• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Cayin HA-3A Headphone amp on route

S

SpyderTracks

Super Member
Hi all

I've ordered a Cayin HA-3A as am taking the last 2 components of my system to the next level (speakers and headphone amp).


This amp look beautiful. Turns out Cayin manufacture the PrimaLuna amps, and I have a PrimaLuna Evo 100 Integrated as my main amp which I absolutely adore.

This is to power my fairly new ZMF Bokeh Closed, they really gel with tube amps, and either the HA-2A or HA-3A are magical pairings with the HA-3A being far more tubey.

The amp is currently on it's way from China to the dealer in the UK who are in Scotland. Then it's next day delivery from them to me. I'm hoping it should be here within 2 weeks tops.

Rectifier Tubes
Single RCA 25AX4GT

Driver Tubes
Dual 12AU7/ECC82(Matched Pair) from JJ

Output Tubes
Dual 6V6GT（Matched Pair）from Electro Harmonix

Will post photos and opinions when it's here.
 
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
It is a nice looking headphone amp. It looks well built. Those JJ 12AU7's sound pretty good. I use them a lot including the long plate version. If you find you need the top end to be a bit brighter the RCA clear top 12AU7's sound nice.
I have something similar having output transformers and an impeadance selector. The impeadance selector is a nice feature. Mine has six positions from 16 ohm to 600 ohm.
It makes a big difference to be able to betterbmatch the amp with the headphones used. Go too far one direction and you get high end role off, too far the other direction and you loose low end.
Once your headphone amp arrives please post a review. :thumbsup:
 
Lavane said:
It is a nice looking headphone amp. It looks well built. Those JJ 12AU7's sound pretty good. I use them a lot including the long plate version. If you find you need the top end to be a bit brighter the RCA clear top 12AU7's sound nice.
I have something similar having output transformers and an impeadance selector. The impeadance selector is a nice feature. Mine has six positions from 16 ohm to 600 ohm.
It makes a big difference to be able to betterbmatch the amp with the headphones used. Go too far one direction and you get high end role off, too far the other direction and you loose low end.
Once your headphone amp arrives please post a review. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Thanks so much. I've heard very good things about RCA tubes generally, will check some out.

I've got 2 JJ 12AX7's in my PrimaLuna. I know they're cheap and mass produced but I've found JJ's to be extremely reliable and decent sound, for the price I think they're excellent.

The build design language looks very similar to the PrimaLuna's, if so they are built like tanks.

I just love the VU meters!!! So cool to see proper actual VU meters again and not some digital mock up.
 
arts said:
I was considering the Cayin HA-1A headphone amp, but it doesn't seem to be rated for use with low-impedance phones. Beautiful looking though!
Click to expand...
The HA-1A is a snake in the grass, surprisingly capable little thing, unusual design as well stunningly finished, weighs a tonne despite it's size, but yeah, unfortunately does have some limitations.
 
arts said:
I was considering the Cayin HA-1A headphone amp, but it doesn't seem to be rated for use with low-impedance phones. Beautiful looking though!
Click to expand...
What was the lowest impeadance of the HA-1A? Something like 50 ohms?
 
I don't think I've ever had any 16 ohm headphones. Maybe a pair of Pioneers many years ago? The AKG's I have now are 50 ohm.
 
I have my ancient Koss Pro 4AA and a pair of Turtle Beach Recon 500 gamer headphones (these things sound amazing, and are very comfortable!) and both are 8Ω types.
 
Cayin makes great sounding kit, you've done well. Cayin has been around longer, than most realize and they're the real deal. I have no qualms recommending a Cayin and having one on my rack. They sound really nice.

My past integrated Cayin (which is a different mdl than your model) really responded well to tube rolling. A matched set of NOS USA made 12AU7 Tung-Sol sounded amazing with it, and also pair of JAN Sylvania 5814 (Green print), better than the Telefunken's I was using. Your amp is different, so your mileage may vary compared to my experience. In your neck of the woods, I would look for a pair of Brimar CV4003's. Sadly, they're pretty dear, but you might be able to find some. The tubes that come with yours are nice, and fresh.

