Cayin N6 has become for me one of the most notable revelations of recent years. Despite the slightly eccentric design, sound and convenience, the N6 has become practically the benchmark in its price niche. Cayin did not relax and decided to release a more affordable model, which received the index N5. As you already understood, it will be about him.
The company decided to do something quite unprecedented in our time. Instead of taking the older model and then "cutting off" part of its functionality to create a budget solution, they decided to develop the N5 from scratch. Moreover, Cayin equipped its junior model with a number of features missing in the N6. The budget man flaunts the relatively fresh AK4490 chip, gaining popularity in top-end devices, the OPA1662 is used as a low-pass filter, AD712 is the voltage amplifier. The headphone amplifier also uses the BUF634U. Another interesting feature is the new product has two slots for MicroSD cards, USB 3.0 as an interface and a balanced output. All this is not in N6, I think, some of these opportunities are reserved for the future (when some N7 comes out).
With all this Caiyn reduced the price by almost 2 times, you can buy N5 or .
Specifications
- Processor: JZ4760B
- DAC: AK4490EQ
- OU: OPA1662 (LPF), AD712 (voltage), BUF634U (current)
- Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz (± 0.2 dB), 5 Hz - 50 kHz (± 1 dB)
- Recommended load impedance: 16Ω - 300Ω
- Total harmonic distortion + noise: 0.006% (1 kHz)
- Dynamic range: 108 dB
- Signal to noise ratio: 108 dB
- Output Impedance: 0.26Ω
- Output power (@ 32Ω): 200 + 200 mW at unbalanced output, 300 + 300 mW at the balanced
- Linear output: 2.0V (@ 10kΩ)
- Input: MicroUSB 3.0
- Outputs: 2.5 mm TRRS balanced, 3.5 mm earphone, combined with linear, coaxial
- Support for memory cards: 2 × MicroSD up to 128 GB
- USB-DAC mode: asynchronous, up to 192 kHz / 24 bit, DSD64 in DoP mode
- Support for lossless formats: APE, FLAC, WAV, AIFF (all up to 192 kHz / 24 bit)
- Support lossy formats: ALAC, WMA, AAC, MP3
- Supports DSD formats: DSF, DFF, SACD-ISO (DSD64 and DSD128)
- Battery: 4200 mAh, Li-Ion
- Operating time from one charge: up to 9 hours
- Charging time from 2A charger: about 3 hours
- Dimensions: 111 mm × 64 mm × 16.4 mm
- Weight: 195 g
Packing and delivery kit
Of course, in a cheaper model to please the buyer with a box-box "under the skin", as it was in the N6, Cayin did not. Five is sold in a simpler box of black cardboard with a very low-key printing. At the bottom of the box, by the way, the main "chips" of this model are indicated. In general, the packaging looks good enough. Inside, except for the player itself, you will find a USB 3.0 cable, an adapter for coaxial output, a silicone case, a protective film on the screen and a variety of paper.
In general, a traditionally good supply package, especially for the mid-budget segment. For the player separately sold very good cases of brown leatherette, I immediately bought myself this.
Design and management
The design of the N6 came out so boldly that it even caused some people to misunderstand. In the N5 decided to make the body more traditional shape, but the design was still diluted with a lot of unusual elements such as rounding near the screen and unusual riffling on the control wheel. The case is predominantly metallic, with the exception of the rear panel, made of the popular recent carbon.
The player is large enough, I would say that it is closer to the top "bricks", but thanks to well thought-out proportions, it fits well in your hand and is just as well managed. The left panel contains volume buttons and a menu button on the playback screen. When the screen is locked, the volume buttons work as a track navigation (with a long press), and the submenu button serves as a play / pause button. On the underside of the player there are the memory card slots and the USB 3.0 connector covered with a single solid plug. The plug is quite uncomfortable, it is long and sometimes hinders, and it looks not very stylish against the background of the stylish metal case of the device. Fortunately, judging by the fresh pictures, Cayin realized the flaw and are preparing to issue an audit without it.
