Cayin - RU6

The Cayin RU6 features a self-developed 24bit discrete R-2R resistor ladder circuit that can decode up to 384kHz PCM audio. The basic idea of the R-2R ladder is a matched pair of resistors, the first is “R” and the other is “2R'' which has twice the value of R. To achieve 24 bit decoding, RU6 equips 48 units of resistors (23 x R and 25 x 2R), and that’s for one channel. So for a stereo 24 Bit R-2R decoder, RU6 features 96 units of resistors for life-like audio reproduction. With the advent of the R-2R circuit, Cayin RU6 establishes itself as master of the fully-discrete resistor DAC topology in portable audio.

Cayin offers both Oversampling and Non-oversampling DA modes in RU6. For Oversampling mode, the Digital Audio Bridge will upsample the digital audio data to 384kHz through digital filters. This will enhance the resolution, reduce noise and improve the anti-aliasing of the digital signal. The Oversampling DA mode will offer a noticeable improvement on details and frequency extension. The playback is clean and sharp with a darker background. On the other hand, NOS DA mode maintains the sampling rate of the original bit-stream and playback will become very musical with a natural and organic presentation.

Most USB DAC/Amps will rely on the volume control of your mobile phone to control the volume of the headphone output. Technically this was not a viable solution to Cayin RU6. Understanding this issue, Cayin developed a fully analogue resistor array volume control circuit that provides 99 steps volume control through 9 segments of resistors and switching relays. Resistor Array volume control features a very high-quality volume control design, extremely transparent when implemented correctly and it is found in a lot of high-end preamps and integrated amplifiers.

To minimise audio signal interference, Cayin has split the RU6's circuit into two 6-layers PCB, with digital and analogue circuits installed on separate boards. This safeguards the audio signal integrity and ensures the noise from the reference clock and DSP do not bleed into the amplification circuit. This architecture in turn delivers artefact free audio every single time. This circuit design combined with the R-2R architecture enables the RU6 to support hi-resolution PCM and DSD audio formats with support for 384kHZ PCM and DSD 64/128/256 natively.

Discreet R-2R circuitry is a low power DAC circuit when compared to other highly integrated DAC chipsets. This architecture minimises power drain from the mobile source allowing you to enjoy music without the need to worry about battery drain. USB-C connection offers compatibility with a wide range of phones, consumer electronics and computers. The hardware has been designed in an intuitive manner, where the volume buttons double as menu selectors and the OLED screen displays playback information accurately. The Cayin RU6 also offers two gain settings to enhance performance with various IEMs and headphones. All this is wrapped in a 28g package.