[Podster]

I heard that using balanced output would greatly reduce the battery life, can someone tell me how many hours can the battery last?  Thanks.

I did not get to run my Tour N5 longer than two hours in balanced mode but it sounds awesome BO

aaDee can probably chime in as I know it's hus mode on his Zircon's

 

[regit]

+1 on sounding awesome in balanced mode.
 
Made a 2.5->3.5mm SE adapter just to test the sound, and to ensure the same cable is being used (and for quicker change between balanced and SE mdoe). In balanced mode, the sound is fuller, more 3-dimensional not to mention the usual perks of having wider sound stage and smoother presentation. Seems to extend further as well on the top end. The only downside is hissing, though not too intrusive when music starts playing.
 
I think the N5 is under-rated as compared to the current other lot in the same price bracket in terms of SQ, feature set and build. Alas, my pals didn't even want to consider it purely due to the looks, citing that N6 is a washing machine, and now N5 is a washing board! Luckily for me, beauty is in the eyes of the be-holder.
 
By the way, anyone try the theme tool and able to change the font sizes? In the playing screen, the fonts are too small and not showing the "title" of the song (I think now it is showing the filename instead). Also, would like to arrange the quick-menu item, I think having the "gain" setting as the first item is a SAFETY HAZARD!
 
Hi Andy, will the hissing be ever fixed or a done deal due to hardware limitation?

 

[nmatheis]

Hey regit. I called out the gain setting as a safety hazard in my review and recommended it be moved to the last item on the list, so all you need to do is scroll up one to get to it. I was actually bitten by this once, accidentally flipping the high gain switch with sensitive IEM inserted. YIKES!!!

 

[regit]

Hey @regit. I called out the gain setting as a safety hazard in my review and recommended it be moved to the last item on the list, so all you need to do is scroll up one to get to it. I was actually bitten by this once, accidentally flipping the high gain switch with sensitive IEM inserted. YIKES!!!

 
Hi nmatheis, yes, moving to the last place makes perfect sense, move up "add to favourite" to the 1st place will be perfect for me The thing is, the menu "M" button is a little iffy in operation, sometime it responded with a single click and bring up the menu, sometime it responded as a double click -> bring up the menu and change the gain!!! Yap, not pleasant when it happens

Hi Andy, please consider arranging this.

 

[MontMozart]

Hello Head-Fiers,
 
This is my first post, so thank you in advance for any help you can provide...
 
After reading this entire thread, I decided to go with the N5 over the AKJr and the X5II as my first advanced DAP.  I received it a couple of days ago and it sounds great and has been fairly easy to use.  I am having one problem though, I cannot get the album art to show up.  
 
I have the setting turned on. Album art does show up for 3 albums I have downloaded from HDTracks (the album art is embedded in a .pdf file).  I downloaded a bunch of album art for my other albums in .jpg format copied them over to the sd card in the player, updated the music library, played a song from the folder where the album art was copied and nothing, I just get the standard n5 violin background.  
 
Any ideas what formats the n5 supports?  Is there a size limit to the files?  Have others had success doing this?
 
Again, thanks for all the information in this thread and for all the other information at headfi. I am just a beginner as far as audiophiles go, but I will get there.  
MontMozart

 

[regit]

Hello Head-Fiers,

This is my first post, so thank you in advance for any help you can provide...

After reading this entire thread, I decided to go with the N5 over the AKJr and the X5II as my first advanced DAP.  I received it a couple of days ago and it sounds great and has been fairly easy to use.  I am having one problem though, I cannot get the album art to show up.  

I have the setting turned on. Album art does show up for 3 albums I have downloaded from HDTracks (the album art is embedded in a .pdf file).  I downloaded a bunch of album art for my other albums in .jpg format copied them over to the sd card in the player, updated the music library, played a song from the folder where the album art was copied and nothing, I just get the standard n5 violin background.  

Any ideas what formats the n5 supports?  Is there a size limit to the files?  Have others had success doing this?

