[Tanalasta]

Not long now.

What's the advantage of using Pre-Mode rather than traditional line in?

 

[jmills8]

Not long now.

What's the advantage of using Pre-Mode rather than traditional line in?

Test with your ear , not your eyes.

 

[Tanalasta]

Test with your ear , not your eyes.

That's the plan when I get the C9. It hasn't arrived yet. Whether it has to do with differences in gain or a noticeable difference, I will find out.

I am a lot more comfortable running line-out from a DAP/DAC (e.g. Hugo 2/2Go is my plan) than in "pre-mode". My intention with the C9 is that adjusting the Timbre will hopefully make improvements & round out the sound signature synergistically. I'm planning to use the C9 with Utopia ; HD800S and Empyrean rather than IEM's.

Being the same price as the Moon 230HAD ; also plan to do a head-to-head at some point. When time allows.

 

[Tanalasta]

Can I plug an unbalanced or not completely grounded input into the 4.4
Ie. have a PWA adapter from the RCA of the Hugo 2 to a 4.4mm. If I used the 4.4mm interconnect technically the RCA red and white are not balanced so will it short the C9.

I imagine safer to just use the 3.5 mm interconnect

 

[gazzington]

The genius of the c9 is that unlike daps it won’t get out of date. I know whatever dap I’m using, the c9 will make it loads better

 

[Andykong]

Just some initial impressions from a few hours with my new purchase of the C9, paired with the Shanling M8:

Line in vs Pre (Tube/Class A)

Pre – warmer, less detail esp in harmonics and tonal nuance, mild hiss

Line – cooler, larger & deeper stage, more detail, blacker background

My preference with M8: Line out mode, Low gain (M8), Low gain (C9) - line in to C9 is a clear winner.

Timbre/Amp

Class A/B – impact, Class A – less aggressive

Tube – more transparent & forward mids, slower attack – greater decay

SS – balanced presentation

Tonal accuracy hard to choose, Tubes have slight advantage

My preference with M8: Tube / Class A for the majority of my music

Shanling M8 (high gain) + MEST MK2 vs Shanling M8 LO mode (low gain) – Cayin C9 (Tube/A/low gain) + MEST MK2

With C9

• Bass tighter, reaches deeper
• Mids brought forward (towards my preferred signature!)
• Deeper & more spherical staging
• Greater transparency
• Possibly blacker background (may be due to the deeper staging and tighter dynamics giving the impression of greater contrast?)

Without C9

• Looser macrodynamics / ‘smoother’ presentation
• Mids lacking body (for my preference)
• Shallower & less spherical stage / greater intimacy
• Less detail (but not necessarily in a bad way at times; can make for easier listening)
• Less transparent

Overall, several steps up for both the 3DT + MESTMK2. My concern prior to purchase was producing a warm-on-warm signature that would detract from things (due to a lack of true LO on the M8). While we all have our preferences and point at which things may become ‘too warm’, I certainly haven’t reached that point – thankfully! In fact, there was an almost immediate appreciation that things sounded less congested, more transparent and more detailed with the C9 which, I feel, has offset any cumulative effect of double amp’ing in this scenario that could risk warming things too far.

What’s clear in the few hours of listening is that the line in (and line in mode on the M8) is superior in presenting the technical ability of the IEM when compared to the preamp function. For those pairing M8’s, ensure that when you switch to line out mode that you then alter the gain to low gain as it defaults to ‘turbo’.

Another point is that my MEST MK2 has seemed to benefit more from this upgrade than the cheaper 3DT, likely because the C9 helps it work to its strengths, seeing an improvement in technicalities which were clearly hamstrung to a degree with M8 alone.

Obviously take my initial impressions with a pinch of salt, but its all good so far! Thanks for all the help and advice along the way guys.

Thank you, and hopefully you'll like your C9 more today. The C9 circuit is build with discrete components, it'll take slightly more time to run-in when compare to highly integrated Op-Amp based circuit.

One thing I feel peculiar, I have read a lot of discussion about UM 3DT, but how about QDC Dmagic 3D? It is significantly more expensive the UM 3DT, but at current discounted price from MusicTeck, it is nowhere near expensive when compare to many IEM discussed in this thread. Let's hope someone will check this out and I have a feeling that C9 will scale this multi-DD earphones very well.

