Cayin Audio were R2R pioneers in a smart music player, but the advent of the R2R RU6 USB-C DAC/amp dongle establishes them as masters of the fully-discrete resistor DAC topology in portable audio. Entering 2022, this is all it takes to achieve the buttery, natural and resolving sound, plus imaging depth, R2R is known for. Building a discrete R2R DAC in N6II/R01 had already been no mean feat. Yet to have gone one further, and implemented a 4.4mm DAC dongle for Android, iPads and laptops is a most ambitious step for R2R. It's worth it to Headfonics who cite RU6's "analog" approach, and the innovation extending to its volume control is lauded by Headfonia. [See Product Desc. For More] It gets harder every time it gets smaller, so RU6 marks Cayin as masters showcasing how they can make it work. Descended from R01, RU6's boasts a chain of 96 0.1% precision, temperature stable, resistors. That imparts a fidelity to mobile audio not yet experienced. Over 200 mW of balanced power gets most earphones and headphones loud, on the move. ecoustics say RU6 "is not only very unique but also one of the best of its kind". Everyday Listening rates "RU6’s wide stage and analogue-like note presentation granting it one of the sweetest and most euphonic sounds I’ve encountered". After thorough comparisons with other options, Twister6 qualifies RU6 as capable of replacing entry-level music players. Prime Audio Reviews confirms it differentiates itself from other DAC/amps, and it's Ear Fidelity's Best Portable DAC of 2021. Your music will be decoded up and down RU6's 24-bit ladder of individual resistors, crammed into its thumb-sized chassis over two separate six-layer PCBs. The actual R2R ladder DAC is kept apart from signal processing to lower noise. We pay attention when Cayin implement RU6 ala typical R2R – with a NOS (non-oversampling) mode. That's double the feat because the precision demanded goes up. Amidst minimal digital filtering, R2R's analog-like goodness gets delivered unmolested to your ears. Lovers of reference sound need not fret, however, with RU6's ability to switch from NOS to oversampling mode for the cleanest possible result. That scrubs any last distortion and artifacts beyond the audible human hearing range, leaving you to just enjoy your music, naturally, via one more Cayin innovation yet. That precision is backed up by a low-power, fully analog, volume control solution. A series resistor operates with shunts as voltage dividers in tandem with relays, to maintain near-perfect resolution of your music and a signal-to-noise ratio of over 110 dB. A totally novel volume solution has made this a feat for a USB-powered dongle DAC; let alone a R2R one.  Take all 30g of the RU6 built from CNC aluminium with you in your pocket, bundled with a USB-C cable as stock for all your mobile devices, with additional leather cases and Lightning-to-USB-C cable (not MFI-certified) sold separately.  Also check out the rest of Cayin's releases here, or view our other DAC/amps here.

1-bit, multiple possibilities. After the debut of Head-Fi's first discrete 1-bit, all-to-DSD, music player in N7, Cayin Audio have miniaturised the technology further in RU7. This latest novel 4.4mm USB DAC/amp from innovators Cayin therefore promises to upsize your enjoyment of music with the same decoding topology that saw N7 greeted with aplomb. Built of 128 individual resistors, RU7 converts all your normal PCM playback – via CD rips, Hi-Res downloads and Spotify, Tidal or Apple Music streaming – into DSD before decoding to analog. Its size is proof that no task is too big for Cayin. Outputting in 4.4mm, RU7 is Cayin's perfect complement to the PCM, R2R, RU6. Headfonics says RU7 is "the best of the lot". Headfonia elected this mini DSD masterpiece to its Recommended Buys list. eCoustics add "it's the best dongle DAC we’ve tried yet". "RU7 continues the company’s hot streak of breaking new ground in DAC design ... 1-bit DAC in the RU7 is even more impressive than the R2R DAC [in RU6]" says The Headphone List. To Twister6 and ichos-reviews, RU7 even challenges DAPs. Bringing up to 400 milliwatts power to bear, the goodness of an all-to-DSD approach to decoding can be heard with all manner of portable Head-Fi. [See Product Desc. For More] All audio formats are passed as DSD through RU7's precise 1-bit decode. Cayin returns to Sony's Scarlet Book SACD revolution of the 1990s and elevates that conversion philosophy with modern mobile dongle hardware. RU7's highlight is its 1-bit decoder, converting all PCM files to quad-rate DSD first via DSP logic, while letting native DSD material flow on to the 128 discrete resistors in its DAC – in actuality a simple analog low-pass filter. There's zero error at the point of conversion in a 1-bit DAC. There, Cayin relies on Pulse-Density Modulation (PDM)'s total accuracy, and sheer ease of decoding. The pitch for DSD's 1-bit conversion is digital at its simplest and closest point to analog – level represented only either as a 1 or a 0, switching on or off. To achieve analog, the bitstream is simply low-pass filtered. Cayin's all-to-DSD discrete DAC is accurate ... and also elegant, breakthrough and historic in personal audio. It draws inspiration from the illustrious halls of Hi-Fi, where each EMM Labs, Nagra Audio, Playback Designs, PS Audio and of course, N7's, 1-bit DAC release has been greeted with accolades and fanfare. RU7's discrete proprietary tech immediately differentiates itself from commercial DAC chips, where IC packages are often too small to perform an ideal 1-bit conversion. RU7 also avoids the errors of dynamic element matching inherent to 2-7 bit delta-sigma decoders. The decoded analog goes through Cayin's specially designed resistor-based analog volume control for perfect channel matching at any level – facilitating that very special 1-bit discrete DSD decode and importantly preserving your music's true dynamic range resolution. A series resistor operates with shunts as voltage dividers in tandem with relays, to maintain near-perfect resolution of your music and a signal-to-noise ratio of over 110 dB. A totally novel volume solution has made this feat possible on a USB-powered dongle DAC. Cayin differentiates RU7 from RU6 in offering the former a line-out option whereby the volume control is bypassed for a fixed voltage out, perfect for listening into motor stereo systems as well as handy and portable personal speakers.  Meanwhile, RU7's 400mW output power is doubled compared to RU6's, such that this DSD DAC is capable of transferring all its forward-thinking fidelity into your prized transducers. Never fear for leaving your reference gear behind for Cayin's latest and greatest every-day carry.  There ends the list of exploits worthy of celebrating Cayin's 30th anniversary in arguably more ambitious a way than even N7 offered. Check out the rest of Cayin's gear here, or view our other USB dongle DACs here.

Protect your RU6 from scratches with one of these — Tangerine Orange or Cobalt blue, your choice.

4.4mm TRRS female - 3.5mm male single ended L-shaped quality adapter by Cayin.  

