[luisdent]

Crap.  I just posted a long comparison and accidentally deleted it when I was going to edit it.
 
Basically I said it wasn't as good.  Ha ha.  It sounds more full with the 3.5 but not in a good way.  As if the extra fullness isn't really better quality.  The line-out seems to breathe better.  That's the best I can describe it.
 
It might be my brain, but it sounds better to me... :-o  Anyone else have any thought on why that might be?
 
Is it double amping introducing more distortion or something?

 

[miceblue]

Quote:

Wow, that was a fast test.  There is a noticeable difference I can't even describe.  It's like the 2.5 method makes everything sound louder.  Not as in raised volume.  As in things sound like they were recorded at high levels or "hotter".  It's really strange actually.  It's almost like there are more mids too, as though some things are more in your face, but not in a good way really, just in a different way.
 
The line-out definitely sounds better.  Everything sounds more snappy and there is a noticeable improvement in depth between everything.  As though the music is higher resolution still.  I'm not sure of all the technical details, but I can say it's a large enough difference double blind testing isn't even necessary. ha.  It's like the 3.5 method makes everything sound more filled in, louder and fuller, but in a bad way.  As though what is being filled in isn't really good music data or sonics, but rather.... I'm not really sure.  It's like the music is more full and full bodied, but just sounds less detailed and breathes less if that makes sense.
 
I'll stick with the line out.

Yeah I noticed that the line out provides a more spacious, natural-sounding stage and instruments are a bit clearer than 3.5 mm out. If I were mobile listening, I don't think I would be able to tell though.

 

[luisdent]

Quote:

Yeah I noticed that the line out provides a more spacious, natural-sounding stage and instruments are a bit clearer than 3.5 mm out. If I were mobile listening, I don't think I would be able to tell though.

 
Hey you recovered my post!  Great timing.  It was only up for like 1 minute. haha.
 
Yes I completely agree.  Probably wouldn't be able to tell in most situations, but I do a lot of listening at home where the isolation brings noise pretty much to zero.  So I notice it.  Spacious is a good word to describe it.

 

[miceblue]

I'll write my review after the chaos of finals week has settle and I get the chance to re-program some things with the C5.

 

[miceblue]

I somehow recall someone saying it takes ~5 hours to completely charge the C5.
My C5's battery ran out of juice on the bus again today so I came home at around dinner time (18:30) and I plugged-in the C5 to my laptop. 2 hours and < 41 minutes later I check the C5 and it's fully charged! I am pleasantly surprised.

 

[luisdent]

I somehow recall someone saying it takes ~5 hours to completely charge the C5.
My C5's battery ran out of juice on the bus again today so I came home at around dinner time (18:30) and I plugged-in the C5 to my laptop. 2 hours and < 41 minutes later I check the C5 and it's fully charged! I am pleasantly surprised.

I thought that too, I've charged mine fully twice, and I didn't time it, but it was definitely not 5 hours. If I had to guess I'd say about 2.5 to 3 hours. Maybe the 5 hours is if you're charging it while you use it?

 

[Craigster75]

Quote:

Crap.  I just posted a long comparison and accidentally deleted it when I was going to edit it.
 
Basically I said it wasn't as good.  Ha ha.  It sounds more full with the 3.5 but not in a good way.  As if the extra fullness isn't really better quality.  The line-out seems to breathe better.  That's the best I can describe it.
 
It might be my brain, but it sounds better to me... :-o  Anyone else have any thought on why that might be?
 
Is it double amping introducing more distortion or something?

It's not your brain.  Just as a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link, double amping limits the SQ, frequency response and performance to that of the lowest quality amp in the chain.  Line out bypasses the lower quality amp in your player so that you can enjoy the full performance of your external amp.

 

[skyron]

Hello,
 
The C5 is very interesting !
 
But I have a question for the owners :
I actually use a Denon AH-D600 and need a portable amp.
I think the C5 could be good pairing with D600.
 
But I have one question about it :
with a headphone that goes really deep in bass, is the C5 can handle these deep basses correctly ?
 
Tks
 

 

[akash neagi]

Did anyone use their C5 to drive a HD800????
I really like the C5 but I can't find out if it can drive a HD800....

 

[audionewbi]

Quote:

Did anyone use their C5 to drive a HD800????
I really like the C5 but I can't find out if it can drive a HD800....

Dont expect too much. The rule of thumb is that if you are spending 1300 USD on a can you should be ready to spend at least half as much on an amplifier for it. Having said that I think C5 should be fine for HD700,HD800 I am skeptical about. 

 

[jseaber]

Quote:

Dont expect too much. The rule of thumb is that if you are spending 1300 USD on a can you should be ready to spend at least half as much on an amplifier for it. Having said that I think C5 should be fine for HD700,HD800 I am skeptical about. 

 
This is a simple matter of output power. To reach 115dB:
 
HD-700: 100db/mW --> ~32mW minimum @ 150ohm
HD-800: 102db/mW --> ~24mW minimum @ 300ohm
 
 
C5 Output @ 150 ohms: 74mW
C5 Output @ 600 ohms: 28mW (so even higher at 300 ohm).
 
These are quick approximations. Please correct me if I've pulled bad headphone specs from Google. Headphone manufacturers are shy about sensitivity units, and I'm seeing the same ratings for HD-700/800 in both dB/mW and dB/V...

 

[audionewbi]

I just did not want the member to purchase the C5 only to pair it with HD800 and not be that happy about as I believe C5 design was more towards IEM and portable gears not transportable cans. I think from the reviews and my journey on head-fi "loudness" and "synergy" seems to be two different things. 

By design I think HD800 is still following the old 120 Ohm standard. 

 

[jseaber]

Quote:

 
I just did not want the member to purchase the C5 only to pair it with HD800 and not be that happy about as I believe C5 design was more towards IEM and portable gears not transportable cans. I think from the reviews and my journey on head-fi "loudness" and "synergy" seems to be two different things. 

By design I think HD800 is still following the old 120 Ohm standard. 

 
Of course, power is only a portion of the picture! I take subjective impressions as seriously as you guys. Ultimately, we've found discussions of headphone+amp synergy to correlate to objective specifications. Tyll posted a great article this week explaining the bulk these correlations.
 
The "120 ohm standard" isn't taken seriously now or even a few years ago. Here's an excerpt from a blog to which I cannot link (NwAvGuy):
 
 

 I’ve also had a Sennheiser representative tell me they design their audiophile and portable headphones for zero ohm sources.

 

[audionewbi]

Thanks for the link, I want to make a clear that by no means I want to take away from the merit of C5. I have paired my C5 with a source that is 5 times it price that is how much I value it.  I am an objective kind of a person myself I care about objective measurements a great deal however I wish there was on amp fits all solution. 
For example I love how C5 pairs with Ck100pro, the pairing provided me a new reference sound level however with EX-1000 it was not as good of a match.
 
Looking forward to what JDS will bring to us in futures to come

 

[Mannes]

I have a colorfly c3 connected to the c5 at the moment and I am impressed how good this sounds it sounds more natural to me and with more detail. I have a iPod touch 3g also I will compare it today to see what sounds better to me.