[Steranko]

It was working fine today, I spent 30+ min with it testing various IEMs from Unique Melody, Oriolus, Empire Ears etc. Some photo spam for you guys, sorry I am on the phone so can't easily format:









Keep in mind that I had just received an xDuoo XD05 Pro for review the day before I left for CanJam London. As such, perhaps I was not as perplexed by the size and weight of the N30LE. You'll see above how it looks in my average-sized hands. The surface finish and dimpled side helps a lot to hold the DAP in the left hand for me, at least more so than the right hand where you have vents. There are also indicator LEDs here to show off the tube timbre modes in effect which are a legitimate game changer in this world of expensive DAPs that don't really distinguish themselves easily. Between these, the Classic/Modern timbre settings, the power states, amplification modes, and of course the Hyper setting, I have to admit 30 min was not enough to really appreciate this beast. I did do some quick tinkering back and forth with the Multiverse Mentor, Traillii JP, and Raven to know some settings work better for some IEMs than others. I'm not going to spend time talking about how the DAP sounded etc since once again it's not enough time, but if you have the means to get one of these then I would say you should be ready to tinker to get an excellent, highly customizable source. As a short preview of my time with it, I thought solid state timbre with P+ was highly analytical. Tube in classic timbre and Hyper was warm. Hope others had more time and can add further impressions.

This was the problem I found, that there isn't enough time to evaluate it properly at the shows. If I had it for the day and sit down in a quiet room with all my gear. I will thrash the hell out of it.

 

[deep2285]

It was working fine today, I spent 30+ min with it testing various IEMs from Unique Melody, Oriolus, Empire Ears etc. Some photo spam for you guys, sorry I am on the phone so can't easily format:









Keep in mind that I had just received an xDuoo XD05 Pro for review the day before I left for CanJam London. As such, perhaps I was not as perplexed by the size and weight of the N30LE. You'll see above how it looks in my average-sized hands. The surface finish and dimpled side helps a lot to hold the DAP in the left hand for me, at least more so than the right hand where you have vents. There are also indicator LEDs here to show off the tube timbre modes in effect which are a legitimate game changer in this world of expensive DAPs that don't really distinguish themselves easily. Between these, the Classic/Modern timbre settings, the power states, amplification modes, and of course the Hyper setting, I have to admit 30 min was not enough to really appreciate this beast. I did do some quick tinkering back and forth with the Multiverse Mentor, Traillii JP, and Raven to know some settings work better for some IEMs than others. I'm not going to spend time talking about how the DAP sounded etc since once again it's not enough time, but if you have the means to get one of these then I would say you should be ready to tinker to get an excellent, highly customizable source. As a short preview of my time with it, I thought solid state timbre with P+ was highly analytical. Tube in classic timbre and Hyper was warm. Hope others had more time and can add further impressions.

Atleast some clarity after quite a few days of waiting. Thank you

 

[bmichels]

Like most of you, At CanJam UK, I discovered the 30th Aniversary Cayin N30LE (and the "bundle" N30LE Amber pearl).

My initial plan was to purchase the Lotoo Mjölnir, but now I am also very tempted by this Cayin N30LE. But... since the Demo version of the N30LE was not working properly (and the Mjölnir also !!) , I could not compare it and audition it corectly

So, since no one I believe has been able to audition seriously ( and in a quiet environement ) a final version of this Uber Cayin, I think that may be one possibility is to consider that the N30LE is a "super N8ii", and therefore I will be interested to hear from C8ii users how good is the N8ii compared to the competition like A&K SP3000 and iBasso 320 MAx which are also on my radar.

I have an "old" A&KSP1000, and so far I did not find the SP3000 enough better to justify the upgrade. So, based on the N8ii experience, can we extrapole how good will be the N30LE compared to the other big guys, including the BIG 2.5Kg Lotoo Mjôlnir ?

thanks in advance for your estimated advices... including the experience with CAYIN as a company?

PS: I also wonder if this description of the modification made to the N30LE "amber pearl" version and to the UM Amber pearl IEM to optimize the Synergy between the DAP and the IEM is a real ingenior thing or... just marketing buls__it ?

 

[zoidbb]

Like most of you, At CanJam UK, I discovered the 30th Aniversary Cayin N30LE (and the "bundle" N30LE Amber pearl).

My initial plan was to purchase the Lotoo Mjölnir, but now I am also very tempted by this Cayin N30LE. But... since the Demo version of the N30LE was not working properly (and the Mjölnir also !!) , I could not compare it and audition it corectly

So, since no one I believe has been able to audition seriously ( and in a quiet environement ) a final version of this Uber Cayin, I think that may be one possibility is to consider that the N30LE is a "super N8ii", and therefore I will be interested to hear from C8ii users how good is the N8ii compared to the competition like A&K SP3000 and iBasso 320 MAx which are also on my radar.

I have an "old" A&KSP1000, and so far I did not find the SP3000 enough better to justify the upgrade. So, based on the N8ii experience, can we extrapole how good will be the N30LE compared to the other big guys, including the BIG 2.5Kg Lotoo Mjôlnir ?

thanks in advance for your estimated advices...

I have an SP3000 and an N8ii. I prefer N8ii’s sound signature but find SP3000 to be a far superior DAC. My hope is that the N30LE, since it uses AK4499EQ (the predecessor to AK4489EX which is in the SP3000), will combine what I love about both DAPs into a single unit. Especially since Cayin’s implementation of the ROHM DAC chips is the best implementation of said chips I’ve found.

Best part of the N30LE vs N8ii IMO is that the line-out actually uses the tubes… >.>

 

[SabreToothBunny]

Whenever Unique Melody or Cayin introduces a product in the market, N30LE or UM Mest 3, they explain everything about their product and this gives the buyer enough information to make a decision.

I understand the fact that one is a DAP and another is an integrated music system. The only issue I have is the lack of information about Amber Pearl.

Completely valid and I agree. I've been in contact quite a bit with Unique Melody and there is almost a reluctance to discuss the minutae detail for the Amber Pearl IEM.
Even with what they have provided me, most of my conclusions about the Amber Pearl IEM are speculative, which is not what I subscribe to when pre-orders have gone live. In terms of realistic expectations, all I have to go on is the fact that Unique Melody are pretty consistent in terms of the quality and sound signiature of what they produce and I have liked all of their flagship releases.

@Andykong, I have some questions highlighted in blue, if you would not mind answering when not inconvenient please. Thank you.

The Amber Pearl IEM (Warning; speculation heavy) has a 4 Bass BA Drivers + 2 Mid BA Drivers + 2 Mid-Treble BA Drivers+ 4 Treble BA Drivers + 2 Ultra-High EST Drivers + 1 Frequency-Shift Piezoelectric Bone Conduction Driver configuration. The drivers in bold are the same configuration as the Mentor Multiverse, however with 6 crossovers instead of 5 and without being able to confirm the frequency ranges for the crossovers nor the drivers (adding a crossover and drivers changes the impedence and resistance values and thus frequency range of all other arrangements in an IEM and why tuning becomes exponentially more difficult), I am expecting the Amber Pearl to have as vast a soundstage and layering capabilities as The Multiverse, thick subbass and midbass, warm and forward mids, detailed but not harsh lower treble but combined with a more sparkly upper treble presentation more akin to the Unique Melody MEST III (this release uses Ultra-High EST Drivers). The Multiverse excels at timbre, instrumental and vocal accuracy in a rich, note heavy, vast package which is a very rare tuning. The only gripe I have heard about the Multiverse is it can lack sparkle and the EST drivers can really expand the upper extension and in my experience these treble qualties have the potential to open up an IEM even more, which would really be something as the Multiverse already sounds massive... I mean, it is The MULTIVERSE after all. Basically I am expecting a Multiverse/MEST III hybrid rather than having any of the Unique Melody Mason Fabled Sound's DNA (for reference, this IEM has 4BA bass, 4BA mids, 2BA mid-treble, 2BA treble + and a 500Hz+ bone conductor. It is darker and softer than the Multiverse, with more prominent low end, lower mid presence and less treble extension. It also sounds smaller in its imaging and soundstage). The Multiverse has a presentation which is vast and full bodied and the only IEM in my collection capable of rivalling desktop driven flagship headphones when paired well for synergy. These will be important qualities for me for the Amber Pearl.

Unique Melody have confirmed that the frequency range of the Amber Pearl is 20Hz-70KHz. I'm so happy to hear that because being part pipistrelle bat it has always bothered me that the tricky 50KHz range isn't better catered for(!) Now I and my neighbour's crazy dogs can finally enjoy an IEM together.
No details on impedance or sensitivity but they did finally confirm that the bone conductor is a full frequency conductor (20Hz-20KHz) as per the Multiverse. This to me is important as the Fabled Sound has that aforementioned 500Hz-20KHz bone conductor and does not provide the full bodied dynamic presentation the Multiverse has from the subbass to lower mids. The Multiverse is one of the few BA configurations with the bass presentation qualities of a dynamic driver.

