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Posted 20 hours ago

Cayin RU6 USB DAC Headphone Amplifier

£9.9£99Clearance
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The mid range is the star of the show, not because of the lack of linearity but due to some kind of a pleasant effect that seems to be imbued from the R-2R design. With R-2R DAC circuit depending on the integrity of the incoming digital data, for the best sound quality it is recommended to keep digital volume of your source at the max and control the analog volume from RU6. So in case you’ve used NOS mode and it was warmer/smoother than W2 would that difference changed if compared W2 with RU6 in OS mode?

To achieve 24bit R-2R decoding, Cayin need 48 pieces of resistors (23xR and 25x2R) for one channel, or 96 pieces of high precision resistors for stereo. The RU6 is clearly a big boy amongst dongles but considering the R-2R technology and stepped volume control inside, which are usually chunky pieces of hardware, it feels unbelievably compact in design. The RU6 doesn’t kick deep or respond speedily but it is more elaborated in the upper bass with a typical retro coloring that leans musical and engaging rather than analytical or neutral. With sensitive IEMs such as the Campfire Audio Solaris 2020, background noise wasn't an issue for me but I'm not the pickiest about this.The RU6 answers energy spikes well with good control, and again the oversampling mode enhances separation and helps the vocal cut through the mix more clearly.

Switching to the OS mode doesn't induce extra digitus but the sound somewhat loses some of its analogue, organic magic. It didn’t sound too bad, but I wasn’t able to drive these headphones to their full potential, and added C9 to the output. You can often see manufacturers emphasizing the volume control chipsets, a vital component in the signal path that may degrade the sound and mess up the dynamics if poorly implemented. The tuning is very easy to the ear but it cannot be said that the RU6 is not resolving, missing in clarity and agility or lacking in energy as to sound dull or slow.It seems this is not an uncommon issue for even the most highly regarded portable DACs including the Chord Mojo, so not really a fault, just a mismatch.

It is warm and laid-back, and does a great job of eliminating digital glare that I find most noticeable in the upper midrange. With the Empire Ears Odin, which does have a big bass boost, I love this combination and have been enjoying this and the Hidition Viento combination quite a bit, that I've put down my over-ears for the past couple weeks and focused on just this dongle. When off-the-shelf volume options didn't meet the high precision, low noise, and low power consumption requirements of the RU6, Cayin developed their own discrete resistor array volume control. I was trying to resist the temptation to try this, but curiosity got the better of me, and I had to see how this little engineering and packaging wonder sounded. Most USB DAC/Amps will rely on the volume control of your mobile phone to control the volume of the headphone output.The soundstage is pretty natural, only certain recordings will really throw things far to the left or right but you also get some high/low positioning. Sound-wise the RU6 is an absolutely stellar performer and more than highly recommended especially if you are already a fan of the R-2R technology and you would like to experience it from a portable device or if you seek to discover the R-2R sound without breaking the bank. The bass is visceral, weighty but still tight and well controlled, fast, clearly defined and multi-layered. The tragic AKM factory fire has left a gaping hole in the audiophile community with few contemporary options for lovers of a smooth, analogue sound.

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