Shanling's MC-30 iPod dock plays hits from the 80s, sounds so crazy

While we can't say the world needs yet another iPod accessory, Shanling's MC-30 CD player / dock unit caught our eye not only for its tube power amp, high-end Philips CD transport and Burr-Brown DA converter, but for its shameless 80s style. Not only does the clear acrylic CD lid light up with blue LEDs, the tubes themselves are encased in rings of plastic, making the whole thing look like The Sharper Image just leaned over and threw up. Keeping with the 80s vibe, you'll have to be quite the Yuppie to snag this thing: Shanling's US importers are setting prices right around a cool $1,000.

[Thanks, Lukas]

[alexberg @ Jul 19th 2007 7:06AM]

Holy crap that thing looks cool! And I was barely born in the 80's. Gotta give it to them, the blue led does the trick with the tubes!
Now if I only had an ipod and some 1300$ to import to the US and then ship it off to Sweden...

[Jesse S @ Jul 19th 2007 8:08AM]

What a waste of money...A crappy amp, CD player, and source, ALL IN ONE!

[slugabug @ Jul 19th 2007 8:26AM]

This is the funniest post I've read in a long time. Keep up the good work!

[tis---strange @ Jul 19th 2007 8:29AM]

I want a zune-version...

Or, for that matter, I want no more ***ing crappy I-pod docks...

[Stephen @ Jul 19th 2007 8:31AM]

Too cool for School

[andrew @ Jul 19th 2007 8:47AM]

"making it look like the Sharper Image just leaned over and threw up."

LOL!! That's the funniest thing I've read in a long time! Thanks for making my morning!

[Matt @ Jul 19th 2007 8:57AM]

completely agree -- that was HILARIOUS, reminded me of a Woot.com description

[Jamie @ Jul 19th 2007 11:43AM]

I totally second that emotion!

[Tim @ Jul 19th 2007 3:48PM]

Seriously, I think I pee'd a little when I read that. Do you think they'll make a model with an Ionic Breeze built in?

[Suzanne @ Jul 19th 2007 12:06PM]

That's poetry. Great job!

[Jason @ Jul 19th 2007 9:38AM]

Maybe Shanling can hire Gary Shan(d)ling, who is also from the 80s, as their spokesperson.

[Bad Beaver @ Jul 19th 2007 9:50AM]

Njaaa, Shanling is not for everyone, on the aesthetic side. I don't like them either, the stuff just looks incredibly tacky. Soundwise, they are very good. $1K is also pretty cheap for something Shanling.

[John B @ Jul 19th 2007 9:57AM]

Oh, baby! Crank up Huey Lewis and Pat Benatar, and hand me my Izod shirt and that sweater to tie around my neck! Domo warigato, Mr. Roboto!!

[Randymah @ Jul 19th 2007 11:14AM]

Shanling is regarded as the Rolls Royce of Chinese audio manufacturers. The sound quality - and build quality - of the products is first rate. An iPod dock, single-ended tube amp, cd player, and d/a converter for $1,000 is a bargain.

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 19th 2007 12:17PM]

I'm not dusting that.

[owenkun @ Jul 19th 2007 12:30PM]

Don't you love how you'd be using a tube amp to play highly compressed MP3/AAC music from the iPod? They have the CD player in there, granted, but can't you just imagine some faux audiophile listening closely and remarking about the 'crispness of tone' and such?

If people are willing to pay $1,000 for this crap I really can't help but to think that I'm in the wrong business.

[Shizelbs @ Jul 19th 2007 12:41PM]

Its not crap. Shanling makes outstanding hifi gear. That iPod dock alone probably weighs at least 40 pounds. Shanling products are built solid, and I have to agree with the comment above that for $1000 you are getting a lot of a quality product.

[owenkun @ Jul 19th 2007 1:47PM]

It's certainly possible that the unit itself is solidly built and I'm sure they're known for good products, but the fact remains that lossy audio + any kind of high end gear isn't a combination that anyone that's even marginally serious about audio quality can take seriously.

[Sven @ Jul 19th 2007 1:51PM]

The 6P1 is an odd choice for a power amp. At max load they can only output about 5.5W each, so what exactly is this powering? I think the Russians used to put these in Televisions.

[BW @ Jul 19th 2007 4:10PM]

One of the coolest iPod docks I've seen.

[poster1000001 @ Jul 19th 2007 6:09PM]

I am totally with owenkun on this one. Shanling can make all the fancy high end audio people want to believe, but all the burr-brown DACs and tube amps in the world will not make compressed music sound good.

[imajoebob @ Jul 22nd 2007 9:49AM]

Wow, staggering stupidity.

An analogue amp for a digital player. It must deliver incredibly warm, nonexistent overtones.