Introduction



Disclaimer: This review is of a production Chord Hugo2 unit as provided free of charge from Chord Electronics Inc. for the purposes of this review as part of the Head-Fi Hugo2 tour. The Hugo2 has since left my possession and is in the hands of the other tour members. The unit will be going back to Chord once the tour is over.

I don't think many people in audiophile land need an introduction to Chord Electronics, but for those that aren't familiar Chord Electronics Inc. is a small company based in the U.K. that produces high end DACs and amplifiers which are used in many recording studios and enjoyed by many consumers around the world.

My first introduction to Chord Electronics was when I was approached by Chord to head up the Canadian leg of their Head-Fi Mojo tour. Before that time I was aware of (and curious about) the original Hugo's unique implementation compared to other DACs but I never really paid much attention to it given its price and availability in Canada. The audio path I was previously on was heavily toward R2R gear for DACs and I was seeking the best bang-for-buck gear I could find. The Mojo changed all of that. I was completely smitten with what I heard and I couldn't figure out how the device could offer such sound quality with that amount of headphone drive in such a small package. Given my inquisitive mind I proceeded to find out as much as I could about how Chord's resident DAC designer Rob Watts implements his designs.

Digging deeper in to the unique implementations of the Chord DACs has led me to sell most of my other gear and acquire a Chord DAVE, their top flight DAC currently available. When Chord announced the Hugo2 and Rob shared his presentation slides and measured performance of the Hugo2 on Head-Fi I just couldn't resist being a part of the Hugo2 Head-Fi tour. Unfortunately, supply chain issues resulted in many delays and anticipation was high but the wait was long. So, now here we are, I have had the chance to demo the Hugo2 and I will report on what I've heard, compare it to the Mojo and the DAVE and hopefully be able to help clear up some questions regarding what it is and what it sounds like. There's a lot to talk about so let's get in to it.



What's Included?

The large well padded box that the Hugo2 was delivered in included:

- The Hugo2 DAC/amp unit.
- Instruction manual.
- One micro USB to micro USB OTG cable.
- One long Optical TOSlink cable.
- One short Optical TOSlink cable.
- Remote control.
- 2A wall charger with different adapters for different regions.
- One USB B to USB micro cable.

This is an improvement over the limited accessories that came with the Mojo or even the DAVE, and a very welcome addition. I think the 2A wall charger is brilliant with its changeable socket plugs and I can see it being very useful not only for sales in different regions but for being covered when travelling as well. The remote control is simple and gets the job done but it's nothing to write home about. The micro OTG USB cable works well and I had no issues using it with the FiiO X5 III or AK240 as a source.

One gripe I have is the optical cables provided are TOSlink on both ends and given that most portable devices that would connect to the optical input would have a 3.5mm optical out you can not use the provided cables without a TOSlink to 3.5mm adapter. It would be best to not use adaptors as they often limit the output to 24/96kHz, but at least one can get going right away if it was included if someone only had a 3.5mm optical source. My other gripe is that the coaxial input is 3.5mm and there is neither an appropriate cable or adapter included.

All-in-all though the included accessories are welcome and definitely a step in the right direction from Chord.



Design

As it says on the box, the Hugo2 is a transportable headphone DAC/amp. I would agree 100% with the transportable moniker as it's slightly too big to be called strictly portable. The unit measures 130mm(L) x 100mm(W) x 21mm(H). It's perfect for taking outside and lounging on the deck, or using on a sofa away from one's regular listening station. However, unless taking a backpack, a coat with roomy pockets, or wearing trousers with very ample pockets I wouldn't really consider it a portable device.

Chord has a thing for using a unique design and the Hugo2 is no exception. It follows some design cues from the original Hugo while adopting some design elements from the Mojo. It now uses illuminated balls for input selection, power on/off, and filter and crossfeed selections. The rotating ball for volume control remains the same as the original Hugo but is now raised slightly from the rest of the chassis.

I'd like to point out the out of the two units that I have sent along on tour (black and silver) both of them have a small gap between the top and bottom pieces of the chassis. This is most evident on the USB input side where one can clearly see the illumination from the LEDs shining through the small gap. I didn't mind it but it should be noted for a device at this price and caliber.


Love it or hate it the design and controls are uniquely Chord.

Chord has also kept the window for peering at the device's innards and this window also displays the incoming signals sampling rate colour with a coloured LED, which changes depending on the input signal.



I/O - Controls - Features

I/O




Digital Inputs

First and foremost the Hugo2 is a DAC, and this is evident in the fact that you can not input an analogue signal in to the Hugo2 (more on this later). For inputs there is a micro USB input which is capable of 32bit/768kHz sampling rate PCM, a dual coaxial input capable of 32bit/768kHz sampling rate PCM (dual coaxial is for use with Rob's M scaler tech which brings the Hugo2's TAP count to a whopping 1 million actual TAPs), a 3.5mm optical input capable of 24bit/192kHz sampling rate PCM, and AptX Bluetooth which is capable of 16bit/48kHz sampling rate PCM.


USB Input.


Coaxial Input.


Optical Input.

Chord specifies that the Hugo2 can handle Octa (8x) DSD but they aren't clear on the input limits of using Octa DSD. I would presume that only USB can transfer such high data rates and coaxial and optical are limited to DSD128 and DSD64, respectively. If I find out further information I will update the review.

On the USB input side there is also a micro USB port for charging. I think this is a good move from the original Hugo as it lends itself to more charging options rather than being shackled to a dedicated charger.

The USB side also has two small holes to accommodate a future add-on currently called the 2go. This will be similar to the Mojo's add-on named the Poly which has streaming functionality and a microSD card slot to access your music, while all being controlled from your smartphone. This will hopefully be a one stop solution as a source for music to feed the Hugo2, but currently the 2go features and specs are not announced and there is no release date announced at this time.

I was surprised at the range of the AptX bluetooth as I was able to get a stable connection at 30ft away with the FiiO X5 III as a source, as long as the Bluetooth window was not covered and there were no walls in the path.


Analogue Outputs

On the opposite side of the USB inputs is the analogue outputs along with the digital optical and coaxial inputs. For analogue outputs there is a 1/4 inch headphone out, a 1/8 inch headphone output and L/R RCA outputs. All the analogue outputs share the same signal path and nothing is bypassed when using the RCA outputs. Huh?! I'll explain more on this later. Just know that when using either the headphone ports or the RCA out you will be getting the same quality of sound.

The output power of the Hugo2 has been bumped up from the original Hugo and the Mojo (both of which are identical). Now you can expect to get 1050mW in to 8 Ohms, 740mW in to 33 Ohms, and 94mW in to 300 Ohms. The Hugo2 is capable of peak output Currents of 0.5Amps. Chord states that the Hugo2 will drive 8-800 Ohm headphones and I find that the power output from the Hugo2 is ample.


Controls

To operate the Hugo2 you'll want to go over the manual. Everything is controlled through illuminated balls and the colour of the ball indicates the current function or setting. The idea behind the colours is analogous to the spectrum of light. Red is a lower frequency and has less energy while ultraviolet is a higher frequency and has more energy. So, red is lower volume and ultraviolet is higher volume. Blue is full charge while red is low charge. Get it? You will but it takes a little getting used to.

To turn the unit on you press and hold the Power button until it begins to flash through a sequence of colours while it boots up. Once fully booted up the Power button displays the colour that represents the state of charge. For the volume control you roll the ball on the top of the device (the last volume is remembered except for the line-level volume preset). The rest of the functions are changed by pressing the balls and the setting will be represented by the corresponding colour. Yeah, read the manual.

So, even though all the feedback is through colours, and it takes some getting used to, I also really like this scheme as it is quick to know what you're settings are once you do adapt to it. You can see below some of the different colours for incoming sampling rate signals which is easy to register once you know what they are.



I won't sugar coat it though... this control and feedback scheme may not be readily accepted by everyone and it does take some getting used to. If you are coming from a Mojo or the original Hugo it will feel very familiar. For those that want a numerical display you're out of luck.


Features

Filters

New to the Hugo2 is the idea of filters. To really understand about the filters one needs to understand Rob's WTA filter and his approach to designing a Digital to Analogue Converter. I'll cover this in the section about the internals later. Rob has decided to include the filters as a way for owners to hear a difference between the first stage 16FS WTA filter (as in the Mojo) and a second stage 256FS WTA filter that he's implemented in to the Hugo2.

I'll admit that when I first tried the different filters I heard no difference between them whatsoever, but like pretty much all DACs the devil is in the details. The filters don't change frequency response like a tone control on an amplifier, or like an equalizer. What the different filters do is change the timing and the perceived tone through the implementation of the filter. The idea is that when the timing is not tightened up then the perceived timbre of the notes will be off. With the 16FS filter (Red/Orange) the notes can sound more loose and less defined leading the listener to have the impression of a slightly softer and warmer tone. While the 256FS filter (White/Green) is more precise and incisive leading to the impression of more attack and a slightly brighter and wider presentation.

When I listened for overt frequency response tonal changes I couldn't differentiate between the filters. When I listened for timing changes I could hear a slight difference between the filters and it became more consistent as I spent more time with the Hugo2. I guess that's how my brain is wired and I suspect many will have difficulty picking out the differences between the different filters.

Quick a/b comparisons did nothing to my perception of the differences. Listening to the Red filter for a while and then switching to White was the best for me. The sound expanded more on the White filter and wasn't quite as collapsed/intimate as the Red. almost like turning on/off a subtle version of the old wide button one may find in old audio equipment from the 90's.

Just know that using the White or Green filter is using the full capabilities of the Hugo2, and the Green filter is 256FS with a high frequency roll-off filter to deal with high frequency noise typically found in high resolution recordings. The Orange is using only the first stage WTA filter at 16FS and Red is 16FS with the high frequency roll-off filter.

Rob explains the technicalities much better than I could in this post he made in the Head-Fi Hugo2 thread - Link -. The linked post also has measurement results from the APx555, and they are impressive.

Crossfeed

Apparently the Crossfeed feature is the only thing that is the same as the original Hugo. The Crossfeed is good and not over done in my opinion. What I found interesting is that it's noticeable and useful if the song has hard panning, but unlike other Crossfeed implementations I've heard it doesn't seem to have much effect on some songs. I reckon that depending on the stereo mix you will hear more or less benefit. For a more modern example besides the likes of older songs from The Beatles, Scared by The Tragically Hip is a song that I couldn't tell much difference at all between full Crossfeed and off. Yet, Boots or Hearts by the same band NEEDED Crossfeed to help with the panning and it was quite noticeable with this song. I like the Crossfeed when it's required and would likely use it often if I had the Hugo2.

Dimming the Lights

If the lights on the Hugo2 are too bright - and they do illuminate the ceiling when at full brightness - you can dim them to a much more friendly low light level, like you can with the Mojo. When dimmed the illuminated lights become invisible in bright outdoors and are barely readable in normal household lighting conditions, but are great for dimly lit rooms. The dimming function reduces the illumination further than the Mojo's dimming.

Battery Life

The battery life on the Hugo2 is one of its biggest weak points. I was only able to get around 7 hours while using it (timed 2 different times), which is what Chord advertises, but I wanted at least 10 hours. It just seemed too short to me. You can see the variance in time between each charge level. Lap 1 is Blue charge level, Lap 2 is Green charge level, Lap 3 is Yellow charge level, and Lap 4 is Red charge level. After that it goes to blinking Red which means head for the charger now.




Additionally the unit I tested took about 6 hours to charge with the included wall charger so now there is a recipe for frustration.




Desktop Mode

The Hugo2 has a desktop mode that will bypass the battery charging circuit when left plugged in for more than 24 hours, indicated by a magenta colour for the power button. In this mode one should be able to use the Hugo2 plugged in to the wall indefinitely with no detrimental effects on the battery life. This should be a welcome addition for those that want to use the Hugo2 in a desktop scenario exclusively.



Technology Inside

This section of my review is probably the hardest to write and may be the most difficult to understand. How do I go about explaining complex design challenges and unique implementations to a general audience when I am not an engineer, or anything close to one? Well, I don't. What I can do is touch on the implementation in a basic way that will hopefully highlight what sets the Hugo2 apart from other conventional DAC/amps that are available in the wild.

In the most simple terms, the Hugo2 is a unique DAC with a discrete analogue output tied directly to the DAC. Similar to what conventional DAC's would label their line-out, and the volume is controlled digitally. There is no analogue volume pot and the sound of the analogue stage can not be separated from the sound of the DAC. It is about as transparent as one can get to the DAC with as little components as possible. On the flip side, because the analogue output is tied directly to the DAC without a separate amp like in conventional designs you can not input an an analogue signal from another DAC.


DAC

Starting with the DAC stage Rob Watts has chosen to forge his own path in DAC design foregoing both the typical Delta Sigma chip design and an R2R design. The Hugo2 uses and FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) chip to handle code for the volume control, battery charging scheme, Crossfeed, etc.. The FPGA also handles the DAC filters and runs the latest WTA filter (Watts Transient Aligned filter) which has been completely redesigned based on knowledge he's gathered from developing Chord's flagship DAC, the DAVE. As alluded to earlier, there are two WTA filters in the Hugo2. The first one is 49,152 TAPs (true TAPs) in the 16FS filter. The second WTA filter goes from 16FS to 256FS which further improves timing reconstruction accuracy as the WTA filter recovers timing to 81nS resolution. I don't expect many people to know what what I'm talking about here. Just know that the Hugo2, technically and measurably, is a large improvement over the original Hugo.

Moving from the FPGA for the DAC filters there is the discrete 10 element Pulse Array DAC, which is a significant improvement over the 4 element Pulse Array DAC in the original Hugo. What's a discrete Pulse Array DAC? This is Rob's DAC that he invented which uses flip flops to convert the digital signal to an analogue signal. Again, it's very complex to explain the functionality and again, I'll let Rob's words speak for themselves in this Head-Fi post from the DAVE thread HERE and from his Head-Fi Watts Up? blog HERE if you were interested in digging deeper.

Analogue Stage

The analogue stage in Chord DACs is very short and direct by design to reduce components in the signal path to help maintain transparency to the source. The analogue stage has no coupling caps and there are only two resistors and two capacitors in the signal path. However, the active part of the analogue stage is not simple as it employs the analogue second order noise shaper topology which corrects for non-linearity in the output stage.

When I asked Rob about the output stage in which he explained the above he also replied with this remark:

"The main source of distortion and sound quality problems when driving headphones is the output stage; this is where crossover distortion occurs, which sonically is extremely serious. Now, we can reduce this problem by increasing the Class A bias; but this only helps, it does not eliminate the sound quality and measurement issues. So to solve it I use the analogue second order noise shaper."

He provided far more technical information, but this gives the gist of what he was saying.

To set the output to line-level mode you would press the Crossfeed button while turning the device on. This will set the volume to 3Vrms and will not be remembered when the device is powered down. Line-level mode is nothing more than a volume preset and nothing internally is bypassed in this mode.

The only reason I mention the technicalities in such depth is because the implementation is very different from other designs in the wild and I feel it's worthwhile knowing how different it is.



Sound Reproduction

Here we are at the important part... The sound. All the techno-babble means nothing if the sound falls flat. I used a wide variety of tracks for my listening test from Eric Clapton's Unplugged album, to multiple binaural recordings including Chesky's Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc, to Metallica and AC/DC, and Opeth. Classical music was also a big part of my test tracks and I have too much to list, but a large part of the tests were from Decca's 50 CD set.

To my ears the sound from the Hugo2 sets a new benchmark for a transportable device. The sound is incisive and detailed. There is no bloom or extra reverb or tipped up treble to my ears. What I was taken aback with was the sense that the Hugo2 was very honest to the recording. It seemed very easy to hear if the recording was mixed heavily, subtly, or if the recording was a simple mic'd setup left untouched. I only heard this level of reproduction from the DAVE before and was surprised to hear it from such a small device.

Overall the sound is similar in tonality to the Mojo and DAVE, in the same family so to speak. It also doesn't feel bright or too warm to my ears and I can't say objectively neutral either. Neutral is completely relative and unless comparing directly to a live performance no one can say exactly what neutral is. The best we can do is gauge the sense of realism when listening to audio gear based on our own perspectives. Compared to most gear I've heard that would be called neutral I would say the Hugo2 falls in the slightly warm category, but like I said, this is completely dependent on one's preferences and point of view regarding what their neutral is. Frankly, I find a lot of 'neutral' gear to be bright and hard sounding.

For the ability to reproduce detail I would say the Hugo2 does wonderfully. There's a sense of small nuances that I haven't heard before except from the DAVE. While not quite at the same level of performance as the DAVE there is so much low level detail. So much dimension and depth within each note, each sound. I'm not talking about overall macro soundstage size or the ability to recognize depth in the recording. I'm talking about individual sounds have more dimension to them. Guitar strings have ample nuance from the pluck to the overlapping and decaying reverberation. With drum hits I can hear the warble of the skins after the initial impact in some tracks. Piano finger positions, key impact strength, sustain, are all reproduced beautifully and clearly. Vocal inflections are easy to pick up and that draws me in to the performance. I didn't find complex orchestration to get confused and enjoyed clearly hearing strings, brass, and percussion playing together well.

Of course, all of this is dependent on the recording mix and mastering, but on my best recorded music the fidelity is superb.

Imaging from the Hugo2 is also very good. I didn't get a sense of sonic 'blobs' in the presentation. Everything seemed to be in its place and occupy each space appropriately as far as I could tell without being at the recording session. Using Chesky's Ultimate Binaural Headphone Demonstration Disk I could clearly hear the depth and height from the test tracks. It's always wonderful to listen to a sound travel from the floor to 8 feet in the air and accurately place it with just headphones. Listening to voices call out from in front and behind the mic was spot on and I had a clear picture of where the performers stood with the Hugo2.

Similarly, if the recording was mixed flat with no spacial information then that's precisely what I heard. The Hugo2 can be brutally honest to the recording. In the end all we really have are measurements compared to the input to tell us what is transparent to the source and how far it deviates from the input and the Hugo2 measures very well in this regard, but, measurements aside, I really enjoyed what felt like a lifelike and natural presentation from the Hugo2.



Comparisons

As I mentioned in the introduction I ended up selling most of my gear when I acquired the DAVE so my comparisons are limited currently to the Mojo and the DAVE.

Hugo2 vs Mojo



On the Hugo2 vocals can be more forward or more spacious compared to the Mojo depending on the track and how it was recorded. Again, the differences in how a recording was mixed plays a part here and I feel the Hugo2 highlights this aspect better than the Mojo. With the Mojo it was like listening to baSS/MIDS/TReble in comparison. The Hugo2 has more of a overall cohesive and balanced presentation than the Mojo. The Hugo2 paints a more accurate picture of the recording and has finer nuance and fidelity.

Overall the Hugo2 has a bigger, wider, deeper presentation than the Mojo and is also more detailed and layered. The sense of 'being there' is much stronger with the Hugo2. I'm getting a bit repetitive. Going back to the Mojo seems more claustrophobic and congested.


