Staff Cayin seem to live on the famous principle: “I came, I saw, I conquered”. Having achieved success in the “big Hi-Fi”, they drew attention to the portable market and released there one after the other 3 is a very good player, won a notable niche. Recently the company decided to try itself in the budget segment and has presented N3.
The player does not began to save, it is equipped with popular chip AK4490 in the role of the DAC, which immediately inspires a timid optimism. For amplifier did not regret the power and tried to make a low-power “mobile” solution N3 produces a full 130 milliwatts per channel at a load of 32Ω. Equipped player and wireless Bluetooth support with APT-X. there was a place for additional pleasant buns of USB type-C port. Despite the power N3 compact and very long running on battery (usually it turns out to achieve a maximum of two points from these three). Well, the icing on the cake was the price, sold by Cayin N3 for about $ 160 (may vary slightly depending on the country).
Specifications
- DAC: AK4490EN
- OH: OPA1652 + OPA1622
- Frequency range: 20Hz – 20kHz（±0.3 dB)，5 Hz – 50 kHz（±2 dB)
- Dynamic range: 108 dB
- Total harmonic distortion+noise: 0,03% @ 1 kHz
- The ratio signal/noise: 108 dB
- Power: 2 × 130 mW @ 32Ω
- Output impedance: ≤1Ω
- Bluetooth: 4.0 with APT-X codec
- Memory card: MicroSD up to 256 GB
- Headphone output: 3.5 mm TRRS support CTIA headsets, S/PDIF adapter through USB output
- Input: USB-C support USB DAC, USB Audio, USB OTG
- Support file formats: WAV, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC, APE, WMA (lossless and lossy), OGG, MP3
- Supported resolution: up to 384 kHz for WAV and AIFF, up to 192 kHz for FLAC, ALAC, APE, up to 96 kHz APE and WMA Lossless
- DSD support: up to DSD256, DSF, DFF, SACD ISO
- USB DAC: 192 kHz/24 bit, DSD up to 128
- Work time from a single charge: up to 12 hours.
- Charging time: ~2 hours
- Screen: TFT 2.4″, 400 × 360
- Dimensions: 100 mm × 54 mm × 13 mm
- Weight: ~100 g
Packing and delivery
Of course, in the budget segment expect frills frankly stupid, but You tried to do everything to give the maximum possible for the money. The box is made of white cardboard, inside is a dense insert with by the player and a box of accessories. The last one is quite a lot for the price range: spare screen protectors, rubber case to protect the player, the USB-C cable, user manual and even a pair of stickers “High Res” for fans of these Golden rectangles.
In General, the kit has everything you need and the aesthetics fans can buy a sheath from leather, fortunately it is inexpensive. Additionally sells rubber covers a variety of bright colors (Oh, how I miss “the Apple Socks”).
Design and management
Not to say that the N3 turned in some particularly masterpiece in terms of appearance, but for the budget segment it is quite good. The front part is made of aluminum, the choice is offered several colors for the plastic back panel for some reason placed the faux-leather. Initially, it was spoiled by some ugly sticker that is stuck at the bottom, but he easily removed without leaving residue. Externally, the player is reminiscent of the classic phones from good manufacturers — a neat brick of metal with rounded edges, high-quality paint, paste the screen on the front panel is nostalgic for favorite Nokia and Sony Ericsson.
The controls are not stingy. On the left side is a power button and a lock, and a double “rocker” volume. On the right side — three buttons control playback and slot for MicroSD-cards. On the lower side are located the headphone output, combined with linear (function switchable in the menu) and USB socket. Last port as functional: charging, access to the memory card, the USB DAC function, read flash drives, USB OTG, audio output to external DACs and even coaxial output with a special adapter. In General, in terms of external communications, the player simply has no equal. It is also worth noting that the player maintains control of the headset buttons, if it is equipped with headphones, it greatly improves the usability.
Since I started talking about charging, can not fail to note the impressive work. In the standard test (MEE Audio P1 in the role of the load, low gain, volume 40, FLAC 44.1 kHz/16 bit) the operating time was 11 hours and 35 minutes and the battery is charging 2 hours 10 minutes, in General on the autonomy of the player is clearly good.
