[nmatheis]

 

Hi! You can compare Cayin N5 vs M2? Visually M2 is pleasant, Cayin N5 - is more expensive, quality of production, convenience of management, appearance? To what player it is possible to compare M2? On what sounding is similar?

 
Actually didn't get a chance to compare these as I sent the N5 out on the same day the M2 arrived. From memory, the N5 is warmer and more dynamic, with deeper and looser low end. M2 is more neutral, but not dry. I feel the M2 to be quite honest in not colouring the music you hear in any way.

 
I'll second @hakushondaimao's thoughts on M2 being very neutral. I just gave a listen to my Fiio X5 Classic with same IEM, same tracks, and approximate volume matching. M2 definitely sounded more neutral. I'm really loving this little guy and am going try to get a review up by the end of this weekend.

 

[Mr Trev]

Will do, my man!

1. Used it on mid-days walks to get my son at preschool. Found new albums just fine. Don't remember off the top of my head if I cranked brightness to the max, though.

2. Both Muses, but E12A uses the upper tier version.

3. Shanling is selling their other gear on Amazon, so I'm hoping they'll do that with M2, as well. @Shanling?

 
 

 
Have used the M2 quite a bit outdoors, and have no trouble seeing what's on screen. Have it set to medium brightness. I find the screen quality quite good.

Thanks guys. Every player I've owned so far is nearly unreadable outdoors, you'd think when making a portable player, manufacturers would take that into consideration.
 
Amazon.ca does have the M3, but its through a 3rd party, and I don't know if they're an authorized dealer.
 
Now the my X3 is officially obsolete

, this is looking like a great substitute.

 

[hakushondaimao]

   
 
Thanks guys. Every player I've owned so far is nearly unreadable outdoors, you'd think when making a portable player, manufacturers would take that into consideration.
 
Amazon.ca does have the M3, but its through a 3rd party, and I don't know if they're an authorized dealer.
 
Now the my X3 is officially obsolete

, this is looking like a great substitute.

 
Ahem... X3 is now a "collector's item."

 

[HeocnopuMblu]

except me still it is interesting to someone??

  only I want it ?

 

[nmatheis]

There was a question earlier from Urubu about M2 vs. Cayin N5 earlier. I just did some volume-matched listening with other DAPs last night. I used my Heir 4.Ai-s 4-driver BA IEM for this, as they're pretty neutral.

First, let me state that to me the differences between DAPs are subtle. It's not like we're talking headphones with radically different tuning. With that in mind, the N5 sounded fuller / warmer than the M2 and has a more expansive soundstage. For those of you who are familiar with Cayin's lineup, the N5 seems to me like they took the N6 and added in a bit of the C5 to warm it up a bit.

While listening to the M2 independently, I find it to sound quite neutral. When listening in comparison to the N5, I found the M2 to sound thinner / drier. I also felt it was brighter up top. Soundstage felt less like I was on the stage but sitting a few rows back.

Again, to me these are subtle differences that you pick out when listening volume matched. Which presentation you prefer depends on your tastes.

I also attempted to test hi-res FLAC playback time but used the wrong playback setting, so other file types were mixed in. I'll try again tonight with a hi-res FLAC file on single-repeat and report back. With mixed lossy and lossless (regular, hi-res, DSD), M2 went from a full charge to 15% battery in 8 hours with the screen left off.

 

[nmatheis]

except me still it is interesting to someone?? :tongue_smile:   only I want it ?

I think so. The reviews hakushondaimao post soon should help bring it some attention

 

[nmatheis]

Shanling:

I've been testing out Gapless and find it seamless with FLAC. With V0 LAME-encoded MP3, I hear a very slight gap between some tracks that aren't present with FLAC. With 256kbps Constrained VBR AAC, the very slight gap is more pronounced but is still just a small fraction of a second. How about you hakushondaimao?

EDIT: I can Dropbox the files I'm using to test Gapless with if needed

A feature suggestion:
Right now, if I press skip back or skip forward while paused, the M2 skips back / forward as appropriate and starts playing. I feel this is not the right behavior. If the M2 was paused, then it should skip back / forward and remain paused. Do you agree hakushondaimao?

 

[Mr Trev]

I might have missed it (and too lazy to look up

), but does this work as a DAC for a computer too?
 
@nmatheis I see you still got your x3. When you do an e12a comp. can you please use it as a source.

 

[nmatheis]

I might have missed it (and too lazy to look up ), but does this work as a DAC for a computer too?

@nmatheis
 I see you still got your x3. When you do an e12a comp. can you please use it as a source.

Yup, it's plug n play as a DAC with my MacBook Pro. Requires drivers for Windows, though.

Yes, I can X3 LO -> E12A for you

As an aside, I'm not digging' the X3's 3.4 firmware. Soundstage is nice, but man are the upper mids and treble aggressive :eek:

 

[Mr Trev]

Sweet.
 
