Cayin N3 Ultra

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 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 tubes – 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.