The upper end is reserved for the connectors, coaxial output is located here (the player can even output a digital DSD stream), headphone output combined with a linear (switches to the menu), and a balanced output. Immediately there is a power button and turn off the screen. The player, like its older brother, supports sleep mode, which allows you to save battery.
The front panel contains a screen, a control wheel with a play and pause button inscribed in it, it also serves for selecting menu items; on the right, there is a charging indicator on the right under it, if you do not know where it is, you can not even remember about it. To the left of the wheel are three buttons: two serve to navigate through the tracks and menu items, another one is used to return from the submenu. In general, the quality of the wheel is good enough, it is not ideal, but during navigation on the menu is not particularly annoying. The quality of the screen is very good, for the player it has very good color rendering and resolution. Yes, and the stock of brightness for working in the sun he has, the picture, of course, loses its juiciness, but you can see it.
Actually, the menu of the device is very traditional for Chinese players. In Cayin went a little further than usual and made some beautifully animated themes. In the rest everything is traditional. Two sections are devoted to music: the first is a media library with viewing by styles, genres and artists, plus the ability to view recently played tracks and favorites; the second is to view the contents of memory cards by folders. Another section leads to the playback screen, everything is also customary there: the album cover, information about the track, a side button, you can call the context menu. The last two sections of the menu are reserved for settings, which also have everything you can wish for: an equalizer, a sleep and sleep timer, a screen brightness, a gain, a volume and position memorization, a playback order, several themes and other usual possibilities. Cayin actively update the firmware, so there is hope that in the future we will see some additional opportunities. The firmware is quite stable, I have never encountered problems in the course of its operation. The management of the player is a bit confusing due to the scatter of the buttons, but after getting used to the inconvenience it does not deliver.
Cayin managed to shove a large battery into the player at 4200 mAh and provide a long time for a device of this power. During testing, the player worked 8 hours 40 minutes from one charge, which is close enough to the declared characteristics.
In general, the N5 produces a very pleasant impression of an expensive device: excellent materials, unusual design with daring solutions, convenient control - all this makes the player similar to classic "big hi-end" devices.
Sound
To listen to the device used the following headphones: ZMF Omni, Oppo PM-3, Titan 3 and Titan 5, Lear LHF-AE1d, Ambient Acoustics AM10, VE Monk and Asura v2, HiFiMan HE-400S.
Cayin actively listened to the opinion of users and tuned the sound with the firmware after the device was released. By the third version of the software, they finally found the sound that most people liked and, most likely, will remain in the next updates. With this firmware, the player's sound can be characterized as analytical, with a slant in volume and emphasis on the emotionality of the middle frequencies. In other words, N5 tends to an audiophile monitor feed, but does not go over the line beyond which the loss of emotion and involvement in music begins.
The bass of the player is fast and detailed. He has a good resolution, he can transfer textures, in general, in the speed plan, there are no questions to LF. The only thing that lacks the bass N5 - it's biting, there are blows, but they are not crushing. I do not know whether this is an accident or a special step to accentuate the midrange, but for the fans of percussion, the low-frequency player will not work (although with the headphones selected, the player shows very good results).
Middle frequencies are the strongest side of N5. Emotional, live MF, having good detail and speed, level out all the other shortcomings of the player, making it a real hit for connoisseurs of sincere presentation, especially in live genres. Due to this, N5 builds a very well echeloned imaginary scene, clearly dividing the musical material in depth. The width of the scene also does not cause any complaints. The tools are well separated and clearly positioned.
The upper frequency range has some simplification, but it is quite uncritical for the price category. To make this simplification easier to hear, you have to listen well, and when listening to music "in general" - this problem is almost invisible. To my ears, quantitatively, the HF in the N5 is good, but those who do not like the upper frequencies, do not take the player without listening. This model is sensitive to the quality of HF-band training headphones, so there is a risk of getting busted. Though to me even with bright models of type Dunu Titan 5, the player sounded airily and did not irritate.