Cayin Audio, you keep outdoing yourself. When every release from these innovators is expected to be a revolution, N8II had to break significant new ground. This tube or solid-state flagship music player achieves exactly that, with upgrades on every front. N8II plays with a deftness of touch to dynamics, realistic distances and imaging, plus a soundstage bathed in a gentle light that is at the same time detailed but never fatiguing. Headfonics heard N8ii up Cayin's tube DAP game. It went right onto Headfonia's Recommended Buys list. Twister6 heard "Cayin take their original N8 DAP to a whole new level ... beyond of 'everything but the kitchen sink'". Ear Fidelity declares it a "masterclass of a DAP", with "tube and Class A a game changer". Dual ROHM BD34301EKV DAC chips make their debut in N8II and portable audio, fronted by a full Google Play Android 9 operating system. That all feeds Cayin's new timbre selector that applies to both balanced and single-ended discrete amplifier outputs. [See Product Desc. For More] Four years in the making since Cayin's original N8 made history as the first portable tube music player ever, N8II achieves what its predecessor couldn't even have begun to dream of. It doubles up on its 6P1 tube complement in its small signal gain stage, packing two Nutube dual triodes for true balanced, differential, operation from either its 4.4mm or 3.5mm outputs.  N8II's Nutubes can be turned on or off on both outputs to match your listening preferences. If you choose to bypass tubes, signal direct from the DACs runs to the power stage, benefitting your gear that loves the precise, clean detail associated with transistors. READ ALSO DAPs have gone down the tube Taking inspiration from Cayin's tube/solid-state C9 portable amplifier, N8II's differential analog design relies heavily on common-mode rejection to serve as a clean, transparent – but never sterile – flagship reference with 125dB of signal-to-noise ratio. A marvel of miniaturisation, N8II packs C9's discrete power stage, operating in switchable Class A or Class AB to put out up to 1,200 milliwatts. This bias system ensures the output of watts that are supreme in quality – a result of individual transistors being turned on and operated where their open-loop linearity is optimal to further push distortion down. Cayin leave you the ability to boost N8II's operating voltage beyond 14 volts, further ensuring transistor linearity while guaranteeing headroom for large dynamic swings on bigger cans that need it. However, it's not only about the quantity of power, but more importantly the quality. Signal integrity is key. N8II's volume control remains fully analog, eschewing a lossy digital control thanks to JRC's NJW1195A resistor ladder part, implemented only after the gain stage. Any attenuation is kept far away from the delicate output signal from new ROHM DACs – of which Cayin's implementation has been key. READ ALSO C9 – nothing is too extreme for Cayin BD34301EKV decodes DSD as a native 1-bit stream without PCM processing, owing to N8II's external analog volume control. ROHM's flagship chip's ability to output analog in current, pushing distortion figures down and upping tuning potential via N8II's extensive current-to-voltage I/V converter, also cannot be overlooked. This small-signal segment beginning from the ROHM DACs has been overbuilt for a music player. But what might be considered extreme elsewhere, is only expected from Cayin.  Currawong says "N8II is for people who must have the best DAP of its kind, regardless of the cost".  ROHM's input signal processing via dither and advanced clock handling, plus a chip layout that's been streamlined for silent operation, are also talked up. N8II's FPGA feeds a pristine I2S signal to the dual DACs, after which they are upsampled by up to 32 times before being converted according to ROHM's linear-phase digital filters. Cayin have deployed the perfect Google Play-based Android 9 UI to feed every imaginable kind of content to its shiny new digital sub-system hardware. Direct Transport Audio bypasses otherwise mandatory sample rate conversion of stock Android. So play Tidal 16X MQA, Qobuz and Hi-Res Lossless Apple Music as the file was originally encoded with full confidence, with no undue digital tampering. The flexibility yielded by Cayin's Snapdragon 660 CPU and 6GB of RAM running optimised Android 9 is phenomenal, and fully at the service of N8II – Head-Fi's most advanced and complete music player in 2022. Those wanting more horsepower yet from Cayin can look at C9 as a potential stacking option from N8II's balanced line-outs here, browse Cayin's other revolutionary products here, or view all our other music players here.

Cayin's Lightning cable for Apple users. ***Please note cable is not MFI-certified.

Cayin Audio's N30LE flagship proved so popular, they shrunk it down into a mini-me. Introducing the N3 Ultra, the entry-level tube music player with dual JAN6418 valves that yield warm, liquid sound to both single-ended and 4.4mm balanced outputs.  Baby Cayin's strengths are clear to Twister6. Headfonics says Ultra "is a huge setup from the older 2021 N3Pro version". Dual AKM AK4493SEQ DACs help bring N3 Ultra's concept into the future. Its tubes then sweeten Cayin's decoded analog. Ear Fidelity writes it's "wildly recommended ... it's just that good", praise which was echoed by Headfonia and ichos-reviews. Not content to just extend tube timbre to its balanced outputs, Cayin also adopted N30LE's dual modes to give N3 Ultra the same Classic and Modern tube flavour options. Working its JAN6418 pair either as a triode, a pentode, or turned off entirely, yields clear, audible differences that lets you find the perfect synergy with your transducers. This swappable tube signature then flows on to powerful solid-state output buffers capable of driving the low impedances of your IEMs and headphones. The evolution from Cayin's original N3Pro kick-started a tube DAP genre and indeed inspires flagships these days. But Head-Fi's foremost innovators show us first never follows, staying ahead of the curves with guaranteed hits like N3 Ultra. [See Product Desc. For More] N3 Ultra is so much more than its DAC chips, which as Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM)’s resurgent AK4493SEQs deserve a mention as lowering power consumption and performing better than their predecessor's metrics. Where N3 Ultra really begins to impress is the presence of its pair of Raytheon JAN6418 tubes – each taking care of one channel. READ ALSO The past, present and future of Cayin tubes Placed at the voltage gain stage where it will yield the biggest sonic impact, the small output of these pentodes makes its presence heard on all four analog outputs by popular request – 3.5mm single-ended phone out, 4.4mm balanced headphone out, 3.5mm single-ended line-out and 4.4mm balanced line-out. Indeed, N3 Ultra is a huge upgrade. It throws out the lossy DAC digital volume control of its Pro predecessor – catastrophically located in the signal path before the tubes back then, already diminishing dynamic range performance before the arrival of the precious decoded analog at arguably the noisiest section of its circuit. Never again. N3 Ultra incorporates a JRC NJW1195A electronically controlled analog volume control only far AFTER its tube gain and right before its power stage, where its quality can be showcased. This resistor ladder volume control comes only after the voltage drivers, kept far from the input signal for maximum integrity, and the best signal-to-noise performance. READ ALSO DAPs have gone down the tube Cayin count on the square law function of N3 Ultra's JAN6418 to push down distortion at the drawing board. The huge operating voltages of this valve section, and their Class A operation, in a portable player means that open-loop linearity exceeds virtually every other non-tube DAP ... at any price. The signal that goes in, comes out amplified the same. You'll hear from N3 Ultra the kind of effortlessness yielded only by high operating voltages, Class A bias and the non-existent capacitance of tubes. These factors allow minimum negative feedback to be applied, as what enters Cayin's JAN6418s has little error that needs correction. You can focus on the music in either Classic or Modern – the latter working each JAN6418 as a pentode – tube modes, knowing that you're hearing back the track close to the way it was recorded. The single-ended operation of Cayin's valves emphasises even-order harmonics for natural, engaging and warm sound. And the small quantity of tube feedback means distortion remains low order, rather than complex intermodulation. N3 Ultra's highly-linear small signal is then converted to balanced and flows into the player's differential solid-state output stage. These op-amp buffers give Cayin's prodigy the grunt to drive lower impedance IEMs and headphones like Focal perfectly. In this way, you can bask in the natural allure of tube sound, and still trust your player to act as a proper voltage source, packing low output impedance and high damping factor.  READ ALSO N3 Ultra's development story You'll want to get your music aboard N3 Ultra, and Cayin build in a Snapdragon processor as well as lightweight, non-streaming Android skin to keep operation bloat-free. Microphonic control is well in place around N3 Ultra's JAN6418s – learnt from generations of Cayin tube music players – and abundant heatsinking is applied around them to keep rising temperatures away from critical components. As evidence by N3 Ultra, Cayin don't build entry-level players. Each release is over-built to stand up to the rigours expected of it, and beyond. Check out the rest of these innovators' releases here, or view our other music players here.

