Cayin iHA-8: Fully Balanced "Hyper" Class-A Headphone Amplifier

[sergioalb64]

Oh wow! Raising my hand here as another very happy owner of the IHA-6, and will definitely be in the lookout for the IHA-8 and likely also the DAC and DAP companions!

 

[prof.utonium]

Anyone know who makes the racks being used in these photos?

 

[godmax]

@Andykong
can you already give some important numbers like output power or output impedance?
Will the 4.4mm socket remain gold in the final production batches?
Since you have announced black color variants for all "888+2" products, will they be available in the 2nd production cycle?

 

[Andykong]

Anyone know who makes the racks being used in these photos?

DDHiFi HS400 HiFi Rack and they are available in silver and black.

The HS series is available in three different sizes. The HS550 is designed for full-size audio equipment. We have tested the HS300, and it is marginally too tight, the base of the supporting feet will barely touch the sides of our 888 combo (~270mm). It will work if you have a very tight space and you don't mind trapping the streamer/dad/amp inside the audio rack after the installation.

I have also come across a Carbon Sheet Mini HiFi Rack from a Taiwan accessories brand called MYSTJ Audio Design, It look gorgerous but I am not sure if it is available outside Taiwan.

 

[Andykong]

@Andykong
can you already give some important numbers like output power or output impedance?
Will the 4.4mm socket remain gold in the final production batches?
Since you have announced black color variants for all "888+2" products, will they be available in the 2nd production cycle?

Desktop products normally have a much longer shelf time when compared to portable products such as DAP or IEM, and the cost to implement any alternation is also much higher when we consider the logistic cost. So we need to adopt a slower and more careful approach when we prepare for the product launch of desktop products, and this will also reflected in our development timeline.

Technically, nothing is finalized until we have performed a trial production. We shall provide detailed product specifications after the small-scale trail production. We have a set of measurements based on 2-3 hand-build engineering prototypes, we need to wait till we complete the trial production. When we have a bigger sample, we can offer a reliable and accurate production specification. I’ll publish the data as soon as they are available,

The final choice of components is also part of the R&D-to-Production adaptation process, so I can't be 100% sure until we complete the trial production, but the choice of headphone socket should be very much in line with our desktop vacuum tube amplifier such as HA-3A or HA-300MK2.

As mentioned previously, we tried a couple of black finishings during the prototype stage, but we didn't like it so far. We collected a lot of feedback from users and dealers after we debuted the 888+2 at the GZ Headphone Expo, and we committed to offer a black finish down the road, in response to public requests, but we haven't finalized the metalwork finishing at this point: sandblasted or brushed? gross or matt? pure black or a particular shade of gray. .... so we can't promise the date of availability of the black version at this point, we can't schedule the black version into production until we finalize the metalwork finishing.

 

[prof.utonium]

DDHiFi HS400 HiFi Rack and they are available in silver and black.

The HS series is available in three different sizes. The HS550 is designed for full-size audio equipment. We have tested the HS300, and it is marginally too tight, the base of the supporting feet will barely touch the sides of our 888 combo (~270mm). It will work if you have a very tight space and you don't mind trapping the streamer/dad/amp inside the audio rack after the installation.

I have also come across a Carbon Sheet Mini HiFi Rack from a Taiwan accessories brand called MYSTJ Audio Design, It look gorgerous but I am not sure if it is available outside Taiwan.

Thank you

 

[Wes S]

Nice! I am most interested in this amp, as I have been wanting to add a SS to my system for a while now, to give my tubes some rest from time to time. I know Cayin knows good sound owning the HA300mk2 and RU7, so I am sure this thing rocks. I am going to have to hear one of these asap. . .

Looking forward to hearing more!

 

[wazzupi]

We'll announce the price very soon, we normally do that after we conduct a small-scale pilot production.

We don't have any plans to offer a black finish at this point. we tried a couple of black finishings during the prototype stage, but we didn't like it so far. Maybe we'll revisit this option later but that's another chapter for another year.

Any news on prices for dac and amp ?

 

[dbull12]

Desktop products normally have a much longer shelf time when compared to portable products such as DAP or IEM, and the cost to implement any alternation is also much higher when we consider the logistic cost. So we need to adopt a slower and more careful approach when we prepare for the product launch of desktop products, and this will also reflected in our development timeline.

