[seanwee]

RMB199 converted is $28 vs N3 Pro being priced at $479. While I have been critical of some of the Cayin's previous DAP cases, this one is actually very good, with a secure fit and a design similar to popular dignis cases. I personally think it is not that expensive, considering dignis cases usually cost 3x more.

The price makes it look like they are meant to be bundled together as a $500 package.

 

[Andykong]

Looking forward to your full review!

I have a question. How long does N3Pro takes to start up?
To me, start up time (seconds) is very important since 10 sec on Hidizs AP80ProCP is no problem at all, but 45 sec on SA700 is really long to me and actually often get me away of start listening.
I know tube requires additional 15 secs or so to warm up, but it might be much faster than A&K including tube warm up?

I just timed my N3Pro. With a 3.5mm earphone plug in before power up, it takes 11sec to complete the power up process and pop up the preheating vacuum tube notification, and then I heard the first music not after 5 sec. So total power up + warm up process is 16 seconds.

 

[Andykong]

I'm keen to hear some reviews on the N3Pro. There is no Cayin dealer in my area, so any purchase for me has to be based on reviews.

Tube sound in a relatively affordable dap is appealing to me, other features like streaming not so much as I mostly listen to whole albums that I own (plus can use my Pioneer/Mojo combination for occasional streaming).

For some reason I have never auditioned daps, despite hearing a lot of different headphones. I suppose I always assumed that when money allowed I would aim for a decent desk top solution.

However, from what I read DAPs have improved significantly over the last few years and some higher end headphones have become easier to drive.
My direction is therefore away from desk top and purely on portable. I want to be able to listen to my music wherever and whenever I want.

Having not upgrade for a few years I recently got the urge and found a good deal (and had some available funds!) which resulted in me purchasing the Focal Stellia.

I now feel that my aging Cowon P1 and ancient Colorfly C4 are probably not getting the best out of the Stellia.
Do I think that the N3Pro will? No, I don't, but I do wonder how a mid-tier dap of today stacks up against the 5 year old P1 and 10 year old Colorfly, considering how much progress I have read about.

I know I probably need a higher level dap to get the best out of the Stellia, however funds won't allow that for a year or two.

If the N3Pro isn't considered a big step down from the above players and offers a nice tube flavour that I know I will really enjoy then I may add to my collection.

The early reviews don't translate well on google, so hard to form an opinion as of yet. To me they seem to be fairly positive about the tube sound, but my interpretation of them is that perhaps the sub bass quantity might not be there in the lower ranges.

A desktop tube headphone amplifier can be "relatively" affordable, the HA-1AMK2 is available at $899.

Google translate cover daily life content pretty well, but when you need to deal with technical, niche market content that involve a lot of jargons, it won't work very well. Given the delay in logistic, we probably will be able to read some review or preview from reliable sources before they are available on local retail channel, so please wait, it won't delay the final purchase IMHO.

 

[Andykong]

Waiting to audit this unit. Love 4.4mm Lineout feature a lot.

Be reminded that 3.5mm line out is a dedicated, unamplified line out, the 4.4mm line out of N3Pro is a shared fixed voltage output from headphone amplification circuit.

But there isn't a lot of equipment support 4.4mm balanced line input, wander what is your intend usage, connect the player to a portable balanced headphone amplifer?

 

[marcusd]

Our comprehensive introduction to the N3Pro with initial sound and pairing impressions is now published on Headfonics

https://headfonics.com/cayin-n3pro-first-contact/

 

[rbf1138]

I’m sure there’s ample discussion of this

Our comprehensive introduction to the N3Pro with initial sound and pairing impressions is now published on Headfonics

https://headfonics.com/cayin-n3pro-first-contact/

Appreciated these first impressions! In your review please be sure to address whether you feel the player is more than just a novelty. I love the idea that this could really perform well in both tube and solid state modes, especially if the price of the unit is a result of this (given that it’s screen and cpu are older and presumably cheaper than something like the dx160s screen). I personally prefer to pay less for those aspects of a player and hope the cost is being spent towards the components that effect the audio quality.

