# CAYIN Spark C6 WM8741



## HiGHFLYiN9

I was ecstatic to find out that this DAC/Amp accepts an iPhone 5 lightning digital output and went ahead and ordered it blindly. I'm looking forward to having a listen but it may take a little while for the package to travel across the pond. Has anyone had the opportunity to try one yet? Cayin is a pretty well known Chinese manufacturer of audiophile gear. $199 seemed like a more-than-reasonable price compared to the recent Sony and Fostex units costing significantly more.


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## ClieOS

It will be great if you can post a picture on the inside once you received it, especially around the USB port if possible. I already saw a few of the internal picture online but they are too blurry / low resolution to make out any detail.


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## HiGHFLYiN9

Sure, I'm looking forward to seeing the internals myself.


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## Hapster

So uh, how'd it go?
  
 Also, can you use it as a DAC/Amp for Desktops and Laptops? Gonna buy one here in a sec, but just to be absolutely sure...


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## Hapster

Purchased it last night, should arrive within "25 days"...

Hmmph. Oh well, better be worth it, since returns will be really expensive, and selling it would probably be fairly hard.


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## Hapster

Just received mine today! Now personally, I don't believe that dacs and amps really do a whole ton, especially at this price range, there's not a huge dif in sound between other dacs. Needless to say, it sounds great and neutral. 

Okay so onto build quality: it's not as tough as some of the fiio products, but while it does have the same brushed metal finish, it's lighter, internally. It's a little thicker than the e07k and e17, and slightly shorter than e18. It has an audio in, a single out. So sorry, can't use it with 2 outputs  usb mini input for charging ONLY.

Functionally, there's not a whole lot going on, since there's no eq. 

So overall, it's one of the cheapest iphone compatible dacs, which is great. Anyway, here's my personal list of extended pros and cons:

Cons:
1) Static and popping (very occassional) this is caused exclusively by wifi connectivity. It seems to interfere. Turn wifi off to prevent static
2) Average level noise floor, not impressed.
3) No other functions, coming from the fiio series, it's a shame how few functions come with it, no eq, no controls (ff, rw, play/pause)
4) Manual is entirely in chinese (or something), no english version.
5) No desktop compatibility.

Pros:
1) Accessories, comes with 30-pin and lightning to usb connectors, as well as 3.5mm connector. 2 blue (why blue??) bands to hold the unit and your idevice together, and mini usb cable. Everything to get it working out of the box. 
2) Great sound. Compared to my onboard soundcard on my desktop & my iPod touch 5g, it's great, using the highest end wolfson dac as of release, it delivers the clearest sound. 
3) Price, $200 is fairly steep for a dac, but in the arena of iphone compatible dacs, the average price is a lot closer to $500, this is one of, if not the cheapest option.
4)Overall form, easy to figure out, no hassle.

Edit: Pc compatibility, doesn't charge your device.


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## pekingduck

Found some internal shots here 
  
 http://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.1.sknzjI&id=36935179451&ad_id=&am_id=&cm_id=140105335569ed55e27b&pm_id=


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## Hapster

Was just emailed by their Tech Support at Cayin, it does not work at a PC-Dac. That's really disappointing. It's a great dac, but it's just kind of silly having to have another entire unit just to use with my PC.
  
 Not sure whether to return it or what.


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## Hapster

pekingduck said:


> Found some internal shots here
> 
> http://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.1.sknzjI&id=36935179451&ad_id=&am_id=&cm_id=140105335569ed55e27b&pm_id=


 

 I went to that website, let's take a second to appreciate these pictures:



Hint: Not only are the dacs not plugged into anything, in the second one, his headphones aren't plugged into anything.


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## ClieOS

Taking a 2nd look at the internal, I think I kind of figure out how they are able to work around Apple MFi certification. The original / official way of extracting digital data from iDevice is to get the MFi chip, which required license from Apple. That's the biggest limiting factor of why there just ain't that many iDevice DAC out there. But what Cayin does, is actually cloning the CCK function into the amp / USB DAC. So instead of getting limited by the MFi chip, they work around it by utilizing the USB Host function that comes with iOS7.