Hugo2 vs DAVE

The DAVE is another level up from the Hugo2, no question there. What surprised me was it wasn't 10 levels up. The Hugo2 is close in tonality to the DAVE but feels a little brighter overall. The DAVE has more oomph in the bass, more impact, more gravitas. The DAVE also has even more space than the Hugo2 and feels even bigger yet in its overall presentation compared to the Hugo2. Detail is also slightly easier to perceive with the DAVE but yet very analogue sounding, a smidge more than the Hugo2.

The takeaway for me from this comparison was that indeed the Hugo2 is a lot closer to the DAVE than it is to the Mojo but definitely not on the same level.



Headphone Pairing

In general, I found the Hugo2 to have a similar effect as the DAVE regarding headphone pairing. That is to say that the character of the headphone is high-lit more than from other gear I've owned / tested. I've found that the more transparent the source gear the less of its own flavor it will add to the headphones and you are left with the naked truth regarding the headphones and the music.

Overall the Hugo2 had far and away more power on tap to drive all of the headphones in my collection and I never found the need to go much above the Red volume range, if at all for my average listening level of 80-85dB in a quiet setting (at times I did really rock out though).


Noble K10



The K10 sounds good from the Hugo2. Overall balanced and spacious sound for an IEM, if not slightly warm. Detail retrieval was really good and it didn't feel like I was missing anything with the K10. I heard a slight amount of hiss with the K10 but it was only when listening for it with no music playing.


JH Angie

The JH Angie is somewhat mid-centric and very engaging to my ears. Detail retrieval was good and because the Angie has an adjustable bass pot it was easy to dial in the preferred sound to my tastes. With the Hugo2 I ended up increasing the bass attenuator from 2:00 to 2:30. I think this was because of the overall more spacious sound from the Hugo2 vs the more closed in Mojo, which has been my usual listening source for the Angie. There was some hiss with the Angie, but like the K10 it was nothing offensive and only with no music playing when actively listening for it.


Audioquest Nighthawk

The Nighthawk is a love-it or hate-it type of headphone. I purchased it when it was half price and I love it for it's unapologetic warm, smooth, low distortion sound. I think it's a great headphone with the Hugo2 because it offsets some of the Hugo2's unapologetic presentation. This is the headphone that I relax with. The Nighthawk are a very low distortion headphone and play well with the Hugo2's measured performance. Incidentally it's one of Rob Watts favorite headphones as well and I can see why with the Hugo2.


Audeze LCD-2 (Pre Fazor 2014)



The LCD-2 had no problems at all being driven from the Hugo2 and they are a great pairing. It's easy to hear a little bit of graininess in the treble on these with the Hugo2 but overall the tonal balance and speed from the Hugo2 gave them a boost. However, I liked them more from the Mojo than the Hugo2 as the Mojo's mid-centric and smooth presentation seemed to play better with them.


Audeze LCD-XC

The LCD-XC didn't fare as well as the other headphones for me from the Hugo2. Drive-ability is not the issue. The issue is that my LCD-XC have emphasis in the upper mids / lower treble that made them sound harsh and fatiguing with the Hugo2. Naked truth. I like them from my Cavalli Liquid Gold but that's more about synergy and tonal balancing with gear. Moving on.


MrSpeakers ETHER Flow C

This is a full sized closed back headphone that pairs well with the Hugo2 to my ears. It's a little bright overall but the lower bass is phenomenal and the low distortion characteristics of the ETHER Flow headphones play well with the Hugo2. There is a great soundstage for a closed back and the listening experience with the Hugo2 is engaging and fun, especially for EDM and electronic music. So clean.


MrSpeakers ETHER Flow (open)

If the ETHER Flow C is a little bright with the Hugo2 then the ETHER Flow (open) is a little warm. They both sit just on either sides of the neutral fence for me. The Ether Flow (open) has a little bit of emphasized mid-bass that is clear and present when played from the Hugo2. The Hugo2 livened them up a little compared to the Mojo but didn't resolve as much as the DAVE with them. Overall a great pairing that has taken a lot of my head time when I had the Hugo2.


Focal Utopia

This is the one I've been waiting to talk about. The pairing of the Utopia and Hugo2 is nothing short of amazing to me. There are dynamics to spare, details to suck you in, pinpoint imaging, a soundstage and depth (if it's in the recording) to get lost in. Yeah, I tend to gush with this headphone and while I think the DAVE has a more analogue presentation with the Utopia I find the Hugo2 doesn't make me miss the DAVE as much as the Mojo does when not at my listening station. The tonal balance and sense of 'being there' is top notch. Really, I can't think of a faster and more dynamic and impactful listening experience from what is a very transportable TOTL pairing.


Desktop DAC

For its part the Hugo2 on its own is very well tuned and has plenty of drive for the headphones I own. However, there's always that lingering question... How does it sound with a desktop amp? I can say it sounds fantastic with the Cavalli Liquid Gold. I'll never say an external amp is more transparent to the source, that's not possible objectively. What I can say is that the Liquid Gold adds its sweet tonality to the Hugo2's incisive and detailed technical prowess that you get the best of both worlds. Although I typically listen to the DAVE direct, as I likely would with a Hugo2, I love plugging in to the amp from time to time for some of that sweet tonality.

I would recommend that when using the Hugo2 as a DAC for an external amp to set the Hugo2 to the line-level 3Vrms volume preset and then with the remote click the volume down 4 times to get a less hot 1.9Vrms. Some amplifiers can't handle a 3Vrms SE input without distorting. Just be extra cautious as this adjusted volume will be remembered the next time you turn on the Hugo2 and it will likely be far too loud for most headphones.



Conclusion

Well, that was a long review! I have to admit that I was surprised by the performance of the Hugo2. Even after seeing Rob Watts's presentation slides and seeing his APx555 measurements for low distortion, jitter, and the usual suspects, I was still tickled with the sound that I heard. Is it at the DAVE level? No, even though there are many things Rob has learned with the DAVE that have gone in to the Hugo2 it's still a notch behind. What the Hugo2 is to my ears is probably the best transportable device you can buy right now.

Chord has a great device with the Hugo2 and with improved design elements over the original and improved technical capabilities I have no doubt that it will be popular among enthusiasts that have the money to purchase one. It isn't cheap but it does perform in my opinion. I may have to acquire one for myself for those times I don't want to sit at my listening station with the DAVE and not feel like I'm missing much.

Thanks for reading!


Specifications from Chord:

Chipset: Chord Electronics custom coded Xilinx Artix 7 (XC7A15T) FPGA

Tap-length: 49,152

Pulse array: 10 element pulse array design

Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz +/- 0.2dB

Output stage: Class A

Output impedance: 0.025Ω

THD: <0.0001% 1kHz 3v RMS 300Ω

THD and noise at 3v RMS: 120dB at 1kHz 300ohms ‘A’ wighted (reference 5.3v)

Noise 2.6 uV ‘A’ weighted: No measurable noise floor modulation

Signal to noise ratio: 126dB ‘A’ Weighted

Channel separation: 135dB at 1kHz 300Ω

Power output @ 1kHz 1% THD:

94mW 300Ω

740mW 33Ω

1050mW 8Ω

Weight: 450g

Dimensions: 130mm (L) x 100mm (W) x 21mm (H)

Boxed Dimensions: 220mm (L) x 122mm (W) x 85mm (H)

Edit: Edited for clarity and grammar.

Focal Utopia Review



Utopia - definition: An imagined state of things in which everything is perfect.

My initial intention was just to write some detailed impressions, but throughout that process I found it difficult to keep the length down to an 'impressions length' post, so it's turned in to a review. I apologize if I ramble on about these headphones but I just feel they offer an incredible listening experience. Spoiler - I love this headphone and want to talk about it.


Disclaimer

I purchased these headphones at retail price and I'm simply sharing my experience and perspective with other Head Fi members. I'm not going in to any value assessments nor am I going to touch on the use of solid Beryllium for the very unique drivers. jude has covered the technical areas very well in his announcement video, and I suggest everyone watch it to know more about the engineering behind these headphones. I am only going to share my own listening impressions of the Focal Utopia headphone. I don't have the same extensive experience with Summit Fi headphones as many members on Head Fi, but I do know when I hear something that's special. I'll say it now... I may gush a little here.


Background / Perspective

In the past - far too long ago - I've enjoyed using electrodynamic headphones regularly, as well as regularly using speakers, but as soon as I tried the LCD-2 (rev2, pre-fazor) I was smitten with the planar magnetic sound. The other headphones I owned at the time just didn't have the same impact and clarity, to me, as the LCD-2. I've since purchased the LCD-XC, JH Angie Universal, Noble K10 Custom, and the ETHER C (now 1.1) as my stable of headphones and IEMs.

I've been drawn to a very detailed sound, but not detail in the form of an exaggerated treble response. I value all parts of the frequency spectrum for a sound that I perceive as balanced and realistic. I listen to most genres, but I'm currently particularly fond of live recordings and classical, but also really groove to music from Pink Floyd all the way to ASURA (highly recommended). I'm a strong believer that detail can be had with a balanced frequency response and that source gear plays just as large a role in retrieving detail as the headphones. Quite simply, if the source gear can't portray the music with enough transparency then the headphones can't render it. On the flip side, if the headphones are not rendering the capabilities of the source gear then one isn't getting the best from their system in my opinion.

Over the last couple of years I've toured some portable gear and purchased a few good DACs and amps, but I never had the desire to own more headphones as I was already happy with what I had. So, after having tested the waters with many different pieces of upstream gear I thought it was time to upgrade my headphones. The trigger for this was my purchase of the Chord DAVE. I felt the DAVE was being held back by my full size headphones, not being able to shine with them. I wanted to upgrade to a Summit Fi headphone to be able to play on the same level as the DAVE, and I had many TOTL headphones under consideration. With the announcement of the Focal Utopia, and their unique electrodynamic driver design, I had a feeling I couldn't resist and the other headphones that I was interested in would have to take a back seat for a while. The reports were very good from people I trust. The measurements were very good from different sources. The excitement was building. I purchased the Focal Utopia blind as soon as I saw it available in Canada.


The first Focal Utopia headphone available in Canada.


Build Quality and Fit

Much has been said already about the build quality of the Utopia but I thought I might as well briefly contribute my thoughts as well. The Focal Utopia is built, to my eyes, with the same kind of quality and style I'd expect in an exotic sports car. Carbon fiber yokes, shiny bits of trim, bold yet subtle branding, luxurious leather. This is a smart looking headphone that makes me feel like I'm 10 years old again looking at a Lamborghini Countach for the first time. The ear cups are deep and I have no issues fitting my giant ears in to them. The leather and memory foam is extremely soft and very comfortable on the headband as well as the ear cups. I feel no overheating from the ear cups and they are very, very open. They are slightly heavy, yes, but the clamping pressure from the cups is perfect for me, and the headband weight distribution is pretty much perfect in my opinion. Every bit of the Utopia is solid and it gives me the confidence of looking forward to years of use.

As a small side note, the sound from the Utopia reacts much stronger to a slight inward pressure exerted on the ear cups than most headphones that I've heard. When I slightly press the ear cups toward my head while wearing them I hear a large elevation in the mid range. Most headphones will give this effect to some degree, but with the Utopia it's very pronounced with as little as a 1-2mm difference toward the ear.


The black Focal logo on the black carbon fiber yoke. Nice subtle detail.


From the Pittard leather to the metal mesh on the ear cups, it all makes
for a beautiful headphone to my eyes.


The driver has a very fine screen on both the front and back of the ear cup,
just barely seen here under the larger metal mesh (click to enlarge).


Listening Impressions - Technical Ability

Dynamics - HDR for audio

My first thoughts when I listened to the Utopia was "I need to take notes". This is because I personally haven't heard anything like this before in a headphone. For an analogy with our visual senses, we see with our eyes in true 'HDR', that is - High Dynamic Range. Our eyes can resolve low light levels at the same time as bright light levels without being over or under exposed. The Utopia has a similar effect to me for audio, being able to render the softest tones along side the most punchy and impactful ones at the same time. The Utopia is by far the most dynamic headphone I've ever heard and probably one of the areas that I feel needs some time to truly be appreciated. I realize I may be repeating what has already been said here on Head Fi, and elsewhere, but the punch and dynamics from these headphones is incredible. When I say dynamics I'm talking about the impact from instruments. Wailing on a guitar vs gently strumming. Pounding a drum kit vs lightly brushing it. Piano key hits played feverishly vs delicately. It all comes through as large as life to me. Not only that but the dynamics are very nuanced and textured as well. It's unusual for me to hear both impact and such subtlety at the same time with very low levels of distortion. I can hear more emotion in the performance with the Utopia than I've ever heard before through a headphone.

When I first put them on I set my volume somewhat lower than what I felt they would require for my normal listening level based on their impedance and sensitivity specifications (my normal listening level is in the ballpark of 80-85 dB). To my surprise they felt much louder than I imagined they would at that volume so I turned down the volume further. I continued to listen this way for some time but thought the sound was somewhat slightly reserved. It was then that I decided to roughly measure the output level with my smartphone speaker level app with the mic between my fingers sealing the ear cup with my hand (I realize the app is not 100% accurate, but I do know it is in the ballpark). Shockingly I was listening at 55-60 dB when I felt I was around 75-80 dB. That's not a small difference. Again, I am aware that my measuring is not entirely accurate, but the point is to illustrate the relative differences. I briefly spent some time measuring them and adjusting the volume until I achieved 75-80 dB output, and let me just say that the sound is incredibly dynamic at these volumes. When Tyll Herstens said in his Elear review about getting the volume 'just right' he wasn't kidding! For comparison, I adjusted the volume for the LCD-2 and ETHER C to output the same dB level and both sounded more like what I was used to hearing as far as their output levels were showing. Just amazing dynamics from the Utopia, and the other headphones sound somewhat flat in direct comparison (more later).

Quite simply, the dynamics feel like I've cranked the volume to 'rock out' when, in fact, I am listening at reasonable listening levels. Yes, they're dynamic. Mind blown.


Space - Soundstage and Imaging

Others have commented that the Utopia's soundstage is too small. Personally, I find the sound to be deep with incredible imaging and placement. Long before Tyll recently started to associate a recessed presence region with a wider, deeper, larger soundstage, I was feeling that most reports of a large soundstage in headphones (and source gear) were the result of frequency response and tonality over anything else if distortion and transients are good, and I've posted as much on Head Fi in the past. How much of the above statement is accurate and how much is 'just my feeling' I'm not sure I'll ever really know, but that's what I'm sticking to. Please, feel free to disagree.

What I will point out is that with the Mojo feeding the Utopia I find the soundstage to be less than with the DAVE. The Utopia are easy to drive, easier than the ETHER C, so it isn't a drive ability difference. I feel that the Utopia / DAVE combo is creating a better representation of depth and space than what I might get from a perceived sense of depth and space from a certain frequency response balance. I realize this will be a hotly debated topic about this headphone and I'll stop here. Just know that my thoughts are that the soundstage may be slightly small compared to other headphones like the HD800, but I don't feel like I'm really missing any sense of space or imaging. I do feel that boosting the 3kHz and up region does help increase the perception of a larger soundstage though. More on that later.

Edit (September 1, 2016): For clarity, I would like to point out that I feel that tonal balance does affect perceived soundstage significantly, but I feel it isn't the single factor at play. Also, after further listening tests and comparisons, I can confidently say that I find the Utopia's soundstage to be very realistic to my ears.

I like the imaging from the Utopia. Placing instruments is easy and they occupy their own space well. I don't hear instruments overlapping each other when they shouldn't and they feel as big or as small as they should IMO, especially with the incredible dynamism. The instruments are well and accurately separated within the space to me.


Detail Retrieval

Agile. Nuanced. Revealing. The detail retrieval on tap is incredible to my ears. Easily more than any headphone I've owned or auditioned before. There is so little grain from the Utopia and the excellent speed and decay of the drivers reveal the smallest of details and texture, the real low level stuff. Things like the warble of the skins on the drum after the initial hit. The sense of reverberation through the air from a guitar strum. The very subtle inflections from a singers voice that draws me further in to their performance. The miscellaneous cues like feet shuffling on the floor, lips smacking as they open, performers shuffling in their chair during an acoustic guitar session. The smallest of details also add to the sense of recording space. This is actually what my brain locks on to when listening for soundstage. The room reflections and reverberations that portray space are rendered very well with the Utopia, subtle as they are.

I find many headphones that have a bright tonal balance are easy to perceive as being able to retrieve more detail. This is not something I'm looking for in a headphone. What I want is a balanced sound with the technical ability to reveal the smallest details in the recording while still sounding balanced to my ears. The Utopia and DAVE pairing does this for me, and my goal of finding a headphone that can keep up with the DAVE in detail retrieval has been met to my ears. As I mentioned earlier, I have not heard that many Summit Fi headphones but the Utopia leaves me wanting for nothing with regard to detail retrieval. There really isn't much more to say about it. Technically, this headphone is very capable.


An extremely detailed and enjoyable pairing.


Listening Impressions - Tonal Balance

Overall balance

My pair have about 140 hours on them and I feel comfortable talking about their sound signature. Overall, I find the Focal Utopia to be one of the most balanced and realistic headphones I've ever heard. For reference I've tried the HD800 many times and found them to be too thin for my tastes. Conversely, I've owned the Sennheiser Momentum(v1.0) and found them to be too muddy for me. When I first heard the Utopia I was so taken back by the realistic dynamics that it has taken a while for me to dig in to the frequency response balance. The overwhelming theme with the Utopia, to me, is simply cohesive balance between the entire frequency range. My only quibble, coming from my other headphones, is that I did feel the treble region above 3kHz felt slightly reduced. Looking at the measurements would also indicate this to be the case based on the Harmon target response curve. Tyll mentioned the same thing in his measurements from his excellent review of the Utopia. Because of this I find the Utopia to be very very slightly mid forward. Very slightly. Compared to anything else I've heard I'd still prefer the balance of the Utopia.

Bass

The bass on the Utopia is much more present than I would have thought based on some earlier comments saying the Utopia is slightly bright. I'm happy to report that I find the bass is very present and extremely clean. I'm picking up textures in the bass that easily puts it in the front of the pack compared to what I own or have auditioned. I don't hear any bleed into the mids and the impact is simply unreal (or super real). I do hear a slight roll off below 40Hz. Listening to Hans Zimmer's Interstellar OST - Mountains - at 02:06 in the track, when the lowest sub bass notes kick in, I feel the Utopia could use about 2-3dB more in volume below 40Hz compared to the LCD-2, for my tastes, but it really doesn't feel like it is lacking in bass at all. Overall I'd give it a 9.5/10.


Mids

This is where the Utopia REALLY shines. I literally wrote in my notes for mids: "Perfect - Done". I simply can't fault any part of the mids for vocals or instruments. Of special note is the way the Utopia renders guitars. Whether it's the growl and distortion of an electric guitar, or the pleasant strumming of an acoustical piece, guitars sound awesome on the Utopia. Easy 10/10.


