Cayin is a brand with a long and rich history in the audiophile world with products ranging from high-end power amplifiers to budget DAPs (Digital Audio Players). Recently they even entered the in-ear monitor space with their Fantasy in-ear monitor. Now they have a new tube headphone amplifier, the Cayin HA-6A.
The HA-6A EL34/KT88 headphone amplifier is described as a “Tube Rolling Paradise” for headphone users. HA-6A has 2 different modes: “Triode” and “Ultra-linear” to provide either, a rich, musical experience or a fully transparent one.
Furthermore, the HA-6A comes with 2 sets of vacuum tubes: the Genelex Gold Lion KT88 and Electro-Harmonics EL-34 plus a dedicated tube selector switch. The unit comes with 3 different headphone outputs including 6.35mm single-ended, 4.4mm balanced and XLR balanced outputs.
In addition, the HA-6A has 3 different gain modes, making it compatible with everything from highly-sensitive, low-impedance IEMs to power-hungry full-size headphones. The unit supports 2 input formats: single-ended RCA and balanced XLR.
All of the internal circuitry is hand-wired and parts of the chassis are hand-painted too, suggesting this is a real passion project that doesn’t compromise on quality. If you’re a fan of VU meters (seriously, who isn’t), the HA-6A comes with 2 of them on the front panel. The meters provide an awesome visual effect with a warm orange glow that matches the colour of the powered tubes.
The transformers in the HA-6A were custom-built in-house to be cost-effective while remaining extremely stable. A high-precision 24-step potentiometer with matched-pair resistors offers low noise, durability and reliability.
As for the physical dimensions, the Cayin HA-6A measures at 360mm W x 197mm H x 322mm L. This should be easily manageable for most desktop setups. Find out more about the HA-6A over at https://en.cayin.cn/.