 

[gazzington]

I’ve been using mine with the focal elex this morning. Sounds bloody awesome

 

[Andykong]

Can I plug an unbalanced or not completely grounded input into the 4.4
Ie. have a PWA adapter from the RCA of the Hugo 2 to a 4.4mm. If I used the 4.4mm interconnect technically the RCA red and white are not balanced so will it short the C9.

I imagine safer to just use the 3.5 mm interconnect

The 2RCA to 4.4mm single end to balanced adapter is not recommended for C9.

 

[ian91]

Thank you, and hopefully you'll like your C9 more today. The C9 circuit is build with discrete components, it'll take slightly more time to run-in when compare to highly integrated Op-Amp based circuit.

One thing I feel peculiar, I have read a lot of discussion about UM 3DT, but how about QDC Dmagic 3D? It is significantly more expensive the UM 3DT, but at current discounted price from MusicTeck, it is nowhere near expensive when compare to many IEM discussed in this thread. Let's hope someone will check this out and I have a feeling that C9 will scale this multi-DD earphones very well.

Thank you - I'll put some more hours into it today!

I did look into the DMagic but I've been so impressed by the 3DT that it hasn't left me wanting much...at least not enough to warrant another purchase. The 3DT does scale probably 30% (very arbitrary number there >.<) with the C9, but it was already so good to begin with, to the extent I would have paid the asking price of the DMagic! The C9 tighten's the performance across the FR. I lean more towards the SS circuit with the 3DT as the natural warmth of the 3DT+C9+M8 needs offsetting slightly.

Here's to hoping someone in the future can pair the C9 and Dmagic and let us know how it scales.

 

[RTodd]

Not long now.

What's the advantage of using Pre-Mode rather than traditional line in?

For the two modes the part you have to be really careful with is realizing which one the DAP or the C9 will adjust volume. The default setting, which is what the C9 will be in every time you power up, the C9 volume control is in the circuit. Depending on your DAP it’s volume control may also be functioning because either that DAP does not have a line out or you kept the DAP set to headphone out.

The questions around double amping, double volume control, you can use your ears to decide, remembering how to control volume is very important to protect your hearing. A good habit to be in is to lower the volume control of the device in control of volume before you put the drivers in or on your ears.

 

[111MilesToGo]

@Andykong: Thanks for your detailed explanatory posts which go into much more detail than the printed manual.

I‘d like to ask two questions regarding battery care, just to make sure.

1. Is the C9 protected against overcharging, when leaving the charger connected beyond the continuous four lights, e.g. overnight? (C9 most of the time - actually always - switched off when I charge it.)

2. What about deep discharging? At what point does the C9 go off when the battery runs lower and lower while playing? Is it protected against deep discharging?

Item 2 happens every once in a while, especially while burning in. Should I be watching the battery lights while playing? Should I switch it off myself when the last one light starts flashing? That would be an outdated method ...

Thanks for clarifying, even when these questions might have been addressed before. (I read the a.m. posts, but did not exactly find yes/no answers to what I am asking here, maybe I am mistaken.)

 

[Tanalasta]

quick question for owners.

Can I confirm that one can use any of the outputs regardless of input. Ie. If the input is unbalanced 3.5 I can use either of the output jacks

 

[Zambu]

quick question for owners.

Can I confirm that one can use any of the outputs regardless of input. Ie. If the input is unbalanced 3.5 I can use either of the output jacks

Yes you can, you can find the technical specs in first post/page 1 (SE-->BAL etc.).
It's just not an ideal way.

 

[DaYooper]

quick question for owners.

Can I confirm that one can use any of the outputs regardless of input. Ie. If the input is unbalanced 3.5 I can use either of the output jacks

Best way to tell is just go ahead and plug in your stuff and see how you like it.

 

[Tanalasta]

I would - except I’m still waiting on it the distributor hasn’t sent me a tracking number even yet

Have read the first post again - thanks. Explains it very well and the various specs for each combination. The question arises as I'm used to not mixing SE and balanced inputs/outputs.

I’m looking forward to testing this with the SP2000 and Hugo 2 with my IEM and and comparing it to desktop sized amps in the same price bracket. The Moon 230HAD comes to mind. And my WA11 although I suspect the C9 will be the superior option.