[Jeffyue]

I would think bx4(v5i opamp) with n3pro LO is more warmer and bigger soundstage compare just n3pro alone.But not major difference. Just a step higher only. But that what i feel everyone hear difference and preference.

My BX4 on stock op amp...
A18t on O-module
using Violin solo with orchestra background for testing...
Volume matched

BX4 = 12year scotch (with blinking and interference)
N3Pro = 15year (in ultraline mode)
=18year (in Triode mode)
N3Pro ULmode LO BX4 = still a 15Yr but with noise


DX200+Amp9 = 21year scotch but with a layer of veil
N8 = 25year scotch, expansive and not as intimate as the other 3

So different modes using different tubes..
Not really one better than the others.

 

[Haden2866]

Early days, but I'm liking what I'm hearing very much so far. UL mode is sweeet. Haven't spent much time on triode or SS modes yet - will find some suitable triode source material and report back.
Streaming Tidal over AAC Bluetooth from my iPhone 8 Plus is stable, no drop-outs so far, and seems like a workable option, which comes as a surprise to this BT denier (bloody wires everywhere, my wife says).
I'm a huge fan of the green case - what a stylish bit of kit.
I'm in M gain setting using Flare Pro2HD IEM's at 60% vol.

 

[billyleungkt]

Hi Guys! Got mine yesterday. Here are some unboxing photos and my 1st impression. This DAP the fun part is you have 4 kinds of timbres.

1) Solid State: 3.5mm SE

2) Solid State: 4.4mm balanced

3) Tubes: (3.5mm only) Triode mode (TR)

4) Tubes: (3.5mm only) Ultralinear mode (UL)

I will focus on Tube modes here:

TR mode: it’s full body, more intimate vocal, sound stage is narrower (compare to UL). Smooth experience. I love this mode with Sade: Smooth Operator. YES. IT'S SO SMOOOOOTH!

UL mode: It’s warm as well, more dynamic and detail, more treble extension while keeping others. Sound stage is wider. Imaging and instruments seperation are very nice (Tested with Macy Gray, Eagles (Hell freezes over Japan edition), Armik). More versatile mode I would say.

I have an Ibasso DX160 too. Just AB test with 4.4mm SS balanced. I hear more details but smoother in Cayin than Ibasso. Cayin's tuning puts a smile on your face. I really enjoy the smoothness.

Btw, I just got a 7N pure silver cable with 3.5mm connector with my beloved Audiosense T800 IEM. It paired up really well

#N3PRO

#Cayin

#DAPWITHTUBES

 

[chaotic_angel]

helo @Andykong any definite future plan for N3Pro to support full unfolding MQA via software update?

 

[TnV26]

Just got my ER2XR today, it's my first Etymotic IEM. After burn it around 2 hours and paired with N3P, I would say it's the real deal!

The ER2XR bass quantity is less than Starfield, the bass feel tight, impactful and not muddy. That solve the thing that I complained about N3P not going well with fast bass attack song. Now I think the UL is suitable for all genres that I listen.

 

[KESM]

I have one on the way. I’ve had & sold a couple of DAPs...Fiio M9, Hiby R6 Pro...& a couple of portable HP amps....Vorzuge Pure II + and a Mojo/Poly combo. I’ve owned a transportable tube HP amp (Woo Audio WA8). All awesome for what it’s worth (headphone listening while on the go or mini hifi while in office). I currently have a Shanling Q1; a no frills device that’s keen on sound quality.

So...I’m curious on this hybrid offering of SS & tubes bundled into one unit.

 

[Haden2866]

Ok day 2 with no more than about 8 or 10 hours playtime on the N3 Pro and things are starting to get really interesting.
I've got my Lawton-modded Fostex TH-X00 out - these are incredible dynamic driver headphones (that make me look like Lobot from Cloud City, which is a bonus) but peaky in the upper mids and tricky to tame IMO.
I'm listening to the excellent Music for the Quiet Hour album by Shackleton, on TR mode, with a little EQ and it sounds phenomenal. Vengeance Tenfold is describing some far off dystopian future (turns out it was 2020) and it's just a warm fuzz of awesomeness.
The N3 Pro is certainly going to be versatile.

