# Cayin iHA-6 - US Tour and reviews



## project86 (Dec 28, 2017)

Cayin is a somewhat well-known audio company who traditionally specializes in desktop speaker amps, preamps, and integrated amps, plus the occasional CD player. Their lineup at any given moment tends to be rather large, with a focus on tube gear (though not exclusively). They've received quite a bit of recent praise for their N6 portable audio player as well as their C5 portable DAC/headphone amp, both of which are more well suited towards the HeadFi crowd. 

The company seems to have big plans to infiltrate the "personal audio" space more than they have in the past. To that end, the new iHA-6 headphone amp combined with the matching iDAC-6 makes for a somewhat compact setup which approaches reference level sound quality. I've got the pair in for an eventual InnerFidelity review but wanted to get some discussion going prior as the full write-up could take a while. Thus far I'm very impressed with both units.

So what's special about the iHA-6? I'd argue it really isn't anything too unique in the grand scheme of things - just a competent, full featured headphone amp with gobs of power, and a really good looking enclosure, for what seems to be a fair price considering the performance offered. Cayin is still working out distribution in North America but the amp will end up selling for $999 (as will the matching DAC) which ain't cheap, but neither is it _crazy _expensive like so much new gear we see these days.

The iHA-6 is a fully balanced, fully discrete headphone amp with a very specific focus on headphones only. That means no built-in DAC option and no preamp functionality. Earlier I called it "full featured".... how is that possible if it doesn't have these extras? I submit it's still a feature packed amp, just with a focus on headphones only. You get 1/4" single ended output jacks - one for low impedance headphones, and one for high - which double as 3-pin XLR balanced outs. There's also a separate 4-pin XLR balanced output which is what I mainly use. Inputs are RCA and XLR which are selectable via front panel button. We also get buttons for gain adjustment and current selection (low/high) to best match a variety of headphones. 

Did I mention this thing is potent? Single ended mode nets 2200mW/channel into a 32 ohm load, while balanced operation bumps that up to 7 full watts per channel. That should be more than plenty for any headphone you might possibly throw at it including the mighty HE-6. The internal design is such that the balanced output can be used even with unbalanced RCA inputs and vice-versa, without a significant sonic penalty. The 4-gang Alps potentiometer reminds us of the true balanced nature of the design. It's not the motorized version though - no remote control here, which again makes sense due to the lack of preamp outputs.

Overall my impressions thus far are quite positive. It's a neutral sounding amp, tons of drive, no coloration (euphonic or otherwise), and really quite transparent overall. Nice wide soundstage too. Sounds great with everything from HE-6 and HE-1000 to HD800, Edition 12, K812, etc. Obviously I need a lot more listening time before  can give it the full evaluation. But I'm not hearing anything to complain about thus far. And keep in mind I've been spending most of my time lately with more expensive amps: Violectric V281, Simaudio 430HA, and the Auralic Taurus. That's not bad company to be in. 

Now for some more pics, some very obviously stock photos, others very poorly done by me - it will be clear which ones are which. I'll have more thoughts and better pics as time goes by.


 










 And the competition on my audio rack:
 
 
 



HERE is a link to my review of the DAC and amp at InnerFidelity. Do I like them? You'll have to read it and find out. 

EDIT: For those readers in North America, MusicTeck is the authorized dealer. Don't mess with others, as your warranty will suffer... and MusicTeck offers very competitive pricing anyway. The new price drop the $699 makes this an amazing value.


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## project86

I've had a few people question me about the sound signature of this thing. I guess I didn't cover it much in the first post. So far I find it having a lot in common with the Taurus mkII. Both are really transparent, true-to-source amps, and both have tons of power. The Taurus may have a tiny bit more resolving power, still trying to clarify those differences. Let me tell you though, it's a surprisingly small delta between them.
  
 In exchange, the Cayin seems more capable with sensitive IEMs. Again, I need to try more of my CIEMs like the Empire Ears Spartan which gives hiss on practically _every _amp I try... but my initial impressions of CIEM use on the Cayin are positive. Which is not a common thing when we talk about powerful amps like this.


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## Andykong

Sincere thanks to John for taking the time to review the iHA-6 and we shall wait for his full review in InnerFidelity patiently. We are certain that John will offer an accurate and comprehensive view to those who are in the market for a compact desktop headphone amplifier.

The iHA-6 is indeed very versatile, I was completely amazed when I test drive the early production unit, even when test with the more sensitive portables to the most demanding cans, the iHA-6 has never failed to serve as a workhorse in my HeadFi system. I am interested to find out what are the best headphone pairing with iHA-6 and I guess there will be numerous for us to explore.


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## project86

Thanks for the pic Andy - K1000 always brings back fond memories. I can say that the single-ended output works well with HD800, but balanced is even better. I finally picked up a balanced cable (Effect Audio Thor Copper 16W for those interested in such details) and the difference is quite striking - deep, DEEP low-end impact, quite satisfying, along with a very expansive soundstage. Again, SE out is very good, but balanced is exceptional on HD800.


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## Andykong

project86 said:


> Thanks for the pic Andy - K1000 always brings back fond memories. I can say that the single-ended output works well with HD800, but balanced is even better. I finally picked up a balanced cable (Effect Audio Thor Copper 16W for those interested in such details) and the difference is quite striking - deep, DEEP low-end impact, quite satisfying, along with a very expansive soundstage. Again, SE out is very good, but balanced is exceptional on HD800.




Among the reference headphones we used during the development of iDAC-6/iHA-6, HD800 and T1 are the most frequently sited, and I prefer T1 over HD800 with iHA6. The interesting part is I prefer HD800 over T1 in most cases, and I own HD800 but not T1 in my personal system.

IMHO, HD800 performs better when driven in balanced, and is sensitive to minor changes in system setup, including cables. This is a sensitive issues and I have no intention to prove what I "perceived", but I certainly spend more on HD800 headphone cables that with all my headphones added together. I am keeping Siltech and Cardas Clear after numerous trail, and I prefer Siltech on iHA-6. My regular HD800 setup is Ragnarok + Cardas Clear.


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## project86

I realize not many people have heard this amp (yet) so full discussion is not really possible yet. But I've been listening to it more and more, and I gotta say it's really impressive. Can't wait for more people to hear this thing. The output is staggering for such a small box.... even HE-6 is driven with an authority I've rarely heard.
  
 I've only ever heard HE-6 handled this well from bigger and more expensive amps - Violectric V281, Simaudio, Audio GD, etc. Nothing so compact and affordable as the Cayin.
  
 Single ended mode isn't impressing me as much. It's good, sure, but balanced is the real draw here.


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## Andykong

Cayin will join CanJam SoCal later this Saturday (19-20 March), we'll display the IHA-6 in the event. If you are coming to CanJam, please drop by and check out the iHA-6. Trust me, you got to give it a try before you can image how far can this little headphone amplifier goes, so bring your headphones and come to Cayin booth to see if you can give the iHA 6 a hard time.


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## rigo

I brought home the iDAC and iHA stack after CanJam.  The retail price is already a bargain in my opinion, but their booth special was a no brainer and I really had no idea when they would be available again in the US.  Unfortunately I haven't been able to have a nice long listening session yet.  Last night was the first time I took them out of the box and I was only able to get in about an hour, so these are just early impresssions. Mostly using Tidal.  I love the small footprint and the build quality.  And the power...I am not going past 10 o'clock balanced on high gain using my Senn 650s.  I wish I had a variety of phones to try out, but I am very happy right now with the soundstage and the overall ability to drive my 650s.


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## project86

Nice little setup there! Small space. big power. 
  
 Make sure to try out a single ended cable as well, if possible. Each output has a slightly different feel due to output impedance changes (among other things). Kinda fun to have that variation even though I admit I like balanced the most in general.


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## grizzlybeast

brief first impressions vs my nuprime hpa-9 and soon to return heron 5
  
 While the nuprime has a heavier hand with stronger weight to the notes because they sound slightly more tangible, the Cayin is a little faster and with the HD800S has better bass that seems more solid, slightly more impactful and a little tighter. it could just be better at impedance for the HD800S so I will see when my other headphones get back from loan and being fixed. But this sounds slightly more neutral overall and is a hair more open, where as the 9 seems to be equal in soundstage so far, the cayin seems to sound a little more sharp and precise without getting bright, glaring or harsh. I guess I would use the word finesse maybe I dunno and thoughts can change. I would like to see how this compares to the Mjolnir or AGD popular amps but Cayin does price to performance pretty well. Anyhow.... I think the Heron has em both wooped in soundstage and vocals but it utterly fails against them in bass, tonal weight ( I really wish I know a better term because I always try to describe when I hear notes have more body and density) and punchiness. So far I am leaning towards the Cayin as the best all a rounder of the three but the nuprime is cheaper by 250usd yet it def can't power the HE6 is not fully balanced or as sexy looking.


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## Andykong

grizzlybeast said:


> brief first impressions vs my nuprime hpa-9 and soon to return heron 5
> 
> While the nuprime has a heavier hand with stronger weight to the notes because they sound slightly more tangible, the Cayin is a little faster and with the HD800S has better bass that seems more solid, slightly more impactful and a little tighter. it could just be better at impedance for the HD800S so I will see when my other headphones get back from loan and being fixed. But this sounds slightly more neutral overall and is a hair more open, where as the 9 seems to be equal in soundstage so far, the cayin seems to sound a little more sharp and precise without getting bright, glaring or harsh. I guess I would use the word finesse maybe I dunno and thoughts can change. I would like to see how this compares to the Mjolnir or AGD popular amps but Cayin does price to performance pretty well. Anyhow.... I think the Heron has em both wooped in soundstage and vocals but it utterly fails against them in bass, tonal weight ( I really wish I know a better term because I always try to describe when I hear notes have more body and density) and punchiness. So far I am leaning towards the Cayin as the best all a rounder of the three but the nuprime is cheaper by 250usd yet it def can't power the HE6 is not fully balanced or as sexy looking.




Very interesting comparison. What is the setting of iDAC-6 and iDAC-6?

I used the following setting with HD800: From iDAC-6 to iHA-6, RCA, iDAC-6 Timber set to Vacuum Tube, Filter set to Slow, iHA-6 current set to Low, gain set to High, Balanced headphone output. Wonder if this setting will work with HD800S as well.

The iDAC-6 has two output stage, but the tube output stage only works with single ended, if you are using the XLR output , the output buffer is always set to Transistor in regardless of the Timbre setting. 

The IHA-6 has phase iinverter built-in and it will convert the single ended signal to balanced mode before amplification. If you connect the IDAC-6 and iHA6 with both RCA and XLR and switch between the input at iHA-6, you probably will notice that the different not as significant.

[COLOR=FF00AA]PS: My mistake indeed. The fact is, RCA output from iDAC-6 will work with BOTH output mode (Vacuum tube and Transistor), this is correct. XLR output from iDAC-6 will only work with ONE output mode, this is also correct, but I make the mistake that the default output mode of XLR should be VACUUM TUBE instead of TRANSISTOR, I stand corrected.

For detail of iDAC-6 output mode, please refer to the discussion in iDAC-6 thread.[/COLOR]
http://www.head-fi.org/t/797583/cayin-idac-6-a-killer-new-dac-with-tons-of-options-on-board/30#post_12479134


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## rigo

andykong said:


> The iDAC-6 has two output stage, but the tube output stage only works with single ended, if you are using the XLR output , the output buffer is always set to Transistor in regardless of the Timbre setting.




So just to clarify, the vacuum output should only be used single ended?


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## Andykong

rigo said:


> So just to clarify, the vacuum output should only be used single ended?




Yes, that's correct. 

When you connect the stack in both RCA and XLR, you should be able to hear the different.


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## rigo

Okay so dac to amp single ended with vacuum output. Do headphones also have to be single ended or can they be connected balanced?


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## Andykong

rigo said:


> Okay so dac to amp single ended with vacuum output. Do headphones also have to be single ended or can they be connected balanced?




Better Balance with headphone, otherwise you are using 50% of the iHA6 amplification only. The setting that I stated earlier is my personal preference to drive HD800, other headphone might vary. for example, when pair with LCD3, I go with XLR connection, transistor, Sharp filter, high current, high gain.


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## grizzlybeast

All of those settings dont make for an easy review lol 
 FWIW I love it balanced with the Omni


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## project86

grizzlybeast said:


> All of those settings dont make for an easy review lol
> 
> Good thing I have some time with it. FWIW I love it balanced with the Omni


 
  
  
 You're telling me! To be thorough, there's a LOT of listening to be done. Good for owner to have options but not so good for reviewers..... lots of fun though!


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## rigo

andykong said:


> Yes, that's correct.
> 
> When you connect the stack in both RCA and XLR, you should be able to hear the different.




So we can have both RCA and XLR cables connected at the same time and switching between Transistor and Vacuum Tube will work? Or do we have to disconnect one of the cables depending on which setting we want to use?


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## Andykong

rigo said:


> So we can have both RCA and XLR cables connected at the same time and switching between Transistor and Vacuum Tube will work? Or do we have to disconnect one of the cables depending on which setting we want to use?




You don't need to turn off the DAC or the headphone amp or disconnect the cables when switching between output mode in DAC, they are readily available. after you connect all equipment correctly.

I have mazed up on the XLR default output of iDAC-6 in previous discussion. I have explained the Timbre settings in detail at the iDAC-6 thread, please check it out.


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## project86

More eye candy:
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
 Cayin stack, fed by HM901S in dock, driving Dharma or HE1000 with balanced cables from Effect Audio. The rest of the system wired with Cabledyne Silver Reference except a few AC cables as I ran out of Cabledynes since I use them in the main system extensively. So I subbed in some others which killed the matching silver look.... oh well.


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## grizzlybeast

^Very purty!.. I am taking cable donations btw
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  

  

  
 So check it out. I have all three plugged in and though the volume isn't equal, there is far less difference than I thought there would be. 
  
*all with high gain*
 The Omni - that is in the balanced socket and needs a lot more power than both of the others. 
 The LCD2.2F - is almost at the same volume as the Omni and  is in the low impedance socket. 
 The HD800S - is in the high impedance socket and actually is the lowest in volume of the three but when I switch cables from high to low impedance, clearly it's in the right socket. 
  
 One thing is for sure, I am really impressed at Cayin's design, layout, and effort to try and be an all in one. That is partly because it is truly balanced. 
  
 I used to own the Cayin HA3 and that sucker was powerful. Cayins portable amplifier that I have had twice was very powerful as well so when I asked cayin rep if they had something for desktop amplification in the works about 8 months ago and they said yes I knew it would be powerful. 
  
 watchout schiit, cayin is coming for ya lol


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## rigo

Anyone using the Senn 650 with this stack? I'm wondering what settings people are using.


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## project86

rigo said:


> Anyone using the Senn 650 with this stack? I'm wondering what settings people are using.


 
  
  
 I've tried my HD650 but haven't spent a lot of time on the combo. I think I went with the RCA outs from DAC to amp, and used "transistor" as the output option, to get a little more transient attack (the sleepy HD650 sure needs it). Then I used balanced out from the amp, gain set to low, current set to high? Not quite sure on that last part. Sounded great though.


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## grizzlybeast

if the hd800 requires similar amping as the HD650 I use high gain for it and high current for the HD800S.
  
 HD800S: tube timbre, sharp filter (some may like the slow better as I am currently enjoying the crisp sound when not relaxing), High current, High Gain, High Impedance
 LCD2.2f: transistor, sharp filter, low impedance jack, low current setting, high gain setting
 Omni: balanced jack, high gain, high current, s.d. sharp filter, transistor
 Speculation of HD650 based on experience with it and its 300 ohm impedance: Balanced (or high impedance jack if SE), high gain, high current, transistor, s.d. sharp filter


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## rigo

What about the filter settings?  Sharp, Slow etc.  What change does each one cause?  I've been listening a lot with the Sharp setting.


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## Rayzilla

Subscribed. This combo sounds very interesting and now that I just picked up the HE6, even more so.
  
 Can't wait to see project86's review. I really enjoy his reviews. Very thorough but also understandable to guys like me that are not up to speed on the technicalities.


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## rigo

rigo said:


> What about the filter settings?  Sharp, Slow etc.  What change does each one cause?  I've been listening a lot with the Sharp setting.




Sorry grizzlybeast I posted the question before seeing that you stated your filter settings. But I'm still wondering what each one specifically does.


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## grizzlybeast

rigo said:


> rigo said:
> 
> 
> > What about the filter settings?  Sharp, Slow etc.  What change does each one cause?  I've been listening a lot with the Sharp setting.
> ...



the sharp filter provides a more crisp take on the sound coming from the DAC. Slow can slightly help those headphones that may be a little fatiquing and sound unnaturally fast. This is the same concept as having a slower sounding headphone vs a sharp one. These filters are not as drastic as you would think and are tastefully done to more so invoke a feeling rather than totally change the recording. I think @Andykong should really chime in and break down all of these options but on the DAC thread as to even correct me and others where we are wrong. 
 
Sharp
Slow
Short Delay sharp
Short Delay slow
Super Slow. 
 
I have yet to really sit down and try to hear differences between  the short delay options. I have been messing mostly with the current settings, gain settings(iha-6) and phase settings on the Idac -6. 
 
While not nearly close to the caliber of reviewer(not really gonna call myself a reviewer) that @project86 is. I can really say that this gear is extremely well thought out and sounds like it.


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## project86

Digital filters are great to have for subtle tuning of the sound. But as mentioned they make a very small contribution.... some people expect big changes and that's not the case at all. This is the case for any DAC, not just Cayin.


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## rigo

Yes the iDac6 thread. I consider my stack "one" so I forget to differentiate between the two threads.  Just for kicks I tried my PM-3s, which I usually only use for portable use and there rare times when sound leakage is an issue.  Holy c&*p, the bass was impressive.  Didn't know these phones had it in them.  I was actually okay with the bass before, but I'm not sure if I can listen to them straight from the phone any more.  May need a portable amp now...


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## grizzlybeast

project86 said:


> Digital filters are great to have for subtle tuning of the sound. But as mentioned they make a very small contribution.... some people expect big changes and that's not the case at all. This is the case for any DAC, not just Cayin.


 

 I really hope you compare these guys to the BMC PURE DAC/AMP all in one unit.


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## tassardar

So I went to my retailer today and they brought it in. With the he hd800S it's totally fantastic. Wide soundstage with energy. It's like the headphone is finally free. I tested things like wa5, wa22, burson conductor, fostex hpa4 and questyle cmr800 and my own CDM. Bought it immediately


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## grizzlybeast

^ the amp and DAC or just the amp?


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## tassardar

Just the Amp. 
  

  
 All I want is my HD800S to be at its best haha. 
  
 Probably write a review this weekend. This amp is worth my time on it. And take some better pics.


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## Rayzilla

tassardar said:


> Just the Amp.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I look forward to your review. Assuming you've owned or tried the HD800, I would appreciate some comments on how you think it might pair up with it.

And if you are familiar with the HE6, them as well.

Did you get to try the DAC as well? 

Thanks.


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## tassardar

I tried with my he500 and there it does quite a good job with it. I didn't try the dac since my retailer here didn't bring them in.


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## project86

grizzlybeast said:


> I really hope you compare these guys to the BMC PURE DAC/AMP all in one unit.


 
  
  
 That will be tough as I no longer have the PureDAC here. I've got the UltraDAC but that's over twice the cost of the Cayin stack so a tough comparison. 
  
 I'm listening to the Dharma in balanced mode right now, going back and forth between the Cayin amp and my Auralic Taurus mkII. So far they are VERY similar, at least with the Dharma. Will keep rotating through headphones to see if I can find a larger difference.


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## grizzlybeast

That is somewhat of a positive impression for the cayin when I know what you think of the Taurus since I have read ypur review. 

I pretty much have my impressions of this amp honed in but the DAC less so since I don't have my own DAC ATM because my mussette hasn't arrived.


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## tassardar

Tried on a couple of my headphones. HD800S, HE500, RS1, K701. Except the K701, the rest are on balanced.
  
 On general HD800S sounded fantastic. Great sound stage and smooth sound. Best I heard so far.
 HE500 had sound good. Good power and finesse. However something in me tells me it could be even better hmm.
 RS1 on balance is surprisingly well behaved on the amp. 
 K701 no matter what setting still felt too bright for me on this amp (Single Ended)
  
 I also tried the LCD 3 and HE1000 on this amp at the shop for about an hour.
  
 the LCD3 somehow felt like it lost some energy in the mids on this amp. My ALO CDM in balanced sounded better to me no matter what setting.
 HE1000 sounded great on this thing. But like the HE500, I have a feeling it could be better. A feeling of this last bit of energy that is not there. Then again I never heard a amp other then Studio Six that gave me that feeling.


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## grizzlybeast

Best pairing for me is the Omni balanced.


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## Andykong

rayzilla said:


> Subscribed. This combo sounds very interesting and now that I just picked up the HE6, even more so.
> 
> Can't wait to see project86's review. I really enjoy his reviews. Very thorough but also understandable to guys like me that are not up to speed on the technicalities.





Can't wait to see project86's review X2 

If you have HE6 and is looking for a very cost effective solution to setup a system around this headphone, you got to give it a try, trust me, there is some synergy surprise with the HE6, it just click in amazingly.


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## Andykong

grizzlybeast said:


> rigo said:
> 
> 
> > rigo said:
> ...




I have give it a try, maybe we can continue our discussion on the DAC setting at the iDAC-6 thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/797583/cayin-idac-6-a-killer-new-dac-with-tons-of-options-on-board/45#post_12524807

The Phase setting is a different issue, it is meant for recording with inverted phase and will invert the polarity of the signal. Assuming your system is properly setup and the soundstage/imaging are reasonably good, when you run into a particular CD or music file that produce a very off centered soundstage/imaging, you can use this function to remedial the situation. I am not an expert of this and I have not used this function so far, please correct me if I am wrong.




project86 said:


> Digital filters are great to have for subtle tuning of the sound. But as mentioned they make a very small contribution.... some people expect big changes and that's not the case at all. This is the case for any DAC, not just Cayin.




Indeed the digital filters are subtle, we have implemented these filters in our DAP, and they are consider difficult to hear the different. The effect on iDAC-6 is audible but it won't affect the overall impression in most cases.


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## Andykong

rigo said:


> Yes the iDac6 thread. I consider my stack "one" so I forget to differentiate between the two threads.  Just for kicks I tried my PM-3s, which I usually only use for portable use and there rare times when sound leakage is an issue.  Holy c&*p, the bass was impressive.  Didn't know these phones had it in them.  I was actually okay with the bass before, but I'm not sure if I can listen to them straight from the phone any more.  May need a portable amp now...




PM-3 is a portable headphone but it is also a planar, and I think most, if not all, planar headphone will be benefited by amplification with more current in the chain. So being portable will means it can be done, but not necessarily the optimized setup. 

In fact, some of the more scalable or demanding IEM will demonstrate similar characteristics, try to drive IE800 or ER4S with iHA-6, you'll be surprised what an IEM can achieve when stretch to limit.


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## Andykong

tassardar said:


> So I went to my retailer today and they brought it in. With the he hd800S it's totally fantastic. Wide soundstage with energy. It's like the headphone is finally free. I tested things like wa5, wa22, burson conductor, fostex hpa4 and questyle cmr800 and my own CDM. Bought it immediately







tassardar said:


> Just the Amp.
> 
> 
> 
> ...







tassardar said:


> Tried on a couple of my headphones. HD800S, HE500, RS1, K701. Except the K701, the rest are on balanced.
> 
> On general HD800S sounded fantastic. Great sound stage and smooth sound. Best I heard so far.
> HE500 had sound good. Good power and finesse. However something in me tells me it could be even better hmm.
> ...




So this is love at first sight, or first audition? 

Jealous that you get to hear iHA-6 paired with HD800S, looking forward to check this out. I have HD800 in my collection, my rating with HD800 + iHA-6 is above average but not extraordinary. When you said the HD800s + iHA-6 is the best you heard and you have heard a lot already, especially when I notice you are a WA22 owner and you have included WA5 in the list. Looks like iHA-6 and HD800S has demonstrated some synergy effect. I am looking forward to read your report on this combo. Best of HD800S and affordable? This is so attractive indeed.

RS1 on balance is surprisingly well behaved? This is new to me, RS1i or RS1e? I have heard the RS1 but not particularly interested, but my friend suggested me to try the older version of RS1 saying that probably will suit my taste better.

You didn't get to hear the iDAC-6 as a combo? Do you audition the iHA6 in US? New York/New Jersey? I am not surprised if you have heard iDAC-6 but not iHA-6 because some traditional HiFI shops has stocked IDAC-6 but not the headphone amp., but to headfi shops, we almost also demo the iDAC-6 and iHA-6 as a combo. The iDAC-6 offers versatile setup to improve the mix and matching with more headphones.


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## tassardar

andykong said:


> So this is love at first sight, or first audition?
> 
> Jealous that you get to hear iHA-6 paired with HD800S, looking forward to check this out. I have HD800 in my collection, my rating with HD800 + iHA-6 is above average but not extraordinary. When you said the HD800s + iHA-6 is the best you heard and you have heard a lot already, especially when I notice you are a WA22 owner and you have included WA5 in the list. Looks like iHA-6 and HD800S has demonstrated some synergy effect. I am looking forward to read your report on this combo. Best of HD800S and affordable? This is so attractive indeed.
> 
> ...




I'm from Singapore so the shop I patronize only carried the iha6 and not the idac. If only I can get a demo somewhere haha. So far I'm not too into dac since even between Hugo and my CDM, once I remove the amp out of the equation, I can't really tell much difference. 

Yeah I'm sure it's a synergy effect with hd800s. Most will say it's different from the hd800 (it has a tamed treble and a little more bass) Since I actually don't quite like lcd3 on this amp for example. Yeah and I'm pretty sure to my ears, the iha6 made a difference. Almost every other amp (portable or desktop) I compared cost almost twice as much.

Mine is the old rs1. The rs1 that's buttonless. Not the I or E which people say is different. In balanced they are different too.


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## froger

Just ordered one. Liked the HD800 with it when auditioned in the shop, clean, neutral and engaging. Will try it with my HD800, HE1000, HE560 and ZMF Vibro II in my own system when I received it.


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## Rayzilla

froger said:


> Just ordered one. Liked the HD800 with it when auditioned in the shop, clean, neutral and engaging. Will try it with my HD800, HE1000, HE560 and ZMF Vibro II in my own system when I received it.


What amps have you tried with your HD800? Can you comment on how it compares with hose amps?

Thanks.


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## froger

The only amp I still own for HD800 is the Stratus. I haven't been spending much time with HD800 though, as I prefer the HE1000 with the Stratus amplifier.


----------



## Andykong

froger said:


> Just ordered one. Liked the HD800 with it when auditioned in the shop, clean, neutral and engaging. Will try it with my HD800, HE1000, HE560 and ZMF Vibro II in my own system when I received it.




You are ordering from Singapore? Do they have stock for you? Hope you'll receive the amp soon and share your impression of the amp with your attractive collection.


----------



## froger

Ordered from Taobao and received the amplifier on Monday after a week. After spending some time with the amplifier, I think I am ready to give a brief impression on it. I used it to drive my HD800, HE1000 and ZMF Vibro II. To me, the IHA-6 drives HD800 and HE1000 well. It is a pity I do not have a decent solid state amplifier to compare with. At the end of the day, I still preferred my DNA Stratus with HD800 and HE1000 as the tube amplifier was able to produce a seductive and liquid mid which I like. However,technically, the 2 amplifiers were pretty close despite the huge difference in price. 
On the other hand, I thought the IHA-6 was an excellent match with the ZMF Vibro II. Despite not being the most technical headphone, the Vibro II with the IHA-6 was very engaging, fun and realistic. There is so much synergy that I will actually put the pair on par with my Stratus/HD800 in terms of enjoyment and the IHA-6/Vibro II pair only cost 1/4 of the other pair. 
To conclude, the Cayin Iha6 is a very capable amplifier with plenty of connection and power options. The small footprint and price make it a very attractive option in my opinion. It is a keeper for me.


----------



## grizzlybeast

favorite pairings with the STACK

  

 I liked the HE1000 too.


----------



## Andykong

To keep everyone updated, the Cayin iDAC-6 and iHA-6 has started an unofficial tour in Portland and Seattle area already, for detail of this "bundled" tour, please check out the KENNERTON VALI - IMPRESSIONS, DISCUSSION, TOUR thread for details.

At the end of the Seattle section of the Kennerton Vali tour, the iDAC-6 and iHA-6 will not be included as a bundled for subsequent tour participants, I guess this is the best time to start an official iDAC-6+iHA-6 tour from there on. This is my initial thoughts:

(1) Since the tour has jumped started alongside the Kennerton Vali tour already, I probably shall adopt the rules and practice of the Vali tour for the offical iDAC-6/iHA-6 tour. 
(2) Anyone at Seattle, or within driving distance from Seattle, and is willing to collect the combo in person will have priority in queuing. This will keep the logistic cost of the tour to minimum
(3) For reference, purpose, when I send the iDAC-6/iHA-6 from SoCal to Portland, I paid around US$25 on UPS Ground, so you can estimate the logistic cost roughly.
(4) In order to minimize logistic cost, the tour sequence will be geographical related instead of first come first serve, and we encourage participants to form "team" with fellow friends in local Headfi community, this will allow sharing of logistic cost, I guess if you have 2-3 persons in the same city joining the tour together, the logistic cost will not be significantly higher then that of a DAP tour.
(5) This tour will limited to US participants only. I can extend the tour to Canada if someone can propose a solution to cover the logistic and custom expenditures.
(6) The tour probably will take place from mid/late July to end of September. We would like to re-collect the combo during CanJam RMAF which is early October 2016.

Now these are my initial thought only, please do not jump on board to sign up immediately as I can't promise the tour will eventually takes place right now. I certainly wanted to see this happen, but I need to solicit opinion and evaluate the feasibility for the tour as the logistic cost is indeed on the high side when compare to a DAP/headphone tour. So the most important question is: will you sign up for a DAC/Headphone amp tour when you need to pay $25-$30 to cove the logistic cost?

For convenient sake, this post will appear in the iDAC-6 thread as well, but I shall encourage all comment and suggestions related to the tour grouped under this iHA-6 thread. 

All comments are welcome.


----------



## lugnut

When will a person be able to order these online in the US ? Sorry if I have overlooked answer to this question . Thanks


----------



## project86

I for one think it's perfectly reasonable to pay the $30 or so shipping in order to demo the gear. This is on par with what you'll pay to use the Lending Library from The Cable Company, to borrow some gear for a week or so.
  
 If you have any intention on possibly buying the Cain stack at any time now or in the future, OR if you just want to get a feel for what this particular gear can do (perhaps in comparison to your current setup), it's a great value imho. Hearing stuff in a store or at a meet is fun but nothing really compares to having it in your own home.
  
  
 Quote:


lugnut said:


> When will a person be able to order these online in the US ? Sorry if I have overlooked answer to this question . Thanks


 
  
 That is a good question, which I hope has a good answer soon.


----------



## Andykong

lugnut said:


> When will a person be able to order these online in the US ? Sorry if I have overlooked answer to this question . Thanks




We are working on this right now. Cayin has a distributor for traditional hifi products, and they are considering bringing iDAC-6/iHA-6 to US as these are fairly related to their current business profile. You can get in touch with them if you are interested in the iDAC-6/iHA-6 and leave your contact so that they can get back to you when they have the combo in stock. I suppose more inquiry will speed up their process in bringing the combo on-board.  

Steve Leung
VAS
http://vasnyinc.com/index.php
77 Cliffwood Ave.Suite:3B Cliffwood, New Jersey 07721
vasaudio@comcast.net
 Tele-732-888-3288


----------



## Andykong

project86 said:


> I for one think it's perfectly reasonable to pay the $30 or so shipping in order to demo the gear. This is on par with what you'll pay to use the Lending Library from The Cable Company, to borrow some gear for a week or so.
> 
> If you have any intention on possibly buying the Cain stack at any time now or in the future, OR if you just want to get a feel for what this particular gear can do (perhaps in comparison to your current setup), it's a great value imho. Hearing stuff in a store or at a meet is fun but nothing really compares to having it in your own home.




I see, so this is not outrageously expensive for audition arrangement, that's a relief as I was worrying that the logistic cost will put people away. 

Lets hope all interested parties will consider this opportunity seriously, once we collected the demo units back to Hong Kong after RMAF, it would be difficult to arrange another tour again because sending the combo from factory at Mainland China to start a tour is very expensive.


----------



## ebiscaia

Hi,
  
 Are the differences between tube and ss outputs similar to those you heard in GF Tube Dac 11?
  
 Thanks


----------



## project86

andykong said:


> I see, so this is not outrageously expensive for audition arrangement, that's a relief as I was worrying that the logistic cost will put people away.
> 
> Lets hope all interested parties will consider this opportunity seriously, once we collected the demo units back to Hong Kong after RMAF, it would be difficult to arrange another tour again because sending the combo from factory at Mainland China to start a tour is very expensive.


 
  
  
 I can't speak for others but to me this seems perfectly fair. I've borrowed gear from friends on HeadFi and have loaned out gear plenty of times. In those cases, whoever is the recipient of the gear traditionally foots the bill for shipping. It just makes sense.
  
 An audition for something small like an IEM is obviously cheaper but still, $30 is not much to borrow $2k worth of nice equipment. 
  


ebiscaia said:


> Hi,
> 
> Are the differences between tube and ss outputs similar to those you heard in GF Tube Dac 11?
> 
> Thanks


 
  
 Not exactly the same, but vaguely similar behavior. The SS out, to my ears. does have a more accurate or neutral feel to it, while adding tubes to the mix gives a slight warmth and euphonic smoothness. Very subtle but worthwhile difference between them.


----------



## Andykong

ebiscaia said:


> Hi,
> 
> Are the differences between tube and ss outputs similar to those you heard in GF Tube Dac 11?
> 
> Thanks







project86 said:


> Not exactly the same, but vaguely similar behavior. The SS out, to my ears. does have a more accurate or neutral feel to it, while adding tubes to the mix gives a slight warmth and euphonic smoothness. Very subtle but worthwhile difference between them.




The GF Tube DAC? The one Grant Fidelity ODM from Yulong? Is this a dual output stage DAC that allows you to switch between Solid state and tube output? I haven't heard this DAC before, but knowing how good Yulong is with DAC, I have no doubt this is one of the high CP, best-in-class product again. 

Project86 has offered a very accurate description on the different between SS and tube output stage of iDAC-6, I want to emphasis that the change is clearly audible, but not a significant day-and-night change. In my observation, the SS and tube output stage share similar sound signature, they are mean for complimenting each other, not differentiate into two different sound presentation.


----------



## project86

andykong said:


> The GF Tube DAC? The one Grant Fidelity ODM from Yulong? Is this a dual output stage DAC that allows you to switch between Solid state and tube output? I haven't heard this DAC before, but knowing how good Yulong is with DAC, I have no doubt this is one of the high CP, best-in-class product again.
> 
> Project86 has offered a very accurate description on the different between SS and tube output stage of iDAC-6, I want to emphasis that the change is clearly audible, but not a significant day-and-night change. In my observation, the SS and tube output stage share similar sound signature, they are mean for complimenting each other, not differentiate into two different sound presentation.


 
  
 Yep, that's the one, from Grant Fidelity (but _really_ from Yulong). It's a great little unit but obviously built to a price and not intended to compete with something like the iDAC-6. Plus it's getting a bit long in the tooth now (USB tops out at 24/96 for example).


----------



## grizzlybeast

I really want to see what others think of the combination. 
  
 Jim has the iha6 right now and says compared to his mjilnor (first edition) it has more brilliance, and is more detailed sounding. He likes it with the Vali as well.


----------



## Andykong

lugnut said:


> When will a person be able to order these online in the US ? Sorry if I have overlooked answer to this question . Thanks




Not exactly in US but close enough to put this up for reference.

Our Canada dealer AUDIONATION will include iDAC-6 and iHA-6 in their Cayin collection, please drop them a line if you are interested in the Cayin combo in Canada region.

http://www.audionation.ca/


----------



## ebiscaia

Hi,
  
 A little late but thanks for everyone for answering my questions.


----------



## Andykong

As mentioned previously, the iDAC-6/iHA-6 is in the middle of a bundled tour with Kennerton Vali headphone, I would like to share the first impression of the Vali tour with iHA-6 users and those who are interested in iHA-6:



> I listened to Seal's first album start to finish with both the Vali and my newly-acquired HE-6 (modded), and while I am still getting used to these, they are a world apart. The bass of the Hifiman is spectacular, but not only in quantity. I have heard textures among the different types of basses played by a variety of artists now, textures, which no other headohones have revealed to me before. I'm not qualified to give grandiose impressions of the HE-6 yet, but with a great amp, these are spectacular, and the fine detail cues are present in every part of the spectrum. Going back to the Vali, the finest details are a bit more rolled off, but the experience is still very pleasant and engaging. Other music that has been a part of this back and forth includes Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson, Rush (24/96 FLAC for all of these), Chick Corea, Toy Matinee, Norah Jones, and others. Amplifiers used are the Schiit Mjolnir (first gen) and Cayin IHA-6. The Cayin is a particularly nice mesh with the Vali, since the Cayin is extremely detailed, and has a bit more brilliance than my Mjolnir, which makes it blend nicely with the slightly darker Vali.
> 
> The build quality of the Vali is high-quality, and there is a bit of a steam-punk vibe about the industrial looking metal parts combined with the wood cups. This is a pretty heavy headphone, and the pads could be a bit softer, but it is not an uncomfortable combination overall.
> 
> This is my first time reviewing gear, so please forgive the wandering commentary through this. I'll try to tighten up my writing and opinions and add my thoughts on the Cayin gear later.




I hope Jimkrell can spare sometime to expand his writing and thoughts on the Cayin amplifier later, his impartial opinions will be a valuable advise to readers of this thread.


----------



## rigo

Is it normal to have slight noise when using the stack single ended? I only hear it on high gain and for some reason I can't recall if it has been there the entire time. It is very low coming through my Senn 650s and I don't hear it running balanced.  It is not audible when I turn up the music and doesn't affect the sound any.  I've tried two RCA cables and it doesn't make a difference.  It was suggested that I may need to buy RCA cables with better shielding. I have a few others at home that I can test out, but does anyone else have slight noise running single ended?


----------



## exsomnis

rigo said:


> Is it normal to have slight noise when using the stack single ended? I only hear it on high gain and for some reason I can't recall if it has been there the entire time. It is very low coming through my Senn 650s and I don't hear it running balanced.  It is not audible when I turn up the music and doesn't affect the sound any.  I've tried two RCA cables and it doesn't make a difference.  It was suggested that I may need to buy RCA cables with better shielding. I have a few others at home that I can test out, but does anyone else have slight noise running single ended?