Technically, nothing is finalized until we have performed a trial production. We shall provide detailed product specifications after the small-scale trail production. We have a set of measurements based on 2-3 hand-build engineering prototypes, we need to wait till we complete the trial production. When we have a bigger sample, we can offer a reliable and accurate production specification. I’ll publish the data as soon as they are available,

The final choice of components is also part of the R&D-to-Production adaptation process, so I can't be 100% sure until we complete the trial production, but the choice of headphone socket should be very much in line with our desktop vacuum tube amplifier such as HA-3A or HA-300MK2.

As mentioned previously, we tried a couple of black finishings during the prototype stage, but we didn't like it so far. We collected a lot of feedback from users and dealers after we debuted the 888+2 at the GZ Headphone Expo, and we committed to offer a black finish down the road, in response to public requests, but we haven't finalized the metalwork finishing at this point: sandblasted or brushed? gross or matt? pure black or a particular shade of gray. .... so we can't promise the date of availability of the black version at this point, we can't schedule the black version into production until we finalize the metalwork finishing.

I know you said specs haven't been finalized, but can you say anything about whether the 6.35mm output will likely have the highest output impedance like it did on the iHA-6? I'm assuming the 4.4mm and XLR will be lower output impedance for IEMs and planars?

 

[kb5757]

Would LOVE to know the specs. How much power available? The 3 piece set on my desk would be perfect. Silver works for me, the rest of you can wait for a black finish..

 

[skeeb23]

I really enjoyed listening to the iHA-8. I listened with the Caldera Closed and Open Bokeh. It has a lot of the same characteristics of the iHA-6 from my short impressions, other then the Hyper mode definitely gave more power.. just not sure in what way. Definitely need some time with it hopefully upon release.

I will say the stack together gets very hot to the touch.

 

[grant0317]

Desktop products normally have a much longer shelf time when compared to portable products such as DAP or IEM, and the cost to implement any alternation is also much higher when we consider the logistic cost. So we need to adopt a slower and more careful approach when we prepare for the product launch of desktop products, and this will also reflected in our development timeline.

Technically, nothing is finalized until we have performed a trial production. We shall provide detailed product specifications after the small-scale trail production. We have a set of measurements based on 2-3 hand-build engineering prototypes, we need to wait till we complete the trial production. When we have a bigger sample, we can offer a reliable and accurate production specification. I’ll publish the data as soon as they are available,

The final choice of components is also part of the R&D-to-Production adaptation process, so I can't be 100% sure until we complete the trial production, but the choice of headphone socket should be very much in line with our desktop vacuum tube amplifier such as HA-3A or HA-300MK2.

As mentioned previously, we tried a couple of black finishings during the prototype stage, but we didn't like it so far. We collected a lot of feedback from users and dealers after we debuted the 888+2 at the GZ Headphone Expo, and we committed to offer a black finish down the road, in response to public requests, but we haven't finalized the metalwork finishing at this point: sandblasted or brushed? gross or matt? pure black or a particular shade of gray. .... so we can't promise the date of availability of the black version at this point, we can't schedule the black version into production until we finalize the metalwork finishing.

Can you give us the dimensions of the amp? In the photos it seems to be the same size as the ha2a, and a bit smaller than the ha-3a. Will it also be 270x215mm like the 2a?

 

[UnknownOperator]

As a previous owner of the i-HA6 and the N30LE (I had to sell mine/I did not want to), I am very interested in pairing the i-HA8 with the N7 for amplification of more power demanding IEMs. @Andykong will the Hyper Mode be available to all of the i-HA8 outputs, specifically the 4.4mm balanced output?

 

[Andykong]

As a previous owner of the i-HA6 and the N30LE (I had to sell mine/I did not want to), I am very interested in pairing the i-HA8 with the N7 for amplification of more power demanding IEMs. @Andykong will the Hyper Mode be available to all of the i-HA8 outputs, specifically the 4.4mm balanced output?

Yes, the Hyper mode will be applicable to all phone output in iHA-8

 

[Andykong]

Can you give us the dimensions of the amp? In the photos it seems to be the same size as the ha2a, and a bit smaller than the ha-3a. Will it also be 270x215mm like the 2a?

The dimensions of iDAP-8, iDAC-8, and iHA-8 are 270*215*70 (mm), I am preparing the specification table as we speak, and will provide more detail ASAP.