Just a personal observation, but from a reviewer perspective, rather than a consumer, I find it interesting how, for example, the L&P DAPs thread has hardly any complaints about their $3.5k-$4.5k audio players with a more primitive user interface (in comparison to N3U) or their lack of wi-fi/streaming. And the same with LPGT and lack of wi-fi/streaming. Or SP3000T with the same dual JAN6418 tubes having a similar battery performance of 10+ hrs with a solid opamp and 6.5-7hrs with tubes (while I'm getting about 7.5hrs with N3U under the same playback conditions, Tubes).
So, could it be that customers of the upper-end flagship daps are less critical than customers or potential buyers of the entry-level dap models like N3U? Or maybe a different level of expectations? I would think the opposite, because, tbh, I'm very impressed by the sound of N3U in Classic Tube mode.