Cayin i5 Lossless Android DAP with AKM4490 DAC supporting 32/384 PCM + 64/128 DSD
May 28, 2016 at 5:55 AM Post #317 of 3,742
Rudi is a good friend, we didn't run into each other for quite a while, glad he still follow the latest development of Cayin DAPs.
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Wow I just know.
 
  Im using a C5 as my go to amp for more than a year now. Its just perfect. These days Im looking for a DAP. i5 Looks really good but the release date is so far away  

I also used my C5, my only portable amp, for a bit more than a year but ended up selling them because I don't wanna stack anymore.
Well, early June isn't that far though, if you could import it from China.
 
 

 
This actually got me thinking now. If used as DAC/amp for laptop, how hard will it be to turn the volume knob without lifting the unit up? 'Cause it rests on surface
 
May 28, 2016 at 9:54 AM Post #318 of 3,742
   
I also used my C5, my only portable amp, for a bit more than a year but ended up selling them because I don't wanna stack anymore.
Well, early June isn't that far though, if you could import it from China.
 
 


It was supposed to be today 
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  well, waiting for perfection is okey I guess. You think I can sell my c5 and drive HE560 with this? You wont believe c5 drives 560's pretty well :D 
 
May 28, 2016 at 11:52 AM Post #319 of 3,742


This actually got me thinking now. If used as DAC/amp for laptop, how hard will it be to turn the volume knob without lifting the unit up? 'Cause it rests on surface


So do you mean when i5 is laying on a table, the volume knob will be touching the surface of the table? Or do you mean you mean it will just be hard to turn it because you can't pinch the knob between finger and thumb?

Perhaps computer volume won't be fixed so you can adjust via computer's volume mixer?

Andykong?
 
May 28, 2016 at 1:15 PM Post #320 of 3,742
I think Andy mentioned that you need to use two fingers to turn the knob, so you don't have to worry about accidental bumping of volume while in your pocket.  I assume when using as usb-dac you will not be able to turn it with a thumb only (like in LPG), thus some kind of a "lifting" will be required
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May 28, 2016 at 1:36 PM Post #322 of 3,742
Interest piqued!

Transparency, timely updates and potentiality have seemingly enabled a curiosity...


I totally respect that and kudos and thanks to keeping the community informed of the product development and we all follow it with piqued interest.


Maybe because I worked for Cayin for less then a year, but I have been around in various HiFi newsgroups (yes, Usenet back in the 90s) and forums for many years, so I tends to think and communicate like a forum based hobbyist. :D

http://www.head-fi.org/t/771208/cayin-n5-dap-product-info-post-2-resources-post-3-and-discussion/240#post_11816932

My boss is very brave in doing this as this is like hiring a hacker to become the spokesman of internet security business, hardly an option to most senior management.
 
Cayin Stay updated on Cayin at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
http://en.cayin.cn/
May 28, 2016 at 2:10 PM Post #323 of 3,742
Apple doesn't need a rocket scientist have their docking standard become de facto and now even Sony has to make an docking station amp/speaker set with Apple connector. But I guess there is too much rivalry among DAP makers to standardise on this plus the product turn over time is so short these days anything standardised now might be out of date already :wink_face: .


That's when someone is a dominated player, so a one-off decision will become a De facto standard. There is both side of a coin thought. Remember when Apple introduce Lighting to replace its previous connector? Hundreds of products were obsolete within weeks, that is the problem when "standard" are based on the business decision of a signal entity.
 
Cayin Stay updated on Cayin at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
http://en.cayin.cn/
May 28, 2016 at 2:11 PM Post #324 of 3,742
wa....Andy so sorry for the spoiler...:frowning2:
 :k701smile:


Oh never mind, I'll still use those photo anyway, don't make a big different afterall. :beerchug:
 
Cayin Stay updated on Cayin at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
http://en.cayin.cn/
May 28, 2016 at 2:14 PM Post #325 of 3,742
Will you be able to use this as an external DAC/amp from a laptop on the go?


Yes, it will be, and it can be.

The current firmware is not included this function yet, so I can't test it at real life.

We have tested the function as part of the development test kit, and subsequent firmware will support this, definitely before you can buy the player at US/Europe market.
 
Cayin Stay updated on Cayin at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
http://en.cayin.cn/
May 28, 2016 at 2:31 PM Post #326 of 3,742
Wow I just know.

I also used my C5, my only portable amp, for a bit more than a year but ended up selling them because I don't wanna stack anymore.
Well, early June isn't that far though, if you could import it from China.


