The L5 Pro player from the company with the immodest name of Luxury & Precision last year was a real discovery for me and was registered at the top of my personal "table of ranks", despite the presence of some drawbacks (mainly associated with firmware). Of course, I could not ignore the news that the company is working on a budget model L3, and now, after quite a noticeable time, this player is in my hands.
The most amusing is that, as in the case of Cayin N5, the new budget model offers a balanced scheme of the sound path, which is deprived of the older modification. Creating a budget option, L & P in something "saved": the body is made of aluminum, but simpler, instead of wood on the back panel is carbon, but much of the older model remained unchanged. It also uses the chips of its own marking for the op amp and in the role of the processor, the design remains similar, so the players clearly retain their continuity.
The price for the novelty was reduced approximately 2 times, rubles, (prices at the time of review).
Specifications
- DAC: 2 × Cirrus Logic CS4398
- OU: own labeling
- Output voltage (@ 35Ω): 1.2V on the normal output, 2.4V on the balanced
- Noise level: -120 dB
- Channel separation: 110 dB (balanced output, 32Ω)
- Maximum supported resolution: 24 bits / 768 kHz
- Supported formats: MP3, WMA, WAV, OGG, FLAC
- DSD support: up to DSD256
- DSD formats: DIFF, DSF, DAT, ISO
- Screen: 3.5 mm, 480 × 320
- Built-in Memory: 16 GB
- External memory: MicroSD up to 128 GB
- Inputs: MicroUSB
- Outputs: 3.5 mm TRS normal, 2.5 mm TRRS balanced, 3.5 mm TRS linear / SPDIF (supported by DoP)
- Resolution in USB DAC mode: up to 24 bits, 192 kHz
- Operating time on one battery charge: up to 10 hours from the usual output, up to 8 hours from the balanced
- Dimensions: 60 mm × 114 mm × 15.2 mm
- Weight: 165g
Packing and delivery kit
The L3 box inherited from the older brother, and this is clearly one of the best packs in the history of portable audio. The general jacket of black paper with embossment hides in itself two separate boxes (of course, also black ones), one contains the player itself, in the other - a set of accessories. In addition to standard cables and stickers on the screen in L & P are generous and put in a set of cover. This, of course, is not a noble brown velor, as in the older model, but quite a nice leatherette cover of a beautiful bluish color.
In general, for this point the player clearly exceeds all expectations for its price category.
Design and management
In appearance, L3 is a copy of the older brother except for minor nuances. The case is made of aluminum, but this time a simple silvery color, the panel of wood has been replaced with carbon, and the overall dimensions and weight of the younger model have been reduced. Due to this, the whole player lost a little in the sense of "solidity", but became more pocketable. In addition, the main thing is that the quality of the assembly remained at the same level: there are no flaws or flaws here.
The form of the player also remained the same: a flat parallelepiped, the only thing that breaks the shape - the bevel on the top panel, the company's designer does not obviously recycle, but why change what is so good. On the upper bevel there are three buttons, one of them serves to turn off the screen and the lock, and two are still given to the user, you can choose their functions from the menu. This, by the way, is one of the most convenient features of L & P players. Also on the top panel there is a volume control, closed by a protective plate. Since the player uses a high-quality encoder, it pleases with a fairly accurate rotation and accurate step-by-step adjustment. The right panel contains three playback control buttons and a microSD card slot. Bottom are all three output sockets and a MicroUSB connector, it allows you to charge the player, access the device's memory or use it as an external DAC. L3 is slightly smaller than L5Pro in all dimensions and, in addition, is lighter. This makes it more convenient and in carrying in pockets, and in use - it is better in the hand and easier to manage.
The interface is slightly reworked compared to L5Pro, but it is based on a similar code base, so both players share both advantages and disadvantages. Most of the controls are made using a touch screen, it's good in quality and viewing angles, and it works well for pressing. Readability of the screen in the sun - low, you have to cover the player with your hand or look for some kind of shadow to manipulate the player.