Treble

The treble from the Utopia surprised me. I was slightly worried that it would be a bright sounding headphone, but that just isn't the case from what I'm hearing. Again, the treble is incredibly clean and articulate. The treble sparkles, for sure, but I also hear the treble as being more dense than I've heard before. Not as thin. More subtle tonal variety than I've heard before. More breadth of frequency range within the treble. A real world example is how a cymbal hit sounds deep as well as has sheen in real life. It has space and foundation at the same time. It seems as though I can hear the cymbal's deformation after the hit. Incredible nuance and depth of tone rendered easily.

As I mentioned earlier I might prefer to have the treble increased by a couple dB above 3kHz, but only when comparing to my other headphones. In Pink Floyd's The Wall - Mother- I feel like I'm slightly missing some of the treble presence throughout the song, and especially after 02:52 in the track when the drums and electric guitar kick in. Without EQ, and on its own, the Utopia sounds fine. Perfectly fine. But, when comparing to the other headphones that I have I feel as though I'm missing a bit of sheen here. A minor bump to the entire range above 3kHz solves this completely for me. That said, again, I only feel this way when comparing headphones so in the end I don't use the EQ at all. What I did notice right away was that the very slight increase in the treble region brought out a larger sense of space to me, which is something I've observed before. From me the treble gets a 9.5/10.


In the end I'd say the tonal balance is incredibly cohesive, and only when comparing to other headphones' frequency response that one might find the Utopia needs a slight boost in the lowest bass and treble region. Or, am I just used to a slightly mids recessed sound. Hmmmmm, food for thought. I'm sure source gear will also play a very large roll here.


Comparisons

This may be the shortest section of my impressions, but I feel it's going to be the most profound. I'm not going to go in to detailed comparisons of each headphone I own. I can't really compare to other headphones that I've briefly heard. I will say that compared to what I own the Utopia sounds so much more dynamic and realistic to my ears that my other headphones simply sound FLAT. I'm a visual person, it's my job day to day. The best way I can describe the stand out difference that I get compared to other headphones is to use a visual analogy. Look at the two images below that I took while on a recent road trip. The first image represents my previous headphones, and the second image represents the Focal Utopia. Both images have the exact same amount of detail and exposure from the camera. It's the same image, just presented differently.


Headphone listening - pre Utopia. Click to enlarge.


Headphone listening - post Utopia. Click to enlarge.

In the first image there is the exact same amount of detail as in the second image, but it's more difficult to see. The depth is flat and it's more difficult to distinguish the mountain as being deep in the background, and the colour tonality is washed out. In the second image you get a much better sense of real depth in the scene. The mountain feels like it's further back looking through the atmosphere in the background, which helps make it feel (accurately) more large. The contrast of the foreground shadows makes the trees clearly more forward in the image compared to the first image, while not clamping any of the detail. The detail is more readily visible and the color tonality is accurate to real life. I did not boost any sharpness, or enhance any specific range in the second image. It looks the way it does simply because its levels are balanced, that's it.

These are the analogous differences I hear moving to the Utopia from my other headphones, and it's this lack of flatness in comparison that really sets the Utopia apart, driven by its technical abilities and tonal balance. Quite simply it's the real deal.


Conclusion

Looking back at my notes I see scribbles along the lines of:

- "OMG!!! Richard Tompson, Tim & the Bears: Space! Detail! Timbre! WOW!!"
- "Stone Temple Pilots, Dead and Bloated: Just grinning ear to ear!!"
- "Melissa Menago, Little Crimes: So much sense of space and delicacy! Beautiful!! and the rain outside actually sounds like rain, lol!!"
- "Classical: Completely captivating and easily renders orchestral complexity!''

I actually wrote at one point, "My heart is racing! No joke!". I think that about sums it up. The Utopia is an extremely exciting headphone to listen to because it can be delicate or incredibly impactful, or both at the same time. I haven't heard anything through the Utopia that didn't play well. I feel that if a headphone is balanced and technically capable then it will be a genre master. Well, I can confidently say the Utopia headphone is a genre master. Actually, I would say the Utopia is a master of all things and quite simply is the best headphone I've ever heard, and at the same time unlike any headphone I've ever heard.

I had a lot of other TOTL headphones in my sights before I purchased the Utopia. Now I don't feel the need to try them out (for now, lol). I know I will purchase other headphones because trying different gear in this hobby makes me happy. I actually currently have the ETHER Flow on order. However, no matter what other headphones I own in the future I think I'm always going to look back to this time when I first tried the Focal Utopia with great fondness (for a long, long time). It just sounds so good... So. Incredibly. Good.


Thanks for reading!






_____________________________________________________________

Manufacturer specs and information can be found here - Focal Utopia -

jude's measurements on Head Fi - HERE -

Tyll Hertsens's measurements on Innerfidelity - HERE -

 
 
Cayin N5 Review
 
Disclaimer
 
The Cayin N5 was provided to me as part of the Cayin N5 world tour in exchange for my impressions and honest opinion on the device and it has since left my possession. I am in no way affiliated with Cayin and do not own the Cayin N5. I'd like to thank Cayin Audio and especially @Andykong for providing the opportunity to review the N5. This review is based entirely on my impressions and your impressions may be different from mine.
 
 
About Cayin Audio
 
From the second post in Head-Fi Cayin N5 Thread - LINK.
 
"This is a busy year in Cayin. The success of N6 has opened up a lot of opportunities to this 20 plus years prestige audio company. After the launch of C5DAC, Cayin R&D team has been busy in further integrating their amplifier expertise with latest DAP experience, and their effort will pay off when the new N5 is released. This is the second DAP from Cayin and is tentatively priced at US$349 (subject to local tax and logistic charges) and yet maintain the overall sound signature and capability of N6, so It is a compact and powerful, low cost and professional DAP that every headfier should looking forwards to.

Cayin started to go into headfi market few years back and started with several desktop based Headphone amplifiers. They decide to venture into portable market as their new development focus in 2013 and have launched two very successful products in 2014: the C5 portable headphone amplifier and the N6 Digital Audio Player (DAP). These two products were exceedingly well-received among HeadFi communities all over the world. Cayin has been working very hard since then and planned to offer 5 new products in 2015. The C5DAC back in Q1 was a capable twin to the prominent C5, and the forthcoming N5 will be a strong alternative to the renowned N6."
 
 
"Cayin is a premium HiFi brand from China, has been a major player in local (Mainland China) market since 1993. Their focus has been always dedicated HiFi equipment covering every chain in the music reproduction path, from CD player to speaker, but the essence is no doubt their tube amplifiers. Their equipment ranged from around US$100 to just below US$10,000 per item, covering the needs of different requirements and budget."
 
 

The beautiful Cayin N5.
 
 
Cayin N5 Specification
 


 
 
 
About Me (Frame of Reference)
 
I am an audio enthusiast in my mid forties and have enjoyed listening to music since my youth with vinyl, cassettes, and later CDs and digital files. I listen to wide variety of music from a perspective of losing myself to the experience. At times I like to be transported to different states of mind or emotion in the case of classical and OST recordings. Other times I go to the venue in the case of live recordings, binaural+, or studio sessions. Some times I just like to rock out. Every time, however, I want the clearest and most natural representation of the music that I can afford. If the track has thumping bass I want to hear it. If the track is complex with many instruments I want to hear each one. I listen critically often but also appreciate timbre and musicality. 
 
I've used Sony Walkman cassette players, mini disc players, Sansa Clip+, iPod classics, iPhones etc., over the years as my portable devices, and I have 'grown up' with headphones in my ears and players at my side. My first digital high resolution player was the FiiO X3 first generation. My current daily portable player is the AK240 and I enjoy it for its interface, musicality, refinement, and it's pairing with my JH Angie IEM.
 
 
 
Packaging and In The Box
 

 
 
 

Cayin provides simple but elegant packaging for the N5 with a good array of accessories.
 
The packaging for the N5 is what I like to see when I purchase a product. Simple, understated and elegant. I can't stand seeing splashy advertising on the box but I do appreciate key specs being listed on the packaging. Cain has done both and it's nice to see some general information on the bottom of the box for quick reference. Once the lid is lifted off the box the N5 greets you in a simple foam cutout with a cloth tab to aid in lifting the unit from its cradle, a nice touch. Underneath the foam cradle is another box that contains all the included accessories.
 
Accessories:
 
- QC passed card.
- Extra screen protectors (with one already applied).
- Quick reference guide.
- User manual.
- Warranty information.
- USB 3.0 cable for charging and data transfer.
- 3.5mm to RCA coaxial adaptor.
 
There was no case included with the tour unit but I'm under the impression that retail units will come with a silicone case. There are also options for a leather case from Cayin - LINK - and from 3rd party manufacturers as well, like the beautiful Dignis case - LINK.
 
 
Hardware Look and Feel
 

That wheel belongs to Batman!
 
As with the Cayin N6 I find the N5 to be very visually appealing, but for different reasons. While the N6 is a retro Sci-Fi styled DAP I feel the N5 is a superhero's DAP. I can easily see this as part of Batman's utility belt (Cristian Bale Batman, not Michael Keaton Batman). The combination of angled, hard lines, with the buttons and bevels has a great design aesthetic to me. When it was first announced I was drooling at the pictures and in person it mostly lives up to the images found on-line. The shiny edges mixed with the slightly off neutral grey body add a gorgeous natural accent to the body in contrast to a sea of rather bland chassis designs from other DAP manufacturers. I realize this is simply a music player, but I appreciate it when a company takes the time to add a design aesthetic to their products. The N5 design may not be for everyone but it certainly got the blood flowing to my visual cortex.
 
The back of the N5 is covered in carbon fibre but unlike the N6 this carbon fibre is not smooth and almost feels like a sticker. I prefer the smooth Carbon Fibre finish on the N6 and, to me, the N5 back seems cheap. I also noticed the tour unit was showing signs of wear on the Cayin logo on the back. IMO the finish on the back side could use a clear, smooth piece of glass or hard plastic or smooth lacquer to protect the painted logo and give the backside a more professional look. Of course this is my opinion and others may like the look and feel of the backside, but the lettering does need a cover over it.
 
 
 
The painted text needs some protection.
 

A bumpy carbon fibre finish that could look better in my opinion with a
smooth cover/lacquer over it.
 
 
 
Hardware Usability
 
I remember when I had the tour unit for the N6 I had a very hard time adapting to the hardware button layout. I'm happy to report that the button layout on the N5 is more user friendly and I found the overall interaction with the unit a pleasant one, with some caveats. On the top of the unit is the power button and like the N6 a long press powers the unit on/off while a short press toggles the screen on/off.
 
The most used hardware buttons are the small funky bat-wheel with a centre select button, and the three buttons along the left side of the N5's face - from the top down the buttons are Menu Back, Right (next), and Left (Previous). Along the left side of the unit you'll find the volume up/down buttons as well as a convenient Menu button that is context based depending on the screen that is currently displayed. When the screen is off the volume up/down buttons also act as Back/Forward with a long press and the Menu button acts as the Pause/Play button. There are no lock screen options but these buttons have you covered when the screen is off. 
 
Here's the caveats for me with the hardware control: 
 
1) The Pause/Play (Menu) button has about a two second delay when resuming a track with the screen off so although I pushed the button the music did not start to play immediately.  This had me pressing the button again, which of course paused the music again. Very frustrating.
 
2) The two face buttons for Right (next) and Left (previous) switch functionality when you enter a sub menu from the main menu. For example, when scrolling lists in the browser the Right button becomes an Up button and the Left button becomes a Down button. This messed with my head a little as I expected to continue pressing the Right (next) button to navigate to the next item instead of the previous item in the list. After a while I became used to the navigation and I imagine if this was your only DAP it would become second nature. I just wish I was more logical from menu to menu for me.
 
3) The scroll wheel would jump around on me when doing a slow rotation clockwise. Instead of continuously moving through the menus when the wheel is rotated it would sometimes jump back an item or two before continuing to move through in the correct manner. FiiO has had similar issues that they have fixed in firmware updates so hopefully Cayin can do the same.
 
4) The same reason I love the look of the DAP is also a source of frustration for me. The buttons are located all over the DAP and require me to do more finger dancing to control the device than is optimal. I had the same frustration with the N6 but it's not as bad on the N5.
 
Besides the caveats the hardware controls are all fairly easily accessible and once you get used to the button layout it is a breeze to operate the N5.
 
The battery life is rated at around 9 hours on a single charge and I found that to be around what I was getting in my time with the tour unit. I never really felt the battery life was short and was quite pleased with the length of time the unit kept a charge, especially compared to the Cayin flagship N6.
 
 

The three buttons on the left face of the N5, Return, Right (up) , and Left (down).
 
 

The inspired wheel with the centre select button.
 
 

The easy to access Volume Up (previous track), Volume Down (next track), and context sensitive Menu button.
 
 

There are no controls along the right side of the unit. 
 
 
 
Inputs and Outputs
 

A generous full array of jacks on the N5.
 
On the top of the unit next to the power button there are three jacks for outputting music to:
 
1) Coaxial digital out to connect to an external DAC
2) Share 3.5mm single ended headphone / Line Out jack.
3) 2.5mm Balanced Out for balanced headphones/IEMs.
 
The single ended (SE) headphone out is shared with the Line Out (LO). This seems like the best way for Cayin to cram so many options in to the limited chassis space and they have provided ample warnings IMO when using the Line Out option (selectable in the menus). You really don't want the LO volume level blasting in to your IEMs!! They could have shared the coaxial output with the LO in the same jack but this would require a special cable to line up with the unusual pin configuration like on the newer FiiO DAPs. I found the jacks to be solid with no 'wiggle' when headphones or interconnects were plugged in.
 
 
 
The unusually long rubber cover for the N5 inputs.
 
On the bottom you'll find two mSD card slots and the USB 3.0 interface for charging and data transfer. With 2 mSD slots it's currently possible to have just under 400gb of music stored on the N5 which is a very welcome consideration. I don't have any USB 3.0 ports so I just used a regular USB 2.0 cable that I had lying around to charge and load data to the cards that I had in the N5. While I appreciate the dust cover over the card slots and USB input the first thing I would do if I owned the N5 would be to cut the dust cover off. It's simply too long and did not want to stay in place when I had it closed. Not a deal breaker but certainly one of the things that I didn't like about the design. Once last nit pick about the rubber flap... Why not make it the same colour as the rest of the body?
 
 
GUI (Graphical User Interface)
 
The N5 uses a very similar user interface to the N6, and is also very similar to FiiO's wheel based DAPs and a few other Chinese DAPs on the market. The N5 is a non-touch screen device and the only way to navigate through the menus is to use the hardware controls. The menus are well thought out and there is a wealth of information on each screen, although at times the screen can get a little 'crowded' such as in the Now Playing screen. I didn't take a picture of any menus and there is already excellent coverage on the N5 menus and GUI from Head-Fi members @twister6 - LINK - and @nmatheis - LINK.
 
What I really appreciate from Cayin is the four different themes to choose from. Also, I believe that custom themes can be made by users for the N5 as noted by @Andykong in the N5 thread but I haven't seen a specific toolset released yet. From my experience with doing custom themes it shouldn't be too difficult to do on the N5.
 
While the screen itself is bright and vibrant I found that the off angle viewing is less than ideal. Please see the pictures below to illustrate what I see when looking at the screen at an angle other than straight on compare to the X5ii. I also found the white balance of the N5 screen to very cool (blue) rather than neutral like the X5ii. I do high-end VFX work for a living so while this is important to me others may not notice the cool white balance without a more neutral frame of reference, and it certainly looks more exaggerated in photos. The black and white images are to further illustrate the way the screen washes out and gets brighter when viewed at an angle. All camera settings are set to manual exposure with a fixed custom white balanced.
 
 
 
 
 
 
All in all though I would say the screen on the N5 is sharp, bright and certainly usable in most cases as the user rarely looks at their DAP from such angles.
 
 
Amplifier Section
 
The amplification implementation in the N5 is very clean and powerful. Just like the N6 I find that I'm listening at much lower total volume in the volume range as opposed to other DAPs. I don't hear much grain and the details are passed through the amplifier section relatively cleanly.
 
 
Although they say that they have turned down the amplification of their balanced output for sensitive IEMs I still hear quite a bit of hiss using balanced mode to my JH Angie IEM (17 Ohm impedance and 117 dB efficiency@1kHz). It's too bad because I really like the sound coming from the balanced output on the Cayin N5. Other users with less sensitive headphones/IEMs may find they don't hear hiss at all when using balanced output and if that's the case I'd recommend balanced over SE.
 
 

The Angie could sound great with the N5 balanced if not for the prominent hiss with the balanced output.
 
 
 
DAC section
 
The N5 uses the same DAC chip as the Astell & Kern AK380 in a single chip configuration, the AK4490EQ DAC. Cayin has done a good job implementing this DAC chip and I hear a very detailed and textured sound from the N5. Not quite top tier levels but for the price it's a good implementation.
 
 
Cayin N5 Overall Sound
 
This is where the rubber meets the road. All these details of the DAP and I still haven't described what the N5 sounds like! To me the first word that came to mind is ATTACK! The N5 has a very sharp leading edge to my ears and the impact of notes is crisp and clean. What you get is good bass impact, detailed mids and well extended highs. The highs are, for me, the standout feature and while there really isn't anything wrong with the mids or the bass the treble simply is the star in my opinion. The sense of air and soundstage are quite enjoyable and although not as wide as something like the FiiO X7 (which is also much smoother up top) the Cayin N5 performs well in these areas. The bass is good although the lowest extension could be a bit better. The sub-bass just isn't as fleshed out as the rest of the frequency range as I would have liked. The mid and upper bass is good, if not very slightly elevated. The mids have very good separation but the presentation is forward without much depth, but if it's in the recording the N5 will show it. In the end I'd call the N5 a worthy DAP in its price range and though I feel it's a little bright it certainly is an enjoyable DAP. As a matter of fact when I acclimated to the N5's signature I found the FiiO X5ii to be slightly dull in comparison.
 
Please keep in mind that these impressions are from my perspective and depending on what headphones/IEMs you are using you may have a different view of the N5 than myself. Also please consider that perspective will change depending on what gear you are coming from. Like leaving a dark room and moving in to bright daylight it will take some time to adjust. Same for going the other way. So while I consider the N5 to be overall a little bright and sharp others may feel it's slightly warm and organic. It's all about perspective.
 
 
Cayin N5 Sound Comparisons to Other DAPs
 

In these comparisons I tried to volume match as close as possible to help level the playing field.
 
Cayin N5 vs iPod Classic - The N5 has much more detail retrieval than the now discontinued Classic. The micro detail in the recording is much easier to hear with the N5 and the iPod Classic sounds like it has a veil over the sound in comparison. The iPod driving power is no match for the N5 which means the N5 can drive a much wider array of headphones than the iPod Classic ever could. Not really a fair comparison.
 
Cayin N5 vs iPhone 5S - The iPhone 5S is a decent player but again lacks the detailed presentation and the driving power of the N5. Still, the iPhone sounds pretty good in its own right but the somewhat high (for sensitive IEMs) 2.3 Ohm output impedance, and the lack of driving power for difficult to drive headphones keeps the iPhone 5S in Cayin's review mirror.
 
