Cayin YB04 In-Ear Monitor

[Army-Firedawg]

The new Head-Fi layout limits my review posting to 10k characters or less so here's my full, uncut, review of the absolutely phenomenal, Cayin YB-04



When people I work with asky why I review products when I don’t get paid to and it takes so much work per review; my answer to them consists of how I do it because I truly love talking with people and learning what type of sound signature they love and then experiencing their reaction when they finally find that product that really makes the music they’re listening to sing for them. Additionally, on a selfish note, it’s really cool to be honored with the opportunity to listen to truly amazing products that I otherwise likely wouldn’t have been able to.
The last part of that applies to the Cayin YB04 in spades. From the memorable unboxing experience to the first moment I pressed play I was amazed at the quality and craftsmanship that Cayin put into their first, to my knowledge, IEM. This was truly an amazing experience I had during my time with this IEM and one I am very excited to share with you.

Spoiler: A little about me.

A little about me
I would like to say that first and foremost I am NOT an “audiophile” but rather an audio enthusiast. I listen to music to enjoy it. Do I prefer a lossless source? Yes, of course. But I can still be very happy streaming from Pandora or even my YouTube “My Mix” playlist. I also prefer equipment that sounds the best to me personally regardless of what frequency response it has or rather or not it's “sonically accurate” and I always have and shall continue to encourage others to do the same.
I'm a firefighter for both the civilian and military sector and the cliché of wanting to do this since I was born couldn't be more present with me. I've worked hard over the last several years to earn this position and now it's time for me to work even harder to keep it.
I enjoy fishing and relaxing to audio products and then reviewing them to help others decide on what products would work for them. Few things make me as an audio enthusiast/review feel more accomplished than when someone tells me that I helped them find the type of sound they've always been looking for.
Now, the sound signature I personally favor is a relaxing, warm and sensual sound that just drifts me away in the emotional experience of the music being performed. Yes, accuracy is still important but I will happily sacrifice some of that if I'm presented with a clean, warm sound that can wisp me away into an experience that makes me yearn for more.
My ideal signature are that of respectably forward mids and upper bass range with the bass being controlled but with some slight decay. I like my treble to have nice extension and detail reveal with a smooth roll off up top as to not become harsh in the least. Examples of products that have given me chills and keep giving me the yearning for more feels are (in no particular order) Bowers & Wilkins P7, Oppo PM-1/2, Empire Ears Hermes VI & Zeus XIV, Audeze LCD-XC, Meze Headphones 99 Classics.

Spoiler: Equipment used

Equipment used at least some point during the review
-Sources
-Cayin N6ii
-N6ii T01 motherboard
-Playing Pandora, YouTube, and various format personal music

-LG V20/HP Pavilion
-Playing Pandora, YouTube, and various format personal music
-Misc.
-Cables
-Effect Audio
-Ares II
-Maestro
-Virtuoso
-Grandioso

Spoiler: Disclaimer

Disclaimer
I am by no means sponsored by this company or any of its affiliates. They were kind enough to send me a product for an arranged amount of time in exchange for my honest opinion. I am making no monetary compensation for this review.
The following is my take on the product being reviewed. It is to be taken “with a grain of salt” per say and as I always tell people, it is YOUR opinion that matters. So regardless of my take or view on said product, I highly recommend you listen to it yourself and gauge your own opinion.

The Opening Experience

Spoiler: Why I feel the unboxing's important.

Why I feel so strongly about the initial unboxing experience
Please allow me to explain why I feel so strongly about the initial unboxing experience with a product. Maybe it’s due to my southern roots in the hills of eastern Kentucky, but I’ve always been raised under the pretense of when you introduce yourself to someone for the first time you present yourself with confidence, class, character, pride, and competence. You greet the other person with a true warm smile, eye contact and a firm handshake. Anything less or short implies to other person that you either don’t care about them, are too full of yourself, too busy to be bothered by the likes of them, or worse, just generally disrespectful.
As a consumer, I take this same belief to when I open a new product. Why? Because think about it this way. How else can a company introduce themselves to their customers? How do they present their products? Are they packaged with pride and presented in such a way that makes the listener eager to listen to them? Or maybe they’re just wrapped up and placed in an available space. How about the box itself? Is it bogged down with jargon that says look at this, look what I can do. I’m better than anything on the market and here’s why read this and check out that. Or, is the package clean, simplistic and classy? As if saying to the customer ‘Good day, pleasure to meet your acquaintance. Please give me a listen and allow me to show you what I can do and allow my actions to speak louder than my words.’
This is why I feel so strongly about the initial presentation of a product, and I feel it’s truly a shame more people don’t. But with all that aside, let’s discuss how this products introduced itself shall we?

