The sound from your phone, tablet, or laptop can be improved easily — and even affordably — as demonstrated by the new Cayin RU3.
The Cayin RU3 is a compact portable DAC with a USB-C input. It supports both UAC1.0 and UAC2.0, which means you can also use the RU3 with game consoles and other devices that require these protocols. The device includes a built-in headphone amplifier. For outputs, you get a 3.5 mm mini-jack connector as well as a 4.4 mm Pentaconn connector for balanced headphones. The little powerhouse delivers up to 560 mW into 32 ohms.
At the heart of the Cayin RU3 is an ESS ES9069Q DAC chip, using the latest HyperStream IV Dual Architecture. It supports PCM playback up to 768 kHz / 32-bit and DSD up to DSD512. You also get selectable filters, operating modes, and more. A small colour display rounds things out.
The Cayin RU3 is available immediately for €149, in black, turquoise, or purple.