To clarified the issue of digital output, we have tested the N3 under the latest v3.1 firmware and this is our final finding:
- When playback PCM files, Volume and Gain setting are disabled, but EQ is working, you can turn off the EQ if you want to opt our from EQ usage.
- When playback DSD file (both DoP and D2P setting), Volume, Gain and EQ are all disabled.
These are applicable to both USB Audio Out and S/PDIF Coaxial output.
We do not recommend user to fall back to previous firmware because of the digital output issue because you need to go all the way back to v2.0. There are bugs and modification that believe far more important.
To be honest, we are still not 100% sure if we have done the right thing because we have received numerous inquiry or requests to reinstate the volume and EQ feature in Digital output. As of the current status, we'll not claim N3 as bit perfect. We find the term vague and is more conceptual or marketing featured instead of precise and well-defined like other engineering trems. There isn't a well-defined list on what can or can't be done on digital level before we can still be considered as bit perfect. We have eliminated all unnecessary digital manipulation to achieve a high quality digital output but it is not RAW bitstream either, we
For the record, the request for bit-perfect output start all the way back in April 2017 (page 80):
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cay...coax-out-for-150.833932/page-80#post-13416400
I had make an official explanation to this issue on 1 May 2017, I was a bit upset when I wrote this reply because some users accused Cayin for not being honest and silent on the bit-perfect issue. That was the time when I was traveling to US for CanJam SoCal and HeadFi had a complete site redesign so things were slowed down because of that.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cay...oax-out-for-150.833932/page-108#post-13463244