[eR1k]

Does anyone know how the Cayin C5 compares to the JDS C5 in terms of bass boost (i.e. quality and quantity)?

 

[Francisk]

  Yep, I had the LCD2 also for some time and even that hp was easily driven from X5/C5 on low gain. I've never had the feeling that I needed the high gain on C5 since I have it, it has so much power inside 

besides that it has a very nice black background (which I can't say from my E12) with my iems...

Oh....I was actually driving all those big cans on C5 high gain. What surprises me is driving the Sennheiser HD800.....very impressed indeed.

 

[Lohb]

After using my C5 for months with the ADA4637 opamp recommended in this thread earlier on with my planar headphones with no issues at all, it appears that under certain cirumstances that opamp chip mod can fry earphones.
 
The same thing happened to me last week as @rhmjmango after I finally picked up a new pair of earphones. My earphones got very hot and died.
Initially, I thought it was a bad pair of earphones, till I saw his exact same exp. posted last week.
 
Some kind of voltage/current spike can happen from switching on at low gain with bass boost on with earphones plugged in. That onfiguration can trigger it. We mod at our own risk. I'm $60+ in the hole all-in plus dead earphones which were cheap luckily.
 
Member @ pelopidas comment on : 4637 opamp and its incompatibility...
 
<<<<<< " Hmm... according to the data sheet, the 4637 wants to be run at a gain of at least 5. It looks like the C5 runs at 2.3
Also the 4637 in uncompensated, meaning it will be prone to oscillate and couple that with the gain problem it might have slammed to a rail (lets almost the entire voltage through).>>>>>> "
 
If you only run it on the high gain setting and add some compensation caps to the opamp, it might be stable enough. It looks really touchy though.
 
I have removed my few impressions with planars from the thread after getting the mod done by a 3rd party.
 
I think it is best that the initial member's recommendation be removed further back in the thread as well to break the link with this opamp upgrade on the C5 thread so no-one rolls in later off a google search and does the mod without reading the latest....
 
The C5 has no issues like this whatsoever with the stock opamp.
 
I'm paying to roll mine back to stock today after digging out the original opamps at my place.
A sad day, as the SQ was REALLY superb with that new opamp

 
 
Edit : since putting my original opamps back in, everything is fine with earphones (though not same SQ though as the AD chip) ..flipping any switches, no problem so it was the AD opamp upgrade causing some un-forseen glitch with high sensitivity/low-powered earphones.

 

[bzippy]

  Does anyone know how the Cayin C5 compares to the JDS C5 in terms of bass boost (i.e. quality and quantity)?

i've owned both but not at the same time so take this fwiw. here's my memory with both amps on high gain:
 
- unboosted both have similar low end
- Cayin bass boost > JDS low bass boost (significantly)
- JDS high bass boost > Cayin bass boost (can't say for sure how significantly)
 
The Cayin C5 bass boost is hefty indeed -- too much for me in fact, which is why i returned it. the JDS high bass boost is even bigger, so no love from me there. but the JDS low bass boost is very close to what i like, though still even a bit too much on some recordings and with a very small but noticeable amount of intrusion into low mids (eg. most vocals). this is enough to make me prefer the JDS, but here's an interesting twist: the JDS's gain setting affects the amount of bass boost. in low gain mode the bass boost is more subtle. further, when in low gain mode, the low bass boost also seems to be completely confined to the bass region, with no noticeable mid interference. iow, it's about perfect imo. extra bonus: there seems to be a hair more high end sparkle on the JDS in low gain mode too (compared to high gain mode). lucky for me the JDS is powerful enough to drive my HD600's in the low gain mode (for my personal volume needs, at least. ymmv.). bottom line: i'm loving this amp even more now that i use the low gain mode.
 
my only regret is that i never really tried the Cayin low gain setting. it might have been more to my liking - i don't know. i just assumed i had to be in high gain because of my 300 ohm phones. only recently did i read about the the gain setting having an effect on bass boost quantity, and frequency balance in general. but the amp is now long gone. oh well.

 

[eR1k]

Thank you for your insightful reaction. The reason I was asking is that currently the Cayin C5 is a very popular amp in the IEM Bass club thread. If the JDS C5 has more bass (high gain, high bass boost) than the Cayin C5, then I see no point in 'upgrading'.

 

[bzippy]

  Thank you for your insightful reaction. The reason I was asking is that currently the Cayin C5 is a very popular amp in the IEM Bass club thread. If the JDS C5 has more bass (high gain, high bass boost) than the Cayin C5, then I see no point in 'upgrading'.

again, i didn't have them at the same time so if i were you i'd still seek out someone who has/had both at the same time for a more reliable comparison. or just order one yourself and take advantage of the trial/return period.

 

[KookaBurrra]

In past, I have the JDS Labs C5... Now, I have the Cayin C5.
I really prefer the Cayin : more air, Soundstage more open and musicality is better. The JDS Labs is an excellent amp, it do the job but it is more flat, seem to have "no life" against the Cayin. Like a O2 comparing to a Schiit Vali, not the same spirit.
A very attractive amp this Cayin C5.