 
  
 I certainly hope it isn't normal. Though I wouldn't be too surprised that they de-emphasized the single ended output design, since the primary objective was a balanced amp. Will give mine a test once I receive it, hopefully by next week.


----------



## project86

I don't hear any noise on mine but you do have to watch your setup for ground loops (not specific to these Cayin products, just in general).


----------



## rigo

project86 said:


> I don't hear any noise on mine but you do have to watch your setup for ground loops (not specific to these Cayin products, just in general).


 
  
 I will have to do some reading on ground loops...


----------



## Andykong

Any chance this is interference? electro or RF?


----------



## nmatheis

I've got the iDAC-6 + iHA-6 stack along with the Kennerton Vali headphones right now. I'm mainly doing this out of curiosity, as I'm much more of a portable audio listener (DAP + IEM). My personal headphone setup consists of DAP COAX OUT -> Aune X1S DAC/AMP -> modded HE400. Unfortunately, my HE400 are out for a headband mod right now. Hoping to get them back before I move the Cayin + Kennerton kit up to Seattle. 

So with that preamble out of the way, here's my experience with the tour setup...

I first listened to Cayin N5 DAP via LO ->iHA-6 -> Vali. It was too bright / edgy for me with noticeable sibilance hiss after each S and soundstage was pretty closed in. I didn't last long before pulling the plug on this experiment. 

Moving right along, I switched to N5 via COAX OUT -> iDAC-6 -> iHA-6 -> Vali. Playing around with the settings a bit, I settled on Vacuum Tube + Slow Filter on iDAC-6 and Low Current and Low Gain out of the High SE 1/4" HO. Whew, there's *A LOT *to play with!!! Be prepared to get your audiophile geek on  

Before I started playing around, I was getting a brighter / edgier sound than I liked. After finding my preferred (at least for now  ) settings, the sound is now smooth and enjoyable. Soundstage isn't anything to write home about with this setup, though. I have the feeling Vali is the limiting factor as far as soundstage goes, though. 

Not much else to say about the setup right now. I might go back and try out N5 LO -> iHA-6 with High SE, though. I'd tried it via Balanced Out before. Maybe High SE will make a difference.


----------



## Andykong

nmatheis said:


> I've got the iDAC-6 + iHA-6 stack along with the Kennerton Vali headphones right now. I'm mainly doing this out of curiosity, as I'm much more of a portable audio listener (DAP + IEM). My personal headphone setup consists of DAP COAX OUT -> Aune X1S DAC/AMP -> modded HE400. Unfortunately, my HE400 are out for a headband mod right now. Hoping to get them back before I move the Cayin + Kennerton kit up to Seattle.
> 
> So with that preamble out of the way, here's my experience with the tour setup...
> 
> ...




Did Lee pass the N6 to you as well? If you were to use DAP as line source for desktop Headfi system, N6 line out will do a much better job. Base on your description (edgy, noticeable sibilance), the system need to improve on the detail and density of music data. In additiona, the line out of N5 and N6 are significantly different because the line out of N6 bypassed th volume control chip and the headphone op-amp, but the line out of N5 is a fixed output value after headphone amplification op-amp. 

Using digital out should be a lot easier to manage, the only trick is to make sure the coaxial cable meet the 75ohm specification requirements. 

Looking forwards to your impression on the setup, should be very interesting.


----------



## tassardar

Been Running my IHA-6 with HD800S on balanced. Will probably get another amp soon so I can compare. But compared to my CDM, It sounds bigger, cleaner and has a vocal that spreads around me which is the reason I got it


----------



## zeissiez

Excellent reviews here by John Grandberg http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/cayin-idac-6-and-iha-6-dynamic-duo#l64haWW2Qsiju2vp.97


----------



## grizzlybeast

John is the worst reviewer of all time. I don't like how he is so accurate.

For example 

I thought I was just really stumped at the current settings and tried to leave it out of my review then he said. 

"I also couldn't tell a significant difference in the high or low current settings. Every time I thought I heard a slight change, a counterexample would present itself, so the ultimate worth of this setting eluded me
Read more at http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/cayin-idac-6-and-iha-6-dynamic-duo-page-3#QQru8wtwsuRmg0hu.99"

Ahhh validation 

Sike! John is great and I heard the amp practically the same and preferred it balanced with most headphones. 

I however dont hear the idac6 as warm but that's prob because I had a NOS DAC as a reference. 

Glad to see it on the WOF it definitely deserves it. I really want one and may get one eventually.

Great Job john

Congrats Cayin!


----------



## project86

Ha! Thanks, I deliberately stayed away from your review until today. We do indeed hear them fairly similarly. As I mention in mine, if you prefer a NOS sound then you won't find the Cayin particularly warm. I didn't mention it but I suppose the other end is true as well - if you wanted a super-brilliant reference type sound, the Cayin in SS mode still isn't as bright as say my Esoteric D-07x or Calyx Femto. So it's all relative.
  
 Your review is very well done too though, great reading.


----------



## whitelocust

How important would you say it is to keep the signal path the same throughout the chain?  The reason why I ask is, my current DAC(V90), is only single ended out, however I am interested in using the balanced output of the iHA-6 with my HD800s.  I am willing to change the DAC, however I only have money for one at the time, and I would really like to get my hands on the amp first.
  
 Thanks.


----------



## grizzlybeast

whitelocust said:


> How important would you say it is to keep the signal path the same throughout the chain?  The reason why I ask is, my current DAC(V90), is only single ended out, however I am interested in using the balanced output of the iHA-6 with my HD800s.  I am willing to change the DAC, however I only have money for one at the time, and I would really like to get my hands on the amp first.
> 
> Thanks.


 
 There are a lot of amps for which this matters. This is not one of them. *Keep your DAC*...for this amp there is absolutely no reason to go fully balanced. Actually the non balanced output of the iDAC6 sounded slightly cleaner since it can be used in transistor mode. 
  
 If a DAC sounds significantly better when using it with the iHA6 it is most likely because the DAC itself sounds better balanced.
  
 What I just mentioned is one of the strong selling points of the amp. It sounds best when using its balanced headphone out even if the DAC isnt fully balanced. 
  
 EDIT: on second thought. The V90 will hold back what this amp can do so if you buy this amp please upgrade your DAC first before ditching the wrong component. I felt the 1299 metrum Musette slightly held back its transparency in the lower midrange and kind of slowed it down.


----------



## tassardar

I got my Hugo TT today to act as a dac and also compared the amp stage. In balance the cayin is brilliant. Quicker, tighter and cleaner. But on single end, is really disappointing with dull sound that lacks energy. This is in relation to Hugo TT internal amp and using the hd800s


----------



## Andykong

Indeed the best iDAC-6/iHA-6 review I have read so far, finish reading at 3 am and too excited to go to bed after that,


----------



## Andykong

grizzlybeast said:


> John is the worst reviewer of all time. I don't like how he is so accurate.
> 
> For example
> 
> ...







project86 said:


> Ha! Thanks, I deliberately stayed away from your review until today. We do indeed hear them fairly similarly. As I mention in mine, if you prefer a NOS sound then you won't find the Cayin particularly warm. I didn't mention it but I suppose the other end is true as well - if you wanted a super-brilliant reference type sound, the Cayin in SS mode still isn't as bright as say my Esoteric D-07x or Calyx Femto. So it's all relative.
> 
> Your review is very well done too though, great reading.




John, there is one "happy" problem arise from your review. Cayin has a clear internal policy NOT to get competitors involved in our promotion and direct marketing activities, we should focused on our own work instead of checking out on the weakness of others. This review suddenly introduced a new list of "competitors" that we never have expected, they are double or triple our MRSP, and have not appeared in other iDAC-6/iHA-6 reviews as comparable products. I need to remind our Marketing staff to revise our list now.  

Up until now the iDAC-6 and iHA-6 are very low profile in the North America/Europe HeadFi market, the only two published reviews (in English) happens to be very positive and very much in common. this is an exciting news to Cayin team. Cayin carried a strong manufacturer tradition, we focus in our own product development and production work, trying to improve and surpassed ourselves all the time. We have not paying enough attention to publicize ourselves. We figured out we have to do something about this recently but the startup curve is fairly steep , these reviews certainly will be our important stepping stone to reach out to the media and headfi community in general. 

To start with, I hope the new InnerFidelity review will draw more readers to the discussion threads, and build up enough attention to kick start the iDAC-6/i-HA6 tour. For those who are interested in this little desktop stack, please stay tune for the detail of the tour.


----------



## zeissiez

andykong said:


> grizzlybeast said:
> 
> 
> > John is the worst reviewer of all time. I don't like how he is so accurate.
> ...


 

 Yes Andy, while I was in China, I had the opportunity to try out a lot of Chinese gears. I got surprise after surprise of how good they sound for such low prices. But they are generally lacking in publicity. Somehow people tend to think they are for the budget-contrained. In my opinion, Chinese audio gears are world-class.


----------



## project86

There is definitely a lot of very good gear in China, but also some not so good stuff. Probably true of any region I suppose. The tough part is the good stuff is easy to miss if you don't know where to look. That's why it's nice to see companies like Cayin do well, along with some of the other more visible brands like Opera Consonance, Yulong, Matrix, Shanling, and probably some others who I am forgetting.


----------



## whitelocust

Thank you.  I appreciate your feedback.


----------



## zeissiez

project86 said:


> There is definitely a lot of very good gear in China, but also some not so good stuff. Probably true of any region I suppose. The tough part is the good stuff is easy to miss if you don't know where to look. That's why it's nice to see companies like Cayin do well, along with some of the other more visible brands like Opera Consonance, Yulong, Matrix, Shanling, and probably some others who I am forgetting.




And the more respected brands like Goldenwave, Cayin... And the more reknown ones like Oppo, Auralic and AudioGD.... And some brilliant DIY boutique brands which create monster amps like the 8PR and 8PB


----------



## exsomnis

Received my iHA-6 today - it's surprisingly solid and heavy for its size.
  
 It did take about 15-20 minutes for the sound to open up. Feeding it with my Audio-gd DAC-19 and driving my LCD 3s, it sounds neutral, transparent and balanced. There's perhaps a touch of shimmer on top and tonnes of bite from mids to highs with transients. They're definitely supplying a sufficient amount of power to the LCD 3s.
  
 Loving it!


----------



## tassardar

Stacks perfectly


----------



## catalystcc

How this combo compare to Hugo which I own and like to upgrade to desktop setup that could drive the Sennheiser HD800s really well.
 Or just get the amp instead?


----------



## project86

catalystcc said:


> How this combo compare to Hugo which I own and like to upgrade to desktop setup that could drive the Sennheiser HD800s really well.
> Or just get the amp instead?


 
  
  
 Personally I'd much rather listen to the Cayin combo. Hugo is brilliant in terms of detail retrieval but not so musically engaging imho. And the HD800 in the mix only exasperates it. The Cayin in Solid State mode with the Linear filter is fairly neutral, vaguely similar to Hugo but less resolving and also less obnoxious. 
  
 Adding just the Cayin amp will drive the HD800 better than your Hugo but the flavor will be largely the same.


----------



## raybone0566

Does anyone know if this is available anywhere in the u.s, thanks


----------



## Andykong

raybone0566 said:


> Does anyone know if this is available anywhere in the u.s, thanks




The nearest we got right now is Canada, the first shipment of iDAC-6/iHA-6 is on the way already.
http://www.audionation.ca/pages/cayin-audio-br-tube-components-audionation


----------



## grizzlybeast

I wonder how the ha1a mk2 sounds? 

What tubes do they use? Is there a thread?


----------



## project86

grizzlybeast said:


> I wonder how the ha1a mk2 sounds?
> 
> What tubes do they use? Is there a thread?


 
  
  
 It's very different than the iHA-6. I've got one here to mess with and just last night was rolling tubes. It uses 12AU7's on the input stage and EL84's for driver tubes, plus a single 12DT5 for rectification. Stock sound is somewhat lush, euphonic, forgiving and fun if somewhat laid back and lacking ultimate resolution. Midrange is particularly nice, more engaging than the matter-of-fact iHA-6 with its neutral presentation. 
  
 Stock tubes are "Cayin" branded 12AU7 which aren't great, and basic Electro-Harmonix EL84 which are surprisingly decent in this application. I swapped them both out for some vintage glass from Amperex, Sylvania, etc and it made a big difference. The stock rectifier tube is a NOS Tung Sol which is supposedly very nice - 12DT5 is not a common tube and I don't have another to swap it out, so I'm glad Cayin included something decent.


----------



## whitelocust

Any word on where someone can actually buy this thing?


----------



## exsomnis

I got mine off of taobao.com via a Taobao agent. Cheaper than the bandied about 999 dollar price tag too.


----------



## grizzlybeast

exsomnis said:


> I got mine off of taobao.com via a Taobao agent. Cheaper than the bandied about 999 dollar price tag too.


 
 I could do that but it would be the wrong power rating.


----------



## Andykong

whitelocust said:


> Any word on where someone can actually buy this thing?




I just posted on #90:

The nearest we got right now is Canada, the first shipment of iDAC-6/iHA-6 is on the way already.
http://www.audionation.ca/pages/cayin-audio-br-tube-components-audionation


----------



## exsomnis

grizzlybeast said:


> I could do that but it would be the wrong power rating.




Your Taobao agent should be able to put in the request for the right voltage. 

Of course, warranty claims are probably next to non-existent this way but that would be what the extra $350 is for with a proper dealer.


----------



## project86

exsomnis said:


> Your Taobao agent should be able to put in the request for the right voltage.
> 
> Of course, warranty claims are probably next to non-existent this way but that would be what the extra $350 is for with a proper dealer.


 
  
  
 Not that I necessarily recommend taking the Taobao route (it has ups and downs for sure) but I do need to point out the Cayin DAC and amp both have voltage selection switches around back. So this particular concern is a non-issue.


----------



## grizzlybeast

project86 said:


> exsomnis said:
> 
> 
> > Your Taobao agent should be able to put in the request for the right voltage.
> ...


 
 Oh yea thats true. Forgot about that.


----------



## exsomnis

project86 said:


> Not that I necessarily recommend taking the Taobao route (it has ups and downs for sure) but I do need to point out the Cayin DAC and amp both have voltage selection switches around back. So this particular concern is a non-issue.




It would be worth keeping in mind that there is a 220V version that doesn't have a voltage selection switch, such as the one that I have.


----------



## Andykong

project86 said:


> Not that I necessarily recommend taking the Taobao route (it has ups and downs for sure) but I do need to point out the Cayin DAC and amp both have voltage selection switches around back. So this particular concern is a non-issue.







exsomnis said:


> It would be worth keeping in mind that there is a 220V version that doesn't have a voltage selection switch, such as the one that I have.




John has an early version that has the voltage selection switch, we have to get rid of the voltage switch in order to fulfill the latest safety requirements in Mainland China. As a result of that, all 220V version were build at fixed voltage. We plan to change the 110V version as well, just not sure whether that has been implemented in the production line. 

So if you are not buying from local, please make sure are you buying the correct voltage version. 

I don't think the TB shops can request for 110V version, Cayin simply won't supply 110V to the resellers in our domestic market.


----------



## exsomnis

Andykong said:
			
		

> .
> 
> I don't think the TB shops can request for 110V version, Cayin simply won't supply 110V to the resellers in our domestic market.




That's too bad for the 110v market then. Cayin should have more distributors/dealers outside of China.


----------



## Andykong

exsomnis said:


> That's too bad for the 110v market then. Cayin should have more distributors/dealers outside of China.




We are looking forward to that too, the market is slow and shops are reluctant to try out new brands.


----------



## exsomnis

andykong said:


> We are looking forward to that too, the market is slow and shops are reluctant to try out new brands.


 
  
 It's sad but true. Headphones are a huge multi-billion dollar market but audiophile amps and gear are still a tiny portion of that. Our local dealers here refuse to keep any stock of high ticket audiophile gear - even though they advertise themselves as being authorised dealers for the big head-fi audiophile brands, including Cayin.  
  
 Which is why I ordered my IHA-6 from China - if I was going to wait the same or longer amount of time to buy through a local dealer, I might as well get it myself and for a discount against what they're selling it for.


----------



## tassardar

Where I'm from, cayin products are common. The issue lies is trust. If people trust your product , they will buy. Dealers are just afraid to bring no names as the trust value is Low and the worst thing is a device that never moves after you get sizable stock.

My local dealer for example carries the amp and not the dac. I bought his first set after testing . So to really get dealers to carry them, first you need to build trust in consumer especially when there's like so many alternatives. In fact if I didn't get to test this amp, I may have gotten a Auralic Taurus since its readily available and the brand is much more well known.


----------



## project86

It's an interesting discussion for sure. When I first got the Auralic Taurus in for review back in the day, their brand was not very well known at all. They had a few products overseas in their home market like the Ark MX DAC and the Bugatti headphone amp, which seem to be the precursors to the Vega and Taurus. Somehow they went from a fairly unknown brand to something of a household name in audiophile circles. How did they make this transformation? There's no easy answer. 
  
Here is an old thread for fun reading.


----------



## tassardar

Today I did some extensive testing of iha6 balanced vs my TT single ended. If taking what chord has said about their output, as Long as its within power limit its probably the most transparent sound from the dac. My test with the He500 and hd800s using a balanced adapter on the TT shows that the iha6 is very transparent. The tonality has little difference and if anything, the he500 gains from the additional power while the hd800s sounds about the same on either. If I had to be very precise, tonality wise isn't that much different, hd800 the TT sounds a little wider while the iha6 has a slightly more concentrated sound for the vocals. On the he500, the iha6 gives a mid with more body with almost everything else sound almost the same. Considering the TT cost just slightly lesser then 5x more, it really is a lot of potential.

For now I will use my he500 balanced from iha6 and hd800s direct from TT


----------



## Andykong

tassardar said:


> Today I did some extensive testing of iha6 balanced vs my TT single ended. If taking what chord has said about their output, as Long as its within power limit its probably the most transparent sound from the dac. My test with the He500 and hd800s using a balanced adapter on the TT shows that the iha6 is very transparent. The tonality has little difference and if anything, the he500 gains from the additional power while the hd800s sounds about the same on either. If I had to be very precise, tonality wise isn't that much different, hd800 the TT sounds a little wider while the iha6 has a slightly more concentrated sound for the vocals. On the he500, the iha6 gives a mid with more body with almost everything else sound almost the same. Considering the TT cost just slightly lesser then 5x more, it really is a lot of potential.
> 
> For now I will use my he500 balanced from iha6 and hd800s direct from TT




According to Chord's recommendation, as long as its within power limit its probably the most transparent sound from the dac, so they don't recommend adding headphone amp to the chain. I am very interested to find out whether adding aheadphone amplifier such as iHA-6 will downgrade the transparency and overall performance of the system. 

Glad that you have provide some insight along this line. Transparency is the key of the claim, if iHA-6 can do the job to a large extend, there is hope that a better amplifier will actually enhance a Chord based system instead of downgrading it.


----------



## tassardar

That is my general feel. If the amp is transparent enough, then the additional muscle of the amp may actually improve the sound especially on hard to drive headphones. That said, so far I only find planars having such a requirement. 

 On the other hand it does show IHA6 is pretty great for its price. Sadly I dont have access to the dac for a shoot out hmm.


----------



## Andykong

tassardar said:


> That is my general feel. If the amp is transparent enough, then the additional muscle of the amp may actually improve the sound especially on hard to drive headphones. That said, so far I only find planars having such a requirement.
> 
> 
> On the other hand it does show IHA6 is pretty great for its price. Sadly I dont have access to the dac for a shoot out hmm.


 

Indeed transparent is the key, but not everyone prefer transparent over other attributes such as wide and open soundstage or deep bass with punch and authority, that's why I think overall performance is more important than putting transparent at absolute priority position. Glad to know that adding iHA-6 didn't downgrade the transparent of the system significantly, this will open up a lot of possibility for Chord DAC users. 

I'll try to explain that with my limited understanding. Planar runs on magnetic effect which require current to control, this is why Planar speaker tends to partner well with headphone amp that has good current capacity, or with current-source amplifiers . 

In a very simplified terms, the pre-amp of an audio system is responsible for signal amplification and that is at voltage level, the power amp. will pump up the current to drive the speakers. When you drive a headphone with a DAC output stage directly, you have missed out the current amplification stage, which works fine with dynamic headphones but might run into problem with the planar as they are more demanding on current capacity. 

To test out the theory, maybe we can try the TT with a low impedance low sensitivity dynamic headphone, these headphones will also required a lot of current to sound right, maybe this will demonstrate whether current capacity is a bottleneck when driving a headphone with a DAC directly.


----------



## wadi

What are output impedances of SE outputs? Does cayin have a detailed specification sheet or user manual for IHA-6? I might be interested in that amplifier in following days but there is almost zero information on the web.


----------



## Andykong

wadi said:


> What are output impedances of SE outputs? Does cayin have a detailed specification sheet or user manual for IHA-6? I might be interested in that amplifier in following days but there is almost zero information on the web.




I have posted the specification of iHA-6 at Post #7.



The "Low" jack has a 10 ohm output impedance, while the "High" jack is 120 ohms. 

You can check out John Grandberg's review in InnerFidelity for more detail. I actually copied the above line from John's report (Page 3) directly. 

Read more at http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/cayin-idac-6-and-iha-6-dynamic-duo-page-3#4DzRHzGcL4ltr9IJ.99

There is a iDAC-6/iHA-6 tour stack somewhere around Portland/Seattle right now, They shall finish the tour schedule by end of July and I shall start a US tour immediately after that. Will provide a complete set of product information when I start the US tour thread. If you are located in US, maybe you can try this out in person before you make up your mind.


----------



## tassardar

Running the abyss now with the iha6 fantastic combo. I didn't have access to many amps but it definitely sounds better then the TT with a smoother sound and a little more energy and air. It definitely is more significant then the questyle monoblock stack in terms of improvement over the TT.


----------



## project86

tassardar said:


> Running the abyss now with the iha6 fantastic combo. I didn't have access to many amps but it definitely sounds better then the TT with a smoother sound and a little more energy and air. It definitely is more significant then the questyle monoblock stack in terms of improvement over the TT.


 
  
  
 Thanks for your impressions - looks like a very nice setup! 
  
 I can see how the Cayin could beat even the mighty Questyle monoblocks in the right context... those don't deliver tons of current like the Cayin does. With an HD800, I'd take the Questyle stack, but for many planars the Cayin is king.


----------



## tassardar

Yup in terms of sheer power, the cayin delivers. So far my planars all preferred it over the TT normal output


----------



## Andykong

tassardar said:


> Running the abyss now with the iha6 fantastic combo. I didn't have access to many amps but it definitely sounds better then the TT with a smoother sound and a little more energy and air. It definitely is more significant then the questyle monoblock stack in terms of improvement over the TT.




What a coincident, I'll be trying exactly the same setup tomorrow (TT + iHA-6 + AB1266), will post some photo for fun.

Better then the Questyle monoblock? That's very positive indeed, I like the CMA800r (2X) with LCD3 very much, it was one of my reference setup for LCD3 in past two years. I am really looking forwards to tomorrow's party after readying your comment because we'll have LCD3 and LCD4 in the mini-meet as well.


----------



## tassardar

andykong said:


> What a coincident, I'll be trying exactly the same setup tomorrow (TT + iHA-6 + AB1266), will post some photo for fun.
> 
> Better then the Questyle monoblock? That's very positive indeed, I like the CMA800r (2X) with LCD3 very much, it was one of my reference setup for LCD3 in past two years. I am really looking forwards to tomorrow's party after readying your comment because we'll have LCD3 and LCD4 in the mini-meet as well.




The questyle improvement was only noticeable at high volume in the bass section while the cayin can be notice even at moderate volume across the entire frequency. 

But the abyss is a finicky headphone for adjustment. It really is a bad headphone in a meet/quick test situation. The abyss driver maybe the same or not much better then most other planars but that ugly frame and adjustments you can do makes a huge difference in sound.


----------



## Andykong

tassardar said:


> The questyle improvement was only noticeable at high volume in the bass section while the cayin can be notice even at moderate volume across the entire frequency.
> 
> But the abyss is a finicky headphone for adjustment. It really is a bad headphone in a meet/quick test situation. The abyss driver maybe the same or not much better then most other planars but that ugly frame and adjustments you can do makes a huge difference in sound.




Your observation is very interesting, does it imply the volume at play will affect the status of the Questyle? Because of current capacity in current mode? 

Improvement can be heard even at moderate volume across the entire frequency -- this sound attractive, lets see whether the iHA-6 will impress the AB-1266 owner at the mini-meet. I am really looking forwards to the audition now.


----------



## tassardar

Im doing it in comparison to the TT. To me the TT is the baseline and only at higher volume is there improvement in using the questyle. But the Cayin just improves it regardless of the volume.
  
 I think for its price, the Cayin is definitely a bang for buck especially in handling power hungry monsters. The thing is most owner of Abyss would have a decently good amp which probably cost many times the price of Cayin. I think the aim of Cayin is to be as good as the rest, that itself is probably one of the best compliment this little amp could get.
  
 Overall its a great stack!


----------



## Tadamn

Thanks for this awesome review, it is so accurate that I'm already thinking about buying one.
 Good job and keep going)


----------



## Andykong

tassardar said:


> Im doing it in comparison to the TT. To me the TT is the baseline and only at higher volume is there improvement in using the questyle. But the Cayin just improves it regardless of the volume.
> 
> I think for its price, the Cayin s definitely a bang for buck especially in handling power hungry monsters. The thing is more owner of Abyss would have a decently good amp which probably cost many times the price of Cayin. I think the aim of Cayin is to be as good as the rest, that itself is probably one the best compliment this little amp could get.
> 
> Overall its a great stack!




Just finished packing up to the mini meet, lets hope the party goes well and the AB-1266 will sing well with the iHA-6.

What you said is sad but true. AB-1266 owners probably won't pay much attention to iHA-6 given its size and price.


----------



## Andykong

tadamn said:


> Thanks for this awesome review, it is so accurate that I'm already thinking about buying one.
> Good job and keep going)




I assume you are referring to John Grandberg's review. 

Maybe you can take a look at grizzlybeast's review as well, lets see if this will bring you a step nearer to your decision. 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/cayin-iha-6/reviews/16026


----------



## tassardar

andykong said:


> Just finished packing up to the mini meet, lets hope the party goes well and the AB-1266 will sing well with the iHA-6.
> 
> What you said is sad but true. AB-1266 owners probably won't pay much attention to iHA-6 given its size and price.


 
 Hopefully more people will just give it a try!


----------



## rigo

andykong said:


> Just finished packing up to the mini meet, lets hope the party goes well and the AB-1266 will sing well with the iHA-6.
> 
> What you said is sad but true. AB-1266 owners probably won't pay much attention to iHA-6 given its size and price.


 
  
 Hopefully someone has a Senn 800S and gives impressions.  Have been thinking of getting one.


----------



## tassardar

rigo said:


> Hopefully someone has a Senn 800S and gives impressions.  Have been thinking of getting one.


 
  
 I actually been using it for 2 months before just selling it like yesterday. The Cayin is quite capable with it and pretty much carries most of the dacs signature to the headphone. I like it on High Current for a bigger sounding vocal with the HD800S.
  
 That said, it does not sound any much better or worst then direct from my TT. As such I mainly just use it direct from the TT instead and plug my planars into the Cayin.
  
 Some notable point, the SE on Cayin isnt great. Probably due to bad impedance matching. The balance is the go to port if you want to use the Cayin with anything.


----------



## fhuang

andykong said:


> I assume you are referring to John Grandberg's review.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 hi andy, any place to try it here in hong kong?


----------



## grizzlybeast

I miss having that amp here. It is on its way to Seattle this weekend. 
  
 I wonder how it compares to the Master 9. That is a beast of an amp as well.


----------



## Andykong

tassardar said:


> Running the abyss now with the iha6 fantastic combo. I didn't have access to many amps but it definitely sounds better then the TT with a smoother sound and a little more energy and air. It definitely is more significant then the questyle monoblock stack in terms of improvement over the TT.




Just a couple of quick photo on the event, will come back with more details tomorrow.




In short, iHA-6 + AB-1266 ROCKS


----------



## tassardar

andykong said:


> Just a couple of quick photo on the event, will come back with more details tomorrow.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Oh and one thing, I found connecting with RCA is better then balanced. Letting IHA6 handle the balance works out better for me.


----------



## project86

andykong said:


> Just a couple of quick photo on the event, will come back with more details tomorrow.


 
  
  
 Wow, it looks like those two were practically made for each other!
  
  


tassardar said:


> Oh and one thing, I found connecting with RCA is better then balanced. Letting IHA6 handle the balance works out better for me.


 
  
  
 Could be the Chord does better via RCA out, if it isn't a "true" balanced design.


----------



## tassardar

project86 said:


> Wow, it looks like those two were practically made for each other!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yup. Infact by chord specs, RCA performs better. And they stack really nicely with the IHA6 haha


----------



## Andykong

project86 said:


> Wow, it looks like those two were practically made for each other!
> 
> 
> 
> ...







tassardar said:


> Yup. Infact by chord specs, RCA performs better. And they stack really nicely with the IHA6 haha




The silver Hugo TT is indeed a near perfect match with iHA-6, The HugoTT footprint is 235mm width and the iHA-6 footprint is 240mm, the amazing part is, even the shading of the silver paint are very close to each other. 

I know they are good match when I saw tassardar's photo, but it is a very different story when I stack them together myself, there is a big voice screaming deep deep inside, crying "I wanted these"


----------



## tassardar

andykong said:


> The silver Hugo TT is indeed a near perfect match with iHA-6, The HugoTT footprint is 235mm width and the iHA-6 footprint is 240mm, the amazing part is, even the shading of the silver paint are very close to each other.
> 
> I know they are good match when I saw tassardar's photo, but it is a very different story when I stack them together myself, there is a big voice screaming deep deep inside, crying "I wanted these"


 
  
 Yup. Its only sad my retailer do not carry Silver here. Theres a lead time of a month if I wanted silver. Other then that its a nice little stack that runs almost anything


----------



## lugnut

I have had no luck on finding a dealer for this amp. I have sent 3 emails asking about it, no replies from anyone. I have been holding out on buying a amp, thinking some US dealer would get them in.


----------



## Andykong

The private party I attended last Sat. was mean to be a blind-date party  I have several friends just plunged into desktop HeadFi hobby suddenly, two of them bought a LCD4, and one bought Ether-C and Abyss AB-1266 within 2 months. They are looking for headphone amp. to complete their system, so we setup this mini-meet in a very short notice. 

We started with LCD4, with HugoTT as DAC connected to LittleDot MK6, HA1Amk2 first, and then we replaced the Little Dot with iHA-6, Since we have two LCD4 on site, we have them plug into the iHA-6 and HA1Amk2 at the same time, allowing AB comparison quickly. Knowing the HA1Amk2 and iHA-6 pretty well, I bet my money on the HA1Amk2, but to my surprised, the iHA-6 actually go head-to-head with the HA1Amk2 on a lot of area and excel in extension at both ends. My speculation is HA1Amk2 is sensitive to power source. I have a 800W regen. power conditioner at home and with that HA1Amk2 performs much better then the gathering setup, which was taken place in the corner of a cafe, with everything connected to power bar which was plug into a wall socket directly. 

Anyway, the iHA-6 performs pretty good with LCD4, soundstage is wide open, I have heard better setup with LCD4, but all of them are significantly more expensive, so everything consider, all my friends agreed that the iHA-6 and LCD4 is a very high Cost-performance setup, and by all means sound fairly good as well.



We switched to AB-1266 after everyone completed the audition with LCD4. Again I kicked started with HA1AmkII and then switched to iHA-6 after I finished my test tracks (around 8 tracks but only first 1-2 minutes of each tracks). The change was a complete WOW to me, I didn't say a world and left the setup to my friends, and at the end of that, we were laughing, but still speechless. The synergy effect is very obvious and the iHA-6 and AB-1266 works really well as a pair. The frequency is balanced in all hi/mid/low spectrum, the high is tamed, the bass is authoritative, and there is amazing resolution in the low extension, something that is very rare in headphone system. Indeed we hope the system can be more refined, we tried to brainstorming on possible candidates, but given the overall standard of what we heard, we simply can't find any even at double or triple the price of iHA-6. 

At the end of the day, I start to appreciate tassardar's impression on the iHA-6 + AB-1266 combo, this is a very odd price structure in terms of a amp/headphone combo, but they really work, and the iHA-6 has set a base-line for AB-1266 setup, a base-line that is not easy to cross.



The party lasted more then 5 hours before we packed up. We have also tried other headphones such as HE6, LCD3, Ether-C, T1 90th, ...but I have to skip these headphones in order to keep this report as short as possible. At the end of the day, the Little Dot goes to one of the LCD4 owner and he shall compare it against his Bryston BHA-1, and will decide which amp. will stay for good. The AB-1266 owner has taken the iHA-6 for home trail and base on what I heard from him so far, its unlikely that I'll see this amp again, 

As a member of trade, I should stay away from too much coverage on the subjective impressing, so I'll close by sharing one last photo on the mini-meets. Thanks for reading.


----------



## tassardar

I agree on the fact that lcd4 is decent but not the best with the iha6. When I was purchasing headphones and testing it at the shop, I compared with direct from TT, amp by CDM and amp by Iha6. 

The hd800s is best from direct from TT
The he1000 was best from iha6
The lcd4 sounded best from cdm (the shop owner felt it's different but not better)
The abyss is better from iha6

I don't have access to a even better amp so maybe when one day I do and have another of the flagships at home, I'll compare again (sold my hd800s since the abyss felt quite some bit better)


----------



## tassardar

I use to say the IHA6 loses transparency and some air to the TT. Today my distributor sent me a pair of power cables and conditioner to trial. Now I can safely say, with the cable and conditioner upgrade, the IHA6 had more soundstage and air. Details are also slightly better now. My conclusion now is this: TT is superior to many amp in sound due to the fact it runs on battery and super capacitor. Clean up the power and amps have a better choice. 

 That said the improvement is really small. Its like moving from 98->102 edging out the TT at 100. Im using IsoTek Polaris ad Premium Cables which is relatively low cost.


----------



## Andykong

Indeed iDAC-6 and iHA6 are responsive to power improvement, and Asian countries, where population density are in general higher then North America, is particular important because our power supply are indeed not in a good shape when compare to our Western friends.

While the effect of cable has been a controversial issue, the effective of power conditioning equipment are generally accepted, and I find HeadFi equipment are particular responsive to power improvement. I have a Regeneration type Power Conditioner at my home rig, it really helps, and I can have the peace of mind that the power supply have been taking care of. Of course I can invest in a PS Audio P5 if budget allow.

I do encourage everyone pay serious attention to their power supply issue, with or without Cayin equipment in the chain.


----------



## tassardar

andykong said:


> Indeed iDAC-6 and iHA6 are responsive to power improvement, and Asian countries, where population density are in general higher then North America, is particular important because our power supply are indeed not in a good shape when compare to our Western friends.
> 
> While the effect of cable has been a controversial issue, the effective of power conditioning equipment are generally accepted, and I find HeadFi equipment are particular responsive to power improvement. I have a Regeneration type Power Conditioner at my home rig, it really helps, and I can have the peace of mind that the power supply have been taking care of. Of course I can invest in a PS Audio P5 if budget allow.
> 
> I do encourage everyone pay serious attention to their power supply issue, with or without Cayin equipment in the chain.




Actually why don't cayin just launch a power conditioning unit to complete the amp dac power stack. Probably at a good price too and definitely after conditioning it will be quite on par with many brands which cost more even if you factor in the conditioner cost.


----------



## Andykong

tassardar said:


> Actually why don't cayin just launch a power conditioning unit to complete the amp dac power stack. Probably at a good price too and definitely after conditioning it will be quite on par with many brands which cost more even if you factor in the conditioner cost.




AC power conditioning will need to cope with local power supply specification (220V-240V, 110V, 100V, and then 50Hz vs 60Hz) given the volume of iDAC-6 and iHA-6 at international market, we can't afford to develop a power product like that, and we believe your local market will have decent choice that is safe and authorized under local legislation. 

Maybe when we have enough user base in the iDAC-6/iHA-6 community, I can persuade our R&D team to develop something along this line. That would be a very happy new project to Cayin.


----------



## tassardar

andykong said:


> AC power conditioning will need to cope with local power supply specification (220V-240V, 110V, 100V, and then 50Hz vs 60Hz) given the volume of iDAC-6 and iHA-6 at international market, we can't afford to develop a power product like that, and we believe your local market will have decent choice that is safe and authorized under local legislation.
> 
> Maybe when we have enough user base in the iDAC-6/iHA-6 community, I can persuade our R&D team to develop something along this line. That would be a very happy new project to Cayin.




Yeah! The thing is the cayin's are more desktop friendly then rack. Most conditioner will be a large strip else a rack size item. It will be a nice item to just stack them together. A nice conditioner the same size with 3 sockets will make it a really neat and good looking stack that sounds fantastic.


----------



## wadi

I just placed an order for iHA-6. I'm planning to use iHA-6 with 4 pin XLR balanced headphone cables. The problem is my dac has only RCA outputs so i guess there will be a penalty if i use RCA inputs of iHA-6 since it is a fully balanced amp. Does using a rca to xlr cable as linked below help that or should i use a pair of standart RCA cables until i get a balanced dac?
  
 https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-104777-6-Feet-Premier-16AWG/dp/B001VLW398


----------



## tassardar

wadi said:


> I just placed an order for iHA-6. I'm planning to use iHA-6 with 4 pin XLR balanced headphone cables. The problem is my dac has only RCA outputs so i guess there will be a penalty if i use RCA inputs of iHA-6 since it is a fully balanced amp. Does using a rca to xlr cable as linked below help that or should i use a pair of standart RCA cables until i get a balanced dac?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-104777-6-Feet-Premier-16AWG/dp/B001VLW398


 
 You should just use RCA till you get a balanced DAC. Also the internal RCA to Bal convertor for IHA6 is pretty good.


----------



## rigo

tassardar said:


> You should just use RCA till you get a balanced DAC. Also the internal RCA to Bal convertor for IHA6 is pretty good.


 
 I agree using RCA will not be much of a dropoff, especially if you are using balanced cables on the headphone.  This amp is really impressive.  I'm so confident that it will drive any of my future headphones that I am considering transferring my Cavalli Gold purchase.  Still not sure, but at 1/4 the price the iHA 6 is a great deal.