Cayin N5 vs FiiO X5 (first generation) - I found the X5 to be warmer and a little flatter than the N5. The X5 is getting on in age and it's beginning to show in comparison to newer DAPs on the market. While the difference in detail retrieval isn't huge, and while the X5 is still a very capable DAP, I find that the N5 has better PRaT (Pace Rhythm and Timing) and presents a cleaner sound to the listener. The N5 is clearly more powerful than the X5 and I imagine the N5 would pair with a few more headphones better than the X5 can.
 
Cayin N5 vs FiiO X5ii (second generation) - I enjoy the X5ii a lot and it took me a while to get with the sound from the Cayin N5. Both players sound very similar when volume matched and both are very capable with detail retrieval, but with my headphones/IEMs I found the N5 to be slightly brighter and still sharper than the X5ii. Again, the differences were subtle, not night and day, but after extended listening I could pick them out. When I did acclimate to the N5 sound it seemed that the bass had more focused impact but in the end I would put it down to the N5's sharper treble that helps the bass sound more impactfull. Overall both players are great in their price bracket and a definite step up in my opinion from something like an iPod Classic. I did find that I preferred the X5ii control scheme as outlined earlier, but that is something that may simply be a matter of getting used to the N5 hardware interface.
 
Cayin N5 vs AK240 - For me I find the AK240 sounds warmer but at the same time more refined. It just presents the notes without as much aggression and yet is very enjoyable to listen to. I'm not surprised as the AK240 is in a completely different tier. However, the N5 is still a good performer and I would say that when volume matched the differences aren't a large as the price difference would suggest. As for the interface I vastly prefer the AK's touch screen to the hardware controls on the N5. Again, not really a fair comparison. I also couldn't really compare balanced output as my IEM hissed a lot from the N5 and was silent with the AK240.
 
 
 
Headphone Pairings
 
To be honest I don't believe that a certain headphones must be paired with a certain piece of gear or a certain genre. I believe in synergy with gear, sure, but if you don't like your headphone you should move on to a different set rather than wrestle with gear to compensate, or use an EQ.
 

I've recently added the ETHER C to the stable.
 
Vmoda M-100 - The N5 helps the bass heavy (though somewhat detailed bass) M-100 a little with the sense of space. Overall though the M-100 has so much bass that without an equalizer I prefer not to listen to it. The more energetic presentation of the N5 matched well with the M-100 and brought out a better treble response than I typically hear with this headphone. This helped quite a bit to balance the these headphones with regard to the frequency balance. An ok listen.
 
AKG K550 - These headphones can sound a bit hot in the treble but the lower bass has a good kick to them and can punch hard when the music calls for it. I  found the K550 a bit too 'hot' with the N5's sharp sound but when I listened for an extended period I found the soundstage of the K550 with the detail retrieval of the N5 became very enjoyable. The only caveat is there are slightly recessed mids with this headphone which the N5 doesn't help much with. Overall a good match and a fun listen, if not a little bright.
 
Audeze LCD-2.2 (non fazor) - The fact that these somewhat inefficient planar dynamic headphones can be driven from the N5 without using high gain and without raising the volume too much isn't surprising to me given how they performed with the N5's bigger brother, the N6. The N5 increased the sense of air and provides a good enough source for the LCD-2. It's not a match made in heaven though. The dynamics are somewhat crippled and it sounds a bit hollow to me compared to my desktop gear, or even a more powerful portable amp. This is expected though. Still you can use the N5 with the LCD-2 to drive it to good volumes when in a pinch. High gain was not much different except for needing to lower the volume to keep the listening level the same. The LCD-2 helped flesh out the bass presentation form the N5. A good listen.
 
Audeze LCD-XC - The LCD-XC is a different animal than the LCD-2. It's much more efficient and has much faster drivers with more detail retrieval. The N5 paired very well with the XC and the more aggressive presentation from the N5 added to the amazing detail retrieval of the XC. The combination is enjoyable to listen to and the clear mids and treble with N5 sounded very good. Of course we are talking about some serious headphones but the N5 wasn't ashamed to feed them all the detail they wanted. Great dynamics and a relatively open soundstage.
 
JH Audio Angie Universal IEM - The N5 to the Angie was a a very enjoyable pairing. There is so much detail retrieval on tap with every small nuance being thrown out for the Angie to reproduce, and yet it was only lacking a little weight to the presentation. I found that no frequency was fighting with each other to be heard. I did hear hiss from the N5 balanced output using the somewhat sensitive Angie (17 Ohm resistance and 117db sensitivity @ 1kHz), but SE was completely silent. I had to turn up the bass dial slightly on the Angie with the N5 but in the end it was a great pairing.
 
MrSpeaker ETHER C - Although the ETHER C is relatively new in my stable of headphones I found them quite good from the N5. Not being as efficient as the LCD-XC they benefitted from the power of the N5 with good bass impact and an amazing soundstage for a closed back headphone. Detail retrieval was above par and the pair matched well. Dan Clark recommends over 100 hours of burn-in for his V-Planar drivers so I was not able to have them fully burnt-in when I had the N5 in my possession. From what I'm hearing of the ETHER C now I imagine it would sound even better with the N5 with a little more weight in the low end.
 
 
 
Line Out From the Cayin N5
 

 
The Line Out on the N5 is very clean and it paired well with the ALO Rx. The Rx helped tame some of the sharpness and the detail retrieval from the DAC was top notch. I also tried the Line Out with the FiiO e12 portable amp and to the HA-1 desktop amp. In the e12/N5 stack the sound became a little more grainy and a little flatter compared to the built in headphone amplifier on the N5. The Line Out to the HA-1 was, again, very detailed and clean but the HA-1 was a clear step up in amplification, as expected.
 
 
 
Digital Coaxial out From the Cayin N5 
 

When connected through the coaxial output the N5 simply becomes a transport for your music.
 
I'm so happy that Cayin went with a separate, non-shared, coaxial out with the N5. With the latest FiiO DAPs it's become increasingly annoying to deal with the shared coaxial pin-out configuration to something like the Chord Mojo. What I hear from the digital coaxial output of the N5 is precisely what I would expect, that is to say I hear the sound of the device it's connected to. I hear no noise or issues with the coaxial interface and REALLY appreciate the separate coaxial jack on the N5. Thank you Cayin!
 
 
 
Final Thoughts
 
I enjoyed my time with the N5 for the most part. Just to summarize I'd like to get the negatives out of the way first. The interface isn't really my favourite of the DAPs I've tested or owned. The scroll wheel would sometimes jump around a bit when navigating (yet other tour members have had no issues). The button layout is not the most optimal or efficient layout. There is an unacceptable amount hiss with my IEMs using the 2.5mm balanced output. Are these factors a deal breaker? Well, that all depends on your perspective and where you're coming from. I'm happy with my stable of DAPs (for the moment) and I prefer their control layout more than the N5. If you are just entering in to the world of dedicated music players then the hardware controls would more than likely not bother you, especially given the beautiful design Cayin has come up with. If you don't care about balanced output or don't have sensitive headphones/IEMs that will be used in balanced mode then the hiss shouldn't be an issue for you.
 
One note I should mention is that Cayin has been very active on Head-Fi and they have been releasing FW updates at a respectable rate. They recently released firmware 3.0 which allows DSD over DoP through coaxial as well as a few other enhancements. I was on firmware 2.0 when I had the N5. There is very good support from Cayin and they are more than eager to help their user base with any questions or issues.
 
For me the sound quality of the N5 is very detailed if not slightly aggressive, yet after I get used to its sound signature going back to other gear they sound less dynamic than the N5. For such a small unit the power output is impressive and I think you'd be hard pressed to find a player at this price that can drive so many headphones with this authority. As a player at the top end of the mid tier the Cayin N5 is a very good entry in the world of portable audio. It's on about the same playing field as the FiiO X5ii in terms of sound quality and I know that if I didn't already own a few DAPs the Cayin N5 would be on my short list.
 

 
Thanks for reading, and Happy New Year!
 
 
 
 
My ratings for the Cayin N5:
 

 
Edit: Formatting

 

 
 
 
Disclamer
 
The FiiO X7 was provided to me as a part of the FiiO X7 World Preview Tour in exchange for my impressions and honest opinion of the device. It has since left my possession and is in the hands of the next reviewers. I am in no way affiliated with FiiO and at this time do not own the X7. I'd like to thank @Joe Bloggs of FiiO for the opportunity to review the X7. This review is based entirely on my impressions and your impressions may be different from mine.
 
 
About Me (Frame of Reference)
 
I am an audio enthusiast in my mid forties and have enjoyed listening to music since my youth with vinyl, cassettes, and later CDs and digital files. I listen to wide variety of music from a perspective of losing myself to the experience. At times I like to be transported to different states of mind or emotion in the case of classical and OST recordings. Other times I go to the venue in the case of live recordings, binaural+, or studio sessions. Some times I just like to rock out. Every time, however, I want the clearest and most natural representation of the music that I can afford. If the track has thumping bass I want to hear it. If the track is complex with many instruments I want to hear each one. I listen critically often but also appreciate timbre and musicality. 
 
I've used Sony Walkman cassette players, mini disc players, Sansa Clip+, iPod classics, iPhones etc., over the years as my portable devices, and I have 'grown up' with headphones in my ears and players at my side. My first digital high resolution player was the FiiO X3 first generation. My current daily portable player is the AK240 and I enjoy it for its interface, musicality, refinement, and it's pairing with my JH Angie IEM.
 
 
FiiO X7 Links to Specifications and Tutorials
 
There are many reviews already about the X7 and since the unit is now fully released globally I won't re-hash or give outdated information in my review of a preview unit. Instead I'll provide links to the FiiO X7's product page and interface tutorials. Everything you need to know about the product can be found there.
 
Product Page LINK
 
Interface Tutorials LINK
 
App Installation LINK
 
 
Packaging
 
  
Standard FiiO packaging here.
 
The packaging of the preview unit I received is pretty much what the retail unit looks like. I do notice that there are different female models on the screen of the X7 on different boxes but I have no clue which one you'll end up with. After you lift the X7 out of the box there is another thin box that contains all the accessories that come with the unit.
 
 

Included accessories - Counter clockwise from the left:
 
- A button navigation guide.
- Warranty card.
- Extra screws for the amp module.
- TRRS coaxial adaptor for coaxial output.
- USB Data and Charging cable.
- Extra screen protectors.
 
The X7 does not come with a case but FiiO has said that one is in the works and I'm sure third party manufacturers will be making cases for the X7.
 
 
Hardware Look and Feel
 

Size comparison to other DAPs in my collection. The X7 is rather large.
 
 

The X7 in my hand. It has some good weight to it.
 
I've been following the development of the X7 since it was first announced on Head Fi. There have been many designs shown, some of them brilliant, some of them a little ambitious. and some of them terrible. In the end what FiiO has come up with is a very utilitarian device that doesn't shout 'hey look at me'! It's simple and symmetrical, there's just no other way to put it. To be honest I liked some of their earlier designs but FiiO can't please everyone. What I really appreciate about FiiO is that they seek feedback from their customers and although the X7 doesn't have all the original planned features and may not be the perfect design I know that FiiO is listening. I'll touch on this more later.
 
 
Hardware Usability
 


Symmetry on either side. The blue cast is from the lighting.
 
 
The Volume up / down and Power buttons are along the left side of the unit while the Forward / Back and Play / Pause buttons are on the right. Each button has a good click and they didn't feel soft or loose to me. Overall I appreciate FiiO's continued dedication to including hardware buttons.
 
It wasn't all roses for me though. For my time with the X7 I had a hard time getting used to the symmetry of the device. Not everyone is going to find the symmetry an issue but my genetic makeup and large hands just didn't get along with the symmetrical hardware buttons. I use my thumb and fingers on both sides of the unit to brace it when I press the buttons and the first issue I had was I would keep pressing pause when trying to turn on the screen. I don't think it's a fatal flaw and I really have no suggestions to make it better as it makes the most sense in this chassis design, but still thought I should mention it. 
 
The touch screen is fairly responsive and an entirely different world from FiiO's previous button and wheel based DAPs. There is simply so much more that a company can implement in the device with a touch screen interface over a non-touch screen device. I welcomed the change from FiiO.
 
 
Inputs, Outputs, Battery and Storage
 
On the bottom of the X7 is the amp module that also contains the micro USB port for charging and data transfer. The use of amp modules is where FiiO sets itself apart from other touch screen DAP manufacturers. With easily swappable amp modules you can choose the one with the appropriate output power without hiss for IEMs, or in the near future you can pick up a balanced module to output to a balanced headphone. There are many possibilities and FiiO has even hinted that they could provide an extra mSD slot in an amp module for example, and FiiO has also indicated that third party developers would be making amp modules for the X7. Also, the X7 can connect to the new FiiO K5 docking desktop amp.They certainly are thinking of covering all the users needs with the X7.
 
The unit I tested only had the IEM module and it's the one that will ship bundled with the final production X7 unit.
 
The USB acts as the data transfer port and battery charging port. You can not turn off charging when the unit is plugged in. I was getting around 8 hours on a single charge playing a variety of sample rates from 16/44.1 lossless to high resolution 24/192 files, and some DSD samples.
 
 

Headphone out and USB port. Personally, I'm not a fan of the headphone out
on the bottom of a device but there's no way around it with the amp module.
 

Amp module connection / removal. It's very easy to do!
 
 

The removed amp module. The connection is quite secure when attached.
 
 

The single mSD slot on the X7. Data transfer was painless when connected
to the computer.
 

The shared Line Out and coaxial out jack.
 
On the top of the unit you'll find the Line Out and coaxial out jack that uses a TRRS configuration. The Line Out pins are in the standard location but the coaxial pins are on the Sleeve and the last Ring so you'll need to use the included adaptor to RCA or a custom 3.5mm coaxial cable to connect to an external DAC that accepts coaxial input.
 
 
Software and Graphical Interface
 
While the X7 allows you to take screen captures I decided it would be more helpful to create a video of myself navigating around the X7. The video turned out to be 14 minutes long but if you check it out you'll get to hear one of Pink Floyd's greatest tunes and you'll see what the X7 can offer from start to finish. Of course the FiiO link I provided earlier has explanations throughout each video but I put the time in to the video so may as well post it.
 
You'll also see that there are some times that the X7 didn't always respond immediately to my touch. Overall though the interface is snappy and it was a treat to scroll to the bottom of a list instead of having to scroll a wheel to reach the same goal on FiiO's other wheel based DAPs.
 
 
/img/vimeo_logo.png
 
One overall gripe I have with the X7 GUI is that it seemed like it wasn't focused enough on one goal. There seemed to be too many ways to arrive at a destination and over time it eventually became distracting. I could see how others may like the flexibility but I want more focus from a DAP. For a more focused interface I'd prefer the AK240 interface. It's relatively fast and definitely focused on one thing only.... Get the user to their music as quickly as possible with the least amount of confusion. I hesitate to comment too much on the interface as FiiO is putting out firmware releases at a very fast rate and I feel much of what I criticize will be moot in short time. Like I mentioned earlier, FiiO responds very well to their customers.
 
A big selling point of the X7 is the capability to use different apps like Spotify. The problem I had with the preview unit is the documentation was in Chinese and I'm an Android idiot so I didn't test any third party apps on the X7. The default music player is all I would use as I find it capable and I don't stream music.
 
 
X7 DAC Section
 
FiiO decided long ago that they would utilize the Sabre ESS9018S 8-channel desktop DAC in the X7. This is opposed to many other DAP makers using the 2-channel mobile version of this DAC and in my opinion FiiO has once again done a great job in the implementation of their chosen DAC chip. This desktop version of the ESS9018 certainly affords FiiO with the flexibility to use a variety of amp modules, and in my opinion, is a good choice on FiiO's part. It can natively decode DSD and PCM up to 384kHz. It can handle all file formats and has very good specifications. The key to a good DAC is it's implementation and FiiO knows how to do a good implementation.
 
USB DAC functionality is not yet implemented on the X7, but FiiO has it in the works for a future firmware update. 
 
 
X7 Amplifier Section
 
As you've already read the X7 has swappable amp modules which are very easy to change with little effort. The amp module packaged with the X7 is the 100mW IEM amp module which, in my tests, sounded pretty good. It's not the best amp section I've heard and I feel it's actually holding back the fantastic DAC implementation, but still I find it more than capable. There's not much more to say other than the planned amp modules from FiiO are:
 
- IEM module (bundled with the X7).
- Medium powered amp module with the Muses02 opamp. 
- High powered amp module with approximately 500mW power (subject to change).
- Balanced amp module with 2.5mm balanced output and 3.5mm SE output (can't use both at the same time).
 
 
FiiO X7 Overall Sound
 

My IEMs paired well with the IEM amp module.
 
When describing the sound of a player there are many factors to consider - from the files being used and how they were mastered, the headphones being used, the volume one is using, the output chosen (headphone out, line out, coaxial out) and the other gear in the chain. Also, the perspective one is coming from I feel is of great importance. If a user has never heard a very detailed and analytical source they might find the X7 to be too analytical, or too revealing of the flaws in poorly mastered music. On the other hand if coming from a perspective of highly revealing source gear and quality masters one may find the X7 to be not analytical enough (though I doubt it).
 
I'll be describing the signature of the X7 from the use of generally well mastered music only with my JH Angie given the supplied IEM amp module. One last note before I begin with describing the sound. If you don't like the sound signature of your headphones the X7 will not magically change them in to something else. These are my findings and you mileage may vary.
 
The X7 retains the general FiiO sound BUT everything is stepped up a couple awesome notches. There is a great sense of space, a refined presentation, a smooth top end, yet accurate details. The instruments have great impact while at the same time they're more separated out. It's easy to pick out instruments in the mix. The bass has weight but the presentation isn't overly warm. The mids are musical and engaging. The highs are detailed but not sharp or piercing which is very welcome given my fears when FiiO announced the chosen Sabre chip, as it can sound pretty bright with a poor implementation. What I hear is an audio reproduction that just wants to highlight everything that's in the mix without going overboard in doing so. There is a sort of holographic sound but it doesn't sound too forced. This helps me to lose myself in the mix and I enjoyed it immensely.
 
With the X7 it's very easy to hear tambourines, hi hats, shakers, etc.. they aren't pushed back in the overall mix. Very good micro detailing. It's very easy to pick up subtleties in the recording. 
 
Timing is good. Balance is good. Micro detail is good. Texture is very good. Bass has a great leading edge, guitar plucks a reverberation are sharp and textured, piano has impact. 
 
Overall excellent balance and tonality. 
 
 
DAP Comparisons
 

Does the X7 really sit in the middle of these DAPs?
 
I only compared the DAPs using my JH Angie because the X7 only came with the IEM module so I wanted to give it a fair comparison.
 
