[Luisantoniog80]

It's not bad per se, but you are adding two amp potential amp flavors to the mix. In an ideal world amps would be completely neutral and double amping would make no difference. I sometimes double amp and as long as it sounds good and you enjoy it, who cares if it's double amped

Cheers,
K

Ok thank you

 

[CJG888]

You may be able to connect the C5 version with the onboard DAC (less powerful than the standard C5, though) via the CCK.

 

[ezekiel77]

Hi guys, I'm selling a barely-used Cayin C5. It's a great amp (and looks amazing) but nowadays I prefer a neutral sig.

The classified's in my sig if anyone's interested.

Thanks for reading!

 

[DiscoProJoe]

It's not bad per se, but you are adding two amp potential amp flavors to the mix. In an ideal world amps would be completely neutral and double amping would make no difference. I sometimes double amp and as long as it sounds good and you enjoy it, who cares if it's double amped

 
Well-put. If I can't notice any difference in sound quality, I really don't care too much, either. (It would be a different story in a recording environment, though, where 24-bit WAV / FLAC files are needed for that purpose.) For listening, 192 kbps MP3 is all I need.
 
I usually listen with the volume on my C5 amp at max and the gain switch on high, while controlling the volume from my Rockboxed iPod Classic.  When playing it at medium and high volume levels, the small hiss noise from the amp is drowned out and usually unnoticeable. When listening at low volume, though, I flip the gain switch on the C5 to low, and that gets rid of the hiss noise.
 
Most people can't notice anything less than 3% distortion, or anything more than 30-to-60 dB of dynamic range, anyway.
 
Well, click the big link below to relish my latest brand-new invention. It includes an entire set that's dedicated to matching the bass-boost switch on the Cayin C5 to sound good. Bon appetit! 

 
 
DiscoProJoe's Rockbox EQ Presets, Version 3.0

 

[Francisk]

Hi guys, I'm selling a barely-used Cayin C5. It's a great amp (and looks amazing) but nowadays I prefer a neutral sig.


The classified's in my sig if anyone's interested.


Thanks for reading!

The Cayin C5 sure sounds totally neutral provided you don't switch on the bass boost. What headphones or IEMs you're using that make your C5 not neutral sounding???

 

[ezekiel77]

The Cayin C5 sure sounds totally neutral provided you don't switch on the bass boost. What headphones or IEMs you're using that make your C5 not neutral sounding???

 
Definitely added richness and slight warmth to my Harmony 8 Pro and HE400i. That was good synergy though. Also made my JH13 too smooth and unexciting. Nowadays I prefer to drive IEMs straight from my AK, and cans with the HiFi-M8.

 

[Kerouac]

The Cayin C5 sure sounds totally neutral provided you don't switch on the bass boost.

 
Imo the C5 doesn't sound neutral. I would say it's on the warm side (which I like) compared to the neutral sound that my Hugo delivers. Even compared to my Headstage Arrow 5P I would still call it warm. But hey, that's just what my ears are telling my brain

 
Cayin C5 is a great amp anyway

 
@ezekiel77 GLWS!

 

[ezekiel77]

   
Imo the C5 doesn't sound neutral. I would say it's on the warm side (which I like) compared to the neutral sound that my Hugo delivers. Even compared to my Headstage Arrow 5P I would still call it warm. But hey, that's just what my ears are telling my brain

 
Cayin C5 is a great amp anyway

 

 
Belongs to another thread, but I gotta ask, isn't the Headstage Arrow supposed to be the bass monster?

 

[Kerouac]

  Belongs to another thread, but I gotta ask, isn't the Headstage Arrow supposed to be the bass monster?

 
There is a bass (and treble) switch on it with 3 levels => you can turn it into a bass monster if you like that

But when you don't activate it, it's quite neutral. Many different versions (I have the 5P) of the HA though...

 

[PsiCore]

   
There is a bass (and treble) switch on it with 3 levels => you can turn it into a bass monster if you like that

But when you don't activate it, it's quite neutral. Many different versions (I have the 5P) of the HA though...

 
How would you compare the bass boosts on the Arrow and C5?

 

[Kerouac]

 

   
There is a bass (and treble) switch on it with 3 levels => you can turn it into a bass monster if you like that

But when you don't activate it, it's quite neutral. Many different versions (I have the 5P) of the HA though...

 
How would you compare the bass boosts on the Arrow and C5?

I think with the 5P on medium level, the C5's bass boost might be slightly stronger. But when you put the 5P's bass on high level, then it kicks the C5's bass butt all over the place

Never use it on high though...just too much bass for me.
 
Besides that, I use the 5P mainly with my iems and the C5 mainly with headphones

 

[ezekiel77]

  Besides that, I use the 5P mainly with my iems and the C5 mainly with headphones

 
That is true, the C5 volume knob is way too responsive for sensitive IEMs. Can't get the volume past 2.

 

[philk34]

I use C5 at volume 2. I cannot get up to 3 though Earsonics are not sensitive IEMs.
 
Sure C5 add a little warmth but it also open the soundstage. It is not huge difference comparing AK JR alone with JR+C5 as soon as you have set volume on par on each combo (AK Jr at 50% versus JR on LO+ C5 at 2/10).
But the stage seems different with C5, the amp adds volume to the soundstage. To my ears at least. 

 

[MrRzepa]

So if C5 has too much steam for sensitive IEMs, what would you recommend? Rzepa has heard Fiio E12A can also be too "loud".
Is there something suitable for sensitive IEMs and less power hungry cans, like Takstar Pro80 (those are louder than Rzepa's pfe012 ) in a price similiar to C5 or E12A? (maybe slightly above, let's say 200$)

 

[ezekiel77]

So if C5 has too much steam for sensitive IEMs, what would you recommend? Rzepa has heard Fiio E12A can also be too "loud".

 
Learn to love your DAP first haha.
 
If you're looking for a portable amp that's more IEM-friendly consider the ALO Rx or the new Aune B1 2016 edition. I haven't tried them but reviews are good for both of them.