Cayin N3Ultra: an Entry-level Portable DAP that Delivers a Complete Vacuum Tube Audio Experience

[Wes S]

Same here - looking for a new portable DAP

Me too, to pair with the Bokeh, and this just went to the top of my list. Love me some tubes!

 

[Alexzander]

Is JAN6418 being used as buffer?

Probably as it is the only way on how to achieve this on BAL outputs.

 

[LinstantX]

But this is very interesting. I hope the price will be reasonable.

 

[Andykong]

What is the expected price?

But this is very interesting. I hope the price will be reasonable.

The N3Ultra will be available by early April 2024, and we shall announce the retail price and provide full specifications and technical details of the new DAP by the end of March.

Off the record, this is an update/facelift to N3Pro after a long 4 years of waiting, we placed the N3Ultra in more or less the same market position as N3Pro, so we shall price the N3Ultra in a very similar price bracket, plus 4 years of present value adjustment.

 

[Andykong]

I wonder what the DAC is...

AKM 4493S, more details will be available this coming Thursday.

 

[Andykong]

Will we have tube timbre on 4.4 balanced in Ultra ? what is the DAC ?

Will the tubes work in line out? And is this android based?

Yes, Tube Timbre will apply to all FOUR analog outputs, namely the

• 3.5mm single-ended phone out,
• 4.4mm balanced phone out,
• 3.5mm single-ended line out, and
• 4.4mm balanced line out.

 

[Andykong]

Hopefully better SOC for more usable GUI?
Still love my original N3Pro...

I can promise a significantly faster and more powerful SoC when compared to N3Pro.

 

[Andykong]

Very interesting I love my N3pro hope there's no 20,000 song limit this time.

The 20,000 index limit is history.

the N3Pro was launched back in 2020 when a 256G TF card was the norm, so we considered 20,000 was an acceptable compromise when we developed the system for N3Pro. We definitely won't impose a similar limitation in 2024 when a 1TB TF card is the norm and we have 2TB announced already.

 

[Andykong]

Is JAN6418 being used as buffer?

The honest answer is I am not sure, technical detail like this is not covered in the manual or product page. I tested the N3Ultra prototype just before Christmas, and the circuitry had not been finalized by that time. I'll be visiting Cayin headquarters this coming Tuesday and Wednesday, I'll meet the engineering team during this visit and find out more "unpublished" technical detail in due course, that's why I promised to update everyone by Thursday evening, so please stay tuned.

 

[rush1]

This gets me excited! As I am looking for a portable to accompany my n8ii, looking forward to it.

 

[sofastreamer]

good news, thank you cayin! i guess it wont be possible to stream tidal in any way!? I assume only when used as an usb dac, right?

 

[kcsound777]

Is this Android based where I can use Google play store apps?

 

[Andykong]

good news, thank you cayin! i guess it wont be possible to stream tidal in any way!? I assume only when used as an usb dac, right?

Is this Android based where I can use Google play store apps?

Sorry, N3U does not support the installation of third-party applications.

 

[coldrain]

Sorry, N3U does not support the installation of third-party applications.

I have not prefered android DAP because, slow boot-up speed and a lot more interference. In a consequence, is it any in-house app for tidal just like m1s did?

 

[Kobe4ever]

Sorry, N3U does not support the installation of third-party applications.

It’s no possible to use app streaming with this DAP ?