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## Hapster

clieos said:


> Taking a 2nd look at the internal, I think I kind of figure out how they are able to work around Apple MFi certification. The original / official way of extracting digital data from iDevice is to get the MFi chip, which required license from Apple. That's the biggest limiting factor of why there just ain't that many iDevice DAC out there. But what Cayin does, is actually cloning the CCK function into the amp / USB DAC. So instead of getting limited by the MFi chip, they work around it by utilizing the USB Host function that comes with iOS7.


 

 Interesting. I've thought about this. If more people could just do this, then we'd have many more affordable lightning compatible dacs. Unfortunately, I already bought a usb male to usb male cable to attempt to get it to work with my PC, I bought it before I got an email about it not working.
  
 Well, maybe there's still a chance? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 (doubt it). I assume one would need drivers for it to work.
  
 At the moment, I'm doing PC -> E18 -> Cayin C6 -> Headphones. The only benefit to this is that the noise floor is lower from the C6 than the E18, and it let's me pretend I have the perfect unit


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## grizzlybeast

^why do you have two dac amps together in the same chain? 
  
 any impressions on which is better of the two?


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## Hapster

grizzlybeast said:


> ^why do you have two dac amps together in the same chain?
> 
> any impressions on which is better of the two?


 

 It was because the Cayin had a far lower noise floor but doesn't work with PC. 
  
 Oh and Cayin, definitely.  It was a much cleaner, neutral sound. Noise floor was considerably lower, and I didn't have any awful problems with interference as long as the wifi was off. (or it was a considerable distance away from my ipod).
  
 Now, impressions on dac/amps are pretty useless for the most part, so if you actually look at the internals, the C6 definitely beat the e18, both chips were a couple grades higher than those of the E18.
  
 I'm getting a vamp verza here soon, which is one of the ultimate portable dacs. It'll be interesting to see how the C6 compares as purely a portable Dac/amp. Obviously the verza totally beats it on functionality and versatility, but not everyone needs those bells and whistles.


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## grizzlybeast

I wonder if the cayin is almost as powerful as the e12


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## grizzlybeast

^^trying to power some zmf's (t50rp)from my iPhone to pretty loud levels.


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## Hapster

grizzlybeast said:


> I wonder if the cayin is almost as powerful as the e12




From what I've heard I wouldn't say it's as powerful. It's more like the E07k in terms of raw power.


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## grizzlybeast

Thx bud!


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## HiGHFLYiN9

Sorry to get back so late on this thread. I did finally receive the unit and I really appreciate what it does. The bass and lower midrange is thicker and stronger and overall coherence is better. I've had some friends have a listed as well and they were impressed. I've tried with the Sennheiser Amperior, Momentums, and Harman Kardon CL with good results. 
  
 I've found the Nomad LNG-W Lightning cable makes a great match for the amp, as it's nice and short and doesn't waste pocket space. 
  

  
 I did notice that the unit picks up on cell phone activity, however other similar devices do the same. The noise floor is average like Hapster said. In addition, the 3.5mm inlets can be finicky with odd shaped connectors (such as Harman Kardon CL). Overall I'm quite happy with the unit despite the caveats. The fit and finish is nice and the bump in SQ is really worth it, and it's still a steal (at $199) compared to comparable units.