The cable also provides a bit of a mystery. For those who are not aware, the Pearl Bundle is actually a tri-company collaboration as Unique Melody work with the revered PW Audio for cables on their flagship IEMs. Andy has mentioned that a 26AWG copper based cable has been developed for the Pearl IEM, with a unique ground configuration and it is unlikely this cable will ever be released again. I would have to guess that it is based on either the PW Audio Orpheus or the PW Audio First Time cables as the Multiverse comes with a cable called the Deep Of The Universe, which is almost identical to the PW Audio First Time in terms of feel and performance. I reached out to PW Audio through several routes last week but have been unable to confirm anything with them either. Very mysterious indeed. @Andykong, is it possible to confirm what the PW Audio cable configuration (outside of the grounding) is based on please?

When I asked about the reasons for Unique Melody not releasing any public information about their involvement in this piece, they stated that it is because all aspects of the sale have been handed over to Cayin for the Pearl Bundle release. I did preface what I wrote to them by saying I can understand if they made a decision to do this because it is Cayin's 30th anniversary release but nevertheless... Amber will represent a new line for Unique Melody alongside their Mentor and Mason lines and if I were a company, this would be too significant to keep shtum about.
While it is entirely possible that the first official Unique Melody Amber release might have a completely different name and configuration, I am speculating that if Unique Melody are releasing a universally tuned version of the Amber Pearl, they could be reluctant to release the detailed specs for the Pearl Bundle IEM in case there are differences between the 99 limited release and the units they officially release and thus opening the floor up to debate as is being seen here for the N30LE vs N30LE Pearl versions. I guess only time will tell.

One thing I would say is that I don't consider either Cayin nor Unique Melody to be be reference orientated. All releases I have experienced from each manufacturer are what I would consider orientated towards critical listening pleasure and not analytical listening. Their flagships tend to be tuned for enjoyment above pure technicalities (while possessing both qualities in spades) and is the most important reason for me having invested in purchasing from both manufacturers in the past.
Andy Kong's comments drawing comparison's to the HEV-90/HE-90 are therefore extremely intriguing, as I have spent the last 5 years moving away from more sterile reference setups. The idea of having a portable system which can emote in the same way as the HE-1 is very compelling (I'm not expecting a pocket HE-1, of course but there are only a handful of systems which have the physicality in their presentation to move me in the way the HE-1 does and I can assure you none of them have been portable nor transportable). As Andy has stated; being able to develop this bundle alongside Unique Melody provides a very rare opportunity when tuning a TOTL DAP for a TOTL IEM for synergy. While I, as always, reserve my expectations to being realistic, the potential for something exceptional is high and my expectations at this price are proportionally high despite what little has been revealed so far.

Cayin N30LE DAC and Solid State (Show Conditions) Impressions;

IBasso DX320Max Ti on the left, Cayin N30LE on the right. I was able to find several songs to compare both units while swapping inputs into my headphone and IEM.
A big thank you to Aseem from Hifonix for looking after me so well during the show and for providing not just the N30LE but various "money no-object" setups for audition. So much work undertaken by the organisers for Canjams and this weekend was no exception in London.
Before I begin my early impressions @Andykong - I note that the N30LE demo unit has no serial number engraved on its chassis. Could you please confirm whether these demo units are identical to the official 300 N30LE releases please?

While I will be providing fairly detailed analysis of what I heard, using closed back headphones and IEMs, please note these were show conditions and simply by way of the fact that when I usually do critical listening, it is undertaken in a familiar environment, with no distractions, often in the dark (think something like that mental uncle you might have had who would spend his evenings sitting in a chair with the lights off, shotgun in the left hand, drink in the right) and I am of the firm belief that environment can and does alter our perception of sound as well as focus. These are not my ideal listening environments. Nevertheless;

Like most experienced here, the vacuum tubes were temperamental the times I sat with this unit so I did not try to audition these and can provide no impressions via the Korg Nutubes. The explanation given was that the unit was overheating and the safety cut-off protocols had kicked in for the tubes. The times I sat with the unit over the weekend, the brightness was at max with the display perma-on and people kept walking off and leaving big fat planar headphones plugged in, playing music so it wouldn't surprise me if this is slightly atypical behaviour unless you have atypical ways of use. Honestly, I was more surprised by the end of the weekend that nobody had come along and bitch slapped the unit a few times while shouting 'who's ye daddy?!', it was treated so roughly. PTSD for life.
@Andykong - Could you please confirm whether the the N30LE has been designed to be more thermally efficient/better managed than, for example, the N8ii? The overheating demo unit raises my eyebrows a little, despite the abuse it suffered... however my number one reason for not investing in the N8ii (as well as not keeping the N8i) is because of how hot those units ran. At the times of my auditions, the N30LE was very warm to the touch. Not uncomfortably so but enough that I could use it as a handwarmer in Winter and probably really piss someone off in the Summer.
Nevertheless I'm going to assume that the tube implementation is top notch as I would say that despite my never being totally enthralled by any implementation of Korg Nutubes, Cayin have been up there with their implementations in the C9 and N8/N8ii releases. I'm expecting the performance in the N30LE to be above the aforementioned Nutube Implementations rather than equal.

Look and feel; At this price point we expect luxury. Both these units have this in oodles but the DX320Max feels like a piece of cutting edge, high tolerance industrial engineering while the N30LE is more luxurious and comfortable to hold being curved with a deep and tactile brushed titanium chassis. A lot of work has gone into the milling and finish and this is not a 'stick it on the CNC' and done job. It's abundantly clear many man hours have gone into the curves and design. The DX320Max is impressive to hold but does not seem to have had the same dedication of time here, being a simpler brushed satin titanium brick in the hand. The N30LE feels more like artwork.
@Andykong - Is the battery user serviceable on the N30LE? One of the first things I noticed is the N30LE does not appear to have an obvious way of gaining access to the internals. The DX320Max allows access to the three internal batteries (separate supplies as the digital and analog domains of the DX320Max as these are isolated from one another) via 2 screws and a slide off panel on the back which can be taken off in minutes. In my case this was extremely useful when I began experiencing battery issues and had to open the back to find a loosely plugged Molex connector on the digital domain battery.
As can be seen from the photo, the physical dimensions are not too far apart between these units, with the lengths being similar and the N30LE being slightly narrower in width. N30LE is also slightly less thick (though I'll add the DX320Max has better thermal management because of its size) and feels much lighter and more comfortable to hold.
Absolutely hate that the volume is at the opposite end to the headphone/line-out sockets. I understand the size of this unit is going to make it more a portable desktop device but it CAN be used portably and I use the DX320Max Ti this way in a small bag by my side when around the house. If I had the presence of mind, I would have paired a bluetooth remote to see whether the volume is software controlled in Android. I'll test when my unit arrives unless @Andykong can confirm whether volume is android software controlled or hardware implemented.

What is the IBasso DX320Max Ti proposition; For reference this is IBasso's current flagship DAP featuring a Quad ROHM DAC implementation (the only current quad ROHMs implementation in any device including desktop DACs) and a completely separate and isolated analogue Class A amplifier with no output current limiting outside what the amplifier is physically capable of delivering. Its outputs on both line-out and headphone are pure reference level and its presentation is full range, highly dynamic, holographic and dense. At this time of writing, from a reference perspective this unit is peerless as far as portables are concerned and competitive to desktops setups which run into 5 figures (check reviews and impressions if you wish to understand where this unit sits in comparison to other Summit-fi DAPs). It is a remarkable piece of engineering.