Cayin Audio's N6III continues with E203. The latest DAC/amp module is built around ESS Technology's ES9039Pro and a Class A discrete transistor output stage with Hyper mode, to yield some of the most complete portable amplification known to modern Head-Fi. Nothing else this side of $2,000 will drive a Nightjar Acoustics Duality, Subtonic Audio Storm and Symphonium Audio Crimson without compromise. Twister6 noted E203's "deeper sub-bass rumble, fuller body textured mids, and a more relaxed treble". Headfonia placed this motherboard on their Recommended Buys list for "a dynamic and complete sound profile with controlled, impactful bass, crisp mids, capable tonality, and well-extended treble". Headfonics drew attention to “Hyper mode standing tall over Class A and Class AB". ESS DACs saw arguably the most popular modules with the preceding N6II. In the time since, N6III has been able to take inspiration from C9II to invent a whole new analog circuit utilising this generation's 30 per cent increased board space, designing a great platform to debut the ES9039Pro in a Cayin DAP. [See Product Desc. For More] Hyper modern, this ESS flagship's Hyperstream IV technology is good to go for the next decade. ES9039Pro's patented pulse-width modulation technology is already a one-up on standard delta-sigma modulation, now pushing nigh inaudible high-order distortion levels post-conversion further down. This eight-channel DAC bring five new digital filters – many with low in-band ripple – to the party for new flavours of sonic reproduction. ES9039Pros pack enough computational horsepower to run their 8x oversampling process in just two passes thus minimising rounding errors – an upgrade on other attempts that use a concatenation of three stacked 2x oversampling passes which compound errors. Perfectly exploiting the dynamic range and distortion headroom these futuristic ESS DACs provide is Cayin's implementation. An eight-channel current-to-voltage I/V conversion stage is built in to preserve the full information from N6III/E203's digital decode. This overbuilt stage is befitting of ESS chips that output in current for best distortion performance, and indeed more expensive players. By treating each of the eight channel current outputs separately before stereo summing, N6III/E203 yields a small-signal stage that is transparent and, most importantly, accurate. The sheer resolution the ES9039Pro is capable of in E203 is the stuff of legend. But in the spirit of innovation, Cayin may be the first ones to tame this chip for personal audio use, drawing upon their experience developing the wildly-popular C9II tube/solid-state hybrid tube portable amplifier. Plenty of C9II's feats focused on beefing up its small-signal voltage stages, where the majority of an analog circuit's sonic signature is shaped. Cayin focused on reinforcing the current-delivery capabilities of said small-signal stages, ultimately allowing them to drive C9II's big discrete output transistors – and more importantly, the challenging capacitive loads they represented. Results spoke for themselves for C9II, and that's now trickled down into N6III/E203. This module likewise overbuilds its differential, balanced small-signal stage – where E203's sound signature is defined – packing in the venerable Texas Instruments OPA1612 that has been respected in line-stages for over a decade. How E203 overcomes its internal lag circuit capacitance is audible, resulting in an extended high-frequency performance that enables excellent phase response in the human hearing range for realistic dynamics. An airy, open, precise soundstage is possible as a result. Overcoming circuit capacitance also leads to voltage signals traveling through without lag behind current, leading to a more natural sound that does not descend into harshness. Cayin desire for you to enjoy this performance into a wide variety of gear. That's why E203 packs a Hyper mode, where operating voltages for its power section rise above 10 volts – the headroom and linearity of its discrete output devices assured as a result.  This open-loop linearity will particularly reward listening to the highest fidelity IEMs from Elysian Acoustic Labs, Empire Ears, PlusSound and Vision Ears available today, especially with E203's discrete headphone amplifier.  Indeed, Cayin's big output devices can be operated in Class AB or an optimal Class A, for sonic tweaking with your favourite earphones and headphones. Differentiating itself from its peers built with op-amps yet with inordinate amounts of gain and negative feedback, E203's linearity remains excellent already before correction is applied, owing to its high operating voltages and bias. Those ensure individual transistors are working in optimum condition. Distortion and noise are kept low, without resorting to the excessive use of negative feedback. Cayin designed a true-balanced differential amplifier to further improve N6III/E203's linearity, and you can count on common-mode rejection at its best whenever you plug in via 4.4mm preserving its resolution. At the tip of the power stage's spear, unconventionally large 3 ampere output transistors common to C9II and HiBy Music's RS8 ensure excellent current-handling. These are output transistors that can withstand high voltages – facilitating Hyper mode and a total of almost 2 watts for big headphones too. Capable of following the impedances of today's flagship IEMs low, Cayin's tradition building amplifiers that provide actual power as proper voltage sources continues. Rarely will a single device be as complete as N6III/E203 at this size, form factor and price point. The combination of the ES9039Pro's neutral, ultra-high-resolution capabilities, combined with an airy, delicate voltage-gain stage and an output section that effortlessly drives a wide range of demanding headphones, ensures this modular marvel will remain an exceptional performer for years to come. As you await the launch of their next audio motherboard, check out N6III's companion C201 module here, the rest of Cayin's gear here, or view our other music players here.

If you think you know how C9II sounds because it's a Class A tube/solid-state hybrid portable amplifier, Cayin Audio asks you to think again. The successor to the genre-defining C9 throws in local feedback adjustment around dual 6P1 Nutubes as well as its discrete solid-state output stage. That’s before anode voltage adjustment allows Cayin to reinvent the rule book, once again. It enters Headfonia's Hall of Fame for that. Twister6 notes this portable behemoth "should last you a long time to enhance any source you pair it up with". In its rawest form – with the barest minimum error correction around its Nutube voltage gain and transistor output stages – C9II is an exercise in circuit purity. It's a simple circuit that outperforms any complex one, especially in portable form factor. With Hyper mode, where operating voltage and bias gets pushed to the linear open-loop maximum, and full balanced differential operation, Cayin equipped C9II with the means to operate at its maximum in every possible mode of operation. [See Product Desc. For More] The vast majority of an amplifier's tuning comes from its initial input and voltage gain stages. Here, we see how far Cayin have come since C9 was released in 2021. A listener's ability to adjust every parameter including tube anode voltage and the feedback loop around Nutubes means up to five potential sonic signatures are possible. The operation of C9II's Gen 5 Nutube circuit in Classic mode reduces negative feedback to a bare minimum, increasing immersion with a simpler and faster circuit that avoids time lag and transient intermodulation distortion. Distortion figures also increase on paper but are of a low-order variety that is less jarring to the ear, compared to the complex intermodulation associated with unabated feedback levels. READ ALSO The full blow-by-blow story of C9II's development Here is where a good old linear open-loop circuit based on immaculate parts gain matching raises the victory flag. And that's before Class A bias and high operating voltages come into play, setting up C9II for success. You can even play with Nutube anode voltage for very audible sonic outcomes.  Throughout, C9II allows linearity specs to remain respectable even without error correction, because there are less errors to correct in the first place. Cayin's biggest asset in that regard comes from differential, balanced operation, where common-mode rejection enters the picture to amplify signal and block off non-linear distortion and noise.  While 6P1 Nutubes are always going to be the star of the show, and adaptable to sonic preferences and tastes, don't ignore C9II's solid-state input either.  Four channels of single-ended Class A Toshiba JFETs work in quasi-complementary fashion. Just NPNs, without PNP mismatches, plus even-order harmonics and square law make for a totally unique differential circuit in a portable set-up. Once you find your ideal match from five possible permutations, the input signal passes through JRC's MUSES 72320 resistor ladder volume controls – kept far away from the input and implemented only after the driver stage to preserve fragile small-signal integrity and excellent signal-to-noise ratio. This preserved resolution is handled all the way by a discrete transistor signal path. C9II's design is more than up to the task of preserving the signal – mere op-amp ICs need not apply. Instead of wasting their input stage advancements by entrusting the analog job to commercial ICs, Cayin's labour of love continued into its discrete, differential, output stage for common-mode rejection. C9II's driver section counts on all the benefits that come with a discrete FET & bipolar design – low open-loop gain and the resultantly lower negative feedback necessary, high slew rates, current-handling and unity gain stability.  Cayin's headphone power amplifier section is inherently stable without going into oscillation caused by too much gain product. The utmost attention is paid throughout. Differentiating itself from even other amplifiers that cling to op-amp layouts seeking THX-certification but with inordinate amounts of gain and feedforward/feedback, C9II's linearity remains excellent already in the open-loop, owing to its high operating voltages and bias. Those ensure individual transistors are working in optimum condition. Distortion and noise are kept low, without resorting to the excessive use of negative feedback. Cayin designed a true-balanced differential amplifier to further improve C9II's linearity, and you can count on common-mode rejection at its best whenever you plug in via 4.4mm preserving its resolution. It's an output stage that's direct-coupled to improve low-frequency performance, and C9II audibly plumbs the lowest bass depths. With the extension down low, phase reproduction in the audible human hearing range for taut, hard-hitting and life-like dynamics is excellent. At the tip of the power stage's spear, large bipolar devices work in parallel emitter-follower configuration to ensure excellent beta and current-handling for good reason, reaping the full benefit of Cayin's quad of 18650 batteries outputting direct DC and working without voltage boost conversion. These power transistors are linear enough in the open-loop, running fully biased and at high operating voltages, that they can be removed from the feedback loop with the push of a button. The reduction in feedback to simple local quantities innocuously just controlling small-signal gain means sound becomes all the more natural. A faster, simpler and more responsive circuit is just able to present musical information in a more effortless way.  Capable of following the impedances of the Empire Ears Raven, Odin and Legend Evo down low, Cayin's tradition building amplifiers that provide actual power as proper voltage sources into halving resistances continues with C9II. This is Cayin's latest exercise in old-school linear amplification brought away from the shackles of heavy hardware and into a portable future – with nary a compromise in sound, and adapted to manage the increasingly complex crossovers flagship IEMs represent. The versatility C9II yields in tuning options is only acknowledgement by Cayin for how much the portable audio market has grown. This Nutube hybrid promises to adapt to and improve your ever-changing transducers and portable sources, making you the chef that is in full control of the flavour of your audiophile nourishment. For much, much more detail into the portable technological advances C9II heralds, check out Cayin's full development story here plus the rest of their gear here, and all our other portable amplifiers here.

