Pineapple Audio Reviews

  A Dongle Done Right: Why the Cayin RU3 Earned a Spot in My Rotation Pros:  * Excellent sound quality for the price, clean, natural, and well balanced * Strong output power, confidently drives planar IEMs and full size headphones * Solid CNC aluminum build with a premium feel * Responsive UI with no lag or hiccups * Clear OLED display and intuitive button controls * Well-implemented Cayin Control app with lossless EQ * 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs with PO and LO support * Broad compatibility across Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS Cons:  * Included USB-C cable is a bit stiff for pocket use * Runs slightly warm in Hyper mode * Small display and tiny font may be hard to read for some users I’ve been spending a lot of time lately with the Cayin RU3 paired to my current favorite planar IEM, and the longer it stays in my rotation, the more it continues to surprise me. This is one of those pieces of gear that quietly wins you over. No big first-day fireworks, just a steady realizat...

  FiiO DM15 R2R : Old-school soul, modern execution Pros:  * Musical, R2R-style tuning with natural timbre and good note weight * Strong output power for a portable unit, especially from balanced out * Versatile all-in-one design: CD player, USB DAC, Bluetooth transmit, and digital transport * Clean and stable coaxial and optical output for use with external DACs * Well-implemented Bluetooth with aptX HD and aptX Adaptive and excellent stability * Built-in EQ and filters that are actually useful, not gimmicky * Surprisingly handy IR remote that improves day-to-day usability * Solid build and thoughtful feature set for both portable and desktop use Cons:  * No LDAC support * Front panel buttons are small and not ideal for larger hands (nitpick) I’ll say it straight up. The FiiO DM15 R2R is, to my ears, the best compact disc player FiiO has put out so far. More than that, it’s the best sounding portable CD player I’ve personally spent time with. That’s not something I say l...