The front panel houses the screen and navigation buttons. The screen is quite good for its price range, it has good resolution and color reproduction, but the behavior in the sun and small angles give it the budget. However, taking into account price categories require much more however.
Control buttons the player’s touch, and this is probably his biggest drawback. These buttons exactly 5, a Central circular serves to confirm the selection, the bottom two — for the navigation, top left opens a submenu on the playback screen, the top right need to return back. Unfortunately, the buttons are deprived of illumination, so in the darkness it is difficult to get, and at first, the possible mistakes. To add the buttons responsiveness, Cayin is built into the player haptic feedback, as this is certainly not the haptic feedback from Apple, but, fortunately, this feature can be disabled in the settings menu. Overall after some getting used to using these buttons it is possible, but this is clearly not the most ergonomic solution. Don’t know what to do prevent all the buttons are “real”, it would remove all claims to the player, but apparently “wanted as better, and it turned out as always”. However, thank you Cayin for the fact that the volume and playback controls are placed on a separate hardware buttons at the ends of the device, it greatly brightens up the situation.
Menu in General is familiar to users of most Chinese players in General, and devices from Cayin in particular. Almost certainly for firmware answered all the same outsourcers from Hiby, menu items, and the logic of the work remains the same. In Cayin a little refreshed graphics, and it obviously improves the perception of the player (which is only a volume control bar).
The first three menu options in views do not need, is a return to the playback screen, media library with all the usual groups (artists, albums, genres, etc.) and browse your music by folders. Scans map the player fast enough in General there’s not much to paint, everything works exactly as expected.
Then the tradition goes item sound settings. There is almost everything, what do you want: three-level gain switch, enable replay gain, EQ, a choice of one of 5 digital filters the playback mode, gapeless, remembering the current track and position, and other sound-related settings.
The next section in the menu Bluetooth. There are expected to activate and configure a wireless interface. A separate switch you can enable APT-X codec. Traditionally Cayin N3 can not only connect to external speakers and headphones, but also to serve as the wireless receiver. This is useful if you for example want to listen to Tidal on your smartphone.
That last one is system settings. There is a choice of language (Russian in stock, but the labels are displayed with spaces), the choice of one of three topics off the haptic feedback of the buttons, controls sleep timer, auto power off and backlight, updates and other not directly associated with sound options.
In General, the firmware from N3 is quite stable, it is devoid of pronounced the “children’s ills”, it works very stable.
Sound
To listen to the device used the following headphones: iBasso IT03, 99 Meze Classics, Audio Zenith PMx2, Noble Kaiser Encore, Campfire Audio Andromeda, 64 Audio U12, HUM Pristine and others.
Well, let’s be logical. I don’t know who should be to blame the player for $ 150 on nonideal attack or, say, the scathing bass, apparently, a very narrow-minded and limited. No matter how wanted to get away from the prices in the reviews, it is the core, on which is built the future of any device. In this case, we have a player budget segment, and approach it from the standpoint of even the “middle class” makes no sense. Does it mean that N3 is bad? No, in fact, in its price range and even a little more expensive it can be considered the best (or one of the best, depending on taste preferences). Cayin engineers did a really nice, very musical and non-irritating sound that is able to fall in love.
Bass is a bit accentuated in the area of mid bass. The emphasis is small, it does not lead to the deterioration of the readability, but adds to the flow of the player a bit of pleasant warmth. Of course, the bass then the average speed and hlestkost, but it does not spread, normally transmits texture and has a good weight. Because of this, he was so rare in budget segment universality, of course, within the limits of its possibilities.
The midrange is also served in the now fashionable manner — they are slightly smoothed to reduce microcontractions and create a feed, tolerant, not the quality records. Although called a player quite so smooth won’t work either, it reports almost everything that is incorporated in the recording — from the emotional to the characteristic features of the instruments. An imaginary scene — the average width, depth — a little more than average, the division plans are not strict, their boundaries a little blurred. In General, the MF of the player are built so that N3 would like to listen to music “as a whole”, not dividing it into separate sounds.
HF good resolution, as well they have developed attenuation (which is rare in this price segment), but the attack is smooth, whether to create a “comfortable” sound, or without any intent, the player is clearly not for listening to the attenuation of overtones of complex tools. However, remembering about the price, we understand that the nitpicking here is at least unreasonable.
