Cayin N3 Hi-Res DAP with AKM4490 DAC, apt-X Bluetooth, and Line, USB & Coax Out for $150
Aug 13, 2018 at 2:05 AM Post #5,821 of 6,262
Thank-you @skingg ... unfortunately there are no stores with Cayin products anywhere close to where I live in SW France. My only buying option is online. HeadFi is the saviour in my case ! @Andykong ... thank-you for the detailed comments on using planars with the N3.
 
Aug 13, 2018 at 11:20 AM Post #5,822 of 6,262
Today is the 25th birthday of Cayin, we served the high-end audio business since 8th August 1993 and have developed over 400 Hi-Fi products in past 25 years, ranging from amplifier to Digital Audio Players (DAP). We pay attention to detail because we believe this is what it takes to reproduce music naturally. With your blessing, we shall continue to work with dedication and strive for excellence for the years to come.




N8 DAP is the keynote product of our Silver Jubilee celebration. This is our first price-no-objective high-end flagship portable digital audio player and it delivers best possible high resolution audio performance to portable users. Please check out our official N8 launch video for more detail.



Super impressed with the first DAP that incorporates the awesome Korg Nutube technology. Thumbs up to Cayin. Here's the link to the Korg Nutube page for those who want to find out more about the Korg Nutube technology: https://korgnutube.com/en/
 
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Aug 15, 2018 at 11:07 PM Post #5,824 of 6,262
Hi, have been using the Cayin player for a week and loving it.
Is it possible to have more than one setting for Custom equilizer to accomodate for several IEMs?
regards
Jose

Hi, sorry to tell you that we don't have a plan to add setting for Custom Equilizer currently.
 
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Aug 16, 2018 at 10:07 PM Post #5,825 of 6,262
I have tested with Chord Mojo and then you are right, Volume and Gain are disabled (the numbers increase/decrease, but its not making any effect as you said)

BUT, I tested with XDUOO XD-05 and then Volume and Gain are ENABLED.... how it can be possible?

(both tests through: N3 usb-c -> otg cable-> microUSB cable -> dac USB in)

I'm sorry, this is not important at all. I just feel curious about it.

I can confirm that confirm that with firmware 3.1, into an iFi microDSD black label, via USB, both volume and gain are enabled -- they change the volume of the sound.
 
Aug 20, 2018 at 10:09 AM Post #5,826 of 6,262
@CayinSupport I am mostly been satisfied with my N3, but I have an ongoing issue:

When I hold the haptic left or right arrow button to scroll through folders, for example, the scrolling often stops after several seconds and the button becomes unresponsive for several more seconds. During these times, I can always use the opposite arrow button, but have to wait until the arrow button I was using before—the direction I am trying to scroll in—starts to work again.

This has been the case across ALL firmware versions I have installed on the N3 (right now the Cayin site is down, but I have had at least 3 versions installed and currently have the most recent version).

I have a large library and this makes it very frustrating to scroll. Has anyone else had this issue? If not a persistent firmware glitch, perhaps it is a defective unit with a hardware problem?
 
Aug 20, 2018 at 10:14 AM Post #5,827 of 6,262
@CayinSupport I am mostly been satisfied with my N3, but I have an ongoing issue:

When I hold the haptic left or right arrow button to scroll through folders, for example, the scrolling often stops after several seconds and the button becomes unresponsive for several more seconds. During these times, I can always use the opposite arrow button, but have to wait until the arrow button I was using before—the direction I am trying to scroll in—starts to work again.

This has been the case across ALL firmware versions I have installed on the N3 (right now the Cayin site is down, but I have had at least 3 versions installed and currently have the most recent version).

I have a large library and this makes it very frustrating to scroll. Has anyone else had this issue? If not a persistent firmware glitch, perhaps it is a defective unit with a hardware problem?
It's not an issue, nor is it defective. You're expecting too much from limited hardware and a very large music library, as you say. Same with older computers, scrolling through a bunch of files or windows quickly will give you the spinning ball or hourglass. It's quite amazing what this little device CAN do, just don't expect it to be a supercomputer. Easy does it on the dial, slow down, and give the N3 a chance to breathe. Want a far more powerful DAP with instant feedback? Be ready to open your wallet wide :wink:
 
Aug 20, 2018 at 1:52 PM Post #5,828 of 6,262
Hi Guys,

I want to set up some bookshelf speakers ( I am thinking of buying the Klipsch RP 160) for my study room and I'll be using a Cambridge Audio SR20 integrated amplifier/receiver to power these.

