Cayin N8iii

Déjà vu of everything, including the kitchen sink!

PROS: Triple timbre selection with Solid State and Classic/Modern dual NuTube tuning, fully balanced discrete amp design with triple Class A, AB, and A+ modes, P and P+ output power modes, solid build aluminum chassis, lots of digital and analog outputs, hi-res 6” display, optimized Android 12 performance w/665 SoC, 8GB RAM and 256GB ROM, AKM AK4191EQx2 and AK4499EXEQx4 chipset with DSD512/PCM768kHz/32bit support, quality leather case.

CONS: price, size/weight.

The product was provided to me on loan by Musicteck for a week for review purposes in exchange for my honest opinion.

Manufacturer website: Cayin. Available for sale from authorized retailers like Musicteck.

Intro.

If you think about the last flagship DAP release by Cayin, some might say it was the N8ii back in 2022, while others might argue it was the N30LE in 2023, the 30^th Anniversary Limited Edition release. While there is no argument that N30LE was their uber-flagship release, limited to 300 regular and 99 special AP edition units, that release was so limited that it became almost like a collectible item, with people still holding on to it. The N30LE took the N8ii to the next level and later spun off the C9ii amp (in 2024), incorporating some of the new circuit design introduced in the N30LE. I’m sure many are familiar with Cayin’s release evolution and how each new follow-up builds on previous releases.

Bottom line: Cayin was overdue for a new flagship release, and last year its focus shifted to the N6iii modular DAP and various DAC/amp cards, elevating its performance to flagship levels. A little over two months ago, right before the CanJam NYC show, rumors started to circulate that a working model of the N8iii would debut at Musicteck’s table. Still, from what I heard, since I didn’t get a chance actually to hear it at the show, that particular demo unit had an issue with Tube output. So, in reality, there were hardly any meaningful impressions. I thought it could be a rough start, especially when I learned it would be another limited release with only 500 units. Boy, was I wrong about it.

After a dozen years of reviewing every Cayin product, which I still have with me, including the C5 amp I reviewed in 2014, the only one I borrowed was the N30LE, since it was a limited-release model that sold out pretty quickly. So, I contacted Cayin in hopes of receiving a review sample of the N8iii. To my surprise, I was told that all 500 units had already been allocated to their global retailers, with many already sold out, and that no extra units were left for promotional reviews. Of course, I was curious, and quickly reached out to Musicteck to grab a demo while they still have one. Here is what I found after spending a week with the latest Cayin flagship release, the N8iii.

Unboxing and Accessories.

Not much to cover here about the unboxing experience of the N8iii, since I received just a DAP in a leather case, without the official packaging.

From the product listing, in addition to the DAP, its leather protective case, and what appears to be a lanyard, there are 2x tempered glass screen protectors, a high-quality USB-C data/charging cable, and 2.5mm-to-4.4mm and 2.5mm-to-3.5mm adapters. Not sure about the necessity of 2.5mm adapters. Maybe they had a surplus from N8ii/N30LE days and decided to include it. I would have preferred 3.5mm and 4.4mm port cover pins instead.

Don’t know the exact details of the leather case material, but it felt handmade and premium-grade leather. This “Gracier Blue” case wraps tightly and securely around the DAP’s chassis. The DAP is inserted from the top, with a flap cover going in securely over it, forming a protective “bridge” over the volume wheel. All the ports are easily accessible from the bottom, and the top features a convenient cutout for the volume wheel with a protective top cover, as already mentioned. Buttons on the right side are open and easy to reach, and so is the cutout for the NuTube mesh covers on the left, allowing visibility of the tube illumination. The back had a tiny recessed pocket for an adjustable-angle metal loop for the lanyard. The back is actually closed, no metal grill for additional venting. In my short time with N8iii, it never got too hot, so perhaps the DAP’s thermal management was adequate and didn’t require extra venting.

Design.

Let me pre-amble the Design and Under the Hood sections with the obvious: N8iii is based on the N30LE design, to the point where, from a distance, you can even mistake them for each other. This was obviously the next logical step for Cayin. Why reinvent the wheel when you can pick up where you left off and carry on?

N30LE design:

So, while N8ii and N8iii will be quite different in their exterior designs, the resemblance between N30LE and N8iii is striking. N8iii dimensions are 157x88x25mm and weigh 580g, while N30LE is 156x89x25mm and a bit heavier at 650g. Both tip the scale toward being more transportable than portable. As I mentioned back in my N30LE review, which is also applicable to N8iii, these DAPs are thicker than your average flagship due to an upright vertical position of two NuTube modules so allow the user see the glow of these “tubes”, with both modules on the left side, facing outside through the mesh window in N8iii, similar to N30LE, unlike the glass window of N8ii.

N8iii vs N8ii:

The N8iii design went back to an aluminum chassis, using 6063 aluminum, unlike the TC21 Ti alloy chassis used in the N30LE. The elegant design of the N8iii chassis is not your typical rectangular brick. The front is occupied by a bigger 6” FHD+ TFT touch screen display with a higher 2160×1080 resolution and double-tap support, a step up from the N8ii 5” OLED display with 1280×720 resolution. The back is all solid metal with some laser-engraved etching. The left side has a rounded mesh screen with two NuTubes behind it, which glow green when activated. The right side has a symmetrical, rounded design with 4 round golden buttons – a larger power button and 3 smaller playback (play/pause/skip) buttons below it, each with a precise tactile response. This “borrowed” from the N30LE design gives the N8iii a very distinct, premium look.