Construction







The build quality on the Cayin YB04 is phenomenal, especially for a product within this asking price (+/-$500 [currently found for $399 {potentially a New Year's sale} on musicteck]). The frame is completely aluminum that boasts an aggressive sharp look from the outside looking in but once you turn the YB-04 around you see that the part that actually touches the concha is very smooth and rounded. The horn is, what I believe to be, the most universal size so if, for some reason, the plethora of different tips Cayin provides doesn’t suit your fancy then you’ll more than likely be able to equip your favorite brand/pair of tips you already own straight onto the YB04. Moving to the side, the connections that Cayin uses for their replaceable, non proprietary cable is the 2pin type. The size of the frame also isn’t too bad. I would still say it’s on the larger side so those with smaller ears will likely have it protruding from their ears some but it will at least, likely, fit inside your ear nicely (I always use my wife as a small ear fit tester and these fit in hers but protrude outwards).
Moving down, we’ve now the beautiful, 8 strand, copper-silver mesh braided cable that’s colored red for right and blue for left at the iem and then ends in a very robust 3.5mm termination. The cable itself is very surprising to me for I’d have easily thought this to be an optional upgrade cable that wouldn’t come stock with a product in this price but it very much in fact, does. The split shares the same robust frame as the termination does and they’ve included a soft rubber slider for those who want to cinch the cable to their head for some extra security. The only negative I have with this cable, and it’s really something that’s shared with most all braided cables, is that it is quite prone to becoming entangled. Unlike the tubular style cable that usually can just be flicked out, this cable does have to be worked to become untangled.
Moving away from the iem’s, Cayin also includes a leather storage that, no isn’t a good size to put inside a pocket, is a very premium and durable case that provides plenty of room for your iem’s an extra cable, some tips and maybe even a couple more things. Again adding to the premium feel of the YB04, I rarely see a company include a case this nice in a product costing over $1,000, let alone roughly $500.

Comfort



Despite what looks to be an awkward fitting iem from the outside once you actually put the YB04’s in your ear you immediately realise ‘dang, these actually fit pretty nicely.’ They’re very smooth and, from personal experience, can be worn comfortably and without adjustment for well over 4 hours at a time. The way Cayin designed the cable wrapping not only keeps the iem secure to your ear but also keeps the cable from freely dangling thus out of the way. Though I didn’t exercise in these, and Cayin does mention sports on the product page, while I was doing some work around the house among other things, the YB04 never once became so much as loose let alone feel like they were about to fall out. Their lightweight and ergonomic design made them pretty much completely disappear in my ears and all I was left with was the musical experience I was pushed into.

Sound





Before I start this section. It should go without saying but though I link YouTube videos when I’m giving examples, this is for convenience only. If applicable, I HIGHLY encourage you to listen to the music I’m referencing on as high a quality as possible to experience the fullest sound possible.

I hope you didn’t just skip straight to this section, though I know it’s arguably the most important. But anywhos the sound on the Cayin YB04 is, and go ahead and snicker but it’s the best phrase I could come up with to explain it, like a hot knife going through warm butter. The YB04’s sound is so smooth and relaxing that it’s all but impossible to listen to them and not lay back and relax. To me and my ears there was never, regardless of the music or genre, any sharp spikes or dips that ever made them unpleasant. Everything was always calmingly smooth.
The imaging on the YB04 is also just as impressive, all the instruments you listen to sound real and lifelike and, well like the instruments they’re representing. A piece I use a lot and one that came up in rotation as I was writing this is “Fertility of the Sea” performed by the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music. This performance might as well have been happening in front of me for the resonance in the air, and the sound of the Bachi as they hit the drums and of course the drums themselves. There’s several other songs I’m going be linking throughout the review so fret not, you’ll have many more examples. But with that being said, please allow me to now discuss the individual aspects of the sound so that I can hopefully portray them a little bit better to you.

