Founding of NiPO and the N1
NiPO (Ni-Po) is an audio brand based in Shenzhen, China. The brand name comes from the "Nine-dot Puzzle," a classic puzzle known for testing flexibility of thought and creativity, symbolizing innovative thinking and a design philosophy unconstrained by conventional wisdom. With exceptional technical capabilities that transform new perspectives and superior originality into reality, NiPO offers a sound experience that transcends traditional audio.
NiPO's first DAP model, the "N1," received high acclaim immediately after its launch and quickly sold out. Building on that success, the next-generation flagship model, the "N2," developed over four years, has achieved further evolution in both sound quality and design philosophy. The N2 has already achieved solid results in the Chinese and Asian markets, receiving the prestigious "China International Headphone Exhibition Excellent HiFi Audio Award (EHA)." This award is the highest level audio award in China, selected based on strict criteria by the "Golden Ears Judging Panel" of the China Electronic Audio Industry Association.
NiPO's technical prowess is supported by innovation that truly exceeds industry standards. In particular, proprietary technologies adopted in the N2, such as the fully discrete architecture and 10-layer HDI PCB shielding design, minimize sound degradation and faithfully reproduce the original sound through precise current control. Furthermore, under a development system collaborating with dozens of professionals from various fields, thorough component selection and quality control are implemented to ensure product quality.
The Origin of the NiPO Brand
Lao Huang (Lao Huang), NiPO's founder and engineer, has accumulated over 30 years of experience in the audio industry. Since 1998, he has been involved in the design of audio products for global brands such as AIWA and PHILIPS, coming into contact with many top-class high-end products and continuously being fascinated by their overwhelming expressive power.
For Lao Huang, who suffered from severe insomnia, music was a precious companion during long nights. However, none of the various music players he tried at the time met his expectations. As an audio engineer and music lover, he strongly felt the desire to "create products that could move me." The strong desire to create products that could bring peace of mind to people suffering from insomnia, like himself, through beautiful music, lies at the core of the NiPO brand.
Potential for Portable Audio
In the mature audio industry with over 50 years of history, finding a new breakthrough is not easy. However, through meticulous research, development, and listening tests, Lao Huang felt a significant potential in portable audio products.
There is still a large sound quality gap between portable products and high-end stationary equipment. However, if it were possible to overcome challenges such as size, output, battery life, and heat dissipation within a limited space, and achieve sound quality approaching that of stationary equipment, he was convinced that he could become an overwhelming presence in this field.
Unwavering, Thorough Fundamental Research
Based on this philosophy, the NiPO brand was established in September 2019. For the first two years after its establishment, the focus was on fundamental research, aiming to uncover the essential factors contributing to the excellent sound quality of high-end audio products. NiPO thoroughly researched the relationship between circuit structure, component selection, material characteristics, electrical parameters, and sound quality, aiming to identify the fundamental factors creating the sound quality difference between high-end audio equipment and portable players. They continuously explored whether this difference could be overcome with existing technology, or if new technologies, materials, or manufacturing methods were required for a breakthrough.
As a result of many years of research, development, and verification experiments, NiPO has achieved numerous technological innovations. Many innovative technologies, such as the no-feedback headphone amplifier, IV current mirror, and numerically controlled resistance volume, have been established and successfully incorporated into the flagship model "N2." Furthermore, as the world's first Android portable player with a fully discrete analog channel, it achieves a natural, realistic, and fatigue-free sound, enabling NiPO's unique musical expression regardless of the DAC type.
Characteristic Changes Through "Break-in" of Selected Components are Key to Optimal Performance
The N2's sound quality characteristics are optimized through break-in. The sound quality characteristics according to the approximate break-in time are as follows:
Sound quality characteristics that change with break-in
After 150 hours: The soundstage expands, and the sound quality changes to a more relaxed characteristic.
After 300 hours: Reaches optimal condition, fully demonstrating the N2's inherent capabilities.
The N2 has a significant feature called "break-in," where the sound quality changes over time. This is not just a "wearing-in" process; it is an essential process for the internal components to bring out their original performance.
Main Elements of Break-in: Synergistic Effects of 5 Components and Changes
◆ Stabilization of Capacitors and Inductors ◆
・Electrolytic capacitors: When new, the electrolyte has high activity. After tens of hours of charging and discharging, the internal ion distribution becomes uniform, reducing equivalent series resistance (ESR). The reduction in high-frequency noise improves sound clarity.
・Film capacitors: The dielectric polarization effect gradually settles, and signal transmission becomes more linear, giving the impression of smoother vocals in the mid-range.
・Inductor coils: Minute vibrations between the enamel wire and the core decrease with use, reducing distortion by suppressing micro-resonances.
◆ Temperature Adaptability of Semiconductor Devices ◆
・Transistors in Class AB headphone amplifiers: The temperature of the PN junction stabilizes with continuous use. Bias voltage drift decreases, approaching Class A characteristics in the small signal region, and crossover distortion is reduced.
・Thermal coupling effect: The difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the heatsink and PCB acclimates with use, reducing contact failures due to thermal stress.
◆ Formation of Oxide Layer at Solder Joints and Connectors ◆
・New solder joints may have minute burrs. When a uniform oxide layer forms after prolonged current flow, contact resistance decreases, contributing to a reduction in the noise floor and an improvement in dynamic range.
The "True Sound of N2" Achieved Through Break-in
By using it for a long time, the music player's hidden sound quality performance is maximized, and a relaxed sound that allows you to fully enjoy the power of music is obtained. This is precisely an important process for experiencing the "sound quality approaching that of stationary equipment" that NiPO aimed for, in a portable format.
Moving forward, NiPO will continue to combine over 30 years of audio engineering experience with innovative technical development capabilities to develop products that achieve both sound quality approaching that of stationary equipment and portability. By continually pursuing the true essence of music, NiPO will open new possibilities in audio.