It had to be Cayin. From those who gave Head-Fi the first Android-based R2R DAP, and the first similar discrete resistor DAC/amp dongle, comes N7. This all-to-DSD flagship music player is a fitting celebration of Cayin Audio's 30th anniversary. Built of 128 individual resistors and original DSP work carried on a FPGA, the fully-balanced, differential, 1-bit discrete DAC in N7 is proprietary Cayin through and through. It's "the kind of DAP that invigorates your listening experience with headgear that perhaps over time you have gotten a bit blasé about" praised Headfonics. "Cayin is putting the bar very high for themselves and the competition" added Headfonia. Twister6 wrote home about N7 after he adopted it as his daily driver for "flagship-level performance". It's a flagship bargain to eCoustics. ichos-reviews envies "the lucky owner with many hours of pure musical bliss". Cayin doesn't differentiate between CD rips, Hi-Res downloads and Spotify, Tidal or Apple Music streaming. The Android 12, Google Play Store N7 converts all your normal PCM playback into DSD.  All formats are then passed as DSD through N7's precise 1-bit decode, before signal flows on to a balanced 4.4mm discrete transistor headphone amplifier biased into Class A. [See Product Desc. For More] Caiyin's latest innovation combines the best of digital and analog technology to emerge totally unique and apart from an increasingly mature market. N7's corporeal, physical and tangible sound is unmatched by any other DAP. N7 doesn't just sound surprisingly non-digital: it's utterly realistic and true to life. Natural and chock full of resolution, Cayin's landmark release stands apart by presenting music in a spectacular yet totally even-handed way bottom to top. Cayin returns to Sony's Scarlet Book SACD revolution of the 1990s and elevates that conversion philosophy with modern hardware plus a proprietary DSP trick or two. N7's highlight is its 1-bit decoder, drawing inspiration from the Philips and Marantz DSD DACs of yore. N7 converts all PCM files to octo-rate DSD first via DSP logic, while letting native DSD material flow on to the 128 discrete resistors in its fully-balanced DAC – in actuality a simple analog low-pass filter. There's zero error at the point of conversion in a 1-bit DAC. There, Cayin relies on Pulse-Density Modulation (PDM)'s total accuracy, and sheer ease of decoding. The pitch for DSD's 1-bit conversion is digital at its simplest and closest point to analog – level represented only either as a 1 or a 0, switching on or off. To achieve analog, the bitstream is simply low-pass filtered. Cayin's all-to-DSD discrete DAC is accurate ... and also elegant, breakthrough and historic in personal audio. It draws inspiration from the illustrious halls of Hi-Fi, where each EMM Labs, Nagra Audio, Playback Designs and PS Audio 1-bit DAC release has been greeted with accolades and fanfare. N7's discrete proprietary tech immediately differentiates itself from commercial DAC chips, where IC packages are often too small to perform an ideal 1-bit conversion. N7 also avoids the errors of dynamic element matching inherent to 2-7 bit delta-sigma decoders. The delicate analog voltage waveform painstakingly decoded from DSD in N7 is precious. Cayin's R&D, invested building their own DAC, pays off as the fragile small-signal goes on to be handled by a similar discrete bipolar transistor gain stage. This design is more than up to the task of preserving the signal – mere op-amp ICs need not apply. Instead of wasting their DAC development efforts by entrusting the analog job to commercial ICs, Cayin's labour of love continued into its discrete, differential, analog stage for common-mode rejection. N7's driver section counts on all the benefits that come with a discrete bipolar design – low voltage noise, low open-loop gain and the resultantly lower negative feedback necessary, high slew rates and unity gain stability. This accurate linearity means that whatever entered N7's DAC as digital, comes out exactly the same in analog. There's a reason N7 portrays elements within the soundstage with such solidity, the aural images it generates so convincingly rendered – its small signal post-conversion is of the highest quality, and inherently stable without going into oscillation caused by too much gain product. The utmost attention is paid throughout. The results of which can be fed out as a line or pre-amp voltage to a downstream amp such as Cayin's C9ii and iBasso Audio's PB5 tube/solid-state hybrid portable amplifier. The decoded analog goes through a four-channel analog volume control before reaching the Class A discrete output amp, facilitating that very special 1-bit discrete DSD decode and importantly preserving your music's true dynamic range resolution. N7's high rails see operating voltages for its power section rise above 10 volts, the linearity of discrete transistors assured as a result. Cayin's discrete headphone amplifier can be operated in Class AB or an optimal Class A, for sonic tweaking with your favourite earphones and headphones.  Differentiating itself from even other flagships that cling to op-amp layouts seeking THX-certification but with inordinate amounts of gain and feedforward/feedback, Cayin's linearity remains excellent already in the open-loop, owing to its high operating voltages and bias. Those ensure individual transistors are working in optimum condition. Distortion and noise are kept low, without resorting to the excessive use of negative feedback. Cayin designed a true-balanced differential amplifier to further improve N7's linearity, and you can count on common-mode rejection at its best whenever you plug in via 4.4mm preserving its resolution. It's an output stage that's direct-coupled to improve low-frequency performance, and N7 audibly plumbs the lowest bass depths. With the extension down low, phase reproduction in the audible human hearing range for taut, hard-hitting and life-like dynamics is excellent. At the tip of the power stage's spear, unconventionally large 5 ampere output transistors ensure excellent current-handling for good reason, to reap the full benefit of N7's separately regulated power supplies for analog and digital sections. Capable of following the impedances of the Empire Ears Raven, Odin and Legend Evo down low, Cayin's 30-year tradition building amplifiers that provide actual power as proper voltage sources into halving resistances continues with N7. You'll want to exploit all of N7's technical feats by getting as much of your music aboard. So Cayin built in the futuristic Snapdragon 665 SOC and 4GB of RAM to run Android 12 perfectly. A 9,000mAh battery supplies up to 10 hours of use. Stream 16X Tidal MQA and full Hi-Res Lossless Apple Music at full bit and sample rates with Cayin's Direct Transport Audio OS that bypasses detrimental Android sample-rate conversion. And voilà: there ends the list of exploits as long as Cayin's illustrious history that the discrete 1-bit DSD decoding, Class A N7 brings to market – ready to take on the next 10 years. Also look how Cayin intend to define a new era via their entire catalogue here, or view our other music players here.

Designed by Cayin to fit C9 while keeping both style and functionality. The backplate has vented grilles for heat dissipation while you enjoy hours of pristine playback time offered by the incredible C9.

Third time's the charm for Cayin Audio with N6III. They've perfected the formula for the ideal Android 12 platform – one music player that truly will keep up with all your audio needs. The trilogy continues with the C201 module built around eight Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chips to yield neutral, high-resolution headphone playback, or E203 with the mighty ESS Technology ES9039Pro flagship for supreme detail and low-impedance flagship IEM driving power. It goes onto Headfonia's Recommended Buys list. N6III's "very appealing sound signatures suit a wide range of IEMs and headphones" writes Headfonics.  Twister6 praised it for filling the modular niche, with the "ability to order N6iii with either of the modules" being a rare one. That versatility was echoed by ichos-reviews in their assessment of C201. Choose which module you'll start your N6III journey with here, and never fear about missing out. After all, you can continue to develop your collection with any of the new DAC/amp motherboards that are subsequently released. [See Product Desc. For Individual Module Info] It's easy for another Cayin to follow in the footsteps of the N6II – the first interchangeable audio motherboard that contained the entire DAC and its corresponding analog audio circuit in one whole swappable module. View all info on the stock C201 module – Eight Cirrus Logic CS43198s with precision analog volume control View all info on the stock E203 module – One ESS Technology ES9039Pro with Class A/AB/Hyper mode discrete transistor output stage First never follows, but in the case of N6III there's a strong foundation laid down by its groundbreaking mid-priced predecessor. Never wanting for sound quality – even inspiring other manufacturers to produce their own copies – Cayin have taken steps forward to modernise the N6 modular concept with a Snapdragon 665, 6GB of RAM, an external long-range Wi-Fi antenna and a 50 per cent larger battery. Modules can now also be changed without separate tools. Need we mention that the signal path is fully shielded from parasitic wireless interference housed in its own isolated aluminum chassis. N6III's build only increases the noise rejection immunity of modules that are each already top-notch audio performers in their own right. View the futuristic N6III's respective C201 and E203 modules as well as all our other Cayin music players here, and our other DAPs here.

