Cayin has introduced the Cayin CP6 portable CD player, designed for enthusiasts of physical media and wired headphones. In addition to playing compact discs, the device can also function as a USB DAC, headphone amplifier, Bluetooth transmitter, and CD digitization system. The CP6 can be powered either via a power outlet or its built-in battery.
The Cayin CP6 can play standard factory audio CDs and can receive a digital signal from smartphones, laptops, and portable players through its USB-C port. It supports PCM formats with resolutions up to 32-bit/384 kHz and DSD256. The two CS4308P chips from Cirrus Logic handle the digital-to-analog conversion, while the USB interface is based on the XMOS XU316 processor.
For headphone connections, there is an unbalanced output on a 3.5mm mini-jack and a balanced Pentaconn 4.4mm connector. The player can drive headphones with impedances ranging from 8 to 600 Ohms, with an output power of up to 1.3 Watts per channel. The fully balanced four-channel amplifier can operate in Class A or AB mode.
The standout feature of the Cayin CP6 CD player is the vacuum tube section, featuring a miniature direct-heated Raytheon JAN 6418 pentode tube originally designed for military equipment. According to Cayin, this tube combines the characteristic tube sound with high transparency and low energy consumption. Users can switch between tube and transistor modes, and a separate tone adjustment circuit offers three sound options.
To protect the tube from vibrations, a silicone damper is used, and the CD drive is equipped with a stabilization system to reduce errors during movement. The aluminum housing includes ventilation holes, a color display, and physical control buttons. Despite being a portable model, the CP6 CD player is quite large and more suited for carrying in a bag than in a pocket.
There are balanced and unbalanced line outputs, as well as optical and coaxial digital connections. Bluetooth 5.4 is implemented using the Qualcomm QCC3083 chip, supporting LDAC, aptX HD, and AAC codecs. The player can receive commands from a mobile app and transmit audio to wireless headphones.
Another feature of the Cayin CP6 is the ability to copy audio CDs. Through the USB-C port, users can save tracks on a connected computer in uncompressed WAV format, which is particularly useful for owners of modern laptops without optical drives. The built-in battery supports fast charging and offers up to 7.5 hours of continuous playback.
In the Box:
- Player
- USB-C cable
- USB-A to USB-C adapter
- Documentation
