[seamon]

It's another option to color the sound with a different tonality. Amplifiers don't have to be used just to boost the output. Especially when you have tubes involved, they could color the sound, add texture, give more analog tonality, and improve the overall pair up synergy of the source with your IEMs.

Basically the color/texture/quality of the C9 sound would have to extraordinarily good to warrant carrying it over a TOTL DAP imo or maybe the Value for Money aspect of it. I still think this should have been for transportable headphones rigs.

 

[Facta]

Cayin or cayin't isn't the question at Cayin anymore. C9 looks solid.

 

[Jeffyue]

Cayin has used vacuum tube in DAP, which IMHO is more demanding then portable amp application.

The C9 use KORG Nutube 6P1, a dual-channel Triode vacuum tube from Japan, this is a very different form factor from traditional vacuum tube and they use LED to replacement the filament in the tube, makes it more robust against shock and vibration, but the microphonic problem remain unchanged. We have used this vacuum tube in our N8 DAP with very good result, check it out if you run into a N8 in a store or CanJam event. We have designed a Spring-loaded Suspension System to eliminate the microphonic effect of the KORG Nutube 6P1 so that it can be used for portable application, and we have solved another dozen of technical problems before we can deliver a reference level implementation.

Our spring-loaded Suspension installation device to enable Nutube in portable application are further explained in HERE and HERE.

We have also installed a pair of JAN6418 into our N3Pro DAP, we can't eliminate the ringing and microphonic effect completely, but we can manage to make it work for typical on-the-go scenario such as. You can check out the vacuum tube implementation of N3Pro HERE.

Given C9 will use the same tube as N8, can we say the sound signature would be similar to that of N8 too?

 

[1TrickPony]

.

 

[davidmolliere]

I am new to this, but if the C9 is aimed at IEMs then how does that differ to just using IEMs out of the N8, N6ii or N3 Pro?

Also it opens Cayin sound to people owning other DAPs and don't want / can't afford N8... Having owned N6ii with E01 Class A/AB and tried N8 for several days, I see the C9 as an interesting combination of both A/AB amplification and Nutubes. I am betting on a very sweet sounding amp with the C9

 

[Titienne]

Very interested in this. Will subscribe for updates!

 

[Facta]

Also it opens Cayin sound to people owning other DAPs and don't want / can't afford N8... Having owned N6ii with E01 Class A/AB and tried N8 for several days, I see the C9 as an interesting combination of both A/AB amplification and Nutubes. I am betting on a very sweet sounding amp with the C9

The way Cayin is doling out oodles of output power on its new devices, I won't be surprised if one could use C9 for even desktop amplification needs associated with full-size dynamic headphones of >250ohm. I just hope tube rolling would be made possible. I sure would love to know if this looks a promising enough alternative to Bottlehead Crack +Speedball especially for desktop use with Sennheiser HD6XX or Clear Professional. I never tried Bottlehead but heard it is not good for low impedance cans that might see bass getting rolled off.

 

[seamon]

The way Cayin is doling out oodles of output power on its new devices, I won't be surprised if one could use C9 for even desktop amplification needs associated with full-size dynamic headphones of >250ohm. I just hope tube rolling would be made possible. I sure would love to know if this looks a promising enough alternative to Bottlehead Crack +Speedball especially for desktop use with Sennheiser HD6XX or Clear Professional. I never tried Bottlehead but heard it is not good for low impedance cans that might see bass getting rolled off.

I don't think anybody but Korg makes those NuTubes.

 

[seanwee]

Also it opens Cayin sound to people owning other DAPs and don't want / can't afford N8... Having owned N6ii with E01 Class A/AB and tried N8 for several days, I see the C9 as an interesting combination of both A/AB amplification and Nutubes. I am betting on a very sweet sounding amp with the C9

I just want the addictive sound and massive soundstage of the N8 lol.

If it beats the N8 with its balanced implementation then even better.

 

[sensenonno]

price??

 

[seamon]

price??

Trust me, we all want to know this

 

[musicinmymind]

The way Cayin is doling out oodles of output power on its new devices, I won't be surprised if one could use C9 for even desktop amplification needs associated with full-size dynamic headphones of >250ohm. I just hope tube rolling would be made possible. I sure would love to know if this looks a promising enough alternative to Bottlehead Crack +Speedball especially for desktop use with Sennheiser HD6XX or Clear Professional. I never tried Bottlehead but heard it is not good for low impedance cans that might see bass getting rolled off.

Target is only IEM, may not be powerful enough for >250ohm

 

[andersos]

 

[Giru]

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

 

[seamon]

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

Probably Cayin N8's Line Out