The new Cayin Mini-CD MK2 is described by the Chinese company Cayin Audio as a compact and versatile CD player that is the ideal complement to the Cayin Audio i Series. Despite its compact dimensions, the user has a solution at hand that is ideal for music lovers who do not want to do without audio CDs in the future and want to play them back in the best quality.
Compact in dimensions. elegant in appearance
The new Cayin Mini-CD MK2 measures no more than 240 mm in width, 213 mm in depth and 58 mm in height. As already described, according to the manufacturer, this makes the CD player perfect for the Cayin Audio i Series and it can easily find its place anywhere.
The new Cayin Mini-CD MK2 is a solution with an elegant appearance, thanks to its high-quality metal chassis with brushed aluminium front.
For the sake of completeness, the drive weighs 2 kg, which is mainly due to the fact that the 9 V DC 1.3 A power supply is “stored” here.
Designed as a slot-in drive
The compact dimensions are not least due to the fact that Zhuhai Spark Electronic Equipment Co. Ltd., the manufacturer behind the Cayin Audio brand, decided on a slot-in drive, specifically a drive with a Sanyo high-precision laser head, as the manufacturer states.
Signal processing is handled by an ESS ES9018K2M DAC chipset from the specialist ESS Technology Inc., whereby the user can upsample up to 352.8 kHz if desired.
The new Cayin Mini-CD MK2 outputs analogue signals via a pair of RCA sockets. Alternatively, there is also a coaxial S/PDIF interface and an I2S (HDMI) to pass on digital signals to an external D/A converter. Here, the manufacturer naturally refers to the Cayin iDAC-6 MK2 or Cayin CS-100DAC solutions.
Simple, intuitive operating concept
Of course, all relevant buttons are available on the front of the Cayin Mini-CD MK2 for convenient control, and a generously dimensioned VFD Dynamic Display shows all relevant information. In addition, a suitable infrared remote control is included in the scope of delivery.
From the field
For this test, we used the Cayin Mini-CD MK2 as a compact desktop audio system, connected to a Cyrus ONE HD Integrated Amplifier, which has been faithfully serving us on our desks for years and is here driving a pair of Chario Ghibli from the Chario Aviator Line.
The first thing we liked about the Cayin Mini-CD MK2 is that, despite its very attractive price, it has a very appealing finish. We would also like to emphasise that the drive starts playing immediately after the CD is inserted, which can take a while, especially with slot-in drives.
Another plus point for the drive is the display, which is always clearly legible, and the simple operation that goes with it.
And then there’s the really appealing sound of the “little one”, which we also liked very much and which prompted us to look up the price of the Cayin Mini-CD MK2 again just to be sure. Music is presented clearly and in detail, and we were happy to make use of the upsampling option, as this really did make the reproduction seem a touch more finely resolved and with an even more realistic soundstage.
Prices and availability
The new Cayin Mini-CD MK2 is already available in specialist shops, with a recommended retail price of € 398. So far, Cayin Audio only offers the CD player in silver.
Getting to the point
Even though the new Cayin Mini-CD MK2 is, according to the Chinese hi-fi specialist Zhuhai Spark Electronic Equipment Co. Ltd., a perfect extension for the Cayin Audio i Series systems, it is a very compact Cayin Audio CD player that can be combined with various hi-fi components. In the test, this drive proved to be a reliable player for audio CDs, which presents them with appealing quality, although it is offered at a particularly attractive price. The Cayin Mini-CD MK2 also has the advantage of an elegant appearance and high-quality workmanship, which ensures that this “little one” from Cayin Audio is worthy of a clear recommendation from the editorial team.
| PRODUCT | CAYIN MINI-CD MK2 |
|---|---|
| Price | € 398,- |
| Brand | CAYIN AUDIO |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Zhuhai Spark Electronic Equipment Co. Ltd. |
| Distribution | Cayin Audio Distribution GmbH |
| More about this manufacturer at HIFI BLOG |
The Cayin Mini-CD MK2 offers an excellent price-performance ratio, because for little money you get a finely playing audio CD player that hardly takes up any space and also looks elegant. Even the integrated converter sounds very fine, and the user also has the option of upgrading to the Cayin Audio i Series systems.
Positive
- Very compact
- appealing design
- appealing sound
- remarkable price-performance ratio
Negative
- unfortunately only available in black
Test Environment
- Cyrus ONE HD Integrated Amplifier
- Chario Ghibli
- Cable from AudioQuest
- Power supply from Keces Audio
Conclusion
Sound
Design
Handling
Price/Performance
It is above all the remarkable price-performance ratio that speaks for the Cayin Mini-CD MK2, moreover its compact, thoroughly elegant appearance, which allows flexible use on a wide variety of audio systems, even if space is limited.