Again, thanks for all the information in this thread and for all the other information at headfi. I am just a beginner as far as audiophiles go, but I will get there.  
MontMozart

Are the images in progressive scan format? I found such format will have issues with a lot of players, not just the N5.

 

[capnjack]

[/LIST]

Are the images in progressive scan format? I found such format will have issues with a lot of players, not just the N5.

Sounds to me like it could be your id tags might not have a cover attached. I find that I get less problem using a 500 / 500 image best.

 

[MontMozart]

Thanks Guys @Regit @Capnjack, I will take a look at both of your suggestions. The images I am using are pretty small, but I am not sure if they 500x500.  

 

[capnjack]

Thanks Guys @Regit @Capnjack, I will take a look at both of your suggestions. The images I am using are pretty small, but I am not sure if they 500x500.  

I use Tag Scanner for my id-3 tags, (it's a free download) and I've had no problems changing individual files or complete albums at a time.

 

[MontMozart]

Thanks @CapnJack, I downloaded Tag Scanner, added the album art through it and BINGO...it worked...regardless of the size of the jpg.  I am guessing this happened automatically through other ripping tools I have used (or at least I added the art through that tool); I am using EAC now and tagging the album cover art separately is now required, I guess.  Thanks for the help. 
 
MontMozart
 
P.S. - The N5 really is nice player, kudos to Cayin!!!

 

[Andykong]

New Firmware for Cayin N5 is up and available, I am sure this is the best Christmas gift for N5 users, check this out immediately, they are [COLOR=FF00AA]VERY HOT [/COLOR]

http://en.cayin.cn/news_view.asp?id=802



[COLOR=FF00AA]I. New Functions[/COLOR]

A. Added new SPFID Out function for DSD digital output. User can now specify DoP (DSD over PCM) or D2P (DSD to PCM) as digital output format when DSD file is played. For example, when connect N5 to a DAC that support DoP such as Cayin iDAC-6, Ne can opt to use DoP SPDIF Out format.
[COLOR=FF00AA]Attention[/COLOR]

• D2P/DoP is referring to the output format from SPDIF out when playback local music file within N5.
• When N5 connected to an external source such as PC or Network Player with USB output, the DAP can receive PCM, D2P or DoP signal through the micro-USB port, and the coaxial output will become a direct path with no digital signal processing involved. N5 will only output the digital signal as is, and display the file content on the screen directly.
• When coaxial is connected, N5 will support upto DSD64 format only when playback local music file, DSD128 or above will be skipped to avoid processing error.

B. Added new user-defined Playlist function, the procedure are as follows:

1. Add your music file to Playlist: At Playing Now screen, click M button to activate hidden menu, select ADD button to add current file to a playlist, the player will response by asking you to specify an existing playlist or create a new playlist for this item.
2. Play from a Playlist
   • You can recall the created Playlist from the Music Category Meun, click into the Playlist submenu and you should be able to see the list of playlist available.
   • Select the desirable playlist, click M button to activate hidden menu, and you can select Play icon to start the playlist.
   • Alternatively you can go into the playlist, select a file and start the playlist from there on.
3. Edit or delete a Playlist
   • Remove single document: Go to the playlist from Music Category menu, select the file that need to be removed, click M button to activate hidden menu, select "Rubbish Bin" button to remove the file from the list ([COLOR=FF00AA]Attention[/COLOR]: this operation will only remove the file from the playlist, it will not delete the file from the player.)
   • Remove the playlist: Select the playlist from the Music Category menu, select the file that need to be removed, click M button to activate hidden menu, select "Rubbish Bin" button to remove the file from the list

[COLOR=FF00AA]Attention:[/COLOR]

• The Playlist will be named as Playlist 1, Playlist 2, … by default
• To safeguard the overall operation stability, each playlist can hold upto [COLOR=FF00AA]1000[/COLOR] titles only.
• The player can maintain upto [COLOR=FF00AA]50[/COLOR] playlist.

