[XP_98]

Hello
I have a newly bought (here) N6ii, and want to feed it with a Sandisk Extreme Pro 512 GB.
- How should I finally format the sd card : ExFAT or Fat32 ?
- Windows only gives me the choice between ExFAT and NTFS...
- I didn't find a way to format the card inside the DAP, normal ?

 

[DaYooper]

If I need a fat32 format I just use my AK Kann to erase the card and it formats them. I have solved some problems in my iBasso DAPs by formatting to fat32 but it's a PITA. AndyKong has said exfat should work just fine in the Cayin N6ii and that's how I run my 1tb card in mine with no issues

BTW, you can format the card in the N6ii, go into settings-storage-sd card-the three dots in the upper right corner will get you the option for card settings.

 

[XP_98]

Thank you

 

[Taz777]

Hello
I have a newly bought (here) N6ii, and want to feed it with a Sandisk Extreme Pro 512 GB.
- How should I finally format the sd card : ExFAT or Fat32 ?
- Windows only gives me the choice between ExFAT and NTFS...
- I didn't find a way to format the card inside the DAP, normal ?

I use a Sandisk 512GB micro-SD card in my N6ii. You shouldn't need to format it at all. Just put it into the N6ii and it should be recognised - make sure you insert it correctly and that it 'clicks' into place. I found that using a fingernail ensures that it is inserted correctly. By default it will come formatted as ExFAT, which is the correct format for cards with a capacity of 64GB or greater.

 

[111MilesToGo]

Hello
I have a newly bought (here) N6ii, and want to feed it with a Sandisk Extreme Pro 512 GB.
- How should I finally format the sd card : ExFAT or Fat32 ?
- Windows only gives me the choice between ExFAT and NTFS...
- I didn't find a way to format the card inside the DAP, normal ?

If I need a fat32 format I just use my AK Kann to erase the card and it formats them. I have solved some problems in my iBasso DAPs by formatting to fat32 but it's a PITA. AndyKong has said exfat should work just fine in the Cayin N6ii and that's how I run my 1tb card in mine with no issues

BTW, you can format the card in the N6ii, go into settings-storage-sd card-the three dots in the upper right corner will get you the option for card settings.

I use a Sandisk 512GB micro-SD card in my N6ii. You shouldn't need to format it at all. Just put it into the N6ii and it should be recognised - make sure you insert it correctly and that it 'clicks' into place. I found that using a fingernail ensures that it is inserted correctly. By default it will come formatted as ExFAT, which is the correct format for cards with a capacity of 64GB or greater.

Sunday, good time to post here ... despite the current 2nd and big wave of Corona building up here in Europe (Germany in my case). Stay healthy, everybody!

This is a little heads-up on using an SD card with Qobuz, in particular for importing music in order to listen to offline.

I had formatted my new Samsung Extreme Pro microSDXC 1 TB as FAT32, directly on the N6ii‘s Android 8.1. This formatting is non-default, i.e. it got shipped with exFAT, and Windows would only put an exFAT onto it. I had decided to use FAT32 as a precautionary measure due to


I use Qobuz for streaming, and I wanted to import a couple of albums for offline listening. Qobuz stores such files in a format known from YouTube, .exo files (Google), where each track is stored in chunks of 2 MB files, encrypted. All such files are placed in one directory by the Qobuz app. Depending on audio resolution, the number of chunk files is much larger than the number of tracks, easily 10 to 100-fold or more.

I had read up on the limitations of FAT32 beforehand, but this didn‘t prepare me for what happened in Qobuz. When my imports crossed the 32 GB mark, i.e. more than 16,384 files, things went bananas: Import downloads failed, the imported music couldn‘t be looked at, even the entire Qobuz app would crash at some point. Actually, I have not seen any limitation on the number of files per subdirectory like this small number, but maybe I‘m mistaken.

So I went back to the default and formatted the SD card as exFAT using Windows. I made double-sure to check the limit on files per subdirectory. Starting my imports all over again - all file system issues are cured. I am at some 36 GB now, more than 18,000 chunk files in that particular directory on SD; these are just 30 or so albums.

Thus, if you plan on doing such a - maybe silly - thing in Qobuz as I do, import quite some albums for local storage, be advised to use exFAT formatting for your SD card. Nota bene: No experience on my side available yet on the issue talked about by Andykong in the quote above.

Furthermore: Why this ”maybe silly“ remark? I notice that it takes an awfully long time to read this particular import directory after booting the N6ii, either in the Android file manager or in Qobuz. And I am not even at 10% of the albums I wanted to import in Qobuz... Does anybody with more Android knowledge than me know how the SD card and this particular import directory gets read right away when switching the N6ii on? What I am doing right now is navigate to this directory in file manager, and ask it to display the properties, then wait...

But then, maybe I need to get more used to the fact that a DAP just is not a computer, and not even a state-of-the-art phone (like my iPhone X) regarding IT capabilities ...

I would recommend exFAT based on my experience given in my previous post (cf. the last quote). Just start out thus hoping it won‘t stutter or skip, as reported to Andykong in some rare cases.

Myself, I have like 40 to 50 albums imported in Qobuz, close to 50 GB. No issue observed up to now, neither while importing nor while listening.

Remark: If you unexpectedly would need a FAT32 formatted SD card, Windows wouldn‘t be your friend. But the N6ii does FAT32 on its own (cf. above). Beyond that, a Linux PC would be at your service.