I seen in another thread that you didn't care for the sq in the new fw (can't say I agree with your assessment, but the years of listening to Grados may have numbed my treble receptors

)
 
I do imagine that the m2 will be a noticeable upgrade from the 'ol x3 based on the few comments you've made so far.
I probably shouldn't buy one, on the other hand it seems to be a trendy thing here in Canada to run a huge budget deficit…

 

[hakushondaimao]

  ...it seems to be a trendy thing here in Canada to run a huge budget deficit…

 
Been that way for 9 years now  

 

 

[nmatheis]

Sweet.

I seen in another thread that you didn't care for the sq in the new fw (can't say I agree with your assessment, but the years of listening to Grados may have numbed my treble receptors )

I do imagine that the m2 will be a noticeable upgrade from the 'ol x3 based on the few comments you've made so far.
I probably shouldn't buy one, on the other hand it seems to be a trendy thing here in Canada to run a huge budget deficit…

I just wanted to take a minute to point out how politely Mr Trev was while disagreeing with me. Thank you. You, good sir, are a gentleman

My assessment was in relation to several DAPs with Heir 4.Ai-s multi-BA IEM. X3 was the 2nd DAP I compared with the M2, and the difference was actually the most noticeable and striking of any of the DAPs I compared. How're you hearing it?

In any case, I just compared M2 with X3 LO -> E12A (no bass boost)? Perfectly volume matched at 80.4dB each with 1kHz test tone wave file with RHA T20. Bass was very similar and centrally focused. Mids were a touch warmer with E12A. Upper mids were more prominent with E12A and sounded a bit shouts in comparison. Treble sounded a bit hotter with M2. E12A sounded more around my head (in the band), whereas M2 sounded more in front of my head (audience). I had to crank the M2's volume up a couple clicks to get comparable upper mids and treble.

NOTE: These are fairly subtle differences to my ears. Unless you're more sensitive to sources, don't expect significant differences.

TLDR: M2 sounds more neutral, tighter, and under control but more distant. Soundstage and upper mids are the most obvious. Other differences are quite subtle to my ears.

This is just one man's opinion. Does that help?

BONUS: Shanling is very receptive to suggestions. Theyre already working on incorporating some suggestions hakushondaimao and I made into the next firmware release. Nice!

 

[Mr Trev]

Thanks. I was kind of expecting some bigger differences, but then again considering the e12a and m2 are both Muses powered, I also expected a similarish sig (house sound if you will). Maybe there'll be a bigger difference with the HO (which btw is where most folks seem to hear the biggest differences with the x3 fws, but I'll save that for its own thread) 
 
Sounds like this will be more of a situation like where some folks will still prefer the x3 over the x3-2 (or vice versa). Neither is necessarily better.
Doesn't really sound like there'd be much benefit using the e12a with the M2 either.
 
I guess the another thing to consider is that the X3 is now dead and buried, whereas the M2 is just beginning it's assault on the market, and still has plenty o time to develop its firmware (which I'm happy to see Shanling is actively listening to feedback)
 
I'll sit back and wait for more of your (comp with cayin n5(?)), and Haku's impressions -  and hope the CAD doesn't plummet much more until after I decide what I want.
 
Cheers

 

[nmatheis]

Hey Mr Trev,

Perhaps hakushondaimao will be able to better communicate any differences. I've got several DAPs to choose from now, and I haven't been at all disappointed using the M2 exclusively for awhile.

I'm a big believer that UI is very important when it comes to DAPs. In fact, I've avoided using some damn good sounding DAPs because I'm not a fan of the UI. I know there are some people around here who'll sacrifice everything for sound (Shozy Alien users, cough, cough). I'm not one of them.

I think Shanling's done a great job with their UI - just as they've done with their sound. You should hop on the Shanling tour Haku's coordinating. Then you can try it out for yourself.

Have you tried the Cayin C5 and N6 Mr Trev? I wasn't as big of an N6 fan as a lot of others. I do quite like the N5's sound, though. It's got just enough of the C5's warmth for my taste. I'm not sure I'm sold on the UI, though. I need to spend a couple days with it exclusively and see what I think before shipping it up to Craig.

 

[nmatheis]

Put a 24/96 playlist on repeat overnight. M2 was dead when I checked it 8 8.5 hours later when I awoke this morning. Will try again when I can check more frequently. But the answer to whether or not hi-res playback lasts as long as 16/44 playback is no.

And I was rereading hakushondaimao's post on the N5 vs. M2 question. Great memory you've got there! My notes are similar. I found M2 to sound more neutral and focused with a more "audience perspective" soundstage vs. N5's warmer, less controlled but more enveloping sound. Key descriptors for M2 for me are neutral, controlled sound. I had both by my side last night with the RHA T20, and I kept returning to the M2 for the more controlled sound and IMHO better FW & HW UI.