The Cayin RU7 has added an entirely new dimension to my commutes. I formerly listened to largely news talk podcasts, largely due to the dismal sound of Bluetooth precluding serious listening. But The RU7 completely replaces the Android audio system with an exceptionally well-engineered and constructed miniature DAC with a very clean and powerful analog amplifier section.
This is a DSD transcoder, rather than a simple DAC, Cayin feels that the DSD output is superior to linear PCM. I cannot argue with the results. The sound is as analog as an R2R but retains the resolution of multibit conversion. The sound is as close to a high end R2R as I've heard.
The downside of this performance is that the RU7 will murder your phone's battery in cold blood, but you can adjust the settings to mitigate the power draw. The bit rate settings are key. My almost new sample was already set at DSD256 which is the highest resolution and the most processing which requires more power. Adjusting the bit rate to 128 or 64 will help with battery life.
The bitrate settings are also useful in tuning the sound of the RU7, with the higher settings being the smoothest sounding, but often a bit too unengaging. Lowering the bit rate will help in that instance, increasing detail at the cost of some smoothness. Different settings will suit different tastes and genres. I use DSD128 most of the time as I find it the best balanced, but experiment to find your ideal setting.
The unit does run quite warm at times, no surprise given the hundreds of discrete resistors and components, but it is never uncomfortable to touch. This is a great sounding dongle that shows you just what one of the world's best tube amp makers can do in the dongle market. Best sounding dongle DAC I've heard and well worth the price.
I have been an audio junkie for as long as I can remember. I have watched components get smaller and simply better when it comes to sound reproduction.
I had read about the RU6 and almost bought it but then I read the RU7 was coming so I waited as I read the RU6 just sucked battery power like crazy.
I have a plethora of desktop and Bluetooth dongles but most of them are what you find on Amazon and work pretty well for what I need them to do.
I decided to "upgrade" to the RU7 so I can use it with my PC and my phone plus, I wanted a bit of a "sound upgrade" on my phone. I seem to have become a bit more discerning (spoiled) when it comes to sound reproduction since my desktop DAC/AMPs are pretty decent. I wanted something portable, sounded really good, and just easier to move around.
The RU7 sound is just crazy good for how small it is. I can plug it into my phone then my PC/Laptop and so forth. The sound is just amazing for the size. It rivals my desktop DAC/AMPs for under 500.00. No joke. What I have been noticing is I am using this little guy more as a desktop replacement. It's just too convenient. I put on a pair of IEMs (or headphones) and just listen to my music and of course, Teams calls if it's on my work laptop. If I need to move it to another system, or my phone, I simply unplug it from one and plug it into the other.
From a sound perspective, it's just really good. The bass, mids, and treble are all done very well for something that fits into your hand. Like, surprisingly good. I love the screen. It has balanced and 3.5. It has drivers for my laptops and desktops and it didn't break the bank.
Some of you might be wondering about the battery draw and I was concerned about that as well. It does draw power from the device. My laptops are almost always plugged in but my phone is not. I have a newer phone and I had it running last week for about 2 hours off my phone, plugged into the balanced port. I was streaming music and noticed, after about 2 hours, that my phone was down 13% from a full charge. So, yeah...something to pay attention to. If you are playing music "locally" from your device you might get less of a draw from the battery.
Open Box. I bought the open box version from Music Teck and as always it shipped fast and looked good as new when I got it. Andrew and his team always answer any questions I have and do a great job when it comes to support. I wish I could afford some of the higher-end stuff from Music Teck but, when I have the opportunity (and the money) I head to Music Teck first. Just a great company to buy from.
Overall, the RU7 was what I was looking for. I have a terrific DAC/AMP that's portable, sounds fantastic, and can be moved around my devices with no issues at all. With how good these dongles are becoming, I wonder just how good the next generation of dongles will be. Do they really replace these large desktops setups? Guess we're all about to find out. For now, I'm just going to enjoy the RU7. What a great dongle.
Prompt delivery and replies for some aftersale query I had with the unit. Audioteck is an amazing seller! My second time dealing with them and there will be more!