--- SOLD! --- Power hasn't come in a more potent package than Cayin Audio's little desktop iHA-6. Up to seven watts per channel promises to drive every headphone with aplomb, including HiFiMAN's notorious HE-6, Arya and Susvara, plus all Dan Clark Audio FKA MrSpeakers. [See Product Desc. For More] With the ability to improve based on the quality of sources, building blocks for a fantastic desktop rig begins from the iHA-6, said John Grandberg for Innerfidelity. Its 95 per cent discrete design counts on modern power FETs to push some serious power into any pair of cans – this is not an overstatement. Power is not to be confused for loudness here. You'll be able to benefit from the inherent low internal gain typical of any Cayin discrete circuit to drive both the Focal Stellia and HE-6, plus everything in between, in the optimal range of iHA-6's volume control. For anyone familiar with what that means, it's a big deal. You'll also be able to see everything from Cayin here and all our other DAC & amp options here.

YD01 is the stuff of dreams, wielding the magic material that is beryllium. Fantasy's beryllium-plated dynamic driver offers credibility to the idea of a Cayin Audio chain: capably built by the same manufacturer from start to finish, source into IEM.  Cue all associations with beryllium – Fantasy is resolute about its portrayal of detail, with forceful and taut dynamics – and there's still more than meets the eye. [See Product Desc. For More] Chambering affairs in a two-way cavity and magnet structure means airflow in the shell is controlled more precisely, as your music flows from the big, composite diaphragm. The higher magnetic flux as a result allows more linear excursion. Fantasy boasts power, and more importantly, control. Its 10mm driver starts with a sandwich driver core of biocellulose, a paper-like fiber prized in audio for its effective damping at higher frequencies. This surface is then coated with beryllium for the metal's stiffness, lightness and air acceleration properties. That means Fantasy's driver material combination helps it move as a perfect piston over all frequencies up to and above its working range, keeping distortion down due to cone and modal break-up as frequencies rise. It's a truly full-range driver, producing bass all the way to a treble waveform perfectly and accurately. Headfonics were the first to hail it for its "beautiful upper midrange and amazing depth of field". Twister6 were struck by Fantasy's "max clarity and resolution with the min coloration and distortion of the sound". In Everyday Listening's simple terms, it's "out of this world". Fantasy is built in every way as a flagship IEM. Both Advance and Supreme cables from Nobunaga Labs improve this in various ways, as does the myriad of stock tips included. Hear it through a thorough collection of our music players here, browse Cayin's other releases here, or check out all our other earphones here.

Designed for the CAYIN N3 Pro. 

Cayin Audio's C201 employs a novel parallel differential matrix DAC architecture with its eight Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chips for the modular N6III. It's a motherboard on Headfonia's Recommended Buys list for "great detail ... stereo imaging is excellent". Headfonics concurred. Twister6 praised C201 for its "more resolving tonality and a neutrally revealing signature to extract more micro-details from the sound" – ichos-reviews praising "outstanding technical performance and exceptional sound quality". N6III's FPGA feeds each of C201's DAC chips independently with I2S signals, operating them in mono mode before they are grouped into pairs and paralleled to form full-differential output channels. To ensure optimal performance, each DAC chip benefits from discrete, symmetric power supply and peripheral circuitry. This design minimises distortion and jitter, resulting in enhanced sound density and overall audio quality. [See Product Desc. For More] By precisely aligning the phase of all DACs, Cayin has achieved a significant improvement in the C201's sonic performance. This is an analog output performance that matches the precision of its digital decode, with their operation in balanced differential mode counting on common-mode rejection to cancel out distortion and noise. The larger PCB size that N6III affords means that C201 is able to count on 30 per cent larger board space to keep overbuilding its circuits. This robust nature is typified by the NJU72315 volume controls – these analog attenuators are unbuffered in their basic IC form, leaving the choice of subsequent driver stage to Cayin and allowing N6III to be its quiet best, achieving 130dB of signal-to-noise ratio. This high quality is preserved into your transducers as C201 loads in four Texas Instruments OPA1622s as N6III's output stage. These powerful, precise op-amps supply abundant current and mean N6III promises high damping factor while maintaining low distortion into low impedances typical of IEMs, Focals and Fostexs achieving up to 700mW on its 4.4mm output. Still the closed-loop internal gain remaining after the application of negative feedback around N6III/C201's op-amp IC analog circuit remains high. So where she really shines could be in swinging voltage, opening up the sound of any high-impedance Audio-Technica, Sennheiser and ZMF Headphones while barely breaking sweat. Its fine small-signal component also sees it serve as a line source into Cayin's other hot 2024 release, C9II, allowing you to add tubes and a Class A discrete analog circuit down the line to scale up further. C201 is a fine start to life for N6III and your journey with Cayin's latest mid-range overachiever. As you await the launch of their next audio motherboard, check out the sister E203 for N6III here, the rest of Cayin's gear here, or view our other music players here.

Cayin Audio bring the KT170 – the golden boy of vacuum tubes – to Head-Fi for the first time in Soul 170HA. This Class A flagship specimen of a tube amplifier is capable of outputting up to 18 watts per channel into HIFIMAN's Susvara Unveiled. Beating every other household tube amp builder to debut the KT170 in a commercial amplifier, all of Cayin's tube expertise has been distilled into building a flagship product around this exciting new valve model. To The Ear, "the fact is the Cayin Soul-170HA is a seriously well-engineered and well-endowed headphone amplifier able to go toe-to-toe with alternatives at its price point and some way above". Eddie's Hifi Audio World's full teardown highlights the extreme attention to detail paid to its development. [See Product Desc. For More] Massive EI core output transformers plus dual power transformers for the high and low voltage sections are designed and wound in-house, to Cayin's exact spec. These allow Soul 170HA to take total advantage of its choke-input power supply, transferring pure potency to your giant flagship headphones. But don't let such raw power scare you, your sensitive Focals, ZMF Headphones ... or even your IEMs. Soul 170HA retains the sensuality that has defined Cayin alongside brute strength. This behemoth on its XLR outputs turns delicately tactile on its alternative 4.4mm output – 18 would-be watts usefully reduced, to a maximum of just 4 watts. It is this Jekyll-and-Hyde nature of Soul 170HA – enabled by the different taps on its output transformers – that means Head-Fi should take this flagship very seriously. A JRC MUSES72320 volume control shows up, proving how Cayin meant for more than just Susvara, Abyss Headphones and Dan Clark Audio owners to enjoy this do-it-all amp. These resistor ladder electronic volume parts preserve signal-to-noise ratio and channel balance down to the ALPS-controlled encoder's lowest level – perfect for however much, or little, travel you need.  Not a one-dimensional bull in a china shop, Soul 170HA still adds all the fidelity and finesse you can reap from the whole world of flagship equipment that can be enjoyed today – gear that's easy to drive, including IEMs, is certainly not exempted. Cayin naturally provides all the fidelity, and power, the Susvara Unveiled needs. But when that speaker-amplifier level of power's not needed, Soul 170HA has more than enough fidelity to stand upon that alone and make its case. Built to work in single-ended Class A, Soul 170HA preserves the all-important even harmonics that tube enthusiasts crave. Certainly none of those push-pull, odd harmonic nasties that's a painful shortcut to easy output power yet a route to non-linearities in the process. With Soul 170HA's huge, regulated power supplies, Cayin have ensured its single-ended KT170 pair sit in their sweet spot of bias and operating voltage, while outputting their huge power. Said power supply is perfectly designed to lavish New Sensor Corp's 2021 wonder tube's great plate dissipation and robust cathode. Housed in a separate chassis, comprised of dual toroidal transformers – one for the massive voltages of tubes, and a different one for the low voltage sections to avoid contamination – Cayin tagged these to a huge choke input.  This choke operates in tandem with a capacitor bank and regulation to ensure Soul 170HA enjoys vast power reserves. Soul 170HA's reservoir is unleashed into impossible loads during big transients via dual umbilical cords connecting the two chassis, so that neither feed contaminates the other. Cayin's protection from interference is yet another factor that adds up to Soul 170HA's fidelity – and the resulting point of owning one. Soul 170HA will undisputedly improve any transducer you use, whether or not you require all 18 watts off its 4-pin XLR, or barely approach the limit of its ubiquitous 4.4mm's max 4 watts. Soul 170HA can attribute that claim to its excellent linearity in the open loop. What enters comes out the same, not relying on the excessive use of negative feedback. Without counting on common-mode rejection, its achievement of 110dB signal-to-noise ratio is a great feat and testament to thorough, good old-school engineering. A point-wired, simple tube circuit guarantees purity. Custom-built AudioCapX MultiCap coupling capacitors in Soul 170HA's signal path are ideal for passing low frequencies and extending bass flat (-1dB) down to 10Hz! Phase reproduction in the audible human hearing range remains stellar as a result, with taut dynamics and impactful bass slam – not the wooly affairs of yesteryear's transformer amps. Helped by huge output transformers, with enough inductance to reproduce sub-notes low, plus Cayin's hand-wound EI shape to allow high frequencies through, Soul 170HA performs very satisfactorily in moving drivers full-range ... and is even capable of transferring its full 18 watts of ultra-linear power out into high-impedance, high-sensitivity speakers through taps on the rear. Again the reasons for Soul 170HA's range of highest possible output power, to delicate and soft playback, surface clearly: to reproduce its magnificent KT170 tube fidelity into any kind of load possible. Buy Cayin's champion now, and rest forever assured you have the best foundation for flagship tranducers – present and future – to perform. But if space and weight are a constraint, however, look towards Cayin's own HA-300B and HA-6A in more compact form factor for Susvara-driving power still. And, when on the go, bring out one of Cayin's DAPs here, as you browse the rest of our desktop equipment here too.

