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

[Whitigir]

Well, I am a little skeptical to add something that spin or vibrate heavily with my DAP and C9, I'll stick with Solid State Class AB for the moment and look for other options.

Hehe, when you carrying in the backpack, it is moving and vibrating still

 

[Andykong]

Thanks very much. Yeah I think I'm going to go for it. Maybe 60cm...

Will probably just use the same cables being used as headphone cables - 27AWG 4n silver litz, 4 cores, nylon core, a PVC coat, individual nylon sleeving (and braided). Please let me know if you think this is an issue at all.

Yes, this should works fine.

In my experience, the longer your cable, the more important is the shielding design, maybe even more important than the material of the conductor at some point. Litz cable with PCV coat should offer good shielding for 60 cm. For complete peace of mind, you can look for four core cable with each conductor reussen shielded, or multi-strand cable with a braid shield, and then connect the shield to the GND pin of the two 4.4mm connector.

 

[bye2]

Cayin C9 - TOTL IEM/Headphone Portable Tube/Solid-State (SS) Amplifier Review (1/2)

Nice review! Looking forward to part 2.

Hugo 2 is interesting. As you said, it's quite dominant over the gears. May be so, I've found when combining with C9, it's still same sound of Hugo 2 (may be a bit warmer). Really not a playing a great different unless when needed to drive something like HD800s.

Agree with this. Its how I have my sp2k. Make sure to use low gain on the C9 with balanced 6V or overload will occur.

I do continue to affirm my opinion that the sp2k is not the best driver to the c9, probably due to the fact it has no real line out. The n8 performs notably better and I look forward to getting the n6ii a02.

I also feel that the sp2k is now overpriced in a market of similarly performing alternatives at substantially lower cost.

For the SP2000, I've found the best line out setting is to set it to is '3vSE/6vBAL' in the Line Out settings (Settings > Line Out > Output Options). NB you can set other voltages here too if desired. Make sure you have the latest firmware downloaded.

In the 'Line Out' Settings menu, make sure you have 'Line Out - Activate Line Out button on the Volume Panel' set to on.

Then either connect a 3.5mm interconnect between the SP2000 and the C9 (for either 1.5vSE or 3vSE) or a 4.4mm interconnect between the SP200 and the C9 using EA's AKA adapter (or equivalent) (for either 3vBLA or 6vBAL).

Then set the C9 to Line Input and whichever of the Timbre flavors you prefer. My preferred with the SP2000 and Odin would be AB/Tube but I found the MEST was better on A/Tube for my tastes. Both at Low Gain.

Finally, when starting to play a track, scroll the volume wheel a little and press the on-screen line out button. This will then output the desire line out voltage. (Be careful to keep the C9 volume to minimum until you have made this step to avoid hurting your ears/IEMs). Once the voltage displays on screen at the voltage setting you have chosen, then slowly increase the (very precise) volume control on the C9 until you reach the desired volume.

Please bear in mind that the quality of the interconnect will play a huge part in the sound you get from the combination of DAC/DAP and C9. The stock interconnect is not bad but I found the sound quality increased significantly when I used the Penon Totem 4.4mm interconnect (that is astoundingly good value at only around $80).

I hope that helps!

Different from you both, I've stayed on playing with the so-called "lineout" on my SP1000. Instead, I set the C9 on preamp mode with both my wm1a and SP1000. What I feel is: when using lineout (4V in SP1000), it's the sound of C9. When using preamp mode C9, it's the clear sound of a powered SP1000 or warm sounded wm1a (with Project Z). Funny things to have with the C9.

Agreed, I think the TOTL IEMs deserve a good Amp to unleash their full potential. All of my IEMs sing beautifully with C9 pairing with different sources, under different modes, with an objective to achieve the best synergy.

Time to test drive the big boy with C9 now.

It's my day 1 task with my Ether 2


-----

I was busy swapping gears to play with C9 these days, run out of battery, and was always rotating the battery set of VTR6 as I focus on Tube A. I start to wonder if the PCB of C9 battery connection will be have like the old Nintendo SFC cartridge...

 

[Andykong]

The C9 (and DX300) are too long to be positioned vertically - I'll probably put them in laterally (i.e. on their sides), but still - not a lot of spare space!

How about a crossed layout, with C9 in the bottom vertically, and DAP on top horizontally, and keeping 10mm gap between them?