I don't want to use my laptop/phone as a source as I want the speaker setup to be a standalone unit and not attached/dependent on the laptop or the phone.

Also, I don't want to spend money on a costly DAP after the harrowed experience I've had with the FIIO X52.. That thing couldn't even last 2 years and the FiiO people don't give a damn about that player anymore for them to repair it, and I don't want to take a chance again with buying their costlier/newer models nor do I want to have anything to do with brand like that.

Since the SR20 amplifier also has a built-in Wolfson DAC I was thinking if I could purchase a relatively inexpensive DAP and use it as a source (only player) to connect to the SR20's DAC.

The Cayin N3 seems to be the right fit, and even though it has a good DAC itself and also sounds good, I just want to keep open the option of connecting to an external DAC.

Problem is, I am a little confused about the way it says its digital out works and whether I can use it with a stereo amplifier.

The digital out in N3 is through the USB port and I would need a cable to connect the USB type C digital out of the N3 with the optical digital input (toslink) or coaxial digital input (Spdif) of the SR20 (These are the only digital inputs available on the amplifier).

Any idea what cable I need here?

I know there is a USB to SPDif cable from Cayin that people have been using to connect with, for example, the Mojo DAC, but it has a 3.5 mm connector on the other end and I don't think I can use it.

Do I need some kind of converter?

Thanks for any help/ideas you guys can give.
 
Aug 20, 2018 at 3:07 PM Post #5,829 of 6,262
Hi Guys,

I want to set up some bookshelf speakers ( I am thinking of buying the Klipsch RP 160) for my study room and I'll be using a Cambridge Audio SR20 integrated amplifier/receiver to power these.

I don't want to use my laptop/phone as a source as I want the speaker setup to be a standalone unit and not attached/dependent on the laptop or the phone.

Also, I don't want to spend money on a costly DAP after the harrowed experience I've had with the FIIO X52.. That thing couldn't even last 2 years and the FiiO people don't give a damn about that player anymore for them to repair it, and I don't want to take a chance again with buying their costlier/newer models nor do I want to have anything to do with brand like that.

Since the SR20 amplifier also has a built-in Wolfson DAC I was thinking if I could purchase a relatively inexpensive DAP and use it as a source (only player) to connect to the SR20's DAC.

The Cayin N3 seems to be the right fit, and even though it has a good DAC itself and also sounds good, I just want to keep open the option of connecting to an external DAC.

Problem is, I am a little confused about the way it says its digital out works and whether I can use it with a stereo amplifier.

The digital out in N3 is through the USB port and I would need a cable to connect the USB type C digital out of the N3 with the optical digital input (toslink) or coaxial digital input (Spdif) of the SR20 (These are the only digital inputs available on the amplifier).

Any idea what cable I need here?

I know there is a USB to SPDif cable from Cayin that people have been using to connect with, for example, the Mojo DAC, but it has a 3.5 mm connector on the other end and I don't think I can use it.

Do I need some kind of converter?

Thanks for any help/ideas you guys can give.

Cambridge Audio SR20 didin't support USB Audio input, so coaxial (D3) is thew only viable connection for N3. We make a desktop version of the Type-C coaxial cable, you can check out the details from this link. You can connect Cayin N3 DAP to the D3 input of SR20 with this Type-C to RCA coaxial cable.
 
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http://en.cayin.cn/
Aug 20, 2018 at 4:38 PM Post #5,830 of 6,262
Cambridge Audio SR20 didin't support USB Audio input, so coaxial (D3) is thew only viable connection for N3. We make a desktop version of the Type-C coaxial cable, you can check out the details from this link. You can connect Cayin N3 DAP to the D3 input of SR20 with this Type-C to RCA coaxial cable.


@Andykong Thank You!

I think I have my answer then.
Just to be sure though, this will work as a digital in for the amplifier?

I am asking because the cable says RCA coaxial, is RCA capable of carrying a digital signal?
I thought I would need a digital SPDif at the other end of the cable to connect to D3 (SPDif coaxial) on SR20.
Are RCA coaxial and SPDif coaxial the same?