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## bigfullz

Well, this thread hasn't seen much action lately, but the c5 is gettin some love! 
I am considering this w/ iphone5 (eventually 6) b/c i would like a concise, portable solution to upgrade "the chain". I wish I could demo this against beyerdynamic a200p, vamp verza, and other iDevice friendly dac/amps... but hey, this is HeadFi, I wanna hear from current owners!! Here's hoping to spark some life in this thread


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## Hapster

bigfullz said:


> Well, this thread hasn't seen much action lately, but the c5 is gettin some love!
> I am considering this w/ iphone5 (eventually 6) b/c i would like a concise, portable solution to upgrade "the chain". I wish I could demo this against beyerdynamic a200p, vamp verza, and other iDevice friendly dac/amps... but hey, this is HeadFi, I wanna hear from current owners!! Here's hoping to spark some life in this thread




It'll beat the a200p in sound, by a huge margin, and for the short while I had it and verza at the same time, it honestly sounded just as good. (Maybe a little better O_o) However, the verza has a bass boost mode, a 3D mode, which I find interesting, but not particularly useful. It also acts as a battery pack and is functional with a PC

Note: Hi & Lo gains & Bass Boost function don't work while using the verza as a usb amp. The exterior also has a nasty habit of peeling, so your verza may look worse overtime. That said, it can be found "new" on eBay for $280-350.

So as for the Beyer A200p, although it may have the worst SQ of the bunch, it's the smallest and provides use as an usb and iphone dac/amp.

Note: I'm not totally sure the Dac Function of the A200P works with iphone5+.

Now, with the C6, It's not as good as I was initially lead to believe. It does drain your phone battery, slowly, nothing terrible, but you'll notice it if you're using it for a couple hours. It also, in no way can be used with android phones or PCs. The noise floor is louder than that of the Verza/A200p, and lastly cellular and wifi signals could interfere, as stated earlier in this thread, and causes crackles and pops. Easiest way to fix this is by putting your device in airplane mode.


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## bigfullz

Thanks hapster, that was very informative. All that in one post! Very concise, like I'm hoping my portable rig will be... Which has me thinking dx90 now. These iDevice amp/dacs all have dents in their armor, so maybe an audiophile player is the way to go.
Thanks again


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## Hapster

bigfullz said:


> Thanks hapster, that was very informative. All that in one post! Very concise, like I'm hoping my portable rig will be... Which has me thinking dx90 now. These iDevice amp/dacs all have dents in their armor, so maybe an audiophile player is the way to go.
> Thanks again


 

 A dent is sure better than the gaping hole that is the software of the "Audiophile" Daps.


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## bigfullz

you have a point hapster! LOL!


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## munggo

clieos said:


> Taking a 2nd look at the internal, I think I kind of figure out how they are able to work around Apple MFi certification. The original / official way of extracting digital data from iDevice is to get the MFi chip, which required license from Apple. That's the biggest limiting factor of why there just ain't that many iDevice DAC out there. But what Cayin does, is actually cloning the CCK function into the amp / USB DAC. So instead of getting limited by the MFi chip, they work around it by utilizing the USB Host function that comes with iOS7.


 
 Will this work with an iPod classic?


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## Hapster

Well it works with 30-pin connectors, so if you know that whatever works with iphone 1-4s works with ipod classic, then yes.


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## ClieOS

hapster said:


> Well it works with 30-pin connectors, so if you know that whatever works with iphone 1-4s works with ipod classic, then yes.


 
  
 I am not that sure. USB host comes with iOS7, and iPod Classic doesn't run on it.


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## Thomas Cayin

Dear friends, I must say, I'm late. C6 does not look like that is our CAYIN kids, huh fact, C6 we launched in August 2013 the first portable headphone power amplifier. because C6 is characterized Apple products corresponding DAC functions. 
  
 In July of this year, we launched another new product C5, I believe that friends have seen here say no more. 
  
 I am very happy to have more and more friends to participate in our discussions and understanding of CAYIN products, if you have any questions, you can give me a message, even though my English is very general, but I will try my best efforts, I hope you can help us better understand CAYIN products. 
  
 Thank you.


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## Hapster

clieos said:


> I am not that sure. USB host comes with iOS7, and iPod Classic doesn't run on it.




Well, it would at least work as an amplifier. 

Other than that, I'm not sure.


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## ZALHERA

I have the option of getting these for  $190 with a free pair of TTPOD T1E included, and I was wondering how they stacked up against the JDS Labs C5D, which was my second choice but without the free earbuds. I'll be using it mainly with my iPod Classic. I couldn't care less about PC compatibility as my gaming PC is currently hooked up to the Astro MixAmp that I don't plan on changing soon.
  
