I bought the ET3 as a stop gap when my C.E.C. went to the US distributor for a check up (nothing major). I thought the ET3 sounded a tad too bass heavy in my system out of the box, but my system is voiced for vinyl in a pretty serious way.
I use the ET3 as a media player from an SSD, running it through a DDC to a relatively cheap DAC (Gustard X26Pro) via I2s. It sounds great, but much depends on the source. Even redbook standard can sound good. As to its merits as a CD spinner I found it ok, prefer the deftness of the C.E.C. but big price difference, even for the entry level C.E.C.
I'd say take this in the context of one specific system, one listener. Thing is well made at its price point, no drawer which adds to the mechanical complications. And it's pretty cheap- though I don't know if Shanling plans on keeping it alive, they seem to focus on new products and the ET3 is no longer "new."