Cayin Releases T01 Motherboard for N6ii Player

Whilst manufacturers such as FiiO and iBasso have designed semi-modular players which allows users to swap out the amplification section of the device, Cayin have taken things to a whole new level with the N6ii. Never mind just swapping out the amp section, because what this player is capable of is the replacement of the entire motherboard which subsequently includes the DAC section as well. The T01 is the first new motherboard offered by Cayin, and it brings with it a number of spec upgrades.

The stock motherboard is called the A01, and it features an AK4497EQ DAC chip, whereas the T01 steps things up by implementing no less than dual Burr Brown PCM1792 DAC chips. The same quad OPA1622 amplifier stage is carried over from the original A01 motherboard to the T01, which means that the power output has also remained the same at 530mW and 245mW for the balanced and single-ended outputs respectively (32-ohm).

Another major change is that the volume control on the T01 is no longer digital, but rather within the analogue domain by use of a dual Burr Brown PGA2311A volume control stage.

However, it’s not all sunshine and roses as the T01 is also a much more power-hungry setup as compared to the single DAC and digital volume-controlled setup found in the original A01 motherboard. Users can expect the battery-life to drop by nearly half.

The suggested price of the T01 is $339, which actually seems very reasonable when we consider the fact that the N6ii as a complete unit costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $1200. So, $339 to “upgrade” your existing N6ii just makes way more sense that what it would if you had to buy a completely different device which could easily set you back well over $1000 once more. It has also been suggested that users who are still thinking of buying the N6ii could have the option of purchasing the device already with the T01 rather than the A01 motherboard, but you’d have to check your local dealer for details on that.