Cayin N8ii

Price

Today, we overview the Cayin N8ii, the corporate’s newest Android DAP that includes a twin Korg Nutube output and a twin ROHM DAC implementation. It is priced at $3499. you can also like Shanling M9

It’s been four years since Cayin launched the unique N8 DAP and introduced the unique idea of a tube inside a conveyable media participant. Since then, they’ve rolled out each the entry-level N3PRO and the top-of-the-line C9 moveable amplifier, each with variations of the identical ‘tube in a box theme.

Overview of Cayin N8ii

So, an upgrade seems overdue, especially in this rapidly evolving portable player market. The new N8ii is just that, and then some. Still the flagship DAP at $3499 and still with Nutube, but it’s plural now as in Nutubes. Yes, there may be multiple inside.

On top of that, we now have a recent design, a far superior OS with upgraded internals, and a very new DAC implementation. This is hardly an iterative product launch. Though it is a Cayin by way of options and presumably the sound signature, it appears and feels very recent and trendy at a similar time.

Features

The decoding has improved over the older AK4497EQ additionally. Via USB, you may stand up to DSD512 natively and most of PCM 32BIT/768kHz when utilizing it as a USB-DAC or in I²S mode. With firmware V1.14, you also get an aggressive MQA unfolding charge of 16x (as much as 768kHz).

You additionally get the utmost 24BIT/192Khz through SPDIF, and since the N8ii is BT wi-fi, you may anticipate as much as 96kHz LDAC. Interestingly, HiBy’s UAT can also be coated, which means when you’ve got an appropriate UAT receiver because the HiBy W5 TWS would go all the way, putting it to 192kHz wirelessly.

DAC

The Cayin N8ii switches away from the earlier AKM AK4497EQ, which is now discontinued, to a new twin ROHM BD34301EKV implementation in mono mode. This isn’t the primary time we have seen this DAC getting used inside a DAP this yr, with the iBasso DX320 springing to thoughts.

The BD34301EKV is a part of ROHM’s new MUS-IC collection of DAC chipsets, of which there are two variations. This is the higher-grade model with the BD34352EKV positioned behind it. It is differentiated by a barely decreased SNR and THD-+N ranking (round 3-4dB decrease).

Cayin N8ii specific model has a peak of 130dB of SNR, a THD+N of -115 dB, and as much as 130dB in its potential dynamic vary. However, that is because the ‘crow flies. The N8ii gets fairly shut at 125dB of SNR from its solid-state balanced output.

Cayin N8ii Amplification

There is quite a bit occurring right here for amplification; however, in case you are a Cayin fan, you’ll already be accustomed to how they’ve been crafting a distinct segment for themselves with not 1 or 2 however Four completely different flavors of output for the N8 and now the N8ii.

Cayin N8ii is made doable with two discreetly engineered amplification output modes, solid-state and tube, mixed with a Class A and Class AB twin operational mode.

All four modes could be mixed, for instance, Class A with tubes, Class AB with solid-state, and vice versa, Class AB with Tube, and Class A with solid-state. This may be executed through quick access choices on the OS layer.

For the N8ii tube output, Cayin returns to the spring-loaded Korg Nutube NP61; however, this time, the implementation is balanced with two Nutubes put in versus the unique N8, which has only one.

That now means you may function the tube output of the N8ii with a balanced connection, whereas earlier than you would solely use it with the three.5mm output.

Performance Layers

Like the amplification design, the requisite efficiency numbers from the Cayin N8ii output are equally multi-layered. You get a standard benchmark for 3.5mm and 4.4mm. As you’ll anticipate, the balanced output is highly effective on the varied load milestone factors.

That, in flip, has a second layer with the tube output differing in energy compared with the marginally stronger solid-state efficiency beneath varied masses.

However, you get one other layer on high, which is much more highly effective for each output, utilizing the N8ii’s twin output mode characteristic. The default is P or customary, and right here, you revert to the inventory tube and solid-state efficiency numbers.

Whereas P+, which stands for maximum output, will increase the voltage swing from the usual 7V to over 10V, leading to a much better dynamic vary efficiency, particularly with headphones.

Performance Numbers

So, beneath P for the N8ii’s tube and SS single-ended output, you get an output of 64mW (150Ω) and 420mW (16Ω), which will increase to 100mW and 72omW beneath the identical masses when utilizing P+.

Switching to the Cayin N8ii balanced output utilizing standard P mode, the ability naturally goes up a notch with the beginning at 150mW (150ohms) as much as 760mW (16ohms). For P+, you get slightly extra juice at 150Ω at 160mW; however, you get an enormous bump at 16Ω with a ranking of 1.2W.

Note that each P and P+ modes are solely out there in Class AB mode and never Class A mode, so if you just like the sound of Class A, you’ll get barely much less potential voltage swing.

Battery Capacity and life

The Cayin N8ii packs a hefty 10000mAh 3.8V Li-poly battery which is a considerably bigger battery than the three.7V 7000mAh Li-poly battery model used inside the unique N8.

That provides a comparatively respectable 11 hours on paper utilizing the FLAC 16-bit/44kHz weighted measurement system with, I presume, 50% quantity and the display turned off throughout that check time.

That varies, barely relying on whether or not you go balanced or SE, tube, or SS, with balanced SS working at 10 hours compared with the top-tier SE SS 11-hour ranking. The lowest parameter is the balanced tube PO utilizing the high-powered output at eight hours.

That is an enhancement on the unique, providing most of the 9.5 hours. All numbers drop by an approximate hour off the lead time when you go into High² mode, which is similar because it was for the unique N8 efficiency with the identical setting.

Bear in thoughts that, in contrast to the unique N8, the N8ii is an Android machine with a far wider variety of apps and connectivity choices which might and does sap your battery a bit greater than the rated figures.

Playing as a pure music participant ought to get you to shut down; however, streaming, unfolding, or enjoying hi-res would possibly cut back that by 1-2 hours of complete battery life.

The N8ii can also be QC3.0 (and PD2/3) fast charging appropriate, from 20% to 80% in just below 2 hours which is spectacular for a battery of this dimension.

Specifications