[fish1050]

Just a quick response while I am on the road. If you take a look at DAP below US$200, you'll find several N3 competitors offer similar digital audio capability, and even sub-$100 DAP can offer 24/192 and DSD128 already.

The off contract price of a V20 at $800 might sound a lot, but there are other options to get then at much lower cost. Beside there are 2016 models such as HTC 10 and LG V10 that are also very capable in terms of digital audio support and these are available at around 50% of a V20. Last but not least, mobile phone are consider necessary accessories today and DAPs aren't, so consumers are more concern on the additional cost to upgrade from their current mobile phone expenditure to a HiFi phone vs the cost to buy a DAP.

I don't mean to single out the N3 for these high end features as I think they are overkill on all portable DAP's in this price range. I can't speak to the Asian market but these more demanding file formats are not as popular in my part of the world. This is based on working in the retail audio market for many years. The question was also how much these higher resource demand formats impact the ability to make the DAP more usable. Also how much does having to support these formats affect the battery life of the DAP.?

 

[eaglesgift]

Go get yourself a 6 years old DAP which should be good enough to listen to all your CD-Quality files...you don't need current DAPs to play CD-Quality files. Besides you can save a lot of money with your simple needs to play only CD-Quality files. For the rest of us, we like the advantages that new technology has to offer.

Not all of the rest of us. I only listen to 16-bit/44.1 files normally and in my humble opinion, anybody who says they can tell the difference between these and 24-bit/192 (or however crazy you want to get with hi-res), is talking out of their hat to put it politely, especially when using a portable DAP with IEMs. Why should we buy a 6-year-old player anyway? The battery on something manufactured that long ago would be close to useless now, even if it hasn't been used, and isn't the sound-stage and resolution on a modern player going to be superior, even with my lowly 16-bit/44.1 kHz files? If not, I'll ditch this DAP and start using something with a much better battery life I think.

 

[eaglesgift]

I don't mean to single out the N3 for these high end features as I think they are overkill on all portable DAP's in this price range. I can't speak to the Asian market but these more demanding file formats are not as popular in my part of the world. This is based on working in the retail audio market for many years. The question was also how much these higher resource demand formats impact the ability to make the DAP more usable. Also how much does having to support these formats affect the battery life of the DAP.?

Surely if you don't actually play the more demanding formats it won't affect the battery at all?

 

[PT7673]

I decided to buy N3 because it has everything I want in a DAP.

- Play all digital music files especially DSD because I've never tried it before and I want to
- APT-x BT capability
- more than 8 hrs of playback time
- Responsive UI
- Digital out to connect to my main audio system
- and the last one, I want to pay as less as possible

N3 answers all of them that why I end up with N3. And Hiby is a big PLUS to my need, make it much easier to use N3 as a source in my main system.

Please don't drop any of them.

What I want see improve?

1. BT connection to BT receiver that need PIN,
I mention this before my BT receiver of my other system need PIN and it just a default PIN (0000 or 1234).
N3 cannot connect to them but a small-and-cheap BT transmitter from aliexpress can so I believe there is a way to do that.
So can you make the BT connection procedure to try this 2 PIN before give up.

2. I use Cayin's USB to coax cable and when connect to my DAC in main system. I have to crank all the volume up to get the listening volume level.
When I switch back to Headphone, I have to remember to bring the volume down or I may damage my headphone or my ears.
Can you make the line-out switch to cover digital out volume?

3. Make the Delete function work on exFAT card.

That's all.
Thank you.

 

[MajesticSquirrel]

@Andykong I've got a good idea to implement in the upcoming firmware. I noticed you probably can't have one setting for all kinds of music. "Short delay slow" digital filter is most universal as far as I tested on PSB M4U1 headphones, second place for being universal I'd give "Short delay sharp". Haven't played with EQ yet, but I think the point stands that by using universal settings, you sacrifice a bit of quality for some music. For example, what's good for electronica, is not good for rock. My idea is to make something like "genre settings" - different music settings (digital filter, EQ and so on) for different genres; let the user change the settings and associate albums or songs to it.