N30LE Dual AKM4499EQ DAC Line-out; Chain; Special Edition Romi Silver Encryption 4.4mm-4.4mm cable into Romi Audio BX-2 Pro amplifier (Class A). Listening undertaken using Dan Clark Stealth headphones and Unique Melody Mutiverse IEMs.
As stated the Quad ROHM DAC is at an uncoloured, highly resolving reference level on the DX320Max Ti. For those familiar with the AKM4499EQ, the N30LE exhibits a true 'AKM Velvet Sound' and is about as good as I have heard this chip being implemented in portable or desktop dual AKM4499EQ implementations. I understand the N30LE also has the ability to add the Korg Nutubes flavour to the line-out however, as mentioned above, this was disabled for my auditions though I'm very curious to test this.
It's resolving capabilities appear a little under the Quad ROHMs implementation but this is due to a richer, deeper tonality and a very slightly smoother presentation. Neither units exhibit any digital artifacts which can be occaisionally heard in less optimised delta-sigma implementations. Even without the Korg Nutubes, the N30LE has an extremely dynamic but liquidly cohesive presentation with excellent micro and macro imaging. This is very much a desktop level of performance and very much competitive with the DX320Max, which as stated before, I considered a benchmark.
It would be extremely interesting to hear a comparison of the Cayin N30LE against the IBasso DX300Max Ti as those two units actually have a very similar DAC implementation and I consider that dual AKM4499EQ to also be at the very highest levels... however from a solid state amplifier perspective, I will also add that having directly compared the DX300Max Ti to the DX320Max Ti and knowing that the DX300Max Ti is slightly brighter and biting, the treble presentation of the N30LE's solid state treble presentation is closer to the DX320Max than the DX300Max, despite sharing the DAC implementation with the latter rather than the former. The explanation for that might be offered in my Solid State Amplifier impressions below.
Adding to that comparison, I also had the Hifiman HM1000 Gold (quad PCM1704) DAC and bringing that into the mix, feeding the BX-2 Pro was very interesting as that DAC also has a very dense, raw and holographic presentation but is almost the organic cousin of the DX320's ROHM implementation. It is what I consider amongst the best that portable R2R DACs currently have to offer. The presentation of this is less resolving than the DX320Max but very rich in texture, especially in the bass and mids. The presentation of the N30LE sits firmly between the reference DX320Max and the organic liquid HM1000 Gold from what I heard.
The AKM4499EQ is a highly revered chip and for good reason in my opinion. It is destined to end up being a fabled DAC chip and I expect it to be mentioned and occaisionally utilised in very limited releases from other manufacturers in the same way as the legacy PCM1704 DAC chips are now. From my brief auditions, Cayin have done that chip justice in their implementation in the N30LE.

N30LE Solid State Amplifier output and sound; Like the line-out, DX320Max is reference level here with a holographically massive, layered, full bodied presentation. It cannot be thought of in terms of bass, mids and treble. Everything is there and everything is crystal clear. Note weight and low frequency depth/control are exceptional even at high volume with nearly all headphones.
N30LE has a similar desktop presentation but less pure reference and slightly more coloured/richer than the DX320Max Ti. These differences are more noticeable through the solid-state amplifier than via line-out which leads me to believe that the N30LE's solid state amplifier has some slight bloom compared to the DX320Max's amplifier.
In terms of power the DX320Max Ti is a literal desktop replacement and while I have heard other users (and those who have auditioned my unit) near max out the volume and gain with the DCA Stealth, I typically have my volume set at around 18-20 out of 24 notches with my gain set to III out of a max level of IV (although it should be noted I am a very low volume listener). I am unsure as to whether the 4.2v quoted output via balanced 4.4mm for the N30LE is RMS but it is stated as 9v RMS for the DX320Max Ti however I don't feel those numbers are at all representative of what I experienced (despite voltage output having a non-linear relationship to volume output). The N30LE was able to drive the Dan Clark Stealth headphones to the upper regions of my normal listening habits very easily, though given what I said about other users of my setup, the max output might not be loud enough for others with headphones as or more difficult to drive than the Stealths. At higher volume I did not notice any clipping or distortion which leads me to believe that the solid state amplifier in the N30LE is similarly not current restricted other than what the amplifier can output. @Andykong, would you mind confirming whether there is any current limit on either the solid state or Korg Nutube headphone outputs please?
Furthermore I had the opportunity to audition the Subtonic STORM IEM with the N30LE and to those who were able to try the STORM, you may have noticed it is exceptionally difficult to drive (far more difficult than the least sensitive IEM I have ever owned or autioned) and while most high powered players can drive it decently, it scales massively with a powerful portable or dedicated desktop amplifier. There is some great synergy with the DX320Max Ti and I felt a similar level of synergy with the N30LE albeit with a slightly thicker and sweeter presentation.
For a more critical analysis of the sound I switched to the Unique Melody Multiverse, which as mentioned above has one of the largest presentations of any IEM currently available. The N30LE's soundstage and layering capabities are similar to the DX320Max Ti's. The presentation is huge, deep and holographic. Note weight is even denser than the DX320Max (which is already dense) so while the N30LE has a similar size in its imaging, it is also slightly heavier and thicker sounding.
Subbass and depth are similar between the two units and while listening to Max Richter's Sarajevo, both devices are able to exhibit the subbass at the beginning to a thunderous level. Midbass is slightly elevated above flat and richer on the N30LE and this richness extends into the lower mids without having any midbass bleed, giving the N30LE a little more weight and sweetness to vocals. Very little difference in the upper mids between the two. Lower treble presentation is slightly lower on the N30LE, noting that despite the DX320Max Ti having a full frequency response, I do not find it harsh. Upper treble is similar between the two and nicely detailed without becoming fatiguing.
Imaging, soundstage and layering are both exceptional and at the top tier of what is currently available and both these units have excellent instrumental accuracy and timbre.
Despite being the solid state amplifier output, the N30LE exhibits a rich and thick tone without sacrificing detail retrieval or accuracy. There seemed to be a little more decay together with the note weight which also adds to the slightly more liquid presentation of the N30LE.
What does this mean for the overall tonal presentation? While I described the DX320Max Ti as possessing a pure reference presentation, the N30LE is noticeably richer in the lows and mids giving it a very VERY slightly less resolving but warmer, liquid and organic presentation and still having the power, weight and extension as the desktop level DX320Max Ti. I would consider the N30LE to have a firmly musical reference presentation.
The DX320Max Ti+Unique Melody Multiverse have excellent synergy and for my preferences, I rate that setup as one of the strongest combinations available on the market. I felt a similar level of synergy when pairing the Multiverse with the N30LE's solid state output.

While I did state above that the Korg Nutube has never been my preference (compared to a true vacuum tube valve amplifier), when done well (which Cayin excel at) Nutubes are able to imbue true tube harmonics to a system and given how tonally rich the N30LE already is, that could make for a very unique presentation.
Bearing in mind the aforementioned caveats about the show environment, limited time and the possibility of there being differences between the demo and official release, from what I heard, the N30LE does possess all the sonic qualities that I would expect at this price point and while the value proposition is very low given this is at the upper echelons of all DAP offerings, the presentation is nevertheless peerless.
I have privately compared the N8ii to the DX320Max Ti not too long ago and for me there was no comparison via any N8ii output. While the N8ii exhibited all the musicality expected from Cayin, I found it significantly out-resolved, out-imaged and out-performed by the DX320Max Ti, sounding relatively veiled and less dynamic and occaisionally less controlled in the treble in comparison. If pure reference is not your thing or you use a particularly aggressive IEM/headphone, I can see the N8ii being a better pairing but in terms of pure technicalities? Different leagues. While the N30LE offers a different tonality to the DX320Max Ti, my impressions are that they perform at a similar level, which is to say sitting right at the top of the mountain of DAPs which are currently available.

I am aware that I consistently piss Ibasso and Cayin off by mentioning each others' offerings in my private communications to each company however I consider what they have been doing with their flagship releases to be apex predators in the sea of DAPs and portable amplifiers out there and it is important to know your enemy. While (for me) Cayin may just edge IBasso out with their NuTube offerings and implementations, IBasso have always had a rock solid grip on Solid State implementation given that is their 'bread and butter' and they were pushing the boundaries of what was possible portably all the way back when I began to seriously get into this hobby. What the Cayin N30LE's Solid State amplifier implementation may lack in raw power, it does equal the DX320Max in terms of pure fidelity.

As I said above, I consider what IBasso managed to do with the DX320Max Ti to be a remarkable feat of engineering, I will now extend that accolade to the Cayin with the N30LE... though I will also add this was almost a minimum for my expectations given the price and I will end by saying that my expectations are even higher for the Pearl Bundle given there is already a world-class level of synergy with the Unique Melody Multiverse and the standard N30LE.
A heartfelt thank you to Cayin, Unique Melody and PW Audio for pushing the boundaries of what is possible in portable audio.

 

[aaf evo]

Completely valid and I agree. I've been in contact quite a bit with Unique Melody and there is almost a reluctance to discuss the minutae detail for the Amber Pearl IEM.
Even with what they have provided me, most of my conclusions about the Amber Pearl IEM are speculative, which is not what I subscribe to when pre-orders have gone live. In terms of realistic expectations, all I have to go on is the fact that Unique Melody are pretty consistent in terms of the quality and sound signiature of what they produce and I have liked all of their flagship releases.

@Andykong, I have some questions highlighted in blue, if you would not mind answering when not inconvenient please. Thank you.