The top is rounded as well, with a cutout in the right corner for a “golden” volume wheel featuring unique etched artwork that resembles a collectible coin. The volume wheel is open at the top and easy to access from the front and the back. Inside the leather case, it will be covered, which should help protect against scratches and light bumps. Underneath the volume wheel, you have a glowing LED ring with a multi-color indicator of different playback sampling rates. At the bottom, you have dedicated 4.4mm LO/pre-amp and 3.5mm LO/pre-amp ports. Usb-c port (charging, data, usb audio in, embedded SPDIF, and digital-out functionality) sandwiched with an I2S port right underneath in the middle and dedicated 3.5mm PO and 4.4mm PO ports next to it. All the way to the right, closer to the edge, you will find a spring-loaded micro-SD port, different from the push-tray used in the N30LE.

N8iii design:

Under the hood.

As background, when N8ii development started, Cayin was planning to use AK4499EQ DACs, but after the AKM factory fire, the plan was scrapped in favor of the new ROHM BD34301 DACs. As a result, Cayin ended up with a limited stock of unused, discontinued AK4499EQ DACs, which were used in the N30LE, two per DAP. That also dictated the total number of N30LE units they could manufacture, both for production and as spares for service repairs.

With N8iii, I’m not sure why there was a decision to limit this release, since Cayin chose to use the AKM flagship AK4191EQ x2 (filter/modulator) and AK4499EXEQ x4 (DAC), which separate the digital and analog sections of the chipset. Here, you have PCM decoding supporting up to 32bit/768kHz and DSD up to 1-bit/22.6 MHz (DSD512). Also, you will still find dual Korg NuTube 6P1, and in addition to Solid State, you get two NuTube modes, Modern and Classic, to give you a total of 3 timbre options, the same as in N30LE. N8ii only had one NuTube mode.

You will still find standard P and P+ modes, which boost the internal headphone amp’s operating voltage to increase the output power (P+). It’s not the same as a gain control, and that one is also available with L, M, and H gain settings. With P+, the output voltage increases. Furthermore, you will still find a fully discrete, balanced 4-channel headphone amp design with Class A and AB amp modes tuned to different bias points. Also, unlike the N8ii, where it wasn’t possible, you can have P+ and Class A, just like in N30LE.

The new addition to N8iii, something that wasn’t included in N30LE, is Class A+ amplifier mode, optimized for low-impedance headphones, with elevated quiescent current. I will talk more about Class A+ in the review, but to me, it was like a hybrid A/AB mode in terms of the performance. You will also find a Hyper Mode, where, in N8iii, it engages P+ high power and the Class A+ amp, boosting output power further. N30LE also had Hyper mode, using P+ and Class A. The Hyper Mode in N8iii/N30LE also maximizes other parameters to their full potential, and you can still choose the timbre under that mode, but not the power or class modes.

N8iii is a relatively fast Android streaming DAP running a highly optimized Android 12 OS and using a Snapdragon 665 SoC, along with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of eMMC internal storage, the same as N30LE, and all scaled up from the N8ii. If you want to expand the storage, you can add a microSD card. The open Android OS, courtesy of Hiby, uses a DTA architecture that bypasses Android SRC to ensure audio, whether local or streaming, is not downsampled.

Those familiar with the Cayin C9ii amp will know that it accepts both Line Out and Pre-Amp inputs, making N8iii, just like N30LE, a perfect companion for an external amp by providing a clean analog signal while bypassing the internal head-amp. With C9ii, when LO is selected, you control the volume from the amp. And when Pre-Amp is selected, C9ii is at its max volume while you control it by adjusting the pre-amplification input from N8iii. The N8iii max power spec has 3.5mm PO output with 540mW (@32ohm, 0.6ohm impedance) and 4.4mm PO output with 880mW (@32ohm, 1.2ohm impedance). In Line Out, 3.5mm LO offers 1.0/1.6/2.1V (L/M/H), and 4.4mm LO has 2.0/3.2/4.2V (L/M/H). The digital interface is covered by USB-C and I2S ports.

The battery capacity of N8iii went up slightly to 13,500 mAh from N30LE’s 12,570 mAh and, more noticeably, from 10,000 mAh (N8ii). I didn’t get a chance to run a full battery test. Still, Cayin provides a comprehensive table with different use scenarios and corresponding battery duration up to 12 hours of playback time, depending on which port is used and other settings. Also, PD2.0 fast charging is supported, but you have to be aware that when you are playing and charging at the same time, especially in more demanding Class A (less efficient) mode with Tubes (higher current) and the leather case on (less air cooling), N8iii will get warm. Bluetooth 5.0 was also implemented, with support for all common wireless protocols up to LDAC, and dual WiFi with 2.4G and 5G bands.