----------



## Andykong

wadi said:


> I just placed an order for iHA-6. I'm planning to use iHA-6 with 4 pin XLR balanced headphone cables. The problem is my dac has only RCA outputs so i guess there will be a penalty if i use RCA inputs of iHA-6 since it is a fully balanced amp. Does using a rca to xlr cable as linked below help that or should i use a pair of standart RCA cables until i get a balanced dac?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-104777-6-Feet-Premier-16AWG/dp/B001VLW398




Glad to see your question have been well-responded by other users promptly, so you can have peace of mind to use your current DAC with iHA-6 without worrying on the RCA/XLR issue.

By the way, care to share with us what DAC you are using right now? and what headphones did you plan to use with the iHA-6?


----------



## Andykong

rigo said:


> I agree using RCA will not be much of a dropoff, especially if you are using balanced cables on the headphone.  This amp is really impressive.  I'm so confident that it will drive any of my future headphones that I am considering transferring my Cavalli Gold purchase.  Still not sure, but at 1/4 the price the iHA 6 is a great deal.




Glad you like the iHA-6, I consider myself directly responsible for that at SoCal. 

So you are upgrading with momentum, from iHA-6 to LAu is a big step, On the other hand, I do advice you spending some of your resource to build up your headphone library (yes, l mean LIBRARY ), or at least tried out more headphones seriously (at home environment). Your true love(s) probably are waiting out there for your to explore, make sure you have a strong target before your next move.


----------



## grizzlybeast

rigo said:


> tassardar said:
> 
> 
> > You should just use RCA till you get a balanced DAC. Also the internal RCA to Bal convertor for IHA6 is pretty good.
> ...



Are you liking the cayin stack more than the master 11?


----------



## wadi

andykong said:


> Glad to see your question have been well-responded by other users promptly, so you can have peace of mind to use your current DAC with iHA-6 without worrying on the RCA/XLR issue.
> 
> By the way, care to share with us what DAC you are using right now? and what headphones did you plan to use with the iHA-6?


 
  
 I have Bifrost Multibit and He-560 right now. I might consider upgrading Bifrost Multibit to a balanced dac in the future.


----------



## rigo

andykong said:


> Glad you like the iHA-6, I consider myself directly responsible for that at SoCal.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 At this point most likely not going that route.  I definitely want to keep my headphone inventory to about 3 - 1 portable and 2  home phones.


----------



## rigo

grizzlybeast said:


> Are you liking the cayin stack more than the master 11?


 
 I found myself listening more to the Cayin stack over time.  Some of it had to do with downsizing and space.  Because they were in different locations I never did a direct comparison, although to me there was something about the bass that I enjoyed a bit more with the stack.


----------



## grizzlybeast

rigo said:


> grizzlybeast said:
> 
> 
> > Are you liking the cayin stack more than the master 11?
> ...



If you still had it a comparison would be awesome! 
My last stop solid state will be the he9


----------



## Andykong

I just launched the US Tour for iDAC-6/iHA-6, please come and sign up if you are interested in trying out this combo at your home system.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/814644/us-tour-cayin-idac-6-dual-ak4490-dac-and-iha-6-full-balanced-headphone-amp-reviewers-wanted

Looking forward to some exciting exchanges and informative impression, let the party start.


----------



## wadi

I got my iha-6 last week. It is impressing.

However my unit doesn't have a 110/220 switch. How can i verify that it is a genuine one?


----------



## grizzlybeast

There is no voltage switch on the production run. It would be hard to have a duplicate or fake iha6.


----------



## EvenR

I was so close to just pulling the trigger on the Cayin stack, but without a voltage switch how can i be sure it's fit for 230V 50Hz, which is the standard in Denmark?
  
 I'm buying it from a Chinese hifi store.


----------



## grizzlybeast

evenr said:


> I was so close to just pulling the trigger on the Cayin stack, but without a voltage switch how can i be sure it's fit for 230V 50Hz, which is the standard in Denmark?
> 
> I'm buying it from a Chinese hifi store.


 
 Don't buy it unless you have it in writing from the vendor that it is the correct voltage.


----------



## Andykong

wadi said:


> I got my iha-6 last week. It is impressing.
> 
> However my unit doesn't have a 110/220 switch. How can i verify that it is a genuine one?







evenr said:


> I was so close to just pulling the trigger on the Cayin stack, but without a voltage switch how can i be sure it's fit for 230V 50Hz, which is the standard in Denmark?
> 
> I'm buying it from a Chinese hifi store.




Sorry for my late respond, have been fully occupied by the DAP firmware release and our new English website in past few days, will get back on track as much as possible.

Only the very early batches of Cayin iDAC-6 and iHA-6 has the voltage switch, we have removed the voltage switch in order to satisfy the latest safety requirements in Mainland China. If you cannot find an authorized seller locally and have to resort to buying from oversee, please check and make sure they are supplying the iDAC-6 and iHA-6 in correct voltage for your country.

You can check the domestic electricity supply voltage in China from Internet quick easily, This is public information so I can confirm for your convenient that the electricity in China is generally 220V, 50Hz, so all iDAC-6 and iHA-6 trading in domestic market (aka. Mainland China) are 220v, 50Hz. 

Since you are considering to buy from oversee, I'll take this opportunity to alert you that Cayin does not provide repair service to oversee customer directly in view of logistic cost and foreign currency control issue. If anything happen to your Cayin equipment and you need repair service, you need to send it back to the seller and let the seller submit the equipment to Cayin for warranty service, and Cayin will return the repaired equipment to the seller, you have to arrange the shipping arrangement with the seller in advance.

The iDAC-6 and IHA-6 has been selling for almost a year, and they are very stable by now, but I have to take the liberty to alert you the risk in advance.


----------



## rudra

Purchased the amplifier. This is my first SS amp. Had the option to either buy a violectric 200, 181 & liquid carbon. After doing lots of research (my head hurts) I decided to buy the Cayin. What swayed me was that it was a discrete balanced amp and this forum. Hoping to hold on to this amp for a long time.


----------



## lugnut

rudra said:


> Purchased the amplifier. This is my first SS amp. Had the option to either buy a violectric 200, 181 & liquid carbon. After doing lots of research (my head hurts) I decided to buy the Cayin. What swayed me was that it was a discrete balanced amp and this forum. Hoping to hold on to this amp for a long time.


 
 May I ask where you bought the amp ?  Thanks


----------



## rudra

lugnut said:


> May I ask where you bought the amp ?  Thanks


 
 I brought it from a dealer here in Australia (http://a1futureshop.com.au/index.php?route=product/product&path=89_232&product_id=1043)


----------



## Andykong

rudra said:


> Purchased the amplifier. This is my first SS amp. Had the option to either buy a violectric 200, 181 & liquid carbon. After doing lots of research (my head hurts) I decided to buy the Cayin. What swayed me was that it was a discrete balanced amp and this forum. Hoping to hold on to this amp for a long time.




Still waiting for the amp? Looking forward to your impression of the iHA-6 with you headphone collections, I hope you are satisfied with your choice.


----------



## Andykong

andykong said:


> I just launched the US Tour for iDAC-6/iHA-6, please come and sign up if you are interested in trying out this combo at your home system.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/814644/us-tour-cayin-idac-6-dual-ak4490-dac-and-iha-6-full-balanced-headphone-amp-reviewers-wanted
> 
> Looking forward to some exciting exchanges and informative impression, let the party start.




We are just three days away from the closing of the tour, we have a decent sign up, the respond is actually better then I expected already.

If you have friends who might be interested in the iDAC-6 and iHA-6, time to draw their attention to the tour as we are only 3 days away from the closing of the tour application, drop them a PM or @ them at the thread, many thanks for your reference in advance.


----------



## rudra

andykong said:


> Still waiting for the amp? Looking forward to your impression of the iHA-6 with you headphone collections, I hope you are satisfied with your choice.


 

 Yeah, still waiting for the amp. I should have it in the next couple of days.


----------



## wadi

The more i listen to this amp the more i appreciate sound on both se and balanced outputs. Only downside is output impedance of low impedance se headphone output. It kind of distorts bass region of some iems which are 32 ohm. I wish low headphone output had 1 ohm impedance. This could be my endgame amplifier.


----------



## rudra

@Andykong could you please advise if any clearance is required above the amp for ventilation or is it ok to stack another unit on top.  Do you have the manual in English available on your website.


----------



## Andykong

rudra said:


> @Andykong
> could you please advise if any clearance is required above the amp for ventilation or is it ok to stack another unit on top.  Do you have the manual in English available on your website.




I stacked my iDAC-6 and iHA-6 and run them in long hours, they are reliable so far, but I always put the iDAC-6 on top because it is hotter then the iHA-6, the tube is a heat source inevitably.


----------



## project86

rudra said:


> @Andykong could you please advise if any clearance is required above the amp for ventilation or is it ok to stack another unit on top.  Do you have the manual in English available on your website.


 
  
  
 I'm not Andy (obviously) but I can speak to stacking - I keep the (warm running) iDAC-6 on top of the iHA-6 all the time. It's fine, the amp gets warm but not hot. And this is with the very hot iDAC-6 on top, so I imagine most any other device stacked on there also would be fine. 
  
  
 By the way, the signup for US Review Tour is almost closing. Get your "application" in if you haven't already done so. I warn you though, be ready to buy it once you experience it for yourself!


----------



## rudra

andykong said:


> I stacked my iDAC-6 and iHA-6 and run them in long hours, they are reliable so far, but I always put the iDAC-6 on top because it is hotter then the iHA-6, the tube is a heat source inevitably.


 
  


project86 said:


> I'm not Andy (obviously) but I can speak to stacking - I keep the (warm running) iDAC-6 on top of the iHA-6 all the time. It's fine, the amp gets warm but not hot. And this is with the very hot iDAC-6 on top, so I imagine most any other device stacked on there also would be fine.


 
 Thanks. wanted to make sure I could stack my darkvoice 336se on it. the wait is unbearable


----------



## Andykong

rudra said:


> Thanks. wanted to make sure I could stack my darkvoice 336se on it. the wait is unbearable





The Darkvoice 336se weighted around 12 lb and will not cover up the iHA-6 completely like the iDAC-6, so stacking them probably is OK, but the form factor might be problem though. The Darkvoice 336se measured at 14.9 (D) x 9.8 x 7.8 inches, but the iHA-6 footprint is around 10" square, so the 14.9" deep chassis probably will be a problem.


----------



## Andykong

project86 said:


> I'm not Andy (obviously) but I can speak to stacking - I keep the (warm running) iDAC-6 on top of the iHA-6 all the time. It's fine, the amp gets warm but not hot. And this is with the very hot iDAC-6 on top, so I imagine most any other device stacked on there also would be fine.
> 
> 
> By the way, the signup for US Review Tour is almost closing. Get your "application" in if you haven't already done so. I warn you though, be ready to buy it once you experience it for yourself!




Thanks for the good words, I have received numerous request from other countries asking for a tour now, Canada will probably take off after we complete the US tour, and there are openings in UK/EC as wells, I believe your review in InnerFidelity is the major reason for the respond we have this round, lets hope we can take advantage of this tour and start to do some ice breaking work.


----------



## rudra

The amp got delivered today. Initial impression 

 Build quality is good. I wish they would have bevelled the edges. They are bit sharp for my taste 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


The manual needs to be updated to reflect the fact there is no voltage selector switch. No biggie.
No warranty card was inside the box even though the manual said there should be one.
Tried to do a quick listen on my Beyer and Sen. The Cayin is connected to the Audio GD DAC balanced.
Since this is my first SS amp I have no other SS amps to compared. Using the SE compared to the DV I feel that that the DV has more punch and sound stage( considering that I have had the DV for about 4 years, I may be used to the sound. I run a Tungsol VT-231 and a RCA 6AS7G tube). I also need to work out what filter on the DAC is in synergy with the Cayin.
  
 I hope to spend more time with the amp listening to different genres of music that I usually listen and hope to provide an update in about 4 weeks time. I am also waiting on my balanced cable to arrive for the HD650 that I have ordered from @PETEREK
  
 Please note that I am not a professional reviewer and this are just my opinions. YMMV


----------



## EvenR

I'm curious about what an unboxing looks like. I haven't seen any of the new Cayin stack. 
  
 As i'm considering buying the Cayin stack from China, i'd also like to know how well it's packaged. 
  
 Thanks.


----------



## rudra

evenr said:


> I'm curious about what an unboxing looks like. I haven't seen any of the new Cayin stack.
> 
> As i'm considering buying the Cayin stack from China, i'd also like to know how well it's packaged.
> 
> Thanks.


 
 Sorry I didn't take any photos. It was well packaged. If you were considering  buying from China I would suggest they double box it just to be on the safer side.


----------



## EvenR

Has anyone heard the Sennheiser HDVA600/HDVD800 and can share some impressions in comparison to the Cayin iHA-6?
  
 I'll be pairing the amp with an HD800S.


----------



## project86

evenr said:


> Has anyone heard the Sennheiser HDVA600/HDVD800 and can share some impressions in comparison to the Cayin iHA-6?
> 
> I'll be pairing the amp with an HD800S.


 
  
  
 I personally don't care for the Senn devices. They are ok, nothing special, and not worth the money imho. I'll take the Cayin any day, especially when the iHA/iDAC stack is very similarly priced to the HDVD800.


----------



## EvenR

project86 said:


> I personally don't care for the Senn devices. They are ok, nothing special, and not worth the money imho. I'll take the Cayin any day, especially when the iHA/iDAC stack is very similarly priced to the HDVD800.


 
  


project86 said:


> I personally don't care for the Senn devices. They are ok, nothing special, and not worth the money imho. I'll take the Cayin any day, especially when the iHA/iDAC stack is very similarly priced to the HDVD800.


 
 I've heard that the dac of the HDVD800 is not as good as the amp part, so i'll definitely get an upgrade there and i'm sure the iDAC is quite a lot better judging from the reviews of both.
  
 Is it just the dac that's making the HDVD800 lack behind, or would there be a noticeable improvement when switching from the HDVD800's amp to the iHA-6 in your opinion?


----------



## rudra

Is it ok to connect both SE and Balanced  HP at the same time. Nothing is mentioned in the manual.


----------



## grizzlybeast

rudra said:


> Is it ok to connect both SE and Balanced  HP at the same time. Nothing is mentioned in the manual.


 
 yes sir 
  
 There is a slight loss of fidelity but it works fine.


----------



## rudra

grizzlybeast said:


> yes sir
> 
> There is a slight loss of fidelity but it works fine.


 
 Thanks mate!


----------



## EvenR

Looks like i'll have my Cayin stack on Monday. Sold my HDVD800 to get it. It better be worth it.
  
 I will pair it up with HD800S and post some impressions later.


----------



## project86

evenr said:


> Looks like i'll have my Cayin stack on Monday. Sold my HDVD800 to get it. It better be worth it.
> 
> I will pair it up with HD800S and post some impressions later.


 
  
  
 If you're anything like me, you'll enjoy the Cayin stack significantly more than the HDVD800. 
  
 Enjoy!


----------



## EvenR

project86 said:


> If you're anything like me, you'll enjoy the Cayin stack significantly more than the HDVD800.
> 
> Enjoy!


 
  
 It's not too bright? That's the only potentially bad thing i've heard about the stack when pairing it with HD800 headphones.
  
 I really enjoyed how the Sennheiser amps handle their headphones. It had great balance and control.


----------



## project86

Depends on your perspective I suppose. I don't find it overly bright but then again I think I've finally come to terms with the HD800 after all these years. If I'm not in the mood, no amp short of a very rolled off tube amp can make it tolerable. 
  
 So yes, I suppose it's bright in comparison to some other darker amps, but I don't think it is overly bright if that makes any sense. A lot of people fell in love with the Auralic Taurus plus HD800 and this is essentially the same thing. 
  
 EDIT - forgot to mention, the tube option and filter choices on the DAC can help if you do find it somewhat aggressive.


----------



## EvenR

project86 said:


> Depends on your perspective I suppose. I don't find it overly bright but then again I think I've finally come to terms with the HD800 after all these years. If I'm not in the mood, no amp short of a very rolled off tube amp can make it tolerable.
> 
> So yes, I suppose it's bright in comparison to some other darker amps, but I don't think it is overly bright if that makes any sense. A lot of people fell in love with the Auralic Taurus plus HD800 and this is essentially the same thing.
> 
> EDIT - forgot to mention, the tube option and filter choices on the DAC can help if you do find it somewhat aggressive.




Thanks a lot. I wasn't clear in my last post. The only headphone I'm going to be using with the stack is the HD800S since I sold the original.

 Is your view in the pairing any different if we are talking about the S version? I'm certainly looking forward to playing with the versatility of the iDAC and finding my preferred settings.


----------



## Andykong

evenr said:


> Thanks a lot. I wasn't clear in my last post. The only headphone I'm going to be using with the stack is the HD800S since I sold the original.
> 
> Is your view in the pairing any different if we are talking about the S version? I'm certainly looking forward to playing with the versatility of the iDAC and finding my preferred settings.




The HD800S is more forgiving then the original HD800, and iDAC-6/iHA-6 combo should work with the HD800S satisfactory. When you receive the Cayin combo, don't jump into conclusion immediately, run it for a few days non-stop, then start to play around with all sorts of system tweaks, I am confident that you'll find the system enjoyable and likeable.


----------



## Andykong

The US tour of the iDAC-6 and iHA-6 combo has kicked started, our first tour reviewer Dillan has received the combo on Sat. afternoon, he'll audition the combo with his LCD4 and new toys acquired recently. This should be a very interesting stop in the US tour.


----------



## EvenR

andykong said:


> The HD800S is more forgiving then the original HD800, and iDAC-6/iHA-6 combo should work with the HD800S satisfactory. When you receive the Cayin combo, don't jump into conclusion immediately, run it for a few days non-stop, then start to play around with all sorts of system tweaks, I am confident that you'll find the system enjoyable and likeable.



Do I have to have my HD800S plugged into the xlr for a few days while playing to burn in the xlr output or can I just as well do it with any output on the cayin?


----------



## Andykong

evenr said:


> Do I have to have my HD800S plugged into the xlr for a few days while playing to burn in the xlr output or can I just as well do it with any output on the cayin?




You need to attach a headphone to the iHA-6 during the aging (burn-in) process. You don't have to use HD800S for that, any headphone will do but we advice to avoid high sensitivity low impedance headphone as the aging process will be very slow and inefficient.


----------



## EvenR

andykong said:


> You need to attach a headphone to the iHA-6 during the aging (burn-in) process. You don't have to use HD800S for that, any headphone will do but we advice to avoid high sensitivity low impedance headphone as the aging process will be very slow and inefficient.


 
 Alright. I think i'll just keep my 800S plugged in for a few days while running the stack fully balanced. That should do the trick. Thank you.


----------



## hufnall

Hallo.
In my  Cayin iHA-6 socked Headphone (High) "is playing" more guietly than Headphone (Low).
I checked with connect : Ultrasone Edition 5, K812, K701, TH900, LCD 2, LCD 3, K1000.
Is it good?
I supposed, that socked 6,3 mm have : 0 dB i +10 dB.
Best regards


----------



## grizzlybeast

hufnall said:


> Hallo.
> In my  Cayin iHA-6 socked Headphone (High) "is playing" more guietly than Headphone (Low).
> I checked with connect : Ultrasone Edition 5, K812, K701, TH900, LCD 2, LCD 3, K1000.
> Is it good?
> ...


 
 yes because none of those are high impedance headphones. You should be using the low socket.


----------



## hufnall

grizzlybeast said:


> yes because none of those are high impedance headphones. You should be using the low socket.


 
 Are you sure, that headphones connects with socked Low, no High, shoud play more aloud?
 Have you iHA6 ?


----------



## rudra

hufnall said:


> Are you sure, that headphones connects with socked Low, no High, shoud play more aloud?
> Have you iHA6 ?


 
 My understanding was that low impedance can on high impedance output socket will not play loud. If your cans are less than 120 ohms you are better of using the low impedance socket which is rated at 10 ohms.


----------



## grizzlybeast

hufnall said:


> grizzlybeast said:
> 
> 
> > yes because none of those are high impedance headphones. You should be using the low socket.
> ...




I reviewed it. 

The low is impedance not low gain. You should be using all of your headphones in the low impedance socket because non of them are high impedance headphones. They should sound like crap through the high impedance jack.


----------



## Andykong

hufnall said:


> Are you sure, that headphones connects with socked Low, no High, shoud play more aloud?
> Have you iHA6 ?







grizzlybeast said:


> I reviewed it.
> 
> The low is impedance not low gain. You should be using all of your headphones in the low impedance socket because non of them are high impedance headphones. They should sound like crap through the high impedance jack.




grizzlybeast is correct, we have a separate Gain control (bottom button on the left side of the screen), switching the High and Low impedance connection will not introduce significant change in output volume. 

I suggest you try out different Gain and Current setting on the iHA-6 with each of the headphone you have mentioned. There might be surprised in due course but I can recommend the following setting to start wtih:

Ultrasone Edition 5, K812: Low Current, Low Gain
K701: Low current, High Gain
LCD 2, LCD 3, K1000: High Current, High Gain

I am not familiar with TH900, I believe low gain will work with this headphone alright, but not sure about the effect of Current setting, so you have to try it out in person.

Last but not least, I strongly recommend you to try out the Balanced connections of iHA-6 with LCD2, LCD3 and K1000. These headphones have bundled a 4pin Balanced headphone cables and iHA-6 will handle these headphones better when you go for balanced.


----------



## Andykong

Dillan has publish his iHA-6 and iDAC-6 review. This is the first review from the US Tour, and the report has been recommended on the HeadFi home page. 

http://www.head-fi.org/products/cayin-iha-6/reviews/16731

Associated Equipment:

LH Labs Vi Dac Infinity
McIntosh MHA100
Audeze LCD4
Grado RS2e
Kaiser K10

With permission from Dillan, I have extracted the sound-related content of the report for your reference and discussion:

*LCD-4: *With the combination of both of Cayin's offerings I thought the sound was very good actually. I definitely have used these LCD-4's with some world class components and I didn't feel like I needed "more" of anything. I found them driven quite well using the four pin balanced connection and even used the HIGH level of single ended configuration with satisfaction. The only time I felt them needing more juice was when I experimented with the LOW port, which obviously isn't meant to drive power hungry planars. The bass was nice and punchy, mids were accurate and detailed and the highs were crisp. If I used some imagination I could call the signature slightly cold, as you expect that warm enveloping sound from the tube stage, but you never really got that. However, because these Audezes already give you a very laid back sound to begin with, I thought the pairing was just fine.

*RS2e:* I really love my Grado RS2e. It really is a great sidekick for the LCD-4 in that they have a differentiating sound and at different price points. Listening to the duo with my pair of Grados was another positive experience. Gregory Porters latest album really had me respecting these little devices more and more. With the RS2e's I did feel like I heard a little more of the lushness seeping into the midrange on the tube setting. The bass seemed slightly more euphonic than I had remembered it being and the instrumental treble was very impressive. I tended to use the LOW single ended option with these headphones and I did have to turn the nob up slightly more than you'd expect, but it definitely drove them as loud as I would want them and still with decent headroom. I liked this combo a lot.

*Compared to McIntosh MHA100: * ....... Looking at purely the sound I will say both are different, but good. If you happen to prefer an uncolored, unmodified amplifier and just want a great, detailed and accurate sound then I would definitely look at the iHA-6. It sounds very much how a high end solid state amplifier should sound.. comparable to something like the Auralic Taurus or even Schiit's Ragnarok. I found myself grabbing my darker sounding headphones when listening to the Cayin duo and my brighter Grados with the McIntosh. The solid state amplifier coupled with the tube DAC create a sort of detailed musicality that really bring my headphones to life. It is sort of ironic how a tube DAC sounds a lot less warm than the solid state MHA100, but that is what I have found through the comparisons. I would only say that the unique features in the MHA100 outshine Cayins offerings, but the sound itself were almost equally enjoyable and impressive albeit slightly different.

*Compared to LH Labs Vi Dac Infinity:* I actually pretty much enjoyed both of these the same, if maybe the Cayin duo more. Both amplifiers can power just about everything I throw at them with pretty impressive headroom. The Vi Dac is again about double the price, but sound-wise I believe it is very easily in the same league as both the iHA-6 and iDAC-6. If anything I think the filters and tubestage options on the iDAC made it a lot more impressive. I certainly found the filters almost inaudibly different, but they were slight enough to make things interesting. Features in general wasn't even a contest as the Cayin combination have many more options and outputs ...... I think I would recommend saving your coins for something else and going for the Cayin units if it were a choice between these two. Really great stuff from Cayin!

*Closing Thoughts: *I really enjoyed my time with both the iDAC-6 and the iHA-6. The best situation for someone to buy these is if they have limited desk space or don't want huge devices getting in the way.. all while gaining a modern stylish look of audio products with excellent sound quality and a few niche bonuses such as a quad tube DAC. I didn't mention before that these little offerings pair well with a broad selection of IEMs too. My Kaiser K10's especially were driven correctly and sounded as perfect as they ever had. I only very faintly heard a whisper of hiss-like distortion due to the sensitivity of the K10's, which is completely expected. These are very versatile, sound just as good as much more expensive equipment and I think anyone would be proud to have these in their inventory. Well done Cayin!

I want to thank Dillan for his helpful and informative contribution. The review certainly provides a solid background for HeadFier who are looking for DAC or headphone amplifier at this price range. Complete a product review at this level of detail within 7 days period is a very tough job, and I salute Dillan for his diligent and hardworking. 

Please feel free to share your views after reading Dillan's report, and we are looking forwards to more Tour reports down the road.


----------



## Andykong

With great pleasure, we would like to announce *MusicTeck * from New Jersey as our new US authorized seller. They will carry the complete Personal Audio products from Cayin, including the iDAC-6 Digital Analog Converter and iHA-6 Headphone Amplifier. We have dispatched their first order already and Musicteck will update their website as soon as they have received our products. US customers who are interested in the Cayin combo can contact MusicTeck for more detail.


----------



## rudra

@Andykong can you please advise if the single ended input is converted to balanced output.


----------



## wadi

Has anyone had any problems with low impedance iems or headphones plugged into low impedance unbalanced output?


----------



## grizzlybeast

andykong said:


> With great pleasure, we would like to announce *MusicTeck * from New Jersey as our new US authorized seller. They will carry the complete Personal Audio products from Cayin, including the iDAC-6 Digital Analog Converter and iHA-6 Headphone Amplifier. We have dispatched their first order already and Musicteck will update their website as soon as they have received our products. US customers who are interested in the Cayin combo can contact MusicTeck for more detail.


 
 that is good news!!!!


----------



## project86

wadi said:


> Has anyone had any problems with low impedance iems or headphones plugged into low impedance unbalanced output?


 
  
 Not necessarily _problems_ but I would say it's not an ideal match. Output impedance a bit too high. It's doable unless the IEMs are really sensitive but definitely not the best possible result from this amp.


----------



## Dillan

Yea I found the balanced 4 pin output was what really made these the amazing little things they are. I wouldn't personally recommend buying this stack for only single ended efficient headphones/IEMs.. Although I didn't have any "problems" with that_ per se_.


----------



## wadi

Hello @Andykong
  
 Has Cayin measured output power of balanced and unbalanced outputs into 50 ohms,150 ohms, 300 ohms, 600 ohms?


----------



## EvenR

When i first got the Cayin iHA-6 and iDAC-6 combo and paired it with my HD800S, i wasn't too thrilled. Compared to my previous HDVD800, there was more detail present from the dac, but it came with some extra brightness and a general sense of being a bit overemphatic. It sounds thin, the soundstage is small and the treble is not well-integrated in the mix when starting from cold.
  
 It's now a month later i'd the units have around 100 hours on them. What i find now, after regular use and long listening sessions, is that the combo warms up and peaks 6 hours in.
  
 The difference in sound quality after the dac tubes have completely warmed up, is nothing short of amazing and revelatory. It's like a flower blooming and revealing it's inner essence. It truly shows you what this Cayin stack is all about. All it requires is a bit of patience.
  
 After 6 hours the tubes provide the warmth and depth that makes the music full, natural and liquid. The soundstage opens up and positioning is improved and very convincing. The overall tone is buttery smooth natural with slam and dynamism and detailed highs, which are held in an iron grip and kept it in a straight line. The whole presentation is extremely balanced and i can't point to any sharp edges or any dullness. It's simply alive and groovy. 
  
 I've previously owned the original HD800 the HDVD800, but then switched over to this setup. Even with the HD800S, i felt that i might need another headphone to compliment it. I don't have the need anymore. After discovering my setups full potential, it has made my HD800S a genre master. Something i thought i'd never say about this line of headphones.
  
 This is the only setup i've been satisfied with over the years. It's my end game.
  
 Nevertheless i'm in a financial situation where i have to sell it, since i'm moving out. I'll definitely pick up something similar when i'm settled in my new home. There's no way i'm going to have any setup without a pair of HD800S at least. 
  
 I'm not saying the Cayin's are the only good option for your HD800/S, as there are certainly others, but at it's price, i consider this an exceptional value with high end performance.
  
 It's no wonder that Cayin chose the HD800, when shooting pictures of their stack, as they both look and sound great together.


----------



## wswbd

Have you tried other DAC feeding into iHA-6 and compare the SQ of HD800S?


----------



## Andykong

rudra said:


> @Andykong
> can you please advise if the single ended input is converted to balanced output.




Yes, iHA-6 will convert the single-ended (RCA) input to balanced before feeding into the amplification circuit The conversion is actually quite well performed, you won't hear the different unless you compare them critically.


----------



## Andykong

wadi said:


> Hello @Andykong
> 
> 
> Has Cayin measured output power of balanced and unbalanced outputs into 50 ohms,150 ohms, 300 ohms, 600 ohms?




I'll pursue these after I get back from my US trip.


----------



## Andykong

evenr said:


> When i first got the Cayin iHA-6 and iDAC-6 combo and paired it with my HD800S, i wasn't too thrilled. Compared to my previous HDVD800, there was more detail present from the dac, but it came with some extra brightness and a general sense of being a bit overemphatic. It sounds thin, the soundstage is small and the treble is not well-integrated in the mix when starting from cold.
> 
> It's now a month later i'd the units have around 100 hours on them. What i find now, after regular use and long listening sessions, is that the combo warms up and peaks 6 hours in.
> 
> ...




Its sad to know that you have to depart from your setup, especially when you start to like your setup. The Cayin i-combo does require some time before it can be perform at its best. The iDAC-6 offers 10 different tonal setting while the iHA-6 offers 4 different driving setting, a total of 40 combinations "mathematically", its versatile and probably need some extra time to get familiar with the different setup in both iDAC-6 and iHA-6.

I wish all you all the best in your forth coming venture, and please come back when you are building your next audio system, even when you are not using Cayin product in your future setup, your experience is still appreciated and we'll always welcome you with open arms.


----------



## Andykong

wswbd said:


> Have you tried other DAC feeding into iHA-6 and compare the SQ of HD800S?





I'll chime in but please remember I am part of the Cayin team when you read my comment.

I have three DAC in my home rig: Cayin iDAC-6, Yulong D8 and Goldmund Metis DA. They are connected to four different amplifiers during normal setup (I have sold my Little Dot Mk6 to simplified my setup earlier on  ), but I did connect all three to iHA-6 (two at a time) and Ragnarok (all three DAC connected at the same time( during the exploring process. 



I only do "rough" level match (90db at 1kHz signal with a SPL) but under a blind test condition. The iHA-6 can work with all three DAC fairly well and it is transparent enough to reflect the sound signature of the three DAC and I can appreciate the music and best suit headphone under each setup. 

After the exploration period, I have iDAC-6+iHA-6 connected as a pair, Ragnarok and HA-1Amk2 connected to Yulong D8, and the Goldmund Metis DA feeding the Koss ESP/950 directly.


----------



## wadi

It would be interesting to read a comparison between Cayin iha-6 and Schiit Jotunheim. Both are called neutral and have similar power ratings.


----------



## EvenR

I second that. I have the iHA-6 here and i'm interested in some impressions of the Jotunheim aswell.


----------



## Andykong

*[COLOR=FF00AA]Happy Thanksgiving[/COLOR]*
We are glad to have friends and customers like you.
Wish you all the best on this Special Day.​


​
NOTE: If you can't see the embedded video above, please *CLICK HERE* to see the video.​


----------



## elwappo99

If anyone's got an eye out for this unit the prices seemed to have dropped quite heavily. Currently brand new on ebay for $580
  
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cayin-iDAC-6-32Bit-384kHz-DSD128-Audio-DA-Converter-Decoder-IHA6-/252678376388?var=&hash=item3ad4ce0bc4m9I_A1VNzJ4bifgmqtpZ87Q


----------



## Maru10

Hello, chiming in to share my experience with this jewel. After few years of happiness with driving HE560 with Gustard's exceptional H10 amp, feeding it by iRDAC, I've got an upgraditis gravis and ordered new almost everything. I am waiting for Gustard's new X20U-Pro dac, having balanced interconnection ready to pump it in into Cayin iHa-6. My balanced headphone cable being still on its way to me, I am driving Hifiman golden mid-class HE560 with Cayin via single ended cable, and I am hearing what I haven't heard before.
  
 I am not very poetic in nature, never been good with the terms like warm, analytical, congested, etc. What I hear is clean, dynamic and energized, and I like it very much. I really enjoy that even without critical listening I can hear new details I havent heard on the same setup (Arcam iRDAC and Hifiman's HE560) before. I also found out that the music really plays around me for the first time. I am to lazy to imagine and pinpoint instruments in the space, however now I feel really surrounded by the music, not just feeling like being stereoed.
  
 My only worry is occasional sibilance. Being in love with what I hear, I tend to blame the records, however in case of e.g. Queen's "Under pressure" from the 2012 SACD, where especially the first verses the "sss" are piercing my ears almost painfully, it is hard to blame poor mastering (at least I think so, please feel free to help me see the light ).
  
 Otherwise, I am really enjoying this headamp, and looking forward to complement it with Gustard's new juggernaut DAC and fully balanced interconnect. And who knows, maybe I will help myself to an old set of HE-6, being able to finally power them properly...


----------



## Andykong

maru10 said:


> Hello, chiming in to share my experience with this jewel. After few years of happiness with driving HE560 with Gustard's exceptional H10 amp, feeding it by iRDAC, I've got an upgraditis gravis and ordered new almost everything. I am waiting for Gustard's new X20U-Pro dac, having balanced interconnection ready to pump it in into Cayin iHa-6. My balanced headphone cable being still on its way to me, I am driving Hifiman golden mid-class HE560 with Cayin via single ended cable, and I am hearing what I haven't heard before.
> 
> I am not very poetic in nature, never been good with the terms like warm, analytical, congested, etc. What I hear is clean, dynamic and energized, and I like it very much. I really enjoy that even without critical listening I can hear new details I havent heard on the same setup (Arcam iRDAC and Hifiman's HE560) before. I also found out that the music really plays around me for the first time. I am to lazy to imagine and pinpoint instruments in the space, however now I feel really surrounded by the music, not just feeling like being stereoed.
> 
> ...




Thank you very much for your impression on iHA-6. I am sure when you tried out the balanced output of iHA-6, you'll experience a significant improvement over to the single ended output, especially when you are using a planar headphone (remember to try out the high current mode as well). 

If you can find a good deal on second handed HE6, go for it, it is a good can and iHA-6 is probably the most cost-effective headphone amplifier to drive the HE6 to full body with dynamic presentation.


----------



## EvenR

If anyone in Europe is interested in one, i've got one for sale currently.


----------



## BALANCEATOR

*Unboxing amplifier Cayin IHA-6  *


----------



## Andykong

balanceator said:


> *Unboxing amplifier Cayin IHA-6 *




While I can't understand the narrative, I have enjoyed the illustration of the open box process. 

I hope you like the headphone amplifier so far. Among the headphones listed in your profile, I am particularly interested in the pairing with Grado RS1 and Fostex TH-X00, it would be most interesting if you can share your impression of iHA-6 with your headphones, and we are looking forward to that.


----------



## Andrew Rieger

I'm curious why this amp costs as much as it does. The Audio GD NFB-1 is like half the price for virtually the same amp. I would prefer the Cayin but at $1K, its a bit of a tough sell. If these were going for $750-$800, I think they would be a lot more popular. 
  
 Does anyone know if Cayin will be at CanJam Socal in April and have a booth discount for the amp?


----------



## Andykong

*[COLOR=FF00AA]Merry Christmas[/COLOR]*​
On behalf of Cayin, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. I know we are always busy this holiday season, especially when Christmas is not a public holiday in Mainland China , but I want to take the time to wish you and yours, happy holidays. This is a special day for family and friends, there isn't anything can't wait until tomorrow, so relax and hug your beloveds around you, play some music, and enjoy the moment together.

I just had a wonderful Christmas dinner with my family. We were a bit late this year as my niece just arrived from LA this morning, but family is always worth waiting for, and good music will make the dinner ever more involving and pleasant. This is one of the playlist that I appreciated during the holiday season and I want to share this with you. 




NOTE: If you can't see the embedded video above, please *CLICK HERE* to see the video.​


----------



## project86

I'm cross posting this here in case anyone is interested. My review of the Cayin HA-1A MKII is finally live. HERE is the link. 
  
 Summary - very nice tube amp, and quite different sounding than the iHA-6. They compliment one another brilliantly!


----------



## zeissiez

project86 said:


> I'm cross posting this here in case anyone is interested. My review of the Cayin HA-1A MKII is finally live. HERE is the link.
> 
> Summary - very nice tube amp, and quite different sounding than the iHA-6. They compliment one another brilliantly!




A fantastic review, great work there John!


----------



## exsomnis

andrew rieger said:


> I'm curious why this amp costs as much as it does. The Audio GD NFB-1 is like half the price for virtually the same amp. I would prefer the Cayin but at $1K, its a bit of a tough sell. If these were going for $750-$800, I think they would be a lot more popular.
> 
> Does anyone know if Cayin will be at CanJam Socal in April and have a booth discount for the amp?


 
  
 They would be a lot more popular if they sold direct, had an english-forum-active internal technical representative/designer and had more dealership presence, not because of any lack of sound quality. The iHA-6 that I have is fantastic. While it is being fed by an Audio-gd DAC-19 and not an iDAC-6, this is purely because my DAC-19 came first and I had no desire for a DAC upgrade.
  
 I can't do a direct comparison to my Audio-gd Precision 1 because it's been out of commission for a while and I just sent it back for repair (4 years into a 10 year warranty, which is an amazing thing) - but I've found that the Audio-gd house sounds tends to veer towards the warm side and can be a bit shy with the high frequencies.
  
 The iHA-6, OTOH, has gobs of clarity and finesse and isn't afraid of resolving that extra bit of detail. All without a hint of being overzealous with the treble and while providing more than enough power to drive my LCD3s with panache.
  
