[Andykong]

@Andykong When will the pre-orders take place? What are the chances of getting this before the Chrismas break?

We sure want to deliver the C9 before Christmas, and from the schedule I read, I am still optimistic about this schedule.

 

[Andykong]

Never wanted a portable amp before but this looks really cool. My fingers are crossed it can power the LCD-GX balanced. But also, we're gonna need more options for 4.4mm interconnects! Fast becoming a trend with new gear.

20ohms + 100 db/mW. LCD GX doesn't look particularly hard to drive. This should be more than enough.

You need to consider the driver/transducer size and type before you estimate the driving requirements. For example, even when all three drivers are rated at 20Ω, 100 db/mW, 10mm dynamic driver (IEM) vs 50mm dynamic driver (Full size Headphone) vs 100mm planar transducer represent very different loading requirements. The LCD-GX happens to be 106mm large size planars, while it is not difficult to make it play loud, the current required to control and make it sound good is a very different matters, and current is, in many case, the bottleneck of portable amplifier

I expect C9 to perform quite decent with LCD-GX, but not necessarily as decent as a desktop amplifier at the same price.

 

[Andykong]

does anyone know if this cayin c9 amplifier has switchable opamps?

C9 is fully discrete Class A/AB amplifier, you can't roll op-amp because there we don't use them in C9. If you are unfamiliar with discrete amplifier, check out HERE, HERE and HERE.

 

[Andykong]

Probably from this post.

Personally I'm expecting 800mw/32ohm kind of power which should be sufficient for the vast majority of headphones.

We only build several engineering samples at this stage, so I don't have any measurements available. The C9 offers many different options, tube vs SS, Class A vs Class AB, Standard mode vs Pure Power Amp mode, etc. the power rating will probably end up as a fairly complicated table. If we are referring to the maximum output setting, the the output of C9 should be way beyond 800mW@32Ω, the E02 is discrete Class AB rated at 600mW@32Ω, The N3Pro is rated at 800mW@32Ω, the C9 is a lot more powerful then these two.

But all this probably might mean nothing to you because you can ignore the 800mW output rating of N3Pro and only look at the single-end vacuum tube output at 130mW. So I assume the maximum output setting of C9 is irrelevant, right?

When I said "IEMs remain as the primary target of C9 portable headphone amp. ", I means we have to make sure C9 works well with most IEMs in the market. The last thing we want is for C9 to become overpowered for most IEMs, but at the same time, not as good as desktop headphone amplifier at similar price. I did come across very well-received products that give me exactly this feeling,

On the other hand, the statement didn't really stated that C9 will not work well with full size headphones. We just don't aimed at that, and we don't use full size headphone as the benchmark when we fine tune the audio performance of C9.

 

[Andykong]

Frankly I've tried using my large cans for portable use and it never really materialises. So I'm mostly looking for a portable amp/dac or a combo that will be good with iems. To that end this looks like a very good option.

This is exactly our thinking. If full size headphones are your number 1 priority, then please go for a desktop amplifier. Portable amplifier, even as powerful as C9, will not outperform desktop amplifier at the same price, so why should we put full size headphone as primary priority?

We are going to make C9 as good as it can with IEM, and in our experience, it will sound nice with a lot of headphones even when we are not aiming at them directly.

 

[seanwee]

We only build several engineering samples at this stage, so I don't have any measurements available. The C9 offers many different options, tube vs SS, Class A vs Class AB, Standard mode vs Pure Power Amp mode, etc. the power rating will probably end up as a fairly complicated table. If we are referring to the maximum output setting, the the output of C9 should be way beyond 800mW@32Ω, the E02 is discrete Class AB rated at 600mW@32Ω, The N3Pro is rated at 800mW@32Ω, the C9 is a lot more powerful then these two.

When I said "IEMs remain as the primary target of C9 portable headphone amp. ", I means we have to make sure C9 works well with most IEMs in the market. The last thing we want is for C9 to become overpowered for most IEMs, but at the same time, not as good as desktop headphone amplifier at similar price. I did come across very well-received products that give me exactly this feeling,

On the other hand, the statement didn't really stated that C9 will not work well with full size headphones. We just don't aimed at that, and we don't use full size headphone as the benchmark when we find tune the audio performance of C9.

If that is so I wouldn't feel mislead at all if it was claimed to be able to power full sized headphones haha. It should be outstanding as a portable amp.

Whats Pure Power Amp mode btw?

 

[seanwee]

This is exactly our thinking. If full size headphones are your number 1 priority, then please go for a desktop amplifier. Portable amplifier, even as powerful as C9, will not outperform desktop amplifier at the same price, so why should we put full size headphone as primary priority?

Define "same price"

 

[Andykong]

Give us a good DAC to stack this with and you can take my money right now.
Can't wait. Subbed.

Let's build a list for your question.

DAP with un-amplified "clean" balanced line out

Cayin N8
Cayin N6ii (E02)
Cayin N6ii (A02)
Hiby R8

Please add more options to the list, I only list items that I have first hand experience.

 

[Andykong]

If that is so I wouldn't feel mislead at all if it was claimed to be able to power full sized headphones haha. It should be outstanding as a portable amp.

Whats Pure Power Amp mode btw?

Define full size headphones.
Define able to power.
How can I define full size headphones without involving models such as HE6, Susvara, K1000, AB-1266? To what condition do I need to prove that an amplifier is able to power these amplifier? Play a particular note to a particular loudness?

 

[seanwee]

Define full size headphones.
Define able to power.
How can I define full size headphones without involving models such as HE6, Susvara, K1000, AB-1266? To what condition do I need to prove that an amplifier is able to power these amplifier? Play a particular note to a particular loudness?

I would say it's ok to call it that if it can power reasonably demanding planar like the HE 1000. It'd be absurd to expect a portable amp to be able to power the most demanding headphones in the market wouldn't you agree

And a reasonable loudness is what people consider a loud listening volume (90-95dba) +10% headroom so it doesn't clip. That seems to be the "powerful enough" standard at least.

 

[Andykong]

I would say it's ok to call it that if it can power reasonably demanding planar like the HE 1000. It'd be absurd to expect a portable amp to be able to power the most demanding headphones in the market wouldn't you agree

And a reasonable loudness is what people consider a loud listening volume (90-95dba) +10% headroom so it doesn't clip. That seems to be the "powerful enough" standard at least.

Any comment? If an amp can drive a headphone to 95dB at 1kHz without clipping, it is defined as powerful enough to drive the headphone already?

How can I measure 10% headroom?

 

[Giru]

This is exactly our thinking. If full size headphones are your number 1 priority, then please go for a desktop amplifier. Portable amplifier, even as powerful as C9, will not outperform desktop amplifier at the same price, so why should we put full size headphone as primary priority?

We are going to make C9 as good as it can with IEM, and in our experience, it will sound nice with a lot of headphones even when we are not aiming at them directly.

This is a very good decision in my opinion. Too many manufacturer's making jack-of-all-trades devices these days which end up being unusable for either application.
Way to go cayin! You have my vote

 

[Nostoi]

This is exactly our thinking. If full size headphones are your number 1 priority, then please go for a desktop amplifier. Portable amplifier, even as powerful as C9, will not outperform desktop amplifier at the same price, so why should we put full size headphone as primary priority?

We are going to make C9 as good as it can with IEM, and in our experience, it will sound nice with a lot of headphones even when we are not aiming at them directly.

I'm excited for this amp and really appreciate all the honest info you're providing for it in advance. Very refreshing.

 

[Ynot1]

Christmas, Hd 560 S, and C9. Sounds like a good wishlist pairing.

 

[quisxx]

Define "same price"

nice one