I was wondering if anyone could compare the cayin c5 to the jds lab c5?
i had both of these but not at the same time. though i usually don't trust my longer term memory for detailed comparisons, no one else responded so i'm chiming in for you the best i can.
i had the FiiO E12 v1 and the Cayin C5 at the same time and i chose the E12. bottom line is that the Cayin seemed overall a nicer and more engaging amp but the bass boost was too heavy handed for me. since i find that my Senn HD600's do need a little boost on many recordings, bass boost is important to me. but i simply cannot abide too much bass, so it's a very delicate balance for me. the E12 v1 famously has a very subtle sub bass boost and it was primarily on that basis that i chose the E12 over the Cayin. another plus for me is that the E12 is more mid forward. looking back on my comparison thread i found that the Cayin seemed wider and also a bit brighter.
i also had the did a lot of direct a/b listening with the JDSL C5 and my FiiO E12 because i was wary of being too quick to get rid of my E12, but it turned out to be a pretty easy decision: i kept the JDSL C5 because it was cleaner & more refined sounding, and i find the 3 position bass boost (off/low/high) very useful and versatile. i also found the JDSL unboosted bass to have more impact than the E12, so i find myself needing bass boost for fewer recordings.
ok, so now to your question: the C5 vs the C5. from my opinions of both C5 amps from their respective comparisons with my E12, i think i can say the following:
- the Cayin is brighter & more aggressive sounding, while the JDSL is more mid forward, smoother on top & refined
- the Cayin is wider sounding, perhaps significantly so
- the JDSL is capable of a more subtle bass boost (at the Low setting), though its High bass boost setting might be more similar to the Cayin's boost, so you kinda get both with the JDSL
- unboosted bass quantity & quality are probably pretty similar, but this needs verification
- i think it's safe to say they are very similarly clean sounding, but this is also kinda hard to say based on memory
- i think the Cayin has more power
- the JDSL is much smaller in size
- i'm pretty sure the Cayin battery life is shorter, but i'm not 100% sure on this
- personal opinion: the controls on the JDSL are slicker and easier
i would love to try the two side by side just because i'm curious, but i have every expectation that i would still prefer the JDSL. anyone who has done this comparison should jump speak up to fill in / correct any of my statements.
thanks!
