Cayin N5ii Android based Master Quality Digital Audio Player

[seanwee]

Just discovered that you can issue a kill all tasks command by holding the play button.

It stops everything including the music player but it *might* be useful in the event of a total freeze.

 

[griff06]

Can you post the picture of how his is set up so that I can understand what he is referring to?

I posted it, post #1678.

But here it is again:

Thanks for looking into it

 

[Andykong]

This is the image of their configuration for the plug @CayinSupport @Andykong

Is this a 2.5mm TRRS? or 3.5mm TRRS? This looks like a 3.5mm TRRS following HiFiman pin assignment.

The balanced connector of N5ii use the 2.5mm balanced connectors, and the pin configuration is different, please check out the following diagram on N5ii manual.

Someone has compared the balanced output connectors as follows:

So you have plugged in an HiFiman compatibled 3.5mm balanced IEM to N5ii, I am surprised that you can hear music out of this. Please don't use it for the moment, you have to send the cable back to your supplier and ask him to re-terminate the cable according to the pin assingment provided above, and most important, with a 2.5mm TRRS connector.

 

[Andykong]

I posted it, post #1678.

But here it is again:

Spoiler

Thanks for looking into it

I see, I misunderstood he was referring to the configuration of the player, so he is referring to the pin assignment which I was suspect the cause of the problem in my first respond.

Anyway, the configuration is wrong, and most important, the wrong connector was used to start with.

 

[griff06]

Is this a 2.5mm TRRS? or 3.5mm TRRS? This looks like a 3.5mm TRRS following HiFiman pin assignment.

The balanced connector of N5ii use the 2.5mm balanced connectors, and the pin configuration is different, please check out the following diagram on N5ii manual.



Someone has compared the balanced output connectors as follows:

So you have plugged in an HiFiman compatibled 3.5mm balanced IEM to N5ii, I am surprised that you can hear music out of this. Please don't use it for the moment, you have to send the cable back to your supplier and ask him to re-terminate the cable according to the pin assingment provided above, and most important, with a 2.5mm TRRS connector.

Hi Andy thanks for replying,

It most definitely IS 2.5mm TRRS. The manufacturer says that this is the traditional 'correct' implementation of a balanced connector. But there seems to not be a universal adaption.

Ill show him your post and see what he says though,

Thanks

 

[griff06]

I see, I misunderstood he was referring to the configuration of the player, so he is referring to the pin assignment which I was suspect the cause of the problem in my first respond.

Anyway, the configuration is wrong, and most important, the wrong connector was used to start with.

see post #1685

 

[Andykong]

Hi Andy thanks for replying,

It most definitely IS 2.5mm TRRS. The manufacturer says that this is the traditional 'correct' implementation of a balanced connector. But there seems to not be a universal adaption.

Ill show him your post and see what he says though,

Thanks

This is unbelievable, there is only ONE common pin assignment for 2.5mm TRRS balanced headphone that was originally proposed by AK and Cayin has adopted this standard pin assignment since N5 back in 2015. I do not recall any alternative pin assignment on 2.5mm balanced headphone.

The pin assignment that he adopted to your cable only appears on 3.5mm balanced headphone, I was under the impression that since he used the pin assignment for 3.5mm headphone, he should have used a 3.5mm connector.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Hi Andy thanks for replying,

It most definitely IS 2.5mm TRRS. The manufacturer says that this is the traditional 'correct' implementation of a balanced connector. But there seems to not be a universal adaption.

Ill show him your post and see what he says though,

Thanks

The manufacturer is wrong. I do not think there is any DAP that uses that configuration. Everybody uses the Astell&Kern pinout.

 

[griff06]

The manufacturer is wrong. I do not think there is any DAP that uses that configuration. Everybody uses the Astell&Kern pinout.

sent you a messgae @PinkyPowers

 

[Andykong]

The manufacturer is wrong. I do not think there is any DAP that uses that configuration. Everybody uses the Astell&Kern pinout.

If he is referring to the pin configuration, then HiFiman has used that pin configuration on 3.5mm TRRS.

This is the first time ever I saw someone copied the 3.5mm pin configuration to 2.5mm connector.

 

[PinkyPowers]

If he is referring to the pin configuration, then HiFiman has used that pin configuration on 3.5mm TRRS.

This is the first time ever I saw someone copied the 3.5mm pin configuration to 2.5mm connector.

I don't consider that the same because hes using 2.5mm.

 

[Andykong]

N5ii has several ongoing bugs/issues for usb-out function last of which I have quoted below. It is not stable enough to use with an external dac/amplifier like Mojo, IFI Micro IDSD currently. However, cheaper N3 seems to be a better option and is more stable than N5ii to use as a transport.. If you try N5ii otg usb-out with 3.1En, you'll probably hate it. But at least usb type-c to coax function works fine without problems, but unfortunately, you can not play DSD files over coax..

It is better to wait for a while and see whether they will fix the issues for otg usb connection, or not.

You can play DSD files over coaxial with N5ii. You need to set the DSD mode in the Music setting to DoP, and if your DAC is DoP ready, it will decode the DSD bitstream correctly.

I don't have Mojo or Micro iDSD with me, so I use the Cayin iDAC-6 as example, and I use Cayin's USB-C to RCA coaxial cable in this connection. Please pardon the wrong white balance of my mobile phone.

The detail of the Cayin coaxial cable:
http://en.cayin.cn/products_info?itemid=101

The iDAC-6 screen has confirmed that it is connected to coaxial, and is decoding a DSD64 music file.

 

[Wyville]

there is only ONE common pin assignment for 2.5mm TRRS balanced headphone that was originally proposed by AK and Cayin has adopted this standard pin assignment since N5 back in 2015.

Just curious, is the balanced out on your DAP similar in signature to the SE out? I am currently using the AK70 and have started having doubts about the laid-back character of its balanced out, as it recently gave me some synergy issues with a cable I am reviewing. So I am wondering if I might need to add another DAP with 2.5mm balanced out.

 

[Andykong]

Just curious, is the balanced out on your DAP similar in signature to the SE out? I am currently using the AK70 and have started having doubts about the laid-back character of its balanced out, as it recently gave me some synergy issues with a cable I am reviewing. So I am wondering if I might need to add another DAP with 2.5mm balanced out.

I would like to invite @PinkyPowers to share his exoexperie on this subject, please!

 

[PinkyPowers]

Just curious, is the balanced out on your DAP similar in signature to the SE out? I am currently using the AK70 and have started having doubts about the laid-back character of its balanced out, as it recently gave me some synergy issues with a cable I am reviewing. So I am wondering if I might need to add another DAP with 2.5mm balanced out.

Balanced out on the N5ii is not laid-back. I wish I could compare it to the AK70, to see exactly what you're saying. But overall, the signature from the 2.5 and the 3.5 is quite close.

One thing I've experienced with the large variety of balanced DAPs I've tested, is they tend to sound less warm compared to their single-ended output. I have a theory this is due to the loss of low-level noise. So low-level, you don't exactly notice it... until it's gone. I think this low-level noise from single-ended presents to our human ears as warmth and fullness. When it's gone, the signature sounds a little thinner. But only in comparison. On it's own, a good Balanced DAP will still have a nice full sound. Just clearer, bigger, and with better separation.