The Amber Pearl IEM (Warning; speculation heavy) has a 4 Bass BA Drivers + 2 Mid BA Drivers + 2 Mid-Treble BA Drivers+ 4 Treble BA Drivers + 2 Ultra-High EST Drivers + 1 Frequency-Shift Piezoelectric Bone Conduction Driver configuration. The drivers in bold are the same configuration as the Mentor Multiverse, however with 6 crossovers instead of 5 and without being able to confirm the frequency ranges for the crossovers nor the drivers (adding a crossover and drivers changes the impedence and resistance values and thus frequency range of all other arrangements in an IEM and why tuning becomes exponentially more difficult), I am expecting the Amber Pearl to have as vast a soundstage and layering capabilities as The Multiverse, thick subbass and midbass, warm and forward mids, detailed but not harsh lower treble but combined with a more sparkly upper treble presentation more akin to the Unique Melody MEST III (this release uses Ultra-High EST Drivers). The Multiverse excels at timbre, instrumental and vocal accuracy in a rich, note heavy, vast package which is a very rare tuning. The only gripe I have heard about the Multiverse is it can lack sparkle and the EST drivers can really expand the upper extension and in my experience these treble qualties have the potential to open up an IEM even more, which would really be something as the Multiverse already sounds massive... I mean, it is The MULTIVERSE after all. Basically I am expecting a Multiverse/MEST III hybrid rather than having any of the Unique Melody Mason Fabled Sound's DNA (for reference, this IEM has 4BA bass, 4BA mids, 2BA mid-treble, 2BA treble + and a 500Hz+ bone conductor. It is darker and softer than the Multiverse, with more prominent low end, lower mid presence and less treble extension. It also sounds smaller in its imaging and soundstage). The Multiverse has a presentation which is vast and full bodied and the only IEM in my collection capable of rivalling desktop driven flagship headphones when paired well for synergy. These will be important qualities for me for the Amber Pearl.

Unique Melody have confirmed that the frequency range of the Amber Pearl is 20Hz-70KHz. I'm so happy to hear that because being part pipistrelle bat it has always bothered me that the tricky 50KHz range isn't better catered for(!) Now I and my neighbour's dogs can finally enjoy an IEM together.
No details on impedance or sensitivity but they did finally confirm that the bone conductor is a full frequency conductor (20Hz-20KHz) as per the Multiverse. This to me is important as the Fabled Sound has that aforementioned 500Hz-20KHz bone conductor and does not provide the full bodied dynamic presentation the Multiverse has from the subbass to lower mids. The Multiverse is one of the few BA configurations with the bass presentation qualities of a dynamic driver.

The cable also provides a bit of a mystery. For those who are not aware, the Pearl Bundle is actually a tri-company collaboration as Unique Melody work with the revered PW Audio for cables on their flagship IEMs. Andy has mentioned that a 26AWG copper based cable has been developed for the Pearl IEM, with a unique ground configuration and it is unlikely this cable will ever be released again. I would have to guess that it is based on either the PW Audio Orpheus or the PW Audio First Time cables as the Multiverse comes with a cable called the Deep Of The Universe, which is almost identical to the PW Audio First Time in terms of feel and performance. I reached out to PW Audio through several routes last week but have been unable to confirm anything with them either. Very mysterious indeed. @Andykong, is it possible to confirm what the PW Audio cable configuration (outside of the grounding) is based on please?

When I asked about the reasons for Unique Melody not releasing any public information about their involvement in this piece, they stated that it is because all aspects of the sale have been handed over to Cayin for the Pearl Bundle release. I did preface what I wrote to them by saying I can understand if they made a decision to do this because it is Cayin's 30th anniversary release but nevertheless... Amber will represent a new line for Unique Melody alongside their Mentor and Mason lines and if I were a company, this would be too significant to keep shtum about.
While it is entirely possible that the first official Unique Melody Amber release might have a completely different name and configuration, I am speculating that if Unique Melody are releasing a universally tuned version of the Amber Pearl, they could be reluctant to release the detailed specs for the Pearl Bundle IEM in case there are differences between the 99 limited release and the units they officially release and thus opening the floor up to debate as is being seen here for the N30LE vs N30LE Pearl versions. I guess only time will tell.

One thing I would say is that I don't consider either Cayin nor Unique Melody to be be reference orientated. All releases I have experienced from each manufacturer are what I would consider orientated towards critical listening pleasure and not analytical listening. Their flagships tend to be tuned for enjoyment above pure technicalities (while possessing both qualities in spades) and is the most important reason for me having invested in purchasing from both manufacturers in the past.
Andy Kong's comments drawing comparison's to the HEV-90/HE-90 are therefore extremely intriguing, as I have spent the last 5 years moving away from more sterile reference setups. The idea of having a portable system which can emote in the same way as the HE-1 is very compelling (I'm not expecting a pocket HE-1, of course but there are only a handful of systems which have the physicality in their presentation to move me in the way the HE-1 does and I can assure you none of them have been portable nor transportable). As Andy has stated; being able to develop this bundle alongside Unique Melody provides a very rare opportunity when tuning a TOTL DAP for a TOTL IEM for synergy. While I, as always, reserve my expectations to being realistic, the potential for something exceptional is high and my expectations at this price are proportionally high despite what little has been revealed so far.

Cayin N30LE DAC and Solid State (Show Conditions) Impressions;

IBasso DX320Max Ti on the left, Cayin N30LE on the right. I was able to find several songs to compare both units while swapping inputs into my headphone and IEM.
A big thank you to Aseem from Hifonix for looking after me so well during the show and for providing not just the N30LE but various "money no-object" setups for audition. So much work undertaken by the organisers for Canjams and this weekend was no exception in London.
Before I begin my early impressions @Andykong - I note that the N30LE demo unit has no serial number engraved on its chassis. Could you please confirm whether these demo units are identical to the official 300 N30LE releases please?

While I will be providing fairly detailed analysis of what I heard, using closed back headphones and IEMs, please note these were show conditions and simply by way of the fact that when I usually do critical listening, it is undertaken in a familiar environment, with no distractions, often in the dark (think something like that mental uncle you might have had who would spend his evenings sitting in a chair with the lights off, shotgun in the left hand, drink in the right) and I am of the firm belief that environment can and does alter our perception of sound as well as focus. These are not my ideal listening environments. Nevertheless;

Like most experienced here, the vacuum tubes were temperamental the times I sat with this unit so I did not try to audition these and can provide no impressions via the Korg Nutubes. The explanation given was that the unit was overheating and the safety cut-off protocols had kicked in for the tubes. The times I sat with the unit over the weekend, the brightness was at max with the display perma-on and people kept walking off and leaving big fat planar headphones plugged in, playing music so it wouldn't surprise me if this is slightly atypical behaviour unless you have atypical ways of use. Honestly, I was more surprised by the end of the weekend that nobody had come along and bitch slapped the unit a few times while shouting 'who's ye daddy?!', it was treated so roughly. PTSD for life.
@Andykong - Could you please confirm whether the the N30LE has been designed to be more thermally efficient/better managed than, for example, the N8ii? The overheating demo unit raises my eyebrows a little, despite the abuse it suffered... however my number one reason for not investing in the N8ii (as well as not keeping the N8i) is because of how hot those units ran. At the times of my auditions, the N30LE was very warm to the touch. Not uncomfortably so but enough that I could use it as a handwarmer in Winter and probably really piss someone off in the Summer.
Nevertheless I'm going to assume that the tube implementation is top notch as I would say that despite my never being totally enthralled by any implementation of Korg Nutubes, Cayin have been up there with their implementations in the C9 and N8/N8ii releases. I'm expecting the performance in the N30LE to be above the aforementioned Nutube Implementations rather than equal.

Look and feel; At this price point we expect luxury. Both these units have this in oodles but the DX320Max feels like a piece of cutting edge, high tolerance industrial engineering while the N30LE is more luxurious and comfortable to hold being curved with a deep and tactile brushed titanium chassis. A lot of work has gone into the milling and finish and this is not a 'stick it on the CNC' and done job. It's abundantly clear many man hours have gone into the curves and design. The DX320Max is impressive to hold but does not seem to have had the same dedication of time here, being a simpler brushed satin titanium brick in the hand. The N30LE feels more like artwork.
@Andykong - Is the battery user serviceable on the N30LE? One of the first things I noticed is the N30LE does not appear to have an obvious way of gaining access to the internals. The DX320Max allows access to the three internal batteries (separate supplies as the digital and analog domains of the DX320Max as these are isolated from one another) via 2 screws and a slide off panel on the back which can be taken off in minutes. In my case this was extremely useful when I began experiencing battery issues and had to open the back to find a loosely plugged Molex connector on the digital domain battery.
As can be seen from the photo, the physical dimensions are not too far apart between these units, with the lengths being similar and the N30LE being slightly narrower in width. N30LE is also slightly less thick (though I'll add the DX320Max has better thermal management because of its size) and feels much lighter and more comfortable to hold.
Absolutely hate that the volume is at the opposite end to the headphone/line-out sockets. I understand the size of this unit is going to make it more a portable desktop device but it CAN be used portably and I use the DX320Max Ti this way in a small bag by my side when around the house. If I had the presence of mind, I would have paired a bluetooth remote to see whether the volume is software controlled in Android. I'll test when my unit arrives unless @Andykong can confirm whether volume is android software controlled or hardware implemented.