 But in case you were looking for a bargain, I can tell you that I got mine for about $600 + shipping & agent fees off of taobao.com. Look for it there and pass that link to your regional taobao agent and they'll do the heavy lifting for you. Of course, warranty is out of the question but I guess that's what the extra $400 is for.


----------



## rudra

I got mine for about US$675 from a local dealer in Australia with warranty which I thought was a great deal. I have used 3 different HP and the Cayin controls them with authority


----------



## tvnosaint

I have had this amp for a week now. For months now I've spent most of my listening time with my home stereo with vinyl. Switching back to headphones with the iha6 , my first impression was it was too bright. Once it warmed up it became neutral and 
Very resolving. It's running with a tubed dac, monarchy nm24 and the zmf omni/ori. Power is not an issue the hungry ori is satiated . The amp does high light the tubes in the dac. Ecc88 blackburns I put in the dac proved too dull for the amp. Russians, too brittle. I'm currently using miniwatts e88cc which seems to be the correct porridge. 
Now I'm really, really enjoying this amp. My lyr, LC , and gustard sit quietly. It seems to me a shade brighter than neutral sometimes but I listen to a lot of 80s music. That stuff is bright on my vinyl rig too. I think it's a great amp and under valued so far,


----------



## BALANCEATOR

Hello, I have this fantastic amplifier for 3 months and I have analyzed it thoroughly. It is in Castilian, but can use the automatic translator of google. I hope you like it.. Regards. 
 A greeting. Mateobcn 
  
  
https://auricular.org/review-cayin-iha-6-potencia-equilibrada/


----------



## TSAVJason

froger said:


> Ordered from Taobao and received the amplifier on Monday after a week. After spending some time with the amplifier, I think I am ready to give a brief impression on it. I used it to drive my HD800, HE1000 and ZMF Vibro II. To me, the IHA-6 drives HD800 and HE1000 well. It is a pity I do not have a decent solid state amplifier to compare with. At the end of the day, I still preferred my DNA Stratus with HD800 and HE1000 as the tube amplifier was able to produce a seductive and liquid mid which I like. However,technically, the 2 amplifiers were pretty close despite the huge difference in price.
> On the other hand, I thought the IHA-6 was an excellent match with the ZMF Vibro II. Despite not being the most technical headphone, the Vibro II with the IHA-6 was very engaging, fun and realistic. There is so much synergy that I will actually put the pair on par with my Stratus/HD800 in terms of enjoyment and the IHA-6/Vibro II pair only cost 1/4 of the other pair.
> To conclude, the Cayin Iha6 is a very capable amplifier with plenty of connection and power options. The small footprint and price make it a very attractive option in my opinion. It is a keeper for me.


 a new addition to TSAV's headphone bar.


----------



## Soundsgoodtome

I currently have the iHA 6 running HD800 balanced with a Schiit Freya preamp controlling volume. The iHA6 volume is at 3 o'clock and the Freya controls the voltage via stepped resistors. 

Complete balanced setup from DAC to Headphone:
Lossless - HoloAudio Spring Lvl 3 DAC - Schiit Freya with Psvane and Tung sol tubes - Cayin iHA 6 - HD800/Ath-R70x/Emu Teak/Hifiman he560

This is 2 levels up from Schiit Jotunheim (I had for 2 weeks and sold off) if anyone is wondering. I actually prefer the iHA6 to the Schiit Raganarok except maybe on the HE560! While the Ragnarok is a specimen of an amp the iHA6 adds a nice touch of musicality while keeping similary transparency. I believe the $999 pricing was warranted for the performance if those wondering why it was priced in that tier. Audio-Gd while having excellent value and sound doesn't have the beautiful finishing touch Cayin has to their units.


----------



## tvnosaint

I'm very happy with mine, Using the zmf Omni / ori or the he560. Much better thus my other amps for my ears. I hardly recognize the Omni as. The same hp. The sound is so open and clear. I believe the iha6 to be a steal.


----------



## Soundsgoodtome

Tonight I have on the iHA6 with the emu teak balanced and listening to some Chris Botti (Impressions and also Italia album). Absolutely breathtaking synergy.

Can't wait to bring the amp to the next meet to get people to hear it.


----------



## TSAVJason

soundsgoodtome said:


> Tonight I have on the iHA6 with the emu teak balanced and listening to some Chris Botti (Impressions and also Italia album). Absolutely breathtaking synergy.
> 
> Can't wait to bring the amp to the next meet to get people to hear it.


 

Cool! I've been playing with the ZMF Eikon and the iHA6/iDAC6 today and I had the same thoughts. :thumbsup_tone1:


----------



## iitime

Just ordered one. Can't wait to hear from it. =)


----------



## thyname

Hi, 

Anybody using the IHA-6 with Utopia? Good match?

I am thinking about upgrading the Mjolnir 2 to Ragnarok, but then I saw this.

Also, how does it compare with Auralic Taurus MKII?

Thanks!


----------



## daltonlanny

+1
I would like to know how it compares to the Auralic Taurus Mk.II, since I currently own an Auralic.


----------



## thyname

So, if you are in USA, where do you buy the 110v version from? There are two Chinese sellers on eBay selling them for $675 shipped, but they have the 220v version only (I checked). Thanks.


----------



## porkfried

I just bought a US one from Rebound Audio on amazon.  They don't seem to be listing one there now
but they are listing at the store on on Bonanza.com.


----------



## thyname

porkfried said:


> I just bought a US one from Rebound Audio on amazon.  They don't seem to be listing one there now
> but they are listing at the store on on Bonanza.com.



For $91??!

https://www.bonanza.com/listings/Ca...nced-Hifi-Tube-Am-Ps/419783437?st_id=54863568


----------



## Bacon Bits

thyname said:


> For $91??!
> 
> https://www.bonanza.com/listings/Ca...nced-Hifi-Tube-Am-Ps/419783437?st_id=54863568


Please tell me this is legit. Holy crap 90% off.


----------



## Soundsgoodtome (May 17, 2017)

^^ Don't be idiotic guys, the thing is asking for which size you'd like to buy. Be aware that's a 'oopsy' listing that's not even worth $91 spending on. 

I am however *offering mine... here *


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## TSAVJason (May 17, 2017)

thyname said:


> So, if you are in USA, where do you buy the 110v version from? There are two Chinese sellers on eBay selling them for $675 shipped, but they have the 220v version only (I checked). Thanks.


 
Right here in the US.  Specifically at The Source AV. We only sell US voltage and warranted products from Cayin.

Be advised these amps are region specific. All 120v units are made specific to that voltage. There are Chinese companies modifying 220v units into 120v that voids the factory warranty immediately.

Bonanza.com is not an authorized dealer for Cayin and they are selling 220v units.


----------



## JoeDoe

Any blokes selling their entire stack? Very interested.


----------



## TSAVJason

JoeDoe said:


> Any blokes selling their entire stack? Very interested.


 
Yes! The Source AV is the bloke that sells it here in the US


----------



## JoeDoe

TSAVJason said:


> Yes! The Source AV is the bloke that sells it here in the US


Are they shown on your website?


----------



## TSAVJason

JoeDoe said:


> Are they shown on your website?



It appears not. I'll have to get that corrected. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I see a few brands aren't updated yet.


----------



## JoeDoe

Also, I've read up on the impedance(s) for the iHA, but I haven't seen much experience-based impressions on whether the amp synergizes well with Grados. Anyone have any firsthand experience? I've got ZMF Ori's which will be fine, but my other go-to is a nice pair of PS1k's and I'd love to make this stack my endgame! Any thoughts or impressions would be very appreciated!


----------



## Andykong

JoeDoe said:


> Also, I've read up on the impedance(s) for the iHA, but I haven't seen much experience-based impressions on whether the amp synergizes well with Grados. Anyone have any firsthand experience? I've got ZMF Ori's which will be fine, but my other go-to is a nice pair of PS1k's and I'd love to make this stack my endgame! Any thoughts or impressions would be very appreciated!



Indeed we need more user impression on the IHA-6, especially how it partners with different headphones.  I have used the GS2000e as a demo to our desktop rig back in Canjam Singapore, they pair up well in my opinion, first class dynamic and dead silent even at the most quiet passage.  I think our Singapore dealer has done a good job by recommending this setup to us.


----------



## project86

I've only used a PS500 with modified balanced cable on the iHA-6. It sounded great - very clean, fast, and punchy. But I suspect the normal single-ended termination wouldn't work as well due to the higher output impedance on the SE outputs.


----------



## yolgezer

Good day,
 how many Mw is SE output power for 600 ohms of product?
 Is it enough for Bayerdynamic T1 and Hifiman He400i?


----------



## TSAVJason

yolgezer said:


> Good day,
> how many Mw is SE output power for 600 ohms of product?
> Is it enough for Bayerdynamic T1 and Hifiman He400i?


 
More than enough


----------



## yolgezer (Jun 7, 2017)

TSAVJason said:


> More than enough



Thank you,
as you know Beyerdynamic T1 (Gen 1 ) is using SE, which do you prefer for Beyerdynamic T1  IHA-6 or Ha-1 mk2 ?


----------



## TSAVJason

yolgezer said:


> Thank you,
> as you know Beyerdynamic T1 (Gen 1 ) is using SE, which do you prefer for Beyerdynamic T1  IHA-6 or Ha-1 mk2 ?



The iHA6 is of course balanced and HA1 SE. You get a great amp either way so it really depends on whether or not you want solid state or tubes and if you want the balanced option or not. The HA1 is beginning to receive great reviews and the iHA6 has some great reviews already


----------



## Andykong

yolgezer said:


> Good day,
> how many Mw is SE output power for 600 ohms of product?
> Is it enough for Bayerdynamic T1 and Hifiman He400i?




More then enough, the iHA6 can drive HE560 with ease in single end, so you don't need to worry about TWO and HR400i.  I'll recommend you set the iHA-6 to low current high gain when pair with T1, and high current low gain with HE400i.


----------



## abvolt (Jul 2, 2017)

I've seen this amp on ebay new for like 680.00 anyone here see that, I've been thinking of getting this amp for my office..enjoy

Here's a link -> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cayin-iDAC-...Audio-DA-Converter-Decoder-IHA6/152435667017?


----------



## TSAVJason (Jul 2, 2017)

abvolt said:


> I've seen this amp on ebay new for like 680.00 anyone here see that, I've been thinking of getting this amp for my office..enjoy
> 
> Here's a link -> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cayin-iDAC-...Audio-DA-Converter-Decoder-IHA6/152435667017?



Ok, I'll give you the low down. That product is born 220/50, if it isn't still and it's "new" ....well it isn't. It is "new" but if it's claimed as 120V/60Hz it is modified but NOT by Cayin and NOT in a Factory Authorized way. So it's true that this really is US/Taiwan markets specific.

Again US/Taiwan, possibly a couple others don't use the 220V/50Hz. Cayin builds territory specific and does not authorize any modifications as the mod will violate that warranty.
So other than possibly from the seller in Hong Kong in your eBay link, there would no longer be a Cayin factory warranty the moment it has a non-factory authorized voltage/supply modification.

Now allow me to give you the really good news. If you are in the US market. The price you saw on eBay is moot. New with a full warranty US product. ....well I can't say yet but ......it's so close to that eBay price .....to get it here is only a couple weeks away would be a very good idea. If you're in the market send me a PM and I'll send you a list of all Authorized US Dealers.

lol ....so if you're not from the US my apologies for the novel.


----------



## abvolt

That was very helpful I did not know those things, Thank you glad I made that post and not waste my money, Yes I'm in the US CA..


----------



## TSAVJason

Ok so I'm going to do this by memory so forgive me if I miss any dealers. 

The Source AV (TSAVJason) Los Angeles 
Music To My Ear (MTMECriag) Pittsburgh 
Listen Up Colorado/New Mexico. 

These 3 I know for sure.


----------



## project86

Just to chime in - I definitely recommend buying the real deal, even at a higher cost. Not that the Cayin stuff has any reliability issues in my experience (it doesn't) but the gray market (or grey market depending on your regional spelling) is just questionable. 

I've had a few things (various brands) arrive DOA over the years and a few others which had odd performance and/or issues that surfaced after a few short months of use. When something like that happens, you really kick yourself for going the cheaper route, as you may be out the complete purchase price at that point. If you DO get support it involves spending $100+ for return shipping, then waiting months for what hopefully ends up being a proper fix... but doesn't always work out that way. 

Moral of the story - when there's no local seller, you might just take your chances if you _really _want the gear. When there one or more local distributors exist, imho it's best to pony up the regular price and go that route. It's worth it.


----------



## abvolt

I Guess that's enough to scare anyone, happy you guys did chime in good info thanks..


----------



## Maru10

Hello all,

once again, huge endorsement from me to Cayin IHA 6! I originally bought it to power my HE6, which Cayin delivered very well. I have spent many hours tapping my toes to the Chord Qute Dac, IHA 6 and HE6 combo, and could be tapping still yet, if I haven't contracted upgraditis once again. Long story short, I have had an offer on HE1000 I couldn't refuse (no horse heads in bed though), and I've built my secondary system in my bedroom - another Qute (I have a thing for Chord dacs you see), Liquid Carbon and HE1000. I've liked the combo, but was wondering why HEKs so hyped, when, clearly, HE6 sounds better in every way. I was almost considering to let HEK travel to another hifimaniac (or hifimanmaniac as the case might be). 

One day, I had a long working day from home ahead of me, and was expecting to sit next to my PC for hours without end, so I carried HEKs with me - the comfort is much better than with HE6. I plugged HEKs into IHA6, and had another hifi ephiphany - HEKs were rocking HE6 on the spot and then some! Everything is clearer, lively, more dynamic, lifelike, you name it. I was surprised, as the Liquid Carbon should be more than enough, and yes, it is very likeable, but IHA6 made it sit in the supply closet ever since. Again, long story short, my main setup is now in bedroom, built around IHA6 and HEK.

My secondary system is in my workroom/office/attic, built around HE6 connected HE-adapter to Linn LK140, preamped by Little Dot IV - very nice combo indeed (still I keep wondering whether some other preamp wouldn't turn this into extatical combo - any recommendation?).

I have noticed that there is one IHA being sold here in the forum, and I recommend to grab it. You will not be disappointed with planars!


----------



## Andykong

Maru10 said:


> Hello all,
> 
> once again, huge endorsement from me to Cayin IHA 6! I originally bought it to power my HE6, which Cayin delivered very well. I have spent many hours tapping my toes to the Chord Qute Dac, IHA 6 and HE6 combo, and could be tapping still yet, if I haven't contracted upgraditis once again. Long story short, I have had an offer on HE1000 I couldn't refuse (no horse heads in bed though), and I've built my secondary system in my bedroom - another Qute (I have a thing for Chord dacs you see), Liquid Carbon and HE1000. I've liked the combo, but was wondering why HEKs so hyped, when, clearly, HE6 sounds better in every way. I was almost considering to let HEK travel to another hifimaniac (or hifimanmaniac as the case might be).
> 
> ...



Wow, what can I say?  This is one of the strongest user statement on our iHA-6.  We are flattered.

When I told my friends that the iHA-6 can drive the HE6 fairly well and it will not over drive sensitive headphones such as AKG K812 at the same time.  My friends used to tease me as only happen in my dream because they used to drive HE6 with a power amplifier, so they just couldn't believe iHA-6 can do a decent job on the extremely hungry HE6.    

I passed on the HEK but enjoys the HEK V2, I think some users might feel a bit uncomfortable on the $1000 amplifier and $3000 headphone combination, hopefully your favorable experience will encourage more headfiers to take this combination seriously.

By the way, have you tried trigger the current control on the iHA-6?  I like to use the High current setting when using planars with iHA-6.   Did you use single end or balanced headphone cable with iHA-6?


----------



## TSAVJason

Andykong said:


> Wow, what can I say?  This is one of the strongest user statement on our iHA-6.  We are flattered.
> 
> When I told my friends that the iHA-6 can drive the HE6 fairly well and it will not over drive sensitive headphones such as AKG K812 at the same time.  My friends used to tease me as only happen in my dream because they used to drive HE6 with a power amplifier, so they just couldn't believe iHA-6 can do a decent job on the extremely hungry HE6.
> 
> ...




Andy is providing good input here. It often likes to be in high gain mode when on planar  headphones.


----------



## Maru10

Andykong said:


> Wow, what can I say?  This is one of the strongest user statement on our iHA-6.  We are flattered.
> 
> When I told my friends that the iHA-6 can drive the HE6 fairly well and it will not over drive sensitive headphones such as AKG K812 at the same time.  My friends used to tease me as only happen in my dream because they used to drive HE6 with a power amplifier, so they just couldn't believe iHA-6 can do a decent job on the extremely hungry HE6.
> 
> ...



To be 100% honest, HE6 do sound better of poweramp, but with IHA6 it is the next best thing in my humble selection of amps . I really enjoyed it until recently, the IHA6 is no slouch.

And yes, I have current option on with HEKs (gain is off though - to my ears this sounds more natural). Listening now using 4pin xlr  audioforza cable, and it's a bliss.


----------



## TSAVJason

TSAVJason said:


> Ok so I'm going to do this by memory so forgive me if I miss any dealers.
> 
> The Source AV (TSAVJason) Los Angeles
> Music To My Ear (MTMECriag) Pittsburgh
> ...



New additions to access this product is LMC Home Entertainment in Scottsdale & Tempe Arizona and Natural Sound in Framingham Mass. Now there is 9 locations scheduled to have all Cayin desk top headphone products on display for your convenience to audition as of August. We will continue to publish the list of authorized dealers as they come on board with the Cayin Desk Top products.


----------



## Andykong

TSAVJason said:


> New additions to access this product is LMC Home Entertainment in Scottsdale & Tempe Arizona and Natural Sound in Framingham Mass. Now there is 9 locations scheduled to have all Cayin desk top headphone products on display for your convenience to audition as of August. We will continue to publish the list of authorized dealers as they come on board with the Cayin Desk Top products.



Wow, the network is growing fast, this is so impressive.  

For those who are in LA or nearby area and interested in the Cayin iHA-6 and iDAC-6, the Summer Series 2017 is the event you don't want to miss, mark you calendar now:

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/q...-avs-summer-series-2017.854741/#post-13596705


----------



## Andykong

Maru10 said:


> To be 100% honest, HE6 do sound better of poweramp, but with IHA6 it is the next best thing in my humble selection of amps . I really enjoyed it until recently, the IHA6 is no slouch.
> 
> And yes, I have current option on with HEKs (gain is off though - to my ears this sounds more natural). Listening now using 4pin xlr  audioforza cable, and it's a bliss.



Sure understand the advantage of a pair amp when working with HE6, but my friends used to think that is a necessary, but iHA-6 makes that a better option only  in m opinion.

4pin is the way to go, iHA-6 sings when driving planars in balanced.


----------



## project86

Personally I think using a big power amp on HE-6 is overrated. Sure, some of them pair well, but you never seem to hear about bad matches - which I've personally experienced on more than one occasion. Even really nice amps sometimes just don't do well driving the weird load of a headphone. 

iHA-6 as very solid though.


----------



## Andykong

project86 said:


> Personally I think using a big power amp on HE-6 is overrated. Sure, some of them pair well, but you never seem to hear about bad matches - which I've personally experienced on more than one occasion. Even really nice amps sometimes just don't do well driving the weird load of a headphone.
> 
> iHA-6 as very solid though.



Indeed its a little wonder, that's why I always bring my HE6 with me when I showcase iHA-6 at CanJam, it keep surprised my visitors and they know the little iHA-6 is a work strong immediately.


----------



## Maru10 (Jul 21, 2017)

project86 said:


> Personally I think using a big power amp on HE-6 is overrated. Sure, some of them pair well, but you never seem to hear about bad matches - which I've personally experienced on more than one occasion. Even really nice amps sometimes just don't do well driving the weird load of a headphone.
> 
> iHA-6 as very solid though.


Agree with both statements. I liked IHA 6 with HE6, and I like it even more with HEK. I simply did not enjoy HE6 with my yamaha a501 integrated amp via speaker taps, but the combo of tubes and linn lk140 does sound tad better than IHA6. Not a day and night difference, but a nice upgrade and a win-win situation, as IHA6 was needed elsewhere


----------



## bearwarrior

I have an almost brand new iHA-6. Please PM me if you are interested. Thanks!

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cayin-iha-6-headphone-amplifier.857035/


----------



## Andykong (Aug 17, 2017)

Marcus from Headfonics has reviewed the iDAC-6 and iHA-6 combo, he described them as a sum of the parts: 



> Apart they are impressive, competitively priced with good specs and well put together desktop components. I could happily use either with perhaps the iHA-6 being the more immediately impressive of the two. Together, however, they are outstanding as a system which is how Cayin really wanted these units to be used.



If you want to find out how he arrived at this conclusion, please check out the full review at the Headfonics site:http://headfonics.com/2017/08/the-idac-6-iha-6-by-cayin/

http://headfonics.com/2017/08/the-idac-6-iha-6-by-cayin/


Marcus gives 8.7 to the iDAC-6 and iHA-6, I think he likes what he hear this round.


----------



## tvnosaint

The slight brightness of the amp was cured by changing tubes in my dac. No 6922 did that trick. I added adapters and 5670s. A huge improvement to overall tone and soundstage . No fatigue on my treble sensitive ears now. Everything seemed to slow down. Beautiful clarity maintained. Loving the iha6 with the zmf or the he560. It is an amazing upgrade from my previous amps. Anyone with a tube based dac that implements the 5670 series should give the iha6 an audition.


----------



## project86

Which DAC are you talking about, just out of curiosity?


----------



## tvnosaint

I'm using a monarchy nm24.


----------



## elNan

Hi!

I've been saving my pennies to buy a balanced solid state amplifier. Until the announcement of the new Massdrop/Cavalli Liquid Carbon X, I was aiming for the Cayin iHA6 amp, right now I'm undecided. Has anyone had the chance of listening to these 2 units (in the case of the Cavalli, the original Liquid Carbon 2.0)? What are your general impressions? How do they stack up against each other? 

Any insight would be really appreciated!


----------



## Maru10

elNan said:


> Hi!
> 
> I've been saving my pennies to buy a balanced solid state amplifier. Until the announcement of the new Massdrop/Cavalli Liquid Carbon X, I was aiming for the Cayin iHA6 amp, right now I'm undecided. Has anyone had the chance of listening to these 2 units (in the case of the Cavalli, the original Liquid Carbon 2.0)? What are your general impressions? How do they stack up against each other?
> 
> Any insight would be really appreciated!


Depends on the phones. I have original Carbon 1 in my gaming rig with Beyer 880, loving the combo. For anything planar I like cayins offering, regardless whether HE1000, HEX or HE560. I'd drawn the line here. Feel free to ask for more details!


----------



## elNan

Maru10 said:


> Depends on the phones. I have original Carbon 1 in my gaming rig with Beyer 880, loving the combo. For anything planar I like cayins offering, regardless whether HE1000, HEX or HE560. I'd drawn the line here. Feel free to ask for more details!



Thanks for your answer! I will be using the amplifier with my HD800S, HD650 and Foxtex TXH00 PH (dettachable cable mod) headphones. Mainly, I'm looking for a good pairing for my HD800s and HD650s. I tend to like a (mostly) balanced and detailed sound with a little bit of warmth and good soundstage.


----------



## Maru10

elNan said:


> Thanks for your answer! I will be using the amplifier with my HD800S, HD650 and Foxtex TXH00 PH (dettachable cable mod) headphones. Mainly, I'm looking for a good pairing for my HD800s and HD650s. I tend to like a (mostly) balanced and detailed sound with a little bit of warmth and good soundstage.



As strange as it might sound, i have never listened to any of those two phones (I tend to avoid senss as a plague since my disappointing experience with HD555s -talk about superstition ). So I can't actually help you with this, sorry. That being said, and as much as I love IHA6, for 300 bucks the Carbon sounds like a good purchase, purely from price/performance point of view. You can always decide to switch later, and Carbons tend to hold the resale value well (or at least used to,  lets see what thus  this ridiculous dumping price offer of massdrop does wit that  ). Maybe someone else could offer more personal experience with Carbon and senns at dedicated senns or carbon thread?

Anyway, good luck and enjoy anything you choose!


----------



## alphanumerix1 (Sep 25, 2017)

rudra said:


> I got mine for about US$675 from a local dealer in Australia with warranty which I thought was a great deal. I have used 3 different HP and the Cayin controls them with authority



This is looking to be my next amp and if i can find one at that price locally thats sound good to me.


----------



## alphanumerix1 (Oct 1, 2017)

@Andykong 

Sorry if this has been answered the search function is horrible.

Whats the power output at 300,600ohm

On se and balanced?


----------



## project86

Breaking news - the iHA-6 and iDAC-6 just received price cuts, dropping the prices from $999 each to $699 each. See info HERE.

Both devices were great buys at the original prices. At the new $699.... I can't think of anything else I'd recommend in their place.


----------



## Levanter

Their price has been listed at $640-679 for quite a while now in eBay and AliExpress.


----------



## TSAVJason

Levanter said:


> Their price has been listed at $640-679 for quite a while now in eBay and AliExpress.



Those are modified units with no warranty. Be careful out there guys!!


----------



## project86

Yes, that's what we call "gray market" (or "grey market" depending on the local spelling in your region). No after sales support and good luck with warranty. 

Worth it? Maybe when the real thing sold for so much more, it might be something to consider if you absolutely HAD to have the product but couldn't afford it any other way. But not any more due to the price drops through official dealers.


----------



## alphanumerix1

project86 said:


> Breaking news - the iHA-6 and iDAC-6 just received price cuts, dropping the prices from $999 each to $699 each. See info HERE.
> 
> Both devices were great buys at the original prices. At the new $699.... I can't think of anything else I'd recommend in their place.



Thats great and super competitive now! I want to pull the trigger and buy this but cant find any info on power output at 300ohm and 600ohm @Andykong


----------



## Levanter

TSAVJason said:


> Those are modified units with no warranty. Be careful out there guys!!



I'm not from US, and using 230/240v so shouldn't be a modified version for me. And where I am from, unfortunately there is no official retailer for Cayin iHA-6 so the only source is through online...


----------



## Greg121986

Just ordered. I am expecting great things!


----------



## alphanumerix1

Greg121986 said:


> Just ordered. I am expecting great things!



Very nice. Im looking to order soon also.


----------



## Greg121986

It should be here today! I have my Holo Spring L3 KTE and Singxer SU-1 at my office so I should know pretty quickly how well I like the iHA-6. Ultimately it will be used with a Schiit Bimby with Gen5 USB, but I have that in my home stereo right now while the Holo sits temporarily in my office.


----------



## project86

Nice, should make for a great setup either way.

What headphone are you running?


----------



## Greg121986

The iHA-6 has arrived. Cold, right out of the box, and after the first note I can see that this is a winner. I'm very happy. The headphone I have is a Focal Elear with Norne Audio cable and angle lambskin pads that the previous owner of the Focals installed.

The bass is just a _little bit_ light, but I do not mind this. I think it could be from the Holo Spring DAC, or maybe that the amp is cold and/or not broken in. I will see over time. I will use my Schiit Bimby with this headphone setup anyway, and now that I have spent some time with the BImby in my home stereo (Focal Electra 1028Be2) I find that the Bimby is pretty bassy. So hopefully this will even out when I bring it back to the office and connect up to the Cayin iHA-6.


----------



## project86

Nice. 

As far as bass light - I definitely find the iHA-6 in the same camp as Auralic Taurus mkII, Pass Labs HPA-1, and HeadAmp GS-X. They all have a neutral sound without added warmth or coloration down low. It might take some getting used to, but I think you'll enjoy it once you do. And yes, tuning via DAC pairing is useful.

Enjoy!


----------



## Greg121986

How is it that we don't have more people gushing over this amp!? I love this thing!! I am not a tube guy... but I am very intrigued by how the iHA-6 might compare to the HA-1A MKII. I'm pretty sure my curiosity will force me to pick one up in a few months.


----------



## Maru10

Greg121986 said:


> How is it that we don't have more people gushing over this amp!? I love this thing!! I am not a tube guy... but I am very intrigued by how the iHA-6 might compare to the HA-1A MKII. I'm pretty sure my curiosity will force me to pick one up in a few months.


...and when you do, pray share your opinion! I wa t to believe I saved a pretty penny with IHA6, and may consider buying another one for my secondar setup...


----------



## alphanumerix1 (Oct 11, 2017)

Greg121986 said:


> How is it that we don't have more people gushing over this amp!? I love this thing!! I am not a tube guy... but I am very intrigued by how the iHA-6 might compare to the HA-1A MKII. I'm pretty sure my curiosity will force me to pick one up in a few months.



I'd love to hear your full impressions. From every review i've seen its been great. I wonder why the community hasn't really picked this up.


----------



## User00

alphanumerix1 said:


> I'd love to hear your full impressions. From every review i've seen its been great. I wonder why the community hasn't really picked this up.


How does the Schiit Jotunheim compare to the iHA-6?


----------



## alphanumerix1

User00 said:


> How does the Schiit Jotunheim compare to the iHA-6?



Ive not used a jotunheim.


----------



## GustavM@hler

Where do I find or purchase this and the iDAC-6 if I live in NYC? Is there a local dealer near/in Manhattan?


----------



## Andykong

GustavM@hler said:


> Where do I find or purchase this and the iDAC-6 if I live in NYC? Is there a local dealer near/in Manhattan?



https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/cayin

Checkout MusicTeck, they are in New Jersey.


----------



## Andykong

Greg121986 said:


> How is it that we don't have more people gushing over this amp!? I love this thing!! I am not a tube guy... but I am very intrigued by how the iHA-6 might compare to the HA-1A MKII. I'm pretty sure my curiosity will force me to pick one up in a few months.



Because I have used iDAC-6 as the front-end of both HA1Amk2 and iHA-6 as one demo setup in a lot of shows, I asked the iHA-6 vs HA-1Amk2 questions very often, I can tell you that show visitors prefer HA-1Amk2 most of the time, kind of like 2:1, the general comment is iHA-6 is more versatile and transparent, but the HA-1Amk2 is more addictive and musical. However when I asked which unit will they consider buying, the iHA-6 has more supporter, they love it handy and being able to stack up with iDAC-6 (and iDAP-6) as a system, trouble free, and have the peace of mind that it can handle very demanding headphones pretty amazingly.  I have HE6 or Abyss in my demo desk most of the time.


----------



## alphanumerix1

still no word on full output power specs of the iha6 at xxx Ohms?


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## Zadok (Nov 18, 2017)

A note of warning to anyone considering the iHA-6 or the iDAC: I ordered them from one of the ebay sellers, and they said that the new versions of this is 220v-230v only. I don't know if that's because that seller only carries the 230v version and doesn't have the English to get that across or if there was an actual change in production? I sent an Email to Musicteck to see if they have any 110v versions, which I really hope they do. I was really looking forward to using this stack, especially because my LCD3 have a dual 3 pin balanced silver dragon cable with them. Dual 3 pin is a bit hard to find.

**Edit** I got the answer, and that information was incorrect. Musicteck sells units with proper US 110v


----------



## Andykong

Zadok said:


> A note of warning to anyone considering the iHA-6 or the iDAC: I ordered them from one of the ebay sellers, and they said that the new versions of this is 220v-230v only. I don't know if that's because that seller only carries the 230v version and doesn't have the English to get that across or if there was an actual change in production? I sent an Email to Musicteck to see if they have any 110v versions, which I really hope they do. I was really looking forward to using this stack, especially because my LCD3 have a dual 3 pin balanced silver dragon cable with them. Dual 3 pin is a bit hard to find.
> 
> **Edit** I got the answer, and that information was incorrect. Musicteck sells units with proper US 110v



I think the eBay seller means he can only get 220V version, Cayin don't supply 110V version to 220V dealer, that's our policy since day 1 we launch iDAC-6 and iHA-6, they just pretend we change our practice recently and put the blame on us.


----------



## carlcs

I have a question about the iha 6. If i had a separate dac whose output is RCA and i use that as input to the iha 6, would the balanced jacks on the front still work? I heard that there are some amps whose balanced outputs only work if the balanced inputs are used so I'm wondering if it's the case for the iha-6.

Thanks


----------



## Andykong

carlcs said:


> I have a question about the iha 6. If i had a separate dac whose output is RCA and i use that as input to the iha 6, would the balanced jacks on the front still work? I heard that there are some amps whose balanced outputs only work if the balanced inputs are used so I'm wondering if it's the case for the iha-6.
> 
> Thanks



IHA6 will convert single end input to differentiate signal before feed to the amplification circuit, so you don't need to worry about using RCA with iHA6, you probably won't notice the different when compare to XLR input unless you AB compare them critically.


----------



## carlcs

Thank you for replying andy. It's great that you're super active and helpful in answering our questions.


----------



## Andykong

carlcs said:


> Thank you for replying andy. It's great that you're super active and helpful in answering our questions.



Thanks for your good word, its my please to meet with people sharing the same passion, so I enjoy getting pay to do something l enjoy.


----------



## carlcs

Andykong said:


> Thanks for your good word, its my please to meet with people sharing the same passion, so I enjoy getting pay to do something l enjoy.



planning on purchasing this in a few days. very excited for that


----------



## hufnall (Dec 2, 2017)

Hello!
I have the question tu users iDAC-6 from Windows 10.

I used iDAC on TUSB Audio Class Driver 1.61.0 for a long time without the problems. But I installed Cayin USB Audio Driver V3.30.0_For Windows 7 and above (new version with balans’ regulation). Everythink was ok, ( TUSB Audio Class Driver 1.61.0 I uninstalled in autostart).
I uninstalled (IObit Uninstaller) TUSB Audio Class Driver 1.61.0 and it was a beginning of my problems. Equipment stoped to play. I uninstalled  Cayin USB Audio Driver V3.30.0_For Windows 7 and above – and I was surprised, it played again. (I suppose on driversWindows 10), but first i had 2 channels (L, P), after 4 (L,P, Ś, Sub)






After repeated installing  TUSB Audio Class Driver 1.61.0




And I still have 4 channels

I installed Cayin USB Audio Driver V3.30.0_For Windows 7 and above (VirusTotal 36/66)


----------



## hufnall

XP:










And I still have 4 channels.


There is written on the screen: 44,1kHz independently of the choice (the button Source) OPTICAL, COAXIAL, AES/EBU, USB AUDIO in the course when cables are not connected with sockets: OPTICAL, COAXIAL, AES/EBU, USB AUDIO [Only cabel 230V is connects ; )  ].


----------



## jessnie

Levanter said:


> Their price has been listed at $640-679 for quite a while now in eBay and AliExpress.


care to share a link for AliExpress?


----------



## Zadok

Be careful of location because the chinese sellers on ebay and aliexpress only sell the 220v version.


----------



## hufnall (Dec 3, 2017)

230V


----------



## Andykong

hufnall said:


> 230V



This was my first show demo set of iDAC-6 and iHA-6, a pre-production version if we might call it.  We only make about 10 set like this for demo and go through the safety certification in China, EU and US. 

The voltage selection switch has been removed in order to satisfy the latest CE (equivalent) certification in China, so it never happens in the retail version.  The retail shops knows about this, they just "prefer" to use this photo so that we they can sell the unit to oversee market".

I have include the back panel of my current demo set for your reference.


----------



## hufnall (Dec 3, 2017)

"The voltage selection switch has been removed in order to satisfy the latest CE (equivalent) certification in China, so it never happens in the retail version. The retail shops knows about this, they just "prefer" to use this photo so that we they can sell the unit to oversee market" ?


----------



## hufnall (Dec 3, 2017)

"so it never happens in the retail version" - it was bought  in Poland in certificated shop.
I have bild.


----------



## SilverEars

Hello.  Has the tour stopped?  Is there a current US distributor that allows audition to make a determination?  I'm interested in the iha-6 amp.


----------



## Andykong

SilverEars said:


> Hello.  Has the tour stopped?  Is there a current US distributor that allows audition to make a determination?  I'm interested in the iha-6 amp.



Current US distributor is Musicteck from NJ
https://shop.musicteck.com/collecti...ly-balanced-high-fidelity-headphone-amplifier

Not sure if they have home loan program on this headphone amplifier, please contact them for detail.


----------



## Andykong

hufnall said:


> "so it never happens in the retail version" - it was bought  in Poland in certificated shop.
> I have bild.



Just verified that AudioMagic has imported two sets of iDAC-6/iHA-6 from us on Dec 2015, 

So my information is incorrect, I apologize.  

I am still trying to track down how many sets like these has been sold to public back in 2015.   It is tough when I was told that my previous in-house information is incorrect, I'll make sure we do better then this in the future.

But I don't believe this version of iHA-6 is still available in December 2017, so for those who are planning to purchase iHA-6 now, please understand the risk if they were to buy from China and "expect" there will be a voltage switch on the back.


----------



## hufnall (Dec 4, 2017)

Andykong said:


> Just verified that AudioMagic has imported two sets of iDAC-6/iHA-6 from us on Dec 2015,
> 
> So my information is incorrect, I apologize.
> 
> ...



Sorry, I have last question, because I don't understand everything very well. Bought I not for official - sale version? Version for test and to certify?
I didn't buy it in China, I bought at Poland Distributor.


----------



## Zadok

Just got my IHA-6 in the mail today. Just to preface, I had been thinking about getting rid of my LCD3 because it just wasn't doing it for me... until I plugged them into this amp. This Cayin versus my Schiit Lyr is no contest. Review coming soon after more time spent, but it definitely gave new life to the LCD3 for me.


----------



## Andykong (Dec 4, 2017)

hufnall said:


> Sorry, I have last question, because I don't understand everything very well. Bought I not for official - sale version? Version for test and to certify?
> I didn't buy it in China, I bought at Poland Distributor.



Don't worry, your iDAC6 and iHA6 are legitimate, as I said previously, my information was incorrect and I apology for my misinformation.

You can enjoy your Cayin set for a long time without worrying about this.

I was trying to get a set like this few months ago because a headphone brand want to acquire them for show demo, and they need dual voltage in order to bring it around worldwide, I was hoping we still have one or two sets in our inventory, no luck for me, so you are having  a rare set indeed.


----------



## Andykong

Zadok said:


> Just got my IHA-6 in the mail today. Just to preface, I had been thinking about getting rid of my LCD3 because it just wasn't doing it for me... until I plugged them into this amp. This Cayin versus my Schiit Lyr is no contest. Review coming soon after more time spent, but it definitely gave new life to the LCD3 for me.



Wow, that's a very good start, can't wait to read your full review.  I am sure that will be an interesting read.

The iHA-6 is indeed under-rated, maybe its too small in size (yes, size does matter), maybe it priced too low (couldn't draw the attention), or maybe because it is not wearing a big name badge, but I have yet to meet an unhappy iHA-6 customer so far.  I have people coming back to me requesting improvement on iDAC-6 and iDAP-6, but not with iHA-6.  Well, the only comment we received is whether we can come out with an iHA-8 later at  double the price and yet maintain the same competitive edge at its class, that says a lot for something that has been in the market for two years already.


