[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]

@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]

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]

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]

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]

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 ?

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]

@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]

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]

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

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.