[grizzlybeast]

 
What is that beautiful red device on the right of the Cayins?

 
Something that I should be happy with as my only amp, yet I still want the Cayin IHA-6...what don't I want.... stupid hobby. Mostly because it is powerful and has the sharp filter which may work with my Audeze very well. 

Looks life a Trafomatic. They do all sorts of custom colors, which look surprisingly good (I'd be scared to order anything too bright but I do like the look in other rigs)

Trafomatic Head 2

 

[swannie007]

Thanks guys. Must check those out. If they sound half as good as they look, then they will sound great!

 

[grizzlybeast]

 
Thanks guys. Must check those out. If they sound half as good as they look, then they will sound great!

Everything on my desk right now sounds good in it's own way but the red one still sounds the best. 

 

[Andykong]

Not mine...wish it were! sounds pretty good on a first listen. tight bass too. 

May I suggest you swap the combo when you stack them up? The DAC actually is "hotter" then then headphone amp because of the tubes installed in the circuit, so putting the DAC on top will allow better cooling.

So how long will you be able to keep this combo? Looking forward to more impression and matching with different headphones.

 

[grizzlybeast]

 

Not mine...wish it were! sounds pretty good on a first listen. tight bass too. 

May I suggest you swap the combo when you stack them up? The DAC actually is "hotter" then then headphone amp because of the tubes installed in the circuit, so putting the DAC on top will allow better cooling.

So how long will you be able to keep this combo? Looking forward to more impression and matching with different headphones.

The trafomatic head 2 is mine. Also the nuprime and stockholm2 is mine as well. What is not mine that I said I wish was is the cayin stack and the heron 5. The cayin combo will be shown at our upcoming meet thanks to you! After the meet I will send it back. I will try it with my trafomatic head 2 and have a little already with no problems so far. It seems to be a clean and precise sounding combo with very unique timbre changes that aren't drastic but noticeable and practical.

 

[Andykong]

The trafomatic head 2 is mine. Also the nuprime and stockholm2 is mine as well. What is not mine that I said I wish was is the cayin stack and the heron 5. The cayin combo will be shown at our upcoming meet thanks to you! After the meet I will send it back. I will try it with my trafomatic head 2 and have a little already with no problems so far. It seems to be a clean and precise sounding combo with very unique timbre changes that aren't drastic but noticeable and practical.

Great, so you'll keep this combo for around 2 months, that should give you lot of time, and lot of possibility.

PS: Sorry that I didn't recognize your username in forum.

 

[grizzlybeast]

 

The trafomatic head 2 is mine. Also the nuprime and stockholm2 is mine as well. What is not mine that I said I wish was is the cayin stack and the heron 5. The cayin combo will be shown at our upcoming meet thanks to you! After the meet I will send it back. I will try it with my trafomatic head 2 and have a little already with no problems so far. It seems to be a clean and precise sounding combo with very unique timbre changes that aren't drastic but noticeable and practical.

Great, so you'll keep this combo for around 2 months, that should give you lot of time, and lot of possibility.

PS: Sorry that I didn't recognize your username in forum.

No worries. The meet is actually about one month away since we are one week away from April7th. but still plenty of time. If I do not sell something for it I can already tell I will be sad to see it leave. Based on the sound it gives and the power output it should (fingers crossed) make a great pairing with my ZMF  Omni and LCD2.2F with the sharp setting. (Omni on loan, LCD2.2 on its way back from being fixed). The HD800S sounds fine as well but I need more listening time to come to conclusions. 

 

[Andykong]

No worries. The meet is actually about one month away since we are one week away from April7th. but still plenty of time. If I do not sell something for it I can already tell I will be sad to see it leave. Based on the sound it gives and the power output it should (fingers crossed) make a great pairing with my ZMF  Omni and LCD2.2F with the sharp setting. (Omni on loan, LCD2.2 on its way back from being fixed). The HD800S sounds fine as well but I need more listening time to come to conclusions. 

Throw in anything you can line up with, and you'll be amazed. We can discuss about the headphone amp setting when paired with different headphone in the iHA-6 thread, but you certain correct that the Sharp filter with Transistor output stage work best with Audeze LCD headphones, I tried LCD3 and it works like a gem.

 

[project86]

   It seems to be a clean and precise sounding combo with very unique timbre changes that aren't drastic but noticeable and practical.

 
 
That sums up my entire review so far! Just got the ENIGMAcoustics Dharma in, and it sounds great with the Cayin stack (slow filter, tube output, balanced output from the amp). 

 

[Andykong]

That sums up my entire review so far! Just got the ENIGMAcoustics Dharma in, and it sounds great with the Cayin stack (slow filter, tube output, balanced output from the amp). 

Wow, you have written your review summary, does that mean the full review will be online soon? Really looking forwards to .

 

[Andykong]

I have received numerous PM/email inquiries about the IDAC-6, I would like to clarify one issue that has been frequently asked in PM/email.

iDAC-6 has TWO output stages in the analogue circuit known as vacuum Tube mode and Transistor mode and this is controlled by the Timbre button at the front panel. This will offer two significantly different sound signature, allowing users to select based on personal preference or system matching requirements.

The tube output stage is equipped with 4 pieces of 6N1B vacuum tube at buffer stage, this are small, miniature tubes that soldered onto the main circuit board and is not user replaceable. In other word, it is impossible to tube rolling in iDAC-6. The 6N1B is very reliable and lasts extremely long hours, it can cover years of regular use without a doubt.



The tricky thing is, the Vacuum Tube mode will work for both balanced (XLR) and single-ended (RCA) output, but the Transistor mode will only work in single-ended (RCA) mode. In other word, if you were to connect your DAC to headphone amplifier with XLR, you’ll be defaulted to the Vacuum Tube mode, changing from Vacuum Tube mode to Transistor mode in XLR connection will not introduce any change in signal path or sound performance.

 

[420204]

The tricky thing is, the Vacuum Tube mode will work for both balanced (XLR) and single-ended (RCA) output, but the Transistor mode will only work in single-ended (RCA) mode. In other word, if you were to connect your DAC to headphone amplifier with XLR, you’ll be defaulted to the Vacuum Tube mode, changing from Vacuum Tube mode to Transistor mode in XLR connection will not introduce any change in signal path or sound performance.

What now? You said in the iHA-6 thread that tube output will only work single ended, now you're saying it only works with XLR... you're confusing me.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/797581/cayin-iha-6-the-new-affordable-reference-class-balanced-desktop-amp#post_12468689

 

[rigo]

I thought it was the other way around. Transistor for XLR and Vacuum for single ended?

 

[Andykong]

What now? You said in the iHA-6 thread that tube output will only work single ended, now you're saying it only works with XLR... you're confusing me.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/797581/cayin-iha-6-the-new-affordable-reference-class-balanced-desktop-amp#post_12468689

I stand corrected, and I have explained my mistake in the remark of previous post, sorry for the confusion caused.

 

[Andykong]

I thought it was the other way around. Transistor for XLR and Vacuum for single ended?

My mistake indeed. The fact is, RCA output from iDAC-6 will work with BOTH output mode (Vacuum tube and Transistor), this is correct. XLR output from iDAC-6 will only work with ONE output mode, this is also correct, but I make the mistake that the default output mode of XLR should be VACUUM TUBE instead of TRANSISTOR,