Cayin N3 Hi-Res DAP with AKM4490 DAC, apt-X Bluetooth, and Line, USB & Coax Out for $150

[bruce1967]

 
I'm curious about why you're "tired" of the X1ii.
 
I just ordered a first generation X1 and will receive it tomorrow. (I decided to go with the 1st ten because I don't need Bluetooth, and there seemed to be a lot of complaints about sluggishness on the X1ii).

I'm tired of it because of the sluggishness and the lack of gapless which Fiio hasn't yet corrected. I'm not exactly fond of the touch wheel either...it would be better if it was a touch pad, top, bottom, left and right for navigation. People seem to be excited about the N3 so I'm jumping on the band wagon.

 

[docholliday]

 
I'm tired of it because of the sluggishness and the lack of gapless which Fiio hasn't yet corrected. I'm not exactly fond of the touch wheel either...it would be better if it was a touch pad, top, bottom, left and right for navigation. People seem to be excited about the N3 so I'm jumping on the band wagon.

 
Yup, same here. Slow firmware fixes (not even a beta to make it look like they're trying). Sluggish UI, weird bugs like tracks playing at half speed randomnly if you let it go to sleep while playing 24/96 and then skipping to another different resolution when it wakes up, no ReplayGain, and weird artifacts in the sound when returning to the beginning of a track.
 
I could care less about gapless, it's not a big deal at all for me, but even that is taking them forever to get working. ReplayGain would still be the most useful, as it's annoying to get your ears blown out with sensitive IEMs when playing in random mode.
 
They should've waited to release the player until the firmware was a bit more mature. Or, at least *show* some effort to getting it fixed, like pushing some sort of alpha/early beta, even if that beta isn't perfect.

 

[bruce1967]

   
Yup, same here. Slow firmware fixes (not even a beta to make it look like they're trying). Sluggish UI, weird bugs like tracks playing at half speed randomnly if you let it go to sleep while playing 24/96 and then skipping to another different resolution when it wakes up, no ReplayGain, and weird artifacts in the sound when returning to the beginning of a track.
 
I could care less about gapless, it's not a big deal at all for me, but even that is taking them forever to get working. ReplayGain would still be the most useful, as it's annoying to get your ears blown out with sensitive IEMs when playing in random mode.
 
They should've waited to release the player until the firmware was a bit more mature. Or, at least *show* some effort to getting it fixed, like pushing some sort of alpha/early beta, even if that beta isn't perfect.

If they waited that long to release it I don't think it would be released yet. Maybe that's why the X3iii has been delayed. Just speculation of course but I figured the X3iii would look like the X1ii with better specs but still using the same OS (much like the X1 and X3ii were similar) but delayed because of the problems they have experienced with the X1ii. But like I said the N3 looks like it's going to be a great DAP so I'm now just looking forward to it's release here.

 

[bruce1967]

I wonder too if among the accessories included with the N3 will there be a couple screen protectors. Probably since there is a silicone case but I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere.

 

[crabdog]

 
I'm curious about why you're "tired" of the X1ii.
 
I just ordered a first generation X1 and will receive it tomorrow. (I decided to go with the 1st ten because I don't need Bluetooth, and there seemed to be a lot of complaints about sluggishness on the X1ii).

Very sluggish UI, flaky Bluetooth, still no gapless playback and poor battery life. I still have to admit it sounds great but it makes me angry when I use it.

 

[bruce1967]

  Very sluggish UI, flaky Bluetooth, still no gapless playback and poor battery life. I still have to admit it sounds great but it makes me angry when I use it.

Yes it does sound great...I'm listening to it right now but..it is frustrating to use sometimes. I don't get angry I just wish I had waited for something else.

 

[twister6]

Hi Andy,
Will the N3 be at Headroom in London in a couple of weeks?
Thanks.

 
I heard from Phil that Audio-Sanctuary got i5/N3/N5, so I would assume it should be featured in there

 

[Barndoor]

Thanks twister.
Have you been to headroom before? Having not been before I'm not sure if it is the audio sanctuary shop on tour or well attended by industry representatives? I've not bought tickets yet and not sure if I can trust myself to go and not put a couple of grand on my credit card!

 

[MPNow]

  I wonder too if among the accessories included with the N3 will there be a couple screen protectors. Probably since there is a silicone case but I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere.

 
I think I read in one of the Chinese blogs (they might be even in the product description when your looking for it on sale online) that screen protectors are included in the purchase of the product. I believe one is applied on the device when you open it.

 

[riffrafff]

Ready to pull the trigger, here, too.  I just hope the UI works well.  I fear I may be spoiled by Rockbox on iRiver H340.  

 

[keygrr]

asking again - does N3 have configurable crossfade/fade-in/fade-out features?

 

[fish1050]

 
I'm tired of it because of the sluggishness and the lack of gapless which Fiio hasn't yet corrected. I'm not exactly fond of the touch wheel either...it would be better if it was a touch pad, top, bottom, left and right for navigation. People seem to be excited about the N3 so I'm jumping on the band wagon.

Yeah I kept following the X1-II thread hoping and waiting for Fiio to make it a worthwhile purchase.  Times up Fiio this puppy looks like it could be what the X1-II should have been.  I watched a video on the N3 recently and it looks like it hits the mark for what I am looking for in a new DAP.

 

[fish1050]

 
If they waited that long to release it I don't think it would be released yet. Maybe that's why the X3iii has been delayed. Just speculation of course but I figured the X3iii would look like the X1ii with better specs but still using the same OS (much like the X1 and X3ii were similar) but delayed because of the problems they have experienced with the X1ii. But like I said the N3 looks like it's going to be a great DAP so I'm now just looking forward to it's release here.

I was also holding out hope for the X3-III and still am I guess.  My hope being that better hardware on the X3-III would fix the sluggish UI on the X1-II among other things.  But given Fiio's DAP release issues I am becoming more and more turned off by Fiio DAP's.  
 
If Cayin steps up with the N3 then Fiio may drop out of contention all together at least as far as DAP's go.

 

[docholliday]

 
If they waited that long to release it I don't think it would be released yet. Maybe that's why the X3iii has been delayed. Just speculation of course but I figured the X3iii would look like the X1ii with better specs but still using the same OS (much like the X1 and X3ii were similar) but delayed because of the problems they have experienced with the X1ii. But like I said the N3 looks like it's going to be a great DAP so I'm now just looking forward to it's release here.

It wouldn't bother me as much that they are "taking forever". But...they're starting to vaporware the "next firmware". They should've delayed the release by a short bit and actually completed the features they advertised, or not advertised it and let those features be pleasant suprises for customers.
 
I'm also sympathetic to a software development cycle, as I write software. But, either offer realistic timelines or decent explanations when it's delayed. I understand that things don't always go as planned, but don't just blindly keep saying "in the next firmware, coming next month". At least if they offered up some alpha release, we'd feel there's more than one person working on it a hour a day, no matter how "unpolished" that alpha is. I'd hope that in a month, at least one feature/fix could get done. Hell, instead of releasing a version with a changelog of 20 things, just release a quick "hotfix" style with one thing!
 
It's a great el-cheapo player, good SQ, but buggy.
 
Since the N3 and the X1-II use the same base OS, if the N3 comes out working "as advertised" and fairly bug free, it'll look really, really bad for Fiio. Don't get me wrong, I love Fiio's SQ and pricing structure, I just think they need to fire & hire some better firmware developers!

 

[bruce1967]

   
I think I read in one of the Chinese blogs (they might be even in the product description when your looking for it on sale online) that screen protectors are included in the purchase of the product. I believe one is applied on the device when you open it.

Great! Thanks for the information.