--- SOLD! --- Cayin's flagship N8ii, this tube or solid-state flagship music player plays with a deftness of touch to dynamics, realistic distances and imaging, plus a soundstage bathed in a gentle light that is at the same time detailed but never fatiguing. This B-stock variant is more than 30% off, in full working condition.  Warranty: Full one year from the date of purchase.

After the flagship N30LE music player that ended up receiving rave reviews for leashing AKM's vintage AK4499EQs to tubes, Cayin Audio are back with a valve iDAC-8 DAC/pre-amp that repeats the feat with the new AK4191EQ – AK4499EXEQ tandem. AKM's flagship digital ecosystem makes the claim to be the top dog among chips today, and iDAC-8 counts on that as it outputs via a quad of 6H6b-B tubes ... or its alternative, selectable solid-state path. Sophisticated, open and airy, there's a refined flavour imparted on top of iDAC-8's neutral yet forgiving transparency. Cayin intends for iDAC-8 to be used in tandem with their matching iHA-8 and iDAP-8. Its I2S and AES/EBU inputs certainly allow it to be a wonderful intermediary in digital-to-analog conversion duties.  iDAC-8 makes for a wonderful tube or solid-state pre-amp too. No matter how well its AK4191EQ's 64-bit digital filters and volume control perform, Cayin didn't opt for half-measures here. A JRC NJW1195A analog volume control is built in to avoid any digital loss, to preserve the resolution of iDAC-8 at any attenuation level. [See Product Desc. For More] A modern-day DAC is so much more than its DAC chips, and Cayin have gone the extra mile in hope of everyone seeing the extent of their efforts.  They ensure the very best platform for Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM)’s resurgent flagship DACs to make their mark. Back on their feet with a clean slate, AKM started afresh expanding the basic footprint of a single DAC chip IC into three separate parts – to similarly multiply capabilities by a factor of three. AKM’s AK4191EQ DSP is the brains of the operation, receiving pristine I2S clocking and data from Cayin's MCU. Aboard, AK4191EQ’s delta-sigma modulator takes advantage of its expanded, dedicated, silicone footprint to lay claim to the title of the first chip IC working at seven bits. These seven single-bit modulators flow on into Cayin's AKM 4499EXEQ DACs, one for each channel and built with a single purpose in mind: to turn the interpolated, noise-shaped, digital data it receives into the most precise analog waveform possible afforded by its large footprint. Silicone size matters when it comes to a great DAC IC, and AK4499EXEQ has it. Enabled by much more exact, matched resistors and capacitors aboard for precise DC single-bit decoding, plus dynamic element matching that is less burdened by switching errors – granted by parts accuracy from a bigger footprint. Any conversion errors from AK4499EXEQs outputting in current manifests as DC offset, and not total harmonic distortion, that is easily filtered out. Current analog outputs are expected of any source claiming to be high performance. Cayin's current-to-voltage I/V section follows these AK4499EXEQs, befitting of more expensive DACs and indeed chips that output analog in current for best distortion performances. Four 6H6b dual-triodes follow, divided into two separate pairs that each take care of balanced and single-ended outputs respectively. That's to implement each output specially, with Cayin paying particular attention to iDAC-8's RCAs – with which you can feed their Single-Ended Triode tube amps HA-2A, HA-3A, HA-6A and HA-300B particularly confidently bypassing the latter's input transformers for a cleaner, shorter signal path. These single-ended tubes operate in parallel and supply voltage gain in the stage where they will make the greatest sonic impact, before getting boosted by a Vishay FET buffer. This transistor preserves triode square law, and lowers output impedance to 60ohms granting iDAC-8's RCAs enough juice to drive downstream amplifiers. This low output impedance also ensures there's no risk of a high-pass filter forming with the input resistance of another amp. And to further prevent any loss in low frequencies, large coupling capacitors sit at iDAC-8's output to extend its full-range reproduction capably to 5Hz at -3dB. Phase response is therefore excellent in the human hearing range, preserving taut and fast bass. Its high frequencies also soar above 100Khz for preservation of pinpoint musical imaging, should you ever use this overachiever in a stereo speaker system. Its built-in analog pre-amp also keeps dynamic range high, even when you listen soft. These little elements in the signal path hint at Cayin's typical attention to detail. Its overbuilt power supply announces their extravagance in material cost building an affordable compact DAC. An over-specified 45 watt toroidal transformer, nearly 30,000 uF of filter capacitance, linear voltage regulators, dedicated tube and solid-state output supplies plus low-dropout regulators complete this mini-masterpiece of ambitious engineering. You'll want to connect as many of your digital sources as possible to iDAC-8. I2S compatibility is guaranteed via Cayin's own iDAP-6 and iDAP-8, as well as AES/EBU from Matrix Audio's Element S and iFi Audio's NEO Stream. CD players enjoy AES/EBU and coaxial RCA connections. And even TV audio benefits from its tube stage via optical. Check out the matching family iHA-8 and HA-2A for iDAC-8 today. Or, view the rest of Cayin's gear here, and our other desktop items here. 

