Post by gazzington on Aug 9, 2021 11:32:40 GMT
From Andy Kong:
Cayin will debut a N8ii prototype at Guangzhou International Headphone Expo next month (11-12 Sept 2021).
Highlights of N8ii features:
1. Fully-Balanced Dual Timbre
Our Vacuum Tube/Solid State Dual Timber feature shook the world back in May 2018. We solved the microphonic problem with innovative techniques and for the first time, facilitates choice of vacuum tube and solid state timbre in a portable DAP. Unfortunately we can only install one Nutube 6P1 in our N8, so the vacuum tube is only available to Single-end headphone output. We received loads of comment and request to make the vacuum tube timbre available to balanced output as well, and we have explained repeatedly that the Nutube 6P1 is a double Triode tube by design, it can used as left and right channel of stereo amplification, we cannot achieve true balanced amplification with only one Nutube 6P1.
Naturally, when we start our N8ii project, one of the priority requirements is to upgrade the Dual Timber feature to support balanced output. While we have implemented Dual Timbre with two Nubute in C9, the fully-balanced Dual Timbre system in N8ii is even more challenging because we have to take care of a 5" OLED screen at the same time.
So have we managed that? Yes, and we'll show you the result, with proud, at Guangzhou show next month.
2. Dual Output Mode
This is a unique feature that only available in N8. We alter the operation voltage of headphone amplification to increase output power, handling capability and sound signature of the circuit and allow users to choose between standard P mode and High Output P+ mode through a pull down menu. We'll keep this feature in N8ii and better still, we upgraded the headphone amplification circuit to fully-discrete design. As a result of that, the P+ mode in N8ii will offers more dramatic different from the standard P mode.
3. Dual DAC Architecture
The N8ii is designed around a pair of current mode DAC chipset that we have never used before. To the best of our knowledge, this DAC chipset has never been used by any portable DAP so far. The AKM fire is one of the hardest hit to our industry and Cayin started to look for new DAC solution almost immediately. We have spend a lot of resource to learn, experiment and find tune the supporting system of this new DAC chipset. Our engineer are still doing that while we speak, and we are confident that the final deliverable will offer a brand new experience that can rival any TOTL DAC implementation in DAP.
The original N8 was announced at Munich High-End 2018 and that is slightly over three years already. I can still remember the day I hold the N8 for the first time, telling the press that we had developed the first vacuum tube based DAP that sound exceptionally well. In fact it still does, the N8 is still regarded as one of the best sounding DAP today. We have been working on N8ii for well over a year. We don't have a predefined deadline. When Cayin works on a new flagship, we are more concern on the engineering and performance considerations, We are NOT going to roll out a flagship product until we are confident that it meet our requirements and expectations. Cayin has established an impeccable performance history on DAP product development. All three DAPs in our current line up, N8, N6ii and N3Pro, are innovative, well-informed, and well-received. We have displayed class-leading engineering from each and every product and we are confident that the N8ii will continue the Cayin legend.
We'll provide more information about N8ii after the Guangzhou International Headphone Expo, so please stay tuned.
Cayin will debut a N8ii prototype at Guangzhou International Headphone Expo next month (11-12 Sept 2021).
Highlights of N8ii features:
1. Fully-Balanced Dual Timbre
Our Vacuum Tube/Solid State Dual Timber feature shook the world back in May 2018. We solved the microphonic problem with innovative techniques and for the first time, facilitates choice of vacuum tube and solid state timbre in a portable DAP. Unfortunately we can only install one Nutube 6P1 in our N8, so the vacuum tube is only available to Single-end headphone output. We received loads of comment and request to make the vacuum tube timbre available to balanced output as well, and we have explained repeatedly that the Nutube 6P1 is a double Triode tube by design, it can used as left and right channel of stereo amplification, we cannot achieve true balanced amplification with only one Nutube 6P1.
Naturally, when we start our N8ii project, one of the priority requirements is to upgrade the Dual Timber feature to support balanced output. While we have implemented Dual Timbre with two Nubute in C9, the fully-balanced Dual Timbre system in N8ii is even more challenging because we have to take care of a 5" OLED screen at the same time.
So have we managed that? Yes, and we'll show you the result, with proud, at Guangzhou show next month.
2. Dual Output Mode
This is a unique feature that only available in N8. We alter the operation voltage of headphone amplification to increase output power, handling capability and sound signature of the circuit and allow users to choose between standard P mode and High Output P+ mode through a pull down menu. We'll keep this feature in N8ii and better still, we upgraded the headphone amplification circuit to fully-discrete design. As a result of that, the P+ mode in N8ii will offers more dramatic different from the standard P mode.
3. Dual DAC Architecture
The N8ii is designed around a pair of current mode DAC chipset that we have never used before. To the best of our knowledge, this DAC chipset has never been used by any portable DAP so far. The AKM fire is one of the hardest hit to our industry and Cayin started to look for new DAC solution almost immediately. We have spend a lot of resource to learn, experiment and find tune the supporting system of this new DAC chipset. Our engineer are still doing that while we speak, and we are confident that the final deliverable will offer a brand new experience that can rival any TOTL DAC implementation in DAP.
The original N8 was announced at Munich High-End 2018 and that is slightly over three years already. I can still remember the day I hold the N8 for the first time, telling the press that we had developed the first vacuum tube based DAP that sound exceptionally well. In fact it still does, the N8 is still regarded as one of the best sounding DAP today. We have been working on N8ii for well over a year. We don't have a predefined deadline. When Cayin works on a new flagship, we are more concern on the engineering and performance considerations, We are NOT going to roll out a flagship product until we are confident that it meet our requirements and expectations. Cayin has established an impeccable performance history on DAP product development. All three DAPs in our current line up, N8, N6ii and N3Pro, are innovative, well-informed, and well-received. We have displayed class-leading engineering from each and every product and we are confident that the N8ii will continue the Cayin legend.
We'll provide more information about N8ii after the Guangzhou International Headphone Expo, so please stay tuned.