[Andykong]

If Cayin can figure out how to pack a balanced ladder DAC into a portable they will have won the insanity in audiophile awesomeness award.

There are two R2R DAP scheduled to launch in 2018, HiFiman R2R2000 is based on PCM1704U and L&P LP6 is based on AD5790, so they should receive the award right away, let's offer a big round of applause to these brands for the insanity award.

From technical discussion purpose, The R-2R ladder DAC which is a binary-weighted DAC that uses a repeating cascaded structure of resistor values R and 2R. This improves the precision due to the relative ease of producing equal valued-matched resistors (or current sources). So R2R is not complicated if you can settle with 16bit only. But if you want higher resolution, the level of precision will increase exponentially. The AD5790 is rated at 20bit, and the PCM1704U is rated at 24bit (upt o 96kHz only). So is it really that attractive if we are limited to 20bit or 24bit, and then down convert all other signal before the actual DAC? In addition, DSD signal will need to convert to 20bit or 24bit PCM.

 

[PopZeus]

Yeah, @Andykong, they deserve props for being first to market. That price tag though O_o

Allow me to rephrase: If Cayin can release an R2R DAP and not have it cost $2500, that would be worth celebrating as an N6... Jussayin.

My personal experience is that resistor ladder DACs handle redbook CD audio [16-44.1] better than delta-sigma can. To my ears, it just sounds better. So if a DAP could only handle up to [24-96] I’d be okay with it as long as that overall quality was more listenable than a d-s DAC running at any bit/sample rate.

 

[mr8382004]

Hi, anybody encountering error when transferring file from PC to SD card in N5ii? The SD card becomes corrupt and I have to repair it with the tool provided in Windows. After repairing I just transfer files using card reader and everything goes fine. But when I do transfer again from PC to N5ii the error occurs again. I’d repeat the process many times and the problem still persist. I’ve not encountered this problem before, after updated to latest firmware the error still occurs. Is there a bug when using usb transfer or my SD card has a defect?

 

[originalsnuffy]

Hi, anybody encountering error when transferring file from PC to SD card in N5ii? .... Is there a bug when using usb transfer or my SD card has a defect?

I have also had that problem. It has been reduced with the latest firmware, but I still have USB transfer issues. The only solution I found is to resist doing large volumes of file transfers. I just break the transfers down into smaller pieces.

It is also problematic to transfer files from one sd card slot to the other.

I think the unit has a limited USB bus and limited CPU and the system can be overloaded. I would love to have Cayin address this also, and I have mentioned it before.

I was hoping that maybe the fix for USB output to external DAC units, when and if it comes, will help with the USB file transfer issues.

 

[mr8382004]

I have also had that problem. It has been reduced with the latest firmware, but I still have USB transfer issues. The only solution I found is to resist doing large volumes of file transfers. I just break the transfers down into smaller pieces.

It is also problematic to transfer files from one sd card slot to the other.

I think the unit has a limited USB bus and limited CPU and the system can be overloaded. I would love to have Cayin address this also, and I have mentioned it before.

I was hoping that maybe the fix for USB output to external DAC units, when and if it comes, will help with the USB file transfer issues.

@originalsnuffy
Thanks for sharing your experience. It's really strange because I've been using the DAP for the past six months and have transfer files (about 4 to 5 albums at a time) for several times and only last month that the problem occurs (even only one song transfer).
I really hope Cayin to look for this, because it's really bothersome to always takeout the SD card for file transfer.

 

[CongoFather]

Is it true that the price of N5ii is reduced to 299$ with free leather case in such a short time? With such a price policy, no one would ever buy Cayin products when it is just new released. It would be better to wait some time before buying a Cayin product!! It never happens for Astell Kern products. The price hardly changes which is good for its own customers.

https://shop.musicteck.com/products...y-digital-audio-player-with-free-leather-case

 

[Dobrescu George]

Is it true that the price of N5ii is reduced to 299$ with free leather case in such a short time? With such a price policy, no one would ever buy Cayin products when it is just new released. It would be better to wait some time before buying a Cayin product!! It never happens for Astell Kern products. The price hardly changes which is good for its own customers.

https://shop.musicteck.com/products...y-digital-audio-player-with-free-leather-case

Having overpriced products like Astell Ken, and never having sales is most certrainly never a good thing.

