Cayin N6iii T201 is a premium portable modular Hi-Fi player, representing the third generation of the famous N6 lineup, equipped with the unique interchangeable audio board T201.
Thanks to the innovative design of this new model, the motherboard can be replaced in just a few steps. The owner has the option to replace the entire audio circuit from the digital-to-analog converter to the headphone amplifier.
When developing the N6iii model, Cayin engineers set themselves two important goals. Firstly, despite the trend towards larger players, Cayin aimed to maintain the portability and ease of use of the previous N6ii version. Secondly, based on user feedback from N6ii owners who wanted the ability to replace the sound motherboard without tools, Cayin incorporated these requirements into the new N6iii player by developing a new quick-release mechanism that does not use screw connections.
The front of the Cayin N6iii player features a single glossy touchscreen, with playback controls and volume adjustment buttons cleverly hidden beneath the screen, maintaining an elegant and slim design. The curved edges enhance grip and ensure that the device comfortably fits in the hand, even with a slightly larger screen. According to the manufacturer, the N6iii offers excellent visibility and ease of use with almost unchanged dimensions compared to the previous model.
The portable player Cayin N6iii will fit in any jacket pocket or bag. It features a 4.97-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 1,290 x 1,090 pixels, which is larger than the 4.2-inch screen of the previous generation model, yet it is still easy to operate with one hand. The Cayin N6iii is powered by a more powerful processor and more RAM.
The computing platform is based on an 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor, 6 GB of RAM, and a customized Android 12 OS with SRC bypass. This guarantees fast operation of any streaming services (Tidal, Apple Music) without loss of quality. The device has 128 GB of built-in memory (expandable with MicroSD cards up to 2 TB) and a generous 9000 mAh battery with support for fast PD2.0 charging. The interface includes a balanced 4.4mm output and separate 3.5mm jacks for headphones and line connection.
At the heart of the digital section in the T201 module are a quartet of the latest AKM AK4497S DAC chips from Asahi Kasei (operating in mono mode), providing hardware support for high-resolution PCM formats (up to 32-bit / 768 kHz) and DSD512. The unique hybrid cascade built around a pair of vintage miniature dual triodes JAN6418 tubes from Raytheon takes care of analog amplification. To protect the tubes from vibrations and the microphone effect, Cayin engineers have developed a special silicone damper.
The player offers the Triple Timbre technology - a choice between three sound modes:
- Solid State - a purely solid-state (transistor) circuit for maximum dynamics and punch.
- Modern Tube - a tube mode with deep negative feedback (OOS) for clean yet spacious sound.
- Tube Classic - a classic soft and warm analog tube sound without OOS.
The headphone amplifier in the Cayin N6iii player is implemented with four OPA1622 operational amplifiers from Texas Instruments working in parallel to easily handle any headphones. This solution, combined with buffer schemes, not only improves control over the headphones but also allows for handling higher loads and reducing the output impedance to a minimum.
Package includes:
- Player
- USB-C cable
- Case
- Manual
