Cayin N30LE DAP: A Transformative Milestone (30th Anniv. Limited Edition)

[zoidbb]

Cool, BTW I am in a dilemma. I just tested the N30LE with my IEMs and my music collection and the amp on it is superb compared to all the DAPs I have tried. I was on the fence about it but now come to the conclusion it's probably worth buying but whether to get the AP version or the normal. I was told the AP version sound is more defined. I am on the brink of buying the AP version since I found a source with one left. What's your opinion on this?

If you have the money get the AP and sell the IEMs if you don't want them.

Not sure if this is helpful for you but both my titanium cased daps, N6ii Ti and RS8, are scuff magnets. If you fidget with the charge cable it will make marks all over the port opening. You could probably scuff it with a strong fingernail. That being said, the marks mostly come off using a slightly damp micro fiber cloth. Unless, of course, they are actual scratches, and I have a few of those too. That powder titanium is really soft. I can't say it's the same material and finish as N30LE but might be a standard grade.

for me these are actual scratches.

 

[Steranko]

When customers believe in the Cayin brand and spend $5,000 or $13,000, they only have higher expectations, nothing less.

If you have the money get the AP and sell the IEMs if you don't want them.

for me these are actual scratches.

Thanks! Yes, was thinking the same. I am getting my case master to make me a special case for this. I might put some plastic around the port areas. I had this problem with the 7AE but still managed to sell it losing very little.

 

[zoidbb]

Thanks! Yes, was thinking the same. I am getting my case master to make me a special case for this. I might put some plastic around the port areas. I had this problem with the 7AE but still managed to sell it losing very little.

Nice, may I ask who your case master is? I'm working on a custom case as well, as the stock one is inadequate.

 

[Steranko]

Nice, may I ask who your case master is? I'm working on a custom case as well, as the stock one is inadequate.

He is my case master from China. But he said he is working out the layout since it's still very new and not much people have it. I ping you once he is ready but he only take wechat payment. He did one for me for the N8ii and LP6.

 

[emdeevee]

Finally got to try this beast today at canjam.

And this is one of the best reasons to hit a canjam, you get to try EVERYTHING.

Cayin, if you're reading, I liked it very very much!

 

[Mcleenx]

Did you solve this problem already? You connected the EA cables and you don't get any sound out of it? The cable is 3.5mm terminated?

I assumed you had removed all other analog output connections already before you inserted the EA cables and the Pearl Amber IEM with 4.4mm to 3.5mm adapter to the N30LE?

Thanks for the follow-up!

Unfortunately, the 3.5 headphone socket is not working.
I tried different high-quality cables with 3.5 terminations [no adapters this time], and even changed the iems, and got no sound. I reset the dap and had the same result.
I only had connected the iems in the 3.5 mm headphone socket.

At your convenience, please let me know your thoughts.

 

[Puroplatino]

I've had a week-and-change of proper listening with my* N30LE at this point. About 100 hours in total. Which means if it hasn't been playing it's been charging (I've not tried listening while charging yet - beyond making sure it worked).

I went for the N30LE primarily for its flexibility in output modes, with the biggest driver there being the potential for something that delivered a similar signature to that of the original N8. I didn't get on with the N8ii, nor the C9 (driven by other DAPs) as they didn't recreate the "magic" of the N8 in its tube mode for me (basically not “tubey” enough).

The N30LE does not disappoint in this regard.

At all.

Classic Tube mode gets me right back to what I enjoyed most about the presentation of the N8, and haven't found in any subsequent product, while managing to elevate the N8's technical performance significantly. Faster, more resolving, better impact/slam, more natural timbre ... but still retaining the lush, lucid, vivid liquidity and holographic presentation that I loved on the N8**.

Every listening session, so far, has been a thoroughly engrossing "just one more album ..." experience ... until either life intruded or it was time to charge the thing.

Now, I have spent some time in other modes. All are excellent - with slight shifts in emphasis on technicalities ... "improving" (objectively) as you go to "Modern" tube mode, and then into solid-state. Personally, I like Class A (or Hyper) and Classic Tube modes the best - to the point that unless I need more power or to extend the battery life for a given situation, I doubt I'll spend nearly as much critical listening time in the other modes.

The N30LE completely obliterates my prior DAP, the A&K SP2000. The other portable option I use is a 2Go/Hugo2 setup. The N30LE is far more enjoyable than that, also – though on a technicalities level they’re in the same ballpark. And the N30LE doesn’t need the all the fannying about that using a 2Go as anything other than a Roon endpoint entails.

Very impressive. Incredibly engaging. Thoroughly engrossing. Extremely glad I bought it, and that I didn’t just bail out on the original unit or replacement.

Teething troubles notwithstanding, Cayin have done an outstanding job how this thing sounds. And I hope some of what’s here trickles down into a C9 or N8ii successor.

Next stop … proper impressions once I have my re-biased unit.

---

*This is my 2nd unit. The first had some hiss, noise and static issues, in all modes/on all connections, with all transducers, that only occurred when it got over 100F. That unit was promptly replaced. The replacement exhibits the class A/4.4mm hiss issue - but so far only with my IE600 ... so I've simply done all my listening with other IEMs/headphones. Cayin are replacing this unit with one of the adjusted/re-biased units.

**If I could have streamed directly on the N8, or used it as a USB DAC/amp with an iPhone, I'd never have sold it.

You sold me. I was on the fence because I was afraid it was along the lines of the N8ii’s sound signature and not tubey enough. I’m glad you specified how it’s more similar to the original N8. Thank you for your review.

 

[bmichels]

Well… a little debrief after 1 week with my Cayin N30 Amber Pearl.