----------



## carlcs

Andykong said:


> Wow, that's a very good start, can't wait to read your full review.  I am sure that will be an interesting read.
> 
> The iHA-6 is indeed under-rated, maybe its too small in size (yes, size does matter), maybe it priced too low (couldn't draw the attention), or maybe because it is not wearing a big name badge, but I have yet to meet an unhappy iHA-6 customer so far.  I have people coming back to me requesting improvement on iDAC-6 and iDAP-6, but not with iHA-6.  Well, the only comment we received is whether we can come out with an iHA-8 later at  double the price and yet maintain the same competitive edge at its class, that says a lot for something that has been in the market for two years already.




enjoying mine so far. Definitely a bang for your buck product.


----------



## hufnall

Hello!
I have the question tu users iDAC-6 from Windows 10, (XP).








After repeated installing TUSB Audio Class Driver 1.61.0





XP:










And I still have 4 channels.


*Have you also 4 channels instead 2?*
*
If the numbers 44,1Hz is on the screen still?  There is written on the screen: 44,1kHz independently of the choice (the button Source) OPTICAL, COAXIAL, AES/EBU, USB AUDIO in the course when cables are not connected with sockets: OPTICAL, COAXIAL, AES/EBU, USB AUDIO. (There are no this numbers in function USB AUDIO after 10sek - when I listen a music with USB).

I care about quick answers, please, because my warranty is topical only a few days.*


----------



## Andykong

The iHA-6 is a very versatile headphone amplifier because there a lot of options available to users, and you'll almost certainly find the ideal setting for your headphone.

For instance, Cayin has provided some basic measurements at 32ohm loading to illustrate the power rating of iHA-6. The complete story is actually a lot more complicated then that. Upon request of several users, Cayin has decided to disclose the full details of power rating measurements at different setting and loading. If you read these carefully, you'll be amazed by the comprehensive options and capability inside that 10 sq. inches footprint.


----------



## wadi

Andykong said:


> The iHA-6 is a very versatile headphone amplifier because there a lot of options available to users, and you'll almost certainly find the ideal setting for your headphone.
> 
> For instance, Cayin has provided some basic measurements at 32ohm loading to illustrate the power rating of iHA-6. The complete story is actually a lot more complicated then that. Upon request of several users, Cayin has decided to disclose the full details of power rating measurements at different setting and loading. If you read these carefully, you'll be amazed by the comprehensive options and capability inside that 10 sq. inches footprint.



If single ended output had a lower output impedance then iha-6 would be ultimate solution for most people.


----------



## Andykong

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

Special appreciation to every participant and subscriber of this thread for your patient and positive attitude to Cayin and our product.

As a relatively new comers to the HeadFi community, Cayin owns you all a big thank.

We are looking forward to continue the sound journey with you in 2018.


----------



## Andykong

*Best Desktop Solid State Amp 2017: Cayin iHA-6*

I reviewed both the iHA-6 and iDAC-6 as a system back in August of this year and they are marvelous together but I had a very special feeling about the iHA-6 and come the end of 2017 I have not changed my mind.

If I hunt around I can see the iHA-6 selling now for $699 and that is an absolute bargain for a very powerful and accomplished desktop headphone amp. Perhaps better value than the Gungnir, one of my all-time favorites.

This is a very refined solid state amp with both balanced, unbalanced, high and low impedance factoring and a host of inputs worthy of a headphone amp at a much higher price. It is not that big either and very well put together.

Most importantly its very transparent and DAC changes are reflected in the sound which I just love. The dynamic range and power output of 7W balanced are just perfect for beefy planar cans such as the #Susvara and #HE6 but at the same time, it is nuanced enough to cope even with IEMs. I have more expensive amps but the iHA-6 gets the most use on a daily basis and for a very good reason.

Marcus @ Headfonics

Please click below for more detail:

OUR TOP GEAR FOR 2017
THE IDAC-6 & IHA-6 BY CAYIN


----------



## marcusd

Andykong said:


> *Best Desktop Solid State Amp 2017: Cayin iHA-6*
> 
> I reviewed both the iHA-6 and iDAC-6 as a system back in August of this year and they are marvelous together but I had a very special feeling about the iHA-6 and come the end of 2017 I have not changed my mind.
> 
> ...



Thanks Andy - a well-deserved award


----------



## SilverEars

I will admit, it sounded pretty good Andy.


----------



## mtmercer

SilverEars said:


> I will admit, it sounded pretty good Andy.



Can you provide any comparison info to other sub 1k SS amps such as Jot, Matrix HPA-3b, AGD NFB-1, or Cavalli LC?  I searched this thread but I could not find much comparison info.


----------



## SilverEars

Sorry, I haven't done direct comparisons, but it is under rated and not known due to branding not well recognized.  I wasn't so impressed with the Jot.  I heard the iha-6 at a meet and it sounded pretty good which raised my interest.

Based on this experience, I look forward to any future tours Cayin provides to try out their products.


----------



## mtmercer

I am interested in this amp so I did a google search to look into buying it.  The authorized U.S. distributors do not come up but wrong region/no warranty/non authorized sellers do come up.  I went ahead and read this entire thread to hear all the impressions and ran across multiple clarifications regarding the power supply voltage designation and who is an authorized distributor in the US.  This is really important info clarified well in this thread but a little bit buried at this point.

@project86, If you have a chance, I think it would be good to add the regional operating voltage info and out of region seller (which likely will come up 1st in a search) vs authorized distributor info as a public service announcement on the initial post.  Cheers!


----------



## Andykong

mtmercer said:


> I am interested in this amp so I did a google search to look into buying it.  The authorized U.S. distributors do not come up but wrong region/no warranty/non authorized sellers do come up.  I went ahead and read this entire thread to hear all the impressions and ran across multiple clarifications regarding the power supply voltage designation and who is an authorized distributor in the US.  This is really important info clarified well in this thread but a little bit buried at this point.
> 
> @project86, If you have a chance, I think it would be good to add the regional operating voltage info and out of region seller (which likely will come up 1st in a search) vs authorized distributor info as a public service announcement on the initial post.  Cheers!



MusicTeck is the our authorized dealer in US:
https://shop.musicteck.com/collecti...ly-balanced-high-fidelity-headphone-amplifier


----------



## Andykong

SilverEars said:


> I will admit, it sounded pretty good Andy.



And when you change your gear up-stream, the iHA-6 will let you hear the different instantly.  So it sounds good, and its fun.


----------



## Andykong

SilverEars said:


> Sorry, I haven't done direct comparisons, but it is under rated and not known due to branding not well recognized.  I wasn't so impressed with the Jot.  I heard the iha-6 at a meet and it sounded pretty good which raised my interest.
> 
> Based on this experience, I look forward to any future tours Cayin provides to try out their products.



We had organised an US tour previously and that was iDAC-6 and IHA-6 combo,  I have a lot of complaint on the logistic cost, I don't blame them because in the worst case, someone had paid US$80 to ship the package to next reviewer.

I can organise a solo tour on iHA-6 again, but we need to work out a new plan otherwise it won't lead to a win-win tour.  I'll consider any suggestion.


----------



## project86

mtmercer said:


> @project86, If you have a chance, I think it would be good to add the regional operating voltage info and out of region seller (which likely will come up 1st in a search) vs authorized distributor info as a public service announcement on the initial post.  Cheers!




Good idea, will do!


----------



## alphanumerix1

Andykong said:


> The iHA-6 is a very versatile headphone amplifier because there a lot of options available to users, and you'll almost certainly find the ideal setting for your headphone.
> 
> For instance, Cayin has provided some basic measurements at 32ohm loading to illustrate the power rating of iHA-6. The complete story is actually a lot more complicated then that. Upon request of several users, Cayin has decided to disclose the full details of power rating measurements at different setting and loading. If you read these carefully, you'll be amazed by the comprehensive options and capability inside that 10 sq. inches footprint.



Thank you for posting the power output info that has sealed and deal for me and will be purchasing the iha6 thank you.


----------



## Levanter

Andykong said:


> The iHA-6 is a very versatile headphone amplifier because there a lot of options available to users, and you'll almost certainly find the ideal setting for your headphone.
> 
> For instance, Cayin has provided some basic measurements at 32ohm loading to illustrate the power rating of iHA-6. The complete story is actually a lot more complicated then that. Upon request of several users, Cayin has decided to disclose the full details of power rating measurements at different setting and loading. If you read these carefully, you'll be amazed by the comprehensive options and capability inside that 10 sq. inches footprint.



I am hoping for a MK2 version that has a pre-amp feature and a matte black chassis


----------



## wadi

Levanter said:


> I am hoping for a MK2 version that has a pre-amp feature and a matte black chassis



+ lower output impedance for single ended output.


----------



## aaxa

Does anyone know how the IHA-6 is powered? (Class A, Class D etc.) I've already got it standing on my desk, but that's pretty much the only spec I don't know about it  
By the way, I'm quite impressed with the IHA-6. Probably one of the best balanced headphone amps for its pricerange.


----------



## Andykong

aaxa said:


> Does anyone know how the IHA-6 is powered? (Class A, Class D etc.) I've already got it standing on my desk, but that's pretty much the only spec I don't know about it
> By the way, I'm quite impressed with the IHA-6. Probably one of the best balanced headphone amps for its pricerange.



Sorry, completely tied up by year end report and 2018 planning + budget, couldn't respond to questions and sharing as usual.

Just a quick note, iHA-6 is operated in Class AB.


----------



## SilverEars (Jan 12, 2018)

Andykong said:


> We had organised an US tour previously and that was iDAC-6 and IHA-6 combo,  I have a lot of complaint on the logistic cost, I don't blame them because in the worst case, someone had paid US$80 to ship the package to next reviewer.
> 
> I can organise a solo tour on iHA-6 again, but we need to work out a new plan otherwise it won't lead to a win-win tour.  I'll consider any suggestion.


Understandable.  Perhaps that was the worst case senario going from west coast to east? 

If we can get interest up of all those interested, we can sequence the unit to move coast to coast moving from individual to the next in the closest distance to each other.  Also, we can just tour the iha-6 only to reduce weight.

Perhaps somebody can chime in on the most optimally priced shipping option with signature.


----------



## Andykong

SilverEars said:


> Understandable.  Perhaps that was the worst case senario going from west coast to east?
> 
> If we can get interest up of all those interested, we can sequence the unit to move coast to coast moving from individual to the next in the closest distance to each other.  Also, we can just tour the iha-6 only to reduce weight.
> 
> Perhaps somebody can chime in on the most optimally priced shipping option with signature.



Actually, there is one possibility.  We'll attend CanJam NYC in Feb 2018, I can assign one iHA-6  show demo-unit for US tour again.  This is what I have in mind:

(1)  The tour will be city-based.  If a city can gathered at least three HeadFier as tour reviewers, then the city is in the tour.
(2)  The tour unit will travel inside the city at minimum logistic cost (delivery to next reviewer in most cases) 
(3)  At the end of the city tour, the tour unit will send to another city, and the cost will be shared by all reviewers in previous city. 
(4)  I believe the shipping cost will be $40 cost-to-cost, so if we have several cities signed up the tour, we should be able to control the cost to $30 or below.  If this is shared by three reviewer, that would be $10 each and this is affordable.
(5)  Base on previous practice, each reviewer can keep the tour unit for about 10 days.

Because we are going to start the show after CanJam NYC, so lets start at the East cost this time, and ideally, New York + New Jersey is the ideal city to kick start the tour - i.e., if we can gather enough reviewer to join the tour.

For details of previous tour, please refer to the following links:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/us-...lanced-headphone-amp-reviewers-wanted.814644/

Last but not least, please be prepared to share your opinion and/or experience when you join a tour.   You can either write a formal review in the HeadGear section, or share your 3-lines impression in this thread, or you can simply participate in the discussion in general.  The reason for Cayin to sponsor a tour is to arouse contribution and interaction, and the last thing we want is SILENT.   For the record, the previous iHA-6 tour starts off as a Portland + Seattle city tour before we kick start the official US tour,  and at the last leg of the US tour, we send the unit to Toronto for a the GTA meet and then a Toronto city tour.  The whole tour has  lasted for almost 1 year, and we have passed the tour unit to over 25 reviewers.  We have to write off the tour sample ( iDAC-6 and iHA-6) after we recollected them,  but at the end of the day, we have TWO reviews in the Head Gear and a few pages of discussion in this thread.   I sincerely hope that we can do much better then this if we were to organize a tour again.


----------



## SilverEars

Definately a way to do it, and for those that are distanced too far away and cannot meet the minimum of 3 participants, perhaps giving them the option of being responsible for full shipping costs for shipping off to the next participant(s).  In order for them to participate, they'd have to agree on the requirements to be met which would include being responsible for whatever cost the shipping to the next participant should be.

It's great that you guys are providing more exposure of your equipment, and people should duely write something and provide some participation so that others can be more informed of the product. 

This kind of effort provides a more reliable perspective on impressions as it's more of a random samples of impressions than minorities of review websites.


----------



## Andykong

SilverEars said:


> Definately a way to do it, and for those that are distanced too far away and cannot meet the minimum of 3 participants, perhaps giving them the option of being responsible for full shipping costs for shipping off to the next participant(s).  In order for them to participate, they'd have to agree on the requirements to be met which would include being responsible for whatever cost the shipping to the next participant should be.
> 
> It's great that you guys are providing more exposure of your equipment, and people should duely write something and provide some participation so that others can be more informed of the product.
> 
> This kind of effort provides a more reliable perspective on impressions as it's more of a random samples of impressions than minorities of review websites.



Sure, we can do that, and if someone will take up the shipping cost completely, he can keep the unit for 30 days, or if there is only two reviewers in a city, they can keep the tour unit for 15 days instead of 10 days,


----------



## SilverEars (Jan 12, 2018)

I would point out that I got exposed to the amp at a meet.  Makes sense for vendors to look into regional meets to provide their equipment for meets for people to demo.


----------



## Andykong

SilverEars said:


> I would point out that I got exposed to the amp at a meet.  Makes sense for vendors to look into regional meets to provide their equipment for meets for people to demo.



Sure, we try out best to meet with customers and consumers.  We attended two CanJam last years and we'll attend the CanJam New York next month.  We can't possibly go to the meets unless we have a full time staff in US, but we are happy to work with Meet organizers.  There are safety considerations that we need to sorted out but it happened previously and I don't see why we can't do it again.

Anyway, back to the feasibility of a new iHA-6 tour.  If there is ONE city come forth with 3 reviewers signed up, I'll start a new tour,  Let's see if this can work out.


----------



## alphanumerix1

@Andykong any official distributors in Australia?


----------



## iceanddice

Just ordered a pair from Aliexpress. Any reason to believe they are subpar in quality?


----------



## aaxa

iceanddice said:


> Just ordered a pair from Aliexpress. Any reason to believe they are subpar in quality?


I have the iHA-6 standing on my desk paired with a CA DacMagic Plus running fully balanced. I'm not disappointed. And the build quality of the iHA-6 is not bad at all. It's heavy and sturdy little amp.


----------



## thecrow

I have a metrum hex NOS dac which i use with my wa2 for my hd800

any idea how the hex may work with the iha 6 for lcd 2 and elear.
the hex is quite a smooth "analogue" sounding dac that i really enjoy the layering and details from

wondering how it would pair

thanks in advance


----------



## iceanddice

aaxa said:


> I have the iHA-6 standing on my desk paired with a CA DacMagic Plus running fully balanced. I'm not disappointed. And the build quality of the iHA-6 is not bad at all. It's heavy and sturdy little amp.



Looking forward to getting them. It’s going to be my first balanced amp


----------



## llamaluv

Does anyone know if the warranty on the iHA-6 is transferable, and if so, what kind of documentation I would want to provide to a second-hand buyer for it to be honored?


----------



## llamaluv

Well Musicteck (Cayin dealer) emailed me back in literally 5 minutes, which was quite nice, and confirmed it is transferable so long as the invoice is provided.


----------



## Andykong

Happy Chinese New Year

This is a special time for family reunion, so we are taking a break to travel all the way back home.

Thank you very much for all the support we have received. May the New Year brings happiness and prosperity to you and your family.

Our office will close from 11th to 25th February, and we'll resume duty on 26th February 2018.


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## Andykong

If you like our headphone amplifier, you must check this out 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cay...fier-at-canjam-nyc-2018.872093/#post-14037587


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## Spandy87

I received mine, listened to it for a few hours and then noticed it developed a very loud static, crackling sound from the single ended outputs (more noticeable on high gain). It does this for all of my headphones. Is this a blown fuse issue or am I just unlucky? What's the problem here?


----------



## Andykong

Spandy87 said:


> I received mine, listened to it for a few hours and then noticed it developed a very loud static, crackling sound from the single ended outputs (more noticeable on high gain). It does this for all of my headphones. Is this a blown fuse issue or am I just unlucky? What's the problem here?



If you have a blown fuse, you can't power up the unit at all.

The noise only from single-ended output?  Can you test the balanced output and confirm if there is any static noise?  Where did you buy this iHA-6 from? Did you contact the seller/dealer already?

The iHA-6 is extremely reliable and we have received very little warranty or repair request with this amplifier so far.  I am very curious for the cause of the problem, so please keep me informed or PM me if there is any progress on your instance.


----------



## cjarrett

Just want to say these are making me Waste many a night just relistening to my favorite albums.  Paired with some hifimans and IEMs..splendid.   they’ve also breathed life back into my Sennheiser 650s


----------



## mickerru

Anybody compared this with the valhalla 2? Would be pulling the trigger on these by next month and wondering is if iha6 is better than the valhalla 2 
Using unmodded hd800?


----------



## ZenErik

Ordered the IHA-6 last night from MusicTeck. I wanted to try to get it within a day or two, but they informed me that it'd be drop shipping directly from Cayin in China. Slightly unfortunate, but they quickly refunded the extra money I paid for faster shipping. Should have it in about a week!

Given my preference for a warm sound some of the impressions of it being north of neutral do have me slightly concerned. Hopefully my Metrum Onyx adds just the right amount of NOS warmth so that it isn't too bright and fatiguing for my tastes.


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## Spandy87

Just thought I'd share this review here.



I never know if these are helpful or in the right place. Let me know if it's not.


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## alphanumerix1 (May 8, 2018)

Nice first video review ive seen for the iha6.

Very helpful.


----------



## thecrow

I'm looking for some more info on the iha6 as I am not able to demo it around my parts

I spent some time listening to elear, lcd 2 and hifiman ed x v2 today demoing the ifi micro dsd bl, questyle 600i (single ended) using a chord qutest dac

The ifi micro bl i found a little on the dry/analytical side particularly on the upper half of sound. Very clean soudn though. I'm thinking this will be a great value pairing with my metrum NOS hex. The dac should give it a touch of euphonic/ softer element i crave for (my main set up is the hd800 with my wa2)

The questyle i found had a chunk more depth, fuller character/more details. I preferred the chord dac than the internal dac - not surprisingly so. I also think my metrum dac would pair up well with this.

Wondering how the cayin iha6 may compare to these two so as i can get a better idea of which way i should go

any experience views will be much appreciated.


as mentioned above the ifi seems like great value with no need for balanced cables. whereas if i went the cayin pricing would be roughly the same $800v $900 AUD) but i would need to convert my cables to xlr and then get an xlr to 1/4" adapter so as to use on my wa2 too.

cheers
peter


----------



## Spandy87

I


thecrow said:


> I'm looking for some more info on the iha6 as I am not able to demo it around my parts
> 
> I spent some time listening to elear, lcd 2 and hifiman ed x v2 today demoing the ifi micro dsd bl, questyle 600i (single ended) using a chord qutest dac
> 
> ...



I use the micro BL DAC with the iha-6 because I enjoy the burr brown smoothness for the highs. I'm not sure how it compares to those other two but the difference between the balanced out on the iha-6 and the micro BL is night and day.

I did compare it to the iCan pro and found the iha-6 to have noticeably faster transients. So I'd say it depends on what you are looking for. If you want speed and transient response improvements, I can't think of anything better than the IHA-6. It's fast and agile with a surprisingly deep soundstage (wider than the BL but not too wide). Absolutely smokes the Jotunheim for example.


----------



## thecrow

Spandy87 said:


> I
> 
> 
> I use the micro BL DAC with the iha-6 because I enjoy the burr brown smoothness for the highs. I'm not sure how it compares to those other two but the difference between the balanced out on the iha-6 and the micro BL is night and day.
> ...


If the cayin is quite a neutral amp is it any drier than the ifi amp? Is there (a little) more warmth from the cayin amp?

Any issue with sharp or aggressive highs? 
Is the sound nicely balanced?
What headphones do you use?

Thanks


----------



## Spandy87 (May 8, 2018)

thecrow said:


> If the cayin is quite a neutral amp is it any drier than the ifi amp? Is there (a little) more warmth from the cayin amp?
> 
> Any issue with sharp or aggressive highs?
> Is the sound nicely balanced?
> ...



It's certainly not a warm amp. Its all about speed, texture and depth. But with that said, tones sound richer and more full/thicker than the micro BL. I don't think that makes it dry sounding by any means, so it depends on what you mean by 'dry'. It doesn't add any "pleasant imperfections" the way a tube amp does, so maybe that's the kind thing you should consider if you want a more warm and wet sound.

No sharp or aggressive highs, but that's with the burr brown DAC. I'm not sure how it would do with an ESS. The image is also very three dimensional, a big improvement over the ifi amp.


For reference I currently use the Aeon flow open, and AQ Nightowl balanced with it because those are the more revealing of my headphones. The amp doesn't pair well with overly sensitive cans though unless you have an XLR attenuator, keep that in mind.

You should probably also consider the lyr 3, the MCTH, and the hpa4bl. For a hint of warmth at wetness those might do well, but the iha-6 destroys them in terms of dynamics and transient response.


----------



## thecrow (May 9, 2018)

Spandy87 said:


> It's certainly not a warm amp. Its all about speed, texture and depth. But with that said, tones sound richer and more full/thicker than the micro BL. I don't think that makes it dry sounding by any means, so it depends on what you mean by 'dry'. It doesn't add any "pleasant imperfections" the way a tube amp does, so maybe that's the kind thing you should consider if you want a more warm and wet sound.
> 
> No sharp or aggressive highs, but that's with the burr brown DAC. I'm not sure how it would do with an ESS. The image is also very three dimensional, a big improvement over the ifi amp.
> 
> ...


Thanks for getting back.

I already have the tube sound covered with my woo wa2 but but looking for a solid ss choice too.

I have borrows a friends ifi micro bl and that has come up pretty decent with my hex dac. The dac brings some nice quality and gives the sound a warm touch/overtones.

I’m confident it would do the same with the Iha6. Just umming and erring because of needing to go to balanced cables with additional 1/4 inch connector hanging off the end when needing to be used

(I could get two cables but....$$$$.)

Juat needing some “assurance” that tha iha6 will bring a slightly sweeter tone than the ifi. I guess when i use the term dry for the ifi it means i’m needing something a tad less clinical or just a slight rounder aound of notes. I don’t find the ifi amp part sharp at all just dry. You know, dry.?.?.? 

Cheers

Edit add: the ifi has come up well for me but I’m happy for more


----------



## Spandy87

thecrow said:


> Thanks for getting back.
> 
> I already have the tube sound covered with my woo wa2 but but looking for a solid ss choice too.
> 
> ...




The IHA-6 is easily the best SS amp under $1k and it blows the micro BL away in terms of engagement and performance. But you may also want to check out the iCan Pro. I think I may prefer the IHA-6 over that one but it also likely depends on your headphones and the type of sound you're looking for.


If you want speed and punchy dynamics, go for the iha-6. If you want full, rich, round tones, go for the iCan Pro. If you want traditionally 'sweet' sound, go for the HPA4BL. The latter isn't on the performance level of the other two but it has that sweetness.


----------



## jurumal

I've read everywhere about how amazing the XLR output is. But how about the single-ended output? And why does everyone make a big deal about the output impedances being at 10 ohms (for low) and 120 ohms (for high)?


----------



## Spandy87

jurumal said:


> I've read everywhere about how amazing the XLR output is. But how about the single-ended output? And why does everyone make a big deal about the output impedances being at 10 ohms (for low) and 120 ohms (for high)?



The single ended output sounds like every other mid-fi single ended SS output, so nothing special. The downside is the impedance. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong here but from what I understand, ideally you want your amp's output impedance to be at worst 1/5th the headphone's impedance. Ideally around 1/8th. Yes, it's more complicated than just that, but this is the main thing you need to know for selecting the right amp for your headphones. It has to be a good match because otherwise it can mess with the frequency response, especially with certain types of drivers. So if you think about it, 10 ohm output impedance limits you to at worst 50 ohm impedance headphones (ideally higher). Most headphones on the market these days are around 32 ohms - many even lower, especially those that come with 1/4 inch termination for single ended use. So it limits the single ended use options and really doesn't make any sense to me when you consider that people with high end headphones would use the balanced output anyway.


----------



## thecrow

i have also posted this in the idac 6 thread...

after contemplating the iha 6 for sometime and getting my ducks, gear and money in a row, and with views and advice I have had here i have an iha 6 incoming - particularly for my elear and lcd2

should i be looking at the idac 6?

my current dac is the metrum hex nos dac. I considerate "analogue-ish" in sound.
Nicely layered, spacious and quite detailed within that. a touch of warmth within that analogue presentation.
I am a huge fan of it with no impulse to ever change it

is the idac 6 likely to present anything better or at least significantly different enough to consider it?

i was considering the filters it offers but from what i understand they are more subtle than not

i am happy to allocate idac 6 funds to other equipment

any experienced views and more than appreciated

thanks
peter t


----------



## Asukara (May 20, 2018)

Hi,

I wonder if my unit is faulty but with my Focal Clear I sometimes get some buzzing noise when nothing is playing and other times very loud noise. However it never happens with my HE-500, I'm using the balanced output for both.

The noise stops when I plug the HE-500 but it comes back when I plug the Clear.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Asukara said:


> Hi,
> 
> I wonder if my unit is faulty but with my Focal Clear I sometimes get some buzzing noise when nothing is playing and other times very loud noise. However it never happens with my HE-500, I'm using the balanced output for both.
> 
> The noise stops when I plug the HE-500 but it comes back when I plug the Clear.



output impedance issue?


----------



## Asukara

alphanumerix1 said:


> output impedance issue?


It does sound like impedance issue


----------



## alphanumerix1

Asukara said:


> It does sound like impedance issue



have you tried the clear out of balanced?


----------



## Asukara

alphanumerix1 said:


> have you tried the clear out of balanced?


Yes I am using my Clear and HE-500 out of the balanced output


----------



## lentoviolento

hi everyone,
i'm considering upgrading to this cayin. i'm currently using gilmore lite mk2 class A amp in SE. 
is it worth it? i have auteur, lcd2 and soon ori.
i'm afraid about those saying is bass light and too sparkly.
maybe i should wait and go for gsx mk2 ?


----------



## alphanumerix1 (May 21, 2018)

Balanced? Yes. SE no (is fine for plannars though)


----------



## jurumal (May 21, 2018)

lentoviolento said:


> hi everyone,
> i'm considering upgrading to this cayin. i'm currently using gilmore lite mk2 class A amp in SE.
> is it worth it? i have auteur, lcd2 and soon ori.
> i'm afraid about those saying is bass light and too sparkly.
> maybe i should wait and go for gsx mk2 ?



Wait for the GS-X mk2 if you’re willing to spend the extra $2000+. Just tried the GS-X this weekend. Out of the GS-X mk2 SE, there is a noticeable difference in resolution and clarity compared to Gilmore Lite Mk2 imo. From memory, the iHA-6 and Gilmore Lite mk2 have a very similar sound overall. The Cayin may have slightly faster transient response.


----------



## lentoviolento

What do you have now?
With cayin i would use balanced out


----------



## thecrow

@Andykong 

I just received my iha 6 tonight. enjoying but waiting for my balanced cables to arrive for my headphones

not sure if i should just stick to my metrum hex dac (that suits me really well) or if i should at all consider the idac 6. I'm thinking there is no need for a second dac and I can use those funds towards perhaps to another headphone



what exactly is the "current" setting on the amp?
is it actually changing current or something close to that?
i'm wondering what that is all about

any insight would be great


also wondering why/how the SE output imp of 10 is so far different from the balanced of .3
isn't that quite unusual?

thanks
peter


----------



## jurumal

SE and balanced out of the iHA-6 have faster transients than the Gilmore Lite mk2 IMO. You’re also getting a lot more power with iHA-6.  FR is similar between both tho.


----------



## lentoviolento

I don't know what to choose... This or nfb1 audio gd.. Or whait until i have the money to get gsx..


----------



## Andykong

Asukara said:


> Hi,
> 
> I wonder if my unit is faulty but with my Focal Clear I sometimes get some buzzing noise when nothing is playing and other times very loud noise. However it never happens with my HE-500, I'm using the balanced output for both.
> 
> The noise stops when I plug the HE-500 but it comes back when I plug the Clear.



I need to find out more detail about your setup and triggers of the noise issue before I can comment:

What is the setting of your iHA-6? H or L gain? High or Low Current? same setting on both headphones?  Did the noise change at all when you change the Gain or Current setting?

What is the source of your system?  connect to both RCA and XLR input of iHA-6? the noise appear on both inputs?

You said "some buzzing noise when nothing is playing and other times very loud noise", did the noise appeared in roughly the same frequency but with different amplitude?  Did you notice any pattern that lead to the different level of noise.  The noise will appear immediately when you press the pause or stop button of your player (ie, when nothing is playing)?


----------



## Andykong

thecrow said:


> @Andykong
> 
> I just received my iha 6 tonight. enjoying but waiting for my balanced cables to arrive for my headphones
> 
> ...



Let's take a look at the power rating table of iHA-6




 

In general, when you set the current setting to LOW, you'll get a larger power rating and this will sustain a higher voltage swing, so this is good for high impedance headphones.  When you set the current setting to HIGH, you'll increase the current capacity on the expense of slightly lower power rating, this is good fro planar headphone as they are quite often current hungry and require low voltage swing (because planar headphones are flat impedance).    I'll also suggest low impedance low sensitivities headphone use High Current setting.

By the way, these are starting point, you should select the final setting through audition.


----------



## Asukara (May 22, 2018)

Andykong said:


> I need to find out more detail about your setup and triggers of the noise issue before I can comment:
> 
> What is the setting of your iHA-6? H or L gain? High or Low Current? same setting on both headphones?  Did the noise change at all when you change the Gain or Current setting?
> 
> ...



Hi,

Thank you for taking your time 

So my iHA is plugged to the iDAC via RCA.
Gain and Current are both set to low and yes, same settings on both headphones.
I haven't tried changing gain or current when noise appear. It happens rarely, maybe 3 times since I bought it (4 months).

Haven't tried connecting the iDAC through XLR.

Yes, noise appeared like you said, same frequency with different amplitude. It appeared even when something is playing but also when the player is off.

The buzzing sound appears way more frequently than the noise, only one side at a time with the Clear. I also tried to turn the iDac off when the buzzing sound appear but nothing changes.
The volume knob doesn't affect the buzzing sound.

I love the stack when it works well, hoping it's nothing serious.


----------



## Andykong

Asukara said:


> Hi,
> 
> Thank you for taking your time
> 
> ...


I see, so noise and buzzing sound are two independent issues, I thought there are the same thing, my bad.

How loud is the buzzing sound?  If it happens quite often, please perform one experiment for me: set current to high from now on and keep it for several days, see if this will affect the frequency of the buzzing sound?


----------



## Asukara

Andykong said:


> I see, so noise and buzzing sound are two independent issues, I thought there are the same thing, my bad.
> 
> How loud is the buzzing sound?  If it happens quite often, please perform one experiment for me: set current to high from now on and keep it for several days, see if this will affect the frequency of the buzzing sound?



The buzzing sound is very quiet compared to the noise problem which is quite loud (when it happens)
I'll try what you suggest.
Thank you !


----------



## mrip541

I've been considering this amp but have read about hiss/buzz issues on a couple different forums. Is this an issue for everyone but only a few people mention it?


----------



## aaxa (Jun 12, 2018)

mrip541 said:


> I've been considering this amp but have read about hiss/buzz issues on a couple different forums. Is this an issue for everyone but only a few people mention it?



I think this is a quite rare issue. I've only seen it brought up twice.

I've had the iha-6 for about 6 months now, and I've had absolutely no issues so far.

Edit: I'm running with an Audiolab M-DAC and the Cayin iha-6, fully balanced all the way through. And usually with either HD650 or HE-400i's


----------



## exsomnis

mrip541 said:


> I've been considering this amp but have read about hiss/buzz issues on a couple different forums. Is this an issue for everyone but only a few people mention it?



I’m going on 2 years now with mine. Works as well now as when I got it - flawlessly.


----------



## Andykong

mrip541 said:


> I've been considering this amp but have read about hiss/buzz issues on a couple different forums. Is this an issue for everyone but only a few people mention it?



Can you tell me what headphones you plan to use with iHA-6? 

Several reviewers and users have used IEMs with iHA-6 with favorable result, that's why I won't hesitate to recommend iHA-6 to users with very sensitive headphones.  I honestly didn't worry about the background noise (or hissing) issue of iHA-6.

If there are comments about hiss/buzz issue of iHA-6 on a couple different forums, I would like to check them out.  Can you please PM the link to me?   I am not sure if we can post the link of other (or competing) forum directly.


----------



## Asukara

Andykong said:


> Can you tell me what headphones you plan to use with iHA-6?
> 
> Several reviewers and users have used IEMs with iHA-6 with favorable result, that's why I won't hesitate to recommend iHA-6 to users with very sensitive headphones.  I honestly didn't worry about the background noise (or hissing) issue of iHA-6.
> 
> If there are comments about hiss/buzz issue of iHA-6 on a couple different forums, I would like to check them out.  Can you please PM the link to me?   I am not sure if we can post the link of other (or competing) forum directly.



Hello,
I've been testing putting the iHA-6 in high current voltage as you suggested with my Focal Clear.
I don't have the buzzing sound when set on high but SQ gets bad. Soundstage get thinner, treble seem weirdly accentuated.


----------



## Andykong

Asukara said:


> Hello,
> I've been testing putting the iHA-6 in high current voltage as you suggested with my Focal Clear.
> I don't have the buzzing sound when set on high but SQ gets bad. Soundstage get thinner, treble seem weirdly accentuated.



Interesting.  In that case, try low current high gain, let's see if this will also cause the buzzing sound.


----------



## Asukara

Andykong said:


> Interesting.  In that case, try low current high gain, let's see if this will also cause the buzzing sound.


Just tried it, I'm getting some noise/hiss on high gain.


----------



## Vicks7

Spandy87 said:


> The single ended output sounds like every other mid-fi single ended SS output, so nothing special. The downside is the impedance. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong here but from what I understand, ideally you want your amp's output impedance to be at worst 1/5th the headphone's impedance. Ideally around 1/8th. Yes, it's more complicated than just that, but this is the main thing you need to know for selecting the right amp for your headphones. It has to be a good match because otherwise it can mess with the frequency response, especially with certain types of drivers. So if you think about it, 10 ohm output impedance limits you to at worst 50 ohm impedance headphones (ideally higher). Most headphones on the market these days are around 32 ohms - many even lower, especially those that come with 1/4 inch termination for single ended use. So it limits the single ended use options and really doesn't make any sense to me when you consider that people with high end headphones would use the balanced output anyway.



Agree 100% with this - I switched today to a balanced cable for my headphones and huge improvement.


----------



## mrip541 (Jun 27, 2018)

Asukara said:


> Just tried it, I'm getting some noise/hiss on high gain.



I sent Andy a pm with multiple instances of people reporting hiss. He said he was "speechless" over my ignoring positive reviews, and claimed that any hiss is the result of factors other than the amp. So have fun with that.


----------



## Asukara (Jun 27, 2018)

mrip541 said:


> I sent Andy a pm with multiple instances of people reporting hiss. He said he was "speechless" over my ignoring positive reviews, and claimed that any hiss is the result of factors other than the amp. So have fun with that.


I just ordered the cable @Spandy87 was mentioning in his video.

We'll see how it goes.


----------



## Spandy87

Asukara said:


> I just ordered the cable @Spandy87 was mentioning in his video.
> 
> We'll see how it goes.



You mean the attenuator from garage1217? It works great, completely removes hiss for sensitive cans. What headphone are you using?


----------



## Asukara

Spandy87 said:


> You mean the attenuator from garage1217? It works great, completely removes hiss for sensitive cans. What headphone are you using?


Yes  
I hope it will work with my Focal Clear


----------



## Andykong (Jun 29, 2018)

Asukara said:


> Just tried it, I'm getting some noise/hiss on high gain.



Some background noise is quite normal when you use high gain with Focal Clear, the High Gain is +16dB from the Low Gain, and the Focal Clear has a fairly high sensitivity.

The strange part is the buzzing sound only occurs at low gain, low sensitivity.  This doesn't sound right.  I have used this setting with Focal Clear and Utopia in AXPONA (April 2018) recently and it works very well. 

I'll drop you a PM to collect the serial number and dealer information, I hope you can audition your Focal Clear with another iHA-6 to verify your problem.


----------



## Asukara

Andykong said:


> Some background noise is quite normal when you use high gain with Focal Clear, the High Gain is +16dB from the Low Gain, and the Focal Clear has a fairly high sensitivity.
> 
> The strange part is the buzzing sound only occurs at low gain, low sensitivity.  This doesn't sound right.  I have used this setting with Focal Clear and Utopia in AXPONA (April 2018) recently and it works very well.
> 
> I'll drop you a PM to collect the serial number and dealer information, I hope you can audition your Focal Clear with another iHA-6 to verify your problem.



Ok, I'll be waiting for your PM.
The buzzing sound doesn't occur immediately after I turn the amp on, it comes maybe 5-10min after that. 
I'll try to find somewhere to try another iHA-6 but I don't think I will find one close to me :/


----------



## Spandy87

Asukara said:


> Ok, I'll be waiting for your PM.
> The buzzing sound doesn't occur immediately after I turn the amp on, it comes maybe 5-10min after that.
> I'll try to find somewhere to try another iHA-6 but I don't think I will find one close to me :/



This actually sounds like there could be something wrong with it. My first unit was crackling really bad on arrival, the dealer instantly replaced it and the new one was flawless. I figured I was just unlucky. The hiss you hear with sensitive cans has nothing to do with a defective unit.


----------



## Andykong

@PinkyPowers  has published his iHA-6 review at Headphone list and you can read it here.