What is the IBasso DX320Max Ti proposition; For reference this is IBasso's current flagship DAP featuring a Quad ROHM DAC implementation (the only current quad ROHMs implementation in any device including desktop DACs) and a completely separate and isolated analogue Class A amplifier with no output current limiting outside what the amplifier is physically capable of delivering. Its outputs on both line-out and headphone are pure reference level and its presentation is full range, highly dynamic, holographic and dense. At this time of writing, from a reference perspective this unit is peerless as far as portables are concerned and competitive to desktops setups which run into 5 figures (check reviews and impressions if you wish to understand where this unit sits in comparison to other Summit-fi DAPs). It is a remarkable piece of engineering.

N30LE Dual AKM4499EQ DAC Line-out; Chain; Special Edition Romi Silver Encryption 4.4mm-4.4mm cable into Romi Audio BX-2 Pro amplifier (Class A). Listening undertaken using Dan Clark Stealth headphones and Unique Melody Mutiverse IEMs.
As stated the Quad ROHM DAC is at an uncoloured, highly resolving reference level on the DX320Max Ti. For those familiar with the AKM4499EQ, the N30LE exhibits a true 'AKM Velvet Sound' and is about as good as I have heard this chip being implemented in portable or desktop dual AKM4499EQ implementations. I understand the N30LE also has the ability to add the Korg Nutubes flavour to the line-out however, as mentioned above, this was disabled for my auditions though I'm very curious to test this.
It's resolving capabilities appear a little under the Quad ROHMs implementation but this is due to a richer, deeper tonality and a very slightly smoother presentation. Neither units exhibit any digital artifacts which can be occaisionally heard in less optimised delta-sigma implementations. Even without the Korg Nutubes, the N30LE has an extremely dynamic but liquidly cohesive presentation with excellent micro and macro imaging. This is very much a desktop level of performance and very much competitive with the DX320Max, which as stated before, I considered a benchmark.
It would be extremely interesting to hear a comparison of the Cayin N30LE against the IBasso DX300Max Ti as those two units actually have a very similar DAC implementation and I consider that dual AKM4499EQ to also be at the very highest levels... however from a solid state amplifier perspective, I will also add that having directly compared the DX300Max Ti to the DX320Max Ti and knowing that the DX300Max Ti is slightly brighter and biting, the treble presentation of the N30LE's solid state treble presentation is closer to the DX320Max than the DX300Max, despite sharing the DAC implementation with the latter rather than the former. The explanation for that might be offered in my Solid State Amplifier impressions below.
Adding to that comparison, I also had the Hifiman HM1000 Gold (quad PCM1704) DAC and bringing that into the mix, feeding the BX-2 Pro was very interesting as that DAC also has a very dense, raw and holographic presentation but is almost the organic cousin of the DX320's ROHM implementation. It is what I consider amongst the best that portable R2R DACs currently have to offer. The presentation of this is less resolving than the DX320Max but very rich in texture, especially in the bass and mids. The presentation of the N30LE sits firmly between the reference DX320Max and the organic liquid HM1000 Gold from what I heard.
The AKM4499EQ is a highly revered chip and for good reason in my opinion. It is destined to end up being a fabled DAC chip and I expect it to be mentioned and occaisionally utilised in very limited releases from other manufacturers in the same way as the legacy PCM1704 DAC chips are now. From my brief auditions, Cayin have done that chip justice in their implementation in the N30LE.

N30LE Solid State Amplifier output and sound; Like the line-out, DX320Max is reference level here with a holographically massive, layered, full bodied presentation. It cannot be thought of in terms of bass, mids and treble. Everything is there and everything is crystal clear. Note weight and low frequency depth/control are exceptional even at high volume with nearly all headphones.
N30LE has a similar desktop presentation but less pure reference and slightly more coloured/richer than the DX320Max Ti. These differences are more noticeable through the solid-state amplifier than via line-out which leads me to believe that the N30LE's solid state amplifier has some slight bloom compared to the DX320Max's amplifier.
In terms of power the DX320Max Ti is a literal desktop replacement and while I have heard other users (and those who have auditioned my unit) near max out the volume and gain with the DCA Stealth, I typically have my volume set at around 18-20 out of 24 notches with my gain set to III out of a max level of IV (although it should be noted I am a very low volume listener). I am unsure as to whether the 4.2v quoted output via balanced 4.4mm for the N30LE is RMS but it is stated as 9v RMS for the DX320Max Ti however I don't feel those numbers are at all representative of what I experienced (despite voltage output having a non-linear relationship to volume output). The N30LE was able to drive the Dan Clark Stealth headphones to the upper regions of my normal listening habits very easily, though given what I said about other users of my setup, the max output might not be loud enough for others with headphones as or more difficult to drive than the Stealths. At higher volume I did not notice any clipping or distortion which leads me to believe that the solid state amplifier in the N30LE is similarly not current restricted other than what the amplifier can output. @Andykong, would you mind confirming whether there is any current limit on either the solid state or Korg Nutube headphone outputs please?
Furthermore I had the opportunity to audition the Subtonic STORM IEM with the N30LE and to those who were able to try the STORM, you may have noticed it is exceptionally difficult to drive (far more difficult than the least sensitive IEM I have ever owned or autioned) and while most high powered players can drive it decently, it scales massively with a powerful portable or dedicated desktop amplifier. There is some great synergy with the DX320Max Ti and I felt a similar level of synergy with the N30LE albeit with a slightly thicker and sweeter presentation.
For a more critical analysis of the sound I switched to the Unique Melody Multiverse, which as mentioned above has one of the largest presentations of any IEM currently available. The N30LE's soundstage and layering capabities are similar to the DX320Max Ti's. The presentation is huge, deep and holographic. Note weight is even denser than the DX320Max (which is already dense) so while the N30LE has a similar size in its imaging, it is also slightly heavier and thicker sounding.
Subbass and depth are similar between the two units and while listening to Max Richter's Sarajevo, both devices are able to exhibit the subbass at the beginning to a thunderous level. Midbass is slightly elevated above flat and richer on the N30LE and this richness extends into the lower mids without having any midbass bleed, giving the N30LE a little more weight and sweetness to vocals. Very little difference in the upper mids between the two. Lower treble presentation is slightly lower on the N30LE, noting that despite the DX320Max Ti having a full frequency response, I do not find it harsh. Upper treble is similar between the two and nicely detailed without becoming fatiguing.
Imaging, soundstage and layering are both exceptional and at the top tier of what is currently available and both these units have excellent instrumental accuracy and timbre.
Despite being the solid state amplifier output, the N30LE exhibits a rich and thick tone without sacrificing detail retrieval or accuracy. There seemed to be a little more decay together with the note weight which also adds to the slightly more liquid presentation of the N30LE.
What does this mean for the overall tonal presentation? While I described the DX320Max Ti as possessing a pure reference presentation, the N30LE is noticeably richer in the lows and mids giving it a very VERY slightly less resolving but warmer, liquid and organic presentation and still having the power, weight and extension as the desktop level DX320Max Ti. I would consider the N30LE to have a firmly musical reference presentation.
The DX320Max Ti+Unique Melody Multiverse have excellent synergy and for my preferences, I rate that setup as one of the strongest combinations available on the market. I felt a similar level of synergy when pairing the Multiverse with the N30LE's solid state output.

While I did state above that the Korg Nutube has never been my preference (compared to a true vacuum tube valve amplifier), when done well (which Cayin excel at), it is able to imbue true tube harmonics to a system and given how tonally rich the N30LE already is, that could make for a very unique presentation.
Bearing in mind the aforementioned caveats about the show environment, limited time and the possibility of there being differences between the demo and official release, from what I heard, the N30LE does possess all the sonic qualities which I would expect at this price point and while the value proposition is very low given this is at the upper echelons of all DAP offerings the presentation is nevertheless peerless.
I have privately compared the N8ii to the DX320Max Ti not too long ago and for me there was no comparison via any N8ii output. While the N8ii exhibited all the musicality expected from Cayin, I found it significantly out-resolved, out-imaged and out-performed by the DX320Max Ti, sounding relatively veiled and less dynamic in the comparison. If pure reference is not your thing or you use a particularly aggressive IEM/headphone, I can see the N8ii being a better pairing but in terms of pure technicalities? Different leagues. While the N30LE offers a different tonality to the DX320Max Ti, my impressions are that they perform at a similar level, which is to say sitting right at the top of the mountain of DAPs which are currently available.

I am aware that I consistently piss Ibasso and Cayin off by mentioning each others' offerings in my private communications to each company however I consider what they have been doing with their flagship releases to be apex predators in the sea of DAPs and portable amplifiers out there and it is important to know your enemy. While (for me) Cayin may just edge IBasso out with their NuTube offerings and implementations, IBasso have always had a rock solid grip on Solid State implementation given that is their 'bread and butter' and they were pushing the boundaries of what was possible portably all the way back when I began to seriously get into this hobby. What the Cayin N30LE's Solid State amplifier implementation may lack in raw power, it does equal the DX320Max in terms of pure fidelity.