In short… now I no longer listen to my recordings but to music. In other words, the performance of the combo is not to be technically better than the other DAPs but... to be forgotten in order to just enjoy my favorite tracks.

At first I found the treble rather aggressive but after +50 hours everything softened.

I need to mention that just as certain tracks are rediscovered by offering an unsuspected musicality, others tracks become disappointing and flat ! .. I had to remove some songs from my playlists. I guess the Cayin AP doesn't support poor recordings?

The best tip I have found so far for the AP is the JVC Spiral Dot. The supplied silicone TIPs are too bright for my taste.
Anyone tested other TIPs with the Amber Pearl ? I would like to reduce further the remaining brightness that I can experience on some tracks...

luckily I have quite some more tips to test ...

 

[zoidbb]

Well… a little debrief after 1 week with my Cayin N30 Amber Pearl.

In short… now I no longer listen to my recordings but to music. In other words, the performance of the combo is not to be technically better than the other DAPs but... to be forgotten in order to just enjoy my favorite tracks.

At first I found the treble rather aggressive but after +50 hours everything softened.

I need to mention that just as certain tracks are rediscovered by offering an unsuspected musicality, others tracks become disappointing and flat ! .. I had to remove some songs from my playlists. I guess the Cayin AP doesn't support poor recordings?

The best tip I have found so far for the AP is the JVC Spiral Dot. The supplied silicone TIPs are too bright for my taste.
Anyone tested other TIPs with the Amber Pearl ? I would like to reduce further the remaining brightness that I can experience on some tracks...






luckily I have quite some more tips to test ...

I found that going with a smaller tip and deeper insertion dramatically reduced how spicy the treble gets with UM IEMs. For reference I use Xelastec M for most IEMs, but I went down to an SednaEarFit Max S for my multiverse mentors (and previously MEXT and MEST when trialing them). I imagine you'll have a similar experience with AP.

 

[ECKHUAAA]

Well… a little debrief after 1 week with my Cayin N30 Amber Pearl.

In short… now I no longer listen to my recordings but to music. In other words, the performance of the combo is not to be technically better than the other DAPs but... to be forgotten in order to just enjoy my favorite tracks.

At first I found the treble rather aggressive but after +50 hours everything softened.

I need to mention that just as certain tracks are rediscovered by offering an unsuspected musicality, others tracks become disappointing and flat ! .. I had to remove some songs from my playlists. I guess the Cayin AP doesn't support poor recordings?

The best tip I have found so far for the AP is the JVC Spiral Dot. The supplied silicone TIPs are too bright for my taste.
Anyone tested other TIPs with the Amber Pearl ? I would like to reduce further the remaining brightness that I can experience on some tracks...






luckily I have quite some more tips to test ...

I have the N30LE standard and yes there is a huge contrast going from standard 16bit flac to 24bit, 192kzsampling and then to DSD512
where everything is rendered so clearly and richly with tremendous bass impact and natural highs ...but man DSD files are expensive and huge but sooo good on this DAP and so close to studio or live listening!!!
Forget about details, forget about so-called black background (live music or studio recording does not have black background)

 

[Auricon]

I have the N30LE standard and yes there is a huge contrast going from standard 16bit flac to 24bit, 192kzsampling and then to DSD512
where everything is rendered so clearly and richly with tremendous bass impact and natural highs ...but man DSD files are expensive and huge but sooo good on this DAP and so close to studio or live listening!!!
Forget about details, forget about so-called black background (live music or studio recording does not have black background)

After amassing a large DSD collection from 256 to 1024 on multiple 1tb microSDs to hold them, I've settled on 256 and more selective when it comes to 512

 

[linux4ever]

After amassing a large DSD collection from 256 to 1024 on multiple 1tb microSDs to hold them, I've settled on 256 and more selective when it comes to 512

How do you find Cayin N30LE when compared against HiBy RS8 & Cayin N7 in terms of the sound?

And how does it sound when playing DSD256 on N30LE and N7?

How is the sound when using upsampling on N7 and comparing it to N30LE?

 

[gallionetech]

He is my case master from China. But he said he is working out the layout since it's still very new and not much people have it. I ping you once he is ready but he only take wechat payment. He did one for me for the N8ii and LP6.

Could you also let me know his info? Definitely want to get a custom case as well

 

[Auricon]

How do you find Cayin N30LE when compared against HiBy RS8 & Cayin N7 in terms of the sound?

And how does it sound when playing DSD256 on N30LE and N7?

How is the sound when using upsampling on N7 and comparing it to N30LE?

This will require a longer reply and a couple of days as I've haven't listening to RS8 and N7 (N7 is on loan to a friend) as much as I have since N30LE landed – same for local DSD playback.

Though my very brief impression compared to RS8, N30LE in Classic Tube shares characteristics of RS8's natural, smooth R-2R analog tonality, layering but scales up performance in soundstage in all axis – wide, deep, taller, detailed micro/macro dynamics, bass texture and impact. RS8 has good bass texture BUT then there's Cayin's texture and imp act which makes bassheads like me melt. I enjoy RS8's smooth R-2R natural analog tonality but sometimes its a too laid back with some genres and I'll switch over to N7 for treble extension and clarity – N30LE provides all of that while retaining that natural goodness. I could utilize RS8's sound shaping plugins but prefer the simplicity of N30LE's power / gain / tube timbre settings.

When my N7 returns, I'll jot some notes including DSD playback.

 

[Crazeee]

Just purchased my N30LE! Can’t wait to see the synergies of N30LE with my IEMs. Quite a lot of them require tremendous amount of power, that motivates me to change my DAP+ Amp setup to one player to maximize mobility and performance