X7 vs X5ii
 
The X5ii is FiiO's former flagship model and it's a great sounding unit in its price bracket. However, the X7 is definitely a step up in refinement. The X7 is smoother, faster, cleaner and more accurate than the X5ii. X7 has a wider soundstage and even better instrument separation. The decay on the X7 is tighter than the X5ii. I also find the X7 to be more musical with deeper extension. In comparison the X5ii sounds slightly less resolving, slightly mushier, more smeared. It's not a huge night and day difference, but it is noticeable very quickly. For the price of the X5ii it's a very good player, just the X7 is better.
 
X7 vs AK240
 
I only compared the SE out of the AK240 given the IEM amp module in the X7 is only SE. The X7 is slightly more analytical than the AK240, more spacious. Micro detail pops out more. A similar level of capability but more holographic. More wide. More instrument detail. It's like with the X7 you are at the mixing board hearing all the instruments individually and the AK240 you are at the live event. AK240 layers the instruments together more while X7 separates them. X7 is microscopic in a way that shows you all the mix at the same level, easy to pick out. Same amount of detail but different presentation between the two. The X7 is a bit brighter in comparison with less mid bass but it sounds overall more balanced to me. The AK240 SE is more warm, even compared to my desktop gear. Balanced output changes some of this IMO.
 
Comparing these two DAPs I would easily put the X7 closer to the AK240 than to the X5ii in sound quality. Quite a remarkable feat from FiiO considering the price difference between the X7 and the AK240.
 
 
Line Out to the ALO Rx
 

 
As I hinted at earlier the bundled IEM module is good, but I felt that there was more to be gained from a better amplification stage and boy was I right! The DAC implementation was high-lit by giving it a better amp. I've loved the Rx since the day I bought it and having the X7 feed it was incredible. The Rx added more life and musicality while maintaining the overall signature from the X7. There was even more spaciousness and even more extension. better decay and slightly smoother treble. I really enjoy the X7 on its own with my IEM. I enjoy it more with the Rx.
 
 
Line Out to the Oppo HA-1
 

 
Since the X7 uses the same DAC as the desktop Oppo Ha-1 I was very interested in this paring. It turns out that the X7 can compete very well with its implementation of the ESS9018S. To be honest there was not a lot to it actually. They pretty much sounded the same but I feel the X7 was slightly smoother with less 'tizz' in the treble region. I could have been imagining it though. Still, I found the line out from the X7 to the HA-1 very enjoyable and up to par for expected performance.
 
 
Coaxial Out to Oppo HA-1
 

Shortest section ever. The x7 works as a digital transport. 'Nuf said.
 
 
Final Thoughts
 
This was an interesting device to test and review. It was like a moving bullseye being so new and still in the teething stages when I had it. Initially the battery indicator didn't even work. However, FiiO has been updating the X7 very quickly and released two firmwares in the short time that I had the unit. They have just released firmware 1.4 about a week after releasing firmware 1.3.... How's that for rapid progress? I'm sure that the X7 will have all the kinks ironed out very quickly and based on the sound quality it would be worth it to jump in right away. Like I said, I hesitate to say much more about the X7 as the unit I had didn't have firmware that was as fleshed out as the current version. I hope FiiO can get the interface more focused.
 
FiiO has come a long way in a few short years. From the X3 that almost never happened to the X7 is quite a leap for a small company. Given the X7 can play with more high end DAPs with sound quality I predict we won't be calling FiiO a small company for much longer. The X7 proves that you don't need to take out a second mortgage to have TOTL sound in a DAP. It's simply one of the best deals available right now.
 
 

 
 
Thanks for reading!
 
 
 
My ranking of the FiiO X7
 

 
 
Edit: Added the Line Out / coaxial jack picture with a brief description on the pin configuration.
 

Chord Mojo Review

Disclaimer

Chord electronics has recruited me as a 'review captain' for Canada (I'm honoured) for the new Chord Mojo and provided a unit free of charge for review purposes. The unit will go on to other Canadian reviewers in the tour I'm organizing after I publish this review. This review is simply my opinion of the device and I am giving nothing less than my honest opinion.

Off the bat I have to apologize for this slightly long review. If you want to stick trough it I'll try my best to provide as much detail as I can and to articulate what I'm hearing from the Chord Mojo.


Introduction


Pretty much anyone who is in to high end Head Fi knows of the company Chord Electronics. They've been the purveyors of such products as the 2Qute DAC, Hugo portable DAC/amp, Hugo TT desktop DAC/amp, and DAVE DAC to name but a few. Over the last couple years Chord electronics seems to have been on a definite roll releasing highly regarded products to discerning listeners.

Lead by John Franks Chord has always been about uncompromising quality sound and DAC designer Rob Watts has been the leading force in their sound signature as the DAC designer for Chord. Rob takes a different approach to DAC design by forgoing the easy path of using off the shelf DACs from existing manufacturers and designs his own DACs in house (more later).

Of note was the release of the Hugo DAC/amp in 2014 for portable headphone use. The Head Fi community embraced the device for its transparent sound and drivability of a wide range of headphones. Since its release the Hugo has become a massive hit but there have been some barriers to its success as a truly portable device. First of all its size was a point of contention and though the Hugo was designed as a portable device many users have been using the Hugo as a desktop DAC. Secondly its price was not accessible to many users. Enthusiasts who would otherwise love to own a Hugo have kept away due to the price of admission.

Enter a new product form Chord..... The Mojo (Mobile Joy). No, I'm not talking about the candy I grew up with, or the magic sauce that gives Austin Powers his charm, or even my cat (yes, my cats name is Mo Jo). I'm talking about a truly portable DAC/amp device from Chord electronics with Hugo like sound at 1/4 the cost and a significantly smaller footprint, while still being designed and entirely manufactured in England. Whoah, this is a big deal!







Physical characteristics


Truly portable - Mojo continues with Chords unorthodox designs.


The Mojo measures just 82L x 60W x 22H (mm) and in the hand is quite small, I would say tiny really. The size however is not in any way an indication of build quality. The Mojo is made out of a block of aircraft grade aluminium and is superbly constructed. To hold it in the hand you feel a certain weight to the unit that defies its diminutive size. I'm still trying to figure out what they've packed in there that gives it such weight. Regardless, the Mojo is very solid and comes in any colour you want as long as it's black.


The design is 100% Chord.

On the front of the unit there is the Mojo name laser etched in the body with the Chord logo below it in a sculpted cutout. Above the logo there are the only three buttons 'balls' on the unit. The Mojo is designed for ease of use and I find the button arrangement is very easy to use and remember which button does what. There are two volume 'balls' that share the same cutout and the power 'ball' in its own cutout. Very simple and very easy to operate. Of course it wouldn't be a Chord product without the signature coloured button illumination.



The power button colour shows the sampling rate depending on the input source. There's nothing to set, nothing to change. What the Mojo is fed is what the Mojo reports.



Don't throw the box away. There's important information there.



The volume buttons change colour according to volume level. According to Rob the idea behind the colour range is related the colour spectrum of light. Red light, being the lowest volume, relates to infrared light which is relatively harmless (like low volumes). The colour range of the volume moves through the light spectrum from red to yellow to green to blue to purple (harmful ultraviolet light) and finally to white.


Just a portion of Mojo's coloured volume indicator.

The nice thing about the Mojo is the volume has more fine steps than the Hugo. This is excellent as it allows the user to fine tune the dB output to their preferred level very easily (more on this later).



On the back of the unit is the regulatory sticker with the serial number (I Photoshop'd mine out here) and a link to the Chord Electronics website. There are four rubber feet attached and eight screws that mate the top of the unit to the bottom.


Groovy lights!



Output


Mojo's got you and your friends covered.


On the top of the unit there are two 3.5mm headphone jacks to share your music with a friend. I wouldn't recommend plugging in an LCD-2 along side a pair of IEMs, but for headphones of similar efficiency it's a handy feature if you like to share with your friends and family. The headphone output impedance is a mere 0.075 Ohms so even the most sensitive IEMs won't be affected with the frequency shifting from the headphone output impedance.

To use the Mojo as a DAC to feed an external amplifier one only needs to press both volume buttons within two seconds of powering on the unit. This sets the output to a fixed level output of 3V. You can not bypass the amplification stage on the Mojo (same as Hugo) but the fixed level signal is very clean and there is no sense of noise I hear when using the fixed level output.

Inputs


All digital inputs and USB battery charging.


The only way to connect to the Mojo is with a digital interface. On the bottom of the unit you'll find three inputs. I had a hard time hearing any difference between the different inputs and the Mojo handled them all well. It really comes down to what sampling rate and format your source can output.

1) Micro USB input - Capable of 44kHz to 768kHz PCM and DSD64, DSD128 and DSD256 in DoP format.
Driverless on Mac, Android and Linux OS. However Windows Vista, 7, 8, and 10 will require a driver which can be found on Chord’s Mojo webpage.

2) Coaxial S/PDIF 3.5mm two pole mono input - Capable of playing 44.1kHz to 384kHz PCM (768kHz special operation) and DSD64, DSD128 in DoP format.

3) Standard S/PDIF optical TOSlink input - Capable of playing 44.1kHz to 192kHz PCM and DSD64 in DoP format.

Obviously Chord wants the DAC to be the focus of the device. Though there are all the standard digital inputs for a mobile stack I must point out that it would have been nice to receive some digital interconnect cables in the box along with the main unit. I could see including an OTG cable, and a 3.5mm mono coaxial adapter or short cable, and a short optical interconnect or adaptor as very useful accessories.

In my opinion the short supplied micro USB cable is a hair too short for my iPhone 5s and camera connection kit (CCK). The bulk of the CCK and thickness of the supplied USB cable make it a bit awkward and I worry about stressing the USB input because of this.

I do find the inputs on the Mojo to be fairly solid although the coaxial input doesn't have a very solid click when inserting a cable. Not a huge deal and the plug isn't loose in the jack, it just doesn't have that stiff 'click' when inserted.


Battery


A reminder just how small the Mojo is.


Between the optical input and the USB input is the USB battery input. The battery takes about 4 hours to charge and has a run time of 8 to 10 hours. I've found the average run time after charging it 10 times to be approximately 9 hours, right within spec. There is no dedicated USB wall charger included with the Mojo but any smartphone charger or computer USB port or mobile battery pack with a minimum 1A output can charge the MoJo. Note that the included USB cable is ridiculously short to use as a charging cable. I suggest finding a longer micro USB cable for charging.


The included USB is very short.

I think it's very smart of Chord to have a separate USB charging port. Users may not want to keep their unit constantly at full charge when using as a DAC/amp in their desktop setups. I really appreciate this attention to detail and consideration for different users needs.





The battery indicator light below the battery USB port will change from blue then green on the upper end of the charge and then to yellow then red when the battery gets low. When the battery is depleted the small LED will blink and then the unit will shut itself off. For longer battery life I highly suggest not draining the battery to completely empty very often.



Usability


Mojo at home with the iPhone 5s.



X5ii with Mojo. Yes, I need a shorter cable.


The Mojo is simply a portable DAC/amp. You need a source for your music files and as mentioned earlier it only has digital input. The target audience for the Mojo is smartphone users but its capabilities can integrate well in a portable DAP and a desktop setup as well. It seems as though Chord is planning on making accessories for the Mojo to expand its capabilities but I'll refrain from any details until they officially announce them.


The CCK required for IOS devices.


For iDevice owners you will need to use Apple's CCK to output a digital signal to the MoJo, and for other smartphone users you will need an OTG specific USB cable to output the digital signal to the Mojo. Make sure your non-Apple smartphone is OTG compatible before attempting to use it with the Mojo. If wanting to pair a DAP with the Mojo you'll need an optical or a coaxial output from the DAP. Astell & Kern players use optical digital out while others like FiiO and Cayin use coaxial. The plug you'll need for coaxial is a 3.5mm two pole mono male cable fed to the MoJo digital coaxial input. For optical the input is a standard optical TOSlink port.


I used this adapter to test Mojo's
coaxial input.


The operation of the Mojo is focused on ease of use. There are no switches, and the input selection is automatic. The USB input takes priority over coaxial input which takes priority over the optical input. When more than one input is connected the Mojo will automatically select the priority input. Simple, easy and effective.

The volume also follows the simplicity paradigm, which is to say Mojo remembers the last set volume and that is all. You can not set a default volume level when turning it on nor can you limit the volume output. At first I thought this may be a negative but in use I find that the coloured volume lights make it very easy to know what volume level is set the moment the unit is turned on to avoid accidentally playing music at harmful dB levels. Chord has smartly thought of the simplest way to use the Mojo.

As I mentioned earlier the volume levels have finer resolution than the Hugo and I asked Rob what the volume range is and this is his reply:

“Mojo’s total volume range is -70 dB to +18 dB. The low level range is from -70 dB to -34 dB in two steps per colour change (so each colour has two steps).

Then from +2 dB to +18 dB it’s in one dB step per colour change for the top level range.”

I should point out that in the lower and upper ranges the volume button colours change independently of each other while in the middle range, -34 dB to +2 dB, the volume buttons change colour together. I think it’s a great option to have finer volume control at either end of the spectrum.


General Information and Q&A with Rob Watts

Chords focus on the Mojo is to connect with the 3.5 billion smartphone users in the wild. Mojo is designed and manufactured entirely in England and is produced on a mass production scale to keep costs down. They have a lot of faith in this product.

When Chord first approached me to review the Mojo I had a flurry of questions, and seeing as I don't own the Hugo some of them were regarding the differences between the two units. Before the Shard launch event I reached out to Rob Watts with some questions, and although he was obviously very busy before and during the launch he graciously took some time out of his schedule to answer my queries.

Here is how the Q&A went:

Q: Were you able to fit the same tap filter length as the Hugo (26, 384 taps) with the same WTA filter in the Mojo?
A: "Mojo shares an extremely similar code as Hugo - the only change is the WTA filter is redesigned to accommodate 768 kHz. The new filter is broadly equivalent apart from this."
(Comment): When I pushed the tap length question with Chord they replied that "it will be a good while in the future before they publish this information, if at all". "The implementation within Mojo is different, but it’s not inferior to anything that we’ve done".

Q: In the Mojo presentation draft it mentions “Hugo like sound quality and musicality”. What differences in audio presentation would you say the Mojo has compared to the Hugo?
A: "Bearing in mind it’s use I have optimized the noise performance in order to make it sound smoother."

Q: The design for the Mojo began in 2012. Is it safe to say the Mojo R&D led to the Hugo until the technology caught up for the Mojo’s design target? Or, were they completely separate design goals?
A: “The R&D of Hugo and Mojo ran in parallel - the very first prototype (2012) was more like Mojo, then work switched to Hugo. Then I worked on Mojo in the background, with development getting really busy starting in Nov 2014. We built over 50 prototypes, as I had a lot of issues to contend with - thermals, charging, and getting SQ to be identical when charging were major headaches."

Q: Does the Mojo deal with jitter with the same DPLL as the Hugo?
A: “Yes, the DPLL is identical."

Q: I see the Mojo has an even better THD spec than the Hugo.
A: “Lower noise means better measurements."

Q: Is the Mojo analogue section Class A like the Hugo?
A: “The actual OP stage is identical - same OP transistor silicon - but I used 6 small transistors in parallel rather than 3 large devices. It’s biased at the same Class A level."

Q: Does Mojo have cross feed?
A: “No cross feed.”

Thank you very much Rob!

So basically the analogue stage is pretty much the same as the Hugo while the DAC is tweaked somewhat.

From this I gathered that the Mojo is designed with Chord's typical focus on the highest quality audio performance with a leaning toward a slightly smoother sound for mobile listening enjoyment.

Did the Mojo live up to this hypothesis? Read on!


The Technology Behind the Sound

Before moving on to the sound impressions it is important to know about Mojo's unique approach to converting a digital signal to an analogue signal for driving headphones. As I eluded to earlier the Mojo doesn't use an off the shelf DAC. What it does use is a brand new Xilinx Artix 7 FPGA chip that is basically a blank canvas for Rob to program to suite his needs (the same approach used with Hugo's Spartan 6 FPGA chip as well as the rest of Chords DACs). This is a far more difficult task than the standard method of buying off the shelf hardware and plugging it in to a system (of course I'm grossly over simplifying here for emphasis). What this means is that if the output from his DAC doesn't suite his preference he has the flexibility (and know how) to change it. The challenge with the Mojo was that the diminutive design spec made it not feasible with the FPGA technology available when the Mojo project began in 2012. Chord had to wait for new FPGA tech that allowed the same performance as the Hugo with much lower power consumption. Chord says that this, and new battery technology, allowed the project to move forward once it became available.


Sound Impressions

The timing of the Mojo arriving at my door couldn't have been better as I have a break in my regular work schedule and was able to put in around 100 hours of listening over the past week. I was literally listening to the Mojo constantly, taking breaks only to compare to other gear and eat and sleep (sorry wife).

For the record I've never heard the Hugo so I have no point of reference to compare the Mojo to its larger, older brother. I have heard multiple other DACs, amps, and digital players over the years with many different implementations and I can confidently say that the Mojo sits right up there with some of the best that I've heard. The Mojo to me sounds very articulate and clean with a touch of warmth. There is an obvious attention paid to timing and control which gives the Mojo a laser like focus on the music it reproduces. It's a fast and energetic device with loads of power on hand.

Listening to Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven from his Unplugged Deluxe album I can easily distinguish Eric's guitar from the two guitars being played on either side of him. The vibration from the acoustic strings comes through easily and the imaging is top notch. I hear no blending of notes and each note is well defined. The bells that ring in this track are sharp as a tac and the decay of the sound is pretty much perfect in my opinion. When the backup singers on Eric's right chime in you can hear each singer as distinct voices in the chorus. The Mojo peers deep in to the music and Eric's toe tapping in the track is easy to hear throughout. This is some really good stuff.

Norah Jones is a special treat on the Mojo. Don't Miss You at All from her Feels Like Home album starts with a beautiful piano intro and again the clean and focused audio reproduction has me hearing the piano hammer impact and the resulting notes fade through the air in a way that immediately puts me in an intimate jazz club. When Norah begins to sing you can feel a slight rasp to her voice, the emotion behind her performance comes through clearly.

Moving on to more pop tracks with Lorde's Tennis Court from her Pure Heroine album the music is very well delineated. In less capable gear when the bass kicks in it seems to take over the track. Not so with the Mojo. Every instrument has its place and plays well with the other instruments. The initial impact and clarity of the instruments is of particular note when listening to this track. From the same album the track Royals has 'finger snapping' throughout the track which comes through clear as day. Sharp, focused, clear while not overwhelming. I see a recurring theme here.

Listening to the Interstellar OST is a pipe organ explosion of deep textured bass complimented with moments of subtlety that just feels right. The blackness of the Mojo's extremely quiet output is really showcased here as there are moments when not much is happening in the various tracks yet it's easy to sit back and lose yourself to the simple sound of a breeze blowing. When the complex pipe organ kicks in there is an abundance of texture to the notes, and a feeling of real weight and complexity. Simply gorgeous sound reproduction in my opinion.

