So I've had some time now to sit down with the Cayin HA-3A demo unit and it's time to share some first impressions with you guys.
Build:
I have to say that it's beautifully built and looks stunning - as to be expected by Cayin by now. I really like the smallish footprint which is one of the reasons for me to consider it since it wouldn't fit on my desk otherwise.
The volume control feels very nice and has hardly any channel imbalance in the audible range. And I have to say - I love the white VUs and backlit volume indicator.
Sound:
Sound wise I'm A/B comparing it to my Singxer SA-1 and Auris Euterpe - and to my Cayin HA-1A MK2 from memory since I can't setup both at the same time. Headphones are Final D8000, Atrium and VC with Holo Spring 3 KTE.
First impression was that it's very full sounding. Very enjoyable bass amount but also control. Especially subbass and kick impact are superb and neither SA-1 nor Euterpe can keep up here. The midrange feels like the star of the show. Very full and organic sounding.
The one bit I see some potential for improvement is the treble incl. microdetails and texture. They are not bad by any means. Maybe I'm just to spoilt by the Euterpe which has excellent upper midrange and treble extension.
Tube Rolling:
One of the reasons why I wanted to demo the HA-3A was so I could check if it could run Philips E181CC pinched waist tubes which are my favorite 12AU7 alternative ever since I heard them the first time. My HA-1A MK2 has trouble with them because of noise level and sizzle noises from the tubes.
I'm very happy that for now the E181CC pairs very nicely with the HA-3A. A bit of sizzle when cold but then calming down pretty quickly. On D8k there is no noise floor on the XLR out. Both ZMF are ok on the XLR out but profit from the quieter 4.4 output a lot. It brings the noise floor to a hardly noticable level to make it a non issue for me - YAY. For comparison on HA-1A I had to unplug my ZMF when no music was playing since the noise floor was so prominent.
The stock JJ 12AU7 are ok with good noise floor performance but lack dynamics and treble resolution in comparison. Bass is also less controlled and a bit bloomy.
I also tried a pair of Amperex Bugle Boy 12AU7 and Siemens 12AU7. An improvement over the JJ for sure but the E181CC beats them all. They just combine dynamics, control, stage and sparkle in such a unique way. If you can handle the tad higher noise floor of them since they have a bit more gain than normal 12AU7.
Pairings:
Atrium:
From all three headphones I'd say that Atrium are the ones that are the least source picky in general. They sound good on a lot of sources. I love the low end and punch with them on the Cayin. One thing to note is though that I prefer them on the medium output impedance setting. On high they sound overly harsh and less natural overall.
VC:
VC is an important benchmark for me since I pretty much don't like them on solid state and they only come alive on a tube. Happy to report that the Cayin handles them very well. Superb, visceral low end and kick. Mids are nice pronounced and no harshness in the top end. Really nice combo. Best on high impedance imho.
D8K:
The D8k are one of the reasons why I'm looking for another tube amp next to my Auris Euterpe. The Euterpe is superb on the ZMF (with an added bass shelf because of the low end roll off of the amp) and even on D8k it's magical for calm acoustic music. But on more complex and bassier music the Euterpe just can't keep up with what the D8k can do.
The HA-3A on the other hand pairs very nicely with them. Addicting low end, punch and control. Very weighty and seductive combination. Imaging precision suffers a bit compared to SA-1 but rewards with a bigger stage, more space around instruments and a nice bump in the midrange for vocals. The overall presentation is more natural.
Inputs/Outputs:
First I have to say that it's very nice to have a tube amp with 6.3, 4.4 and 4 pin XLR outputs. For now all my tube amps where 6.3 SE. At the same time it's like having 10 amps and it's up to you to find the right combo. Every output sounds different. The 4-Pin XLR is the most powerful but also the noisiest. So I only really use it for D8k. The 4.4 has less power but also somehow reduces noise at the same time. Not sure how they achieve it but it works without too much impact on the sound quality but it sounds a tad less transparent compared to the 4-pin xlr imho. It's my go to output for the ZMF. 6.3 SE I didn't try that much yet honestly but when I did it also sounded different.
On the input side of things we have RCA and XLR. RCA goes directly to the pre tubes. The XLR first goes through an input transformer. Normally I planned on using it via RCA but once I hooked it up via XLR I have to say I prefer the XLR input. Cleaner sound with more punch and definition. Just snappier overall. I guess that's due to the hotter signal from the DAC. Zach also mentioned that the HA-300 MK2 profits from a hot input signal. And since the HA-3A is a scaled down HA-300 it makes sense to have a similar effect.
I'm feeding it with my Spring 3 KTE with Pre at 92/100. If I go up to 100 on the Spring it starts to distort the amp.
Power:
Some are concerned about the low specced output power of the amp. At least for all of my cans it's more than enough power. Not just for volume but also control. On XLR input I'm on 8 to 9 o'clock on the volume dial. It's maybe not made for Sus, HE-6 or Stealth/Expanse etc. but otherwise I wouldn't be to worried about the numbers.
Comparison to Cayin HA-1A MK2:
I think the HA-3A is an improvement over the HA-1A MK2 across the board. Technicallities are a clear step above. As good as no noise issues anymore. Much more delicate and more enjoyable overall. Pre-Outs on the HA-3A would have been nice but with all the other features you get it's something I'm ok with.
Current Conclusion:
Currently it's hard for me to say if it's the right amp for my setup and I need to spend some more time with it over the weekend. It does so many things right. I prefer it over the SA-1 in most aspects but I have the Zähl HM-1 coming so solid state will be covered in the future. So I want tubes for the certain magic. The Euterpe delivers here across the board except the low end and planar control. The low end I currently EQ in with a Lokius and in the future via HM-1 as pre. But it'll never have the low end control and full bodied sound the HA-3A can provide.
Where the Euterpe pulls ahead is the sparkle and pin point accuracy. I hope that this will maybe improve when swapping the stock JJ 6V6 power tubes for some better NOS tubes. I ordered some Sylvania 6V6G. These should arrive sometime next week hopefully.
If these can help in this aspect it would be a keeper for sure. It's a stunning package. Especially for the size and price.
Further notes after one more day of listening:
The combo with the Final D8k is so addictive. Spent the whole day listening to music and discovering new music and had an absolut blast. Strongly considering to hit up my dealer to tell him that he's not getting it back
