[PinkyPowers]

Hello Head-Fi!

@Andykong of Cayin asked your dear old Pinky if I'd like to be a beta tester for their new music player, the N5ii. Naturally, I said yes. I love Cayin products... a lot. So, when I get my hands on the unit, I will share some of that experience with you, here in this thread.

This is also the best place for your general conversations about the N5ii. Impressions and reviews ought to be found here as well... when it hits the market.

In the meanwhile, enjoy some sweet, sweet info:

The Cayin N5 2nd Gen
MSRP: $369.99






Product Highlight

MCU: Rockchip RK3188
Display: 3.65” 845×480 TFT touch screen
DAC: ESS9018K2M
Op-Amp: OPA1622 x 3
Storage: 32GB + TF (up to 400GBx2)
Headphone: 3.5mm + 2.5mm (Balanced)
Line: 3.5mm (shared)
Digital: Coaxial, USB Audio (in/out)
USB: Type C (2.0), charging, OTG

System: Custom Android 5.1
RAM: 1G DDR3
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz
Bluetooth: BT4.0 (SBC)
Battery: 3000mAH
Duration: ~12 hours (single-ended) ~9 hours (balanced)
Charging: ~3 hours (2.1A)
Dimension: 115*57*15.3 (mm)
Weight: ~150g




Specification

Phones Out (Single-ended)
Power rating: 150mW+150mW (@32Ω)
Frequency Response: 20-20kHz (±0.2dB, Fs=192kHz) 5-50kHz (±1dB, Fs=192kHz)
THD+N: 0.002% (1kHz, Fs=44.1kHz；20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
Dynamic Range: 116dB (20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
SNR: 116dB (20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
Channel Separation: 76dB
Output Impedance: ≤0.4Ω
Connector: 3.5mm TRS (shared with Line Out)

Phones Out (Balanced)
Power rating: 250mW+250mW (@32Ω)
Frequency Response: 20-20kHz (±0.2dB, Fs=192kHz) 5-50kHz (±1dB, Fs=192kHz)
THD+N: 0.002% (1kHz, Fs=44.1kHz；20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
Dynamic Range: 117dB (20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
SNR: 117dB (20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
Channel Separation: 92dB
Output Impedance: ≤0.6Ω
Connector: 2.5mm TRRS

Line Out
Output Level: 2.0V (@10kΩ)
Frequency Response: 20-20kHz (±0.2dB, Fs=192kHz) 5-50kHz (±1dB, Fs=192kHz)
THD+N: 0.003% (1kHz, Fs=44.1kHz；20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
Dynamic Range: 116dB (20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
SNR: 116dB (20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
Channel Separation: 92dB
Imp. matching: ≥10kΩ (suggested)
Connector 3.5mm TRS (shared with Phone Out)

USB Audio Output
DSD Mode: DSD64/DSD128, DoP or D2P*
PCM Mode: Upto 24Bit/384kHz

S/PDIF Output
DSD Mode: DSD64, DoP or D2P*
PCM Mode: Upto 24Bit/192kHz convert higher resolution to 176.4kHz or 192kHz

Recommended Headphone: impedance Range 16～200Ω (recommended)

*D2P: DSD to PCM, always output at 24bit/88.2kHz

 

[PinkyPowers]

~Reviews, Impressions, Tips and Tricks~

Truth, Beauty, and Greatness - Pinky of The Headphone List

The Killer - Lieven of Headfonia

The New Hero in the Mid-Fi Arena - Moonstar of Head-Fi

First impressions are VERY positive. Smooth, warm, and tremendously resolving.

The Sabre coldness has been utterly tamed.

I may have found the device to dethrone the Opus#1 as my recommendation for best mid-tier DAP. The i5 came close, but it wasn't clear or detailed enough to topple it. The Opus#1 is a detail monster, and also devoid of harshness. I'd never heard anything in that price range sound so good.

The N5II may sound even better.

We'll see if this feeling continues as I listen on. But today at work, I put in a number of hours with N5II>EA Leonidas>tia Fourté, and I was in awe the whole time.

I spent quite a few hours today listening to N5II with my Spartan CIEM.

Sweet Jesus, what gorgeous music they make together!



In balanced, I heard very little hiss. Spartan is the most sensitive IEM I own, and I think I could just barely make out a small amount of noise between tracks. Impossible to hear when music is playing. I hear none at all with Encore or tia Fourté.

Just spent a while this evening using a line switcher, going back and forth between the N5II and Opus#1.

