Cayin E203 Module (For N6III)

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 extends response and 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.