Shanling AE10 Earphones with 10 BA Drivers

The Shanling AE10 is a flagship in-ear monitor with ten balanced armature drivers from Sonion, Knowles and Shanling’s own custom range, joined by a fourth-order six-way crossover. A specially developed low-frequency resonance chamber gives the all-BA design real bass weight, two tuning switches offer four sound signatures, and the starry carbon fibre and glitter shells weigh only 5.3g each.

Shining stars: a VARTM shell

Each body is made entirely by VARTM (vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding), with a look inspired by the shining stars of the night sky: a carbon fibre overlay on a black resin base, mixed with electroplated glitter, under the gold lettering of the AE series. The ergonomic shape keeps each earphone to just 5.3g for comfortable long listening.

Ten balanced armatures, a six-way crossover

• Sub-bass and bass: two Sonion sub-bass and two Sonion bass drivers reach the deepest tones, with slightly elevated bass that keeps the speed and clarity of balanced armatures.
• Mid-bass and midrange: one custom mid-bass and two custom midrange drivers, chosen to Shanling’s strict standards, make vocals and instruments smooth and clear.
• Treble: two Knowles drivers, tuned to be clean and airy but never harsh, for pleasant, fatigue-free listening.
• Ultra-high frequencies: a custom driver adds the top-end extension, so the AE10 stays a coherent all-BA design without complex electrostatic drivers.

A fourth-order LRC crossover divides the signal six ways, reducing interference between the drivers for clearer sound and better tonal quality and layering. Handmade acoustic tubing and independent acoustic damping complete the design.

Bass from a resonance chamber

Shanling developed a dedicated low-frequency resonance chamber that gives the balanced armatures unrivalled bass presence and extension, letting the AE10 match even the best hybrid designs. The optimised cavity also isolates well from outside noise. The tuning follows a modern target curve: rich in sub-bass, dynamic and punchy in the mid-bass, smooth and textured in the midrange, and airy and detailed in the treble, for versatile sound across all genres.

Four sound modes

Two crossover switches on each earphone, one for bass and one for treble, give four distinct tunings in one pair:

• Both down: the balanced default tuning.
• Switch 1 up: elevated bass for the deepest tones.
• Switch 2 up: more emphasis on clarity and detail.
• Both up: the most dynamic sound.

Octa-core single-crystal copper cable

The handmade cable uses eight cores of single-crystal copper in a coaxial, double-layer conductor structure that shields against outside interference, with an antibacterial nano-coating for a cleaner, more durable surface. Standard 0.78mm 2-pin connectors let you swap or upgrade it at any time. The AE10 holds Hi-Res Audio certification, with response up to 40kHz.

Good to know

• The cable ends in a 4.4mm balanced plug. You need a player or DAC with a 4.4mm output, or a different 2-pin cable.
• In the box: earphones, cable, large vegan leather storage case, small vegan leather carrying case, 15 pairs of sound-tuning ear tips, cleaning tool, cleaning cloth and manual.