Calling the N5II an upgrade doesn't feel exactly right. They are freakishly close in tone and performance. Too close for this to be a measurable upgrade. However, the N5II does some things better, and in every other aspect, is just as good. Which, if you've read my Opus#1 review, you'll know is HUGE praise for Cayin. For the past year, I've held the Opus#1 as the king of mid-tier. Nothing matched it... that I had heard.

The N5II does match it. Soundstage is equal. But... if I'm honest, the N5II is the tiniest, slightest, wee hair wider. But it's so close as to be practically a tie. The N5II has a little more warmth and body, giving vocals a rounded, more earthy quality. The Opus is drier and thinner.

Other than that, they trade blow for blow in every department of sound I listen for. These are two remarkable players.

Now, the Cayin N5II beats the Opus#1 handily in other areas, like build, aesthetics, and hardware features. Not to mention driving power.

Finding a full upgrade to the Opus#1 will cost you. As it should. The N5II is the better all around player, but it sits squarely in the same tier.

Periodic Audio Be (Beryllium):
A very rich, warm, dynamic driver IEM, with clear, yet relaxed vocals, and smooth, slightly warm treble, and some of the most lusciously textured lows. These IEMs sound great with everything, to be honest. Warm sources, or bright. The N5ii is right there in the middle, and certainly helps these awesome earphones sound their best, giving them all the depth and dimensionallity they could want.

Custom Art FIBAE Massdrop Exclusive:
This is a bass-heavy, very warm earphone, where the treble is quite calm and smooth. Because of this, it pairs best with a super clear, detailed source. The N5ii is a particularly fine choice. They meld together and create such a sweet, syrupy sound that never lacks in articulation, clarity, or air.

IMR Acoustics R1:
I can't remember the last time I was this impressed by a piece of gear. I didn't know what to expect with the R1, but they truly blew me away. Bass like you wouldn't believe. Holographic, transparent mids. Treble that goes on and on and on. And a soundstage like you wouldn't believe. These scale well with better equipment, and the N5ii, being my favorite mid-tier DAP, has more than enough performance to illustrate how remarkable the R1 is.

Empire Ears Legend X:
As one of the best all-arounders I've yet heard, the LX is tuned to please just about anyone with just about any player. It's not picky. However, due to its revealing nature, you will hear the virtues of each DAP you plug into. Yes, the Opus#2 and the DX200 provide the better performance, but the N5ii is not far behind. The Cayin N5ii>pS Tri-Copper>Legend X sounds so freaking good, when you're listening, you can't imagine you're missing out on anything a TOTL DAP may offer. It all sounds so faultless.

Tips and tricks:

Hi,the genres cannot be removed or hided as it is coming with the system.For how to getfoobar2000 playlists, maybe you can create a m3u playlist by foorbar to realize it.Please follow steps below:
1.Create a m3u playlist by foorbar and save it as M3U file in your computer.



2. If your M3U file suffix has been hidden like , please go ahead to step3. If your M3U file looks like , you could skip step3 and go to step4 directly.


3.On the left hand side of your computer, please go to windows->computer->Organize->Folder and search options->View-> uncheck “Hide extension for known file types-> click on OK (Note: the whole operations on this page are based on windows 7 computer. If you have computers running on win8,win10, mac, please google “ how to uncheck hide extension for known file types” on your own )



4. Highlight M3U file and right click on it, then go to”rename”

5. Change M3U suffix to TXT and a pop-up massage will give your two choices, please select “Yes”


6. Change the M3U file paths to the form below:

7. Change the suffix from TXT to M3U and select” Yes” again.


8. Please copy your M3U file from your PC to the root directory of SD card and note that the original songs should be list here also. Deletion or migration of original songs will cause M3U file cannot playback successfully and error “ music file missing.

9. Enjoy your M3U files playback.

 

[Andykong]

N5iiS Announcement

FAQ

1.How to perform double wipe?
2.How to create M3U playlist in N5ii?
3. Detailed explanation regarding N5ii digital output and input
4.How digital signal is managed (Signal Processing before entering DAC chipset)?
5.what is the wiring for the Cayin 5nii 2.5 balance output?
6.Can I change the volume value when N5ii is under LO mode ?
7.how do I set up the private cloud? I'd like to be able to stream files from my computer.
8.Why sometimes N5ii is unstable when visit NAS?
9. Does N5ii support APT-X? Is this something that is likely to be added in the future?
10.A tip to remover N5ii case quickly
11.How is the battery life of N5ii?
12. Can the battery on the N5ii be replaced b user?
13.How to check music file property in N5ii?
14.how do you unmount SD cards from the N5ii?

