[gezuz420]

@Cayin @CayinTechnician @Andykong

Just received my N30LE yesterday in UK and loving it, very good h/v soundstage and really black background compared to N8ii. But when will it be Roon Ready? It seems that Cayin has been working on it for quite some time now but there is no delivery timeline.

I sold my N8ii because lack of Roon Ready and I was a little surprised to find out that N30LE also lacks it 1.5 years after the release of N8ii...

Been a system engineer myself, I'd estimate it to only take two guys 3 month at most to implement the protocol but I don't know why it's taking so long.

I'd urge you guys to get Roon Ready as soon as possible, this will make up for your weakness in software and stay competitive. It's also a great way to show that you care about your customers!

I'll be looking forward to the Roon Ready firmware for the N30LE.

 

[phiemon]

I am one of the few that say 1.2 is better than 1.3. I have tried upgrade/downgrade 3x to confirm this. I only use Tidal. 1.2 + Tidal on Uapp Pro (bit perfect on) is best. I think those who experience a difference between 1.3 and 1.2 is because they use P mode / Tidal / low volume listening. Those who don’t experience a difference probably use P+ / hyper mode / local files / loud volume. I also notice that 1st day of upgrade to 1.3, the sound is same as 1.2 but next day the 1.3 sound quality drops. I notice this because 1 day I can’t stop listening then next day after 2 songs I just feel meh and stop listening. My settings : medium gain, P mode, Class A, Tube Modern and low volume of 7. Perhaps at higher volume of 35-50, there is no difference between 1.2/1.3.

If you use Tidal, please try Uapp Pro with bit perfect on.

Actually, Tidal IS already bit perfect with the standard app, you don't need any other app for that. Proof: check the output in the bar and in the color.

The volume adjustment can be deactivated in the settings on Tidal.

 

[FooFighter]

We discussed it before I think
And to my ears UApp has always had some kind of own sound across all DAPs I had, actually similar to the sound difference I hear between 1.2 and later ones: more transparent and a bit brighter and reveilling.
They are told to use an own USB driver and not the standard one which the stock Qobuz or Tidal apps would use.
Maybe they even have some built-in digital filter applied which can cause such sound differences regardless of bit perfect playback afaik (see HQPLAYER in the desktop world which has made an own business out of that technology)

 

[mgsu]

Actually, Tidal IS already bit perfect with the standard app, you don't need any other app for that. Proof: check the output in the bar and in the color.

The volume adjustment can be deactivated in the settings on Tidal.

While this is true, Tidal on UAPP sounds much better to me.

I must admit that i did not use Tidal app for 2 months now. I have to give it a try. Maybe this time they put a good sounding app together.

 

[FooFighter]

Actually I found the sound difference between Tidal stock and Tidal UApp the biggest compared to Qobuz stock and Qobuz UApp which sound very similar if not identical to my ears and that across all DAPs I ve had in the past

 

[mgsu]

We discussed it before I think
And to my ears UApp has always had some kind of own sound across all DAPs I had, actually similar to the sound difference I hear between 1.2 and later ones: more transparent and a bit brighter and reveilling.
They are told to use an own USB driver and not the standard one which the stock Qobuz or Tidal apps would use.
Maybe they even have some built-in digital filter applied which can cause such sound differences regardless of bit perfect playback afaik (see HQPLAYER in the desktop world which has made an own business out of that technology)

UAPP has a bitperfect setting which i always use.

By enabling bitperfect means that all filters, resampling and upsampling are turned off.
Music does not get any better and more authentic than with bitperfect enabled imo.

 

[mgsu]

While UAPP has access to Tidal music streams and can output them as bitperfect, i would not put my hand in fire for the native Tidal app doing the same thing.
(Of course it shows the right sampling rate in the upper right corner, but this does not mean that it is bitperfect and does not have some kind of filter applied to the stream)

 

[eatmoreplant]

If you use Tidal, I suggest you try Uapp Pro and turn on bit perfect

Yes I tried it:
1.2 Uapp Tidal = 1 (can’t stop listening)
1.2 Tidal via USB dac from Ipad = 2 but has white noise or low hissing sound
1.2 Tidal App = 1.2 Tidal via Hiby Music = 3
1.3 Uapp Tidal = 4 (1st day good, 2nd day drop)
1.3 Tidal App = 5 (1st day good, 2nd day drop), listen 1 song and think time to sell or upgrade my iem

Anyway just my own opinion / experience. I only listen at low volume of 7, any higher my ear feels discomfort.