Cayin Audio are back with their tiny but mighty, discrete Class A solid-state amplifier that could. iHA-8 returns these tube whizzes to the transistor fold, providing almost 20 watts of Class A power in a compact desktop form factor perfect for any Focal up to HIFIMAN. Don't judge Cayin's solid-state marvel by its size. iHA-8 plays with the same microdynamic, vibrant zeal that charges up notes and brings your music to life, typical of this company's best Class A solid-state work. A 75 watt power supply, discrete FET construction biased into Class A plus optional Hyper Mode's huge operating voltage allows you to throw any low-impedance headphone at it in total confidence. [See Product Desc. For More] iHA-8's newly-added 4.4mm headphone output adds to the convenience of a member of Cayin's new desktop family together with iDAC-8 and iDAP-8. If you're tempted to plug IEMs in, its resistor ladder electronic volume control control keeps noise low. Indeed, these precise controls preserve signal-to-noise ratio and channel balance down to iHA-8's ALPS-controlled encoder's lowest level – perfect for however much, or little, travel you need. Because, it's easy to play it loud, but everyone knows it's in playing back tiny sounds that is the litmus test of a powerhouse capable of outputting as much power as iHA-8. Transparent at any volume setting down low as much as up high, with virtually perfect channel-matching, this Cayin behemoth exposes detail buried deep around the noise floor of your music. You'll want to hear it all given iHA-8's linearity – what goes in at the input, comes out amplified the same. To support the signal-to-noise excellence of dual NJR MUSES72320 high-tech volume controls, Cayin resort to the old school of Class A bias, and high operating voltages. The latter can be further boosted to over 30 volts at the push of iHA-8's Hyper Mode button. Already, iHA-8's FET voltage and power amplification brings a tube-like square law function to reduce distortion at the drawing board. Throughout it all, Cayin's individual transistors are kept in their sweet spot and ideal range of operation for best open-loop linearity. They don't rely excessively on the band-aid of negative feedback to correct errors, because there are so few.  In fact, iHA-8 relies on a novel mode of gain control, only adding it as part of the feedback loops sitting around this amplifier's output stage. Excessive open-loop gain is something Cayin absolutely can't be accused off here, allowing you to climb up your volume knob for the best dynamic range performance.  Again, this benefits iHA-8's quiet performance. Cayin's input stage – where the majority of any amp's sonic signature is defined – is built on Toshiba's ubiquitous 2SK209 JFET. Famed for its low noise as a driver, these JFET's serve another purpose: allowing Cayin to direct-couple iHA-8's power stage.  Frequency performance is therefore virtually flat, running 10Hz up to 80Khz and plumbing bass depths so that phase response in the human hearing range is preserved, for fast bass, outstanding dynamics and impactful precision. Meanwhile, high frequencies climb as expected from anything claiming to be high-fidelity. iHA-8's input JFETs run in parallel to output the current needed to drive the large capacitances of Cayin's 24 beastly Vishay MOSFET amplifier devices adequately. The wide bandwidth yielded preserves phase, and adds spatial cues, imaging and treble ambience. iHA-8's abundance of power transistors are mounted on copper bus bars while the chassis gains heat-sinking compared to its predecessor. This heavy hardware allows these MOSFET buffers to keep cool and operate at temperature equilibrium. That way they are able to handle the most current on top of withstanding abundant voltage – useful as Cayin's Hyper Mode comes to mind. The high count of output transistors ensures immense current-handling for good reason, to reap the benefits of a typically-overbuilt Cayin power supply with a 75 watt toroidal transformer at its heart, 50,000 uF of filtering capacitors, ultra-fast recovery rectification and voltage supply regulation throughout – even to iHA-8's power stage. All this leads to Cayin's ultimate voltage source to date – once more capable of the feats of powering ABYSS Headphones' AB1266 Phi TC, Audeze Headphones' LCD-5, Dan Clark Audio plus HIFIMAN's HE-6 and Susvara on a budget. But crucial signal path optimisations mean this brute also wears ballet shoes to elevate any other real-world load. Be it a Fostex, Focal, Final Audio, HEDD Audio or ZMF Headphones, there's nothing iHA-8 cannot tackle ... even IEMs like Subtonic Audio's Storm. Make Cayin the centrepiece of a do-it-all desktop headphone rig feeding it via their own iDAC-8, HIFIMAN's EF500 or Matrix Audio's Mini-I Pro 4. It's that good. If you'd like to explore the tube route, HA-2A awaits you here, as do the rest of Cayin's valve amplifiers here. Otherwise, browse the rest of our desktop amplifiers here.

iDAP-8 isn't just a music server, streamer and transport: it's a totally modern computing solution that has the advantage of sounding good to boot from Cayin Audio. This Android 9-based network hub with Google Play Store aboard packs a Snapdragon 660 CPU as a show of maturity. iDAP-8 supports its smart UX with a FPGA that generates pristine I2s that are fed to digital outputs over HDMI and AES/EBU. Built as a matching addition to Cayin's iDAC-8 and iHA-8, all of iDAP-8's 128GB internal music storage, Hi-Res Lossless Apple Music and Tidal native Android streaming apps and network-based NAS audio can be accessed via HiBy Music's HiByCast and HiByLink. [See Product Desc. For More] Cayin leverages the vast leaps in consumer technology to deliver an OS that's super easy to use on iDAP-8. Streaming music has never been such a joy, and rarely has it sounded so good either. That's because, under the hood, iDAP-8 remains a very, very serious audiophile product. An overkill 45 watt toroidal transformer is the centrepiece of another crazy Cayin linear power supply, thoroughly regulated to provide the best platform for network music. Even while Wi-Fi and ethernet inputs, Bluetooth, USB port, SD card plus 2.5" SATA hard drive slot for optional 4TB expandable storage might get noisy, iDAP-8's signal path never does.  Its Snapdragon 660 processor receives your streams, including Apple Music and Tidal feeds that are protected by Direct Transport Audio preventing Android resampling. HiByCast screen mirroring helps you control iDAP-8's incomings and outgoings at a glance via your Android or iOS device from the comfort of your couch. Cayin's FPGA then processes the data and spits out pristine I2S with the help of dual Accusilicon oscillators providing bit, master and word clock references. These then get passed along to a I2S output via HDMI for a matching pin-out standard to iDAC-8, Matrix Audio, Denafrips and Wyred 4 Sound connections. Or, typical S/PDIF reliability can be found in the form of 110ohm AES/EBU to a dCS Lina, or 75ohm BNC plus RCA connectors. Android's flexibility and ease are not lost on Cayin as a modern company. But now, they carry out the due diligence to place proper hardware and audiophile sensibilities at your disposal in iDAP-8, for a complete solution with a vast variety of digital devices. Check out the rest of Cayin's devices here, or view the rest of our desktop gear here.

If HA-6A and HA-300 MKII were amps you would argue for, HA-2A is the one that's impossible to argue against. Building on HA-3A's success, Cayin Audio again wrapped a single-ended Class A NOS tube amplifier into a compact A4 size for the desktop ... but reduced size, weight and cost at the same time! HA-2A does that, but it's no OTL pussycat despite its reduced size and weight. More than anything, Cayin's baby of the bunch brings the benefits of output transformers designed and built in-house to meet the power requirement demands of modern headphones – both planar-magnetic and dynamic, high or low impedance. [See Product Desc. For More] Flexibility might be the first topic discussed with the lightweight and compact HA-2A, but compromise in quality was never an option. Headfonics say "HA-2A is a very endearing and well-equipped compact tube amplifier for space-conscious audiophiles". Cayin's point-to-point wiring is de facto again for signal integrity, and HA-2A's EI core output transformers surpass even HA-3A's, extending signal out to 50Khz. That frequency extension up high will already yield great improvements in HA-2A's mid-range and treble compared to HA-3A, with Cayin's latest preserving phase response in the human hearing range that much better for superior sound-staging, dynamics and imaging precision. Mixing fidelity that was once the domain of Output Transformer-Less (OTL) amplifiers in the same desktop footprint as iDAP-8 and iDAC-8, with actual power – all while reducing in price – is a true feat of Cayin.  The sense of value doesn't stop there, with premium New-Old Stock (NOS) valves – US-production Amperex ECF-82/6U8 driver and 17BF11 power tubes from the 1950s – included. Operating the ECF-82/6U8 only as a triode unlocks load line and soft-clipping functions at the drawing board. Their presence at the voltage gain stage is significant, where the majority of an amplifier's final sound signature is defined. HA-2A's novel implementation of the composite designs of both these driver and power tube types make for very interesting transfer characteristics and distortion curves. Still, linearity is a given through the holy grail of bias operation, even at this price point, while tube voltages allow for large operating points. Measured distortion is below even the threshold of HA-2A's bigger HA-6A and HA-300 MKII brothers.  And any distortion will be of the even-order variety expected of single-ended Class A amplifiers, for a smooth, warm and holistic sound. In there is Cayin's promise – for low cost of entry, weight and size, the flagship trappings of HA-2A are impossible to deny. Class A bias, high tube operating voltages, low capacitances, even-order harmonics and premium EI core output transformers ensure HA-2A gets mentioned over similarly-priced solid-state competitors, and even higher-priced tube alternatives. Even its power transformer is a loosely-wound EI core for greater AC line performance over a conventional toroid, avoiding saturation more naturally plus the negative effects of the latter's high magnetic flux and coupling between primary and secondary windings. Even for those shopping with limitations to size and weight, HA-2A's power supply is fully regulated and absolutely sounds like an offering without limitations. Particularly if Audio-Technica, Sennheiser and ZMF Headphones are your typical port of call.  As for those without space or weight constraints, make the HA-6A and HA-300 MKII your first candidates, or view Cayin's other offerings here and our other desktop amplifiers here.

