Cayin N6iii

Introduction to the Cayin N6iii Review

Cayin Audio is a China-based company that specializes in manufacturing tube amplifiers. It was founded in 1993 in Zhuhai.

Since 2013, they have been exploring the more portable side of the audio market. They have been a major player in the DAPs, DACs, Amplifiers, and IEMs market for quite some years now.

Here at Ear Fidelity,  we have covered a hefty number of Cayin products in the past. From their IEMs, such as the YB04, the Fantasy, a C9 portable amplifier, the RU6 dongle all the way to their magnificent DAPS, including the N3Pro, N3Ultra, N6ii, and N8ii. 

Actually, both the N3Pro and the N3Ultra have won our annual awards. The N3Pro was our “Best DAP of 2020”, together with the most prestigious “Best Product of 2020”. This speaks for itself, and the N3Pro still remains one of the best products we have ever reviewed.

Time passes by, though, and the N3Pro has been updated to the N3Ultra version. This one naturally won our “Best Dap 2024” award, and it still remains my daily driver. Such a wonderful, exceptional product.

Both the N6ii and the N8ii were also fantastic offerings. Because of that, my hopes are really high when speaking about the reviewed Cayin N6iii. Let’s not steal more of your time and get right into it.

Packaging

As usual with Cayin, their newest Cayin N6iii comes packed in a quality box, and there are quite a few accessories included inside. 

Inside the box, you’ll find screen protectors, a USB-C cable, a manual, and a dedicated, leather carrying case for the DAP itself.

The case is a wonderful addition, especially considering that it’s included in the box at no extra charge. 

What’s interesting, it has that rough, wrinkled leather texture. While I’m generally not a fan of that style, it works beautifully with the N6iii, further emphasizing those industrial, raw design characteristics.

While some might argue that Cayin should have included more goods in the box, you’re pretty much getting everything you need. 

Design and Build Quality of reviewed Cayin N6iii

Cayin’s DAPs have always been beautifully designed and extremely well-built, and it’s no different with the new N6iii.

The DAP is quite chunky and hefty, but it just screams QUALITY.

I also love the texture, which is smooth yet grippy. The DAP is all-black, and there are no other color options, which I actually like. I believe the N6iii would have looked much worse in silver, so like Henry Ford said, “Every color the customer wants, as long as it’s black,” is the perfect choice here.

The actual build quality is top-notch. Reviewed Cayin N6iii is quite heavy, coming at 350g, which is about 60g heavier than its predecessor. We got used to big and heavy DAPs, though, so the N6iii is nowhere near being extremely big or heavy. 

The materials used are of great quality, and the fit and finish are both spotless and pretty much perfect. Not only does it look spectacular, but it’s also great to the touch, and that’s important when it comes to DAPs, especially in this price bracket.

You’re going to hold it and touch it very often, and if you’re paying a premium, you should expect a premium experience in every single way. You’re getting it with the Cayin N6iii.

On the front, you’ll find a 5-inch, 1080p screen. Unfortunately, it’s not an OLED screen, which would have been reasonable at this price, but it gets the job done, to say the least. It’s sharp and reasonably bright, and it actually looks gorgeous for a DAP.

The N6iii has a big trick up its sleeve – an interchangeable motherboard design. You can simply swap the motherboard module within seconds for vastly different sound characteristics and quality. Keep in mind, though, that I only have the default motherboard at this time, so no comparisons for now.

While the N6ii used a somewhat archaic screw-based mechanism for motherboards, the N6iii hugely improved on this design. It’s now a completely tool-free operation, and that’s a wonderful change.

Changing the motherboard in the N6ii was a bit time-consuming and not meant to be done on the go, basically. Now, with the N6iii, you can literally do it in seconds.

Why is this so important? It’s all about human nature. We like choices, but we don’t like them when they’re time-consuming or complicated. Now, switching the motherboard is no more complicated than clicking 2-3 options in the menu, so that’s a huge change…for the better.