The first album I load when testing new gear is always Pink Floyd's The Wall. This is one of those rare albums with such a broad multitude of instruments, background sounds, and emotion. The album is pure genius in my opinion and without writing a veritable essay on it I will just say that I've rarely felt this connected to The Wall's journey like I am with the Mojo. I'm not having to focus on what I want to hear. The multitude of sounds is simply presented in front of me in a such a clear way that I don't have to concentrate, but instead just listen. That's what I'm talking about!

I could break down every song I listened to but that would take this review an entire week to read. Needless to say that I am satisfied that the Mojo can play with a large variety of genres and didn't really run in to one song in my collection that I didn't like through the Mojo. Please see my song list at the end of the review.

If I were to break down the bass - mids - treble presentation I would put it like this:

Bass - Has good extension while remaining very fast and articulate with good impact when called for. It doesn't sound boomy at all and is very clean. I like the way the bass is reproduced and I don't feel like it's lacking. The warmth of the Mojo is slightly above clinical which suites me fine.

Mids - The heart of the music. Everything, and I mean everything in the mids sounds very linear to my ears. I don't find the mids recessed or emphasized. I don't find the mids to be lush or clinical. Depending on the headphone I'm using the upper mids seems to be a bit exaggerated but then I switch to another pair and it's perfect. There may be a slight emphasis in the upper mids, but then again perhaps some of my other gear has a coloured the sound and the Mojo is revealing the true nature of my headphones. In the end I've settled on the latter as to what I'm hearing going back to my other gear. Either way the mids from the Mojo lets you peer deep in to the music and the imaging is precise. It's very addictive.

Treble - The treble reproduced by the Mojo is very clear, yet not sibilant. It's present, yet smooth. I love the treble from the Mojo and have only heard this kind of clarity form one other source in my stable of gear, never mind from something so utterly small. I don't know how Rob and Chord have done this but I welcome the Mojo's treble with open arms. There is enough air and presence that it doesn't feel like the soundstage is too small nor is it too holographic. Just right in my opinion and very pleasant.

Overall a very well balanced sound with regard to frequency range with a slight warmth, a slight smoothness to the sound. My feeling is the Mojo will play well with a wide variety of headphones and IEMs. The timing on the Mojo is exceptional. Imaging is spot on and while the soundstage isn't huge it still allows the listener to get a sense of space in the recording. In case you haven't guessed by now I'm more a fan of imaging over soundstage by the way.


Headphone pairings

The family keeps growing.


The Mojo has impressive power specs and Chord says it can power any headphone with an impedance of 4-800 Ohms. Yes, from this very small device they have included class A biased performance (same as Hugo) for a very wide range of headphones and IEMs.

I've come to find that in general, more than other gear I've listened to, the Mojo allows the sound signature of the headphone to show through while at the same time enhancing their sound signature more than I'm used to hearing from each headset. Let me try to explain below.

Vmoda M-100
- volume, double red zone



I received the M-100 as a gift from a company I was freelancing for and it has never really been my cup of tea. I've always found the bass to be overwhelming and the mids recessed. With the Mojo I can actually tolerate them, no, I enjoy them for what they are. They still sound warm and punchy but it isn't overly fatiguing. The sound is still thick but Mojo helps with its clear timing and clear instrument separation. They still aren't my favourite but when on the go I'll pack them in the bag. Not bad.

AKG K550
- volume, barely double yellow


The K550 was my second foray in to Head Fi-dom back in the day and they sound very open for a closed can. At times they have some treble issues and can sound a bit harsh. With the Mojo the treble harshness seems to smooth out and the sound is warmer than I've heard them before. This is strange because I was expecting the Mojo, with its mids clarity, to make them sound a bit brighter. This is one of those enhancing shifts I wasn't expecting. The bass with the K550 still remains in the lower registers and the upper bass remains shelved a bit but the treble is an overall improvement with the Mojo. A good listen.


Audeze LCD-2.2 (pre-fazor)
- volume, low double blue



This pairing was a complete surprise to me. I've driven the LCD-2 with acceptable results from a portable device before but the Mojo really gives them the juice they need to have that, well, special 'mo jo'. The treble is clear and focused, the mids are ever present and frankly euphoric. The bass....... With this headphone its all about the bass. There is endless extension on the LCD-2 (depending on the source) and with the Mojo I find that the bass can go as deep as the track calls for. Instrument separation is fantastic and layering in the music is rather deep. This is one of my favourite pairings and the Mojo makes the LCD-2 sound like it was upgraded with faster drivers. Really impressive listen.

Audeze LCD-XC
- volume, upper double red


This is where the Audeze honeymoon ends for me. With the XC there is some emphasis in the upper mids and lower treble, and especially on my pair compared to its lower mids and upper bass. With the Mojo it seems just a bit too much and I find the XC to sound overall thin in comparison to being played from my other gear. This is strange to me because with the slightly warmer sound of the Mojo I expected the pairing with the XC to be a match made in heaven. Not so I'm afraid, another unexpected shift. I don't think it's a drivability issue as the XC is fairly easy to drive for a planar magnetic headphone. Still, what I do hear from the thinner, faster driver in the XC (over the LCD-2) is an extremely detailed presentation that really can show me the smallest detail in the recoding. I should also note that when using the Mojo as an external DAC to the Oppo HA-1 balanced out the LCD-XC falls back in line. This may be just a synergy issue. Overall a good listen.


JH Audio Angie Universal IEM
- volume, split lower red/blue



This is where the magic happens for me. Really, I don't think I've ever heard such beautiful music reproduction before, portable or otherwise. Similar to what was reported in the Head Fi MoJo thread with the JH Layla, the pairing with the smaller JH Siren Series Angie is very, very good. I don't know if it's the crossover in the Angie, the multiple balanced armature setup, the JH FreqPhase tech or simply the synergy with the Mojo. I could listen to this setup for hours (and I have). There are times I've needed to give my head a shake and just go to bed. One more track, one more track...... The sound is full yet textured, lush yet layered, clear yet impactful, detailed yet smooth. I love it! An excellent listen.


MoJo as a Desktop DAC


Mojo has no problem filling bigger shoes.


Given the Mojo’s clean DAC and detailed output it can easily be used as an external DAC to feed an external amplifier. I used the Mojo with the Oppo HA-1’s amplifier section with great success. The presentation is very detailed while not cold. Every instrument is well defined and there is no sense of sibilance or glare that I sometimes hear with the Sabre ESS9018 DAC built in to the HA-1. The recurring theme is transparency, timing accuracy, while at the same time remaining musical. This theme continues when used as an external DAC in a desktop setup.

Comparing the Audio-GD DAC-19(10th anv) R-2R DAC and the Mojo there is the same amount of detail from each unit but it's presented in a different way. The Mojo sounds more forward. Background sounds are a bit easier to pick out, more in focus. The DAC-19 has a sense of a bigger stage, more space and depth in the recording and a bit more timbre*. However the differences aren’t as large as I thought they might be. I wouldn’t say the Mojo is flat, nor would I say the DAC-19 is holographic. Neither is really warmer or colder than the other. It really comes down to a different presentation between the two, but they are close. Overall the Mojo plays louder to the external amp given its 3V fixed level output.

In the end I can easily recommend the Mojo as a desktop DAC.

* Edit 03/13/2016: Over the past couple months I've come to really appreciate the Mojo more for it's natural music presentation and find that the timbre of notes is more accurate on the Mojo than the DAC-19. This isn't obviously evident at first, but after more varied listening with larger comparison samples and different headphones, and more time with the unit, I've come to the conclusion that the Mojo surpasses the DAC-19 in natural music reproduction. It's difficult to pick out but it's there.


Conclusion

This review has turned out rather long and there is much more to say about the Mojo but I'll let others comment more about things like soundstage depth and height etc. I'm more about timing and imaging with my gear. What I hear from the Mojo is exceptional on both fronts. The presentation sounds effortless and different from most any other gear I've heard and I like it...... I like it a lot. The speed of the Mojo combined with its smoothness is something that I just haven't heard before.

Given the diminutive size and the amount of power in this tiny wonder I'm still having a knuckle dragging moment when trying to comprehend how Chord Electronics and Rob Watts have packed so much performance in to such a small device. For portable use I can't think of another device that is this capable of delivering this TOTL performance on the go at this price, and well above. If I were to sum up the Chord Mojo's sound in one word it would be "Veritas", Latin for truth and often associated with beauty.

Chord is right.....

..... The game has changed.



Thanks for reading!


Mojo Features

1. 
   Mojo was designed for the music loving Smartphone owner.
2. 
   It is powerful, but small and comfortable to carry.
3. 
   It works with your iPhone, Android or Windows phone... Also DAPs.
4. 
   Mojo is also compatible with your Mac, PC, or Linux computer.
5. 
   Mojo has three digital inputs - USB, Coaxial, and Optical.
6. 
   Mojo charges in just 4 hours to provide up to 10 hours use.
7. 
   You can use any pair of headphones with Mojo, from 4Ω to 800Ω.
8. 
   With two 3.5mm analogue outputs you and a friend can listen too!
9. 
   Mojo plays all files from 32kHz to 768kHz and even DSD 512.
10. 
    Mojo is fully automatic and remembers its last used settings.
11. 
    Its case is precision machined from a single solid block of aluminium.
12. 
    Mojo is entirely designed and manufactured in Great Britain.

Mojo Technical Specifications

1. 
   Output Power @ 1kHz
2. 
   600 ohms 35mW
3. 
   8 ohms 720mW
4. 
   Output Impedance: 0.075 ohms
5. 
   Dynamic Range: 125dB
6. 
   THD @ 3v - 0.00017%

UPDATE, Feb 21/2016: Chord Electronics has allowed me to keep the Mojo tour unit free of charge. Although I had some hopes of this being the case it was not a guarantee when I did my review. To be honest I would have purchased my own unit if I were required to send the tour unit back. Many thanks again to Chord.

 

 
 
Disclaimer
 
The FiiO X5ii was provided to me as part of the Canadian leg of the world tour in exchange for my impressions and honest opinion on the device. It has long since left my possession and has made its way through the next reviewers. Due to circumstances beyond my control I have not been able to post my review for some time. The good news is that I in fact did purchase a retail X5ii very shortly after my time with the review unit was over so I have some long term experience with the unit that I hope I can convey in my review. I am in no way affiliated with FiiO and have not been compensated for in exchange for my impressions. This review is based entirely on my impressions and your impressions may vary.
 
About Me
 
I am an audio enthusiast in my mid forties and have enjoyed listening to music since my youth with vinyl, cassettes, and later CDs and digital files. I listen to wide variety of music from a perspective of losing myself to the experience. At times I like to be transported to different states of mind or emotion in the case of classical and OST recordings. Other times I go to the venue in the case of live recordings, binaural+, or studio sessions. Some times I just like to rock out. Every time, however, I want the clearest and most natural representation of the music that I can afford. If the track has thumping bass I want to hear it. If the track is complex with many instruments I want to hear each one. I listen critically often but also appreciate timbre and musicality. 
 
I've used Sony Walkman cassette players, mini disc players, Sansa Clip+, iPod classics, iPhones etc., over the years. My first digital high resolution player was the FiiO X3 first generation. My current player is the first generation FiiO X5 and I enjoy it for it's revealing and honest presentation of the music, and it's flexibility to integrate with the rest of my gear. This review will be mostly in comparison to the X5 with different headphones and amplifiers currently in my possession.
 
 
Fiio X5ii General information:
 
FiiO X5ii Product page LINK
 
General Specifications:
 
Model/Number - X5 (X5 2nd gen)
Headphone Port - Standard 3.5mm Headphone Port
Color - Titanium
Drive Ability - 16~150 Ω
Dimensions - 109 mm× 63.5 mm× 15.3 mm
Volume Control - 120 steps digital potentiometer
Weight - 165 g
Equalizer - 10-band equalizer (±6dB)
Display Screen - 2.4", 262,144 color HD IPS screen with 400x360 pixels
Line Out - Standard 3.5mm Port (Shared line out / S/PDIF coaxial out)
Digital Out (coaxial) - Standard 3.5mm Port (Shared line out / S/PDIF coaxial out)
Balance - 10 dB
USB DAC - Supporting up to 24bit / 192kHz and DSD (driver installation required)
Gain - 3.6dB（Gain=L) // 9.1dB（Gain=H
 
 
Partial Performance Parameters for Line Output
 
THD+N - ＜0.001% (1 kHz)
SNR - ≥114 dB (A-weight)
Frequency Response - 20 Hz~20 kHz
Dynamic Range - >110 dB
Crosstalk - ＞115 dB (10 KΩ/1 kHz)
Line Output Level - 1.53 Vrms (10 KΩ/1 kHz)
 
 
Partial Performance Parameters for Headphone Output:
 
Output Power 1 - >245 mW（32Ω//THD+N＜1%)
Output Power 2 - >436 mW（16Ω/THD+N＜1%)
Output Power 3 - >27 mW（300Ω/THD+N＜1%)
Output Impedance - ＜0.2 Ω（32Ω）
Crosstalk - ＞75 dB (1 kHz)
THD+N - ＜0.001% (1 kHz)
Frequency Response - 20 Hz~20 kHz
MAX Output Voltage - ＞8.2 Vp-p
SNR - ≥117 dB (A-weighted)
MAX Output Current - ＞250 mA（For reference）
 
 
Power and Battery:
 
Power - DC5V 2A recommended
Battery Capacity - 3300 mAh
Charge Display - Red light indicates , green light turns on after fully charged 
Battery Life - ＞10 h (32Ω; normal volume with display off )
Battery Display - Yes (Accurate battery % readings)）
Charging Time - ＜4h (DC5V 2A)
 
 
Audio Formats Supported:
 
Lossless:
DSD: DSD64, DSD128 (.iso&.dsf & .dff);
APE(Fast): 192 kHz/24 bit;
APE(Normal): 96 kHz/24 bit;
APE (High): 96 kHz/24 bit;
AIFF: 192 kHz/24 bit;
FLAC: 192 kHz/24 bit;
WAV: 192 kHz/64 bit;
WMA Lossless: 96 kHz/24 bit;
Apple Lossless: 192 kHz/24 bit;
Lossy compression: MP2、MP3、AAC、ALAC、WMA、OGG...
 
 
New features compared to the first generation X5:
 
1. All-new exterior design, improved build, with metal finish changed from powdered to brushed;
2. More compact and lightweight; smaller black borders around LCD;
3. All-new independent amplification stage with analogue volume control, increasing audio resolution;
4. All new digital audio architecture, utilizing dual crystal oscillators dedicated to multiples of 44.1 and 48kHz respectively (including 176.4kHz=4x44.1, 192kHz=4x48 and DSD64 and DSD128 (multiples of 44.1), handling all major sample rates without resampling artifacts and minimal jitter;
5. Supporting hardware DSD decoding;
6. Supporting CTIA-standard in-line earphone remotes (e.g. Apple, Samsung compatible earphones)
7. Breakthrough power architecture design that utilizes different system voltages for low and high gain, allowing maximum flexibility between long endurance and high driving power in the same unit.
8. All-new power management feature: auto standby mode allows player to remain in standby for weeks, ready to continue playing instantly.
9. Coulomb meter for precise battery level readouts.

 
 
The packaging
 
    
    

The X5ii comes in standard FiiO packaging and simply says X5 on the box.
 
Accessories:
 
- 1m high-current micro USB data / charging cable
- 3.5mm TRRS coaxial S/PDIF to RCA adaptor
- Silicone case (Black) for earlier models, clear hard case for later models
- 3 screen protectors (1 applied in-factory)
- Quick reference sheet, quick start guide, warranty card
- Body stickers - 3 sets (USA flag, wood grain, carbon fibre)
- HDtracks coupon
 
    

Note the S/PDIF to RCA adaptor is different than the first generation.
You will need to use this 3.5 TRRS adaptor for coaxial output on the X5ii
 
 
Hardware Look and Feel
 




 
The new X5ii is overall an improvement in ergonomics and aesthetics to me over the last generation. The face buttons are less prone to accidental pushes given their new design and the power on/off feels more accessible on the side rather than on the top. The wheel is stiffer and feels like a better implementation. 

 
 

One comment about the wheel is the detents are much more noticeable on this generation over the last. I feel this is a mistake on FiiO's part to make the 'clicks' more prominent. There seems to be some difficulty in generally lining up the hardware click with one movement in the menu structure and this has led to a lot of criticism of the wheel. If they made the wheel slightly more resistive (not as free moving) than the first generation and with less mechanical wobble then they'd have avoided a lot of negative feedback about the clicks. Personally I don't care if a click lines up with a selection or not, but I can see the point of view that others have. Over time the detents on my unit have somewhat become less prominent, yet at the same time without feeling ‘mushy’ or too loose.
 

 
The main chassis is made of aluminum with a brushed texture that is pleasing to look at and doesn't show finger prints. I really like the new titanium colour of the new unit.
 

The screen is an IPS 400x360 resolution LCD screen and is bright and vibrant with very good viewing angles. Compared to the previous generation it seems initially to be quite an improvement in colour and contrast as well as improved sharpness. However, after adjusting the brightness on the old generation to match (3 notches brighter) the differences are very slight. I initially commented that the screen was a giant improvement but that gap is significantly narrowed when matched in brightness.
 
 
Hardware Usability
 
Interaction with the X5ii is a combination of four buttons around the mechanical scroll wheel on the front face and power and volume controls on the left side. The main usability is the same as the X5 Classic but I really do like the power button on the side better. The layout of the buttons and wheel is something that I really enjoy using in a DAP. Everything is pretty much where it needs to be for quick access and I’m never really doing any finger acrobats to control the device.
 
The volume buttons also act as track forward/back buttons when the screen is locked. In this mode a brief press incrementally adjusts the volume and a long press skips tracks. The nice thing about FiiO DAPs is there are a multitude of shortcuts that are available depending on the screen or menu that is currently displayed. I recommend users find out what navigation easter eggs are available by pressing, or holding down, the menu and back buttons in different screens. It really helps with usability.
 
I'm loving the light indicator on the power button!
 

 
Inputs and Outputs and Storage
 
On the top is the output jacks. There is the Headphone Out and the combined Line Out / Coaxial out. I much prefer the individual output jacks for coaxial and line level output on the X5 Classic given that I’ll often pop in to desktop listening straight from portable and it’s so much easier without digging in to the Settings Menu to switch the output.
 
The HO and LO are reversed on the unit
compared to the previous generation.

 
Headphone Out produces:
>436 mW（16Ω/THD+N＜1%)

>245 mW（32Ω//THD+N＜1%)
>27 mW（300Ω/THD+N＜1%)
Generally FiiO recommends using headphones with an impedance of 16~300 Ohm.
 

1. Line Out bypasses the internal headphone amplifier and sends the 1.53 Vrms (10KOhm / 1kHz) stereo signal from the DAC to an outboard amplifier.

 

1. Coaxial SPDIF outputs the decoded digital signal to use an external DAC to handle the digital to analogue conversion.

 
 
No more dust covers on the mSD ports.
 