As I said above, I consider what IBasso managed to do with the DX320Max Ti to be a remarkable feat of engineering, I will now extend that accolade to the Cayin with the N30LE... though I will also add this was almost a minimum for my expectations given the price and I will end by saying that my expectations are even higher for the Pearl Bundle given there is already a world-class level of synergy with the Unique Melody Multiverse and the standard N30LE.
A heartfelt thank you to Cayin, Unique Melody and PW Audio for pushing the boundaries of what is possible in portable audio.

As someone who’s spent extensive time with the 320Max and N8ii, thank you for this post! So much valuable information to help expect what the N30 LE will deliver in terms of sound.

 

[RonaldS86]

Honestly, I was more surprised by the end of the weekend that nobody had come along and bitch slapped the unit a few times while shouting 'who's ye daddy?!', it was treated so roughly. PTSD for life.
@Andykong - Could you please confirm whether the the N30LE has been designed to be more thermally efficient/better managed than, for example, the N8ii? The overheating demo unit raises my eyebrows a little, despite the abuse it suffered...

Lol'ed at this
Thanks for the great review, but yeah this is my biggest concern because I plan to use the hyper mode most of the time.

 

[deep2285]

Completely valid and I agree. I've been in contact quite a bit with Unique Melody and there is almost a reluctance to discuss the minutae detail for the Amber Pearl IEM.
Even with what they have provided me, most of my conclusions about the Amber Pearl IEM are speculative, which is not what I subscribe to when pre-orders have gone live. In terms of realistic expectations, all I have to go on is the fact that Unique Melody are pretty consistent in terms of the quality and sound signiature of what they produce and I have liked all of their flagship releases.

@Andykong, I have some questions highlighted in blue, if you would not mind answering when not inconvenient please. Thank you.

The Amber Pearl IEM (Warning; speculation heavy) has a 4 Bass BA Drivers + 2 Mid BA Drivers + 2 Mid-Treble BA Drivers+ 4 Treble BA Drivers + 2 Ultra-High EST Drivers + 1 Frequency-Shift Piezoelectric Bone Conduction Driver configuration. The drivers in bold are the same configuration as the Mentor Multiverse, however with 6 crossovers instead of 5 and without being able to confirm the frequency ranges for the crossovers nor the drivers (adding a crossover and drivers changes the impedence and resistance values and thus frequency range of all other arrangements in an IEM and why tuning becomes exponentially more difficult), I am expecting the Amber Pearl to have as vast a soundstage and layering capabilities as The Multiverse, thick subbass and midbass, warm and forward mids, detailed but not harsh lower treble but combined with a more sparkly upper treble presentation more akin to the Unique Melody MEST III (this release uses Ultra-High EST Drivers). The Multiverse excels at timbre, instrumental and vocal accuracy in a rich, note heavy, vast package which is a very rare tuning. The only gripe I have heard about the Multiverse is it can lack sparkle and the EST drivers can really expand the upper extension and in my experience these treble qualties have the potential to open up an IEM even more, which would really be something as the Multiverse already sounds massive... I mean, it is The MULTIVERSE after all. Basically I am expecting a Multiverse/MEST III hybrid rather than having any of the Unique Melody Mason Fabled Sound's DNA (for reference, this IEM has 4BA bass, 4BA mids, 2BA mid-treble, 2BA treble + and a 500Hz+ bone conductor. It is darker and softer than the Multiverse, with more prominent low end, lower mid presence and less treble extension. It also sounds smaller in its imaging and soundstage). The Multiverse has a presentation which is vast and full bodied and the only IEM in my collection capable of rivalling desktop driven flagship headphones when paired well for synergy. These will be important qualities for me for the Amber Pearl.

Unique Melody have confirmed that the frequency range of the Amber Pearl is 20Hz-70KHz. I'm so happy to hear that because being part pipistrelle bat it has always bothered me that the tricky 50KHz range isn't better catered for(!) Now I and my neighbour's crazy dogs can finally enjoy an IEM together.
No details on impedance or sensitivity but they did finally confirm that the bone conductor is a full frequency conductor (20Hz-20KHz) as per the Multiverse. This to me is important as the Fabled Sound has that aforementioned 500Hz-20KHz bone conductor and does not provide the full bodied dynamic presentation the Multiverse has from the subbass to lower mids. The Multiverse is one of the few BA configurations with the bass presentation qualities of a dynamic driver.

The cable also provides a bit of a mystery. For those who are not aware, the Pearl Bundle is actually a tri-company collaboration as Unique Melody work with the revered PW Audio for cables on their flagship IEMs. Andy has mentioned that a 26AWG copper based cable has been developed for the Pearl IEM, with a unique ground configuration and it is unlikely this cable will ever be released again. I would have to guess that it is based on either the PW Audio Orpheus or the PW Audio First Time cables as the Multiverse comes with a cable called the Deep Of The Universe, which is almost identical to the PW Audio First Time in terms of feel and performance. I reached out to PW Audio through several routes last week but have been unable to confirm anything with them either. Very mysterious indeed. @Andykong, is it possible to confirm what the PW Audio cable configuration (outside of the grounding) is based on please?

When I asked about the reasons for Unique Melody not releasing any public information about their involvement in this piece, they stated that it is because all aspects of the sale have been handed over to Cayin for the Pearl Bundle release. I did preface what I wrote to them by saying I can understand if they made a decision to do this because it is Cayin's 30th anniversary release but nevertheless... Amber will represent a new line for Unique Melody alongside their Mentor and Mason lines and if I were a company, this would be too significant to keep shtum about.
While it is entirely possible that the first official Unique Melody Amber release might have a completely different name and configuration, I am speculating that if Unique Melody are releasing a universally tuned version of the Amber Pearl, they could be reluctant to release the detailed specs for the Pearl Bundle IEM in case there are differences between the 99 limited release and the units they officially release and thus opening the floor up to debate as is being seen here for the N30LE vs N30LE Pearl versions. I guess only time will tell.

One thing I would say is that I don't consider either Cayin nor Unique Melody to be be reference orientated. All releases I have experienced from each manufacturer are what I would consider orientated towards critical listening pleasure and not analytical listening. Their flagships tend to be tuned for enjoyment above pure technicalities (while possessing both qualities in spades) and is the most important reason for me having invested in purchasing from both manufacturers in the past.
Andy Kong's comments drawing comparison's to the HEV-90/HE-90 are therefore extremely intriguing, as I have spent the last 5 years moving away from more sterile reference setups. The idea of having a portable system which can emote in the same way as the HE-1 is very compelling (I'm not expecting a pocket HE-1, of course but there are only a handful of systems which have the physicality in their presentation to move me in the way the HE-1 does and I can assure you none of them have been portable nor transportable). As Andy has stated; being able to develop this bundle alongside Unique Melody provides a very rare opportunity when tuning a TOTL DAP for a TOTL IEM for synergy. While I, as always, reserve my expectations to being realistic, the potential for something exceptional is high and my expectations at this price are proportionally high despite what little has been revealed so far.

Cayin N30LE DAC and Solid State (Show Conditions) Impressions;

IBasso DX320Max Ti on the left, Cayin N30LE on the right. I was able to find several songs to compare both units while swapping inputs into my headphone and IEM.
A big thank you to Aseem from Hifonix for looking after me so well during the show and for providing not just the N30LE but various "money no-object" setups for audition. So much work undertaken by the organisers for Canjams and this weekend was no exception in London.
Before I begin my early impressions @Andykong - I note that the N30LE demo unit has no serial number engraved on its chassis. Could you please confirm whether these demo units are identical to the official 300 N30LE releases please?

While I will be providing fairly detailed analysis of what I heard, using closed back headphones and IEMs, please note these were show conditions and simply by way of the fact that when I usually do critical listening, it is undertaken in a familiar environment, with no distractions, often in the dark (think something like that mental uncle you might have had who would spend his evenings sitting in a chair with the lights off, shotgun in the left hand, drink in the right) and I am of the firm belief that environment can and does alter our perception of sound as well as focus. These are not my ideal listening environments. Nevertheless;

Like most experienced here, the vacuum tubes were temperamental the times I sat with this unit so I did not try to audition these and can provide no impressions via the Korg Nutubes. The explanation given was that the unit was overheating and the safety cut-off protocols had kicked in for the tubes. The times I sat with the unit over the weekend, the brightness was at max with the display perma-on and people kept walking off and leaving big fat planar headphones plugged in, playing music so it wouldn't surprise me if this is slightly atypical behaviour unless you have atypical ways of use. Honestly, I was more surprised by the end of the weekend that nobody had come along and bitch slapped the unit a few times while shouting 'who's ye daddy?!', it was treated so roughly. PTSD for life.
@Andykong - Could you please confirm whether the the N30LE has been designed to be more thermally efficient/better managed than, for example, the N8ii? The overheating demo unit raises my eyebrows a little, despite the abuse it suffered... however my number one reason for not investing in the N8ii (as well as not keeping the N8i) is because of how hot those units ran. At the times of my auditions, the N30LE was very warm to the touch. Not uncomfortably so but enough that I could use it as a handwarmer in Winter and probably really piss someone off in the Summer.
Nevertheless I'm going to assume that the tube implementation is top notch as I would say that despite my never being totally enthralled by any implementation of Korg Nutubes, Cayin have been up there with their implementations in the C9 and N8/N8ii releases. I'm expecting the performance in the N30LE to be above the aforementioned Nutube Implementations rather than equal.