This is a very unique review because Pinky examined the iHA-6 from a portable audio perspective.  He used line out form DAP as system source, make good use of the single-end to balanced conversion inside iHA-6, and listen to his TOTL IEMs from the headphone out of iHA-6 directly.  He has tried Empire Ears Legend X, Noble Audio’s Keiser Encore (with iFi IEMatch),  Custom Art FIBAE Massdrop and the hungry Final Audio E5000, you'll be amazed on his impression on these "Beauty and the Beast" pairings: the iHA-6 delivers upto 7Wpc at 32 Ohms low current setting, this is definitely a beast as far as the IEMs are concerned. 

I think this is a very nice try, at a fraction of a pair of high-end IEMs, you can add the iHA-6 to your portable rig and enhance your system performance while you are at home, and allow you to acquire those full-size headphones that your portable rig couldn't handled .properly.   This is the perfect first step for portable users to widen their horizon and opportunity in Personal Audio hobby.


----------



## PinkyPowers

Andykong said:


> @PinkyPowers  has published his iHA-6 review at Headphone list and you can read it here.
> 
> This is a very unique review because Pinky examined the iHA-6 from a portable audio perspective.  He used line out form DAP as system source, make good use of the single-end to balanced conversion inside iHA-6, and listen to his TOTL IEMs from the headphone out of iHA-6 directly.  He has tried Empire Ears Legend X, Noble Audio’s Keiser Encore (with iFi IEMatch),  Custom Art FIBAE Massdrop and the hungry Final Audio E5000, you'll be amazed on his impression on these "Beauty and the Beast" pairings: the iHA-6 delivers upto 7Wpc at 32 Ohms low current setting, this is definitely a beast as far as the IEMs are concerned.
> 
> I think this is a very nice try, at a fraction of a pair of high-end IEMs, you can add the iHA-6 to your portable rig and enhance your system performance while you are at home, and allow you to acquire those full-size headphones that your portable rig couldn't handled .properly.   This is the perfect first step for portable users to widen their horizon and opportunity in Personal Audio hobby.



A really interesting use for such an amp, and it worked so wonderfully.


----------



## Andykong

Today is the 25th birthday of Cayin, we served the high-end audio business since 8th August 1993 and have developed over 400 Hi-Fi products in past 25 years, ranging from amplifier to Digital Audio Players (DAP). We pay attention to detail because we believe this is what it takes to reproduce music naturally. With your blessing, we shall continue to work with dedication and strive for excellence for the years to come.




N8 DAP is the keynote product of our Silver Jubilee celebration. This is our first price-no-objective high-end flagship portable digital audio player and it delivers best possible high resolution audio performance to portable users. Please check out our official N8 launch video for more detail.


----------



## abvolt

Very cool looking indeed..


----------



## thecrow

lentoviolento said:


> hi everyone,
> i'm considering upgrading to this cayin. i'm currently using gilmore lite mk2 class A amp in SE.
> is it worth it? i have auteur, lcd2 and soon ori.
> i'm afraid about those saying is bass light and too sparkly.
> maybe i should wait and go for gsx mk2 ?


I have had the cayin for a few months with my elear and lcd 2
This week i received my auteur and some balanced cables from norne audio

if you are still interested in the cayin with lcd 2 and auteur let me know and i should be able to pit a few views here in the next few days

one think i have tried is the elears with my new norne cables and i am HUGELY surprised
This is probably a combo of:
Getting rid of the stock cable, plugging in the norne cables (silver and copper cables) and using the balanced i put with the cayin

the value of the elear (for me) has grown from (let's say) a $700 usd headphone to a (say) $1200 headphone 

as a side note i had tried my elear cable on my ananda headphone and found that the sound was a little congested compared to the ananda stock cable so i feel that held back the elear somewhat - that cable has now been put away in storage

ps i expect the gsx mk2 to be potentially a better amp but the cayin at the price is great value


----------



## Icekuma

@Andykong Could you advise me where I can get and audition iHA-6 & iDAC6 in Singapore, please? I have called the listed agent but unfortunately was advised that both products were not available. 

Thank you.


----------



## Zulkr9

TLDR. Sorry about this noobish question but I was interested in this amp(only) I was wondering if RCA inputs are used opposed to the xlr inputs can you use the xlr headphone output with the full power output ?


----------



## thecrow

Zulkr9 said:


> TLDR. Sorry about this noobish question but I was interested in this amp(only) I was wondering if RCA inputs are used opposed to the xlr inputs can you use the xlr headphone output with the full power output ?


Yes you can and i have not read anything to suggest it’s not full power


----------



## exsomnis

thecrow said:


> Yes you can and i have not read anything to suggest it’s not full power



The higher rated power output is for XLR out in any case. Single ended gets you the lower power output. It’s in the specs IIRC.


----------



## thecrow

Zulkr9 said:


> TLDR. Sorry about this noobish question but I was interested in this amp(only) I was wondering if RCA inputs are used opposed to the xlr inputs can you use the xlr headphone output with the full power output ?





exsomnis said:


> The higher rated power output is for XLR out in any case. Single ended gets you the lower power output. It’s in the specs IIRC.


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cayin-iha-6-us-tour-and-reviews.797581/page-26#post-14256214

See post 387 on this thread


----------



## thecrow

I’m flirting with the idea of buying a hifiman he6se to use with the iha6. 

My concern is how much power the he6 would REALLY need to justify going from an ananda/x ed v2 to the he6 se. 

Some have said here that the he6 has been good with the he6 but not as good as a full amplifier - understandably so. 

Some say you need 7w plus for the he6. 

So what is tbe views of those that have tried the he6 with the iha6? Am i better just staying with an ananda?

Cheers


----------



## thecrow

Icekuma said:


> @Andykong Could you advise me where I can get and audition iHA-6 & iDAC6 in Singapore, please? I have called the listed agent but unfortunately was advised that both products were not available.
> 
> Thank you.


If still looking for one they are back on ebay (grey importer). At a good price. 220v version. Feel free to pm me if wanting any info re that


----------



## Icekuma

thecrow said:


> If still looking for one they are back on ebay (grey importer). At a good price. 220v version. Feel free to pm me if wanting any info re that


That is appreciated. Thanks. It makes me wonder if @Andykong  is too busy or ignoring anything beyond NORAM market, which could have been handled differently. It makes me wonder how the customer service of cayin. I am more inclined to look for gustard now.


----------



## thecrow

Is it normal for a standard 1/4” plug to get a bit sticky when trying to unplug from jacks like those in the iha6?

Or is there a trick I don’t know (apart from one hand on the jack and the other on the amp as i pull?)


----------



## Andykong

thecrow said:


> I have had the cayin for a few months with my elear and lcd 2
> This week i received my auteur and some balanced cables from norne audio
> 
> if you are still interested in the cayin with lcd 2 and auteur let me know and i should be able to pit a few views here in the next few days
> ...



iHA-6 will convert single end input to balanced, taking advantage of the fully differential amplification circuit of iHA-6, but when you are using the single-ended headphone output of iHA-6, you will be using half the output only, that's why the Elear sounds a lot better when you switch from single-ended to balanced output, so while the new norne cable might contributed to some improvement, changing from single-end to balanced also played a significant role.


----------



## Andykong

Icekuma said:


> @Andykong Could you advise me where I can get and audition iHA-6 & iDAC6 in Singapore, please? I have called the listed agent but unfortunately was advised that both products were not available.
> 
> Thank you.





Icekuma said:


> That is appreciated. Thanks. It makes me wonder if @Andykong  is too busy or ignoring anything beyond NORAM market, which could have been handled differently. It makes me wonder how the customer service of cayin. I am more inclined to look for gustard now.



That's very strange, Jaben Singapore has been selling our i-Series since 2016 and their latest promotion on iDAC-6 and i-HA-6 was less then two months ago (July 30, 2018), the following Facebook posts will speak for itself:

https://www.facebook.com/JabenSG/photos/a.365938216781/10155479586146782/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/JabenSG/photos/a.365938216781/10154726591906782/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/JabenSG/photos/a.365938216781/10153715438926782/?type=3&theater

Can you contact Jaben again?  Drop me an PM if they confirmed they don't have this combo available in their shop, but to be honest, I can't offer much help other than follow up with an email.  If Jaben decided to take a break on certain product, we just have to wait.

By the way, if you want to get in touch with Cayin customer service, you can try our Facebook or the email in my signature.  I am running around to solve problems but I am not in Customer Service capacity officially.


----------



## Andykong

thecrow said:


> I’m flirting with the idea of buying a hifiman he6se to use with the iha6.
> 
> My concern is how much power the he6 would REALLY need to justify going from an ananda/x ed v2 to the he6 se.
> 
> ...



I want to say this upfront:  I am a HE-6 fan.  I have been using HE-6 as one of my reference headphone since 2015 and I bring my HE-6 to several CanJam as demo headphones for iHA-6, that tells a lot on my preference towards HE-6, and  you probably won't be surprised that I'll second your suggestion to go for HE6se.  I prefer Anada over Edition X (both V1 and V2), but when driven with the right "hefty" amplifier, HE6 (and HE6Se) will easily outperformed the Anada on dynamic, frequency extension, transient and resolution.  On the other hand, HE-6 tends to be a bit bright on the top, I am not sure if HE6se is different significantly, but I tamed my HE-6 with a copper headphone cables, but YMMD.

Can IHA-6 handle the HE-6 or HE-6se satisfactory?  It sure can otherwise I won't be using the HE-6 as demo headphone in shows and events.  However given my relationship with Cayin, you should take my opinion with a pinch of salt, for this reason, I want to quote the iHA-6 review from John Grandberg (aka Project86) as follows:


> The balanced output, however, is quite capable with any headphone you throw at it. And I do mean ANY headphone, including the dreaded HiFiMAN HE-6. Unless you're one of those people who insist on using a speaker amp with it, you won't find much more power for the HE-6 than what the little Cayin has on tap. It's actually kind of funny to see big amps like the Luxman P-1u and the Woo Audio WA22 which can't drive the HE-6 well at all, and then along comes the compact iHA-6 and outdoes them by a huge margin.


Read more at https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/cayin-idac-6-and-iha-6-dynamic-duo-page-3#6ddhX4Ty06Re52oO.99


----------



## Andykong

thecrow said:


> Is it normal for a standard 1/4” plug to get a bit sticky when trying to unplug from jacks like those in the iha6?
> 
> Or is there a trick I don’t know (apart from one hand on the jack and the other on the amp as i pull?)



Not sure if this will work for you, but I'll push it in and then pull it out.


----------



## thecrow

Andykong said:


> I want to say this upfront:  I am a HE-6 fan.  I have been using HE-6 as one of my reference headphone since 2015 and I bring my HE-6 to several CanJam as demo headphones for iHA-6, that tells a lot on my preference towards HE-6, and  you probably won't be surprised that I'll second your suggestion to go for HE6se.  I prefer Anada over Edition X (both V1 and V2), but when driven with the right "hefty" amplifier, HE6 (and HE6Se) will easily outperformed the Anada on dynamic, frequency extension, transient and resolution.  On the other hand, HE-6 tends to be a bit bright on the top, I am not sure if HE6se is different significantly, but I tamed my HE-6 with a copper headphone cables, but YMMD.
> 
> Can IHA-6 handle the HE-6 or HE-6se satisfactory?  It sure can otherwise I won't be using the HE-6 as demo headphone in shows and events.  However given my relationship with Cayin, you should take my opinion with a pinch of salt, for this reason, I want to quote the iHA-6 review from John Grandberg (aka Project86) as follows:
> 
> Read more at https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/cayin-idac-6-and-iha-6-dynamic-duo-page-3#6ddhX4Ty06Re52oO.99


Thanks for this and the other responses to my questions.

I had read that john grandberg review quite a few times. The main concern i had was whether a non speaker amp could do enough justice for the he6 or was it not worth the extra cost over, say the ananda (or the other headphones i have that work really well with the iha6).

Do you think there is a significant/substantial  difference in ananda v the he6 when used with the iha6? (I do prefer the ananda over the he x ed2 that i had tried). I have not heard the he6 but have had the ananda for a few weeks at home so curious re the differences/similarities. 

And have you tried the he1000v2 with the amp? If so how is the synergy there?

Many Thanks


----------



## Andykong

thecrow said:


> Thanks for this and the other responses to my questions.
> 
> I had read that john grandberg review quite a few times. The main concern i had was whether a non speaker amp could do enough justice for the he6 or was it not worth the extra cost over, say the ananda (or the other headphones i have that work really well with the iha6).
> 
> ...



Personally I think it worth go from Ananda to HE6se, to old fans like me, the HE6 is non-replaceable until Savara.

We used to think a speaker amp. is the preferred option for HE6, but that's because we don't have anything below US$1000 that can drive HE6 satisfactory in the past.  With iHA-6, I think Cayin has filled the gap, so unless you have a "applicable" speaker amp. lying around, otherwise I don't think its worth to go for speaker amp option when you our iHA-6 is available at a very reasonable price and is a lot more versatile in terms of headphone pairing.

THe HEK and HEK2 has a very different synergy, they are not as demanding as HE6 in terms of handling power, but they are super detail and refined.  I prefer to use HA-1Amk2 with the HEK/HEK2 and stick with iHA-6 for HE6/HE6se.


----------



## thecrow

Andykong said:


> Personally I think it worth go from Ananda to HE6se, to old fans like me, the HE6 is non-replaceable until Savara.
> 
> We used to think a speaker amp. is the preferred option for HE6, but that's because we don't have anything below US$1000 that can drive HE6 satisfactory in the past.  With iHA-6, I think Cayin has filled the gap, so unless you have a "applicable" speaker amp. lying around, otherwise I don't think its worth to go for speaker amp option when you our iHA-6 is available at a very reasonable price and is a lot more versatile in terms of headphone pairing.
> 
> THe HEK and HEK2 has a very different synergy, they are not as demanding as HE6 in terms of handling power, but they are super detail and refined.  I prefer to use HA-1Amk2 with the HEK/HEK2 and stick with iHA-6 for HE6/HE6se.


Thanks for that Andy - some definite food for thought

It probably is something I am going to have to demo to sus it out (both headphones) - and not rush into a purchase...if I can hold back


----------



## Icekuma

Andykong said:


> That's very strange, Jaben Singapore has been selling our i-Series since 2016 and their latest promotion on iDAC-6 and i-HA-6 was less then two months ago (July 30, 2018), the following Facebook posts will speak for itself:
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/JabenSG/photos/a.365938216781/10155479586146782/?type=3&theater
> https://www.facebook.com/JabenSG/photos/a.365938216781/10154726591906782/?type=3&theater
> ...


One of the nice soul pointed me to Jaben. Thanks


----------



## thecrow

Any iha-6 and focal utopia pairing going on?

I had a quick listen to the iha6 with utopia today single ended and it sounded decent

But wondering how it compares when using with balanced cable?


----------



## mickerru

Anybody used a hd660s or hd650 on the iha6? Been looking for an upgrade to my r70x and wondering which would be a better choice. Also, im considering to strech it to a aeon flow open if this marginally better choice. Choosing the 660s would give me extra budget for cables and other stuff. help please as i already sold the r70x


----------



## thecrow

I have has the iha 6 for about 9 months now

I am now finding that the amp is nowadays hotter than it used to be if left on, say for a few hours/over night

From being slightly toasty warm it now becomes a little uncomfortably warm if you leave your hand there, say just short of hot rather than nicely warm

is that change normal/ a worry?

ps nothing has changed around it but i have gone from autumn to summer now over the period but i'm not in a particularly warm room


----------



## talmadge

Its normal. Mine gets hot while in use or left on. Had mine about a year.


----------



## thecrow

talmadge said:


> Its normal. Mine gets hot while in use or left on. Had mine about a year.


I’m reluctant now to keep it on continuously


----------



## thecrow

talmadge said:


> Its normal. Mine gets hot while in use or left on. Had mine about a year.


just want to check in again

do you mean hot as in quite hot, and not just "pretty warm"?


----------



## talmadge

Yes mine gets what I call hot, not just warm. It has always been this way and doesn’t seem to hurt anything. I believe Cayin says the whole chassis acts as a heat sink. In the past I had some full size class A amps that were like this although I can’t remember if the iha 6 is a full class A or not.


----------



## thecrow

talmadge said:


> Yes mine gets what I call hot, not just warm. It has always been this way and doesn’t seem to hurt anything. I believe Cayin says the whole chassis acts as a heat sink. In the past I had some full size class A amps that were like this although I can’t remember if the iha 6 is a full class A or not.


thanks for getting back - much appreciated


----------



## malenak

Did anyone try IHA-6 with Audeze LCD-2C and Hifiman HE-400i?


----------



## talmadge

I have used lcd x and currently use lcd 2 closed with the IHA-6. They work very well together.


----------



## bigblue365

Did anyone try IHA-6 with Focal Clear/Elear? If yes, what settings were used?


----------



## PinkyPowers

bigblue365 said:


> Did anyone try IHA-6 with Focal Clear/Elear? If yes, what settings were used?



High power and medium gain should be perfect for those headphones.


----------



## Andykong

We would like to thank all our friends, customers and partners for your continuous support throughout the year. We shall take a short break to reunion with our family and celebrate the Chinese New Year. We shall resume office on 14th February 2019.


----------



## yenrios

Hi Andy,

First thing first, I have to say that I’m a big fan of your products and your company.
And no, it’s not to be polite, it’s a fact 

Unfortunately, I can only confirm the noises produced also by my Cayin IHA-6
nearly new 11/2018, and burn properly
I have also tested to let the IHA-6 on as you recommended before, without result.

Below, you will find the test run, I have taken which highlights the origin of the noises.
As you will see, the conclusion is that the noises can only come from the IHA-6 and not from any other external component.

I hope those elements will help you deepen your analysis, and maybe find a solution and correct any unit that encounter this issue (included mine of course 

Unfortunately, I don’t have the equipment to record the noises.

If needed, I am at your disposal to discuss the subject.

*Fact:*

The noises are really audible only on the balanced output (2*3pin XLR ou 4pin XLR) and on my unit much pronounced on the left
There are much audible with sensitive headphone/IEM,…  (see below)
There are audible with or without a source (even with filtered cap on the input)
There are audible whatever the electrical sources or wiring
There are audible whatever the volume setting (source or IHA-6) even on mute or zero

The only difference in noise level or type depends on the setting on the IHA-6 or the headphone.

There are two types of noises:

A breath or hiss on both sides (but more pronounced on the left , depending on the setting)
An electrical vibration « hum » on the left
To reduce the noises, I have to use this setting, any other one result in more noises and discomfort:

Source : insignificant
power : high
Gain : low
*Test run:*
In every test, I have try to be methodical using the same order and component to ensure that the issue is not due to an element not tested that can affect the result

Electrical source :

Professional APC PSU

online

offline on battery
Source

Standard « home »
Filtered home (filtered power strip)
Filtered  from 2 professional auditorium
Electric cable

Standard
Audioquest (middle and high end)
and other very high end (can’t remember the ref)
Every time, I’ve taking care to eliminate any inverted phase issue

Audio Source

none
Fiio X7 mkII
PC  with DAC Cayin IDAC-6 

PC with DAC Creative X5
Input

none

RCA
XLR
Headphone (with original or custom cable) :

Créative Aurvana trio : very noisy
Final Sonorous VI : moderate noise
Fiio F9 pro : very noisy
Focal Clear : low noise
Hifiman 400i : nearly silent
Sennheiser HD-820 : low noise
Sennheiser HD800 : low noise
again, the result is with the optimal setting.


Musicjoy all


----------



## talmadge

Wow that’s surprising to me. My IHA 6 is dead quite. Sorry you’re having problems.


----------



## newtophones07

talmadge said:


> Wow that’s surprising to me. My IHA 6 is dead quite. Sorry you’re having problems.



Mine is dead silent, too.


----------



## yenrios

Did you test the IHA-6 with sensitive headphone IEM ?


----------



## Mobil

I owned both iHA6 and Woo WA6. After listening to both using Hifiman HE1000, I still prefer the warmer WA6. Although iHA6 has more power than WA6, but I feel it sound a bit thin, brighter and metallic. WA6 has more warm and body weight on the sound.


----------



## thecrow

Mobil said:


> I owned both iHA6 and Woo WA6. After listening to both using Hifiman HE1000, I still prefer the warmer WA6. Although iHA6 has more power than WA6, but I feel it sound a bit thin, brighter and metallic. WA6 has more warm and body weight on the sound.


Was it the wa6 or se?

How do you find the details/ imaging between the two amps?

Is the hekv1 you have?

I have the v2 which i enjoy qith my iha6 but i do like my tubes (and woo wa2 amp with hd800)


----------



## Mobil

I am using WA6 Gen 1.

My HE1000 is 1st version.

Tested on other headphone like AKG812 gave me same experience that WA6 still sound more musical to my ears. Going to test using LCD3 soon.


----------



## mickerru

I was wondering if anyone used a tube buffer like the ifi itube 2 to the iha6. Would it provide the warmth the likes of the hd800 needs and would there be a resolution loss? 

I have the iha6 feeding the hd800 and wondering how would it sound with a tube buffer


----------



## yenrios

After a few adventures between the different support services, and with the help of the Cayin's support, (again thanks to them), my IHA-6 will be replaced.

I expect it soon, to fully enjoy it.

Thank you Cayin


----------



## thecrow (Mar 21, 2019)

Sometimes the iha6 is conpared to the auralic taurus which is in turn compared to the ifi ican pro

For what it’s worth i had a listen to the ifi ican pro yesterday (i own the iha6) using a few headphones including he1000v2 and empyrean.

I found the ifi relative to the iha6 to have a little bit more detail, a touch of warmth in mids and lower end/roundness but still solid staye sounding and neutralish. The ifi also has the tube element amd xbass to oaky with which was a great little feature.

In essence the iha6 is like a stripped down ifi ican pro with 90-odd% performance of that (ie without considering the tube/bass features which add a little bit more to the ifi offering) and for 1/3 of the price here in Australia ($1000 v $3000 AUD) the iha6 is a great “budget” offering that delivers so much.

So underrated!!!!


----------



## Andykong (Mar 24, 2019)

yenrios said:


> Did you test the IHA-6 with sensitive headphone IEM ?





yenrios said:


> After a few adventures between the different support services, and with the help of the Cayin's support, (again thanks to them), my IHA-6 will be replaced.
> 
> I expect it soon, to fully enjoy it.
> 
> Thank you Cayin



iHA-6 is quite enough for some of the IEMs.
https://theheadphonelist.com/a-light-to-guide-your-way-a-review-of-the-cayin-iha-6/

I hope everything is settled by now.  I was at New York when I read your message, so I passed it to our support staff and let them follow up.  He has keep me informed when  he suggest a replacement for your iHA-6, but it takes time to arrange with oversee dealers, especially when our iHA-6 is run out of stock at that time.

I hope this will solve the problem completely and you'll be able to enjoy the iHA-6 like others in this thread.  Looking forward to read your impression later.


----------



## Andykong

thecrow said:


> Sometimes the iha6 is conpared to the auralic taurus which is in turn compared to the ifi ican pro
> 
> For what it’s worth i had a listen to the ifi ican pro yesterday (i own the iha6) using a few headphones including he1000v2 and empyrean.
> 
> ...



Thank you very much for our impression, we don't have a lot of solid audition sharing in this thread, I wonder why too. One of my dealer told me that the biggest issue he has with iHA-6 is retail price, when the price is low, the profit per sales transaction is not attractive to them.  

Let's hope the amp will draw more attention down the road, nothing much we can do other than stand by our product with good support service, and keep our finger crossed.


----------



## thecrow (Mar 24, 2019)

Andykong said:


> Thank you very much for our impression, we don't have a lot of solid audition sharing in this thread, I wonder why too. One of my dealer told me that the biggest issue he has with iHA-6 is retail price, when the price is low, the profit per sales transaction is not attractive to them.
> 
> Let's hope the amp will draw more attention down the road, nothing much we can do other than stand by our product with good support service, and keep our finger crossed.


There is a recent “review” on youtube without it being much  of a review



Thanka goodness for john grandberg’s extensive review of it.

The only flaw for me on this amp is the output impedance of the single ended outputs and the limitation of those (10 ohm from memory).

Thats the only thing that delayed my purchase of it.

From what i’ve read though is the supply (ie availability)  of these in the usa holding it back there - ie stores picking them up (and being available in local voltage)?


----------



## Andykong

thecrow said:


> There is a recent “review” on youtube without it being much  of a review
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I think Z-Reviews are the better one among Youtubers, you don't expect detail and methodical reviews from them, the keyword is interaction and opinions, and reach out to 3C consumers who won't go to HeadFi forum or never heard of  Stereophile or TAS.  John Grandberg, on the other hand, represents objective and knowledgeable old-school reviewer, Cayin is grateful to his iDAC-6 and iHA-6 review.


----------



## Ichos

Any opinions how iha - 6 compares to mjolnir 2 especially for high Z senns?


----------



## rogue

I bought a new IHA-6 in December 2018 and it has developed a pronounced buzzing (sounds like white noise almost) in the right channel only. It sometimes is louder than others but is not source related (it occurs even when nothing is plugged into the amp), so I believe the amp is defective. What can I do for service/replacement?


----------



## newtophones07

yenrios said:


> Did you test the IHA-6 with sensitive headphone IEM ?



I can hear some background hiss (it's there, but overbearing, but I do dislike it) with my se846 and andromedas on the single end jack in standard mode.  With Class A mode ( high Q, whatever it's called) the noise jumps significantly with the both iems and it's not recommended at all. With  full size cans, or higher impedance iems the device is my standard, till I can get a V281.


----------



## PinkyPowers

newtophones07 said:


> I can hear some background hiss (it's there, but overbearing, but I do dislike it) with my se846 and andromedas on the single end jack in standard mode.  With Class A mode ( high Q, whatever it's called) the noise jumps significantly with the both iems and it's not recommended at all. With  full size cans, or higher impedance iems the device is my standard, till I can get a V281.



I agree. With super sensitive IEMs, this is not best amp. Not without using a hiss-reducing device like the sort iFi makes.


----------



## demonbecks

Hi everyone, can I check if the iHA-6 can work with a pair of JBL LSR305s using RCA to XLR cables?  Or do I need a pre-amp in order to run these speakers?


----------



## thecrow (May 6, 2019)

demonbecks said:


> Hi everyone, can I check if the iHA-6 can work with a pair of JBL LSR305s using RCA to XLR cables?  Or do I need a pre-amp in order to run these speakers?


there's no pre amp outputs

just single and balanced inputs at the back and headphone outputs in the front

i think the idac6 can work as a pre amp though
https://headfonics.com/2017/08/the-idac-6-iha-6-by-cayin/


----------



## demonbecks

thank you for the confirmation!


----------



## Litlgi74

Hoping to get some help with my iHA-6 / RME ADI-2 DAC combo...

I am not sure what the proper input voltage of the iHA-6 is.

The manual for the Cayin is very vague in defining the input sensitivity of the amp at 620mV.

I’d like to be able to set the volume knob on the IHA-6… AND control the output volume via the ADI-2… But I am not certain that this is the best way to go about things…

The ADI-2 manual says… With Hi-Fi the setting +7 dBu (equals +4.78 dBV or 1.73 V RMS) is recommended. But the IHA-6’s Input Sensitivity is 620mV… So I’m not sure that + 7 dBu is the best set up either…

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## djyang0530

is there difference between 2x xlr 3pin and xlr 4pn


----------



## yenrios

Litlgi74 : it is recommended to use the fixed output of the DAC and to control the volume with the amp.
exception : if the DAC output volume is too loud and you can not reach the optimal volume position of your amp

djyang0530 : strictly identical in terms of sound.
very convenient  to compare headphones.
the IHA-6 is powerful enough to drive two headphones without problem


----------



## cfranchi

I have seen that an mk2 version of the iDAC-6 has been launched, is it planned a new release of the iHA-6 ?


----------



## Andykong

cfranchi said:


> I have seen that an mk2 version of the iDAC-6 has been launched, is it planned a new release of the iHA-6 ?



There is no plan to release a MKII for iHA-6, the IDAC-6 is revised because the digital audio product life are shorter then analogue amplifier.  In addition, we have added Pre-amp circuit to IDAC-6 in the MKII revision, this will enhance the i-Series to cover deskfi application with active speakers.


----------



## thecrow

Andykong said:


> There is no plan to release a MKII for iHA-6, the IDAC-6 is revised because the digital audio product life are shorter then analogue amplifier.  In addition, we have added Pre-amp circuit to IDAC-6 in the MKII revision, this will enhance the i-Series to cover deskfi application with active speakers.


I agree.

If you are using balanced headphone cables (the output impedance of single ended inputs being the only shortfall/limitation  of the amp) then there is no reason to change the iha6 at all. Exceptional value


----------



## thecrow

can anyone provide a pic of the power cable that comes with the iha6 (particularly if you are in australia ...but not necessarily)
i have my iha6 but can't remember which cable came with it
thanks


----------



## fonna

ordered this amp, but kinda scared seeing all the buzz / noise comments in this thread 

hope I don't have to deal with that


----------



## thecrow

fonna said:


> ordered this amp, but kinda scared seeing all the buzz / noise comments in this thread
> 
> hope I don't have to deal with that


Absolutely no issue with mine (over 18 months)


----------



## Litlgi74

thecrow said:


> Absolutely no issue with mine (over 18 months)



Same here.


----------



## fonna

Got it yesterday, worked fine for a couple of hours, now whenever i plug in my hd800s via 4pin xlr it gives a horrible beeping noise, that goes away when i switch to high current.... single ended works fine also..


----------



## fonna

apparently this might be an oscillation problem, I got a super quick response and great customer service.


----------



## thecrow (Oct 3, 2019)

fonna said:


> apparently this might be an oscillation problem, I got a super quick response and great customer service.


And i believe it may have been affected by your dac or how you were feeding the amp (ie. xlr or rca). It would be good to let the thread (including potential buyers) know if there was an update to your discoveries


----------



## Litlgi74

fonna said:


> apparently this might be an oscillation problem, I got a super quick response and great customer service.


Are you connecting the RME to the Iha-6? I have the same setup... I have the auto reference level turned off while using the manual level of + 7 (balanced inputs) and the volume at -1. But I use the amp volume knob to control the volume... But if you want to control the volume via the RME... Leave auto reference on... And set the volume of the Iha-6 to a maximum usable level.

Hope this helps.


----------



## fonna

thecrow said:


> And i believe it may have been affected by your dac or how you were feeding the amp (ie. xlr or rca). It would be good to let the thread (including potential buyers) know if there was an update to your discoveries



why do you assume it was affected by my dac? and why would it be affected by how I was feeding the amp? you just plug in cables and stuff works, I was using it with my RME ADI-2 DAC on +7 ref, the amp made noise basically right out of the box, when just plugging in headphones, it was just a lemon, unlucky I guess. they will let me know what was up with it, I did however get a refund after excellent customer service by "Thomas Deyerling" from Cayin.de, my Violectric V280 has been working perfectly for a while already now with my RME ADI-2 DAC.


----------



## fonna

also want to mention that the iHA-6 sounded great for as long as it worked and is a steal at the price , I was just unlucky to receive a bad unit. the customer service is also excellent, all kudos to Cayin.


----------



## thecrow (Oct 4, 2019)

fonna said:


> why do you assume it was affected by my dac? and why would it be affected by how I was feeding the amp? you just plug in cables and stuff works, I was using it with my RME ADI-2 DAC on +7 ref, the amp made noise basically right out of the box, when just plugging in headphones, it was just a lemon, unlucky I guess. they will let me know what was up with it, I did however get a refund after excellent customer service by "Thomas Deyerling" from Cayin.de, my Violectric V280 has been working perfectly for a while already now with my RME ADI-2 DAC.


Why? Because of this post.
I was curious what your new discoveries had been and if some issues had been resolved



fonna said:


> just posting some impressions / thoughts of a pretty stressful week, I own a HD800S and have been using it for a while with just the RME ADI-2 DAC, which imo is a wonderful little combination on its own, however upgraditis struck me recently to go back to balanced.
> 
> I heard a lot of great things about the Cayin iHA-6, a very well priced amplifier at 699 euro, I decided to just take the plunge and buy it. few days later the amp arrived in my home, I connect the amp balanced to my RME ADI-2 DAC, plug my HD800S into the 4pin XLR, first impressions were not bad, but not great either, soundstage seemed a little less wide, kinda presented like a "ball of sound"  rather than the usual very wide staging of the HD800S on my RME ADI-2, the Cayin generally sounded a little more closed in, surprisingly the vocals were a little warmer than my RME ADI-2 but the treble had a bit of an edge to it at the same time, I listened to the amp for a few hours, went to bed, woke up, started listening a little again, and suddenly the amp developed a horrible screechy high pitched noise, that would change its tone depending on if I touched the cable on my HD800S or not, and depending on volume. Immediately contacted Cayin about this, now I should mention that with the amp sitting on "high gain" my HD800S had a slight background noise aswell, kind of like a windy sound, not really noticeable when listening to music, but still kind of bothered me.
> 
> ...


----------



## lambdastorm (Nov 1, 2019)

I really hope these do go on sale on Black Friday. I’ve been wanting one for quite a while, add a great price and I’ll happily bite the bullet.


----------



## lambdastorm

I tried these at a local audiophile's home today. The set up was idac6+iHA-6 driving a pair of Nighthawk and Focal Clear. They both sound warm and engaging. One thing tough, I didn't spot any voltage switch on the back of the iHA-6. If I do remember right it used to have that switch. Did Cayin make a silent revision?


----------



## thecrow

lambdastorm said:


> I tried these at a local audiophile's home today. The set up was idac6+iHA-6 driving a pair of Nighthawk and Focal Clear. They both sound warm and engaging. One thing tough, I didn't spot any voltage switch on the back of the iHA-6. If I do remember right it used to have that switch. Did Cayin make a silent revision?


there was no voltage switch on my iha6

i never heard the clears with my amp but the elears sounded soo much better with the extra power that the iha6 offers

i recently "upgraded" to an auralic taurus mkii ad that change has me thinking that the iha6 has a bit of heightened (or spiky) upper mids or lower treble in some headphones that i have heard (eg utopia and he6se). It made the utopia's a little too "aggressive" or fatiguing for me (or at least it did that day) but i think this element is great for the elear that has that dip

also worked great with my lcd2

IMHO  YMMV


----------



## lambdastorm (Nov 12, 2019)

thecrow said:


> there was no voltage switch on my iha6
> 
> i never heard the clears with my amp but the elears sounded soo much better with the extra power that the iha6 offers
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply! I used to have the Tauraus Mk2 but imho it has way too much gain, it is fantastic for my HE5LE and HE6 but for the rest of my cans there's not much room to play with on the volume knob, which is part of the reason why I want the iHA-6. I've heard people say its basically a Tauraus with less power and gain.


----------



## thecrow

lambdastorm said:


> Thanks for the reply! I used to have the Tauraus Mk2 but imho it has way too much gain, it is fantastic for my HE5LE and HE6 but for the rest of my cans there's not much room to play with on the volume knob, which is part of the reason why I want the iHA-6. I've heard people say its basically a Tauraus with less power and gain.


It’s in the same ball park i guess. A great review by project86 on the iha6 here/innerfidelity 

I can see how the taurus can be an issue ie too much power or gain

i think the iha6 is very underrated

pity about the output impedance of the single ended input though

A much as i hate to say it zeos (z reviews) loved it but it was not much of a review at all, except to say he liked it


----------



## nanu

Couldn't find a dedicated thread of this Amp so posting my question here...

On power-off my iHA-6 has a (loud) pop sound in the headphones, but if I toggle the high current switch before power off I don't get this power-off pop.
Should I be worried or is this normal?


----------



## kaliman2

Hey 
This is my first post
Cayin iha 6+audeze  lcdx  a good combination? No noise?


----------



## nanu

kaliman2 said:


> Hey
> This is my first post
> Cayin iha 6+audeze  lcdx  a good combination? No noise?


I have heard this exact combination over the balanced out, its excellent, absolutely no noise.


----------



## kaliman2

Thank you for your response,
Are you in trouble with cayin iha 6?


----------



## nanu

kaliman2 said:


> Thank you for your response,
> Are you in trouble with cayin iha 6?


yes it has developed a fault in the BAL out, I need to send it out for repairs, but I'm sure this is just one of the very few such cases in an otherwise reliable track record.


----------



## kaliman2

Interesting. I had it for a moment and left buzzed at high gain. It's difficult to buy a good amplifier cayin


----------



## duyanh43

Can I use this amp to listen to both XLR 4-pin and 6.3mm unbalanced at the same time?


----------



## kaliman2

is the version of cayin iha 6 mk2?


----------



## duyanh43

kaliman2 said:


> is the version of cayin iha 6 mk2?


I don't think there is a mk2 iha6, Cayin don't need to release it. There is a mk2 iDAC6 which has significantly improved DAC AKM4490 to ESS9028PRO


----------



## kaliman2

??
https://www.son-video.com/article/nomade-baladeurs-baladeurs-audiophiles/cayin/iha-6-mk2


----------



## SilverEars (Feb 23, 2020)

thecrow said:


> i recently "upgraded" to an auralic taurus mkii ad that change has me thinking that the iha6 has a bit of heightened (or spiky) upper mids or lower treble in some headphones that i have heard (eg utopia and he6se). It made the utopia's a little too "aggressive" or fatiguing for me (or at least it did that day) but i think this element is great for the elear that has that dip
> 
> also worked great with my lcd2
> 
> IMHO  YMMV


Yeah, I found this to be the case.  If the treble was tamed down slightly it would be much better.  I compared with Jotunheim, and Jotunheim was smoother.  The Jotunheim may have been the newest revision because I heard there was impression of it sounding clinical as well.  What iHa-6 did better in comparison was spacial imaging as Jotunheim sounds a bit flat in comparison, and sounds not as  distinctive.

So, Taurus is different despite what people say about iHA-6 essentially sounding like Taurus.

About me. I don't like clinical sound, but I do like precise sounding response without being clinical. I dislike THX amps.


----------



## kaliman2

How good is the demo price in Europe?


----------



## nanu

duyanh43 said:


> Can I use this amp to listen to both XLR 4-pin and 6.3mm unbalanced at the same time?


yes both 1/4" and 4-pin XLR can be used together to drive a total of 3 headphones at the same time.


----------



## uptildawn53

duyanh43 said:


> I don't think there is a mk2 iha6, Cayin don't need to release it. There is a mk2 iDAC6 which has significantly improved DAC AKM4490 to ESS9028PRO



The new upgraded DAC ( MKII ) is a nice improvement - More filters and more ways to configure them, better GUI for looks and navigating menu and it matches the stack nicer and runs cooler. The Cayin i-6 series is underrated, particularity the amp  and now the newer DAC and no, there isn't a MKII AMP out that I'm aware of.