The interface is quite simple, at the top there are three tabs that allow you to switch between sections: media library, playback screen and settings. The media library offers a standard set of features in the form of viewing by artists, genres and styles. There you can also watch music and folders. In the presence and all the shortcomings of the older model: there is no support for scrolling, sorting is performed by the date of the file update (this is solved with the help of FatSorter). The screen of the current song is standard, the cover, file resolution, track name is displayed here. There are also touch navigation buttons that duplicate the side buttons. The settings section is quite simple and does not present any difficulties, it has everything you need: sleep timer and auto power off, brightness adjustment of the screen, digital filter and equalizer mode selection.
Despite the presence of some shortcomings, I would say that the interface of the player is quite convenient, and the firmware pleases with stable operation.
The running time was in my standard test (MeeAudio P1, volume 40, FLAC 44.1 / 16) 9 hours 35 minutes for normal output and 7 hours 40 minutes for balanced. The figures are not prohibitive, but they are quite good.
Sound
To listen to the device used the following headphones: Meze 99 Classics, Lear LHF-AE1d, Ambient Acoustics AM10, Audio Zenith PMx2, Noble Kaiser K10AU, Campfire Audio Jupiter, Dita Audio Brass.
In fact, this player, in my hearing, has only two drawbacks in the filing, which prevent him from fighting on equal terms with the models at a price two times higher: low power and a lack of working out of sound on HF and HF. The first, of course, annoying, but this is a consequence of the positioning of the device, the developers did not hide that the main scenario of using L3 is with the IEM. The second one already applies to cavils, and to expect the best from the player of this price category is bust. On a common pitch L3 sounds natural, lively and engaging.
At once I'll write about the difference between balanced and usual outputs. Despite marketing stories about the best channel separation, the main plus of the balanced output in this and most other players is exclusively in power. The separation of channels in most modern devices is already good, and even greater growth usually lies beyond the audible. So most often the audible sound improvement is due precisely to the power and change in the behavior of the headphones that it causes. If you take two identical players and, having leveled the volume with the sound level meter, listen to them from different outputs, then under condition of not very tight headphones, the difference will be very small. Actually, L3 is no exception, although I would still recommend always using a balanced connection whenever possible, since power is almost never superfluous.
The bass of this model is very balanced. It does not stick out and does not emphasize; in low-income on low frequency melodies it takes its place calmly, but as soon as it is necessary, it appears in all its glory: full-bodied, resilient and dynamic. Despite the easy retirement to the second plan, the sub-bass is clearly drawn, but the main dominant is made on the area of the lower and middle bass. The player studies the low-frequency textures well and splits the instruments. To fans of the smear of LF, which is often perceived as the "power" of the bass, L3 does not suit, it gives the LF rather dryly, without fat and hum, but for top IEMs, which are the main load of this model, this is clearly a plus. If you want more "weighty" basses - look towards hybrid headphones (who said Dunu?).
If you really find fault with the MF and compare the L3 with the older models, it can be noted that at medium and high frequencies it does not have enough time to work out small after-soundings. There are very few tracks on which this is audible, but still good piano recordings show this shortcoming, although if not for this, L3 could plug many models with a price tag around $ 700 and higher for the belt. With the exception of this, the MF is very, very good, there is everything you expect to hear: the smallest nuances of the recording, the energy of the performers, clearly separated instruments and reliable transmission of their character. The imaginary scene is slightly wider than the middle and as much as the average in depth.
The upper frequency range also suffers slightly from the lack of post-sound, but here it is expressed a little less, the L3 surprisingly not bad copes with both playing out the light and air compositions, and with aggressive parts of percussion. Naturally, those who are accustomed to clamped and allocated to the second plan of high-frequency, L3 will not do.
