Cayin C9: Dual Nutube, Fully Balanced Class A/AB Portable HeadAmp
Mar 7, 2021 at 11:38 AM Post #2,071 of 6,248
Well, I received a replacement amp for my DX300 last week and all was back to normal using my C9 with 4.4mm balanced output. Until today :frowning2: The same issue occurred where the amp is blown again. @Andykong Any thoughts on what keeps blowing the DX300 amp? I am using the DX300 in High Gain using Line Out to a Cayin C9 in High Gain on 4.4mm balanced output and after 1 week the DX300 amp sounds blown and unusable. I may be forced to sell my C9 unfortunately since the DX300 is my daily driver.

This is kinda stressful since I have the same setup - except I'm using medium gain (I prefer it)...
 
Mar 7, 2021 at 11:41 AM Post #2,072 of 6,248
This is kinda stressful since I have the same setup - except I'm using medium gain (I prefer it)...
I've experimented with low and medium gain as well over the past week. Not sure if keeping both units in high gain is the cause but I've informed Paul at iBasso as well that their team may want to test this combo to see what's causing the issue.
 
Mar 7, 2021 at 11:43 AM Post #2,073 of 6,248
I've experimented with low and medium gain as well over the past week. Not sure if keeping both units in high gain is the cause but I've informed Paul at iBasso as well that their team may want to test this combo to see what's causing the issue.

I'm actually also mostly using high gain on the C9 (using medium gain on the DX300).

What headphones are you using? Any adaptor?

Using the Cayin supplied interconnect between the DX300 and C9?
 
Mar 7, 2021 at 11:47 AM Post #2,074 of 6,248
Well, I received a replacement amp for my DX300 last week and all was back to normal using my C9 with 4.4mm balanced output. Until today :frowning2: The same issue occurred where the amp is blown again. @Andykong Any thoughts on what keeps blowing the DX300 amp? I am using the DX300 in High Gain using Line Out to a Cayin C9 in High Gain on 4.4mm balanced output and after 1 week the DX300 amp sounds blown and unusable. I may be forced to sell my C9 unfortunately since the DX300 is my daily driver.
I wonder if any other users have experienced similar issues. Mine N6ii works fine with both E02 and A02.
 
Mar 7, 2021 at 11:57 AM Post #2,075 of 6,248
I'm actually also mostly using high gain on the C9 (using medium gain on the DX300).

What headphones are you using? Any adaptor?

Using the Cayin supplied interconnect between the DX300 and C9?
I am using the Cayin supplied 4.4mm interconnect with no adaptor. IEMs only - Odin, Erlkonig, Legend X and Z1R.
 
Mar 7, 2021 at 11:59 AM Post #2,076 of 6,248
IEMs only - Odin, Erlkonig, Legend X and Z1R.

What cables do you use to connect each of these IEMs? Any adaptors?

Actually I'm quite shocked you're using high/high gain with these (!) I would expect it to be far too loud...

When you LO out of the DX300 you're at 100 volume right?

Directly PO to the IEMs out of the DX300 what gain and volume are you at?

Maybe your C9 is faulty...
 
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Mar 7, 2021 at 12:03 PM Post #2,077 of 6,248
What cables to these IEMs?

Actually I'm quite shocked you're using high/high gain with these (!) I would expect it to be far too loud...

Maybe your C9 is faulty...
I know, I went back and forth between gain options, I actually prefer low gain on the C9 with the LX. The vocals and dynamics come across better to my ears with the other IEMs on high gain (although sometimes I will switch to medium gain on the DX300, but there's a low end presence that can dominate the signature which is less noticeable when switching to high gain). I'm using Horus Octa with the Erl, Iliad with the Odin, Socrates with the LX and the stock cable with the Z1R.
 
Mar 7, 2021 at 12:09 PM Post #2,078 of 6,248
All headphone cables are 4.4mm or 3.5mm terminated?

Actually the only thing I can imagine is that somehow it's an adaptor issue, but it seems highly unlikely that an adaptor at the headphone output of the C9 would negatively affect the DX300 (and you've already said you're just using the supplied IC between DX300 and C9).

There's a small chance that if you're using some faulty adaptor with one of these headphones, and have TRIED it with the DX300, that's what killed the amp of the DX300 - can you exclude that possibility? Given that the DX300 has 4.4, 2.5, and 3.5, I actually doubt you even used any adaptors with the DX300.

Apart from that I'd suspect a C9 flaw rather than anything else... but I will certainly provide feedback on this thread if my DX300 dies.
 
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Mar 7, 2021 at 12:09 PM Post #2,079 of 6,248
Well, I received a replacement amp for my DX300 last week and all was back to normal using my C9 with 4.4mm balanced output. Until today :frowning2: The same issue occurred where the amp is blown again. @Andykong Any thoughts on what keeps blowing the DX300 amp? I am using the DX300 in High Gain using Line Out to a Cayin C9 in High Gain on 4.4mm balanced output and after 1 week the DX300 amp sounds blown and unusable. I may be forced to sell my C9 unfortunately since the DX300 is my daily driver.
Weird , so the portable amp is braking the amp which isnt being used in your dap?
 