The most important thing is for player to remember these settings for albums or songs so that you don't need to specify it again. For example, you play a song A, you see it will benefit from custom settings for electronica, so you specify to use electronica settings for A. Then you play song B, you see it will benefit from custom settings for rock, so you specify to use rock settings for B. Then you can turn off the player, but the next time you turn the player on and play A - electronica settings are used, if you play B - rock settings are used.

My general idea of implementation:
1. User clicks on "genre settings" . I wanted to offer to put this icon in the main menu, but it may get too populated, so maybe some other place is better.
2. User sees a list of predefined genres.
3. User clicks on one of the genres and sees a list of two options - "Add folder or song" and "Change music settings". Note, you may omit (even better if you leave it, so the user will have an alternative) "Add folder or song" and implement an ability to add folder or song to the genre from other place. For example, when folder is highlighted and/or song is either highlighted or being played, the user presses some button and then he can choose the genre from the predefined list.

 

[ph58]

Hi guys , someone show me how to do step by step to activate Hibylink with my smartphone to use like a remote control on the N3 please ? I have try but it don't work ! Thanks in advance .

 

[kalo86]

Hi guys, how is the Cayin N3 sound quality if compared to FiiO X1 1st gen or XDuoo X3?
Thanks!

 

[DBaldock9]

Hi guys , someone show me how to do step by step to activate Hibylink with my smartphone to use like a remote control on the N3 please ? I have try but it don't work ! Thanks in advance .

It's a 2 phase process -
Phase 1:
1.) Install the updated N3 Firmware, which supports HiBy Link.
2.) Go to the Bluetooth Settings, and Turn On Bluetooth and HiBy Link.

Phase 2:
1.) Install the latest HiBy Music w/HiBy Link Android app (currently V3.0.0 build 5350)
2.) In the HiBy Music app, the HiBy Link settings are access via the second icon from the right, at the top of the screen.
3.) In the HiBy Link Settings, Turn On HiByLink.
4.) If the app doesn't automatically connect to your N3, it should show up as an available device, which you can select, and connect to.

 

[Francisk]

Not all of the rest of us. I only listen to 16-bit/44.1 files normally and in my humble opinion, anybody who says they can tell the difference between these and 24-bit/192 (or however crazy you want to get with hi-res), is talking out of their hat to put it politely, especially when using a portable DAP with IEMs. Why should we buy a 6-year-old player anyway? The battery on something manufactured that long ago would be close to useless now, even if it hasn't been used, and isn't the sound-stage and resolution on a modern player going to be superior, even with my lowly 16-bit/44.1 kHz files? If not, I'll ditch this DAP and start using something with a much better battery life I think.

Point taken, so that makes one less for the rest of us then...no issue there. We still like what technology has to offer and we'd like to move forward. To be honest, it's very hard for a company to please everyone. For the money that I pay for my N3, I'm absolutely happy with it although it's not perfect, then again name me a player which is all perfect. If I want further improvement on sound quality then I'll hook up my N3 digitally to my Chord Mojo...no brainer...I can then drive my HD600 headphone if I need to. What's there to complain???

Everyone has their own taste therefore if you're happy with 16bit/44.1 files then by all means stick to it but please do not stop the progress of technology that is ever evolving and aiming for greater heights so that those who are open to the advancement of technology can benefit from it. If you cannot hear the difference then that's ok but that doesn't mean the whole world can't hear the difference. It's like telling the whole world not to listen to hi-res files just because you can't hear the difference. If that's the case then you should write to the person who invented hi-res files and ask him to stop developing it because you can't hear the difference, or better still ask all audio companies in the world to stop producing hi-res players because you can't hear the difference. Imagine someone telling the whole world not to eat steak just because he can't taste the difference between chicken and steak...go figure.