Tech

Now, we’ll get into the technical aspects of the new Cayin N6iii.

First things first, the DAP uses updated hardware. The internal memory is now 128GB (used to be 64GB in the N6ii), but of course, you still have a microSD slot for cards up to 2TB. That’s pretty much a standard.

It has Bluetooth 5.0 built-in, together with LDAC and AAC codecs, which come in handy.

The N6iii is operating on the Android 12 system, and as for the performance, it’s built on the Snapdragon 665 CPU and 6GB of RAM memory. 

Because of that, the N6iii is significantly faster and more snappy than its predecessor. Not to say that the N6ii was slow and laggy to begin with, but the N6iii is just a blast to use and navigate through its software.

Another impressive upgrade over the N6ii is the battery. Compared to the 5800mAh that we found in the N6ii, the new N6iii now sports a 9000mAh battery, which is absolutely huge. I’m actually quite amazed at how Cayin was able to squeeze such a huge battery in this device, considering it’s absolutely PACKED and has a removable audio motherboard system, which itself takes quite a bit of space.

Because of that, the new DAP’s battery life is brilliant, at about 14 hours. Considering the level of performance, power output, and overall experience, that’s an absolutely fantastic score.

As I already mentioned, the software and the general experience are both great for a DAP. Installing Apple Music was fast, easy, and unpoblematic. 

Since there’s a Google Play app already installed on the device, you can basically download any app you’d like and use it. Android 12 is still a relatively fresh system, so you shouldn’t have any problems with compatibility.

Now let’s talk about the C201 motherboard that comes natively with the N6iii. 

What’s worth noting: the N6iii is NOT compatible with old motherboards, so you’re going to need one that is dedicated to the new model. Considering the change in how you swap the motherboards, this was simply mandatory to do for Cayin. That’s a fair price for convenience.

The C201 is built around 8 CS43198 DAC chipsets, together with four OPA1622 audio operational amplifiers. When it comes to I/O, the C201 gives you a 3.5mm LO, a 3.5mm PO, and a 4.4mm PO/LO socket. You’re pretty much covered for everything. Yes, there’s no 2.5mm, since it’s been pretty much dead for a few years now…gladly.

The C201 motherboard is able to output up to 700mW via the balanced output, which is a lot for a portable DAP. You won’t have any problems squeezing the MAXIMAL potential out of ANY IEM on the market, and you’ll be able to use a vast majority of over-ear headphones as well. It won’t drive the Susvara, but is this surprising? We have different devices for that task.

The output impedance is valued at less than 1Ω for all the outputs, which is wonderful to use with IEMs. We could have expected nothing less here, though.

Cayin has released an E203 motherboard since we got our sample, so sadly, I only have access to the stock C201. The E203 motherboard uses an ESS9039PRO chip and has a Class-A amplifier section. Maybe in the future we’ll be able to review it for you as well.

Overall, the N6iii is an impressive piece of equipment that strikes the perfect balance between raw power and usability. It’s fast, powerful, great to use, and lasts a long time. Cayin has really mastered their DAP game.

Sound of the reviewed Cayin N6iii

As you already know, tested Cayin N6iii is an impressive piece of technology built into a beautiful, well-crafted body. However, it is a DAP after all, so it’ll mostly come down to how it sounds. Let’s get there now, shall we?

Overall, the N6iii might just be the best DAP I’ve tried to this day. It is a whole package, both in terms of the overall build, functionality, and the sound characteristics and quality together.

The N6iii, together with the C201, sounds very neutral, natural, mature, and universal. It actually sounds like a proper full-size desktop setup, as there’s that hefty weight to its sound. I can even imagine people only using the N6iii and not having a dedicated desktop setup at all. It’s really that good in my opinion. And the E203 might just be even better…

The bass performance is superb here. Saturated, well-controlled, textured, snappy, fast. You name it. The N6iii has a wonderful texture throughout the entire frequency response, and the bass really benefits from it. 

