Cayin C9: Dual Nutube, Fully Balanced Class A/AB Portable HeadAmp

[425455]

File under "unusual pairings." The C9 with the Sony WM-D6C. This is one of the few high-end Sony Walkmans of the classic era with a true line-out (and line-in), so it's perfect for external amps. Sounds surprisingly good - warm and smooth, but with a good sense of dynamics.

Have to say, listening to the ZMF VC on my old AC/DC, Maiden, Metallica tapes from adolescence is a bit of a thrill. The C9 and D6C are also big beasts, and their dimensions suit each other nicely.

That's so awesome

I got the original blue one for my 15th birthday when they had just come out...

Wish I still had it.. still got the tapes!

 

[Nostoi]

I haven't gone round to it yet, but thanks for sharing this, great to see others that know where truth lies

Dude! That is badass. Those 80s/90s Aiwa players are super underrated and easily compete with the Sonys. Lovely collection.

 

[Nostoi]

That's so awesome

I got the original blue one for my 15th birthday when they had just come out...

Wish I still had it.. still got the tapes!

They still pop up on Ebay, but a few of them have shot up in price because of things like Stranger Things and Guardians of the Galaxy, which I think features the original blue one. Iconic, indeed.

 

[soundblast75]

Dude! That is badass. Those 80s/90s Aiwa players are super underrated and easily compete with the Sonys. Lovely collection.

The Aiwa is great, but as good tapes are hard to come by the Sony does a better job at driving, will try with amp later

 

[Nostoi]

The Aiwa is great, but as good tapes are hard to come by the Sony does a better job at driving, will try with amp later

Id be curious to hear how it pairs with the Discman, too. Can't have a Walkman without a Discman, after all.

 

[bigbeans]

Only a matter of time until we start seeing C9+ Turntable setups here lol

 

[soundblast75]

Id be curious to hear how it pairs with the Discman, too. Can't have a Walkman without a Discman, after all.

My life goal has been to achieve what this Discman does, nothing in the digital realm has managed to sound as convincing over the years. This is the reason i splashed the big bucks on an R2R dac and it is as good if not a tiny bit better, but the price to pay is excruciating.
C9 on the other hand is a rare precious device that fits well with the legacy, its a must

 

[soundblast75]

Only a matter of time until we start seeing C9+ Turntable setups here lol

Haha, you asked for it

 

[Nostoi]

My life goal has been to achieve what this Discman does, nothing in the digital realm has managed to sound as convincing over the years. This is the reason i splashed the big bucks on an R2R dac and it is as good if not a tiny bit better, but the price to pay is excruciating.
C9 on the other hand is a rare precious device that fits well with the legacy, its a must

Relatable!

 

[elira]

My life goal has been to achieve what this Discman does, nothing in the digital realm has managed to sound as convincing over the years. This is the reason i splashed the big bucks on an R2R dac and it is as good if not a tiny bit better, but the price to pay is excruciating.
C9 on the other hand is a rare precious device that fits well with the legacy, its a must

What DAC is in that Discman?

 

[Whitigir]

Dude! That is badass. Those 80s/90s Aiwa players are super underrated and easily compete with the Sonys. Lovely collection.

Aiwa! It was even better than Sony. I loved it so much!!! The recent digital stuff that sound resembling Aiwa house sound is Shanling stuff !!!

 

[soundblast75]

Aiwa! It was even better than Sony. I loved it so much!!! The recent digital stuff that sound resembling Aiwa house sound is Shanling stuff !!!

Oh that's great to know, do you mean from M8 onwards and upwards only?

 

[soundblast75]

What DAC is in that Discman?

You see, this is the problem with the whole business and why we all spend 1000s but don't listen to anything remotely decent (looking at you Chord) It is an irrelevant question. The dac was the simplest Philips long gone now and yet with 4 times oversampling as the biggest deal put on top of the unit, Sony managed a sound that Hugo2 can only dream to sound like, totally wrong direction..

 

[Whitigir]

Oh that's great to know, do you mean from M8 onwards and upwards only?

The M8 and M30 are resembling Aiwa house sound, definitely

 

[Marat Sar]

What type of interconnect would be closest to the sound of the one Cayin supplies with the c9? I'm looking to connect 2.5 to 4.4 (SP2000 user for now) and would like as close to that cayin sound as possible, as I've noticed the Cayin cable sounds great -- just sucks having to use an adapter, as I know they downgrade and change the sound. Price is not an object here.

I'm looking at what plussound has to offer, for example. And I'm stuck deciding on the material...

Super open to other cable makers too. Price is not a problem, I just want a good interconnect -- and I gotta say I'm a little lost. I get wildly different results from the stock plus different 2.5 to 4.4 adapters. And I have an Iliad 2.5 to 4.4, which isn't quite what I was looking for. (Soundstage gets smaller than the stock plus adapter, strangely enough.)

Any help and experiences welcome!