By tradition - subjective comparisons.
Cayin N6. Despite the fact that this player costs 2 times more, it would be foolish to not compare them. The older version is characterized by a softer and musical pitch, slightly smoothed over the midrange. In general, the sound of N6 is perceived warmer, more bodily, it builds more convex and integral images.
Fiio X5-2. The competitor in the price segment sounds about at the same "level" (as I do not like this word), but offers another pitch. N5 - this monitor sound, focused on the mid-range, the player Fiio - flavor, less depth, but more percussive bass. Roughly speaking, N5 is better for classics and vocals, Fiio for rock or, for example, electronics. Of course, this division is conditional, and nothing prevents to listen to the same Maiden'ov on Cayin.
Hidizs AP-100. A darker and more vibrant sound with a lot of bass, worse mid-frequency, a scene smaller in size for all parameters. Also, the AP100 is much cheaper in price, and recently, alas, it began to affect the quality of the assembly.
iHiFi 800. These players certainly have common features in the pitch, but iHiFi has better developed HF, and N5 has bass. In addition, the N5 shares the tools better. Well, we do not forget about the quality of the firmware and excellent management (the difference in price, however, is also great).
iBasso DX80. This player goes even further along the path of a detached feed, which makes it really not an emotional decision. For me, iBasso sounds like a meditation that allows you to look at your body from the outside: I hear the nuances of music and emotions, but I can not dive into them, they are somewhere nearby, but they do not happen to me. N5, on the contrary, perfectly grasps emotions and immerses in them.
Compatibility
It is difficult to come up with a more versatile player in terms of compatibility with headphones. A very good power reserve combined with a low output impedance make it a good option for any IEM, and for most overhead models. Thanks to this, when choosing headphones, you can rely not on the player's features, but on your personal taste preferences. The only thing to consider - with very sensitive headphones connected to the balanced output, the player makes a little noise. Actually, this is a payoff for power, and the noise is audible only in sensitive low-resistance models. It is interesting, when the manufacturers of headphones will understand that in our time it is necessary to try to make impedance models at least in 32Ω? In general, from my zoo headphones N5 I liked with hybrids from Dunu (with a J-version of the HF a lot, but for me it is still quite tolerable) and with ZMF Omni. The latest N5 does not reveal 100%, but it is close enough to that.
Stylistically, I would advise the player primarily to connoisseurs of complex musical genres such as orchestral music and vocal opuses. Just as good in performance N5 and progressive rock with jazz. A bit worse, although metal in my taste sounds, although here it is necessary to look for quality remasters. To the quality of the recordings the player is very sensitive, on a 10-point scale I would rate it by 9 points.
As usual, a few examples.
Art Zoyd - Unsex Me Here. Even under pain of death it will not be possible to give a clear genre definition to the music of this collective. There is everything from free jazz to symphonic music. A complex multi-faceted work, very beneficial from the ability of N5 to build a scene in depth.
Charles Mingus - Self-Portrait in Three Colors. Calm, relaxed music and genius of the double bass for a snack. It is for such styles that the N5 is created, his quick and detailed bass conveys all the nuances of Charles's work, and pure MFs supplement the picture with the work of other musicians of his team.
Dream Theater - Moment of Betrayal. As usual, the new DT album caused a lot of controversy about whether the drifts were down or not, traditionally, the debates will go on until the next album is released, after which the contestants will switch to it, recognizing the work of 2016 as successful. N5 is very decent, though not perfect, copes with this track, passing the virtuoso parts of all the band's musicians.
conclusions
A player that either immediately will like it or not. Unusual design with retro elements, an interesting detailed sound, available at a relatively high price. Given the fact that the N5 has a lot of "chips", absent in N6, you can only praise Cayin for this approach to creating a budget model. If you like detailed pitch and live midrange - this player is for you.
The article is based on materials .
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