----------



## kaliman2

Hello
I have a question. Is there a manual in English up to idac 6?


----------



## uptildawn53

There's the two DAC manuals, depending on which version of the DAC you have - I've the DAP and AMP manual as well if you require them ?


----------



## kaliman2

Thank you very much. I bought iha6 and now I am looking for good price idac6


----------



## uptildawn53

Okay .. here's the manual for the amp as well .. you'll find it to be an excellent amp with decent power to drive almost anything very nicely


----------



## kaliman2

I don't know Dap. I have j.feng mx-1


----------



## kaliman2

I know, I just bought it a week ago


----------



## uptildawn53

*Cayin iDAP-6 features*

Desktop network player that can supports all common digital file formats: DFF, DSF, SACD-ISO, FLAC, ALAC, WAV, APE
PCM supports upto 32Bit/384kHz, DSD supports upto DSD256 with I2S, upto DoP128 with USB and DoP64 on other digital interface
Comprehensive digital output options: USB, I2S, AES/EBU, Coaxial, Optical.
Support file sharing through Ethernet or WiFi connection, can communicate with large variety of networked devices through Samba, DLNA and Airplay
Can plug in SD card (upto 256GB) and USB storage (upto 2TB) directly
Transmit or receive through dual Bluetooth v4.1, support Bluetooth remote control profile.
Multi-lingua custom designed UI through 3.95” AMOLED screen, display Album Art, music information and control menu in a clear and effective presentation.


----------



## kaliman2

I play synology with NAS, I read that idap  6 has problems with upnp


----------



## kaliman2

The big difference between idac  6 and MKII in playing?


----------



## Rayzilla

kaliman2 said:


> I play synology with NAS, I read that idap  6 has problems with upnp


I have a Synology NAS too. Do you play your music using their "Audio Station" app? I don't know if there are alternative ways or if it's even worth looking for one if there is no sonic difference. Could you share how you use your Synology.

I've been thinking about getting the IHA-6 and the IDAC-6 (I or II) as well. I like versatile dacs and I understand that the IDAC-6 is exactly that?


----------



## kaliman2

I don't have to idac 6. I have iha 6 + Audeze lcdx + soekris + J.feng mx1 + synology. J. Feng has his own player and everything works well,


----------



## Rayzilla

kaliman2 said:


> I don't have to idac 6. I have iha 6 + Audeze lcdx + soekris + J.feng mx1 + synology. J. Feng has his own player and everything works well,


Thanks. Never heard of J.feng mx1. I'll check it out.


----------



## kaliman2 (Mar 11, 2020)

I bought on aliexpress


----------



## kaliman2

Where in Europe you can buy idac 6 mkII


----------



## cfranchi

I plan to get a iHA-6 (with my Mojo as input signal) : how is the pairing ? 
I feel that iHA-6 used in balanced mode is a real bargain given the power and transparancy it can provide.


----------



## duyanh43 (Mar 27, 2020)

cfranchi said:


> I plan to get a iHA-6 (with my Mojo as input signal) : how is the pairing ?
> I feel that iHA-6 used in balanced mode is a real bargain given the power and transparancy it can provide.


IMO the overall sound signature will just like your Mojo, with better bass, soundstage and imaging.

Edit: Hmm i think it will be a bit brighter as the mojo's signature is pretty warm


----------



## cfranchi

Andykong said:


> Cayin will join CanJam SoCal later this Saturday (19-20 March), we'll display the IHA-6 in the event. If you are coming to CanJam, please drop by and check out the iHA-6. Trust me, you got to give it a try before you can image how far can this little headphone amplifier goes, so bring your headphones and come to Cayin booth to see if you can give the iHA 6 a hard time.



I plan to get iHA-6, what is the line voltage recommended (2v, 3v, etc) for RCA inputs?


----------



## duyanh43

cfranchi said:


> I plan to get iHA-6, what is the line voltage recommended (2v, 3v, etc) for RCA inputs?


I think the universal standards are 2V for RCA and 4V for XLR. But, when I use XLR to feed power from my Aune S6 Pro instead of RCA, my volume on the iHA-6 is relatively the same before. Is it usually the case, as the XLR voltage of the DAC is double its RCA power.


----------



## Andykong (Apr 4, 2020)

Deleted


----------



## Andykong

cfranchi said:


> I plan to get a iHA-6 (with my Mojo as input signal) : how is the pairing ?
> I feel that iHA-6 used in balanced mode is a real bargain given the power and transparancy it can provide.





cfranchi said:


> I plan to get iHA-6, what is the line voltage recommended (2v, 3v, etc) for RCA inputs?



Definitely 2V, that's the standard line in level we assumed when we design iHA-6.  Some users reported that they prefer 3V input when using iHA-6 for really really difficult headphones such as Abyss 1266 and AKG K1000, but I would say that's kind of extreme condition.

One of the strength of iHA-6 is the build in bridge-tied load (BTL) circuit that convert single end input to balanced before feeding into the amplification circuit, that will allow  you top enjoy full potential of the iHA-6 with both RCA and XLR input.  This is an important feature if you want to use a single-ended output DAC with a fully differential design amplifier.


----------



## duyanh43

Andykong said:


> Definitely 2V, that's the standard line in level we assumed when we design iHA-6.  Some users reported that they prefer 3V input when using iHA-6 for really really difficult headphones such as Abyss 1266 and AKG K1000, but I would say that's kind of extreme condition.



Hmm why my XLR output of the Aune reported as 4 Vrms but I don't find more power, my volume pot was still the same when I feed it with RCA.


----------



## nanu

duyanh43 said:


> Hmm why my XLR output of the Aune reported as 4 Vrms but I don't find more power, my volume pot was still the same when I feed it with RCA.



That is normal,
XLR is designed  to operate at 4 to 6v while RCA uses around 2v, the final volume is matched to be the same.


----------



## duyanh43

nanu said:


> That is normal,
> XLR is designed  to operate at 4 to 6v while RCA uses around 2v, the final volume is matched to be the same.


So that is normal that my volume position doesn't change switching between RCA & XLR? I thought that operate at 4V XLR will benefit in terms of power to my amplifier  New lessons every day, thanks.


----------



## cfranchi

Andykong said:


> Definitely 2V, that's the standard line in level we assumed when we design iHA-6.  Some users reported that they prefer 3V input when using iHA-6 for really really difficult headphones such as Abyss 1266 and AKG K1000, but I would say that's kind of extreme condition.
> 
> One of the strength of iHA-6 is the build in bridge-tied load (BTL) circuit that convert single end input to balanced before feeding into the amplification circuit, that will allow  you top enjoy full potential of the iHA-6 with both RCA and XLR input.  This is an important feature if you want to use a single-ended output DAC with a fully differential design amplifier.



Hello Andy, for HE6se do we have to set low gain or high gain ? Thx


----------



## cfranchi

I have an HE6se on order and plan to get iHA-6. Do you know if my Chord Mojo would be a good candidate as a DAC for the iHA-6 (Mojo -> RCA inputs) ?


----------



## cfranchi

Also Cayin iHA-6 or Cayin HA-1A mk2 for Hifiman HE6se ?


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## alokjuyal

Hi, I am trying out a Cayin iHA6 (fed from a Hugo2 via RCA) with my HEDDphones (32ohms) and Sony MDR Z1Rs (64ohms). I do not know for sure the current setting - High or Low. Any suggestions how they are to be used ?


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## nghenhac

alokjuyal said:


> Hi, I am trying out a Cayin iHA6 (fed from a Hugo2 via RCA) with my HEDDphones (32ohms) and Sony MDR Z1Rs (64ohms). I do not know for sure the current setting - High or Low. Any suggestions how they are to be used ?


I used high current for planar headphone. I only have it on when I use my LCD2. and I turn off when I use HD58x .

FYI: I am having the amp for sale, I am the very first owner. (Apology if this is not allow here.) Let me know if one of you interested.


----------



## duyanh43

nghenhac said:


> I used high current for planar headphone. I only have it on when I use my LCD2. and I turn off when I use HD58x .
> 
> FYI: I am having the amp for sale, I am the very first owner. (Apology if this is not allow here.) Let me know if one of you interested.



Yeah high current for planar & low-impedance dynamic is also benefit of it. I somehow feel that the high-current mode sound more meaty and full than the low current.
BTW, what could be your next amplifier, you're selling for some upgrades? The iHA-6 I think it is very good p/p amplifier right now.

P/S: Nhìn tên giống VN thế bác


----------



## nghenhac

duyanh43 said:


> Yeah high current for planar & low-impedance dynamic is also benefit of it. I somehow feel that the high-current mode sound more meaty and full than the low current.
> BTW, what could be your next amplifier, you're selling for some upgrades? The iHA-6 I think it is very good p/p amplifier right now.
> 
> P/S: Nhìn tên giống VN thế bác


Hi Anh Duy,

Nah, I am selling for downgrade actually. Yeah, it is powerful amplifier, you will get more power or louder when you run balanced input. 

P/S: vang anh, em nguoi vn haa


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## Andykong (Jun 4, 2020)

cfranchi said:


> Also Cayin iHA-6 or Cayin HA-1A mk2 for Hifiman HE6se ?



I'll recommend iHA-6 if your main headphone is HE6se, set it to high current and high gain, it should work very well.


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## Andykong (Jun 4, 2020)

alokjuyal said:


> Hi, I am trying out a Cayin iHA6 (fed from a Hugo2 via RCA) with my HEDDphones (32ohms) and Sony MDR Z1Rs (64ohms). I do not know for sure the current setting - High or Low. Any suggestions how they are to be used ?



I'll recommend High current for HEDDphones and Low current for Sony MDR Z1Rs, but there is no harm to try both and pick  your prefered setting.

@nghenhac  and @duyanh43 are correct, high current should work with planar better, we have reduced the rated output in order to pump out more current.  Planar headphone has flat impedance across the complete frequency range, so voltage swing is not an issue here. On the other hand, the magnetic structure in Planar headphone eat current, so high current low voltage fit the planar headphones by design. 

For similar reason, high current will also work well with low impedance headphones because the voltage swing of low impedance headphone are relatively low, and driving low impednace dynamic driver will required more current.


----------



## alokjuyal

Thanks a bunch @Andykong that was very helpful. Loving the iHA6, great recommendation from Jeremy at Zeppelin & Co in Singapore


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## duyanh43

Some weird experience today with the Amplifier, I suddenly hear the buzzing, electric sound when I listen to music and this sound get louder when I decrease the volume knob on iHA6. I disconnected the HP jack and reconnect and the problem disappear, like the electric was charged and get discharged when I disconnect the XLR jack. It happens only once in a while and it kinda frustrating, anyone have this problem before, with any kind of gears. Much thanks


----------



## mickerru

My kid broke the volume pot. Forced it now it rotates and does not stop. Cant control the volume now. Anyone knows how to open this thing


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## mickerru

@Andykong can you help me out


----------



## Andykong

mickerru said:


> @Andykong can you help me out


 Please checked PM


----------



## Andykong

duyanh43 said:


> Some weird experience today with the Amplifier, I suddenly hear the buzzing, electric sound when I listen to music and this sound get louder when I decrease the volume knob on iHA6. I disconnected the HP jack and reconnect and the problem disappear, like the electric was charged and get discharged when I disconnect the XLR jack. It happens only once in a while and it kinda frustrating, anyone have this problem before, with any kind of gears. Much thanks



When you said it happens only once in a while, can you roughly estimate the frequency?  Once everyday? Once a month?  Do you feel any static when you touch the amplifier or the XLR4 connector?


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## duyanh43

Andykong said:


> When you said it happens only once in a while, can you roughly estimate the frequency?  Once everyday? Once a month?  Do you feel any static when you touch the amplifier or the XLR4 connector?


Today I tested, I leave the headphone connecting to the amplifier with no music on for about 30 minutes and it start to produce electric noises, I then turned off and do it again and after about 20' this happens again. I use 6.3 adapter and connect to SE output and 30 minutes passed and nothing happened. I havent test touching the amplifier, later today I switched my power cable to another socket and it seems better now.


----------



## Andykong

duyanh43 said:


> Today I tested, I leave the headphone connecting to the amplifier with no music on for about 30 minutes and it start to produce electric noises, I then turned off and do it again and after about 20' this happens again. I use 6.3 adapter and connect to SE output and 30 minutes passed and nothing happened. I havent test touching the amplifier, later today I switched my power cable to another socket and it seems better now.



In that case, shall we perform a small experiment to eliminate the problem of interference?  Relocate the iHA-6 to another location (preferably a different circuit breaker in your household power supply), do not connect to any source, just leave it playback at standalone condition, check whether the same problem existed in the first 30 minutes playback.


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## mickerru

Thanks Sir @Andykong . I have fixed the volume problem. I just need to tighten the screw. 


Andykong said:


> Please checked PM


----------



## Nostoi

Is it possible to run balanced output on this amp even if the input is via rca? (This is something I can do on my Romi fully balanced amp, for example)


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## godmax (Aug 3, 2020)

I just recevied my Cayin IHA-6 and also got some very annoying buzz/noise/crackling issue with this amplifier:
The RME ADI-2 DAC FS is used with IHA-6 connected balanced (PC source USB of RME is isolated with Intona isolator).
Very loud noise and buzzing right channel and random crackling on left channel with 4-pin XLR balanced and also with 6,35mm unbalanced (but less), low/high gain or current doesn't make a difference (and also even if no input connected).
Headphone tested so far (low gain, low current, balanced):

E-MU Teak (Impedance: 25 ohm; Sensitivity: 106 dB) -> heavy noise/buzz
Focal Elegia (Impedance: 35 ohm; Sensitivity: 105dB) -> medium noise/buzz
Quad ERA-1 (Impedance: 25 ohm; Sensitivity:  94dB) -> medium noise/buzz/chrackling
Denon AH-D9200 (Impedance: 24 ohm;Sensitivity: 94dB) -> no noise in short test
Anyone got this solved without exchanging the unit or using some kind of impedance matcher?

@Andykong: did write a mail to info@cayin.cn also


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## Focux

any comparisons with A90?


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## Amoy Utot

I’m planning to get the A90 and I’m wondering if the A90 is an upgrade, compared to my iHA-6. I haven’t found any comparison between the two.


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## duyanh43

Focux said:


> any comparisons with A90?





Amoy Utot said:


> I’m planning to get the A90 and I’m wondering if the A90 is an upgrade, compared to my iHA-6. I haven’t found any comparison between the two.


IMO probably sidegrade at best.


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## Amoy Utot

duyanh43 said:


> IMO probably sidegrade at best.



Hopefully someone will compare the sound signature between the two.


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## Focux

my IHA-A6 had a disturbing white noise going on even on low gain low current, was horrendously worse when switched over to high gain 

is this normal..??


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## Andykong

Focux said:


> my IHA-A6 had a disturbing white noise going on even on low gain low current, was horrendously worse when switched over to high gain
> 
> is this normal..??



The noise are coming from both channel or only appear in one channel?  Happens on all phone outputs? only on  6.35mm single-ended? only on Balanced?  Did you bought the iHA-6 recently or you had used it for a while but the noise only appear recently?


----------



## Focux

Andykong said:


> The noise are coming from both channel or only appear in one channel?  Happens on all phone outputs? only on  6.35mm single-ended? only on Balanced?  Did you bought the iHA-6 recently or you had used it for a while but the noise only appear recently?



through XLR, didn't try on 1/4; brand new from 3 days ago


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## nanu (Sep 13, 2020)

Focux said:


> through XLR, didn't try on 1/4; brand new from 3 days ago



I think I have the same problem on mine, only on XLR, only on Left channel, first 5 minutes after switching on from cold it works fine and then white noise over the music. I need to get it repaired but the whole Covid situ had stopped me from sending it out, and then I became lazy and forgot about it.

Do keep us posted on how you tackle this.


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## duyanh43

I posted this a while ago and recently I've not got the problems back yet (maybe becuz I'm not listening as much) But I get buzzing sounds once in a while in left channel XLR out in low gain, completely black on high gain.


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## duyanh43

nanu said:


> I think I have the same problem on mine, only on XLR, only on Left channel, first 5 minutes after switching on from cold it works fine and then white noise over the music. I need to get it repaired but the whole Covid situ had stopped me from sending it out, and then I became lazy and forgot about it.
> 
> Do keep us posted on how you tackle this.


Can you try touching the headphone cable or the amplifier itself when the noise happen


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## nanu

Nothing changes when I do that, the noise is still there and no change in its characteristics.


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## Focux

nanu said:


> I think I have the same problem on mine, only on XLR, only on Left channel, first 5 minutes after switching on from cold it works fine and then white noise over the music. I need to get it repaired but the whole Covid situ had stopped me from sending it out, and then I became lazy and forgot about it.
> 
> Do keep us posted on how you tackle this.



got a refund instead..


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## Andykong

This is a nice surprised, we are flattered by the recognition of HEDD Audio and Headphone.com


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## elwappo99

Was hoping someone could help me on an issue with a iHA-6 I just purchased. I seem to also have a hum that some others have pointed out. It only occurs with the following settings:

Input: RCA and XLR and with no cables attached on input
Current: Low 
Gain: Low
Output: 4 pin XLR, 2x3pin XLR

The hum seems to be stronger out of the left channel than the right. 


This does not occur when the Current is set to "high", and when the gain is switched to "high" there is a hiss that is typical of switching an amplifier to high gain, but different than this hum I'm hearing. Anyone have any help on this? 

@Andykong


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## uptildawn53

elwappo99 said:


> Was hoping someone could help me on an issue with a iHA-6 I just purchased. I seem to also have a hum that some others have pointed out. It only occurs with the following settings:
> 
> Input: RCA and XLR and with no cables attached on input
> Current: Low
> ...




I've owned that amp plus the matching DAC and the matching DAP for two years now ( tri-stack ) , now issues. Are you using the amp standalone, or with a DAC  .. are your cables compromised in some way? 

Hard to say what the issue is ..


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## lambdastorm (Dec 12, 2020)

elwappo99 said:


> Was hoping someone could help me on an issue with a iHA-6 I just purchased. I seem to also have a hum that some others have pointed out. It only occurs with the following settings:
> 
> Input: RCA and XLR and with no cables attached on input
> Current: Low
> ...


This. I have the exact same issue with my unit. The background is pitch black on high current, but on low current there's a constant hum that's louder on the left channel. This happens on both 1/4 and balanced.


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## duyanh43

lambdastorm said:


> This. I have the exact same issue with my unit. The background is pitch black on high current, but on low current there's a constant hum that's louder on the left channel. This happens on both 1/4 and balanced.


Lol, same issue on my unit tho. High Gain = perfect black background


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## dadracer2

duyanh43 said:


> Lol, same issue on my unit tho. High Gain = perfect black background


Just got my amp a couple of days ago and it is running fine. No hum from the 4 pin XLR whatever headphone I use or what settings I put the current and gain on.

It is very neutral and clean. The soundstage is very good and it pairs very well with my Audio Technica AP2k closed backs. They are a little on the bright side of neutral but the Cayin makes treble detail sound less splashy and more natural and yet without rolling off the treble. It's not the best headphone amp I have ever heard but for the money is it excellent.


----------



## ethanc

So what's the consensus on the hiss/hum issues? I am contemplating getting one for my Arya's, with which I anticipate running in low gain, high current through the balanced 4-pin XLR, with XLR balanced input from DAC. Does that combo yield hiss/hum or other noises?


----------



## dadracer2

ethanc said:


> So what's the consensus on the hiss/hum issues? I am contemplating getting one for my Arya's, with which I anticipate running in low gain, high current through the balanced 4-pin XLR, with XLR balanced input from DAC. Does that combo yield hiss/hum or other noises?


I'm doing that with ATs and no hiss no hum. They are 44 ohm impedance not sure what it is for your Ayras.


----------



## ethanc

dadracer2 said:


> I'm doing that with ATs and no hiss no hum. They are 44 ohm impedance not sure what it is for your Ayras.



They're 35ohms, but lower sensitivity at 90db/mw. Hopefully can get some more data points regarding the noise


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## SludgeSwan

Also very interested in finding out more about this hum issue, as I'm considering the iHA-6 for Meze Empyrean (31,6 Ohm, 100dB/mW). Seems that not every unit has this issue... what I'm a bit concerned about is that Cayin just seems to be avoiding comments regarding this issue.


----------



## portalheadd

hi everyone. I really need your help
I currently use jot 1 with modi multibit. I'm going to sell my jot1 and am trying to find a worthy upgrade over it. without paying any extra cass over jot1 I can buy a brand new THX 789. or I can pay almost 50 percent more money and buy either JOT2, A90 or IHA-6 for almost similar price(in my country I can buy them for almost similar price). my cans are DT1990, HD600, K712, SR325e, ath-w100 and mdr-1A and there is possibility of buying some focal or hifiman in future. I will use XLR output for my 600s only and the rest of my cans will be run unbalanced. so SE performance is crucial for me. now what you suggest? is getting a 789 without paying more money a good upgrade over old jot1 or I better get the either one of A90, Jot or IHA-6 instead if upgrade is worth extra 50 percent money? frankly Iha-6 has really caught my eyes but reports of buzz and hum are putting me off. since that most of my cans will run off of SE output of IHA-6, does it really perform good out of SE? I mean I have pretty low impedance highly efficient cans (GRADO and ATH-w100) so high output impedance of SE outputs of IHA-6 wont be an issue? this hum or buzz thing... how much serious and deal-breaker is it? imo jot1 really suffers from poor treble performance. kinda congested and busy in top end with mediocre at best separation. I want a little more effortless presentation a touch more space and of course less glare. I don't need preamp and obviously I'm gonna feed them via RCA. so any help would be appreciated. thanks in advance


----------



## SludgeSwan

The Cayin is probably not the best choice for you, then. I spent a lot of time reading and watching reviews and user feedback recently, and the SE outputs really seem to be much inferior to the balanced output, especially for low impedance/high sensitivity headphones. 10 Ohm output impedance on the low gain SE output vs. 0.3 Ohm on the balanced...


----------



## portalheadd

SludgeSwan said:


> The Cayin is probably not the best choice for you, then. I spent a lot of time reading and watching reviews and user feedback recently, and the SE outputs really seem to be much inferior to the balanced output, especially for low impedance/high sensitivity headphones. 10 Ohm output impedance on the low gain SE output vs. 0.3 Ohm on the balanced...


So I guess I should Go for either A90 or jo2. Or even 789. I really love Form factor, Design and switches on IHA-6. But seems that it does not deliver in SE segment. I wonder if I use a 3.5/6.3 to XLR adapter, And connect my SE cans via XLR OUTPUT, what will be outcome? I know doesn’t make sense but I guess I’ll bypass high output impedance or I’m d Dumb?


----------



## SludgeSwan

portalheadd said:


> So I guess I should Go for either A90 or jo2. Or even 789. I really love Form factor, Design and switches on IHA-6. But seems that it does not deliver in SE segment. I wonder if I use a 3.5/6.3 to XLR adapter, And connect my SE cans via XLR OUTPUT, what will be outcome? I know doesn’t make sense but I guess I’ll bypass high output impedance or I’m d Dumb?



I'm no expert on this, but have read that connecting going from unbalanced to balanced with an adapter is much mor problematic than the other way around...


----------



## ProfesseurMoriarty

Hello everyone,
It's my first post on this board, and I'm kinda new to the hifi world, so maybe some part of my post will sound dumb or maybe I won't use the right words.

I bought this amp 10 days ago (new).
I chose it because I want to be able to use high impendance headphones, like the 600 ohms ones from BeyerDynamic. But I'd also like to use low impedance headphones (like a Grado GS1000e), on the balanced output.
At the moment I only own an AKG K612 Pro (120 ohms). This heaphone is plugged on the low impedance unbalanced output of the amp, with low gain and low current.

During the firsts days, I had no issue with the amp at all.
Since a few days, I start getting some kind of static noise, that I can easily hear in the headphone. When I turn on the amp, it's fine during maybe 10 mins, then the static noise starts to happen. It can happen when I'm doing nothing at all, but it can change when I touch or wrap the headphone cable, or when I play with the volume knob of the amp. If I turn on the high gain, or the high current, the static noise goes away. I also tried plugging the headphone on the high impendance output, it seemed okay. I didn't try the balanced output, since I don't own a balanced headphone yet.
This static noise happens even when no source is plugged to the amp.

At the store where I bought the amp, I was told that this static noise could be a ground loop problem, but that it should be amplified/louder when I turn on the high gain, not disappear.
I tried plugging the amp on another electric outlet in my home, where there's nothing else plugged; I tried turning off things like my fridge or my water heater, since I was told it could mess up with the power. But same result. I don't own a power conditioner or a power regenerator, to test if that could help.

So I'm gonna go to the store with my amp, so they can test it themselves. They told me that if they can reproduce the problem, they would replace the amp directly with a new one (instead of having to wait for a repair). But when I look at the latests messages in this thread, it seems the problem I have isn't uncommon, so I'm a bit afraid I might get another amp with the same exact problem.

I only owned things like USB sound cards before, and a Topping L30 (that I had to send back), and I never had this kind of problem, so I'm not sure about what I should do.

Thank you.


----------



## beemarman

I really want this amp, but am worried about all these noise issues. It seems a lot more people are experiencing this than not. I'm probably going to skip it for now until somebody from Cayin can chime in on what's going on.


----------



## Andykong

portalheadd said:


> So I guess I should Go for either A90 or jo2. Or even 789. I really love Form factor, Design and switches on IHA-6. But seems that it does not deliver in SE segment. I wonder if I use a 3.5/6.3 to XLR adapter, And connect my SE cans via XLR OUTPUT, what will be outcome? I know doesn’t make sense but I guess I’ll bypass high output impedance or I’m d Dumb?



The XLR4 connector only provides R+, R-, L+, L- signal, it doesn't have GROUND signal in the connection.  If you want to make an adapter for single-ended headphone, you need to have GROUND signal.  If you have to do it, maybe you can custom make an adapter from the dual XLR balanced phone output, You can get R+ and GROUND from the right XLR3 output, and L+ from the left XLR3 output.  This will work technically.  The dual XLR3 and XLR4 are based on identical circuit, so their output impedance are the same as well.


----------



## SludgeSwan

ProfesseurMoriarty said:


> Hello everyone,
> It's my first post on this board, and I'm kinda new to the hifi world, so maybe some part of my post will sound dumb or maybe I won't use the right words.
> 
> I bought this amp 10 days ago (new).
> ...



Please keep us updated on the response from the store owners!
Got this amp used for a good price, but as I'm still waiting for my new headphones with balanced cable, I could so far only check the unbalanced outputs with my IEMs. Using the low impedance output, there is a clear hum on both channels that is independent of changing the volume. The hum is so loud that it is audible during quieter passages of tracks, so at least with my IEMs it's basically unusable. It's also there when no other devices are connected to the amp, and only slightly changes with the different settings (low/high gain, low/high current). Using the high impedance output, there is no hum at all.

As I won't be using the unbalanced outputs, I'm not too worried about all that. Now it all depends on the balanced output - which is supposed to sound much better anyway. I will report back when my headphones have arrived.


----------



## Andykong

ProfesseurMoriarty said:


> Hello everyone,
> It's my first post on this board, and I'm kinda new to the hifi world, so maybe some part of my post will sound dumb or maybe I won't use the right words.
> 
> I bought this amp 10 days ago (new).
> ...



We have tried to replicate your condition in our lab. with our demo iHA-6, but we failed to do that.  We didn't have any iHA-6 in our inventory right now, we sold out a lot of models during the Christmas period.  We can conduct a larger scale of testing when we start our new iHA-6 production batch but that will be after Chinese New Year holiday (due to start later this week), and that delay till March 2021.

Maybe we can do something during this period.  You can PM your iHA-6 serial number to me, and the name of the shop that you bought your iHA-6, and I'll reach out to your dealer to collect all necessarily information and arrange warranty coverage on your behalf.   



SludgeSwan said:


> Also very interested in finding out more about this hum issue, as I'm considering the iHA-6 for Meze Empyrean (31,6 Ohm, 100dB/mW). Seems that not every unit has this issue... what I'm a bit concerned about is that Cayin just seems to be avoiding comments regarding this issue.



We didn't avoid the problem.  We have read the cases reported here, and tested our iHA-6 production samples but failed to replicate the problem.  Now we know maybe we didn't test it correctly, ProfesseurMoriarty has provided a guideline for our future test: it's fine during maybe 10 mins, then the static noise starts to happen.  Our previous test didn't wait that long before we pass to next test unit.   

To be honest, we feel perplexed about the instance, the iHA-6 has been in production since 2015 without any problem.  We didn't change the circuit design since day 1 but this low-gain-low-current noise pop up suddenly few months back. The strange thing is, we didn't receive any report from our dealer, we only read this on HeadFi forum. 

Given the amount of iHA-6 we produced and sold in past 6 months, we are quite sure that "not every unit has this issue" and the occurrence rate is not very high. We need to find a sample that exhibit the problem and examine the unit in detail. Since we can't identify a faulty unit from our own test after reading the user reports here, we can only keep our eyes open and wait for a return unit with similar problem from our dealers.


----------



## ProfesseurMoriarty

Hello,

@Andykong, sorry for the late answer.
Yesterday I brought the amp to the store, so they could test it. And... they had no problem at all with it.
So I went back there today, to test the amp with them. And the problem happened.
So what's the difference here ? The headphones used for the tests. I asked to do the test with the same AKG as mine.
With every AKG headphones they had (a K612Pro like mine, a K702, a K712Pro), the problem happened, after ~10mins, only with low gain and low current.
With every other headphone they tested and I tested with them, whether they were low impendance like some Focal and a Meze Classic (32 ohms), or high impendance (a HD660S), no problem at all.
Are the AKG headphones more sensitive to small disturbances ? Is it something else ? With my previous amp, a Topping L30, I didn't have this kind of problem at all.
I'm gonna keep the amp, but I'm not sure what I should do with my AKG headphone (I love how AKG headphones sound, it's my third one). I don't like using high gain on this headphone, I think it slightly changes the sound. And I don't really get what the high current setting does. Is it only for IEMs ? Or is it safe for any headphone ?

Thank you.


----------



## Andykong

Sorry to hear that.  So that also explained why we can't replicate the problem in our lab. in past few months, it is headphone dependent.

If fact, you should try to use high current with  your AKG.  High current setting is applicable to all headphones, and it is designed for low impedance and planar headphones specifically.


----------



## Andykong

I'll explain the current mode once again.  Let's start with the iHA-6 rated output of different modes:







When you set the current mode to HIGH, you'll lower the output power (from 7000mWx2 to 5000mWx2 in Balanced mode, and from  2200mWx2 to 1100mWx2 in Single-ended Low impedance mode.  Since Power = Voltage x Current (P=IV), when we lower the output voltage, we can increase the current capacity of the amplifier, and that's why we called it High Current mode.  

In our experience, high impedance headphones (e.g., 250 ohm to 600 ohm) prefer amplifier with better voltage swing, and low impedance headphones (e.g., 32ohm - 85ohm) prefer amplifier with ample current.  The lower the loading impedance, the more demanding on current, this rule apply to both headphone and speaker based sound system.

Planar headphones operated differently because they have flat impedance across the complete frequency spectrum, so voltage swing is not relevant to these headphones. The thin diaphragm of Planar headphones are controlled by the magnetic flux induced from the surrounding magnets, and these magnets, be it single-sided array or double signed array, will consume a lot of current, that's why high current mode should pair well with planar headphones. 

The high current mode is definitely safe for all headphones, it will sound slightly different from low current mode.  It might have technical merit for some headphones, but its totally up to you to decide which mode sound better to you.



(Diagram extracted HERE)


----------



## SludgeSwan

ProfesseurMoriarty said:


> Hello,
> 
> @Andykong, sorry for the late answer.
> Yesterday I brought the amp to the store, so they could test it. And... they had no problem at all with it.
> ...



Thanks for the update, that's very interesting! I wonder what it is then that makes AKG headphones react in this way. Higher sensitivity?


----------



## SludgeSwan

Finally got my Meze Empyrean and hooked it up to the balanced output of the iHA-6 for the first time yesterday evening. There is no hiss or hum with this headphone, and I use the low gain - high current setting. Sounding great!


----------



## beemarman

SludgeSwan said:


> Finally got my Meze Empyrean and hooked it up to the balanced output of the iHA-6 for the first time yesterday evening. There is no hiss or hum with this headphone, and I use the low gain - high current setting. Sounding great!


Same here. Using this with my Meze Empyrean as well and it sounds bliss. Better amp than on my Chord TT2 for sure.


----------



## beemarman

Loving this combo a lot. For me I prefer the sound out of the Meze was connected to the Cayin using balanced cable, then when using the SE connection on the HugoTT2.


----------



## Andykong

beemarman said:


> Loving this combo a lot. For me I prefer the sound out of the Meze was connected to the Cayin using balanced cable, then when using the SE connection on the HugoTT2.



Thank you, we take that as a big compliment since TT2 is a well respected reference at their price point.


----------



## Melting735 (Apr 27, 2021)

SludgeSwan said:


> Finally got my Meze Empyrean and hooked it up to the balanced output of the iHA-6 for the first time yesterday evening. There is no hiss or hum with this headphone, and I use the low gain - high current setting. Sounding great!


I'm also using IHA-6 to drive empyream. It pairs Empy better than Feliks Elise. I have Jotunheim2 and Burson C3XR coming. I will do some more comparisons


----------



## uptildawn53

Melting735 said:


> I'm also using IHA-6 to drive empyream. It sounds better than Feliks Elise. I have Jotunheim2 and Burson C3XR coming. I will do some more comparisons





beemarman said:


> Same here. Using this with my Meze Empyrean as well and it sounds bliss. Better amp than on my Chord TT2 for sure.


----------



## SludgeSwan

Melting735 said:


> I'm also using IHA-6 to drive empyream. It pairs Empy better than Feliks Elise. I have Jotunheim2 and Burson C3XR coming. I will do some more comparisons



Would be interested in reading your impressions, particularly on the comparison between iHA-6 and Burson C3XR. Just compared the Cayin with the Topping A90, and to me the Cayin is the winner - better deep bass, almost the same level of detail, and better stage depth.


----------



## audiophonicshz

I love my iha-6. I paired it with a Topping D70 and Z1Rs. Man the bass control is out of this world. Tons of PRAT. Recently the amp developed a scratchy right channel as some have also gotten.  I bought it 2 years ago so I'm out of warranty.  Where can I go to get the amp repaired? I haven't gotten any dealer responses (US)

It would be such ashame to stop using the amp due to the scratchyness.  It seems to get worse as the longer the unit is powered on. Just a couple of hours. 

Has anyone had success repairing their amp or using a repair service?


----------



## audiophonicshz (May 27, 2021)

Melting735 said:


> I'm also using IHA-6 to drive empyream. It pairs Empy better than Feliks Elise. I have Jotunheim2 and Burson C3XR coming. I will do some more comparisons


Also interested as I've been looking into the Burson Soloist 3XP. I have a Singxer sa-1 that is also interesting. Its a different animal but a good addition to my collection.


----------



## Andykong

audiophonicshz said:


> I love my iha-6. I paired it with a Topping D70 and Z1Rs. Man the bass control is out of this world. Tons of PRAT. Recently the amp developed a scratchy right channel as some have also gotten.  I bought it 2 years ago so I'm out of warranty.  Where can I go to get the amp repaired? I haven't gotten any dealer responses (US)
> 
> It would be such ashame to stop using the amp due to the scratchyness.  It seems to get worse as the longer the unit is powered on. Just a couple of hours.
> 
> Has anyone had success repairing their amp or using a repair service?



Please email service@cayin.cn for repair and service support.

You have contacted your dealer already?  Did you purchased the amplifier from MusicTeck?


----------



## audiophonicshz

Thanks for your help! I purchased the amp from ebay, new, from. Ohio valley audio who said Final Audio USA was the importer. I will write the email you gave me to see if they can help.


----------



## Andykong

audiophonicshz said:


> Thanks for your help! I purchased the amp from ebay, new, from. Ohio valley audio who said Final Audio USA was the importer. I will write the email you gave me to see if they can help.



Final Audio US is our dealer for selected item, unfortunately I don't have the contact number or email of Final Audio US, you can email service@cayin.cn, tell them  your situation, they'll provide necessary information to connect you to the right person.


----------



## lambdastorm

Static and hum seem to be two recurring issues on this amp. I bought my first unit second-hand last December, in low-current mode there's a constant hum not unlike the transformer hum that completely goes away in high current mode. I returned it. I bought another one in March, it worked fine for a couple weeks, but to my shock the exact same issue resurfaced. I am very bummed.

I love Cayin as a brand and have owned many of their early products, but lately they've been releasing more and more gear for portable use that goes for astronomical prices. I really hope Cayin can go back to their roots and release another solid, affordable desktop product like the iHA-6. As great as it is, it needs an update.


----------



## Tobacco

Hi,

Is there any difference iHA6 vs iHA6 II? What major/minor upgrades or changes "II" model gets?

Thanks


----------



## Bob Ley

I never heard of the iHA6 II. Where did you see it?


----------



## Andykong

I never heard of the iHA6 II. Where did you see it? x2


----------



## Tobacco

Bob Ley said:


> I never heard of the iHA6 II. Where did you see it?


Here is russian Cayin website - https://cayin.ru/catalog/amp-dac/amplifier/iha-6ii/


----------



## audiophonicshz (Jun 24, 2021)

Andykong said:


> Please email service@cayin.cn for repair and service support.
> 
> You have contacted your dealer already?  Did you purchased the amplifier from MusicTeck?


Thanks Andy. I was able to get in contact with Final Audio in the US, and they sorted me out. Cayin and Final Audio have been amazing and very helpful sourcing a new iha-6. Burning it in right now! I sure missed its sound. So damn musical. Ohh the PRAT!

Funny story, while waiting for the iha-6, I purchased a Burson Soloist 3xp. While the Soloist is pretty outstanding, the Cayin is just as good.  Then I realized that the Cayin is about half the cost of the Burson!! I also tried a Singer SA-1 that while a very sweet amp, lacked power in the Low gain setting (which I use for the low impedance Z1r)

Kudos to Cayin for making an amp of outstanding quality and value! Really. Its just better than all amps in its price range and higher!


----------



## SludgeSwan

audiophonicshz said:


> Thanks Andy. I was able to get in contact with Final Audio in the US, and they sorted me out. Cayin and Final Audio have been amazing and very helpful sourcing a new iha-6. Burning it in right now! I sure missed its sound. So damn musical. Ohh the PRAT!
> 
> Funny story, while waiting for the iha-6, I purchased a Burson Soloist 3xp. While the Soloist is pretty outstanding, the Cayin is just as good.  Then I realized that the Cayin is about half the cost of the Burson!! I also tried a Singer SA-1 that while a very sweet amp, lacked power in the Low gain setting (which I use for the low impedance Z1r)
> 
> Kudos to Cayin for making an amp of outstanding quality and value! Really. Its just better than all amps in its price range and higher!