Treble

The highs on the Cayin YB04 are just like my analogy of comparing them to a person's eyes. The YB04’s treble is very smooth and is very enjoyable to gaze into and experience and they never become piercing or sharp. You just want to keep experiencing it and and discover more that you haven’t before. When listening to Lindsey Stirling perform “Senbonzakura” her violin sounded extremely airy and had, to me, great extension to really showcase the energy she’s known for in her performances. Now, objectively speaking, I can see some people wanting a bit more extension because the violin, even in this exact song, can extend a fair bit more than the YB04 allowed. I personally enjoyed this and wouldn’t change it at all for it’s musicality and pure enjoyment it brought me was, to me, better than the toned town treble.

Mids

I know I preach in about all my reviews about how much I enjoy mids for their connection to the artist and their emotions but that all is summed up in a wonderful example with the YB04. The mids on these iems are full and almost creamy sounding (not sure if that’s a way used to describe mids but it’s what’s coming to my mind). John Moreland, an artist I just recently discovered sings several emotional songs and I always find myself captivated when listening to him with the YB04, his portrayal of sadness and loss are, at least to me, felt; that’s something special that very few, especially in this price category, products can brag about. The mids on the YB04 are just so full and satisfying. Regardless if it female vocals such as Donna Burke and her cover of Tokyo Ghoul’s “Glassy Sky” or “Bird on a Wire” by Johnny Cash, I personally crave nothing more in the mid section through the YB04. For those of you who know me and my preferences and my praise of the Oppo PM-1, then you’ll understand the importance of me saying that I haven’t been as satisfied with a mid section as I am with the Cayin YB04 since I have been with my beloved PM-1’s. And it’s not just vocals as well. Instruments sound accurate and musical as well. Listen to Luca Stricagnoli’s “The Showman” or “Rite of Passage” by Joe Leader or the first linked “Ferility of the Sea” performed by Senzoku Gakuen College of Music. Just sit back and relax, Cayin’s YB04 is ready to chauffeur you into a very sensual experience.

Bass

The analogy of the bass resembling a heartbeat is very true with the Cayin YB04. Though the bass isn’t super hard and impactful and doesn’t get close to the sub bass “feels” it most certainly possesses raw speed and control and attack. Don’t mistake these for not having any bass to them at all for that’s most certainly not the case, to me and my preferences I was very satisfied throughout my experience with them (though I did wish there was some more oomph when listening to some trap/house etc… music). Take the track “Repeat After Me” by Arwin Van Buuren, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike or “Into The Coals” by Buffalo Jones. With the first you can understand what I mean by the speed and control of the bass and its ability to hit and stop when the music demands it and doesn’t linger around. With the later you understand the depth and impact of the bass but also understanding its limitations. Overall I found myself quite satisfied with the bass response and though sure in select instances I wanted more but with respect to how the entire sound of the YB04 is designed, I truthfully wouldn’t change it.

Conclusion

To conclude my thoughts on the YB04, I truly and sincerely loved these iems. The amount of luxury and performance and craftsmanship that Cayin put forth in their debut iem should be a wakeup call to other manufacturers that they can’t cheap out on their products like they have been if they want to stay on top. I loved the micro detail that can be obtained with the YB04 while never sacrificing the lush musicality that they have. Darned good job Cayin. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve easily believed these were a $1,000+ product.





Also, make sure to check out my unboxing and review videos. They’re pretty awesome AND you getta put a face to the Army-Firedawg name. If this review helped you out at all please hit that thumbs up button for it really helps me out a lot. Till next time my friends, stay safe.

 

[robthemac]

OK, have spent some time with the YB04 thanks to Andy and the tour program.

First off, this really strikes you as a premium product off the bat. As others photos have shown, the box(es), the manner in which the IEMs are displayed when the box is opened, the leather carrying case - this is an experience of a much more expensive product. Well done Cayin. The headphones themselves are no less stunning. I'm a sucker for modern minimalist design, and these are the most attractive IEMs I have ever seen. The shell can be grey, blue, purple or pink depending on the light. There are simple, clean lines on the exterior and a smooth, comfortable interior. They feel much more comfortable than they look. The cable is braided and largely free of microphonics. It doesn't tangle, but it can feel quite heavy at times.

