Cayin Audio’s N6II nails what it means to be a multi-DAC music player
Happy birthday to the DAP that gave us options without compromises. Cayin Audio's N6 II modular music maker turns one after quickly becoming Head-Fi's sweet spot.
Its first anniversary arrives sweetly. The world's first multi-DAC music player did the unthinkable upon its release in June 2019. Building entirely different audio circuits – DAC and amp – into user-swapped 'motherboards' would change the DAP entirely, and the DAP game along with it.
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One year later, N6 II brings its fourth to the floor, the E02. Love and own one board, or all four, either way Cayin deliver on their promise of unlimited possibilities. It was an industry acknowledgement that not everyone's ears are the same.
When one DAP – we call it a platform – can morph into five sounds and counting to fit virtually anyone's tastes, then the N6 II is a literal fan favourite. If audio is a partly a numbers game and quantity has a quality of its own, then Cayin's collective is prevailing.
Q: What DAC chip does N6 II have?
A: What DAC chip do you want?
Well, it's both alphabets and numbers, that ensures N6 II is set up that much better for success. You could say it's gone on to make an impact – even inspiring copies of the concept from fellow manufacturers.
That's evidence enough Cayin nailed it stumbling upon a want and turning it into a need. The idea was fundamental, the execution more crucial. Importantly, N6 II never lost sight of what it takes to be a good music player.
A strong flagship claim is made with any motherboard attached. When some drain its 5,900mAh battery in a little over seven hours, that's a spec you pay attention to. Big battery draw is a surefire sign that components are being pampered and lavished with proper power supply – the lifeblood of serious, enthusiast audio.
That and N6 II gets around pretty conveniently same, with Google Play, full Android services and the offline Tidal, Spotify and Xiami storage that comes with it. What a literal complete package from this music player. As birthdays go, this is a very happy one.