Even at its highest price point, N5ii provides better SQ than an AK DAP at double the price, so...

 

[seanwee]

Yeah, @Andykong, they deserve props for being first to market. That price tag though O_o

Allow me to rephrase: If Cayin can release an R2R DAP and not have it cost $2500, that would be worth celebrating as an N6... Jussayin.

My personal experience is that resistor ladder DACs handle redbook CD audio [16-44.1] better than delta-sigma can. To my ears, it just sounds better. So if a DAP could only handle up to [24-96] I’d be okay with it as long as that overall quality was more listenable than a d-s DAC running at any bit/sample rate.

That would take a fair bit of researching though. I have heard the Audio GD R2R-11 and R2R-7 and love their sound a lot though I think a DAP with equivalent SQ would be hard to achieve due to the nature of R2R dacs. They take up a lot of space and generate a lot of heat. Even if Cayin does pull it off I think they WILL have to charge a pretty penny still due to the RnD costs.

 

[seanwee]

Having overpriced products like Astell Ken, and never having sales is most certrainly never a good thing.

Even at its highest price point, N5ii provides better SQ than an AK DAP at double the price, so...

Which model specifically?

I have A/Bed the AK70ii with the N5ii and think the N5ii sounds slightly better. The AK70ii does have this special mellow tint to its sound which may appeal to some buyers though. A&K House sound perhaps?

 

[Dobrescu George]

Which model specifically?

I have A/Bed the AK70ii with the N5ii and think the N5ii sounds slightly better. The AK70ii does have this special mellow tint to its sound which may appeal to some buyers though. A&K House sound perhaps?

AK70ii is a good example.

Yes, AK tends to be warmer, smoother and mellower, I can see how some people like it for sure, but I think that they aren't price oriented, and the example above about AK not going on sales is really not a good example, AK should go on sale more often, and I think everyone will be happy that N5ii goes on sale sometimes.

 

[lengyeljani]

Is it true that the price of N5ii is reduced to 299$ with free leather case in such a short time? With such a price policy, no one would ever buy Cayin products when it is just new released. It would be better to wait some time before buying a Cayin product!! It never happens for Astell Kern products. The price hardly changes which is good for its own customers.

https://shop.musicteck.com/products...y-digital-audio-player-with-free-leather-case

I'm pretty sure that might be related to the necessary upgrade to N5iiS which Andy announced a couple of days ago. Still, I don't mind if someone is getting now this dap on sale... I was enjoying mine for months for the full price and it was worth it. Ok, maybe if I had bought it a week before a discount... that would annoy me

 

[PopZeus]

That would take a fair bit of researching though. I have heard the Audio GD R2R-11 and R2R-7 and love their sound a lot though I think a DAP with equivalent SQ would be hard to achieve due to the nature of R2R dacs. They take up a lot of space and generate a lot of heat. Even if Cayin does pull it off I think they WILL have to charge a pretty penny still due to the RnD costs.

I never said the challenge was easy! Haha. Call me a dreamer but I just want to be able to carry that sound with me wherever I go. Cayin seems to have enough savvy to innovate alongside trends, as evidenced by their announced flagship DAP being powered by frickin' tubes. They also don't have a DAP line (N6?) inbetween the $500 - $2500 range.... jussayin!

Heck, I'd be all for a d-s solution that could fool me. Something to compete with the HiBy?

 

[ngs428]

My only hope is that Cayin does not cut back on manpower supporting this model. Additional firmware revisions are needed.

 

[originalsnuffy]

Is it true that the price of N5ii is reduced to 299$ with free leather case in such a short time? With such a price policy, no one would ever buy Cayin products when it is just new released.

Well, this model had to be discontinued on short notice as explained above. Prices for DAP units go down on a constant basis. True of electronics in general.

 

[PinkyPowers]

It would be much weirder if the price didn't drop now that this model had to be discontinued.