This actually got me thinking now. If used as DAC/amp for laptop, how hard will it be to turn the volume knob without lifting the unit up? 'Cause it rests on surface


Have to warn you in advance that it is unlikely Cayin will release international version firmware at early June, so features design for oversee markets (Google Play, Dropbox, ... ) will not be available, and foreign language UI (including English) will not be polished to satisfactory level.

Once you touch the volume knob with slight movement, the volume control interface will pop up as an overlay on current screen, and you can control the volume by clicking at the + and - sign on the screen, or swipe up/down or left/right to adjust volume. So you don't really need to lift the unit up for volume control.

However, if you were to use the i5 as a desktop unit most of the time, I suggest you stick some tiny rubber feet on the bottom of the player, this will lift the unit from the table top slightly, and avoid scratching the carbon fiber back panel.

 
Cayin Stay updated on Cayin at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
http://en.cayin.cn/
May 28, 2016 at 3:56 PM Post #328 of 3,742
So do you mean when i5 is laying on a table, the volume knob will be touching the surface of the table? Or do you mean you mean it will just be hard to turn it because you can't pinch the knob between finger and thumb?

Perhaps computer volume won't be fixed so you can adjust via computer's volume mixer?

@Andykong?

Oh I did test it on the surface of a table. I laid it right on surface and the volume knob touched the surface. Now if Cayin hasn't fixed knob, it'll be a problem because the knob turned when unit being moved along the surface. And this was the unit with a pretty tight knob.
 
And second, that too. But I focused too much on the hardware volume control that I forgot the volume setting will show up when you turn the knob a little, as mentioned by Andy.
 
 
 
Have to warn you in advance that it is unlikely Cayin will release international version firmware at early June, so features design for oversee markets (Google Play, Dropbox, ... ) will not be available, and foreign language UI (including English) will not be polished to satisfactory level.

Once you touch the volume knob with slight movement, the volume control interface will pop up as an overlay on current screen, and you can control the volume by clicking at the + and - sign on the screen, or swipe up/down or left/right to adjust volume. So you don't really need to lift the unit up for volume control.

However, if you were to use the i5 as a desktop unit most of the time, I suggest you stick some tiny rubber feet on the bottom of the player, this will lift the unit from the table top slightly, and avoid scratching the carbon fiber back panel.


Nah no worries, I'll most likely be getting the unit that's released at early July. Even though I wanted to buy it as soon as I can, June is out of question since my departure to SEA is on mid July 
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Yeah I forgot about the volume interface lol.
 
To be honest I think I wouldn't have the heart to stick the rubber feets onto the unit, but the leather case might solve the problem :D 
IIRC, it's included, right?
 
May 28, 2016 at 6:21 PM Post #329 of 3,742
We can't reuse the stuffed components without affecting sound quality to some extend, there is a risk on that at least, we can sell the extracted components at a hefty discount to recover part of our loss, but definitely not as a refill in our component inventory.

Indeed we have to budget for undiscovered mistakes during early stage of production, no matter how much effort we have deployed to test and verify the product before we deliver it out of our factory. The phase in approach according to geographical area is a common practice and has proven to be effective in past experience, and that's why we discourage customer to bridge over the market boundary and import a new product before the manufacturer feels comfortable with oversee market.

So the next question: When should we have a i5 tours?
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I don't have an answer to this, I just know you guys will raise out very soon.
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The LME49720 looks to be a very good low noise + high transparency op amp + it can easily drive high loads, I wonder if Cayin can put all the stuffed components into release a "limited edition" model say "i3" or "i5 Lite" with wifi disabled - maybe it would be happily snapped up pronto if the price is right. Unless the noise flaw isn't isolated to just wifi. It's a business decision hehe.
 
May 29, 2016 at 9:46 AM Post #330 of 3,742
Oh I did test it on the surface of a table. I laid it right on surface and the volume knob touched the surface. Now if Cayin hasn't fixed knob, it'll be a problem because the knob turned when unit being moved along the surface. And this was the unit with a pretty tight knob.

And second, that too. But I focused too much on the hardware volume control that I forgot the volume setting will show up when you turn the knob a little, as mentioned by Andy.



Nah no worries, I'll most likely be getting the unit that's released at early July. Even though I wanted to buy it as soon as I can, June is out of question since my departure to SEA is on mid July :p


Yeah I forgot about the volume interface lol.

To be honest I think I wouldn't have the heart to stick the rubber feets onto the unit, but the leather case might solve the problem :D 
IIRC, it's included, right?



The leather case is retailed at around US$30 in Mainland China, not sure if this will be imported to US or Europe. I am very curious if Dignis will roll out a leather case for i5 promptly? I sure hope they can add more choices for the benefit of consumer. :beerchug:
 
Cayin Stay updated on Cayin at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
http://en.cayin.cn/

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