Reviews by dududuckling
Disclaimer: I am not a professional reviewer, but rather an audio enthusiast sharing his passion with the world through sound put to words. I have a keen affinity for an organic, full-bodied sound with a hint of warmth. At times, I am equally longing for a clean, neutral, and somewhat analytical sound with bass boost and extended treble. I enjoy listening to Halie Loren and Fausto Mesolella out of the xDuoo TA26 x Sennheiser HD800S as much as Alan Walker and Tae Yeon on the Burson Audio Conductor 3x GT x Hifiman Susvara. My music genres span between Country and Trance; everything but the kitchen sink (Metal and Classical).
Special thank you and shout out to Andrew and Leo from Musicteck for recommending the Cayin N7 Digital Audio Player (DAP). One month in, I could not be much happier with this unit, and I am now looking to add the Cayin C9 into the mix for a complete setup. The whole process was a breeze right down to less than a week delivery to Auckland, New Zealand. In purchasing this unit, I have received a fractional discount in exchange for an honest review; all thoughts and opinions are of my own. Your mileage may vary.
Hardware Specifications:
Hardware
Special thank you and shout out to Andrew and Leo from Musicteck for recommending the Cayin N7 Digital Audio Player (DAP). One month in, I could not be much happier with this unit, and I am now looking to add the Cayin C9 into the mix for a complete setup. The whole process was a breeze right down to less than a week delivery to Auckland, New Zealand. In purchasing this unit, I have received a fractional discount in exchange for an honest review; all thoughts and opinions are of my own. Your mileage may vary.
Hardware Specifications:
- 1-bit Resistor Network DSD Decoding
- Snapdragon 665 with 4GB RAM
- 64 GB Internal Memory (expandable up to 1TB)
- Android 12.0 with Google Play and Direct Transport Audio (DTA)
- 2.4GHz/5GHz Dual Band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 (LDAC, UAT, AAC, SBC)
- Analog: 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL (Line Out / Pre-Out), 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL (Phone Out)
- Digital: USB-C (Audio In & Out, S/PDIF Output) and I2S (Mini-HDMI, Output)
- 250mW@32ohm for 3.5mm SE and 500mW@32ohm for 4.4mm BAL
- 3.8V, 9000 mAH Lithium battery for continuous playback of up to 10 hours (3.5mm SE) and 8.5 hours (4.4mm Balanced); using Class A and DSD512 will shorten these hours; fast charging from 20% to 80% in 2 hours.
- Screen Resolution: 5” FHD (1080 x 1920) TFT
- Amplifier Operation: Class A / AB
- Output Specifications: DSD64/128/256/512
- Gain Settings: Low, Medium, and High
- Cayin N7 Digital Audio Player (DAP)
- Cayin N7 Leather Case (Genuine and handmade with faux painted stitching)
- 2.5mm (F)-to-3.5mm (M) adapter
- 2.5mm (F)-to-4.4mm (M) adapter
- USB C-to-USB C cable
- Tempered Glass Screen Protector (Front and back)
- User Manual
- Hi-Res stickers
Hardware
Cayin N7 is a pure 1-bit Android-based Digital Audio Player (DAP), fully discrete and fully balanced design, which converts digital signal into analog signal by means of a resistor ladder network: 128 pieces of high precision, thin film resistors. Cayin N7 converts PCM files to DSD files (DSD64/128/256/512) in real time using a resistor ladder network instead of a chip-based topology for a smooth, natural sound presentation. Higher sampling rate, which extracts more audio information for a truer sound reproduction, requires increased storage usage and power consumption. Cayin N7 supports PCM (up to 32Bit/768kHz), DSD64/128/256/512, 16x MQA decoding, and Bluetooth 5.0 audio codec, including LDAC (up to 96kHz), UAT (up to 192kHz), AAC (up to 48kHz), and SBC (up to 48kHz). Cayin N7 offers Class A and Class AB amplification modes, as well as Low, Medium, and High Gain mode.
Audio Setup: Cayin N7 streaming Apple Music Hi-Res Lossless to Sennheiser IE900 via Marco Custom Cables Pink (copper and silver alloy).
Sound
Sound
At the mid-Fi level, the Cayin N7 presents the quintessence of the Cayin sound signature, striking a fine balance between detailed and organic sounding with a hint of warmth; natural and musical in its presentation while retaining excellent instrument separation, dynamic and engaging, airy and spacious. The cleanliness in the sound presentation is further accentuated by the Vantablack background, devoid of hissing and interference noises even with the most sensitive in-ear monitors (IEMs) in my collection, the Fiio FD7.
In theory, Class A amplification mode presents a smooth, full-bodied, and organic sound whereas Class AB presents a clean, neutral, and more detailed sound presentation. Scaling up to DSD512 further improves the sound quality by bringing a truer sound reproduction with the trade-off of increased storage usage and processing power (read: higher power consumption).
In reality, I have yet to realize any significant difference between Class A/AB and DSD64/128/256/512. The difference is so subtle, at least in my setup, that only keener ears than mine would have noticed. One month into its ownership, my unit is now configured to run Class A/High Gain/DSD512 on a short listening session, which quickly turns the unit into a handheld heater, and Class AB/High Gain/DSD64 on a longer listening session (i.e., a full day at the office).
In terms of technicalities, the Cayin N7 is able to effortlessly dissect a highly complex track and introduce its own flavour, not found on any other DAPs, for a more musical yet engaging sound presentation. Listening to complex K-Pop track, INVU by Tae Yeon, on the Cayin N7 is just as satisfying as a more laidback, all-time classic, Hotel California by The Eagles. It is truly a DAP for all genres at the mid-Fi level.