 

[bye2]

How about a crossed layout, with C9 in the bottom vertically, and DAP on top horizontally, and keeping 10mm gap between them?

This is what I’m always doing these days...

 

[gazzington]

would this power a dt800 600ohm if im sat at my desk?

 

[eskamobob1]

If you said you are not going to change anything for 3 months, I probably will applause your plan, but 3 years? seriously? that doesn't sound convincing at all.

Hey now. Believing in the man is the least we can do. He is just saying the exact same thing I say when I buy an expensive new toy every month......

 

[wgkwgk]

I just read your C9 review.
Would the C9 properly replace my Liquid Platinum?

Great review! BTW.

 

[bluestorm1992]

I just read your C9 review.
Would the C9 properly replace my Liquid Platinum?

Great review! BTW.

Thank you for your kind words! May I know what headphones are you using with your Liquid Platinum?

Looking at pure output power, the Liquid Platinum is more powerful but C9 is not too far behind. Also, based on user feedback here, C9 can even drive 300 Ohm HD 800s quite nicely.

 

[wgkwgk]

Thank you for your kind words! May I know what headphones are you using with your Liquid Platinum?

Looking at pure output power, the Liquid Platinum is more powerful but C9 is not too far behind. Also, based on user feedback here, C9 can even drive 300 Ohm HD 800s quite nicely.

Grade GH2, ZMF Auteur and VC, Zach's Foster mod planers Blackwood. Midteir Noble and Olivetti.

 

[bluestorm1992]

Grade GH2, ZMF Auteur and VC, Zach's Foster mod planers Blackwood. Midteir Noble and Olivetti.

Nice collection of headphones!

I only have a Planar (Abyss Diana V2) with me, so I can best talk about C9's performance with it. Below I repost a reply I sent to another Head-fier about V2's pairing with C9.

"Yes C9 has no problem in driving V2 properly. I am not sure whether you have experienced a headphone that is “not driven properly”. I have tried V2 with some DAPs and some desktop gears, and sometimes the music is apparently plain, lacking dynamics, and no full body of the music. C9, on the other hand, has no such problem. With it, V2 is dynamic and pleasant.

However, I do want to say that there is room for improvement. When compared with Diana’s default Amp the Xiaudio Broadway (balanced), the Broadway has better overall presentation. With C9 SS, the sound from V2 is a bit too harsh and too intimate. With C9 Tube, the sound becomes too soft. With the Broadway Amp. You get the full dynamics and a wider soundstage. Feels like the perfect balance between C9’s SS and tube mode, with the addition of a wider sound stage.

Still, I give C9 enough credit for its performance in driving V2. I feel like you can get a very good idea of Diana V2’s performance with it."

Diana V2 is a very insensitive headphone, so given that C9 can drive it properly, it should have no problem in driving most Planars, unless we go to Abyss 1266 or Hifiman Susvara. Also, the Broadway Amp I mention here is the default pairing of Diana V2 - its tuning is done with the Diana. Therefore, it sets a really high bar in terms of driving V2. I am quite happy that C9 + V2 approaches the "default pairing" really close. Note also that the Broadway Amp is an even more expensive Amp (MSRP $2299).

 

[markel]

How does it compare to the iDSD Diablo? Sorry if this has already been asked.

 

[bluestorm1992]

How does it compare to the iDSD Diablo? Sorry if this has already been asked.

I think these two are quite different devices. As I read from Diablo's description, it is a DAC/Amp intergraded device. C9, so I am more inclined to consider this as a DAP (that does not have a display).

As for the comparison, I don't own the Diablo and it will be inappropriate for me to conclude that C9 is better simply because it is more expensive. But, given that C9 is a dedicated Amp, and the fact that you can pair a very nice source component to it, I think C9 has a much greater potential to deliver a better sound.

 

[Whitigir]

Diablo also take input from USB interfaces only....where as many modern DAPS are using FPGA and communicate over I2S which is the best interfaces for Digital Audio . For this technicalities alone, I would also say using a C9 with a properly designed DAP and Line out is a much better choice than any devices that only use USB interfaces

 

[markel]

I agree the Diablo and C9 have different use cases, but hopefully someone will be able to compare the sound quality at some point. Both have high powered amps in a portable size, which is why I think they are worth comparing. Maybe at some point I'll get the C9, since I already have the Diablo.