Today, Marcus reviews the Cayin iHA-8, a desktop 4-channel discrete-engineered Class A headphone amplifier with up to 9.5W of output power. It is currently priced at $999.00.
Disclaimer: This sample was sent to me for my honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links. I thank Cayin for their support.
You can click here to learn more about Cayin products I have previously reviewed on Headfonics.
This article follows our current scoring guidelines, which you can read in more detail here.
You could say that around 8 years is one heck of a product life cycle, and yet here we are with Cayin’s 888, the official follow-up to their “i-Series” stack from 2017, which, back then, included the iDAC-6 MK2, iHA-6, and the iDAP-6.
With a new name like 888, it is no surprise that the new stack branding swaps the 6 for the 8, but of course, there is a lot more to it than just marketing.
There are 8 more years of advancing technology to fit into these fairly compact and stackable units, including more powerful and complex amplification, updated DAC chipsets, and improved streaming capability.
There is too much to cover the entire stack in one go, so consider this iHA-8 review the first in a trilogy of in-depth features with the iDAC-8 and the iDAP-8 soon to follow.
The iHA-8 is the stack’s balanced headphone amplifier with pre-out capability. It is currently priced at $999 and is equipped with updated output connectivity and more power than the older iHA-6.
Is it a significant jump over the older unit, and how does the iHA-8 compete with amplifiers such as the Chord Electronics Anni and the Gustard H26? I found out in my full review below.
Features
The Cayin iHA-8 is a 4-channel discrete-engineered JFET Class A headphone amplifier with dual pre and line input modes.
Although one part of the 888 stack, the iHA-8 can be purchased as a standalone amplifier to pair with most DACs or sources with a line-out. It can also operate as a power amplifier with its pre-input with the flick of a mechanical switch on the rear panel.
The iHA-8 is a balanced amplification circuit, so it can receive via XLR (balanced) or RCA (Single-ended), but it cannot output to another amplifier (Daisy chain).
Output is mirrored on the front side via a balanced 4-pin XLR and standard 6.35mm SE, and in an upgrade over the iHA-6, there is also provision for 4.4mm connections.
The performance numbers have been given a significant boost over the iHA-6, with up to 7W balanced and 2.6W SE into a 16Ω load, down to 1W balanced and 250mW SE into a 300Ω load.
But there is more! Cayin has introduced their signature Hyper Mode feature, first introduced in the N30LE 30th Anniversary DAP, and used to excellent effect in the recently reviewed C9ii and the N6iii (E203).
Hyper Mode boosts the static working current and the power supply voltage of the power transistors with a parallel adjustment in the gain ratio of the iHA-8’s circuitry as part of a system-level optimization.
The net result on paper is an increase in output power from 7W balanced to 9.5W on a 16Ω down to 1.4W into a 300Ω load and 3.6W down to 360mW on the same loads when going single-ended.
To cap it off, the iHA-8 retains the iHA-6’s 2-stage high and low gain selector switch with a 12 dB swing between both modes.
Design
The iHA-8 is clothed in almost the same design language as the iHA-6, at least when viewing it from the front-facing panel. That means a fairly low profile, compact traditional block design with pillared feet, and a tough sandblasted aluminum chassis finished in silver (or black).
However, there are two important things to note. The first is the slightly larger size and increased weight of 5kg over 3.8kg. It’s not a huge increase in size, but noticeable when placed beside the iHA-6. I would still class the iHA-8 as a compact desktop unit.
The second standout visual is some hefty heatsinks on the left and right panels. This amplifier can get hot when pushed, particularly on the left side, which houses a hefty 75W toroidal power supply, so I can understand why those heatsinks are there.
The offshoot means the iHA-8 chassis has a more aggressive visual profile than the more uniform shape of its predecessor, and one that I find more aesthetically pleasing.
There are some more nuanced changes, but ones that I think give the IHA-8 a more premium feel, such as the integrated top and front panel design compared to the more separate front facia approach of the iHA-6.
I/O
The iHA-8 rear panel is fairly simple, nothing unusual here for a pure headphone amplifier, save for a large silver line/PRE mechanical switch to the left of the analog inputs.
Analog inputs include a set of 3-pin XLR ports and dual RCA for balanced and single-ended input from a source. If you are migrating from the iHA-6, this should be familiar territory.
The front panel of the IHA-8 has been tidied up a bit, and much easier to understand now compared to the high/low impedance 6.35mm sockets. These have been replaced by a single 4-pin XLR, 6.35mm, and a modern 4.4mm PO, a type of connection that was rarely used back in 2017.
The left side control button layout is largely unchanged, with the LED-ringed power button combined with 3 smaller buttons to the immediate right, which control source input and gain levels.
The important change is the middle button, which has switched to the new Hyper Mode, a feature that replaces the older iHA-6’s current mode selector.
Volume Control
Aesthetically, the iHA-8 volume dial looks similar to the iHA-6 version. However, engineering-wise, this is a big change from the older Japanese-made ALPS 4-channel rotary potentiometer to a newer custom ALPS stepped potentiometer, electronically controlled by a 130-step JRC MUSES72320V volume chip.
That means the precise volume level is controlled electronically, but the final adjustment is completed in the analog domain. The net result is a very linear and smooth stepped adjuster without any annoying drops in signal between each step.
Packaging & Accessories
The packaging and accessory lineup for the Cayin iHA-8 is pretty much standard fare and similar to some of the recent gear I have bought from them over the last few years.
The retail box is standard HiFi brown boxing. Technically, it’s two brown boxes, so it’s a very secure setup for courier handling.
Inside, copious form inserts tightly hold the cloth-bagged iHA-8 along with a boxed power plug terminated with a regional-relevant pin configuration, a spare fuse, and a user manual.
You also get Cayin’s standard set of cloth white gloves, which I recommend using if you are in humid climates or have sweaty hands. If anything, to prevent fingerprints on the chassis from ruining your first glimpse of the iHA-8, though you can easily wipe off any smudges with a cloth.
Click on page 2 below for my sound impressions and recommended pairings.