Interesting to read about your comparison between the Burson Soloist 3xp and the Cayin! Can you elaborate a bit more about how the two compare? It reads like they have quite a similar sound signature.


----------



## audiophonicshz

SludgeSwan said:


> Interesting to read about your comparison between the Burson Soloist 3xp and the Cayin! Can you elaborate a bit more about how the two compare? It reads like they have quite a similar sound signature.


They actually are quite similar. Differences are small, changes in the holographic music projection. The Burson Soloist 3xp has a larger soundstage and presence. The music hits harder and almost shakes you.  I attribute the Soloist's ample power and wide bandwidth design.

The Cayin iHA-6 has a smaller soundstage, due to the mids are more forward with excellent clarity, this effect synergizes with the PRAT to make for a very musical, more forward presentation than the Soloist. The Bass and Sub-bass of the iHA-6 is slightly less than the Soloist, but it has a livelier presentation and PRAT. 

I am feeding them with a Gustard A22, which is very resolving.


----------



## Minkypou

i just sold my jotunheim 2 to try this amp with my focal clear , looks amazing and well built , i hope it will pair well with my clears + e30


----------



## NoNameNPC

Hi, I now have Gustard H10 and want buy this one, is Cayin have wider soundstage?


----------



## Foulcher (Sep 13, 2021)

Hello,

This one was somewhat an impulse purchase - as I am a completionnist and really, really curious about this one. In fact, this not really that a usless purchase as my new DAP (FiiO M11 Plus) is not that powerful plus I live somewhat in two places, so I did not return this even if maybe I should have... 

First remark : my unit is not noisy at all and I have either been really lucky with my Cayin gear, or problems are rare, or even my very slight tinnitus covers it (I doubt it as I am pretty sensitive to noise but who knows ?). I only used it unbalanced with all combinations of settings and outputs (low and high impedance) and all is OK.

I am pretty happy with the power of this thing, it seems to drive my AKG 712 Pro really fine, surely better that the FiiO alone or than the (closer-sounding) motherboard. I do not know how to descirbe it but there seems to be more resolution and a cleaner signal overall (with better separation also), this is particularly clear on the AKG. Actually, I did not really liked the K712 but with this I actually like what I hear, I do not know why since it goes against my beliefs but the overall difference makes it sound "full" where I found it a bit lacking. 

The combination with the iDac-6 Mk2 is quite an interesting pair since I can chose tube sound (which is really better for the Sennheiser 560S but not that greath with the AKG) or SS sound (which is  better for AKG 712 Pro). Of course, a real tube amp like HA-1A Mk2 produces a more refined sound, but overall we got a similar experience with the benefit of a very versatile and powerful gear with the i-series stack.










If I can confirm that there is no noise with the balanced setting, that seems to be a pretty solid endgame candidate : plenty of power, no colour added to the sound, very solid performance, not that expensive (for Hifi gear), very good form factor, good-looking.


----------



## Andykong

Foulcher said:


> Hello,
> 
> This one was somewhat an impulse purchase - as I am a completionnist and really, really curious about this one. In fact, this not really that a usless purchase as my new DAP (FiiO M11 Plus) is not that powerful plus I live somewhat in two places, so I did not return this even if maybe I should have...
> 
> ...



Your AKG is pretty much single-ended by design, you can use a custom make Dual XLR3 to 6.35mm female adapter to try out the balanced output from iHA-6, you won't enjoy balanced driver out of it, but you get a significantly lower output impedance from the dual XLR3 output, this should improve the overall control and offer tighter bass.  Using balanced for Senn 560S is straight forward, you can change the headphone cable or re-terminate the cable to XLR4.  Worth a try in IMHO.

I think the biggest advantage of adding iHA6 to your chain is to open up the opportunity to try out some demanding headphones such as HEDDphone.  Alternatively if you run into a pair of second hand HiFiman HE6, definitely considered it seriously, the iHA-6 is one of the few compact headphone amplifier that can deliver impressive dynamic form this power hungry planar.


----------



## Foulcher

Yes I intend to purchase more demanding headphones in the future (I did not know about HEDDphone, at first I thought you made a typo but they seem to be pretty solid candidates), for now I am pretty satisfied but it is clear that my gear is oversized for my current headphones overall. I will receive a Denon D5200 to use in my office but they are only 24 Ohm and really sensitive so it is even a worse use case.  I will receive a Beyer XLR4 balanced cable in many weeks so I will try it out of curiosity with the Denon. I will also receive XLR3 connectors to try it with the iDAC-6 MK2 even if I do not intend to use it in this stack as the i-series feels just too big to my eyes if we add the HA-1A Mk2 also.

For now I consider HE6se, HD800S (or HD820) and now HEDDPhone thanks to your post. I am not yet really motivated - especially because what I hear from these two headphones is now almost perfect to me - and I did not looked into it that much and I should make a pause now after all these purchases.


----------



## BokTroy

Andykong said:


> The XLR4 connector only provides R+, R-, L+, L- signal, it doesn't have GROUND signal in the connection.  If you want to make an adapter for single-ended headphone, you need to have GROUND signal.  If you have to do it, maybe you can custom make an adapter from the dual XLR balanced phone output, You can get R+ and GROUND from the right XLR3 output, and L+ from the left XLR3 output.  This will work technically.  The dual XLR3 and XLR4 are based on identical circuit, so their output impedance are the same as well.


Hi Andy. I'm really interested in the iHA-6 as my possible endgame Solid State amp. The build, power, features and sound performance are all very appealing but I would like to be able to utilize the dual 3 pins in the front for single ended use. Do you know if a dual mono 1/4" to stereo adapter like this:https://www.amazon.com/SiYear-Stereo-Splitter-Breakout-Cable（50CM/dp/B08WRZFJJ1 would work?


----------



## project86

You can just use one or the other as a 1/4 inch jack. No adapter needed.


----------



## BokTroy

project86 said:


> You can just use one or the other as a 1/4 inch jack. No adapter needed.


Can I use the adapter to gain access to the balanced output benefits (power, dynamics, ect...) but using the 3XLR ports like Andy has previously mentioned? He said that you could technically run a single ended headphone out of the the 3XLR ports with a custom XLR adapter but I was trying to make my own adapter with various parts sourced online.


----------



## capetownwatches (Oct 8, 2021)

Late to the Cayin party here but hey, better late as they say!

About a week ago I was fortunate to be offered a demo iHA-6 by the local agents for evaluation.
Thanks Lumous Audio! You knew what you were doing...

I shall put more words into writing shortly but for now, suffice to say this amp has impressed me immensely.
How impressed? Long story short, I have just paid them for my own unit and await delivery.

I've heard MANY excellent amps and this one absolutely belongs amongst the very best I've experienced.


----------



## capetownwatches (Oct 13, 2021)

I don't recall this being asked and answered but it may be of interest.

@Andykong  I am in the habit of leaving my iHA-6 (and other SS gear) powered up for fairly long stretches.
As in 48 - 72 hours and sometimes longer...
I've run some Audio-gd and other gears for a couple of weeks continuously on occasion.

I'm aware of the effects of heat on components, but would hope that this amp is built to deal with this type of usage.
It does get quite warm for a Class AB amp, which leads me to think it resides deep in Class A territory most of the time.

As mine is still very new, will this perhaps be a good way of burning it in?
(I just hate turning it off...) 

What would you recommend? And thanks!


----------



## capetownwatches

Could anyone tell me if it is safe to power the iHA-6 up and down with headphones connected?
I realise it has a soft start function, but force of habit tells me to always disconnect first.


----------



## SludgeSwan

capetownwatches said:


> Could anyone tell me if it is safe to power the iHA-6 up and down with headphones connected?
> I realise it has a soft start function, but force of habit tells me to always disconnect first.



I never disconnect my headphones before powering on/off the amp. No problems so far.
I'm also still very impressed with this amp. It might not have the level of detail of, let's say, an RME ADI-2 or a Topping A90, but the high current function just sounds so great with planars!


----------



## capetownwatches

I must say I did not enjoy the A90 that much during the 2 weeks or so I had it.
Extremely competent and powerful but ultimately too clinical for my liking (not nearly at THX 789 levels though).

The iHA-6 using high current setting and low gain + Resonessence Concero + THX-X00 MH balanced is one heckuva nice rig for Rock/Metal.
The Fostex just lurves the current and rewards with tighter, more defined bass and a more controlled, even cleaner high end without a hint of sibilance.


----------



## capetownwatches (Dec 6, 2021)

SludgeSwan said:


> I never disconnect my headphones before powering on/off the amp. No problems so far.
> I'm also still very impressed with this amp. It might not have the level of detail of, let's say, an RME ADI-2 or a Topping A90, but the high current function just sounds so great with planars!


When in doubt, read the manual...where it clearly states:

"Extensive protection to amplifier and headphone through comprehensive protection circuit including output DC offset voltage, delay mute when power up, and noise compensation when power down."

I rest assured.
Being the curious type, I have another query, this time relating to SE input impedance.

I use the Resonessence Concero which has an output impedance of 300 Ohm.
Wondering if this has any effect on the synergy with iHA-6, which is quoted as having an input SENSITIVITY of 620mV (High Current, High Gain).
The Concero outputs a maximum 1.2V.


----------



## capetownwatches

I put a few thoughts down in writing:

iHA-6 Review


----------



## GoKart

I recently went on an amp shopping spree. I've been jumping between my three favourites for a few weeks now (Singxer SA-1, Audio-gd Master 19, Cayin iHA-6). All using either a 2Qute or Hugo TT.
Although the Cayin doesn't have any pre-amp features (a deal breaker for me), it's definitely the one I'm keeping over the other two. It can control my balanced 990 600 Ohm so much better than the other two amps. Those cans come off a little sibilant on the Audio-gd and are kinda woolly on the Singxer. That's running both of the those amps high gain/at or near full volume. The Cayin doesn't need to go past 12 o'clock to drive that headphone to unlistenable volumes. Well controlled low end and highs. Seems to make cans more dynamic too; got quite the pleasant surprise when I jumped onto CoD at the weekend running my 560s on the Cayin - punchy!


----------



## capetownwatches (Jun 4, 2022)

I was wondering what the current output specs were for the iHA-6?
I haven't seen any mention of this in the thread.

@Andykong would these numbers be available? For both current modes (low/normal and high).
Would be great to know.


----------



## xtiva

Newcomer to the IHA-6 amp.. just got a used one today.. man this amp has power, on High gain I can't go anything higher than 10 o'clock using my Susvara!!

quick question, in terms of the Current output setting, Low Current seems to sound better with Susvara, cleaner treble, and wider soundstage...  on a High current amp sounds much warmer than low current with lesser soundstage width.....


----------



## capetownwatches

xtiva said:


> Newcomer to the IHA-6 amp.. just got a used one today.. man this amp has power, on High gain I can't go anything higher than 10 o'clock using my Susvara!!
> 
> quick question, in terms of the Current output setting, Low Current seems to sound better with Susvara, cleaner treble, and wider soundstage...  on a High current amp sounds much warmer than low current with lesser soundstage width.....


Welcome to the Cayin Club! I'm sure that you will enjoy the IHA-6 more and more as you get familiar with it.
Suzy at 60 Ohm impedance needs power more than current, so low (normal) current setting "ought" to work better.
High current setting reduces power output quite significantly, and the Susvara needs as much powa as it can get!

At 65 Ohm the IHA-6 delivers 3.6W in high current mode and a stonking 5.8W in low current mode according to the company's own specs.
Enjoy your new amp! 🍻


----------



## xtiva

capetownwatches said:


> Welcome to the Cayin Club! I'm sure that you will enjoy the IHA-6 more and more as you get familiar with it.
> Suzy at 60 Ohm impedance needs power more than current, so low (normal) current setting "ought" to work better.
> High current setting reduces power output quite significantly, and the Susvara needs as much powa as it can get!
> 
> ...


Oh thanks for the information... yap that extra power might be the reason for better sound on low current mode 

Thanks.


----------



## xtiva

The more I listen to this amp, the more I am amazed at the amp.  

I have purchased a lot of these so called, value-for-money amps, like Topping A90, DX7, EX5, A30pro, Drop THX789, Singxer SA-1, Gustard H16, SMSL SP400, SP200, SH-8. These were good for the money but when compared to more expensive amps like Phonitor X or Sparkos Aries, there were big enough differences in one way or another to tell that these were valued for money amps and to be compared in that group.  These didn't last more than a couple of weeks for that reason... So kind of gave on buying any more of these, but bought this anyway as this was one of the amps that can drive Susvara easily..

IHA-6, on the other hand, can really compete with these much more expensive amps.   Was very skeptical before getting this as I have not had that good of experiences with so-called, value for money amps, but this amp has blown me away. Has very great power, tonality, and soundstage.  

With selectable current mode, I can enjoy warmer tonality with high current mode and a more neutral tonality with low current mode, like having 2 different amps.  For my ears, this is true for Susvara and HD800/S which I have tried so far.

My only wish is, color, I have made sure everything in my head-fi rack is black but now I have one Silver device in my rack....
Another is, remote control, at least for the volume.... 

Just a quick thought on the amp and yeah, this amp is definitely a keeper!!!


----------



## xtiva (Jun 9, 2022)

The more I listen more I am loving the amp... until I see that color mismatch in my rack...   Might have to look at IHD-6 maybe 

By the way, the comment on soundstage looks to be just a volume mismatch between 2 current modes... but high current seems to increase bass impact for HD800/s & Susvara..


----------



## dadracer2

xtiva said:


> The more I listen more I am loving the amp... until I see that color mismatch in my rack...   Might have to look at IHD-6 maybe
> 
> By the comment on soundstage looks to be just a volume mismatch between 2 current modes... but high current seems to increase bass impact for HD800/s & Susvara..


How do you find it in compares with your Sparkos and SPL amps?


----------



## xtiva

dadracer2 said:


> How do you find it in compares with your Sparkos and SPL amps?



Sparkos is a beautifully sounding amp but just not able to drive Susvara..  very neutral with great sound stage width...  so have sold Sparkos now.. its great with HD800/s.

Phonitor has been my main amp for few years and though IHA-6 is very very close Phonitor has little edge when it comes to detail retrieval and the soundstage both width and depth.....for classical music,  but difference is not that big.. IHA-6 seems to have better bass impact though...  so some might prefer the sound of IHA-6 for this reason.. , 

But for ears Phonitor for classical music and vocal with IHA-6 ..

Thanks.


----------



## dadracer2

xtiva said:


> Sparkos is a beautifully sounding amp but just not able to drive Susvara..  very neutral with great sound stage width...  so have sold Sparkos now.. its great with HD800/s.
> 
> Phonitor has been my main amp for few years and though IHA-6 is very very close Phonitor has little edge when it comes to detail retrieval and the soundstage both width and depth.....for classical music,  but difference is not that big.. IHA-6 seems to have better bass impact though...  so some might prefer the sound of IHA-6 for this reason.. ,
> 
> ...


I had an iHA6 for quite a while then changed my home office set up for something more transportable so switched to another Cayin amp the C9.


----------



## LikeABell

Hello guys, I am seriously considering this amp. My current headphones are HE1000v2 and HD800.
I would really appreciate some impressions on how this amp pairs with the HE1000v2.
Thanks


----------



## capetownwatches (Jun 7, 2022)

LikeABell said:


> Hello guys, I am seriously considering this amp. My current headphones are HE1000v2 and HD800.
> I would really appreciate some impressions on how this amp pairs with the HE1000v2.
> Thanks


I don't own a HEKv2 however I would suggest that the iHA-6 is a near perfect match.
It was made to drive low impedance planar headphones in high current mode and outputs around 5W into 32 Ohms.
Substantially more in low current mode, should you require it.

The 35 Ohm/90db HEKv2 is a pig to drive but the Cayin shouldn't raise a sweat in low gain.

By all means send your HEKv2 to me for a thorough analysis...


----------



## xtiva

capetownwatches said:


> I don't own a HEKv2 however I would suggest that the iHA-6 is a near perfect match.
> It was made to drive low impedance planar headphones in high current mode and outputs around 5W into 32 Ohms.
> Substantially more in low current mode, should you require it.
> 
> ...



I believe this amp is made for hard-to-drive planner headphones.. I am using this amp with Susvara it drives really well with great dynamic and body to the sound 

HE 1000 v2 being efficient, this amp should have no issue driving it


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## LikeABell

Thanks a lot for the replies guys! I just placed the order, I should have it in my possession in 2-3 days.
Can't wait!

Quick question, I have an HD800 with only a SE cable, which SE output would yield the best results?


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## xtiva

LikeABell said:


> Thanks a lot for the replies guys! I just placed the order, I should have it in my possession in 2-3 days.
> Can't wait!
> 
> Quick question, I have an HD800 with only a SE cable, which SE output would yield the best results?



Unfortunately, SE didn't bring out the best of my HD800.. just tested my HD800 via SE for the very first time but I will stay with Balanced... balanced definitely opens up the sound not day and night but is definitely noticeable...  Balanced more than triple of power compared to SE, 2200mW vs 7000mW in low current mode...


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## LikeABell (Jun 10, 2022)

Hi everyone, I just received my amp an hour ago and I was really enjoying the sound. But, I started to get a lot of static, cracks and pops in the left channel. It stays constant even when the volume knob is at the lowest position. I can hear it on all three outputs.
It actually comes and goes in cycles.. has anyone else experienced this?
I guess my amp is faulty??


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## capetownwatches

That's very disappointing indeed. My amp is absolutely silent and yours should be too.
I cannot guess what might have caused this but if your amp is brand new perhaps let it play for some hours.
With luck it may settle down.

Obviously check all inputs and sources as well.


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## dadracer2

Yes, indeed. Check all cables and even swap right cables to left and if it persists on the same channel then it's probably the amp. If it is the amp can you easily return it to the dealer?


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## LikeABell (Jun 10, 2022)

Deleted


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## LikeABell

dadracer2 said:


> Yes, indeed. Check all cables and even swap right cables to left and if it persists on the same channel then it's probably the amp. If it is the amp can you easily return it to the dealer?





capetownwatches said:


> That's very disappointing indeed. My amp is absolutely silent and yours should be too.
> I cannot guess what might have caused this but if your amp is brand new perhaps let it play for some hours.
> With luck it may settle down.
> 
> Obviously check all inputs and sources as well.


The static is actually quite loud so I don't want to risk damaging my headphones (HE1000v2 and HD800). It's happening even when no music is playing.
I've raised a return request.
It was also the last piece that the dealer had with him, so I'll probably have to get some other amp now. :/


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## capetownwatches

With my 25Ohm TH-X00 connected via 4 pin balanced and using low gain/high current, I can turn the pot fully up and the amp is scarily silent.
Considering the power on tap this is quite an achievement with a very low impedance headphone like the Fostex.

Changing to high gain and I can instantly hear a slight hiss, which increases slightly as gain is increased.
However, one would need to be a total masochist to use high gain with this headphone...


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## capetownwatches

LikeABell said:


> The static is actually quite loud so I don't want to risk damaging my headphones (HE1000v2 and HD800). It's happening even when no music is playing.
> I've raised a return request.
> It was also the last piece that the dealer had with him, so I'll probably have to get some other amp now. :/


I realise this experience might well have turned you off the Cayin, but I would urge you to try swap it for another.

I have not heard anything else in the price range that sounds better and/or has a better feature set.


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## LikeABell

capetownwatches said:


> I realise this experience might well have turned you off the Cayin, but I would urge you to try swap it for another.
> 
> I have not heard anything else in the price range that sounds better and/or has a better feature set.


I'm actually quite sad right now because it sounded so good.
I'll try and see if I can get a replacement.
Thanks!


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## xtiva

LikeABell said:


> Hi everyone, I just received my amp an hour ago and I was really enjoying the sound. But, I started to get a lot of static, cracks and pops in the left channel. It stays constant even when the volume knob is at the lowest position. I can hear it on all three outputs.
> It actually comes and goes in cycles.. has anyone else experienced this?
> I guess my amp is faulty??


So sorry to hear that man... as someone else has suggested I would try using a different cable, and source, if only one DAC may be trying XLR or RCA?

Just tested the amp with HE1000SE & HE6Se at my friend's home and both headphones sounded so nice... looks like it is made for Hifiman headphones...  don't you have any old crappy headphones/earphones that you could use for testing only?


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## capetownwatches

I shall hopefully soon be able to put the HE6seV2 properly through it's paces with the iHA-6.
This is something I have been looking forward to for a while now, ever since my mate got his pair.

He may not get them back...


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## xtiva

capetownwatches said:


> I shall hopefully soon be able to put the HE6seV2 properly through it's paces with the iHA-6.
> This is something I have been looking forward to for a while now, ever since my mate got his pair.
> 
> He may not get them back...



Oh yeah, you will love the sound coming out of IHA6 with HE6SE V2.    Amp seems to bring out the best of Hififman headphones, Susvara, He6SE, and HE1000SE all just sound so nice 

Please let us know your thought after listening but yeah most likely you would keep it for a long time


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## LikeABell

xtiva said:


> So sorry to hear that man... as someone else has suggested I would try using a different cable, and source, if only one DAC may be trying XLR or RCA?
> 
> Just tested the amp with HE1000SE & HE6Se at my friend's home and both headphones sounded so nice... looks like it is made for Hifiman headphones...  don't you have any old crappy headphones/earphones that you could use for testing only?


I actually connected my previous amp again and once again, everything is back to being dead silent - same cable, same DAC..
So there's definitely something wrong with my amp sadly.


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## LikeABell

So update on my unit, turns out the transistors in the left channel were faulty. Sad.


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## capetownwatches

LikeABell said:


> So update on my unit, turns out the transistors in the left channel were faulty. Sad.


I feel your pain...it must be very rare for one of these to fail out of the box.

By the sound of it ("static, cracks and pops") there was probably a short on the board somewhere which developed shortly after initial power up.
Really bad luck.


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## LikeABell

capetownwatches said:


> I feel your pain...it must be very rare for one of these to fail out of the box.
> 
> By the sound of it ("static, cracks and pops") there was probably a short on the board somewhere which developed shortly after initial power up.
> Really bad luck.


At least, it didn't fry any of my headphones. And I got a full refund.
So it's not too bad!


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## Gangstel

LikeABell said:


> Hi everyone, I just received my amp an hour ago and I was really enjoying the sound. But, I started to get a lot of static, cracks and pops in the left channel. It stays constant even when the volume knob is at the lowest position. I can hear it on all three outputs.
> It actually comes and goes in cycles.. has anyone else experienced this?
> I guess my amp is faulty??


I just have gotten the same problem  Everything was fine during 1 week of usage, but today the noise started after another switching on. I hope my local repair service will help me with it.


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## Gangstel

Gangstel said:


> I just have gotten the same problem  Everything was fine during 1 week of usage, but today the noise started after another switching on. I hope my local repair service will help me with it.


Urgent update. Just tried to plug another power cable from other power distributor and hiss is gone  It made my day.


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## capetownwatches

Gangstel said:


> Urgent update. Just tried to plug another power cable from other power distributor and hiss is gone  It made my day.


Good to hear!

Troubleshooting 101, Rule 1: unplug everything!

However, that does not explain the hiss - power distributor on the fritz?

Gotta be very careful with power...it's a pretty vital component of this whole shebang!


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## Spee2k

I'm thinking of getting this amp but I'm growing increasingly worried with all these hiss/buzz issues being reported


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## capetownwatches

Spee2k said:


> I'm thinking of getting this amp but I'm growing increasingly worried with all these hiss/buzz issues being reported


I can only speak for myself but my iHA-6 has had no issues at all from new.
I use it daily and for such a powerful amp it is dead silent even on maximum gain.

Frankly I would not let a few negative experiences influence my decision to purchase.


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## Asterisk3095 (Jul 24, 2022)

I've been looking at this amplifier (and the IDAC-6 MK2) as a possible future purchase (looking at a few different amplifiers). However, when I look at Cayin's website there appears to be no US distributor of their amplifiers. Strangely enough, there is also no information on Cayin's warranty either. Earlier in this Head-fi thread there are also people talking about how getting a 120v version automatically revokes the warranty which adds even more to my confusion.

So basically, I'd like to know:

1. What is Cayin's warranty policy? Will getting a 120v version of any of their products actually void the warranty? If the warranty is voided by getting the 120v version, is it safe to use the 230v version with a US wall outlet?

2. Does Cayin repair products that are out of warranty (at the owner's expense of course)?

3. I noticed that ZMF Headphones had this amplifier in stock. Is ZMF a authorized distributor of Cayin products? If not, then what service should I purchase Cayin products from if I do live in the US?


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## capetownwatches

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/cayin-iha-6.21536/reviews#review-27836

@erics75 reply in the comments section of my review got me thinking that I need to check this out.

So I made myself a balanced to 1/4" adapter cable (Amphenol TRS plug, Neutrik 4 pin female XLR and a half meter of Mogami 2549 - job done).
Using the 120Ohm SE output with HD6xx initial impressions are...very positive!

There's definitely a heftier, rounder bottom end but no bleed into mids and no loss of detail (not that the HD6xx is the most resolving headphone to begin with).
Yes, it's a tad warmer but I like it!
Yes, I would say slightly more euphonic (OK, tube-like) which was precisely the result I was hoping for.
HF seem to be largely untouched, but that's perhaps due to me not hearing much above 13kHz...

I will need a bit more time to hear if I can pick up on any LF nasties, but so far, so good.


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## Andykong

Asterisk3095 said:


> I've been looking at this amplifier (and the IDAC-6 MK2) as a possible future purchase (looking at a few different amplifiers). However, when I look at Cayin's website there appears to be no US distributor of their amplifiers. Strangely enough, there is also no information on Cayin's warranty either. Earlier in this Head-fi thread there are also people talking about how getting a 120v version automatically revokes the warranty which adds even more to my confusion.
> 
> So basically, I'd like to know:
> 
> ...



Sorry for my late response, I missed your question until now.

ZMF is our authorized US dealer and *MusicTeck* is another option.  You should be able to order iHA-6 from them.  If they don't have any stock on hand, they can place an order for you but that will take a slightly longer time.

We provide repair service or part/components support for our amplifiers indefinitely.  The cost might be a bit high as you need to send the product back to China and the shipping cost probably will cost you more than the repair cost we charge at our factory nowadays.

Cayin offers a limited nontransferable warranty to all products sold through an authorized dealer.  The warranty is only valid at the original place of purchase.  In other words, if you purchase a Cayin amplifier in US, the warranty will only cover within US territory.  Alternatively, if you purchase the amplifier from China and ship it to US, the warranty will remain at China and the amplifier will receive no warranty coverage in US.


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## 9bphillips

I am interested in this amp but I would like to know what other amps this amp can compare to? Burson Soloist 3xp? Topping A90?


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## capetownwatches

9bphillips said:


> I am interested in this amp but I would like to know what other amps this amp can compare to? Burson Soloist 3xp? Topping A90?


It's possibly right between the two - I would guess a touch more accurate than the Burson but not as clinical as the Topping.

I prefer it to the A90 by a large margin. Perhaps I'm in the minority but I didn't enjoy the A90 much. The Cayin is a superior amp.
Perhaps the new discrete version injects some soul into it.

I've not heard the 3X P but I've listened to a number of others and there is a definite "house sound" there.
Very enjoyable amps I thought, even the little Playmate 2, but I prefer the Cayin.

I would agree with John Grandberg that it's very comparable to the now venerable Auralic Taurus Mk2 (at much lower cost it must be said).


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## 9bphillips (Sep 10, 2022)

capetownwatches said:


> It's possibly right between the two - I would guess a touch more accurate than the Burson but not as clinical as the Topping.
> 
> I prefer it to the A90 by a large margin. Perhaps I'm in the minority but I didn't enjoy the A90 much. The Cayin is a superior amp.
> Perhaps the new discrete version injects some soul into it.
> ...


I haven't heard topping myself but it's a well known amp so I just threw it out there for example. I had a Soloist 3xp and a Soloist GT  which was beast of an amp but I sold it because I do most of my listening on my WA22 and because I wanted to but the ZMF Atrium.  I am mainly looking at the iha-6 because I own the Verite Closed and Atrium and I've been told they pair well with them because of the higher output impedance. From what i understand the lower output impedance in ss amps causes a higher dampening factor.


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## Andykong

9bphillips said:


> I haven't heard topping myself but it's a well known amp so I just threw it out there for example. I had a Soloist 3xp and a Soloist GT  which was beast of an amp but I sold it because I do most of my listening on my WA22 and because I wanted to but the ZMF Atrium.  I am mainly looking at the iha-6 because I own the Verite Closed and Atrium and I've been told they pair well with them because of the higher output impedance. From what i understand the lower output impedance in ss amps causes a higher dampening factor.



because of the higher output impedance?  I assume you are referring to the "High" impedance 6.35mm phone output.  If you are going to use XLR4 or dual XLR3 balanced phone output, the output impedance is around 1 Ohm only.


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## capetownwatches (Sep 10, 2022)

Many were a bit puzzled at Cayin's use of 10Ohm and 120Ohm 6.5mm outputs respectively, as was I initially.
When I plugged my HD6xx into the high impedance output however it all became clear.
The higher damping factor has a definite effect on the 300Ohm Sennheisers which I enjoy.
Deeper bass, even smoother mids and highs and a touch of warmth without adding veil or losing detail.
Not that the Senns are the most resolving cans in the world anyway - this is a fun tweak to be used with the right music.
Acoustic and Female vocal benefit amongst other similar genres.


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## 9bphillips

Andykong said:


> because of the higher output impedance?  I assume you are referring to the "High" impedance 6.35mm phone output.  If you are going to use XLR4 or dual XLR3 balanced phone output, the output impedance is around 1 Ohm only.


Yes exactly.  I read the output impedance on low single ended is 10 ohms and high single ended is 120 ohms. That seems like it would be better with my 300 ohm ZMF Atrium and VC than most amps that have an output impedance of below 1. Balanced was .3 ohms is what i read so it seems as if single ended would be the way to go for me.


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## alokjuyal

Hi, 
I use my Hugo2 + iHA6 to drive the Heddphones which sound brilliant powered by the Cayin. I just moved to the bay area earlier this year from Asia and Cayin/Zeppelin Audio were kind enough to send me a conversion kit to turn the amp from 220V to 110V but recommended I get it done by a professional. So now I am looking for said professional  Any counsel is welcome.


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## domiji

Hello IHA-6 owners 🤩

I got my IHA-6 and noticed that something is „loose“ inside the device when I flip it backwards…

Does anyone know how to open it?

Thanks for your help and have a good one…


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## capetownwatches

domiji said:


> Hello IHA-6 owners 🤩
> 
> I got my IHA-6 and noticed that something is „loose“ inside the device when I flip it backwards…
> 
> ...


So just don't flip it backwards...

Seriously though, I've no idea but can't be too hard.
Here's a pic of the underside with bottom plate removed FWIW (pic credit: Goldensound)


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## gr4474

Has anyone compared this to a D90 discrete, or a Jotunheim 2?


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## nghenhac

I dont have them anymore, but I will give an edge to iha6, it has more power over the d90, treble is clear and cleaner campare to d90 and jotungeim. 
However, I can hear the differences between iha6 vs jotuheim. With iha6 vs d90 they both almost similar.


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## capetownwatches

gr4474 said:


> Has anyone compared this to a D90 discrete, or a Jotunheim 2?


I think you meant to say *A*90 Discrete..?
Of course the D90 is a DAC.

I haven't heard the A90D but compared to the OG A90 the Cayin amp is smoother and more accomplished to my ears.
I found the A90 to be a tad clinical and fatiguing personally whereas I can listen to the iHA-6 ad infinitum.


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## gr4474

capetownwatches said:


> I think you meant to say *A*90 Discrete..?
> Of course the D90 is a DAC.
> 
> I haven't heard the A90D but compared to the OG A90 the Cayin amp is smoother and more accomplished to my ears.
> I found the A90 to be a tad clinical and fatiguing personally whereas I can listen to the iHA-6 ad infinitum.


Yes the A90. I've been obsessing over an amp and dac purchase for the past few days, and up very late.


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## gr4474

nghenhac said:


> I dont have them anymore, but I will give an edge to iha6, it has more power over the d90, treble is clear and cleaner campare to d90 and jotungeim.
> However, I can hear the differences between iha6 vs jotuheim. With iha6 vs d90 they both almost similar.


Do you mind explaining the difference between Iha6 and jotuheim? It would help a ton.


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## nghenhac

Iha6 is more balanced in all frequencies. Jotunheim is a little bit on mid frequency, so some songs I feel it is shouty.


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## gr4474 (Nov 26, 2022)

nghenhac said:


> Iha6 is more balanced in all frequencies. Jotunheim is a little bit on mid frequency, so some songs I feel it is shouty.


I love the internal build, and it sounds like an good amp for me. I've contacted @Andykong and just need conformation about honoring possible warranty details.


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## gr4474 (Nov 26, 2022)

Andykong said:


> ZMF is our authorized US dealer and *MusicTeck* is another option.  You should be able to order iHA-6 from them.  If they don't have any stock on hand, they can place an order for you but that will take a slightly longer time.
> .......
> Cayin offers a limited nontransferable warranty to all products sold through an authorized dealer.  The warranty is only valid at the original place of purchase.  In other words, if you purchase a Cayin amplifier in US, the warranty will only cover within US territory.  Alternatively, if you purchase the amplifier from China and ship it to US, the warranty will remain at China and the amplifier will receive no warranty coverage in US.


Edit: I have to buy from ZMF. MusicTeck doesn't carry it. I wonder if they too many warranty claims. Sorry to take over the thread


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## JaquesGelee (Dec 21, 2022)

Hey,

I got an iHA-6 (Loaner) here actually. I've been experiencing some crazy things over the past few weeks.
I also think I read something about it here. however, can't find it anymore!? Among others from @Andykong, if i remember right.

It doesn`t matter, which headphone, cable or hp output i use. I rule out the connected dac and interconnects as well.

Starting with the iHA-6 at Low Gain/ High Current. Sounds the best to me using HFM Arya f.e.. I get a clearly perceptible hum, when i switch to high gain, low gain is silent.
But sometimes it is the other way around. Hum on Low Gain, nothing on high gain. Current mode the same. Depending on the song, bass or whatever it triggers, i get a sound like bass distortion and/ or a hissing noise. Changing gain and/or current back and forth usually fixes it.

If i use dynamic driver hp`s f.e., i get a hissing noise/ a bit like pink noise (no hum), which sounds really weird. Switching modes usually fixes this too. But high current for dynamic drivers?
Also here, the other way around from time to time. So, no clear procedure overall.

Any suggestions as to what it is or how to fix or even prevent it. A defect?

Thank you.

Cheers


*Aunt Edit(h):*
_I'm going to put this together from the forum below to get to the bottom of it all._

- User Asukara mentioned one of the named issues here: Link
-- Answer from @Andykong about High Current - Low Impedance/ Sensitive HP´s: Link
--- High Current for several days to test: Link
---- SQ gets bad? Low Current, High Gain: Link

- Later evaluation, @yenrios: Link
-- next one(s): Link, Link, Link, Link and follow-up posts


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## xtiva

Haven't tried mine with Arya but have tried with HE1KSE but didn't hear any hiss/hum using whichever mode I used.  This is with XLR output.. never tried 1/4" output..

may be let it warm up a bit?


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## capetownwatches

This is really weird and I can only think that your unit may be faulty in some way.
I have no noise issues whatsoever with my 14 month old unit.

Using balanced connection from Yulong D18 I can max the pot in all modes and the unit is utterly silent.
Using SE from the same DAC I can hear a slight hiss at full volume only in high gain.
This is with HD650 (300Z) and TH-X00 (25Z) so impedance isn't the issue.
The only planar I've tried thus far was the HE400se and no issues there either.

I'm not technical enough to offer a possible explanation for what you're experiencing.
To my mind it sounds like connections or power supply might be possible reasons.


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## Andykong

JaquesGelee said:


> Hey,
> 
> I got an iHA-6 (Loaner) here actually. I've been experiencing some crazy things over the past few weeks.
> I also think I read something about it here. however, can't find it anymore!? Among others from @Andykong, if i remember right.
> ...


Sounds like a defeated unit to me, the problems you described are way different from previous low gain low current noise problem.


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## JaquesGelee (Dec 21, 2022)

xtiva said:


> Haven't tried mine with Arya but have tried with HE1KSE but didn't hear any hiss/hum using whichever mode I used.  This is with XLR output.. never tried 1/4" output..
> 
> may be let it warm up a bit?


Got a run yesterday from about six hours with several headphones, so warm up should be long enough. 
The hum noise is only noticeable on high gain. I use Dual 3PIN BAL Out.



capetownwatches said:


> This is really weird and I can only think that your unit may be faulty in some way.
> I have no noise issues whatsoever with my 14 month old unit.
> 
> Using balanced connection from Yulong D18 I can max the pot in all modes and the unit is utterly silent.
> ...


That's what I'm trying to find out. It doesn't always happen, except for the buzzing noise. but that can also partly be due to the electricity in the house/ grounding issue.
I got no experiences so far with purifiers
the (white) noise occurs sporadically and currently only with dynamic headphones, 32-80 ohms.



Andykong said:


> Sounds like a defeated unit to me, the problems you described are way different from previous low gain low current noise problem.


How do you come to this conclusion directly?
I have now skimmed the last forty-five pages. I also edited the initial post for maybe a possible solution here. The "issues" have increased with the last few pages. Although they would have to be checked first. So please don't misunderstand.

I sued Dual 3Pin XLR BAL out and 4Pin XLR Out HP stock cables. The (white) noise only occurs sporadically with DD headphones (32-80 Ohm range so far) independant from used current/ gain mode.

Is there any thing to try/ find out/ test or is the unit really done? If yes, warranty ran out definetly.

Thank you


----------



## Chodi

JaquesGelee said:


> Got a run yesterday from about six hours with several headphones, so warm up should be long enough.
> The hum noise is only noticeable on high gain. I use Dual 3PIN BAL Out.
> 
> 
> ...


I bought this amp 2 months ago. I have tube amps but I like to keep  solid state amp for my Hifiman headphones. I have used it with several headphones with both balanced and occasionally single end. The balanced output and the ability to select gain and current make this a very good amp for the price. I have experienced no noise or any other strange sounds regardless of the headphone I use. I have headphones from 18 ohms to 600 ohms. No noise at all. Very nice sounding amp probably better than the price would suggest. I would say you have been unfortunate and should return your amp for service.


----------

