[Andykong]

Great idea in theory cept for Hiby link, in my experience, is highly unreliable

Android users has very positive experience with HiByLink so far, but I notice iOS users has a mixed feeling to HiByLink. I don't own any iOS device personally, maybe other iOS users can share their HiByLink experience.

 

[Reebonz]

We put a lot of hope into wireless DAC concept in N3Pro. We have mixed feeling when launch N8 but after we added UAT codec through firmware upgrade, we feel a lot better. The N3 back in 2017 only support aptX + SBC in Tx and SBC in Rx, now we have UAT, LDAC, AAC ana SBC in both Tx and Rx direction, I think we are ready to embrace this as an alternative to operate streaming service on DAP directly.

Can the N3Pro also acts as a wired USB DAC-AMP for a smartphone when connected with a type c cable?

 

[Andykong]

So... if I use it for 100 hours per day, tubes would only last less than 2 years?

Joking aside, 30,000 hours would outlive the DAP for 99% (or more) of the potential customers!
Looking forward to read some reviews, especially testing the tube'd modes and IEMs.....

We just send out three samples units yesterday, and we'll send out more review units by end of August when the supply chain and production line become stable. As soon as the COVID-19 is slowing down and logistic system resume normal, we'll organise a worldwide tour. If we refer to previous N3 and n5ii practise, late September is the ideal time to start a tour, but we are not so sure at this point.

 

[Andykong]

Like others in this thread; I am intrigued by the design of this unit. But I also have given in to downloading music from music services; in my case that is Amazon HD.

So I would be up for a cost reduced version of the N6II rather than this unit. But that is mainly because I already have two units that can't stream (or effectively can't) and would not want to add a third. But I understand that there are many who don't care about music services and then this unit would be very interesting.

Have you considered HiBy R6Pro? from features, OS and budget point of view, this should fit your bill?

 

[DaYooper]

We just send out three samples units yesterday, and we'll send out more review units by end of August when the supply chain and production line become stable. As soon as the COVID-19 is slowing down and logistic system resume normal, we'll organise a worldwide tour. If we refer to previous N3 and n5ii practise, late September is the ideal time to start a tour, but we are not so sure at this point.

OOOhhhh, that's not too encouraging.

 

[muths66]

We just send out three samples units yesterday, and we'll send out more review units by end of August when the supply chain and production line become stable. As soon as the COVID-19 is slowing down and logistic system resume normal, we'll organise a worldwide tour. If we refer to previous N3 and n5ii practise, late September is the ideal time to start a tour, but we are not so sure at this point.

Is it all current preorder of N3Pro that came with leather case is the green colour one?

 

[Andykong]

A buffer is a pre-amplifier but with a fixed level output, so the N3Pro has a selectable solid state OR Jan tube pre-amp section.
The amplification is undertaken in post-amplification via solid state therefore the tube 'flavour' is imparted when you select the 'timbre'/'single end' selector in a hybrid amplifier configuration;

Perfect explanation, couldn't have done it better.

If we use Pre-amp in this analogy, maybe we can use Power amp instead of post-amplifier in the headphone amp process, and only the lower L+ CH Phone Amplifier is related to single-ended circuit.

 

[Andykong]

Is it all current preorder of N3Pro that came with leather case is the green colour one?

We only make one color of optional leather case, didn't have any plan for different color at this stage.

 

[Andykong]

Can the N3Pro also acts as a wired USB DAC-AMP for a smartphone when connected with a type c cable?

Yes, N3Pro supports USB Audio in and out, so you can use it as a USB Digital Transport or wired USB DAC.

If you were to use smartphone as source, most latest Android phone should work fine, earlier models might have incompatible OTG problems. If you are using iPhone, you need a camera connection kit or adapter otherwise you won't get any audio signal from the lighting port.

 

[Andykong]

OOOhhhh, that's not too encouraging.

Well. lets said the biggest problem right now is to secure reliable logistic service to deliver N3Pro to international dealers. We run into a lot of problem in past two months, ports and airports are locked down, logistic company are run out of human resources, even when we find a carrier, the cost is very high and delivery date can be delayed multiple times before it finally reached the destination.

 

[seanwee]

Have you considered HiBy R6Pro? from features, OS and budget point of view, this should fit your bill?

The FiiO M11 Pro is a far better choice than the R6 Pro in all aspects.

 

[Andykong]

Does anyone has any idea how the UI will look like? I.e.:

• Are we talking about a skinned Android (e.g. Hibby);
• Or a UI more akin to what A&K provides, i.e. genuinely music-centric?

This looks encouraging as I'm hoping for something akin to what AK provides but I understand that isn't what Cayin has done in the past.