Look and feel; At this price point we expect luxury. Both these units have this in oodles but the DX320Max feels like a piece of cutting edge, high tolerance industrial engineering while the N30LE is more luxurious and comfortable to hold being curved with a deep and tactile brushed titanium chassis. A lot of work has gone into the milling and finish and this is not a 'stick it on the CNC' and done job. It's abundantly clear many man hours have gone into the curves and design. The DX320Max is impressive to hold but does not seem to have had the same dedication of time here, being a simpler brushed satin titanium brick in the hand. The N30LE feels more like artwork.
@Andykong - Is the battery user serviceable on the N30LE? One of the first things I noticed is the N30LE does not appear to have an obvious way of gaining access to the internals. The DX320Max allows access to the three internal batteries (separate supplies as the digital and analog domains of the DX320Max as these are isolated from one another) via 2 screws and a slide off panel on the back which can be taken off in minutes. In my case this was extremely useful when I began experiencing battery issues and had to open the back to find a loosely plugged Molex connector on the digital domain battery.
As can be seen from the photo, the physical dimensions are not too far apart between these units, with the lengths being similar and the N30LE being slightly narrower in width. N30LE is also slightly less thick (though I'll add the DX320Max has better thermal management because of its size) and feels much lighter and more comfortable to hold.
Absolutely hate that the volume is at the opposite end to the headphone/line-out sockets. I understand the size of this unit is going to make it more a portable desktop device but it CAN be used portably and I use the DX320Max Ti this way in a small bag by my side when around the house. If I had the presence of mind, I would have paired a bluetooth remote to see whether the volume is software controlled in Android. I'll test when my unit arrives unless @Andykong can confirm whether volume is android software controlled or hardware implemented.

What is the IBasso DX320Max Ti proposition; For reference this is IBasso's current flagship DAP featuring a Quad ROHM DAC implementation (the only current quad ROHMs implementation in any device including desktop DACs) and a completely separate and isolated analogue Class A amplifier with no output current limiting outside what the amplifier is physically capable of delivering. Its outputs on both line-out and headphone are pure reference level and its presentation is full range, highly dynamic, holographic and dense. At this time of writing, from a reference perspective this unit is peerless as far as portables are concerned and competitive to desktops setups which run into 5 figures (check reviews and impressions if you wish to understand where this unit sits in comparison to other Summit-fi DAPs). It is a remarkable piece of engineering.

N30LE Dual AKM4499EQ DAC Line-out; Chain; Special Edition Romi Silver Encryption 4.4mm-4.4mm cable into Romi Audio BX-2 Pro amplifier (Class A). Listening undertaken using Dan Clark Stealth headphones and Unique Melody Mutiverse IEMs.
As stated the Quad ROHM DAC is at an uncoloured, highly resolving reference level on the DX320Max Ti. For those familiar with the AKM4499EQ, the N30LE exhibits a true 'AKM Velvet Sound' and is about as good as I have heard this chip being implemented in portable or desktop dual AKM4499EQ implementations. I understand the N30LE also has the ability to add the Korg Nutubes flavour to the line-out however, as mentioned above, this was disabled for my auditions though I'm very curious to test this.
It's resolving capabilities appear a little under the Quad ROHMs implementation but this is due to a richer, deeper tonality and a very slightly smoother presentation. Neither units exhibit any digital artifacts which can be occaisionally heard in less optimised delta-sigma implementations. Even without the Korg Nutubes, the N30LE has an extremely dynamic but liquidly cohesive presentation with excellent micro and macro imaging. This is very much a desktop level of performance and very much competitive with the DX320Max, which as stated before, I considered a benchmark.
It would be extremely interesting to hear a comparison of the Cayin N30LE against the IBasso DX300Max Ti as those two units actually have a very similar DAC implementation and I consider that dual AKM4499EQ to also be at the very highest levels... however from a solid state amplifier perspective, I will also add that having directly compared the DX300Max Ti to the DX320Max Ti and knowing that the DX300Max Ti is slightly brighter and biting, the treble presentation of the N30LE's solid state treble presentation is closer to the DX320Max than the DX300Max, despite sharing the DAC implementation with the latter rather than the former. The explanation for that might be offered in my Solid State Amplifier impressions below.
Adding to that comparison, I also had the Hifiman HM1000 Gold (quad PCM1704) DAC and bringing that into the mix, feeding the BX-2 Pro was very interesting as that DAC also has a very dense, raw and holographic presentation but is almost the organic cousin of the DX320's ROHM implementation. It is what I consider amongst the best that portable R2R DACs currently have to offer. The presentation of this is less resolving than the DX320Max but very rich in texture, especially in the bass and mids. The presentation of the N30LE sits firmly between the reference DX320Max and the organic liquid HM1000 Gold from what I heard.
The AKM4499EQ is a highly revered chip and for good reason in my opinion. It is destined to end up being a fabled DAC chip and I expect it to be mentioned and occaisionally utilised in very limited releases from other manufacturers in the same way as the legacy PCM1704 DAC chips are now. From my brief auditions, Cayin have done that chip justice in their implementation in the N30LE.

N30LE Solid State Amplifier output and sound; Like the line-out, DX320Max is reference level here with a holographically massive, layered, full bodied presentation. It cannot be thought of in terms of bass, mids and treble. Everything is there and everything is crystal clear. Note weight and low frequency depth/control are exceptional even at high volume with nearly all headphones.
N30LE has a similar desktop presentation but less pure reference and slightly more coloured/richer than the DX320Max Ti. These differences are more noticeable through the solid-state amplifier than via line-out which leads me to believe that the N30LE's solid state amplifier has some slight bloom compared to the DX320Max's amplifier.
In terms of power the DX320Max Ti is a literal desktop replacement and while I have heard other users (and those who have auditioned my unit) near max out the volume and gain with the DCA Stealth, I typically have my volume set at around 18-20 out of 24 notches with my gain set to III out of a max level of IV (although it should be noted I am a very low volume listener). I am unsure as to whether the 4.2v quoted output via balanced 4.4mm for the N30LE is RMS but it is stated as 9v RMS for the DX320Max Ti however I don't feel those numbers are at all representative of what I experienced (despite voltage output having a non-linear relationship to volume output). The N30LE was able to drive the Dan Clark Stealth headphones to the upper regions of my normal listening habits very easily, though given what I said about other users of my setup, the max output might not be loud enough for others with headphones as or more difficult to drive than the Stealths. At higher volume I did not notice any clipping or distortion which leads me to believe that the solid state amplifier in the N30LE is similarly not current restricted other than what the amplifier can output. @Andykong, would you mind confirming whether there is any current limit on either the solid state or Korg Nutube headphone outputs please?
Furthermore I had the opportunity to audition the Subtonic STORM IEM with the N30LE and to those who were able to try the STORM, you may have noticed it is exceptionally difficult to drive (far more difficult than the least sensitive IEM I have ever owned or autioned) and while most high powered players can drive it decently, it scales massively with a powerful portable or dedicated desktop amplifier. There is some great synergy with the DX320Max Ti and I felt a similar level of synergy with the N30LE albeit with a slightly thicker and sweeter presentation.
For a more critical analysis of the sound I switched to the Unique Melody Multiverse, which as mentioned above has one of the largest presentations of any IEM currently available. The N30LE's soundstage and layering capabities are similar to the DX320Max Ti's. The presentation is huge, deep and holographic. Note weight is even denser than the DX320Max (which is already dense) so while the N30LE has a similar size in its imaging, it is also slightly heavier and thicker sounding.
Subbass and depth are similar between the two units and while listening to Max Richter's Sarajevo, both devices are able to exhibit the subbass at the beginning to a thunderous level. Midbass is slightly elevated above flat and richer on the N30LE and this richness extends into the lower mids without having any midbass bleed, giving the N30LE a little more weight and sweetness to vocals. Very little difference in the upper mids between the two. Lower treble presentation is slightly lower on the N30LE, noting that despite the DX320Max Ti having a full frequency response, I do not find it harsh. Upper treble is similar between the two and nicely detailed without becoming fatiguing.
Imaging, soundstage and layering are both exceptional and at the top tier of what is currently available and both these units have excellent instrumental accuracy and timbre.
Despite being the solid state amplifier output, the N30LE exhibits a rich and thick tone without sacrificing detail retrieval or accuracy. There seemed to be a little more decay together with the note weight which also adds to the slightly more liquid presentation of the N30LE.
What does this mean for the overall tonal presentation? While I described the DX320Max Ti as possessing a pure reference presentation, the N30LE is noticeably richer in the lows and mids giving it a very VERY slightly less resolving but warmer, liquid and organic presentation and still having the power, weight and extension as the desktop level DX320Max Ti. I would consider the N30LE to have a firmly musical reference presentation.
The DX320Max Ti+Unique Melody Multiverse have excellent synergy and for my preferences, I rate that setup as one of the strongest combinations available on the market. I felt a similar level of synergy when pairing the Multiverse with the N30LE's solid state output.

