Cayin i5 Lossless Android DAP with AKM4490 DAC supporting 32/384 PCM + 64/128 DSD

[Andykong]

How is the i5 with nighthawks?

Actually this is quite a good match, I have tried it briefly in an audio show recently and I am kind of surprised by that.

 

[Andykong]

[COLOR=FF00AA]Happy Thanksgiving[/COLOR]
We are glad to have friends and customers like you.
Wish you all the best on this Special Day.
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[nmatheis]

Today is thanksgiving day, why not give yourselves a treat.

Take a look on Cayin C5, it is not expensive and can handle a lot of big headphone pretty well. In terms of audio performance, this is the item that make Cayin well-received in HeadFi, not joking, its that good.

https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/cayin/products/cayin-c5-portable-hifi-audio-headphone-amplifier

http://www.theevolutionofsound.com/cayin/

C5 is indeed a sweet portable amp for full size cans. Great little amp!

I met Andrew from MusicTeck at RMAF while I was hanging out at the Cayin booth. He's a really nice guy. I can easily recommend him!

Actually this is quite a good match, I have tried it briefly in an audio show recently and I am kind of surprised by that.

I'll have to give that a try, Andy.

 

[Muniek66]

Someone in this thread have tried Android tablet OTG to i5 and works alright, we have tested several Android devices but the result is mixed, not all Android OTG will work faultlessly, so we cannot guarantee 100% compatibility at this point.

 

 
Thanks for your response. Maybe it's matter of Android version used in phone/tablet.

 

[ngoshawk]

I recommend you perform a Double Wipe before you send off the unit to next reviewer, this will remove all your personal data and Application temp data, and let the next review to start from fresh. In fact, I do recommend a double wipe even when personal data is not an issue, sometimes removing an app does not necessary remove everything from the device and if these App data/Folders will accumulate after 3-4 reviewers, the last reviewer in the leg will be affected.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/802382/cayin-i5-lossless-android-dap-with-akm4490-dac-supporting-32-384-pcm-64-128-dsd/1515#post_12914300

Thanks Andy. And thanks PinkyPowers. I think at the end of the weekend I will either try your suggestions, or the app Logout. It will be cleaned up for the next tour peep, though!

And thank you SO much for the time afforded me with this fine unit. Happy Friday to all!

 

[bavinck]

Does the i5 have a similar sound as the c5/c5dac?

 

[PinkyPowers]

Does the i5 have a similar sound as the c5/c5dac?

Is the C5 very warm in sound, or more neutral? The i5 is quite warm.

 

[darveniza]

Continuing with my testing of the I5 focusing on Tidal and Spotify now

A) No problems with installation from Google Play
B) Spotify streams at highest setting without a hitch
C) Offline content to external SD card saves and plays no issue. The app and player recognize that you have 2 memory cards (internal and external)
D) Tidal exhibits some issues that I have seen in the past with Pioneer and Onkyo with the Hi Fi files:

1) The app will only recognize the external micro SD if in the player and default to saving offline music there. But playing from that location no matter the card will exhibit small skips due to the read/write speed

2) The way around it , is to extract the micro SD prior to selecting offline content on Tidal. It basically forces the app to locate the internal memory
3) With this approach the music plays with no issues at Hi Fi level
4) Streaming is not an issue, but the player wi Fi radio is not strong enough and as such as long as you are within 25' good

That is all for now

 

[bavinck]

Is the C5 very warm in sound, or more neutral? The i5 is quite warm.

I would say a little warm, with a nice and expansive soundstage.

 

[Sound Eq]

can I ask please few questions
 
1- can we root i5
2- does viper4andorid work on i5
3- how does i5 compare to fiio x7 in sound signature
4- do 3rd party players like neutron have access to the dac without down sampling

 

[PinkyPowers]

3- how does i5 compare to fiio x7 in sound signature

I can answer this one, since I was on the review tour for both of these DAPs.

The X7 is UTTERLY flat. Neutral to a fault. If that's your thing, the X7 is the DAP for you.

The i5 is rather warm. More than just a touch. I'd put it here in Pinky's Signature Ratings:
DARK-<>-WARM-<>-NEUTRAL-WARM-<>-NEUTRAL-<>-NEUTRAL-BRIGHT-<>-BRIGHT-<>-PAIN

For me, I like neutral-warm best. That's how I'd classify my AK120ii. But there's no denying I LOVED the sound of the i5. I'd take it over the X7.

But as always, your preference holds the most sway over which is better for you. Not mine.

 

[bavinck]

can I ask please few questions

1- can we root i5
2- does viper4andorid work on i5
3- how does i5 compare to fiio x7 in sound signature
4- do 3rd party players like neutron have access to the dac without down sampling

Haha, you over here too looking for an x7 alternative?

 

[Ziggomatic]

i5 / Cardas A8: Playing very nice together.

 

[Andykong]

Wow, This is breaking news, millions of thanks for finding out a way to improve streaming performance of i5 with Tidal?

Can fellow i5 users try out this solution and sharing their experiences? I am away from WiFi environment and can't test out streaming performance of i5 today. Beside the streaming issue has very different result among users, so a testing with a larger sample will help to assess the problem.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

Wow, This is breaking news, millions of thanks for finding out a way to improve streaming performance of i5 with Tidal?

Can fellow i5 users try out this solution and sharing their experiences? I am away from WiFi environment and can't test out streaming performance of i5 today. Beside the streaming issue has very different result among users, so a testing with a larger sample will help to assess the problem.

 I was able to do all the mentioned above but noted a weak Wifi reception. The battery life was suffering typical ills from constant scanning. Worked though