Firmware Announcements

1. Firmware V2.1en

USB Audio Driver

V4.35.0

 

[jeffhawke]

Are the released specs final?

 

[PinkyPowers]

Are the released specs final?

Considering the N5ii is set for release in early December, it's safe to say these specs are as final as they ever will be. They are gathering supplies and building them as we speak.

 

[jeffhawke]

Considering the N5ii is set for release in early December, it's safe to say these specs are as final as they ever will be. They are gathering supplies and building them as we speak.

Nice! Can't wait...

 

[newtophones07]

I am curious why so many of these DAPS choose the rockchip 3188 processor, as they are pretty slow.

Also releasing a DAP with the 9018 in December, seems a tad out of date. 64GB internal memory and at least 2GB ram would have been a a nice addition to separate this device from current DAP offerings.

The software development and audio implementation sure better be fantastic with these reported specs

 

[zolkis]

Play store supported? Spotify Connect?

 

[PinkyPowers]

I am curious why so many of these DAPS choose the rockchip 3188 processor, as they are pretty slow.

Also releasing a DAP with the 9018 in December, seems a tad out of date. 64GB internal memory and at least 2GB ram would have been a a nice addition to separate this device from current DAP offerings.

The software development and audio implementation sure better be fantastic with these reported specs

~::Edit::~
apparently my information was wrong.

 

[Andykong]

Play store supported? Spotify Connect?

Yes, Google play pre-installed, and you can install Spotify app to N5ii if you have a Spotify account.

 

[JaeYoon]

Hello Head-Fi!

@Andykong of Cayin asked your dear old Pinky if I'd like to be a beta tester for their new music player, the N5ii. Naturally, I said yes. I love Cayin products... a lot. So, when I get my hands on the unit, I will share some of that experience with you, here in this thread.

This is also the best place for your general conversations about the N5ii. Impressions and reviews ought to be found here as well... when it hits the market.

In the meanwhile, enjoy some sweet, sweet info:

The Cayin N5 2nd Gen
MSRP: TBC






Product Highlight

MCU: Rockchip RK3188
Display: 3.65” 845x480 TFT touch screen
DAC: ESS9018K2M
Op-Amp: OPA1622 x 3
Storage: 32GB + TF (upto 256GBx2)
Headphone: 3.5mm + 2.5mm (Balanced)
Line: 3.5mm (shared)
Digital: Coaxial, USB Audio (in/out)
USB: Type C (2.0), charging, OTG

System: Custom Android 5.1
RAM: 1G DDR3
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz
Bluetooth: BT4.0
Battery: 3000mAH
Duration: ~12 hours
Charging: ~3 hours (2.1A)
Dimension: 115*57*15.3 (mm)
Weight: ~150g




Specification

Phones Out (Single-ended)
Power rating: 130mW+130mW (@32Ω)
Frequency Response: 20-20kHz (±0.2dB, Fs=192kHz) 5-50kHz (±1dB, Fs=192kHz)
THD+N: 0.002% (1kHz, Fs=44.1kHz；20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
Dynamic Range: 116dB (20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
SNR: 116dB (20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
Channel Separation: 76dB
Output Impedance: ≤0.4Ω
Connector: 3.5mm TRS (shared with Line Out)

Phones Out (Balanced)
Power rating: 250mW+250mW (@32Ω)
Frequency Response: 20-20kHz (±0.2dB, Fs=192kHz) 5-50kHz (±1dB, Fs=192kHz)
THD+N: 0.002% (1kHz, Fs=44.1kHz；20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
Dynamic Range: 117dB (20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
SNR: 117dB (20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
Channel Separation: 92dB
Output Impedance: ≤0.6Ω
Connector: 2.5mm TRRS

Line Out
Output Level: 2.0V (@10kΩ)
Frequency Response: 20-20kHz (±0.2dB, Fs=192kHz) 5-50kHz (±1dB, Fs=192kHz)
THD+N: 0.003% (1kHz, Fs=44.1kHz；20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
Dynamic Range: 116dB (20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
SNR: 116dB (20Hz-20kHz, A-Weighted)
Channel Separation: 92dB
Imp. matching: ≥10kΩ (suggested)
Connector 3.5mm TRS (shared with Phone Out)

USB Audio Output
DSD Mode: DSD64/DSD128, DoP or D2P*
PCM Mode: Upto 24Bit/384kHz

S/PDIF Output
DSD Mode: DSD64, DoP or D2P*
PCM Mode: Upto 24Bit/192kHz convert higher resolution to 176.4kHz or 192kHz

Recommended Headphone: impedance Range 16～200Ω (recommended)

*D2P: DSD to PCM, always output at 24bit/88.2kHz

It's so beautiful!!!!!!