All testing was done with the provided foam tips. The feel very similar to Comply tips (and may actually be the same), which is good as they are all that I use for IEMs. I didn't try any of the other included tips, as after years of trial and error with other IEMs nothing else provides a decent seal without irritating my ear canals. Most testing was done with the Cayin N6ii. Other devices included my iBasso DX-90, and Apple USB-C to headphone adapter, JDS Atom and Focusrite Scarlet interface. I'm not a huge believer in sources making significant differences (in most situations), and this held true with the YB04. I will say that the YB04 was quite sensitive to at picking up noise in the lower-quality sources (e.g. Focusrite and USB-C adapter. IEMs used for comparison were the 64 Audio U10, Hifiman RE-2000 and Shure SE-846.

First impressions: mid-centric, on the smooth side, reasonable extension at both ends.

Bass: this isn't a basshead headphone. There's a decent amount of mid-bass, but I'm missing the sub-bass until I turn up to higher volumes than I'm comfortable listening to. Lacking a little slam and weight (especially compared to the other IEMs in my collection). On the plus-side, there is no bleed from the bass into the lower mids. Everything stays very tight and clean.

Mids: things are a little complicated here. Mids certainly sit forward in the mix. Despite this, the mids are quite even throughout the frequency range (not easy for mid-focused IEMs!) If there is a more prominent region, it would be the 'mid' and upper mids. I would have preferred a little more body in the lower mids (around 400-600Hz), but this might be a bit of personal preference more than anything else. Quite often I found myself EQing a few extra db in this region. Without it, I found vocals a little bit breathy and lacking weight. YMMV.

Treble: leans on the smooth side. There is good extension right up to 12kHz and above, but this sits further back in the mix. I think this is sensible decision given the slight upper-mid focus elsewhere. Too much treble energy would have made this quite a hot IEM. Not fatiguing, which is hugely important for me.

Technicalities: good detail retrieval. Better than the SE-846, about on par with the RE-2000, not as good as the U10. Soundstage again is fine, but not up to U10 standards. Isolation is good - better than RE-2000, almost as good as U10, quite a way behind SE-846 (which isn't really a fair fight, given their relative design briefs).


Summary:
The YB04 is a beautifully presented and visually stunning headphone. It is surprisingly comfortable and non-fatiguing to listen to and wear. The sound is mid-centric, but relatively balanced throughout the frequency range. Personally, I like a little more sub-bass and lower mids than the YB04 offers. However, if I were to be asked for a recommendation for a mid-focused (or even 'balanced') IEM for $500, I would have no hesitation in recommending the YB04. Thanks to Cayin and Andy for the opportunity.

 

[thamasha69]

Would anyone be able to compare the Tin Hifi T4 and the Cayin YB04? I'm sure the YB04 is more technically proficient. Tonally I'm thinking less sub bass, less upper mid push, more natural in that regard? My VE Duke died and I wanted something more neutral'ish, less big bass than a lot of options out there. I love the T4, though I wouldn't call it neutral. And the YB04 has been on my radar.

 

[1TrickPony]

Hey gang. Jumped on a decent spanking fresh deal this weekend. I've been looking for a really decent mids specialist -- the flc8s that I had from a tour long ago was already almost "it". Hopefully this will end the search.

Going to compare this too with another hot item: The Moondrop Blessing 2. That one has a funny graph, similar but different to the YB04. Hopefully we'll see how that goes.

 

[twister6]

Hey gang. Jumped on a decent spanking fresh deal this weekend. I've been looking for a really decent mids specialist -- the flc8s that I had from a tour long ago was already almost "it". Hopefully this will end the search.

Going to compare this too with another hot item: The Moondrop Blessing 2. That one has a funny graph, similar but different to the YB04. Hopefully we'll see how that goes.

Use your ears, not your eyes when listening to music To my ears, YB04 and Blessing 2 are different sounding IEMs. YB04 has a balanced signature with a little mid-forward tilt and a neutral natural tonality, while Blessing 2 (tested it briefly at CanJam NYC '20) sounded v-shaped with thinner mids and crisp treble.