 

[mgsu]

If you use Tidal, I suggest you try Uapp Pro and turn on bit perfect

Yes I tried it:
1.2 Uapp Tidal = 1 (can’t stop listening)
1.2 Tidal via USB dac from Ipad = 2 but has white noise or low hissing sound
1.2 Tidal App = 1.2 Tidal via Hiby Music = 3
1.3 Uapp Tidal = 4 (1st day good, 2nd day drop)
1.3 Tidal App = 5 (1st day good, 2nd day drop), listen 1 song and think time to sell or upgrade my iem

Anyway just my own opinion / experience. I only listen at low volume of 7, any higher my ear feels discomfort.

Volume 7

I am on Low Gain in P Mode at 39 volume.

 

[mgsu]

1.2 is more transparent and slightly brighter and more reveilling than 1.3 and 1.4 to my ears.

Thank you for the info. Thought about trying 1.4 but you hurried ahead
i stay on 1.2

 

[leonm12]

Thank you very much for the clear answer .

I am a "firmware skeptic" and I do not believe that any sound changes have taken place. What is suspected here from others, however, is that such a change could have taken place indirectly by changing the power output (power consumption). So could this be the case if you change the voltage (?)? As I said, I don't think so. But I ask anyway.

That is a very good question @Andykong. Also, can you provide more details about the voltage/power management related changes performed on 1.3 , thanks.

 

[shznn]

@Andykong and the rest, I just began listening to 1.2 from a cold start and I don't think it's even close. It feels much grittier and more detailed; exactly what the DAP was missing. I had only been listening to it on 1.3 and the sound is quite meh when it's cold. Now I'm actually listening to something that more resembles AKM sound without the unit even having warmed up. From the very, very initial impression I'd say something has been done to the sound and I've no desire to upgrade the firmware now. I'm gonna listen more but if we turn out to be correct, can you guys provide us with a 1.4 update that retains the 1.2 sound? This sounds a lot clearer.

 

[shznn]

@Andykong and the rest, I just began listening to 1.2 from a cold start and I don't think it's even close. It feels much grittier and more detailed; exactly what the DAP was missing. I had only been listening to it on 1.3 and the sound is quite meh when it's cold. Now I'm actually listening to something that more resembles AKM sound without the unit even having warmed up. From the very, very initial impression I'd say something has been done to the sound and I've no desire to upgrade the firmware now. I'm gonna listen more but if we turn out to be correct, can you guys provide us with a 1.4 update that retains the 1.2 sound? This sounds a lot clearer.

PS yes it's definitely more engaging; it's not the soundstage but it's the mids; they've come back. The heck. Yes indeed it's dynamic

 

[phiemon]

@Andykong and the rest, I just began listening to 1.2 from a cold start and I don't think it's even close. It feels much grittier and more detailed; exactly what the DAP was missing. I had only been listening to it on 1.3 and the sound is quite meh when it's cold. Now I'm actually listening to something that more resembles AKM sound without the unit even having warmed up. From the very, very initial impression I'd say something has been done to the sound and I've no desire to upgrade the firmware now. I'm gonna listen more but if we turn out to be correct, can you guys provide us with a 1.4 update that retains the 1.2 sound? This sounds a lot clearer.

Man guys, now I have to test it . It can't be that so many people have that same impression...

 

[shznn]

Man guys, now I have to test it . It can't be that so many people have that same impression...

Well I think so because it's no longer pounding. See the DAP has this very incorrect tonality where it would sound super warm and pound instead of bang when it needs to reproduce beat for example. Now it's back to banging. Also yes, definitely I'm now listening to AK mids. And by this I mean mids characteristic of AK daps which I like so much. Also I had very, very big issues listening to the Amber Pearl IEM on this DAP because it was making it unbearably boomy. It's the characteristics of the IEM but it's also been the DAP. I have a feeling it's gonna be much, much different now when I get to it. I'm right now listening through the Jewel CIEM