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

[Andykong]

OK. Thank you.
They can be grounded but they don't need to be grounded....
Shortlisting from other criteria.... what may these be please?

Start talking to @Eric Chong

 

[CANiSLAYu]

Once again, please DO NOT use phone output of desktop headphone amplifier as source to C9 Pre-amp input mode. We must remember the basic different between pre-amp output and phone output. Pre-amp output is by definition voltage gain without current gain. You likely will end up with a lot of background noise or even distortion if you use high-power phone output here.

I'll quote my own explanation regarding Phone out as Pre-out:


In other word, only DAP phone output with relatively "smaller" current gain can be used as a substitution to Pre-amp input. If some of the DAP phone output are consider too beefy for this application, then we can almost certain that the phone out of desktop headphone amplifier is not going to work.

Hi Andy,

Just to confirm, I'm talking about using the XLR pre-amp outputs on the rear of the A90, not the headphone outputs in the front. My understanding is the XLR pre-amp output is the same as the headphone out, but with an extra 40 ohm resistor. Would this still not be suitable to use with C9 in Pre mode? Thank you.

 

[Whitigir]

OK. Thank you.
They can be grounded but they don't need to be grounded....
Shortlisting from other criteria.... what may these be please?

It will start out with “sound differences shielded vs non shielded interconnects”.

My preferences and hint is that, non shielded is preferable, and I am all for that soundstage, details extensions

 

[DaYooper]

Hmm so you have the C9 and the HA-6A.. You just need the HA300 and you'll have caught them all (for the moment)...

Uhm, come to think of it, wouldn't that be "double amp-ing"?

 

[DaYooper]

Wander what will be his next step after that? Buy a pair of speaker to fully utilize the HA-300, and then start to explore our tube speaker amplifiers?

CONSPIRACIES!!

 

[Whitigir]

Talk about End game interconnects. This is end game for a friend ! Length is about 0.5m with TOTL OCC silver inner core Ultra Pure Gold plating Litz 37x Core for a total 26Awg per element. Hakugei Titanium Copper Alloy Plugs. Solder is SS-47 Oyaide

Why “End game” ? Because C9 is totally “End Game” portable amplifier IMO
May be going to make “properly shielding” Interconnects for another kind of End-Game. So ATM, I have “Ultra flexible End game” and “Solid core Pure Gold conductor” end game, the last of it kind should be a properly shielded “end game” ? May be ? May be not lol

 

[bigbeans]

Talk about End game interconnects. This is end game for a friend ! Length is about 0.5m with TOTL OCC silver inner core Ultra Pure Gold plating Litz 37x Core for a total 26Awg per element. Hakugei Titanium Copper Alloy Plugs

Why “End game” ? Because C9 is totally “End Game” portable amplifier IMO

Damn that's nice. You built this?

 

[Whitigir]

Damn that's nice. You built this?

Thank you , and yes sir!

 

[DaYooper]

Can you say "gorgeous"? Man, that is a thing of beauty.

 

[Whitigir]

Adaptable ends 2.5mm to 4.4mm

 

[DarginMahkum]

Adaptable ends 2.5mm to 4.4mm

Oh, nice. What connector (set) is this?

 

[Whitigir]

2 of my different kind of endgame IC

 

[Marat Sar]

Sooo... will this improve my sp2000 with iems?

I'm sure it's been discussed here plenty of times, but I swear I used search and didn't find a good clear answer. I've had my sp2000 for a year now but I'm always looking to squeeze more SQ out of my chain -- and, also, I love stacks! I used to have a stack back in 2013 when I started with hifi (cayin c5 / fiio x3 -- loved that c5!) so I'm nostalgic to look like a mad scientist again...

But the question is: will it improve on the sp2000 soundstage and detail? Any sp2000 owners out there ready to share impressions?

 

[aaf evo]

Sooo... will this improve my sp2000 with iems?

I'm sure it's been discussed here plenty of times, but I swear I used search and didn't find a good clear answer. I've had my sp2000 for a year now but I'm always looking to squeeze more SQ out of my chain -- and, also, I love stacks! I used to have a stack back in 2013 when I started with hifi (cayin c5 / fiio x3 -- loved that c5!) so I'm nostalgic to look like a mad scientist again...

But the question is: will it improve on the sp2000 soundstage and detail? Any sp2000 owners out there ready to share impressions?

Taken directly from @twister6 review.

 

[bluestorm1992]

Sooo... will this improve my sp2000 with iems?

I'm sure it's been discussed here plenty of times, but I swear I used search and didn't find a good clear answer. I've had my sp2000 for a year now but I'm always looking to squeeze more SQ out of my chain -- and, also, I love stacks! I used to have a stack back in 2013 when I started with hifi (cayin c5 / fiio x3 -- loved that c5!) so I'm nostalgic to look like a mad scientist again...

But the question is: will it improve on the sp2000 soundstage and detail? Any sp2000 owners out there ready to share impressions?

I believe @KickAssChewGum is the first user of SP2000 and C9 here, and he reports a significant improvement. I quote him:

“I received my C9 from Musicteck yesterday (thanks Andrew for awesome service as always!) and I am super impressed. Much more so than I was expecting to be, if I'm being honest.

A&K SP2000 Cu (set to 6v balanced line out) > Effect Audio AK 4.4mm adapter > Penon Totem 4.4mm Interconnect > Cayin C9 (set to AB Tube) > Empire Ears Odin + 4.4mm adapter = a religious experience - pretty much my ideal sound signature.”

"I’m in total agreement with this. I couldn’t believe the improvement with my SP2000 plugged into the C9 and absolutely wasn’t expecting it to be anywhere near as drastic as it is. I’d go as far to say that the C9 is actually the one component that I’ve ever bought that has the most significant effect on sound (for the better). I’m massively impressed by what Cayin have achieved here. The C9 has made me a Cayin devotee for life and it’s literally the first Cayin product I’ve ever bought. I cannot recommend the C9 enough!"