 

[bzippy]

In past, I have the JDS Labs C5... Now, I have the Cayin C5.
I really prefer the Cayin : more air, Soundstage more open and musicality is better. The JDS Labs is an excellent amp, it do the job but it is more flat, seem to have "no life" against the Cayin. Like a O2 comparing to a Schiit Vali, not the same spirit.
A very attractive amp this Cayin C5.

i'll agree with you on the open air & soundstage bit, but i have to disagree with the musicality. i recall the Cayin to be brighter and perhaps even more aggressive & fatiguing. in contrast i'd call the JDS smoother, more refined & comfy, yet still wonderfully detailed, musical and engaging. imo.

 

[KookaBurrra]

i'll agree with you on the open air & soundstage bit, but i have to disagree with the musicality. i recall the Cayin to be brighter and perhaps even more aggressive & fatiguing. in contrast i'd call the JDS smoother, more refined & comfy, yet still wonderfully detailed, musical and engaging. imo.

All depend on the headphone in association... With my Fidelio X1 the Cayin is just perfect, the C5 give energy to him and open this bassy headphone, great combination in fact. Same thing with my Earsonics SM64 (very smooth IEM). I'll be agree with you about my Nad Viso hp50 : this one could be aggressive and little fatiguing with Cayin!

The JDS Labs C5 is better suited amp for headphone too much aggressive, if I can give a try with the Nad Viso hp50 it could be a good combo I think.

But I really prefer Cayin. Just personal taste. JDS Labs C5 is a really great amp, no doubt on it!

 

[Koolpep]

I still have both amps, the C5D and the Cayin C5 - I prefer the C5 for its musicality and engaging sound. I often start listening and can't stop until the battery is empty

The JDSLabs C5 D is great too, but preference currently goes to Cayin.

Cheers,
K

 

[dennis611]

Anyone tried the C5 with Ath-Msr7? Do they match?

 

[bzippy]

All depend on the headphone in association... With my Fidelio X1 the Cayin is just perfect, the C5 give energy to him and open this bassy headphone, great combination in fact. Same thing with my Earsonics SM64 (very smooth IEM). I'll be agree with you about my Nad Viso hp50 : this one could be aggressive and little fatiguing with Cayin!

The JDS Labs C5 is better suited amp for headphone too much aggressive, if I can give a try with the Nad Viso hp50 it could be a good combo I think.

But I really prefer Cayin. Just personal taste. JDS Labs C5 is a really great amp, no doubt on it!

i completely agree and a very good point to remember. we deal in such subtle differences that we really need to think of this stuff in the context of a complete rig: DAC, amp and headphones (and ears). with my preferred phones (HD600's) and for my tastes the JDSL C5 is the winner, but i fully get someone with different components going with the stellar Cayin C5 instead. ultimately we're splitting small hairs in this higher quality range.

 

[Lohb]

All depend on the headphone in association... With my Fidelio X1 the Cayin is just perfect, the C5 give energy to him and open this bassy headphone, great combination in fact. Same thing with my Earsonics SM64 (very smooth IEM). I'll be agree with you about my Nad Viso hp50 : this one could be aggressive and little fatiguing with Cayin!

The JDS Labs C5 is better suited amp for headphone too much aggressive, if I can give a try with the Nad Viso hp50 it could be a good combo I think.

But I really prefer Cayin. Just personal taste. JDS Labs C5 is a really great amp, no doubt on it!

NAD HP50 aggressive and fatiguing ? i don't see how two smooth pieces of equipment (50 + C5) would equate to that.... ?
I sold my HP50s as they were too smoothed over (lacking the micro-detail and also speed of planars)

 

[KookaBurrra]

NAD HP50 aggressive and fatiguing ? i don't see how two smooth pieces of equipment (50 + C5) would equate to that.... ?
I sold my HP50s as they were too smoothed over (lacking the micro-detail and also speed of planars)

Not in the presentation of the sound or in the dynamic, just in the upper range frequency! For my taste and what I want to ear, the two combined give me too more high frequency in some spots of spectrum and finally I find this combo fatiguing...
The Nad Viso hp50 is just perfect for me in the HO of my Hidizs ap100 and do not need much amplification that the ap100 could give, so it's not really a problem in fact.

Edit : in your inventory, I see MODIFIED NAD VISO HP-50. What did you do on it? I'm interested!

 

[Lohb]

Not in the presentation of the sound or in the dynamic, just in the upper range frequency! For my taste and what I want to ear, the two combined give me too more high frequency in some spots of spectrum and finally I find this combo fatiguing...
The Nad Viso hp50 is just perfect for me in the HO of my Hidizs ap100 and do not need much amplification that the ap100 could give, so it's not really a problem in fact.

Edit : in your inventory, I see MODIFIED NAD VISO HP-50. What did you do on it? I'm interested!

More comfortable leather headband. Just a 1-off design.