 

[1TrickPony]

Use your ears, not your eyes when listening to music To my ears, YB04 and Blessing 2 are different sounding IEMs. YB04 has a balanced signature with a little mid-forward tilt and a neutral natural tonality, while Blessing 2 (tested it briefly at CanJam NYC '20) sounded v-shaped with thinner mids and crisp treble.

Yeah. Figured. We're talking about a hybrid vs. multi ba setup. Glad for the input though, saves the worry of any big overlap.

Regarding the Blessing 2 signature, it seems like the V-shaped descriptive is new nuance to me since I've always thought of V shaped having recessed mids in general. I've written enough about it on the moondrop thread. I appreciate everyone's enthusiastic input, I'm usually not drawn into blind buys! I trust you guys, I'll give due feedback once I plug these in!

 

[twister6]

Yeah. Figured. We're talking about a hybrid vs. multi ba setup. Glad for the input though, saves the worry of any big overlap.

Regarding the Blessing 2 signature, it seems like the V-shaped descriptive is new nuance to me since I've always thought of V shaped having recessed mids in general. I've written enough about it on the moondrop thread. I appreciate everyone's enthusiastic input, I'm usually not drawn into blind buys! I trust you guys, I'll give due feedback once I plug these in!

Or you can look at it the other way, when bass and treble are more pronounced (though Blessing 2 bass is not that elevated, tbh). But either way. I'm more intimately familiar with YB04 which has a natural tonality, while during my short listening session with Blessing 2 it sounded more v-shaped to my ears which I attribute to thinner mids and elevated lower treble peak.

 

[1TrickPony]

Or you can look at it the other way, when bass and treble are more pronounced (though Blessing 2 bass is not that elevated, tbh). But either way. I'm more intimately familiar with YB04 which has a natural tonality, while during my short listening session with Blessing 2 it sounded more v-shaped to my ears which I attribute to thinner mids and elevated lower treble peak.

The graph for the Blessing looks good - it translates well as to what I hear (even if the version 2 has slight tweaks). I understand what you meant. If anything, I'm excited to see what this iem is about because everyone writes with their own style, but everything points to towards a strong consensus.

From a frequency graph point of view, it's going to be a fun experience, to see how the peaks and valleys translate especially in the mids area. I see it more as a hobby case study.

 

[1TrickPony]

Use your ears, not your eyes when listening to music To my ears, YB04 and Blessing 2 are different sounding IEMs. YB04 has a balanced signature with a little mid-forward tilt and a neutral natural tonality, while Blessing 2 (tested it briefly at CanJam NYC '20) sounded v-shaped with thinner mids and crisp treble.

Finally received the package and gave the cayin a spin. The reports are good. I'm totally loving the signature.

Going back to my original post. The graphs are actually good, doesn't tell you everything, but it gives you a good idea as to what to expect. I'll reiterate what I've said when comparing both graphs - "similar but different". Up until I receive the actual iems, it is not obvious listening to music with my "ears". I think you also demonstrated that certain reviewers toss certain key words (like V-shaped for example). I can definitely confirm that the Blessing 2 is NOT a V.
If anything, one way interpret it is a modified N; linear bass with tilt in subs; refined middle highs but feel like a bit missing in the ambient highs. Though I believe people like Crinacle and Moondrop call it VSDF and call it a day.

Going to back to the yb04, it's surprisingly good, with the music simply laid out for me to enjoy. This is truly fantastic. I'm just getting started going through my collection (again! )

 

[kmmbd]

It took me a while but I've finally finished the review of Cayin YB04. You can read it here: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/cayin-yb04.24008/review/23612/

To summarize - the build quality is TOTL level, and detail retrieval is top-notch. It's also very easy to drive though slightly warmer sources tended to sync better. My biggest gripe would be the lack of bass extension. Also the memory hook on the stock cable was annoying at times.

Nonetheless, a really good option in the $500 range if you want upper-mid centric signature. Will be great for female vocal based tracks.