Well, as usual — comparison. Traditionally I will try to do without the incomparable pairs of models that I have long forgotten issues of a series of “if an elephant on a whale nalezet — someone who zaboret?”. Also I’m not going to specify the difference in price, and in this segment, the role played by every 20-30 dollars, but to repeat it all the time I don’t see much point.
Shanling M2s. Perhaps the closest competitor to the N3 in terms of specifications and used iron. Player from Shanling immediately captivating design and a more stylish look (though at the office “not so simple”), but the sound of the Cayin a little bit ahead: slightly deeper bass, slightly better resolution at HF the difference is not very big, but it is there.
Fiio X3-2. Of course Fiio’s time to upgrade your main sales model, but apparently it still didn’t turn. Functionally, Fiio loses, although the control wheel is perhaps more convenient. The sound of the Fiio is slightly less spectacular, but drop better resolution and detail treble.
Fiio X1-II. The current budget model from Fiio is slightly better to drive and more “okay” collected. The sound of the Cayin also bypasses it, especially noticeable in the transfer of emotions and the study of RF.
Shanling M1. Despite the close price, the M1 sound is much simpler N3, which is not surprising given its microrasbora. Less power makes itself felt in the study of the frequencies (especially low) or worse than M1 in the construction of an imaginary volume.
xDuoo X10. The case when the output of one player (I mean N3) deprives the second almost any sense. Of course, the hardware buttons and the wheel xDuoo more convenient, and 2 memory cards may be an advantage, but by the sound of the Cayin is much better, even basic things like study, high resolution.
Hidizs ‘ AP100. Of course, Hidizs ‘ already not a beginner, he is deprived of fashionable pieces, but it sounds still good, especially if you want more emphasis on bass and better attack on the treble.
Compatibility
In my opinion, 120-150 MW on 32Ω load is a very reasonable optimum for portable devices. This is enough for almost all IEM for the normal Panoramio. More taut as isodisomy and Mnogomernye dynamic model is still required for its operation of the hospital. Cayin N3 picky on the speaker, although the most sensitive low-impedance and models with him should be avoided, on the same CA Andromeda noise is still heard.
Genre player universal (within its price category, of course), sensitivity to the quality of the recordings is average, somewhere in the 6 points out of 10.
Traditionally, several tracks of examples
Postmodern Jukebox — Bad Romance. Pet project of Scott Bradley (not the one that wrote the music for “Tom and Jerry”) shows that any song can be turned into a masterpiece, just play it in the spirit of classic jazz and swing. In General, Postmodern Jukebox beautiful as well as prolific (4 albums in the year for them — not the limit), and any track after them getting better than it was before. But I chose this one because of the perfectly recorded sound of tap beats in the middle of this track. Cayin N3 gives a lovely effect, making the track sound very natural.
Mike Oldfield — Return to Ommadawn. On dvadtsatom (wow!) album classic of so many genres that I will not undertake to enumerate, decided to return to his mega album 75 years and make it a sequel (Oh, the mass culture of the early 21st century…). But, of course, turned out well. Quiet, soothing, but not boring 40-minute record, essentially consisting of a composition very pleasing to the ear, especially if the player Cayin N3 allows you to hear all the nuances.
Roger Waters — Déjà Vu. Surely someone could have thought that I would miss the new album of waters? Of course, I couldn’t do it. What do we have here? Yes, in fact, what Waters do best, profoundly melancholy about the imperfections of the world where there is suffering and poverty, Roger plunges into sadness. Luckily, waters is not a bluesman, and his many millions of dollars does not stop to tell of the suffering of the poor, looking at them from a respectful distance. However, behind the jokes aside, the normal, the album came out clearly in the spirit of Floyd, watersource era, but what else? As usual, the music is good, the recording quality — even more so (although, horror of horrors, there is a track with DR4!), it remains to add the player type of the hero of our review and enjoy the journey “on the waves of memory”.
Insights
A very balanced player for those who want to combine a lot of things easy to make compatible: compact size, good sound, long battery life and rich functionality. Cayin was able, perhaps, to give up all for the affordable price, now before the release of the other competitors N3 can safely be listed among the leaders in this price segment.
A review of the Cayin player N3 — multum in parvo
Pavel Dmitriev