 

[Licht]

I just timed my N3Pro. With a 3.5mm earphone plug in before power up, it takes 11sec to complete the power up process and pop up the preheating vacuum tube notification, and then I heard the first music not after 5 sec. So total power up + warm up process is 16 seconds.

Thanks a lot!
That's quite fast even just for a tube amp.

 

[maira]

Our comprehensive introduction to the N3Pro with initial sound and pairing impressions is now published on Headfonics

https://headfonics.com/cayin-n3pro-first-contact/

Thanks! Do you think SQ is on par with N5ii (s) ? Or is it kind of down grade?

 

[marcusd]

Thanks! Do you think SQ is on par with N5ii (s) ? Or is it kind of down grade?

I am not sure yet, have not compared them.

 

[jeffri]

Be reminded that 3.5mm line out is a dedicated, unamplified line out, the 4.4mm line out of N3Pro is a shared fixed voltage output from headphone amplification circuit.

But there isn't a lot of equipment support 4.4mm balanced line input, wander what is your intend usage, connect the player to a portable balanced headphone amplifer?

I'm thinking to connect the N3pro to WA11 with the balanced line output. Would that work great? The WA11 recommends that the ground is connected when using 4.4mm to 4.4mm cable, is this the case with N3pro?

Basically, this will allow me to connect using Bluetooth to N3pro, and amplified using WA11 to my headphones.

 

[Zachik]

@Andykong do you see any potential issue using IEMs with 2.5mm balanced cable --> adapter plug or pigtail --> 3.5mm headphone out (for tube modes)?
I know there is a risk damaging the DAP by connecting SE 3.5mm IEM (through adapter) to the balanced (2.5mm or 4.4mm), because the adapter shorts the ground from L and R channels. The above should work safely... correct?

 

[Andykong]

@Andykong do you see any potential issue using IEMs with 2.5mm balanced cable --> adapter plug or pigtail --> 3.5mm headphone out (for tube modes)?
I know there is a risk damaging the DAP by connecting SE 3.5mm IEM (through adapter) to the balanced (2.5mm or 4.4mm), because the adapter shorts the ground from L and R channels. The above should work safely... correct?

I hope I get this right. If you have a 2.5mm balanced headphone, you can convert it into singled-end with appropriate converter 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter. However if you are using a single-ended headphone (terminated in 3.5mm), you cannot use a 3.5mm to 2.5mm adapter to plug that into a 2.5mm headphone output. I am not a qualified electrical engineer, so please correct me if I make any mistake here.

Cayin makes two headphone adapters.
PH-4X is a 2.5mm female to 4.4mm males adapter,

PH-35X is a 4.4mm female to 3.5mm male adapter.
https://www.biccamera.com.e.lj.hp.transer.com/bc/item/8166561/

 

[Andykong]

I'm thinking to connect the N3pro to WA11 with the balanced line output. Would that work great? The WA11 recommends that the ground is connected when using 4.4mm to 4.4mm cable, is this the case with N3pro?

Basically, this will allow me to connect using Bluetooth to N3pro, and amplified using WA11 to my headphones.

Yes, the ground is connected in the 4.4mm port of N3Pro. Technically it works, but since the audio signal go through the headphone amp circuit, so you double-amped in your stack.

 

[jeffri]

Yes, the ground is connected in the 4.4mm port of N3Pro. Technically it works, but since the audio signal go through the headphone amp circuit, so you double-amped in your stack.

Awesome, thanks. Yeah, I'm not super concerned about double-amping. It's just one use case I'm thinking about, if the N3pro works good enough on its own to my headphones, I might never feel the need to add additional amp. But otherwise, it's good to have this option available.

 

[twister6]

@Andykong do you see any potential issue using IEMs with 2.5mm balanced cable --> adapter plug or pigtail --> 3.5mm headphone out (for tube modes)?
I know there is a risk damaging the DAP by connecting SE 3.5mm IEM (through adapter) to the balanced (2.5mm or 4.4mm), because the adapter shorts the ground from L and R channels. The above should work safely... correct?

That is exactly what I have in the picture I shared before, cable with 2.5mm termination going to 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter and into 3.5mm jack of N3 Pro in tube mode.