In theory, Class A amplification mode presents a smooth, full-bodied, and organic sound whereas Class AB presents a clean, neutral, and more detailed sound presentation. Scaling up to DSD512 further improves the sound quality by bringing a truer sound reproduction with the trade-off of increased storage usage and processing power (read: higher power consumption).
In reality, I have yet to realize any significant difference between Class A/AB and DSD64/128/256/512. The difference is so subtle, at least in my setup, that only keener ears than mine would have noticed. One month into its ownership, my unit is now configured to run Class A/High Gain/DSD512 on a short listening session, which quickly turns the unit into a handheld heater, and Class AB/High Gain/DSD64 on a longer listening session (i.e., a full day at the office).
In terms of technicalities, the Cayin N7 is able to effortlessly dissect a highly complex track and introduce its own flavour, not found on any other DAPs, for a more musical yet engaging sound presentation. Listening to complex K-Pop track, INVU by Tae Yeon, on the Cayin N7 is just as satisfying as a more laidback, all-time classic, Hotel California by The Eagles. It is truly a DAP for all genres at the mid-Fi level.
A versatile DAP, the Cayin N7 offers incredible synergy when paired with neutral, clean sounding IEMs: Sennheiser IE900 and 64 Audio Tia Fourte. My unit, which consistently stays in High Gain, hovers between 25dB and 35dB to drive the Sennheiser IE900 and 64 Audio Tia Fourte, and up to 50dB on the Fatfreq Maestro Mini. Cayin N7 is also able to drive full-size headphones, such as the Focal Clear MG and Hifiman Arya SE, to listening volume, although at 500mW@32ohm, it does not sound as dynamic.
The following listening impressions are based on Hotel California by The Eagles, Sonatina improvvisata d’inizio estate by Fausto Mesolella feat. Ferdinando Ghidelli, and Main Titles (You’ve Been Called Back, Top Gun OST) by Lorne Balfe, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga and Hans Zimmer.
Cayin N7 x Sennheiser IE900
The following listening impressions are based on Hotel California by The Eagles, Sonatina improvvisata d’inizio estate by Fausto Mesolella feat. Ferdinando Ghidelli, and Main Titles (You’ve Been Called Back, Top Gun OST) by Lorne Balfe, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga and Hans Zimmer.
Cayin N7 x Sennheiser IE900
At the mid-Fi level, this pairing is a match made in heaven. I would not have it any other way. Paired with copper-silver alloy cables, Cayin N7 further amplifies the Sennheiser IE900’s sound signature: Bass impact and treble become more prominent and take the centre stage whereas the midrange and vocals take a step back, soundstage remains airy and spacious, details retrievals are retained.
This is my ideal combination for all music genres, including Trance, K-Pop, and Oldies, or when I simply want to have a quick listen without spending half an hour selecting my source and gears. In a Mad Max x Zombie Apocalypse situation, the Cayin N7 x Sennheiser IE900 would definitely be in my survival kit, along with a solar charging power bank and a hatchet.
Cayin N7 x 64 Audio Tia Fourte
This is my ideal combination for all music genres, including Trance, K-Pop, and Oldies, or when I simply want to have a quick listen without spending half an hour selecting my source and gears. In a Mad Max x Zombie Apocalypse situation, the Cayin N7 x Sennheiser IE900 would definitely be in my survival kit, along with a solar charging power bank and a hatchet.
Cayin N7 x 64 Audio Tia Fourte
Paired with 8-core, 5N OCC copper cables, Cayin N7 accentuates the 64 Audio Tia Fourte’s sound signature: Bass impact supersedes Sennheiser IE900 (as far as I can tell at the same listening volume), midrange, and vocals sound fuller and organic, treble remains sharp as ever devoid of any sibilance, soundstage is more spacious and the overall sound presentation is more detailed, revealing as compared to the Sennheiser IE900.
Cayin N7 x Fatfreq Maestro Mini
Cayin N7 x Fatfreq Maestro Mini
Fatfreq Maestro Mini is a coloured, midbass-oriented IEMs and possibly the second hard hitting bass cannon on the planet after the newer Scarlet Mini. Paired with copper-silver alloy cables, the Cayin N7 accentuates the bass impact while everything else, the midrange, vocals, treble are present but slightly recessed. The soundstage is narrow and intimate, and the details retrievals are not as top notch as the previous IEMs.
In comparison to the other DAP and DAC/AMP, the Cayin N7 does not sound as cold and analytical as the Fiio Q5s Tc and Fiio M11 Plus ESS, as smooth as the Astell&Kern SP2000T, and as warm and full-bodied as the iFi xDSD Gryphon.
Conclusion
In comparison to the other DAP and DAC/AMP, the Cayin N7 does not sound as cold and analytical as the Fiio Q5s Tc and Fiio M11 Plus ESS, as smooth as the Astell&Kern SP2000T, and as warm and full-bodied as the iFi xDSD Gryphon.
Conclusion
Cayin N7 is standing at the crossroad of all the good things that I would like to hear in a DAP, striking a fine balance through its natural and musical sound presentation, uniquely Cayin. One year into my audiophile journey, I have come to place higher emphasis on synergies above all else, from the source to the cable and the gears, right down to the song genres. A DAP for all seasons. Cayin N7’s versatility makes for a good pairing with any IEMs playing any music genres, perfect for a quick and easy listening session. Personally, I am keeping the Cayin N7 at least for another year and am currently looking into possibly adding the Cayin C9 into the equation to obtain the most value-for-performance in this setup.
Attachments
Last edited:
dududuckling
Hi guys, this is my first-ever review here on Head-Fi. A novice audiophile, I am learning the sound terminology as I go along and have tried to describe my impression as accurately as possible. Please read it with a grain of salt. Thank you.
SteveEyes
I'm stuck in between the Cayin N7 and the Kann Ultra. Which one do you think is the superior player in terms of sound. They are around the same price right now.