Enjoy your new amp, have fun and happy listening!
 
mr_macgee said:
Cayin makes great sounding kit, you've done well. Cayin has been around longer, than most realize and they're the real deal. I have no qualms recommending a Cayin and having one on my rack. They sound really nice.

My past integrated Cayin (which is a different mdl than your model) really responded well to tube rolling. A matched set of NOS USA made 12AU7 Tung-Sol sounded amazing with it, and also pair of JAN Sylvania 5814 (Green print), better than the Telefunken's I was using. Your amp is different, so your mileage may vary compared to my experience. In your neck of the woods, I would look for a pair of Brimar CV4003's. Sadly, they're pretty dear, but you might be able to find some. The tubes that come with yours are nice, and fresh.

Enjoy your new amp, have fun and happy listening!
Click to expand...
Thanks so much for the recommendation. I don't mind spending some extra on some NOS tubes as I do appreciate the warmer sound they tend to give.

The tube brands on my radar so far are:

NOS US Tung Sol
NOS UK Brimar
NOS UK Mullards
Tung Sol, both NOS and modern
Gold Lion
Western Electric
PSVane Summit Series (these are new, but I'm hearing very good things about them).

Unfortunately, we really only have 2 decent tube suppliers in the UK, and only one that deals with NOS stocks. So I often end up importing them from abroad.

I don't feel comfortable buying off marketplaces like eBay, just don't trust the grading and currently don't have a tester to be able to validate myself. That's something I really want to find is a good all round tester that doesn't cost the earth.
 
SpyderTracks said:
Thanks so much for the recommendation. I don't mind spending some extra on some NOS tubes as I do appreciate the warmer sound they tend to give.

The tube brands on my radar so far are:

NOS US Tung Sol
NOS UK Brimar
NOS UK Mullards
Tung Sol, both NOS and modern
Gold Lion
Western Electric
PSVane Summit Series (these are new, but I'm hearing very good things about them).

Unfortunately, we really only have 2 decent tube suppliers in the UK, and only one that deals with NOS stocks. So I often end up importing them from abroad.

I don't feel comfortable buying off marketplaces like eBay, just don't trust the grading and currently don't have a tester to be able to validate myself. That's something I really want to find is a good all round tester that doesn't cost the earth.
Click to expand...
Ebay is a crap shoot when it comes to tubes. I'm sure there are a few reputable tube sellers, but in general I just steer clear of ebay when it comes to buying tubes.
Tubesandmore, The Tube Store, and sometimes TAD is where I buy most of my tubes. I buy tubes from Nesstone from time to time. I haven't gotten a bad tube from them yet. But ya, you would have to import from them.
 
Lavane said:
I have something similar having output transformers and an impeadance selector. The impeadance selector is a nice feature. Mine has six positions from 16 ohm to 600 ohm.
Click to expand...
Whose transformers are you using? I always wanted a pair of the Magnequest multi-tapped headphone transformers, but couldn't justify the cost. I seem to recall they were several hundred $$ each. My current project will use transformers with an 8Ω output, and the headphone jacks will add parallel resistors to match it correctly. I only use Grado headphones (32Ω), so the amp will be dedicated to that use.

Jack
 
TriodeLuvr said:
Whose transformers are you using? I always wanted a pair of the Magnequest multi-tapped headphone transformers, but couldn't justify the cost. I seem to recall they were several hundred $$ each. My current project will use transformers with an 8Ω output, and the headphone jacks will add parallel resistors to match it correctly. I only use Grado headphones (32Ω), so the amp will be dedicated to that use.

Jack
Click to expand...
Dunno, I bought the amp pe-built and the OPT's are inside small enclosures.
 
So it's finally here, first power on and listening on the ZMF Bokeh Closed, using the tape out on the Primaluna.