 

[kmmbd]

Would anyone be able to compare the Tin Hifi T4 and the Cayin YB04? I'm sure the YB04 is more technically proficient. Tonally I'm thinking less sub bass, less upper mid push, more natural in that regard? My VE Duke died and I wanted something more neutral'ish, less big bass than a lot of options out there. I love the T4, though I wouldn't call it neutral. And the YB04 has been on my radar.

I have the Tin T4 and had the YB04 during the review tour period. They are at drastically different price points but I think comparisons can be made regardless.

In terms of bass response, T4 is better with more mid-bass kick and slightly better sub-bass extension. Neither is the best for bassheads however.

Midrange is superior on the YB04 with better detail retrieval and male vocal rendition. Tin T4 has this slightly odd sounding male vocals (a very subtle nasal tonality) which the YB04 doesn't exhibit. Female vocal is also better rendered on the YB04 with more prominence and air. Treble is less peaky on the YB04 and less fatiguing as the T4 can be quite aggressive with its ~6KHz peak.

For the other technical aspects, soundstage/imaging/instrument separation is better on the YB04. Overall, for the extra price, you do get extra performance.

 

[thamasha69]

I have the Tin T4 and had the YB04 during the review tour period. They are at drastically different price points but I think comparisons can be made regardless.

In terms of bass response, T4 is better with more mid-bass kick and slightly better sub-bass extension. Neither is the best for bassheads however.

Midrange is superior on the YB04 with better detail retrieval and male vocal rendition. Tin T4 has this slightly odd sounding male vocals (a very subtle nasal tonality) which the YB04 doesn't exhibit. Female vocal is also better rendered on the YB04 with more prominence and air. Treble is less peaky on the YB04 and less fatiguing as the T4 can be quite aggressive with its ~6KHz peak.

For the other technical aspects, soundstage/imaging/instrument separation is better on the YB04. Overall, for the extra price, you do get extra performance.

Thank you very much for the detailed comparison. I agree, I have noticed male vocals sounding slightly off on the T4...somewhat thin...my ears have adjusted, but nonetheless, it was something I noticed when I first got them. Otherwise, I presumed the YB04 would be more technically proficient. My T4's were somewhat of an impulse buy followed by the Linsoul LSC09 cable to pair them with specifically. I am quite satisfied at the moment as the treble does not bother me and they take well to EQ for bass heavy music. As such, I am still intrigued by the YB04 and should a deal come along, I may still try to snag one.

 

[1TrickPony]

Thank you very much for the detailed comparison. I agree, I have noticed male vocals sounding slightly off on the T4...somewhat thin...my ears have adjusted, but nonetheless, it was something I noticed when I first got them. Otherwise, I presumed the YB04 would be more technically proficient. My T4's were somewhat of an impulse buy followed by the Linsoul LSC09 cable to pair them with specifically. I am quite satisfied at the moment as the treble does not bother me and they take well to EQ for bass heavy music. As such, I am still intrigued by the YB04 and should a deal come along, I may still try to snag one.

Some have quoted it at $370'ish. Got mine for 400. Haven't looked back. The bass might be missing just a tad but the mids to ambient highs is nothing short of spectacular, and they totally nail natural timbre with great success with the iem.

I know lots of other brands get hype but like most who've heard this (properly), this is a real (hidden) gem.

 

[angpsi]

It took me a while but I've finally finished the review of Cayin YB04. You can read it here: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/cayin-yb04.24008/review/23612/

To summarize - the build quality is TOTL level, and detail retrieval is top-notch. It's also very easy to drive though slightly warmer sources tended to sync better. My biggest gripe would be the lack of bass extension. Also the memory hook on the stock cable was annoying at times.

Nonetheless, a really good option in the $500 range if you want upper-mid centric signature. Will be great for female vocal based tracks.

Well described, my thoughts exactly.

Does anyone know what kind of silicon tips is Cayin using for their balanced set? The hard stem / soft(-ish) bud got me an amazing seal right away and it worked wonders on my FLC8s too, really eager to get my hands on a set.

 

[Andykong]

CS-4.4B is balanced version of our YB04 IEM cable, suggested retail price is US$140. We used the same stock cable but terminated with 4.4mm connector. We have also replaced the 0.78 2-pin connectors with a standard version that works better with other IEMs.