If HA-6A and HA-300 MKII were amps you would argue for, HA-3A is the one that's impossible to argue against. Cayin Audio managed to wrap a single-ended Class A 6V6 tube amplifier into a compact A4 sized package, for desktop headphone versatility. Weighing in at just over 10KG, not one gram is wasted with Cayin packing their famed power and output transformer iron into even the smallest member of the pack. It immediately leapt onto Headfonia's Recommended Buys list for a reason. HA-3A is Headphone Guru's "slice of heaven", bringing the benefits of transformers designed and built in-house to meet the demands of modern headphones – both planar-magnetic and dynamic, high or low impedance. [See Product Desc. For More] Flexibility might be the first topic discussed with the lightweight and compact HA-3A, but compromise in quality was never an option. Cayin's point-to-point wiring is de facto again for signal integrity, and the EI core output transformers utilise their shape to take the transparency of 6V6 power tubes out beyond the human hearing range. These power tubes popularised by their use in Gibson and Fender electric guitar amplifiers are run in single-ended Class A. Linearity is a given through the holy grail of bias operation, even at this price point, while tube operating voltages allow for large operating points. Distortion is below even the threshold of HA-3A's bigger HA-6A and HA-300 MKII brothers – clipping theoretically only occurring beyond the former's maximum power envelope.  And any distortion will be of the even-order variety expected of tube amplifiers, for a smooth, warm and holistic sound. Tube rectification rounds out HA-3A's fully-regulated linear power supply built around Cayin's in-house toroidal power transformer. In there is Cayin's promise – for low cost of entry, weight and size, the flagship trappings of HA-3A are impossible to deny. A fully-regulated linear power supply, Class A bias, high tube operating voltages, low capacitances, even-order harmonics and EI core output transformers ensure Cayin's baby of the bunch gets mentioned over similarly-priced solid-state competitors, and even higher-priced tube alternatives. For those shopping with limitations to size and weight, HA-3A absolutely sounds like an offering without limitations. Particularly if Audio-Technica, Sennheiser and ZMF Headphones are your typical port of call.  As for those without space or weight constraints, make the HA-6A and HA-300 MKII your first candidates, or view Cayin's other offerings here and our other desktop amplifiers here.

Carrying high fidelity audio signal with superior ductility and flexibility.// FEATURES- Sharp yet flexible, we choose premium material for every single cable and craft it with special annealing and recrystallization process- Strong tensile strength proven by conducting a series of professional test to ensure long-time usage in practical conditions- High quality gold-plated connectors that are resistant to corrosion or oxidation// SPECIFICATIONS- Conductor count: 24-core- Wire count: 8-wire- Cable: 8-core 6N Single Crystalized Copper

Cayin Audio’s HA-300 MKII is upon us, to ensure the modern headphone enthusiast can continue to enjoy the magic from historic 300B tubes with any headphone. Important refinements over its predecessor include a MUSES72320 resistor ladder electronic volume control part. This preserves signal-to-noise ratio and channel balance down to the ALPS-controlled encoder's lowest level – perfect for however much, or little, travel you need. A 4.4mm output ensures yet more headphones can be plugged in via Pentaconn’s ubiquitous connector for transformer-balanced operation. With headphones having developed leaps and bounds since the turn of the decade, Cayin guarantee their latest and greatest flagship keeps up with the times. That was exactly as Headfonics discovered, such that any can thrown at it performed in ways not thought possible. [See Product Desc. For More] HA-300 MKII has been built again as a Class A single-ended triode amplifier to preserve the all-important even-order harmonics audio enthusiasts crave from such topologies. But Cayin's flagship remains a truly reference device. The direct-heated magic from Genelex PX300Bs – bearing the Gold Lion mark of quality – continues to provide Cayin with access to square law, load line and graceful soft-clipping triode functions at the drawing board to push down distortion without the crutch of negative feedback.  HA-300 MKII's high tube operating voltage ensures excellent open-loop linearity and additionally reduces the need for negative feedback. Clean power is supplied by a physically separated power supply built around a massive toroid. A choke input in tandem with a huge smoothing capacitor locks stable, quality, DC power in place without sag, post 22DE4 tube rectification. Indeed, power supply regulation is thorough, extending beyond typical small signal regions to encompass even the power stage and high-voltage sections of the amplifier. Huge EI-core output transformers with reinforcing shielding are wound in-house to Cayin’s exact spec for frequency extension at the extremes, lowering impedances and providing immense inductance for the lowest bass reproduction, plus great top-end transparency owing to their shape. Custom-built AudioCapX MultiCap coupling capacitors upgraded for MKII's signal path are also ideal for passing low frequencies and extending bass down to 10Hz. Phase reproduction in the audible human hearing range remains stellar as a result, with taut dynamics and impactful slam – not the wooly affairs of yesteryear's transformer amps. That high bandwidth gets delivered into any working personal audio transducer, with HA-300 MKII's output transformers allowing it to drive low-impedance, low-sensitivity planar-magnetic headphones balanced via 4.4mm and 4-pin XLRs pushing up to 6 watts on the front. That potent Class A power can even be switched to speaker terminals on the rear to drive high-impedance, high-sensitivity passive speakers from the likes of Rogers, DeVORE Fidelity or Zu Audio. What's crazier is this brute in ballet shoes produces next to no hiss into sensitive earphones via 4.4mm ... a true feat, barely imaginable, till this point. There is therefore almost no scenario in which you can't enjoy this HA-300 MKII behemoth. Or, employ a different Cayin specialist that you can browse here, and view all our other amplifiers here.

A local file storage controllable by remote mobile app, Cayin's IDAP-6 outputs optimal digital signal to your downstream DAC. Pampering your precious DAC pays dividends: hear the difference in a clean AES/EBU output or I2S common to Cayin but also other Chinese DACs, such as Denafrips. Ask us about compatibility with your DAC today. You'll be able to see everything from Cayin here and all our other DAC & amp options here.

Another Cayin Audio amplifier that lends you multiple variety. This mid-tier EL34 HA-6A with the top-tier sound gets praised by John Grandberg on Darko.Audio for its multiple flavours and way of excelling with all of them. The ability to roll between EL34 and KT88 power tube variants is special in the world of tube headphone amps. With 19 possible options split across HA-6A's driver and power tube permutations, these choices ensure Cayin's versatile champ is a tube roller's delight thanks to an unrivalled ability to customise the final sonics. No other amp let's you swap HA-6A's stock EL34s for Tung-Sol's 6L6GC STR – the "best modern example" of a model Justin Weber has gone on record calling the "greatest American power tube that ever existed".  Even a sonic hybrid between an EL34 and a KT88 surfaces through Genalex's Gold Lion KT77, like Tung Sol's 6L6 made newly under the quality control of New Sensor Corporation. And great driver tubes show up in JJ's ECC802S, long-plates that have been compared favourably to legendary Mullard and Telefunken options. In a direct shoot-out, even without the extra dimension tube rolling grants, one pundit gave HA-6A the upper hand over the previous usual suspect in class, Woo Audio's WA22. [See Product Desc. For More] Depending on your power tube choice, HA-6A has the ability to dump up to 4.5 watts per channel of pure Class A power into your cans, but that's just the beginning of the story. Large EI core output transformers built in-house to Cayin's spec means it's not just brute force but also finesse ensuring great, clean frequency extension at the bass and treble extremes – otherwise a weak point in other tube amplifiers. Meanwhile, a loosely wound EI core power transformer ensures greater AC line performance over a conventional toroid, avoiding saturation plus the negative impacts caused by the latter's high magnetic flux. A choke input in tandem with smoothing capacitors locks stable, quality, DC power for HA-6A in place without sag, post 22DE4 tube rectification. Running EL34s in either triode or ultra-linear mode, or aftermarket KT88s via a switch on the back, yields multiple pairings. Swap to taste, for perfect sound quality with your beloved TOTL headphones from Audio-Technica, Focal, Sennheiser and ZMF Headphones. Equip with an Element series DAC from Matrix Audio for Roon Ready and Tidal streaming. Make the step further up yet with Cayin's flagship HA-300B MKII here, browse the rest of Cayin's gear here, or check out our other amplifier options here.

The little desktop DAC that could. Cayin's iDAC-6II keeps up with the digital times by upgrading its silicone to ESS Sabre ES9028Pro level. This future-proofing meets the decidedly vintage, though. Opt to employ the tube analog output stage Cayin thoughtfully builds in, to enjoy the best of the past and the future. Excellent refinement of the technology at hand saw Headfonics remark on the iDAC-6II's ability to improve almost any system with its clean, sweet presentation. You'll be able to see everything from Cayin here and all our other DAC options here.

This is Cayin's first release of a 4.4mm balanced cable with 0.78mm 2-pin earphone connectors.  8-wire 28AWG hybrid cable + Unidirectional Crystalised OFC (30 Core Wire )+ Silver Alloy (30 Core Wire) Heat-shrink curling, over-the-ear design High quality gold plated connectors (resist oxidisation & corrosion) Plug: Gold plated brass 4.4mm Designed for the Cayin YB04, compatible with most earphones with 2pin connectors.