It’s multi-dimensional, structured, and offers a beautiful insight into the recording. This bass is no boomy, overly thick, or slow; it offers a beautifully controlled performance at all times, no matter the IEM or headphone you’re using.

The Fir Audio Krypton 5, which is my favorite IEM of all time, uses that wonderful Bone Conduction driver to offer you a godlike bass performance. However, it’s quite demanding from the source device, which just has to be pretty much perfect.

No problems with that here, reviewed Cayin N6iii offers the level of refinement that goes well with the Krypton 5. 

Over-ear headphones are not a problem as well. Doesn’t matter if it’s an entry-level Edition XS by HiFiMAN or the TOTL LCD-5 by Audeze, the N6iii drives both with finesse and authority. 

The midrange is all about sounding natural, transparent, and detailed. While it’s not rich or mellow-sounding on its own, it’s able to give you those if your IEM/headphone of choice is well-suited. 

By itself, it won’t add anything to your sound. It just offers a beautifully balanced, detailed, and crisp sound that goes well with just about anything. 

The vocals sound natural, captivating, and spacious, giving you that “you’re there” feeling all the time. It doesn’t sound hollow or analytical by any means; that would have been unfortunate. 

While some might prefer a warmer, richer, and thicker midrange performance, the one you’ll find here is perfect when it comes to pairing with different headphones. The E203 is a Class-A motherboard, so you’ll probably find those characteristics there if you’d prefer so.

For the stock motherboard, however, going neutral, natural, and very detailed was the best choice Cayin could have made, in my opinion.

The treble is marvelously open, transparent, and fast. It gives you every single little detail on a silver tray, but it just makes sure that it’s never overdone. 

It’s quite easy to go too harsh or too bright when trying to offer that level of resolution and detail. Luckily, Cayin really knows how to make their products great, and you’ll find none of that here. 

Once again, it’s balanced, very insightful, and just mature. Combining the level of technical capabilities with that purely natural, easy-to-listen-to tone is certainly not an easy task, trust me.

I’m quite sensitive to forward-sounding treble, so this is the thing that could make our break the deal for me. Here, the treble performance and tuning are just perfect – it’s a lot, but NEVER too much. Brilliant.

The soundstage is huge, full of air and presence. Because of that treble response, you’re getting a lot of information here, and the actual size of the soundstage is gigantic.

What’s super important, though, the imaging is pretty much spot-on, giving you a very precise and realistic type of presence to your music. It never gets too busy, to the point where the soundstage starts to sound messy.

Everything is well-controlled, has its own place, and the level of separation is absolutely spectacular. If you’ll ever try this DAP, put on some Amused To Death by Roger Waters; this will show you the true potential of the soundstage capabilities of the Cayin N6iii. 

Needless to say, reviewed Cayin N6iii is just a wonderful, does-it-all type of DAP that sounds insanely good. On top of that, its natural and balanced sound signature will make sure you won’t have any problems pairing it with all of your IEMs and Headphones. It’s the perfect definition of the one and only DAP you’ll ever need…

…and more, since you’ll be able to switch out the motherboard for a different flavor. This is bonkers.

FiiO M15S

Let’s compare the N6iii to the FiiO M15s. This comparison seems more than fair to me, since they’re both pretty much a “middle road” offerings from these two companies.

But, while it might feel fair in the roots, once I started to actually compare these two, it was game over sooner than I expected.

The N6iii is just a vastly more impressive device here. First of all, the build quality and overall physical appearance of the Cayin DAP are far superior to those of the M15s.

Don’t get me wrong, the M15s is a fantastid DAP to begin with. But, everything it does well…the N6iii simply does better.

When it comes to sound comparison, while the M15s is certainly midrange-focused, the N6iii has a more balanced, nuanced, and natural sound of the two. 

The M15s might be more captivating if you’re really about that midrange-focused, intimate type of sound. I love that sound profile myself, but there’s just too much compromise made for me to prefer the M15s over the N6iii.

