Cayin launches C9 balanced portable amplifier powered by a pair of Nutube tubes
In Cayin, Korg Nutube mini-lamps are readily used: initially, the circuits with them were presented in portable players, and now the design has reached the amplifiers. The portable Cayin C9 amplifier used balanced circuitry with two Nutube direct-glow triodes. These lamps can be seen through the windows in the housing.
Allegedly, Cayin engineers managed the microphone effect of the lamps by placing them in silicone cases and adding a spring suspension. For the first time this technology was used in the N8 player, and now in a slightly modified form it has moved to C9.
Users can choose the desired timbre by switching between the tube and transistor stages — and the tube stage is available for both unbalanced and balanced connection. In the transistor stage, a carefully selected pair of Toshiba 2SK209 works.
The design of the player developers called ” perhaps the most complex among portable amplifiers.” It has a fully balanced design with the ability to switch between working in Class A and AB. The amplification circuitry itself is developed by the company on discrete components, without operatives and integrated elements.
Two options for the gain level — low and high (+6 dB) – will allow you to use the C9 with a variety of headphones. The 99-step high-precision volume control is based on a 4-channel Alps potentiometer with a pair of MUSES72320 low-noise resistor ladders.
At 16 ohms, the amplifier will produce 4.1 W at the balanced output, at 32 ohms-2.6 W, regardless of the operating mode — both in class A and class AB. The developers paid special attention to adequate interaction with sensitive in-channel monitors, using low-noise components.
You can connect sources to the C9 in two modes: linear and non-preamp. In non-preamp mode — in fact, pure power amplifier mode — the C9 disables the volume control. On board there are 3.5 and 4.4 mm inputs, as well as outputs of the same format. In addition to the player itself, the kit includes an unbalanced interblock cable with 3.5 mm plugs and a balanced cable with 4.4 mm plugs.
The battery compartment is removable. It consists of four cans of Sony US18650VTC6: you can charge them both inside the amplifier and separately from it. According to the developers, this design not only extends the life of the player, but also allows owners to customize the sound, because when using batteries from different manufacturers, it will change to some extent.
The start of sales of the Cayin C9 is scheduled for the end of January. In the US, the cost of the amplifier will be $2,000.