Sorry, I am still a noob when it comes to audio cables and connectors.
Thanks again!
 
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Aug 20, 2018 at 10:27 PM Post #5,831 of 6,262
Hi, I just received the N3 and am loving it so far. However, I've encountered a very odd problem that has turned up no results when searching. The N3 plays fine across all my headphones and amps, except through my Swan M10 speakers.

It doesn't sense the 3.5mm jack as being plugged in to the N3 and the output still shows as S/P. However, if I plug my left RCA (of the 3.5mm to RCA cable connecting N3 to speakers) into one of the speaker outputs from the sub (RCA output to the left or right speaker), it will detect that I have plugged something in to the N3 and switch to headphone out. Then, I can play music through the PO/LO and as long as I don't pause the music, I can unplug the left RCA from the output to the speaker and plug it into the input, plug the left speaker into the sub, and everything will function as it should.

Pausing the music will immediately stop the N3 output from being PO/LO and the output will change back to S/P. The only way to have it play through the speakers is to repeat the process above again. The right RCA output (of 3.5mm to RCA) doesn't achieve this effect.

I'm not sure what is causing this, but is there a way to force the output of the N3 to default to PO as opposed to digital out? Has anyone else come across this issue or a solution to it?

Thanks!
 
Aug 21, 2018 at 12:26 AM Post #5,832 of 6,262
Hi, I just received the N3 and am loving it so far. However, I've encountered a very odd problem that has turned up no results when searching. The N3 plays fine across all my headphones and amps, except through my Swan M10 speakers.

It doesn't sense the 3.5mm jack as being plugged in to the N3 and the output still shows as S/P. However, if I plug my left RCA (of the 3.5mm to RCA cable connecting N3 to speakers) into one of the speaker outputs from the sub (RCA output to the left or right speaker), it will detect that I have plugged something in to the N3 and switch to headphone out. Then, I can play music through the PO/LO and as long as I don't pause the music, I can unplug the left RCA from the output to the speaker and plug it into the input, plug the left speaker into the sub, and everything will function as it should.

Pausing the music will immediately stop the N3 output from being PO/LO and the output will change back to S/P. The only way to have it play through the speakers is to repeat the process above again. The right RCA output (of 3.5mm to RCA) doesn't achieve this effect.

I'm not sure what is causing this, but is there a way to force the output of the N3 to default to PO as opposed to digital out? Has anyone else come across this issue or a solution to it?

Thanks!

Hi, may I have a picture of your 3.5mm to RCA cable? and a picture showing the connections between N3 and your swan M10?
 
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http://en.cayin.cn/
Aug 21, 2018 at 9:05 AM Post #5,833 of 6,262
@CayinSupport I've put some images of my RCA cable, along with the connections to my speakers. I've tried multiple cables, but they all function as described above.

IMG_20180821_065215.jpg

IMG_20180821_065239.jpg

IMG_20180821_065252.jpg
 
Aug 21, 2018 at 3:11 PM Post #5,834 of 6,262
@Andykong Thank You!

I think I have my answer then.
Just to be sure though, this will work as a digital in for the amplifier?

I am asking because the cable says RCA coaxial, is RCA capable of carrying a digital signal?
I thought I would need a digital SPDif at the other end of the cable to connect to D3 (SPDif coaxial) on SR20.
Are RCA coaxial and SPDif coaxial the same?

Sorry, I am still a noob when it comes to audio cables and connectors.
Thanks again!

i think you are much confused my friend ....
an RCA is what you probably know as a phono connector .... and SPDIF is a protocol for transfer of digital audio.
So ..digital output on many devices is via SPdif ... and an RCA connector.
The Cayin usb-c to RCA coaxial cable terminates in an RCA (phono) connector ... and offers the option to send an SPdif stream to an external dac .... just as you seem to want to do...
 
Aug 21, 2018 at 3:48 PM Post #5,835 of 6,262
@CayinSupport I've put some images of my RCA cable, along with the connections to my speakers. I've tried multiple cables, but they all function as described above.




Please check the connection instruction of your Swan 2.1 speaker. My educated guess is to connect the 3.5mm to 2xRCA cable from N3 to the Audio IN (i.e., the upper row of RCA) of the woofer, and then connect RCA cables from Speaker out (lower RCA) to left and right speaker respectively.
 
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http://en.cayin.cn/

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