While I did state above that the Korg Nutube has never been my preference (compared to a true vacuum tube valve amplifier), when done well (which Cayin excel at) Nutubes are able to imbue true tube harmonics to a system and given how tonally rich the N30LE already is, that could make for a very unique presentation.
Bearing in mind the aforementioned caveats about the show environment, limited time and the possibility of there being differences between the demo and official release, from what I heard, the N30LE does possess all the sonic qualities that I would expect at this price point and while the value proposition is very low given this is at the upper echelons of all DAP offerings, the presentation is nevertheless peerless.
I have privately compared the N8ii to the DX320Max Ti not too long ago and for me there was no comparison via any N8ii output. While the N8ii exhibited all the musicality expected from Cayin, I found it significantly out-resolved, out-imaged and out-performed by the DX320Max Ti, sounding relatively veiled and less dynamic and occaisionally less controlled in the treble in comparison. If pure reference is not your thing or you use a particularly aggressive IEM/headphone, I can see the N8ii being a better pairing but in terms of pure technicalities? Different leagues. While the N30LE offers a different tonality to the DX320Max Ti, my impressions are that they perform at a similar level, which is to say sitting right at the top of the mountain of DAPs which are currently available.

I am aware that I consistently piss Ibasso and Cayin off by mentioning each others' offerings in my private communications to each company however I consider what they have been doing with their flagship releases to be apex predators in the sea of DAPs and portable amplifiers out there and it is important to know your enemy. While (for me) Cayin may just edge IBasso out with their NuTube offerings and implementations, IBasso have always had a rock solid grip on Solid State implementation given that is their 'bread and butter' and they were pushing the boundaries of what was possible portably all the way back when I began to seriously get into this hobby. What the Cayin N30LE's Solid State amplifier implementation may lack in raw power, it does equal the DX320Max in terms of pure fidelity.

As I said above, I consider what IBasso managed to do with the DX320Max Ti to be a remarkable feat of engineering, I will now extend that accolade to the Cayin with the N30LE... though I will also add this was almost a minimum for my expectations given the price and I will end by saying that my expectations are even higher for the Pearl Bundle given there is already a world-class level of synergy with the Unique Melody Multiverse and the standard N30LE.
A heartfelt thank you to Cayin, Unique Melody and PW Audio for pushing the boundaries of what is possible in portable audio.

First of all, many thanks for the details you have presented. I think you have given us a lot of information and also a benchmark comparison. It is highly appreciated.

Unfortunately, despite all the details you have provided, which are extensive to say the least. There is still a lot of uncertainty about the device.

There was no Amber Pearl unit available for comparison. The tube section was not working. It was not tested in an ideal environment. I think that just the above three criteria create a sense of uncertainty around this DAP.

As far as the specs and looks are concerned it does look worthy of its price but unfortunately the amount of information needed to buy the N30LE is seriously lacking as compared to the DX320TI & Hiby RS8.

I name the Hiby RS8 as it is recommended by Subtonic for the Storm and is the only R2R player at this price point.

I hope that there is going to be much more information about both Amber Pearl and the N30LE in future for some of us to make DAP decisions for 2024.

 

[osocan]

Like most of you, At CanJam UK, I discovered the 30th Aniversary Cayin N30LE (and the "bundle" N30LE Amber pearl).

My initial plan was to purchase the Lotoo Mjölnir, but now I am also very tempted by this Cayin N30LE. But... since the Demo version of the N30LE was not working properly (and the Mjölnir also !!) , I could not compare it and audition it corectly

So, since no one I believe has been able to audition seriously ( and in a quiet environement ) a final version of this Uber Cayin, I think that may be one possibility is to consider that the N30LE is a "super N8ii", and therefore I will be interested to hear from C8ii users how good is the N8ii compared to the competition like A&K SP3000 and iBasso 320 MAx which are also on my radar.

I have an "old" A&KSP1000, and so far I did not find the SP3000 enough better to justify the upgrade. So, based on the N8ii experience, can we extrapole how good will be the N30LE compared to the other big guys, including the BIG 2.5Kg Lotoo Mjôlnir ?

thanks in advance for your estimated advices... including the experience with CAYIN as a company?

PS: I also wonder if this description of the modification made to the N30LE "amber pearl" version and to the UM Amber pearl IEM to optimize the Synergy between the DAP and the IEM is a real ingenior thing or... just marketing buls__it ?

I listened to all 3, in fact owned the N8ii for a very short while. I don’t have the vocabulary to go into a technical analysis of their sounds. Personally, I like the N8ii and DX320 Max Ti. The SP3000’s sound is not my cup of tea.

My sense is that N30LE would be quite different from the SP3000 in flavours as far as the sound signature is concerned.

 

[ThanatosVI]

the amount of information needed to buy the N30LE is seriously lacking

What Information are you missing?
Cayin did am excellent job at explaining the details and specs of this new offering imo (just like they did with previous ones)

 

[deep2285]

What Information are you missing?
Cayin did am excellent job at explaining the details and specs of this new offering imo (just like they did with previous ones)

I am saying that despite the HKAV and Canjam London, there is still very little "User Information" on these units.

Cayin explained the technicals of N30LE and Amber Pearl in good length but that is just paper. There is still no word from UM about the Amber Pearl or PW Audio about the cable.

I understand that there are audiophiles who will spend $5 - $13 K without a fuss but then there are people like me who would need to save up for sometime to buy something which costs $5 or $13 K.

I am speaking from my perspective as a potential buyer.

 

[zoidbb]

I am saying that despite the HKAV and Canjam London, there is still very little "User Information" on these units.

Cayin explained the technicals of N30LE and Amber Pearl in good length but that is just paper. There is still no word from UM about the Amber Pearl or PW Audio about the cable.

I understand that there are audiophiles who will spend $5 - $13 K without a fuss but then there are people like me who would need to save up for sometime to buy something which costs $5 or $13 K.

I am speaking from my perspective as a potential buyer.

Sounds to me like you’re the kind of person who shouldn’t be looking at limited release hardware. You won’t be getting significant “User Information” until after people get them in their hands. Limited edition units generally don’t have review units sent out for detailed reviews pre-release, and the limited availability means by the time enough information is available you’ve likely missed out (aside from secondary market sales).

 

[ThanatosVI]

I am saying that despite the HKAV and Canjam London, there is still very little "User Information" on these units.

Cayin explained the technicals of N30LE and Amber Pearl in good length but that is just paper. There is still no word from UM about the Amber Pearl or PW Audio about the cable.

I understand that there are audiophiles who will spend $5 - $13 K without a fuss but then there are people like me who would need to save up for sometime to buy something which costs $5 or $13 K.

I am speaking from my perspective as a potential buyer.

Well User reviews and impressions have to wait until after release.
If they have only 300 units they won't send out 10 for reviews, wouldn't make any sense.

The other Info you're missing is on UM and PWs end, nothing Cayin could do here.

 

[Steranko]

I listened to all 3, in fact owned the N8ii for a very short while. I don’t have the vocabulary to go into a technical analysis of their sounds. Personally, I like the N8ii and DX320 Max Ti. The SP3000’s sound is not my cup of tea.

My sense is that N30LE would be quite different from the SP3000 in flavours as far as the sound signature is concerned.

Personally, I think the N8ii was a major milestone for Cayin. It was very successful on the sales. The Cayin sound on this is so loved by a lot of people. I had it from very early launch, sold it and then bought it back again. I still use it very often since it beats a lot of the players out there today.

 

[deep2285]

Sounds to me like you’re the kind of person who shouldn’t be looking at limited release hardware. You won’t be getting significant “User Information” until after people get them in their hands. Limited edition units generally don’t have review units sent out for detailed reviews pre-release, and the limited availability means by the time enough information is available you’ve likely missed out (aside from secondary market sales).

Haha it's okay