I'd tried 2 headphone amps with this set, the included output on my Primaluna Evo 100 Integrated and also a Topping A90D. They both felt like they were holding back the headphones. ZMF themselves recommend the Cayin HA-2A for a more analytical and balanced presentation, or this for a more tubey presentation, so I went with this as I love that tube gooeyness. Also grabbed the ZMF silver Pro cable with 4pin balanced connector which seemed a better fit for this level of amp and headphone.

I didn't realise this until I was researching the Cayin, but Primaluna's are actually manufactured by Cayin! And you can immediately see it, the overall build quality is the same, what I'd consider totally over engineered for the price point. The white lighting on the VU meters, power and volume knob is really nice, I think it's actually a cut above the Primaluna design which is a little more plain.

IMG_0479.jpeg

Instantly, it's hugely opened up the soundstage on the Bokeh which I really didn't expect, and already you can hear the midrange glory that I was hoping for. Currently the bass is a little muted, but I had exactly the same on my Primaluna until the tubes and the amp had broken in for a while.

This is an endgame headphone setup for me, the Bokeh are more than I ever imagined I'd ever have and I adore the sound, this amp does them justice and it would be stupid not to compliment them to the level they deserve. There's one more component in my system awaiting an upgrade, the speakers, unfortunately there's been a delay in manufacturing and won't receive them until end of October or November now, but they'll be worth the wait!

I'll spend a while trying different styles of music, it's going to take quite a bit for the tubes to open up, let alone the amp to settle, but I know I've made the right choice here, thanks to ZMF's guidance.
 
So I still think there's something limiting the ouput to the headphone amp.

It's either going to be a faulty phono cable which is a Chord ClearwayX bought new from an official retailer about a year ago, not from eBay or a marketplace.

Or there's going to be an issue from the tape out on the primaluna.

I have an Amazon Basics dual phono cable which I'd picked up just as a backup test cable, so I'm going to try fitting that to the tape out

I'm also going to try bypassing the PrimaLuna Integrated entirely and plug the phono stage directly into the headphone amp as I know that feed is clean as a whistle.

It's like the upper and lower registers are being stripped out, and I don't think it's just down to the Cayin needing break in time, I think it's something more significant than that.
 
So, finally had some time to do some proper testing.

IMG_0504.jpeg

Swapped out the Phono cables from the Tape Out on the PrimaLuna for some cheapo Amazon Basics which are actually surprisingly decent quality given how cheap they are, I just have them as a spare for testing purposes. No difference.

Had tried 3 decent headphone cables including my new silver plated "Pro" cable from ZMF (fastest delivery from US to UK I've ever known, literally next day over a weekend).

Turns out it's the output from the PrimaLuna tape out, don't quite know what's going on there, but it's cutting off loads of the low end and the highs.

So for now, I've got some Audioquest RCA Splitters in the Phono pre-amp, then a direct phono cable to the headphone amp, and THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD SOUND!!!

IMG_0501.jpeg

So so happy, and there's only more to come as the amp settles and the tubes burn in.

I'm overjoyed.
 
Thats kind of odd. Tape out should be the same as using those splitters really.
Tape out should come right off the selector switch with nothing else in the way.
I've never had an issue running anything off the tape out. It's supposed to bypass the preamp secrion all together. I don't even turn my preamp or an integrated amp on when I have something connected to tape out like my headphone amp, or one of my power amps that have gain controls.
 
Lavane said:
Thats kind of odd. Tape out should be the same as using those splitters really.
Tape out should come right off the selector switch with nothing else in the way.
I've never had an issue running anything off the tape out. It's supposed to bypass the preamp secrion all together. I don't even turn my preamp or an integrated amp on when I have something connected to tape out like my headphone amp, or one of my power amps that have gain controls.
Click to expand...
I'm still investigating this, it may be more like the power supply.

It's really hard to identify because it seems to be fine one minute and then go back to being really thin.

I've got the headphone amp plugged into a basic 4 way power extension, I'm wondering if that's actually the issue.

I'll try it plugged directly into a wall socket and see if that's any better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom