Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Cayin RU3 review
Cayin store* - amzn.to/4p1vuo6
Get 10% off Dekoni* - bit.ly/Dekoni10
New discount code PASSIONFORSOUND10A (already applied with link above)
*affiliate links help support the channel - thank you!
Need help? Message me on Minnect: bit.ly/HiFiHelp
Join my Patreon community: patreon.com/passionforsound
Become a Passion for Sound YouTube member: bit.ly/PFSMember
Get MERCH! bit.ly/PFSMerch
I've finally found a portable DAC solution for audiophiles who demand serious power without breaking the bank. The Cayin RU3 is a small but mighty USB-C audio dongle capable of pushing up to an unbelievable 560mW in hyper mode from its 4.4mm balanced output. If you use hard-to-drive headphones or hungry planar magnetic cans like HiFiMan Arya, this HiFi dongle has the headroom you need. The sound is smooth and full-bodied, making it perfect for taming bright headphones and v-shaped IEMs. I compare its musicality to the technically strong Questyle M15C and discuss its incredible features, including the built-in 10-band EQ and DAC filters from the ES9069Q chip. While it has one small volume control quirk, the RU3 offers phenomenal value as an affordable DAC/AMP upgrade for your phone or computer.
BEST AUDIO BARGAINS BELOW!
World's Best Cable Pro interconnects
Review - bit.ly/44b8KtW
Global* - amzn.to/3UOFtAN
AU* - amzn.to/4et9NrE
Tipsy M1 IEM
Review - bit.ly/48del5v
tipsyaudio.com
Apos Gremlin headphone amp
Review - bit.ly/43FZjna
Global* - bit.ly/GremlinAmp
SMSL M20 DAC & headamp
Review - bit.ly/4oManqu
Global* - amzn.to/3YRxG79
AU* - amzn.to/3YiX59I
Schiit Mimir DAC
Review - bit.ly/4r3cuaI
Global - bit.ly/484APo8
FiiO FT1 headphones
Review - bit.ly/4lfVCLd
Global* - amzn.to/4iC4VTG
AUS* - amzn.to/3Rmdp5q
FiiO M21 digital audio player
Review - bit.ly/3K3PzeU
US & CA* - bit.ly/FiiOM21DAP
Global*: amzn.to/3HS7wfe
AUS*: amzn.to/47dKIkB
xDuoo TA-66 tube amp
Review - bit.ly/448jRoo
US & CA* - bit.ly/xDuooTA-66
Global* - amzn.to/3VWWSYS
AUS* - amzn.to/45MagTc
SMSL AS400 speaker amp & DAC
Review - bit.ly/480NiZQ
Global* - amzn.to/3JkFxWi
AUS* - amzn.to/48DC6oa
Topping DX5 II DAC & headamp
Review - bit.ly/47PmfR2
US & CA* - bit.ly/4mjCLy8
Global* - amzn.to/4ncA8zm
AU* - amzn.to/4psgLni
ADAM D3V active speakers
Review - bit.ly/4rhHeoO
Global* - amzn.to/4hw2Doo
AU* - amzn.to/3Ctaap6
SMSL RAW-DAC1 DAC
Review - bit.ly/43EXDKC
US & CA* - bit.ly/RAWDAC1
Global* - amzn.to/4hgqgkJ
AUS* - amzn.to/3PxxW6q
Aune S17 Pro EVO headamp
Review - bit.ly/4o2nrXF
Global* - amzn.to/4jU7AZx
SMSL PL200T CD transport
Review - bit.ly/4o9LDaE
US & CA* - bit.ly/SMSLPL200T
Global* - amzn.to/3IKlkIQ
AU* - amzn.to/46XOGNU
Nitsch Pietus Maximus headamp
Review - bit.ly/49nY3Yy
Global - bit.ly/3JQqkwC
Shanling EC Zero T portable CD player
Global* - amzn.to/47U9RR1
AU* - amzn.to/47DiMFc
Chord Mojo 2 DAC & headphone amp
Review - bit.ly/43F0Rhg
Global* - amzn.to/3E5GNKj
AUS* - amzn.to/4i4vAI3
FiiO K17 DAC, headamp, streamer & preamp
Review - bit.ly/42hKvIX
US & CA* - bit.ly/FiiOK17
Global* - amzn.to/3QWziIH
AUS* - amzn.to/42bZRyJ
SJY Horizon Closed Carbon headphones
Review - bit.ly/3DTKMd5
Global* - bit.ly/SJYHCCA
ZMF Bokeh headphones
Review - bit.ly/4hXLhAN
Global - bit.ly/42vMLwo
EverSolo T8 streamer
Review - bit.ly/4pdmo7V
Global* - amzn.to/4gjdSkx
AU* - amzn.to/4gmIIsL
Topping D900 DAC
Review - bit.ly/4oJNoMP
US & CA* - bit.ly/TopD900 (Apos)
Global* - amzn.to/44D157g
AU* - amzn.to/4kAt1i9
ADAM A7V active speakers
Review - bit.ly/4i2hO8L
Global* - amzn.to/43mIbma
AUS* - amzn.to/4i7oMJP
LTA Velo headamp/preamp
Review - bit.ly/42Eeknp
Global - bit.ly/LTAVelo
Gustard X30 DAC
Review - bit.ly/4p93yij
Global* - bit.ly/GUSTARDX30
Amzn* - amzn.to/3LenKRj
AU* - amzn.to/47zlhs2
00:00 Cayin RU3 review
00:29 Design & features
02:47 Sound quality
07:18 Final pass
#CayinRU3 #USBCdongle #PortableDAC #HeadphoneAmp #Audiophile #HiFi #DACAMP #Headphones #IEMs #PlanarMagneticHeadphones #QuestyleM15C #DongleDAC #AudioReview #PassionForSound #CayinAudio #BudgetHiFi
Cayin RU3 review
Cayin store* - amzn.to/4p1vuo6
Get 10% off Dekoni* - bit.ly/Dekoni10
New discount code PASSIONFORSOUND10A (already applied with link above)
*affiliate links help support the channel - thank you!
Need help? Message me on Minnect: bit.ly/HiFiHelp
Join my Patreon community: patreon.com/passionforsound
Become a Passion for Sound YouTube member: bit.ly/PFSMember
Get MERCH! bit.ly/PFSMerch
I've finally found a portable DAC solution for audiophiles who demand serious power without breaking the bank. The Cayin RU3 is a small but mighty USB-C audio dongle capable of pushing up to an unbelievable 560mW in hyper mode from its 4.4mm balanced output. If you use hard-to-drive headphones or hungry planar magnetic cans like HiFiMan Arya, this HiFi dongle has the headroom you need. The sound is smooth and full-bodied, making it perfect for taming bright headphones and v-shaped IEMs. I compare its musicality to the technically strong Questyle M15C and discuss its incredible features, including the built-in 10-band EQ and DAC filters from the ES9069Q chip. While it has one small volume control quirk, the RU3 offers phenomenal value as an affordable DAC/AMP upgrade for your phone or computer.
BEST AUDIO BARGAINS BELOW!
World's Best Cable Pro interconnects
Review - bit.ly/44b8KtW
Global* - amzn.to/3UOFtAN
AU* - amzn.to/4et9NrE
Tipsy M1 IEM
Review - bit.ly/48del5v
tipsyaudio.com
Apos Gremlin headphone amp
Review - bit.ly/43FZjna
Global* - bit.ly/GremlinAmp
SMSL M20 DAC & headamp
Review - bit.ly/4oManqu
Global* - amzn.to/3YRxG79
AU* - amzn.to/3YiX59I
Schiit Mimir DAC
Review - bit.ly/4r3cuaI
Global - bit.ly/484APo8
FiiO FT1 headphones
Review - bit.ly/4lfVCLd
Global* - amzn.to/4iC4VTG
AUS* - amzn.to/3Rmdp5q
FiiO M21 digital audio player
Review - bit.ly/3K3PzeU
US & CA* - bit.ly/FiiOM21DAP
Global*: amzn.to/3HS7wfe
AUS*: amzn.to/47dKIkB
xDuoo TA-66 tube amp
Review - bit.ly/448jRoo
US & CA* - bit.ly/xDuooTA-66
Global* - amzn.to/3VWWSYS
AUS* - amzn.to/45MagTc
SMSL AS400 speaker amp & DAC
Review - bit.ly/480NiZQ
Global* - amzn.to/3JkFxWi
AUS* - amzn.to/48DC6oa
Topping DX5 II DAC & headamp
Review - bit.ly/47PmfR2
US & CA* - bit.ly/4mjCLy8
Global* - amzn.to/4ncA8zm
AU* - amzn.to/4psgLni
ADAM D3V active speakers
Review - bit.ly/4rhHeoO
Global* - amzn.to/4hw2Doo
AU* - amzn.to/3Ctaap6
SMSL RAW-DAC1 DAC
Review - bit.ly/43EXDKC
US & CA* - bit.ly/RAWDAC1
Global* - amzn.to/4hgqgkJ
AUS* - amzn.to/3PxxW6q
Aune S17 Pro EVO headamp
Review - bit.ly/4o2nrXF
Global* - amzn.to/4jU7AZx
SMSL PL200T CD transport
Review - bit.ly/4o9LDaE
US & CA* - bit.ly/SMSLPL200T
Global* - amzn.to/3IKlkIQ
AU* - amzn.to/46XOGNU
Nitsch Pietus Maximus headamp
Review - bit.ly/49nY3Yy
Global - bit.ly/3JQqkwC
Shanling EC Zero T portable CD player
Global* - amzn.to/47U9RR1
AU* - amzn.to/47DiMFc
Chord Mojo 2 DAC & headphone amp
Review - bit.ly/43F0Rhg
Global* - amzn.to/3E5GNKj
AUS* - amzn.to/4i4vAI3
FiiO K17 DAC, headamp, streamer & preamp
Review - bit.ly/42hKvIX
US & CA* - bit.ly/FiiOK17
Global* - amzn.to/3QWziIH
AUS* - amzn.to/42bZRyJ
SJY Horizon Closed Carbon headphones
Review - bit.ly/3DTKMd5
Global* - bit.ly/SJYHCCA
ZMF Bokeh headphones
Review - bit.ly/4hXLhAN
Global - bit.ly/42vMLwo
EverSolo T8 streamer
Review - bit.ly/4pdmo7V
Global* - amzn.to/4gjdSkx
AU* - amzn.to/4gmIIsL
Topping D900 DAC
Review - bit.ly/4oJNoMP
US & CA* - bit.ly/TopD900 (Apos)
Global* - amzn.to/44D157g
AU* - amzn.to/4kAt1i9
ADAM A7V active speakers
Review - bit.ly/4i2hO8L
Global* - amzn.to/43mIbma
AUS* - amzn.to/4i7oMJP
LTA Velo headamp/preamp
Review - bit.ly/42Eeknp
Global - bit.ly/LTAVelo
Gustard X30 DAC
Review - bit.ly/4p93yij
Global* - bit.ly/GUSTARDX30
Amzn* - amzn.to/3LenKRj
AU* - amzn.to/47zlhs2
00:00 Cayin RU3 review
00:29 Design & features
02:47 Sound quality
07:18 Final pass
#CayinRU3 #USBCdongle #PortableDAC #HeadphoneAmp #Audiophile #HiFi #DACAMP #Headphones #IEMs #PlanarMagneticHeadphones #QuestyleM15C #DongleDAC #AudioReview #PassionForSound #CayinAudio #BudgetHiFi