 
On the bottom of the unit you'll find the micro USB jack and the two mSD slots. The USB jack is used for charging as well as transfering data and also when using the X5ii as a USB DAC from a computer. 

 
The battery life of the unit is rated at ＞10 h (32Ω; normal volume with display off ) and I found this to be about what I was getting playing a variety of redbook CD 16bit/44.1kHz files to high resolution 24bit/192kHz files. I find the unit does not get that warm compared to other DAPs I’ve used, but it does heat up a bit. I’m quite happy with the battery life. When connected to a portable amp the battery life approaches ~20 hours and through coaxial I’m able to get ~30 hours use. Not bad. 
 
Of note is the Deep Sleep mode on the X5ii and one of the main reasons for me purchasing the unit. When the player is idle it will enter Deep Sleep mode determined by the idle time set in the Settings Menu. In this mode the X5ii can last for up to a month in standby. The function works brilliantly and is a joy to have instant 'power on' compared to the power cycle that’s required with the X5 Classic.
 
The mSD slot supports the current 128gb and 200gb cards on the market and I had no trouble using the Sandisk 128gb FAT32 formatted card straight out of my FiiO X5. Scanning music from the card seemed on par with the X5, that is to say pretty snappy considering the amount of files. I was also able to upgrade the firmware from 1.0 to 1.1 using this card with music files on it so no worries there.
 
 
Software Usability (GUI)
 
Just like the FiiO X5 the new X5ii pretty much uses the same interface. - The main theme of the X5ii is slightly different with its layout and five menu items vs seven on the original X5. This is no Apple UI but it gets the job done and I have no real complaints here. The nice part about the FiiO 'X’ series players is that we can modify themes to create custom theme for our unit. The functionality remains the same but custom themes can be much more pleasant to use than the default ones. On top of that the X5ii has five themes built in. While I appreciate the work FiiO has done on the themes I quickly transferred my existing X5 themes to the X5ii. Another reason I wanted to own one.
 
Boot time is fairly quick and about on par with X5 Classic.
 
I had no issues playing a variety of music files from mp3 320kbps, aac 256kbps, to 16/44.1 lossless FLAC and ALAC, and high resolution ALAC up to 24/192.
 
The X5ii has a 10 band EQ that adjusts in increments of 0.5db. The EQ lowers the volume by ~5db when engaged to avoid clipping when the sliders are at their maximum. This is a welcome implementation and the EQ works well to shape the sound output of the device. Users should be aware though that the EQ does not work on files that are over 48kHz sampling rate. For 48kHz and below you are good to go! The reason is the amount of processing power required is simply too much for the device to handle above 48kHz sampling rates. Not a big deal in my book. Another knock against the new model is the EQ is buried in the Playback Settings menu. I much prefer to have it in the main menu where it's easier to access.
 
You can also use the EQ with Line Out and Coaxial Out. Another perk for custom themes is that you can change the name of the EQ presets if you open the FW up. It’s fairly easy to do and I thank FiiO for providing the tools for users to customize their players.
 
Gapless playback works mostly without a hitch for me and I did not notice any transitions in the lossless tracks of albums such as Pink Floyd's The Wall, or Hans Zimmer's OST The Dark Knight Rises. On lossy ACC files I do notice a very slight gap between tracks and I wonder if this can be fixed in a future FW update.
 
 
Custom Themes Examples
 
You may have noticed that there isn't one of the default themes in my X5ii images. I had converted my themes to the X5ii before the tour unit arrived so I've had very little time using the default interface. With that said the default GUI is an improvement over the last generation, it's just that I prefer mine. For those that want to try out some custom themes here are some of my examples. Please keep in mind that custom themes do not change any of the basic functionality of the player.
 
I'll also note that these photos are not indicative of the quality of the screen or the themes shown.
 
Click on any image to enlarge.
 
   

   

   

For more themes or to try your hand at making one for the X5ii see this custom themes THREAD LINK.
 
 
X5ii DAC section
 
The X5ii uses a single DAC architecture with a top of the line Texas Instruments 1792A DAC chip, same as the X5 Classic, and FiiO has done an even better job with the implementation. Using dual Crystal Oscillators for multiples of 44.1kHz/DSD64/128, and 48kHz there is little to no digital distortion/smearing (jitter) that I can detect with my most revealing headphones/IEMs. The DAC section can deal with DSD high resolution formats DSD128 and DSD64 natively (.iso & .dsf & .dff), as well as up to high resolution 24bit/192kHz for lossless PCM ALAC, FLAC, WAV, APE  formats, and lossy PCM MP3, AAC, WMA formats.
 
The DAC section of the X5ii is well implemented with no real smearing or loss of detail for a Delta-Sigma implementation that I can hear. Thumbs up FiiO.
 
To use the X5ii as a USB DAC you'll need to instal the drivers provided on the FiiO website for Windows. For Mac users no drivers are required for the USB DAC functionallity. 
 
 
X5ii Amplifier section
 
FiiO has paid close attention to the amplifier section in the X5ii. One of their main marketing points is the higher woking voltages of 14V+- using high gain (a 40% increase over the last generation) to supply power to the amp. I’ve learned that the working voltage is the direct result in how the signal is amplified without distortion resulting in better dynamics. When the unit is used with low gain the voltage is reduced resulting in longer run times. There have been many discussions on Head Fi about how low vs high gain should be used and the benefits one may hear between the two. The standard thought is that if it’s loud enough on low gain you should use that, but with different gear as well as with the X5ii I’ve personally found that the more voltage feeding the amp then the cleaner the signal. The resulting boost in dynamics (the difference between the quietest undistorted signal and the loudest undistorted signal) is welcomed by me, slight as it may be. I’m sure others would disagree and as I said the difference is slight but undeniably I can hear it.
 
The X5ii also outputs more current at the headphone jack than the X5 Classic. The output buffers used are claimed to output 250mA current output which is a 67% improvement over the first generation. All in all to me the X5ii headphone output is clean, fast and more articulate than the previous generation. With a slight bump in dynamics and transient speed I really have no complaints with the X5ii amp section. I’ve even used the LCD-2 straight out of the headphone output with positive results. 
 
Yes! It can be done.

 
 
FiiO X5ii overall Sound
 
When describing the sound of a player there are many factors to consider - from the files being used and how they were mastered, the headphones being used, the volume one is using, the output chosen (headphone out, line out, coaxial out) and the other gear in the chain. Also, the perspective one is coming from I feel is of great importance. If a user has never heard a very detailed and analytical source they might find the X5ii to be too bright and analytical, or too revealing of the flaws in poorly mastered music. On the other hand if coming from a perspective of highly revealing source gear and quality masters one may find the X5ii to be too warm and not analytical enough.
 
I'll be describing the signature of the X5ii from the use of generally well mastered music with a range of headphones with different sound signatures in my collection. One last note before I begin with describing the sound. If you don't like the sound signature of your headphones the X5ii will not magically change them in to something else. These are my findings and you mileage may vary.
 
Basically the X5ii is a neutral player with a clean and detailed output. I feel the overall sound is balanced with perhaps a slight leaning toward an analytical over a musical presentation. That’s not to say that I can’t get my toe tapping while listening to the X5ii, it’s just that there is a sense of detail and cleanliness being a priority over bass thump and euphonic sound. For my tastes this suites me fine. The imaging is very good from the X5ii but the soundstage is somewhat narrow, like it’s older brother. Compared to DAPs from other manufacturers I’ve heard it can sound a bit flat but in no way do I think it sounds bad on its own.
 
 
 
Sound Comparison to FiiO X5 Classic
 

Note the obvious size difference. X5ii has been on a diet!
 

The first thing I noticed was slightly better separation of instruments compared to the X5. The space between instruments and the detail is slightly better. I can pick out subtleties in track better. When I go back to the X5 Classic the upper bass and lower mids seem elevated, and while this may seem like this would add more 'musicality' it does not. It just sounds like the original has some EQ applied instead, while at the same time the new generation does not sound like it’s lacking either. Very strange difference but that’s how I hear it.
 
Besides the slight difference in upper bass and lower mids I'd say the sound signature of both these DAPs is very close with the X5ii edging out the X5 Classic in dynamics and micro detail. These differences aren't huge but can make an overall better impression in the long run. That’s the key here. At first listen (and when doing quick a/b comparisons) the X5ii doesn’t seem to be all that much of an upgrade. After some solid listening time exclusively with the unit then going back to the X5 Classic reveals some very obvious improvements in the new generation.
 
 
Headphone Pairings
 
The usual suspects.
 

To be honest I don't beleive that a certain headphones must be paired with a certain piece of gear or a certain genre. I beleive in synergy with gear, sure, but if you don't like your headphone you should move on to a different set rather than wrestle with gear to compensate, or use an EQ. 
 
Vmoda M-100 - The X5ii helps the bass heavy (though somewhat detailed bass) M-100 a little with the detail. Overall though the M-100 has so much bass that without an equalizer I prefer not to listen to it. On the X5ii I dialed the 31Hz-62Hz range down by -6db, 125Hz down by -5db, 250 Hz down by -4db, and 500Hz down by -3 db. This helped quite a bit to balance the these headphones closer to my LCD-2 with regard to the frequency balance, and the EQ worked well. However, the M-100 did nothing for soundstage.
 
AKG K550 - These headphones can sound a bit hot in the treble but the lower bass has a good kick to them and can punch hard when the music calls for it. I  found the K550 a bit bright from the X5ii with its treble detail. The K550 did help with some extra soundstage added to the rather narrow presentation of the X5ii. Overall an ok match and a fun listen.
 
Audeze LCD-2.2 non fazor - The fact that these planar dynamic headphones can be driven from the X5ii without using a portable amp is good news. The X5ii increased the sense of treble and provides a good enough source for the LCD-2. It's not a match made in heaven though. The dynamics are somewhat crippled and it sounds a bit hollow to me compared to my desktop gear. This is expected though. Still you can use the X5ii with the LCD-2 to drive it to good volumes when in a pinch. High gain was used and brought the sound of the LCD-2 up a notch over low gain.
 
Audeze LCD-XC - The LCD-XC is a different animal than the LCD-2. It's much more efficient and has much faster drivers with more detail retrieval. The X5ii paired very well with the XC for drivability but the elevated upper mids and treble on the XC were a bit too much coming from the somewhat neutral output of the X5ii. However, if I want to dig in to the details of the track these headphones are the ones I grab. Of course we are talking about some serious headphones and I find them very enjoyable but the X5ii wasn't the best paired with the XC.
 
JH Audio Angie Universal IEM - The JH Angie has a bass attenuator on the cable to dial in the amount of bass you want. It’s an easy and elegant solution to tweaking the output of your source. With the X5ii I bump up the bass dial on the Angie and the music really comes alive. There is detail readily on hand and the musicality to tap my feet. This is different to the bass from the X5 Classic and I can’t quite get my head around how to describe it. There’s just more of an analogue feel to the Angie bass attenuator than the sound signature of the X5 Classic. Perhaps its the combo with better dynamics, or the slightly blacker background. Either way this is my favourite pairing with the X5ii.
 
 
 
Line out to Oppo HA-1
 
 

For these tests I used the LCD-XC with the balanced output from the HA-1, no EQ on the player.
 
X5ii Line Out to the HA-1 was generally good, as is the X5 Classic. The DAC architecture compared well with the HA-1's built in ESS9018 DAC for detail retrieval, if not slightly behind. The X5ii DAC implementation had good seperation and was nice and clean. The leading edge of the notes had a great impact and the decay was tight and controlled, albeit slightly flat. Overall the Line Out from the X5ii is a well implemented and can be a clean source for an external amp.
 
 
Line Out to FiiO e12 [bass boost off]
 
 
From the e12 I used the LCD-XC, no EQ from the player.

 
The e12 flattened the soundstage a bit further and music was presented in a dryer fashion than the X5ii headphone out. Clearly the amplifier implementation in the X5ii is cleaner. It seems FiiO e12 has a dryer presentation overall with more grain and musical dynamics seemed somewhat hampered.
 
X5 Classic Line Out to e12 sounds very similar to the X5 Classic's headphone out. The e12 adds the required power for difficult to drive headphones and has slightly less grain than the X5 Classic headphone out, but overall the similarities are obvious. Given the sound of the e12 I felt better using the X5ii headphone out. 
 
 
Line Out to the new ALO Rx (IEM version)
 

 

This is my new favourite portable combo! The clean output from the X5ii Line Out mates extremely well with the ALO Rx and it's wide soundstage and deep musical presentation. I've been groovin' with this combo for a while with the JH Angie and I just love it. The Rx adds just a hint of organic musicality while being very transparent to the source. Music seems to take on another dimension with this pairing and it is precisely this pair that has prevented me from upgrading my DAP to anything else, tempting as it may be with the slew of recent and near future DAP releases.
 
 
Coaxial Digital Out to HA-1
 
Although the X5ii can decode DSD files natively it outputs the 
decoded digital signal as PCM 88.2 through coaxial.
Not a big deal as it still sounds the same as on the player.
 
 
High res PCM is output bit for bit through coaxial.
 

Given that coaxial output (should) simply bypass the internal DAC on a player and send the decoded digital signal to an external DAC this is an area where I don't expect any real difference. There is an obvious similarity in the coaxial output between the X5 Classic and the X5ii that for all intents and purposes they sound the same. The coaxial out is detailed and provides a good digital source to an external DAC.
 
 
Final Thoughts
 
There is something about the X5ii that is hard to put my finger on which has led me to purchase one very soon after the review unit left my hands. In my mind it’s a combination of improvements that does the trick. I like custom themes and there are five themes available at the same time with the X5ii. I like imaging and dynamics in my music and the X5ii is an improvement in those areas. I like the smaller form factor and button shapes over the previous generation. I love the Deep Sleep mode and feel I’d really miss it now if not available. 
 
Overall the incremental improvements over the first generation may not seem worth it to upgrade on their own, but the combined improvement in sound quality and the improved form factor have sucked me in and led me to part with my money once again. Thanks FiiO!!
 
Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer
 
The Cayin N6 was provided to me as part of the CTC Audio North American tour in exchange for my impressions and honest opinion on the device. It has left my possession and is on to the next reviewers. I am in no way affiliated with Cayin or CTC Audio and do not own the Cayin N6. I'd like to thank Cayin and CTC Audio for providing the opportunity to review the N6. This review is based entirely on my impressions and your impressions may be different.
 
About Me
 
I am an audio enthusiast in my mid forties and have enjoyed listening to music since my youth with vinyl, cassettes, and later CDs and digital files. I listen to wide variety of music from a perspective of losing myself to the experience. At times I like to be transported to different states of mind or emotion in the case of classical and OST recordings. Other times I go to the venue in the case of live recordings, binaural+, or studio sessions. Some times I just like to rock out. Every time, however, I want the clearest and most natural representation of the music that I can afford. If the track has thumping bass I want to hear it. If the track is complex with many instruments I want to hear each one. I listen critically often but also appreciate timbre and musicality. 
 
I've used Sony Walkman cassette players, mini disc players, Sansa Clip+, iPod classics, iPhones etc., over the years as my portable devices, and have 'grown up' with headphones in my ears and players at my side. My first digital high resolution player was the FiiO X3 first generation. My current player is the first generation FiiO X5 and I enjoy it for it's revealing and honest presentation of the music, and it's flexibility to integrate with the rest of my gear. This review will be mostly in comparison to the X5 with different headphones and amplifiers currently in my possession.

Cayin N6 General information
 
1. DSD playback and DSD native output.
2. Separate crystals for 44.1 kHz PCM, 48kHz PCM and DSD to reduce the crosstalk from the clock signal and decrease jitter.
3. Support high performance Asynchronous USB Audio 2.0.
4. Dual PCM1792A DAC chips from Texas Instruments are used for highest sound quality. Each chip for each channel converts the digital signal to analog signal.
5. MCU can judge from the playback situation and give order to setup PCM1792A at its best listening situation. PCM1792A can work in both PCM and DSD operation state. It can switch between different modes and realize DSD native decoding and playback.
6. Volume control takes high performance volume chip PGA2311 from Texas Instrument.
7. N6 comes with three output ports: headphone out, line out and coaxial digital output.
Apart from connecting directly to headphones, you can also connect it to other DACs and amps.
8. Dual BUF634 with a driving capacity of 250mA are used for headphone drive.
9. Separate power supply circuit for the Digital and Analogue ciruict.
10. Precise I/V conversion circuit, low pass filter circuit and high performance amplification circuit.
11. Build in battery with capacity of 3.7V 5600mAh.
12. 8GB internal storage with one extera TF card slot.
 

Specifications
 
Headphone Out:
 
Power Rating 220mW+220mW (@32Ω)
Frequency Response - 20Hz~20KHz±0.2dB - 5H~50KHz±1dB
THD + N - 0.005% (20Hz~20kHz,A-Weighted)
Dynamic Range - 110dB (20Hz~20kHz,A-Weighted)
SNR - 109dB (20Hz~20kHz,A-Weighted)
Output Impedance - < 0.26Ω

Line Out:
 
Output level - 1.7V (@10kΩ)
Frequency response - 20~20kHz±0.2dB - 5Hz~50kHz±1dB
THD + Noise - 0.004% (20Hz~20kHz,A-Weighted)
Dynamic Range - 110dB (20Hz~20kHz,A-Weighted)
SNR - 109dB (20Hz~20kHz,A-Weighted)

Coaxial Out:
 
Output level - 0.5V (@ 75Ω) - 1.0V (Unloaded)
Output Impedance - 75Ω
Other specifications:
Display 2.4” 400*360 IPS
Data transmission USB2.0
 
Outputs:
 
Phone out(3.5mm)
Line out(3.5mm)
Coaxial Digital Out(3.5mm)
 
Miscellaneous:
 
Player dimension - 126*72*19.7 (mm)
Package size - 208*163*47 (mm)
Net Weight ~ 225g
Package weight (Player and Accessories ) ~ 635g
Battery - 5600mAh 3.7V Lithium polymer
Memory card - MicroSD-TF (Up to 128G, not provided) - supports FAT32, FAT16, NTFS, exFAT
Firmware upgrade - Upgrade via TF card
Battery duration ~ 7hrs
Charging time ~ 4hrs (with 2A charger, not privided)
 
 

The Packaging
 

 
The N6 comes in a fairly simple box yet it feels very classy. I like that there aren't flashy graphics all over the packaging and just a simple outline of the player.
 
 

In the Box
 
     
 
 
 
- USB cable
- Coaxial cable (3.5mm to RCA)
- USB Micro SD adaptor
- Silicone Case
- Stainless steel and carbon fiber Keychain
- User Manual
- Warranty Card
 
 
Hardware Look and Feel
 
     
Compared to to the X5, iPhone 5s, iPod Classic 120gb.
 
As a physical device the first thing I have to say is that the N6 is very appealing. The combination of right angles, bevels, curves, and materials hits just the right spot for me. I realize the appreciation for the physical shape is entirely subjective, but to these eyes it has a certain je ne sais quoi about it. I really like the departure from cold rectangular buttons on the front of the device in the ever increasing crowd of new DAPs. It reminds me of a 60's Sci-Fi gadget and for that I love it. On the more practical side I would say the unit is a bit on the large side but not enough to cause me any issue, you need space to fit quality hardware!!
 