 

[Andykong]

I am curious why so many of these DAPS choose the rockchip 3188 processor, as they are pretty slow.

Also releasing a DAP with the 9018 in December, seems a tad out of date. 64GB internal memory and at least 2GB ram would have been a a nice addition to separate this device from current DAP offerings.

The software development and audio implementation sure better be fantastic with these reported specs

Like it or not, getting a decent MCU is one of the most challenging part of developing a modern DAP. There are two problems here, the obvious one is supply chain issue, a HiFi brand will need around 10K units of MCU to support one audiophile grade DAP products, a mobile phone brand will go for around 500K units for a regular mobile phone products, and will go well beyond 1000K unit with popular models. The reality is, without an established relationship with the semiconductors big-names, even getting a supply contract on outdated MCU is far more difficult that consumers can imagine.

The reason that semiconductor feels reluctant to work with small scale projects like DAP is because of the commitment of solution provider, and this is the second problem that stop us from using a modern MCU in DAP. The MCU is useless until there is a "solution provider" willing to take up the project and develop a "solution" for a particular application. You can imagine DAP is a niche market that is not particular attractive to the solution providers.

We expect the 1G RM + 32G internal memory will continue be the norm of sub-$400 Android DAP. The current N5ii can support upto 544GB (32+256+256) storage. Adding another 32GB to this will increase the maximum music storage by around 6% only, nothing really significant. N5ii uses eMMC as internal memory, its more expensive then TF cards in general, so we think it is more cost effective by keeping the cost of DAP down with 32G internal memory only and let users allocate the budget to the TF cards flexibly. At the end of the day, nothing comes free, its just a matter of paying for the eMMC internal memory upfront, or to get a bigger TF card when you really need the extra "few" GB.

 

[ThomasHK]

Yes, Google play pre-installed, and you can install Spotify app to N5ii if you have a Spotify account.

Is the sample rate conversion in android bypassed?

 

[jeffhawke]

Like it or not, getting a decent MCU is one of the most challenging part of developing a modern DAP. There are two problems here, the obvious one is supply chain issue, a HiFi brand will need around 10K units of MCU to support one audiophile grade DAP products, a mobile phone brand will go for around 500K units for a regular mobile phone products, and will go well beyond 1000K unit with popular models. The reality is, without an established relationship with the semiconductors big-names, even getting a supply contract on outdated MCU is far more difficult that consumers can imagine.

The reason that semiconductor feels reluctant to work with small scale projects like DAP is because of the commitment of solution provider, and this is the second problem that stop us from using a modern MCU in DAP. The MCU is useless until there is a "solution provider" willing to take up the project and develop a "solution" for a particular application. You can imagine DAP is a niche market that is not particular attractive to the solution providers.

We expect the 1G RM + 32G internal memory will continue be the norm of sub-$400 Android DAP. The current N5ii can support upto 544GB (32+256+256) storage. Adding another 32GB to this will increase the maximum music storage by around 6% only, nothing really significant. N5ii uses eMMC as internal memory, its more expensive then TF cards in general, so we think it is more cost effective by keeping the cost of DAP down with 32G internal memory only and let users allocate the budget to the TF cards flexibly. At the end of the day, nothing comes free, its just a matter of paying for the eMMC internal memory upfront, or to get a bigger TF card when you really need the extra "few" GB.

Thank you Andy for giving us a rare and candid glimpse into the making of a (good) DAP. Too often we, as users, tend to think of the DAP market as such a big market, wheres, as you point out, it's just a niche market, and not the biggest one either. My son is a sound engineer, and a (would be) music producer, so we have discussions on equipment and users from time to time. His impression is that the "mobile audiophile" market as a whole is a not that big, and is generally not understood or cared about by the younger generations, as they tend to have different spending priorities and are happy to enjoy their music with cheaper, less performing equipment. What might be done, and I think it has already started, is to expose the young users to better sounding mobile equipment, DAPs, headphones, iems, so that when they get a taste of a much better music experience it will be more difficult to go back to less performing gear. This one of the ways, imo, this market can experience increased growth. Sorry for the digression!

 

[amahikas]

Hi Andy.
I use i5 DAP, and loving the sound.
I have one question, does N5ii support aptX HD?