Traditionally, the review can not do without comparisons
Fiio X5-II. Of course, Fiio now costs one and a half times cheaper, and is about to retire, but still it's usually he who acts as my "benchmark". If you do not compare the tight headphones for comparison, and compare it to something that does not cause L3 problems, then the creation of L & P comes out ahead: a more neutral, natural sound without a touch of aggresive aggression, peculiar to Fiio. On tight models the situation changes, and the X5-2 amplifier allows this model to go ahead. In general, for headphones with medium and worse sensitivity, L3 is not created.
iBasso DX80. Regardless of the sensitivity of the headphones, the iBasso player plays exactly that "proprietary" sound that fans of this company like: emotionless, detached and maximally neutral. L3 sounds like a tele, lively and more emotionally, returning all that is missing to the sound.
Cayin i5. Of course, the i5 is more powerful than the amplifier, and functionally much richer than the L3, but if you listen exclusively to the IEM, then L3 will please you with a better exploration of the imaginary scene, a more texture bass and more elegant HF. By the way, after reading the review of i5, you can easily understand how the hero of this review and the N5 Cayin model are compared among themselves.
Fiio X7 + AM2. Whatever others have claimed, for my taste, a bunch of X7 and AM2 is one of the best players of the year. It is likely that this is strictly my preference, but this bundle allows you to immerse yourself in music without looking for fleas. If you compare it with L3 (by the way, the price is not so different), then, in addition to the interface and capabilities, Fiio is ahead of the bass, and also works out the sound of the midrange, which allows him to build a more natural imaginary scene.
QLS QA-360. This player is for those who love emotions, micronons and a staggering amount of detail in music. It is better than L3 for detailing the midrange and texture of the bass, although L3 for midrange sounds more seamless for me, without overloading with extra microcontrast. Well, plus, do not forget about the side characteristics of the type of power and size.
Compatibility
L3 - a player clearly created for the IEM, in addition to all the other advantages, it is also almost silent, even with sensitive low-impedance models, it creates the very "black background" on which the top-end intracannel models are perfectly exposed. I read on the Internet complaints about the fact that the L3 is quite high by modern standards, the output resistance (about 3Ω), but even with moody hybrids I did not hear any problems. As for the full-size headphones, then with them L3 is better to use from the balanced output. Of course, the usual one will normally play with sensitive models, but the balanced output significantly improves the situation.
The genre player is really universal, the rare case when I do not want to single out some individual styles, the player copes equally well with almost any music. Sensitivity to recording quality in the model is moderate, somewhere by 6 points out of 10.
Traditional sample tracks
The Clash - London Calling. One of those bands that proved that punk rock can be quite high-quality music, and the cover of the eponymous album with the photo of Paul Simonon became one of the most iconic in history. Music that requires the player primarily emotions, and the second - technical, and the L3 copes well with it.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - I Need Never Gone Old. Elegant cocktail of various styles from country to rock, winding and bubbling drive, primarily thanks to the rhythm section and deep bass. L3 perfectly controls the bass, so they stay in place, without drowning out the rest of the track.
The Dartz - Red-haired girl. Could there be something different from Russian rock under the rainy sky of Peter? The Dartz has repeatedly proved that, yes, and this track from the album, which unfortunately became the last (but hope alive) proves it. Funny melody, catching text and jig in the end - what else do you need to smile? Well, except that the player that will play it out mentally, in general, you understand what I'm getting at.
conclusions
L & P swung and made one of the best sound players. I usually try to avoid such statements, but in this case, perhaps, I will not. Of course, this is true only for headphones with sufficient sensitivity, since the power here is less than I would like (I suspect it was made specifically to combat noise). Is it good or bad? I do not know, logically, it's normal, it's a portable device designed for sensitive headphones, but on the other hand - sometimes you want flexibility and there's no harm in power reserve. By the way, there are rumors about a certain model of L3Pro, which will be $ 100 more expensive, but what is going to change is unknown. Therefore, if you are sure that you will listen primarily to IEM and are looking for a player with an interesting and natural sound - this model should become one of the first candidates for consideration.
The article is based on materials .
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