I sifted through too many comparison videos and reviews looking for something more natural and perhaps analogue sounding to replace my basic Fiio BTR5. Huge upgrade in sound quality. Also steps up my Fiio K7 Pro's sound using the line out on the Ru7. Very pleased with it!
Review can be found on headfi: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/unique-melody-mest-mkiii-cf.26526/reviews
TLDR: I loved the Mest Mk3 when I first heard it at CanJam, and I have no regrets purchasing it. It really is a wonderfully tuned iem, that does pretty much everything right. It strikes a perfect balance to me of sounding detailed and resolving but also having a hint of warmth to give it a more natural tonality without bloating the lower mids. It also has a unique spacious spherical soundstage that is truly impressive, especially when compared to my other iems in my collection.
Nice IEM and thank you to Musicteck for delivering it safely.
Absolutely wonderful sounding and feeling cable. I need to buy about 5 more. Very very impresed.
Powered by an LP6TI (199) & connected to the Aura, I simply dressed them up in a luxuriant "envelope" that embellished the entire spectrum and darkened the black background even more!
The "tactile" side of the instruments thickens, the details are just as magical in their realism, and the highs are breathtakingly smooth... A gain I'd describe as admirably "emotional"...
Nothing is spared, reverb/sustain/echo/vibrations Pffff the extinction of notes never ends 👏
👉🏻 The tuning on Todi is fairly balanced with a slight mid bass focus over sub bass, and somewhat relaxed lower mids that gain energy as they rise into the upper mids and highs.
I don’t find any particular range to be over, or, under represented to any detrimental degree.
👉🏻 Recorded sources are quite transparent. Poorly recorded source files will be laid bare, while, well recorded source files will bend Todi’s tuning to their will.
👉🏻 Listening to a sub bass test track (Bass Test 20Hz by Boosted Bass, or, Mo’ Better Bass by Techmaster P.E.B.) the sub bass is capable of going very deep with nice rumble or boom. Not as low as some bass focused IEM’s, but Todi is no slouch.
Listening to Cherish the Day by Sade;
The opening couple minutes of this track start with a steady rhythmic
kick drum beat with impact and thump, at about the 1:30 mark the bass guitar drops in deep and low. Todi maintains clean clear definition between sub and mid bass, while Sade’s sultry voice floats overhead with clarity and natural tonality.
Nicely confirming that the 2 full range, 6mm dynamic drivers are capable of moving enough air to offer strong sub bass presence, yet agile enough to deliver impactful mid bass and tonally correct vocals.
👉🏻 Lower mids are recessed, but the bass stays in its place and doesn’t overshadow. Lower mids detail and clarity is good, just not elevated or forward.
Energy builds into the upper mids and vocals, giving them a more elevated and prominent presentation. No harshness or sibilance.
👉🏻 Highs are crisp and clear with excellent micro detail retrieval. Very good air and sparkle.
Listening to Poncho Sanchez Medley #2 by Poncho Sanchez, there is a flute solo just past the 3:00 minute mark that lasts more than a minute. The high notes reach well into the upper frequencies and Todi handles it like a champ. Crisp, clear, and accurate with no hint of sibilance or harshness.
👉🏻 Head stage is very good.
Very wide left to right, just outside the head.
Top to bottom height also very good, especially on tracks that pull the sub bass low and also have good treble presence.
Front to rear depth is just average.
I find the stage head filling, but intimate.
Imaging and layering are very good left to right and top to bottom.
Instrument placement is easy and accurate.
Summary:
I spent a considerable amount of time listening to recorded tracks of individual instruments, listening for tonality and timbre, and I found Todi to be extremely accurate.
This was one area where higher resolving source devices had a slight disadvantage. They had a tendency to thin the tonality of the upper ranges on some tracks. Bit of a nitpick, but it is why I choose a warmer source device with Todi.
Todi is very much an audiophile tuning.
It doesn’t cater specifically to serious bass heads, treble heads, or mid centric aficionados.
It does offer a quality musical presentation throughout all the ranges that will, in my humble opinion, satisfy a wide swath of music enthusiasts.
At $1500 usd it is not an inexpensive offering, but the build quality, technical design, and quality sound presentation, establish it as a worthy contender in this price bracket.