The main playback screen is displayed on the poster of the post #1. The overall UI design will be very similar to our N8: same CPU, same screen, very similar OS. You can check out the detail page of N8 in our website, there is a page that displayed the main operation UI for reference (HERE)

I'll try to collect the screen capture and post it here for your reference later.

 

[DaYooper]

Well. lets said the biggest problem right now is to secure reliable logistic service to deliver N3Pro to international dealers. We run into a lot of problem in past two months, ports and airports are locked down, logistic company are run out of human resources, even when we find a carrier, the cost is very high and delivery date can be delayed multiple times before it finally reached the destination.

Oh yeah, you are not alone in that boat either. I understand. I'll just have to play with my other toys until I can get this one. I would though like to get that USB-C to coax cable, do you know who has one in stock? I checked with one dealer but no joy.

 

[Andykong]

This device has a lot going for it, the design choices are very well judged.
I was torn between getting an all-in-one Android DAP and a DAC/amp, and this is... both?

Android DAPs, if properly specced, bypass the Android mixer which is the most destructive aspect of modern streaming audio. But they all have major issues - either battery life, RF interference, no bypass for the Android mixer, or a 3-versions late implementation of Android. Also none will let you stream out of Wifi range (or then via a Wifi hotspot on your phone, itself streaming using cellular data, at which point we‘re pretty far from seamless, easy interfacing).

This echoes what has been said very well by @nanaholic - I disagree however that making the perfect Android DAP is impossible, in fact the LG phones come mighty close.

A dedicated DAC/amp is nice but it’s just a brick by itself, although I appreciate how iFi and Fiio made an effort to include wireless support.

After spending several TOTL cans’ worth on Bandcamp albums I never listen to, like many others I turned to streaming for 99% of my music consumption - even for things I’ve bought, I’ll just add them into my Tidal library when I can find them instead of listening from an SD card. Though I agree the copyright-dictated removals on Tidal are a huge pain.

Cayin has smartly engineered the N3Pro so it works quite perfectly for people who stream, without directly being a streaming device. It acts as a turbo-charged BT receiver on the go, and a USB DAC/amp for semi-sedentary use - but with a real screen! And Hiby link. Many new DAPs do that too but Cayin have really cut on what matters least in this context; the big high-quality screen on the hardware side, and on the software side the whole Android implementation, then the compliance nightmare, and making sure specific apps like Tidal, Amazon, Qobuz are properly supported.

That has let them double down on audio, and I can hardly believe what they have achieved. My desktop DAC/amp works the same, with tubes as a buffer and transistors for output, and it’s a best-of-both-worlds scenario.
Also Raytheon tubes count among the absolute best NOS. There must be some pretty wild stories paving the road to discreetly collecting 40.000 tubes.

Thank you for all the kind comments, we appreciate someone agree with us on the N3Pro product design as well as market positioning.

A $500 non-Android audiophile DAP (therefor no third party app), we either landed at a sweet spot with no competitor, or we aimed at a market that doesn't exit, we'll know by end of 2020.

We spend 2 years to collect the 40,000 JAN6418 from the market "gradually", we can't do that within a very short time because the unit price will go up quickly as a result of our procurement. There are other 6418 in the market, but we only aim at the military grade JAN6418, so only Raytheon tubes are in our procurement plan.

 

[Andykong]

I've been sort of keeping my eyes open for Cayin releases since I'd like to try one of their DAPs and at least in terms of pricing, this would obviously be an interesting entry to their offering. Also I just yesterday started ripping my CD collection to FLAC, so having one DAP primarily for streaming (offline streaming mostly) and this one for FLACs and WAVs and such is a reasonable proposition, particularly if/when it looks nice and inviting. I'm just pretty unsure how much it would make difference for me, I'm not very good with noticing sound differences that are more nuances than obvious. Currently I'm mostly using Ibasso DX160 + Oriolus BA300s portable tube amp, so I wonder how the sound would be compared to that (which I like).

Also wondering if there's any point in using N3pro balanced out 4.4mm to Oriolus BA300s (4.4mm input) and then 4.4mm IEMs from the amp to have two kind of tubes available from N3pro as a source.

Also I recall some members saying this model "trickles down" some qualities from the higher priced Cayin models, can you specify what's particularly relevant?

I am not familiar with BA300s, but if I remember it right, it is specially designed to work with Sony ZX300, which is why their LxW dimension are the same. It doesn't have a volume control in place because it was designed to connect to phone out of ZX300, therefore if you were to use BA300 with N3Pro, you need to set the 4.4mm to phone out instead of line out. Other portable headphone amp will need to set the output to line out instead, so be careful with that.