FYI, there are good old DAPs within the past 6 years period that produce great sound with good sound stage and btw all batteries can be replaced even if it fails...you just need to put in a little extra effort that's all. There are some players eg. iBasso DX50 and DX90 that use removable batteries...in case you don't know.

 

[ph58]

It's a 2 phase process -
Phase 1:
1.) Install the updated N3 Firmware, which supports HiBy Link.
2.) Go to the Bluetooth Settings, and Turn On Bluetooth and HiBy Link.

Phase 2:
1.) Install the latest HiBy Music w/HiBy Link Android app (currently V3.0.0 build 5350)
2.) In the HiBy Music app, the HiBy Link settings are access via the second icon from the right, at the top of the screen.
3.) In the HiBy Link Settings, Turn On HiByLink.
4.) If the app doesn't automatically connect to your N3, it should show up as an available device, which you can select, and connect to.

Hi where do i find Hiby Music (currently V3.0.0 build 5350) ? I have install one but it is not th right version ! Thanks

 

[DBaldock9]

Hi where do i find Hiby Music (currently V3.0.0 build 5350) ? I have install one but it is not th right version ! Thanks

Now that you mention it, I believe the latest version of the app I was able to find and download, was build 5313 - and then the app updated itself to build 5350.

@Joe Bloggs works for HiBy, and may be able to provide a link to the latest downloads.

 

[ph58]

Now that you mention it, I believe the latest version of the app I was able to find and download, was build 5313 - and then the app updated itself to build 5350.

@Joe Bloggs works for HiBy, and may be able to provide a link to the latest downloads.

I have just send a private message to Joe ! Bizarre because on Google Play there is just one HibyMusic and it is not the right version ! Where do you get it guys ? Thanks

 

[DBaldock9]

I have just send a private message to Joe ! Bizarre because on Google Play there is just one HibyMusic and it is not the right version ! Where do you get it guys ? Thanks

There have been links in this thread, and in the Shanling M1 & M2s threads, to the downloads of the Beta versions of HiBy Music w/HiBy Link.

 

[eaglesgift]

Point taken, so that makes one less for the rest of us then...no issue there. We still like what technology has to offer and we'd like to move forward. To be honest, it's very hard for a company to please everyone. For the money that I pay for my N3, I'm absolutely happy with it although it's not perfect, then again name me a player which is all perfect. If I want further improvement on sound quality then I'll hook up my N3 digitally to my Chord Mojo...no brainer...I can then drive my HD600 headphone if I need to. What's there to complain???

Everyone has their own taste therefore if you're happy with 16bit/44.1 files then by all means stick to it but please do not stop the progress of technology that is ever evolving and aiming for greater heights so that those who are open to the advancement of technology can benefit from it. If you cannot hear the difference then that's ok but that doesn't mean the whole world can't hear the difference. It's like telling the whole world not to listen to hi-res files just because you can't hear the difference. If that's the case then you should write to the person who invented hi-res files and ask him to stop developing it because you can't hear the difference, or better still ask all audio companies in the world to stop producing hi-res players because you can't hear the difference. Imagine someone telling the whole world not to eat steak just because he can't taste the difference between chicken and steak...go figure.

FYI, there are good old DAPs within the past 6 years period that produce great sound with good sound stage and btw all batteries can be replaced even if it fails...you just need to put in a little extra effort that's all. There are some players eg. iBasso DX50 and DX90 that use removable batteries...in case you don't know.

Thank you for your advice.

Just to be clear: I wasn't trying to stop others enjoying these advancements and I don't think Cayin, or any other company, should be reducing the capabilities of their DAPs to please me (it wouldn't please me anyway), I just thought your advice - to buy a 6-year-old DAP if we don't want to listen to hi-res files - was slightly patronizing. I don't want to drag things off topic though and I think we can all enjoy the N3 for what it is.

 

[peskypesky]

I also have a pair of $10 Rock Zircon IEMs I just bought, and am quite impressed by what they can do (for the price - better than many $100 IEMs I've heard).

yes, the Rock Zircons are pretty incredible. I love mine.