed, neutrality, and resolution

• Tube stage (12AT7) for warmth, bloom, and a more forgiving top end

  
  

Few players at any price offer this kind of sonic flexibility. Even fewer combine R2R and tubes in one chassis.

Connectivity: A Disc Player With Modern Ambition

Shanling didn’t simply build a great disc transport—it built a complete digital hub.

Outputs

• I2S (FPGA-assisted) with 10 selectable pinouts

• Coaxial SPDIF with DoP DSD64

• RCA and XLR analog outs

• Linear-out or preamp mode

  
  

Digital Features

• USB DAC mode (PCM 768kHz / DSD512)

• USB drive playback

• Bluetooth 5.0 with LDAC / aptX HD / aptX

  
  

Add a 5-inch LG touchscreen, full remote control, hardware buttons, and app control, and you’ve got one of the most user-friendly disc players ever made.

Under the Hood: Where the Money Goes

Shanling’s engineering choices make it clear who this machine is for.

Power Architecture

• Dual 66W toroidal transformers

• Independent 15W power module

• Isolated analog and digital circuits

• Designed for noise suppression and stability

  
  

Build

• 10kg weight

• Thick aluminum panels

• Top-loading transport with dedicated puck

  
  

This isn’t a “component”—it’s a statement piece.

SCD3.3 at a Glance (Key Specs)

Playback: SACD, CD

DAC: 2nd-gen R2R, 212 resistor ladder

Outputs: RCA, XLR, I2S (10 modes), Coaxial SPDIF

USB DAC: PCM 768kHz / 32-bit, DSD512

Bluetooth: LDAC, aptX HD, aptX

Dimensions: 430 × 319 × 91 mm

Weight: ~10 kg

Price: $3,990

Final Verdict: A Modern Classic for Disc Believers

The Shanling SCD3.3 is one of the most serious SACD/CD components released in years—maybe decades.It’s not a nostalgia machine, and it’s not a budget-friendly “me too” transport. Instead, it’s:

• A native DSD SACD transport

• A fully discrete R2R DAC

• A tube/solid-state hybrid analog stage

• A digital hub capable of DSD512 and high-res PCM

  
  

If you still value the ritual of physical media—and you want it executed at true high-end levels—the SCD3.3 is arguably the most complete SACD platform available in 2025.

For $3,990, it’s built for one type of listener:The person who still believes the best sound comes on a disc.