Mar 7, 2021 at 12:18 PM Post #2,080 of 6,248
Weird , so the portable amp is braking the amp which isnt being used in your dap?
It isn’t weird...it is “impossible”.

The amplifier is the end chain that only job is amplifications. It will amplify or it will not, period. It doesn’t draw power, and it doesn’t push anything backward toward the source either.

I kept telling the guy that his DX300 is a defect, but he decided to ask for an amplifier module replacement instead. Now with a new module and it is blown again, you are blaming the C9 ? Nooo...it is your DX300 that is keeping on blowing the amp modules of it own

Your DX300 Amp module will draw power from it own main Dx300, and it will even blow itself it there is something funky going on within itself as despite it being modular, it is still a one device...If there is some short or defect, it will be damaged.

However, go ahead and list the C9 for sale, a lot of happy customer will pick it up (plenty are waiting). I still urge you to replace your Dx300 player, you don’t want to have the window to run out of “replacement” but getting to the point of “shipping out, waiting for repair and shipping back”
 
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Mar 7, 2021 at 12:19 PM Post #2,081 of 6,248
It isn’t weird...it is “impossible”.

The amplifier is the end chain that only job is amplifications. It will amplify or it will not, period. It doesn’t draw power, and it doesn’t push anything backward toward the source either.

I kept telling the guy that his DX300 is a defect, but he decided to ask for an amplifier module replacement instead. Now with a new module and it is blown again, you are blaming the C9 ? Nooo...it is your DX300 that is keeping on blowing the amp modules of it own

Your DX300 Amp module will draw power from it own main Dx300, and it will even blow itself it there is something funky going on within itself as despite it being modular, it is still a one device.

However, go ahead and list the C9 for sale, a lot of happy customer will pick it up. I still urge you to replace your Dx300 player, you don’t want to have the window to run out of “replacement” but getting to the point of “shipping out, waiting for repair and shipping back”
Oh this makes sense lol.

Edit: To elaborate, I guess that any failure of the C9 which could break the DX300 would probably also mean that the C9 isn't working at all (e.g. a short). Does seem very unlikely (or impossible) for the C9 to generally work, but sometimes kill the source.

Edit 2: This also makes me feel much better, as I'm pretty sure my DX300 and C9 are both working (since I've basically compared my DX300 to a friends DX300, and my C9 to a demo C9 lol).
 
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Mar 7, 2021 at 12:34 PM Post #2,083 of 6,248
The C9 is not only with the ability to scale tremendously with headphones cables, but it also scale very well with upgraded InterConnect.

As I listen more and more to my new setup.. Jeez this is true.

The improvement I'm seeing isn't as obvious as from just adding C9 into the chain though, it's more subtle - but becomes more and more obvious as I listen to more of my playlist.

Edit: Okay one very obvious side effect of changing the IC is I like Taylor Swift again lol. SO WIERD (I know I've been posting alot about cables, but actually I don't believe in cables...)
 
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Mar 7, 2021 at 12:35 PM Post #2,084 of 6,248
Now I can carry the C9+A02 stack with me wherever I want. There are a couple keys that I want to confirm

With HeatSinks 4X and Class AB Solid State

The C9 can only get warmed enough while staying inside like this after a couple hours or so. Therefore, the C9 under this arrangement can be taken on a bike ride , a walk in the park, or walking the dog while enjoying music like you have never had done before.

There are so many different ways to carry it, but most importantly would be to find a shoulder bag that fit your style. I had to slightly cut the opening more open on this Case style. It is $40 or so, and is totally worth it. You may want to get a little larger one of you don’t prefer cutting the Zipper out of the new case
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08BFGB53J?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image
509118DA-C6E3-475E-B2D6-F813F1BF6696.jpeg
 
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Mar 7, 2021 at 12:41 PM Post #2,085 of 6,248
Now I can carry the C9+A02 stack with me wherever I want. There are a couple keys that I want to confirm

With HeatSinks 4X and Class AB Solid State

The C9 can only get warmed while staying inside like this after a couple hours or so. Therefore, the C9 under this arrangement can be taken on a bike ride , a walk in the park, or walking the dog while enjoying music like you have never had done before.

There are so many different ways to carry it, but most importantly would be to find a shoulder bag that fit your style. I had to slightly cut the opening more open on this Case style. It is $40 or so, and is totally worth it. You may want to get a little larger one of you don’t prefer cutting the Zipper out of the new case
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08BFGB53J?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image
509118DA-C6E3-475E-B2D6-F813F1BF6696.jpeg

Damn whitiger! Looking cool and hip as always! 👍
 

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