The soundstage is no contest here. The N6iii is much more spacious, accurate, and airy sounding, giving you a bigger presence and a more realistic feeling of the stage. It also hits harder in the bass notes and offers a more detailed, shimmering treble performance.

While the M15s is a great DAP and we keep on recommending it, the N6iii is just superior. It is a tad more expensive, though, but that investment is well worth it in my book.

Cayin N3Ultra

Now let’s compare the N6iii to my favorite DAP of all-time, the N3Ultra.

These two are as different as it gets, basically. The N3ultra is a compact, straight-to-the-point DAP that is all about that tube sound. 

In terms of functionality and overall engineering, the N6iii is pretty much dominating the N3Ultra in all fields here. 

However, the N3Ultra has one trick up its sleeve, which is the sound. 

The smaller model just has that immaculate, beautiful, and stunning tuning that puts it WAY above its price point. The best choice for all of you who are looking for a rich, beautiful sound of tubes.

The N6iii, on the other hand, is much more powerful, snappy, and fast. It gives you more detail, more resolution, more….everything basically.

It’ll go down to your preference here. If you’re all about color and don’t need the absolute best in terms of technicalities, the N3Ultra is still THE DAP to get, hands down.

However, if you’re looking for a DAP that is capable of everything and is a Jack of All Trades, the N6iii is an EASY recommendation here.

Sadly, I don’t have access to the N6ii, so I can’t compare these two. Out of my memory, we’re speaking huge improvements with the N6iii, but with no direct comparison…treat it with a grain of salt.

Pairings

As I already stated, the N6iii pairs well with everything I tried it with. Its natural, balanced sound signature just works with all IEMs and Headphones, and the only thing you should focus on is the power requirements of your harder-to-drive planars.

Fir Audio Krypton 5

My favorite IEM of all time is the Krypton 5 by Fir Audio. This IEM pairs beautifully with the N6iii.

The Krypton handles richness, impact, timbre, and a hyper-realistic sense of presence here. 

The N6iii, on the other hand, gives it a beautifully balanced, nuanced, and technically impressive signal to work with. This setup has been my go-to combo for late-night listening sessions. 

You’re simply getting everything here, and I’m not even exaggerating. Richness, timbre, detail, resolution, separation, all that with the sense of taste that makes every single music sound like you’re THERE.

Meze POET

The Meze POET might just be my new most recommended headphone in its price category. 

It’s a homage to the audio market years, years ago. It sounds so unforced, so effortless and easy to fall in love with.

Together with the N6iii, the POET gives you an incredibly soothing, relaxing, and tonally beautiful sound that you’ll easily lose track of time while listening to it.

And I mean it literally, you can listen to this combo for hours. Or days. Or weeks. Or moths. Or years. It’s just built differently. Absolutely spectacular synergy.

HiFiMAN Susvara Unveiled

The new Susvara Unveiled by HiFiMAN is MUCH easier to drive than its predecessor. Because of that, we can actually enjoy this headphone with DAPs now.

While the N6iii won’t squeeze every single last drop of performance from the almighty HiFiMAN flagship, it still sounds absolutely spectacular.

The level of detail retrieval and resolution here is incredible here. On top of that, the sound is punchy, dynamic, and very, very captivating. 

Plugging a $8000 pair of planar-magnetic headphones into a $1299 DAP might sound absurd, I agree. What’s more absurd, though, is the fact that I really enjoy this combination. I believe this says everything there is to say about the N6iii’s level of refinement.

Cayin N6iii – summary

Cayin did it again. Every single DAP they have released for the past few years was a blast, and the N6iii might just be the most impressive one.

It’s the definition of the phrase “whole package”. Everything screams quality here – the build, the design, functionality, software, hardware, all the way to the sound. It’s punchy, dynamic, open, detailed, and beautifully natural. Ladies and Gentlemen, the DAP to get in 2025 is Cayin N6iii. Hands down.

Highly recommended!