C. Support M3U playlist created externally. If user has saved a M3U in a TF card, he/she can select the playlist through Music library or Music Category (after database update) Menu. Click Confirm button to explore and play the list as described previously.
[COLOR=FF00AA]Attention[/COLOR]

• Since externally created M3U playlist is composed by other applications, there might exist compatibility issues and causing the playlist cannot function as intended.
• To safeguard the overall operation stability, each playlist can hold upto [COLOR=FF00AA]1000[/COLOR] titles only.

D. Added new option to “Enable Hibernation” (Default as OFF) under System setup menu. User can now customise their power saving preference choosing among “Hibernation”, “Idle Shutdown” and/or “Scheduled Power Off”

E. Added Russian language as new UI option

[COLOR=FF00AA]II. Optimised Features[/COLOR]

1. The upper limit of Music Library increased from 5500 titles to 15,000 titles;
2. When switching between “EQ Off” to other EQ setting, the player will decrease the output by 6dB;
3. Reorganise the Music Library opening interface to the following order: TF Card 1, TF Card 2, Update the Music Library
4. Further improve playback control by make sure the player will memorise the path of music file, and allow you to back up step by step at any time of operation.
5. Other buds fixed and additional UI fine tune features.

Cayin N5 Firmware upgrade

For the hardware to function properly, Cayin has developed the N5 firmware to become the foundation of the system functions. Cayin will issue updated N5 firmware from time to time to improve the efficiency and performance of the hardware platform. We also want to improve and optimize the features and functions of the player through subsequent firmware updates.

[COLOR=FF00AA]Attention:[/COLOR]

• Each version of firmware might contain minor different, consumer please decide on your own accord whether you need to update the firmware of your N5 Player.
• Under normal circumstances, firmware upgrade will not cause any damage to user information, but Cayin cannot exclude the possibility of upgrade failure due to mal-operation or any other reason. For these reasons, you might be required to format your N5 player and result in losing person data stored on the player. We strongly suggest you backup all your personal data stored on the player before you perform firmware upgrade.
• The N5 firmware cannot be used in other product, and the firmware from other product cannot be used in N5

Firmware upgrade procedure

1. For safety reason, please make sure the player has sufficient battery power before. Please confirm the N5 player has not less than 50% battery power beforehand, otherwise please charge up the player before you proceed to firmware upgrade.
2. You can download the latest firmware from the Cayin website (http://en.cayin.cn/news.asp?keys=222).Decompress and copy the new N5 firmware file (n5.fw) into the root directory of a TF card (FAT32 formatted).
3. Switch off the player, insert the TF card into the TF slot 1 of the player
4. Hold Back button (Top right button under the screen of front panel) and Power button at the same time until the player find the firmware file and go into firmware upgrade mode. A time elapse bar will display to show the progress of the upgrade process.
5. Player will reboot at the end of the firmware upgrade. You can verify the current firmware version number by selecting System Setting menu, under “About the Player” option, check out the “Firmware Version” detail.

[COLOR=FF00AA]Attention:[/COLOR]

• Do not operate the machine during firmware upgrade
• Please delete/remove the firmware file from the TF card after firmware upgrade
• Please update your Music Library after firmware upgrade

 

[PinkyPowers]

Wow. Serious update. Well done Cayin!

 

[swannie007]

Uh oh, here we go again! Perhaps I'll just leave mine alone since the last fiasco trying to decompress the update file!
Let sleeping dogs lie.

 

[nmatheis]

Uh oh, here we go again! Perhaps I'll just leave mine alone since the last fiasco trying to decompress the update file!
Let sleeping dogs lie.

You can do it swannie007!!!

 

[capnjack]

Thanks @CapnJack, I downloaded Tag Scanner, added the album art through it and BINGO...it worked...regardless of the size of the jpg.  I am guessing this happened automatically through other ripping tools I have used (or at least I added the art through that tool); I am using EAC now and tagging the album cover art separately is now required, I guess.  Thanks for the help. 

MontMozart

P.S. - The N5 really is nice player, kudos to Cayin!!!

@MontMozart your welcome.

N5, stunning player in the flesh. Santa brought me an early present for mine today!


The black leather one!!!