 

[Taz777]

I'm really missing my N6ii at the moment. Being without it whilst it is being repaired, I realise just how good a device it is. I've even looked around for a comparable DAP and there's nothing that can provide me with:

1. I2S transport capability
2. Digital coax output
3. Class A sound quality (with E01 module)
4. System-wide DTA bypassing Android's SRC
5. Changeable motherboards
6. Good battery life
7. Compatible with numerous headphones
8. A fairly good Android implementation allowing you to install great third-party apps like UAPP
9. Native MQA capability with the latest firmware
10. A very attractive design that oozes class, more so with some of the excellent third-party cases available for it

Honestly guys, if you have an N6ii then make the most of it. It's one of the most versatile DAPs ever released. It's a travel DAP, a desktop DAC (with line out option on some modules), a digital transport, a streamer, Bluetooth capability and an MQA renderer.

The only negative I can think of is that it has a slightly underpowered SOC. I hope in a few year's time Cayin bring out a successor to the N6ii that builds upon such a fantastically versatile platform.

I hope I get my repaired N6ii back before Christmas!

 

[111MilesToGo]

I'm really missing my N6ii at the moment. Being without it whilst it is being repaired, I realise just how good a device it is. I've even looked around for a comparable DAP and there's nothing that can provide me with

...

I hope I get my repaired N6ii back before Christmas!

+1 all over.

Please let us know how the repair goes. Is your unit going back to China for repair?

BTW, the latest HiBy R8 seems to tick all boxes except for the interchangeable modules. In particular, the SoC and the UI snappiness are reported to have advanced a lot.

 

[Taz777]

@111MilesToGo Yes, it should be on its way to China.

 

[111MilesToGo]

I found the FiiO CEO posts on Facebook quite enlightening, in particular ## 9 and 10:
https://m.facebook.com/FiiOAUDIO/po...es-of-chinese-players-exyno/3073187566072089/
https://m.facebook.com/FiiOAUDIO/po...reen-unexpected-twists-and-/3078427635548082/
The stories are about the difficulties that DAP manufacturers as a boutique industry are facing, esp. wrt to SoC‘s and display screens.

 

[hellfire8888]

I'm really missing my N6ii at the moment. Being without it whilst it is being repaired, I realise just how good a device it is. I've even looked around for a comparable DAP and there's nothing that can provide me with:

1. I2S transport capability
2. Digital coax output
3. Class A sound quality (with E01 module)
4. System-wide DTA bypassing Android's SRC
5. Changeable motherboards
6. Good battery life
7. Compatible with numerous headphones
8. A fairly good Android implementation allowing you to install great third-party apps like UAPP
9. Native MQA capability with the latest firmware
10. A very attractive design that oozes class, more so with some of the excellent third-party cases available for it

Honestly guys, if you have an N6ii then make the most of it. It's one of the most versatile DAPs ever released. It's a travel DAP, a desktop DAC (with line out option on some modules), a digital transport, a streamer, Bluetooth capability and an MQA renderer.

The only negative I can think of is that it has a slightly underpowered SOC. I hope in a few year's time Cayin bring out a successor to the N6ii that builds upon such a fantastically versatile platform.i
I hope I get my repaired N6ii back before Christmas!

yeah agree.. n6 mk2 is good.

 

[Taz777]

I found the FiiO CEO posts on Facebook quite enlightening, in particular ## 9 and 10:
https://m.facebook.com/FiiOAUDIO/po...es-of-chinese-players-exyno/3073187566072089/
https://m.facebook.com/FiiOAUDIO/po...reen-unexpected-twists-and-/3078427635548082/
The stories are about the difficulties that DAP manufacturers as a boutique industry are facing, esp. wrt to SoC‘s and display screens.

Very interesting articles! Thanks!

 

[starck86]

A02 came in today. Just plugged it into the N6ii and am listening via 3.5mm LO to a Quicksilver tube headphone amp. Initial impressions are very good. Personally I think it seems like a step up from E02, but I have been listening for all of 3 minutes, so bear with me.

edit: it’s time to get some work done and do some testing. Pic added. : )

 

[qsk78]

Guys, for those who are planning to use the A02 module, what is your scenario of usage?
Do you still use the n6ii as a normal DAP with any other modules?
So basically every time you want to connect to your home desktop amplifier (or any portable amplifier) you take a screwdriver and switch the modules? How many times a day?
I personally find it very weird...

Any plans to produce a normal DAP module (let's call it A03)? Thanks.

 

[nsk1979]

Guys, for those who are planning to use the A02 module, what is your scenario of usage?
Do you still use the n6ii as a normal DAP with any other modules?
So basically every time you want to connect to your home desktop amplifier (or any portable amplifier) you take a screwdriver and switch the modules? How many times a day?
I personally find it very weird...

Any plans to produce a normal DAP module (let's call it A03)? Thanks.

That is main reason why I said that is not my cup of tea (or vodka )

 

[Taz777]

Guys, for those who are planning to use the A02 module, what is your scenario of usage?
Do you still use the n6ii as a normal DAP with any other modules?
So basically every time you want to connect to your home desktop amplifier (or any portable amplifier) you take a screwdriver and switch the modules? How many times a day?
I personally find it very weird...

Any plans to produce a normal DAP module (let's call it A03)? Thanks.

I see A02 as more of a permanent fixture in an audio system, and it would remove the requirement of needing an external DAC. All you need is a speaker or headphone amp. I don't it's really practical to switch modules several times a day.