In a world where streaming dominates, Shanling’s new CT90 CD transport is a reminder that physical media isn’t going away anytime soon. The $899 device, set to ship globally at the end of December 2025, is built for people who still enjoy spinning discs — especially those who’ve invested in high-end audio setups with standalone DACs.
Unlike all-in-one players or streamers, the CT90 focuses entirely on reading CDs and sending out a clean digital signal. If you’ve got a favorite DAC or digital audio converter, the CT90 is designed to pair with it — no built-in analog output here.
Let’s take a closer look at what it is (and what it isn’t).
If you’re familiar with Shanling’s earlier ET3 model ($899 at Amazon), the CT90 will look familiar — but there are a few key differences. First, it’s larger: the ET3 was a compact half-width box, while the CT90 takes up about two-thirds of a standard audio rack. That gives it a more traditional hi-fi presence and allows room for upgraded components inside.
Gone is the old “oven door” top lid. The CT90 uses a flip-up lid with a magnetic puck, which makes loading discs feel a little more deliberate — more in line with what you’d expect from high-end transports like Shanling’s SCD3.3.
Inside, it’s powered by a Philips DA11 disc mechanism and a Sanyo SAA7824 servo, both known for stability and precision. It plays standard CDs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, and even MQA-CDs — a nice nod to those with niche libraries.
The CT90 doesn’t try to be everything. It’s a pure digital transport, which means you’ll need to connect it to a separate DAC. But Shanling gives you lots of options to do that:
That I2S option is especially helpful if you’re using a high-end DAC that requires a specific pin configuration. And the dual AES/EBU ports are a rare find at this price — something you’d usually expect from much more expensive gear.
If you’re into high-resolution audio, the CT90 has an upsampling engine that can take your standard CD audio (16-bit/44.1kHz) and bump it up to PCM 768kHz or DSD512 — but only through the I2S connection.
Other outputs have limitations:
There’s also a word clock input if you want to sync the CT90 with an external clock for tighter timing. That’ll matter more to users with ultra-precise systems, but it’s there if you need it.
On the back panel, there’s a USB-A port for playing files directly from flash drives or external storage. So if you’ve got digital albums saved as FLAC or WAV files, you can use the CT90 to send them to your DAC too.
That part is controlled through Shanling’s Eddict player app, which has a reputation for being a bit clunky. It works, but there’s a learning curve.
The CT90 also includes Bluetooth input, supporting LDAC, aptX HD, aptX, and AAC. That means you can stream from your phone or tablet and have the music go through your DAC just like a disc would. It’s not lossless like Wi-Fi streaming, but it’s convenient for casual listening.
And speaking of Wi-Fi, the CT90 doesn’t have it. No AirPlay, no UPnP, no DLNA. Shanling has stripped out the networking side to keep the device focused on one thing: playing discs and sending a clean digital signal to your system.
On the front, there’s a 4.8-inch color display that shows track details, file info, and system status at a glance. It doesn’t appear to be a touchscreen, so navigation is handled through the physical buttons or the included remote control. It’s a practical touch that makes using the CT90 feel more intuitive, especially when switching between CDs, Bluetooth, or USB sources.
The CT90 is clearly aimed at listeners who still value their CD collections and want to get the best sound out of them — especially in systems built around dedicated DACs. If you already have a Wi-Fi streamer or network player, you probably don’t need another one inside your disc transport.
On the flip side, if you’re looking for an all-in-one player with integrated streaming, headphone output, or a built-in DAC, this probably isn’t the right fit. The CT90 doesn’t try to do it all. Instead, it sticks to what it’s designed for — and does that well.
With a price tag of $899, the CT90 isn’t a budget player, but it’s far from the most expensive option in the high-end CD transport category. For folks who’ve built up a carefully chosen audio chain and just want a disc transport that plays nicely with the rest of their system, it’s a solid contender.
Just don’t forget — you’ll need a separate DAC to complete the setup.
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