 

[hemtmaker]

I got my N3pro two days ago and I quite enjoy the tube sound in UL mode. I use the TRI mode if I want extra smoothness, it works really well on song that’s vocal focused. All the mid details just come alive. I didn’t spend too much time on 4.4 but it sounds pretty good from my brief listing time.

I do have a strange issue though. I was navigating to a few particular songs from the folder menu in the sdcard and while it is been played, I taped the option icon (three dots on the top right corner), the menu shows up but the song play will start to stutter and the screen will freeze and the player restarts. I can reproduce this behaviour with a few particular songs.
With the same song, if I tried navigating thru the Album menu, the freeze problem doesn’t occur.

I have also tried formatting the sdcard and reload the songs (windows does complain about errors on card and needed to do scan and fix), but the problem didn’t go away.

Anyone has a similar problem?

After doing more tests, I can confirm that my stutter/freeze/restart issues occurs when I have too many levels of subfolders in my sdcard. @Andykong, is this a design limitation?

 

[491326]

After doing more tests, I can confirm that my stutter/freeze/restart issues occurs when I have too many levels of subfolders in my sdcard. @Andykong, is this a design limitation?

This had me worrried, I have a lot of subfolder levels too

I have one on the way. I’ve had & sold a couple of DAPs...Fiio M9, Hiby R6 Pro...& a couple of portable HP amps....Vorzuge Pure II + and a Mojo/Poly combo. I’ve owned a transportable tube HP amp (Woo Audio WA8). All awesome for what it’s worth (headphone listening while on the go or mini hifi while in office). I currently have a Shanling Q1; a no frills device that’s keen on sound quality.

So...I’m curious on this hybrid offering of SS & tubes bundled into one unit.

how do you like the r6pro?

 

[seanwee]

This had me worrried, I have a lot of subfolder levels too



how do you like the r6pro?

This was a problem when i used the N8 as well. I thought it would have been fixed by now.

 

[Zachik]

After doing more tests, I can confirm that my stutter/freeze/restart issues occurs when I have too many levels of subfolders in my sdcard. @Andykong, is this a design limitation?

Please define "too many levels of subfolders"...

 

[oneula]

Just got my ER2XR today, it's my first Etymotic IEM. After burn it around 2 hours and paired with N3P, I would say it's the real deal!

The ER2XR bass quantity is less than Starfield, the bass feel tight, impactful and not muddy. That solve the thing that I complained about N3P not going well with fast bass attack song. Now I think the UL is suitable for all genres that I listen.

good to know about your finding as I ended up pairing my ER2XR with my Cayin N3 as my go to match after trying many combos, like the BLON 03, Final B1000, Zero Audio, ThieAudio L3

Based on the Little Bear BX4 comparison, I should try the tube sound of my burson opamp upgraded BX4 with my old N3 versus the N3 Pro coming to me soon

 

[pepitomanaloto]

I dig the green case. Gives me the Rolex vibe.

@Andykong, in 2-3 years, will there be an option to send the unit in for battery replacement?

 

[seanwee]

Please define "too many levels of subfolders"...

Folders inside folders inside folders inside folders inside folders.......

My deepest folder goes 14 layers in from the root folder

 

[Andykong]

My BX4 on stock op amp...
A18t on O-module
using Violin solo with orchestra background for testing...
Volume matched

BX4 = 12year scotch (with blinking and interference)
N3Pro = 15year (in ultraline mode)
=18year (in Triode mode)
N3Pro ULmode LO BX4 = still a 15Yr but with noise


DX200+Amp9 = 21year scotch but with a layer of veil
N8 = 25year scotch, expansive and not as intimate as the other 3

So different modes using different tubes..
Not really one better than the others.

N3Pro ULmode LO BX4? If you are using LO of N3Pro, the audio signal won't go through the vacuum tubes, so UL mode is not possible. If you are indeed using UL mode connected to BX4, you must have connected via the phone out instead of LO.

By the way, I don't drink, so I am not sure if I understand your analogy correctly, can I assume more years is always better?