 
     
I have a thing for Carbon Fibre and it looks very nice on the N6.
 
The main chassis is made of aluminum with a circular glass covering the screen and a glossy carbon fibre back. I love the carbon fibre and, like the AK240, it compliments the metal front and sides very well. Again, it adds a certain something to the look of the DAP. In the hand it feels solid and the build quality is top notch.
 
The screen is a 400x360 resolution screen and is bright and vibrant. My only comment on the screen is when compared to the X5 which uses a screen with the same size and resolution (is it the same screen?). When looking at the two units side by side the N6 screen is a little more washed out with a slight white balance shift to the cooler light spectrum (blue). The FiiO screen is much more accurate in neutral colour representation and comes closer to the ideal D6500 white balance (warmer) and has more contrast. See below.
 


X5 screen with a custom theme on the top. N6 screen on the bottom.
Notice how the album art is placed differently in each DAP.
 
The N6 screen is also set to be brighter than the X5. At it's lowest brightness setting the N6 is clearly brighter. It's a nice screen to use and has good sharpness and viewing angles. The square screen seems to disappear and is barely noticeable when the N6 screen is off. The Cayin name above the screen is another small touch that really adds to the beauty of this DAP. 
 

The beautiful spectral colour shift in the Cayin text is difficult
to capture in photographs.
 
 
 
Hardware Usability
 

The unique scroll dial.
 
Interaction with the N6 is a combination of buttons and a unique scroll dial located on the left side of the screen. You can use the dial to scroll through song lists and menus and it can be pressed to select the item you are on in the menus. It is one of three buttons you can operate when the screen is off where it acts as the Pause/Play button. It also has the duty of bringing up the shortcut menu in the Now Playing screen when pressed. The dial is a handy and convenient feature that takes some getting used to but is rather enjoyable once you get the hang of it. The dial isn't loose and yet it isn't too tight either.
 
 

Simple Volume control on the side.
 
On the other side of the unit is the Volume Down/Up buttons that also skip Forward/Back when the screen is off. A short press will lower/raise the volume one increment while a long press will skip Forward/Back. 
 
 

Uniquely shaped buttons on the front.
 
The front of the N6 has a four way control scheme using unique 'infinity' shaped left/right buttons, and semi-circular down/up buttons. Like the scroll dial the down/up buttons on the front navigate down/up in the menus. The down/up buttons also act as the next/previous buttons in the Now Playing screen. The right button selects and toggles menu items and acts as the Play/Pause button in the Now Playing screen when the screen is active. The left button takes you back a level from a menu item.
 
 

 
On the top is the power button and output jacks. Besides powering the device on/off with a long press it's also used to toggle the screen on and off. 
 
 
 
Inputs and Outputs and Storage
 

 
I like the approach Cayin has taken with the three separate jacks for Headphone Out, Line Out, and Coaxial SPDIF digital out.
 
- Headphone Out uses the powerful BTL amplification built in to the N6.
 
- Line Out bypasses the internal headphone amplifier and sends the stereo signal from the Dual DACs to an outboard amplifier.
 
- Coaxial SPDIF outputs the decoded digital signal to use an external DAC to handle the digital to analogue conversion.
 
 

Unfortunately the N6 has only one mSD slot.
 
On the bottom of the unit you'll find the micro USB jack and the mSD slot. The USB jack is used for charging as well as transferring data and also when using the N6 as a USB DAC from a computer.
 
The battery life of the unit is rated at seven hours and I found this to be about what I was getting playing a variety of redbook CD 16bit/44.1kHz files to high resolution 24bit/192kHz files. I find the unit gets fairly warm (warmer than the X5), even when not playing music. Battery life feels quite short compared to other devices I've used and I hope Cayin is able to increase it somewhat with new firmware. Being realistic though I doubt there are huge gains to be had here.
 
The mSD slot supports the current 128gb cards on the market and I had no trouble using the Sandisk 128gb FAT32 formatted card straight out of my FiiO X5. Scanning music from the card seemed on par with the X5, that is to say pretty snappy considering the amount of files. I was also able to upgrade the firmware from 1.1 to 2.0 using this card with music files on it so no worries there.
 
There is 8gb of internal storage built in to the device that contains the Windows USB DAC driver and user manuals. It's nice to be able to put some music on the N6 and get started right away but you're going to want to pick up a higher capacity card to take advantage of the high resolution playback of the device if you have more than just a couple of albums.
 

Software Usability (UI)
 
     
Startup and power off screens.
 
Just like the FiiO X5 the Cayin N6 uses a proprietary interface designed specifically for the player - The main theme of the N6 is based on a vinyl record album. This is no Apple UI but it gets the job done and I have no real complaints here, just a couple minor annoyances. 
 
The first is the way the interface seems to encourage me to have to move my hand around the device to operate it. For example, in the Now Playing screen you can not push in the scroll dial on the side to pause the music. You need to move over to the front face right button to Play/Pause. I would swap the function mapping of these buttons to make it more intuitive and keep Play/Pause consistent when the screen is on or off. Conversely you can not use the front face down/up buttons to scroll through the lists of songs in the Now Playing screen so you need to move over to the scroll dial for that. It's not a deal breaker for me but certainly not as convenient as the X5 scroll wheel and buttons that are all on the front face of the device (besides volume and power) with easy access using one hand. 
Boot time is fairly quick at around 10 seconds though it's slightly slower than the X5.
 
I had no issues playing a variety of music files from mp3 320kbps, aac 256kbps, to 16/44.1 lossless FLAC and ALAC, and high resolution ALAC up to 24/192.
 
   
The N6 has a 10 band EQ that adjusts in increments of 1db. It would be nice to have finer control over each frequency volume adjustment but the EQ works well otherwise. Another minor annoyance is the adjustment of the EQ bands seems overly complicated with the required finger dance on the device needed to adjust a slider and I'd like to see Cayin address this in a future update.
 
Gapless playback worked without a hitch for me and I did not notice any transitions in the tracks of an album such as Pink Floyd's The Wall, or Hans Zimmer's OST The Dark Knight Rises.
 
 
Menu pics
 
Menus starting with Now Playing and moving clockwise in the Main Menu.
 
 
   
As you can see there is a lot of information in the Now Playing screen.
There is also access to a shortcut menu by pressing the scroll dial.
 
 
      
The Playback Settings offer a lot of options for music playback. I didn't notice much difference between the Sharp and Slow digital filter.
 
 
   
The System Settings menu has the standard items to set in a DAP.
 
 
   
The Categories menu has the standard categories to help find your music.
 
 
      
The Music Library menu is where you update your library for categories and where you browse the storage media.
From here you also add or remove your Favourites. Odd that it isn't found in the Categories menu.
 
As you can see in the pics the menus in the N6 give a lot of control over how you set up and listen to your DAP.
 
 
N6 DAC section
 
The N6 uses a dual DAC architecture with two top of the line Texas Instruments 1792A DAC chips and Cayin has done a terrific job with the implementation. Using three Crystal Oscillators for multiples of 44.1kHz, 48kHz and DSD there is little to no digital distortion/smearing (jitter) that I can detect with my most revealing headphones/IEMs. Using a DAC for each channel in the stereo output to the amplifier section helps keep the signal clean while at the same time helps to ensure that no detail is missed when converting the digital signal to analogue. They are able to utilize more DAC resources per channel and the difference may be slight, but certainly appreciated when the rest of the audio chain can keep up. The DAC section can deal with DSD high resolution formats DSD128 and DSD64 natively and DXD, as well as up to high resolution 24bit/192kHz for lossless PCM ALAC, FLAC, WAV, APE  formats, and lossy PCM MP3, AAC, WMA formats.
 
To use the N6 as a USB DAC you'll need to install the provided drivers for Windows. For Mac users no drivers are required for the USB DAC functionality.
 

N6 Amplifier section
 
Cayin has taken the BTL amplification approach to take advantage of the dual DAC architecture in the N6. What is BTL amplification? Technically it's short for Bridge-Tied Loads. In simple terms its implementation is to take the output from the dual DACs and bridge them together for a stereo output and gives outstanding channel separation with very little crosstalk. It also doubles the voltage swing for great dynamics in the music. The loudest and quietest parts of the music are able to be played with very little distortion. The headphone output impedance is a respectable 0.26 Ohm so it should play nice with low impedance balanced armature IEMs.
 
Enough about the techno-babble. In short the N6 amplifier section is powerful with a very low noise floor. It can drive both my LCD-2 and my JH Angie IEM with good enough power for the LCD and little to no hiss for the Angie. This is very impressive. 
 
It has a more powerful amp section than the X5. After volume matching both units (to the best that I can) the N6 volume is set at 23/100 (23% of the total) and X5 volume is set at 42/120 (35% of the total) with the JH Angie IEM, that's a 15% difference! I see no reason why you'd need to strap an external amp to the N6 unless you prefer the sound signature of the external amp, have pretty difficult to drive headphones, or really like a feature like bass boost or crossfeed. The amp section is very well implemented.
 
 
Cayin N6 Overall Sound
 
When describing the sound of a player there are many factors to consider - from the files being used and how they were mastered, the headphones being used, the volume one is using, the output chosen (headphone out, line out, coaxial out) and the other gear in the chain. Also, the perspective one is coming from I feel is of great importance. If a user has never heard a very detailed and analytical source they might find the N6 to be too bright and analytical, or too revealing of the flaws in poorly mastered music. On the other hand if coming from a perspective of highly revealing source gear and quality masters one may find the N6 to be too organic and not analytical enough.
 
I'll be describing the signature of the N6 from the use of generally well mastered music with a range of headphones with different sound signatures in my collection. One last note before I begin with describing the sound. If you don't like the sound signature of your headphones the N6 will not magically change them in to something else. These are my findings and your mileage may vary.
 
In a nutshell the Cayin N6 is a very detailed and musical portable player that is able to pull out minute details while at the same time sounding spacious and musical. This is not easy to accomplish to be sure. It's a slightly warmer DAP than the X5 but in no way would I say that takes away from the overall clarity of the presentation. It`s simply nice to have some warmth in the music and this helps take it away from being cold and analytical. Makes it natural. The soundstage is also very large with the N6, borderline holographic. It doesn`t cross that line thankfully and presents music with some nice depth and width which helps with the sense of space in the track. Instruments are rendered with good timbre and you can hear the nuances come through fairly easily. With the right headphones it`s easy to get a sense of imaging from the N6 to place the instruments within the soundstage.
 
 
Sound Comparison to FiiO X5
 

 
The first thing I noticed was a slight recess in the upper mid range compared to the X5. Given that I've been using the X5 for over a year it may just be my perspective  (there's that word again) but this recess makes it sound slightly less detailed and less forward than the X5. For example, When listening to Tears In Heaven from Eric Clapton's Unplugged album I can hear the reverberations from the guitar strings more easily on the X5 and the bell that rings in the track sounds a litter more prominent on the X5 than on the N6. Then again the difference in upper mids presentation may also be what gives the N6 a more natural organic sound than the X5. 
 
Besides the slight difference in upper mids I'd say the sound signature of both these DAPs is very close with the N6 edging out the X5 in dynamics and timbre. The treble in the N6 is more natural to me than on the X5. It has a better sense of air and is slightly less grainy with a larger soudstage. These differences aren't huge but can make an overall better impression in the long run. For the sticker price I'd have a hard time deciding between the two. Especially given FiiO's more mature UI and I prefer it's button layout, but on a sound quality standpoint I'd choose the N6.
 
At the end of the day I'd say the differences are X5 can be compared to, not in absolute but relative terms, an analytical solid state amplifier and the N6 can be compared to a quality (not dark) tube amplifier with a more organic flavour and larger soundstage that's still very revealing of all the details in the music. Again, relatively speaking.
 
 
Headphone Pairings
 
To be honest I don't believe that a certain headphones must be paired with a certain piece of gear or a certain genre. I believe in synergy with gear, sure, but if you don't like your headphone you should move on to a different set rather than wrestle with gear to compensate, or use an EQ.
 

 
 
Tpeos-Altone 350 [Volume 35/100, low gain] - The Altone 350 was included as a part of the N6 tour and I felt obliged to give them a listen. To be honest they weren’t to my liking and I found the bass to be much too elevated and loose. The bass bled in to the mids and the mids felt recessed. The treble was also too hot in my opinion, think V shape sound to the max. It was hard for me to get a sense of what the the N6 brings to the mix given the amount of coloration from the Altone 350. Overall I found the X5 to pair better with these earphones as it at least flattened out the sound a little. 

Vmoda M-100 [Volume 40/100, low gain] - The N6 helps the bass heavy (though somewhat detailed bass) M-100 a little with the sense of space. Overall though the M-100 has so much bass that without an equalizer I prefer not to listen to it. On the N6 I dialed the 30Hz-63Hz range down by -6db, 125Hz down by -5db, 250 Hz down by -4db, and 500Hz down by -3 db. This helped quite a bit to balance the these headphones closer to my LCD-2 with regard to the frequency balance, and the EQ worked well.
 
AKG K550 [Volume 40/100, low gain] - These headphones can sound a bit hot in the treble but the lower bass has a good kick to them and can punch hard when the music calls for it. I  found the K550 quite enjoyable from the N6 with its treble detail and extra soundstage, which enhances the excellent soundstage on the K550 (for a closed headphone). The only caveat is there are slightly recessed mids with this headphone which the N6 doesn't help much with. Overall a great match and a fun listen.
 
Audeze LCD-2 non fazor [Volume 75/100, low gain] - The fact that these planar dynamic headphones can be driven from the N6 without using high gain and without raising the volume too much is surprising to me. The N6 increased the sense of air and provides a good enough source for the LCD-2. It's not a match made in heaven though. The dynamics are somewhat crippled and it sounds a bit hollow to me compared to my desktop gear, or even a powerful portable amp. This is expected though. Still you can use the N6 with the LCD-2 to drive it to good volumes when in a pinch. High gain was not much different except for needing to lower the volume to keep the listening level the same.
 
Audeze LCD-XC [Volume 45/100, low gain] - The LCD-XC is a different animal than the LCD-2. It's much more efficient and has much faster drivers with more detail retrieval. The N6 paired very well with the XC and the more organic presentation from the N6 helped with the elevated upper mids and treble on the XC. The combination is extremely enjoyable to listen to and the punch from the bass, clear mids and treble with N6 sounded the best out of everything I tried it with. Of course we are talking about some serious headphones but the N6 wasn't ashamed to feed them what they wanted. Great dynamics and an open soundstage.
 
JH Audio Angie Universal IEM [Volume 23/100, low gain] - The N6 to the Angie was a revelation. There is so much detail retrieval on tap with every small nuance being thrown out for the Angie to reproduce, and yet it still had a wide soundstage. I found that no frequency was fighting with each other to be heard. This is a very close second in my tests and it would be number one if the bass could extend as low as the LCD-XC. I heard no real hiss from the N6 using the somewhat sensitive Angie (17 Ohm resistance and 117db sensitivity @ 1kHz).
 
Overall difference from the X5 with these headphones is the X5 has a more forward presentation and more clinical sound, flatter, more closed in. The same qualities of the headphone shine through but with less timbre and dynamics. Less musicality. This gives me a perception of a slightly more detailed presentation from the X5 but not as enjoyable.
 

Line out to Oppo HA-1
 

 
For these tests I used the LCD-XC with the single ended output from the HA-1 and also compared the line out from the X5, no EQ on either player. The Line Level Output from the N6 is a respectable 1.7 volts.
 
Cayin N6 Line Out to the HA-1 was fantastic. The Dual DAC architecture compared well with the HA-1's built in ESS9018 DAC for detail retrieval, if not slightly behind. The N6 DACs had more separation and was nice and punchy. The leading edge of the notes had a great impact and the decay was tight and controlled. All the detail in the music is there and there seemed to be a greater sense of space. 
 
FiiO X5 Line Out to the HA-1 sounded more clinical, more dry. I preferred the N6 Line Out.
 
Coaxial Digital Out to HA-1
 
Given that coaxial output simply bypasses the internal DAC on each player and sends the decoded digital signal to an external DAC this is an area where I don't expect any difference, and all I can say is I was surprised!! The N6 came through as more dynamic and revealing than the X5. Is it the three Oscillators in the N6? Is it the signal path? Is it the decoding of the music files? I have no idea, but my ears tell me that the N6 was tighter, faster, slightly louder, less boomy than the X5 coaxial digital out. Really surprised here. Are the differences night and day? NO, not at all, but they are there.
 
 
Line Out to FiiO e12 [bass boost off]
 

I know, the N6 isn't hooked up to the e12 but I forgot to take a pic of that!
 
From the e12 I used the LCD-XC, no EQ from either player.
 
The e12 flattened the soundstage and music was presented in a much dryer fashion than the N6 headphone out. Clearly the amplifier implementation in the N6 is made to take advantage of the dual DAC architecture. Once again, all the details are there but with less space in the music, less separation and less 'oomph' using the e12. It seems FiiO has a much dryer presentation overall and the Cayin presentation has more life.
 
X5 Line Out to e12 sounds very similar to the X5's headphone out. The e12 adds the required power for difficult to drive headphones and has slightly less grain than the X5 headphone out, but overall the similarities are obvious. Once again, given the more clinical signature of the e12 it felt not as organic as the N6 pairing yet slightly more revealing, more detailed. 
 
 
 
Final Thoughts
 
I've been quite happy with the X5 for the time I've had with it and given the use of the same DAC in the N6 and the overall similar power ratings I didn't expect there to be much audible difference between the two DAPs. I was wrong. Sure, they have a similar sound signatures but the magic happens in the nuances. With better dynamics, more punch, and a larger soundstage the N6 is clearly ahead of the X5 to me. These details bring out a more organic musicality in the N6 that the first generation X5 doesn't have. The user experience isn't as mature as with the X5 but from following the N6 forum on Head-Fi I'm sure that improvements are coming.
 
Would I purchase one? If I didn't already have the X5 and based exclusively on the sound quality, yes, in heart beat. However, with less battery life, a less mature UI and it's price being almost twice as much as the X5 the decision becomes more difficult. Also with the new X5 II coming soon (which I will be reviewing) the decision becomes even more difficult.
 
If you don't already have a high resolution Digital Audio Player and are looking for top of the line audio reproduction on the go, or even as a source integrated with the rest of your audio system, the Cayin N6 is a great buy in the mid to upper tier of players on the market. The sound this player can reproduce is nothing short of stunning.
 
Thanks for reading.
 

 
 

 
Photos taken with Canon 7D,
custom white balance, manual focus, polarizing filter,
and iPhone 5s.
 
 
Small note on Custom Themes
 
I've been active in creating custom themes for the X5 and have been quite happy with the results. Cayin has expressed that they may allow custom theme modification in the future at which time I may not be able to resist picking one up. In my opinion it would go a long way to helping the usability of the device, not that its terrible as it is now.