 I have never owned a portable DAC/Amp combo so this is all new to me and I don't know what I am trying to get into right now. Is there a sound quality improvement that is noticeable enough to justify a purchase? I don't think I own any phones that need amplification, so would it be more prudent to just let this deal pass by?


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## XERO1

How does the C6 switch between the USB input and the 3.5mm input?
  
 Thanks.


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## Hapster

Actually, nvm. I don't remember


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## Meowheng

thomas cayin said:


> Dear friends, I must say, I'm late. C6 does not look like that is our CAYIN kids, huh fact, C6 we launched in August 2013 the first portable headphone power amplifier. because C6 is characterized Apple products corresponding DAC functions.
> 
> In July of this year, we launched another new product C5, I believe that friends have seen here say no more.
> 
> ...




Hi Thomas,

Please advise me whether C6 can be used as DAC/AMP with IPod Classic 6th Gen, not just only AMP?

Thanks!


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## Thomas Cayin

meowheng said:


> Hi Thomas,
> 
> Please advise me whether C6 can be used as DAC/AMP with IPod Classic 6th Gen, not just only AMP?
> 
> Thanks!


 
 Sorry, my dear friend, C6 is not supported IPod Classic 6th, which is one of our major mistakes early in the design, because we believe IPOD IPod Classic has become the past, but to focus on the Apple phone system leads .


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## doantrang01

Guys, help me out  ii'm trying to choose bewteen C6 and Fiio E12 for my ATH-IM04, wondering which should i choose ....


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## mattjay84

Mine arrived today after sending ibasso D-zero mkii back. Whilst I was more than happy with the sound coming from Tidal on my iPhone 6 via the little ibasso to my Fidelio L2's, I wanted a device that I could plug straight in without CCK. The finish wasn't great on the ibasso either - volume dial and switches felt cheap. Granted it is entry level, but the Fiio's look higher quality and cost less/same.

I was looking at the Onkyo, Teac or the new Oppo, but then stumbled across the Cayin C6 for £120 (half price of others) so thought I'd give it a whirl.

Definitely prefer finish of C6, it's a nice looking device albeit quite a bit larger. As for sound quality vs ibasso, well my ears suggest there's not much in it (think the C6 is slightly edging it).

Overall very happy and I'd say it's definitely worth the extra £20 and I could always sell the Lightning CCK to claw that back!


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## OficialWaranty

Hi, Will it work with the iphone6 ?


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## Thomas Cayin

oficialwaranty said:


> Hi, Will it work with the iphone6 ?


 
 Yes!


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## OficialWaranty

Thanks


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## thesharkbite

Hi thomas, everyone,

Im enjoying my cayin c5 from my audioengine b1 fed over bluetooth with spotify and alac. I would like a more portable system and i want to know if the cayin c6's amp section sounds the same as the c5's. Appreciate your inputs thank you!

Btw im using a sennheiser hd700 150ohms and some iems


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## Kclone

bumping this.  Sounds like the C5 on heck of an amp.  However, since I have an iphone 5, it's not compatible with my source (iphone 5).  I know the amp section on the C6 is not as powerful or as good as the C5, however is there still gains to be made in sound quality since it has a DAC too?  The phones I will be using are the Westone W60, Shure 846, and Ety ER 4S.  Or should I get a different source if the C5 is so much better than the C6.  Thanks any input would be appreciated.


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## Hapster

kclone said:


> bumping this.  Sounds like the C5 on heck of an amp.  However, since I have an iphone 5, it's not compatible with my source (iphone 5).  I know the amp section on the C6 is not as powerful or as good as the C5, however is there still gains to be made in sound quality since it has a DAC too?  The phones I will be using are the Westone W60, Shure 846, and Ety ER 4S.  Or should I get a different source if the C5 is so much better than the C6.  Thanks any input would be appreciated.




An amp doesn't really improve the sound that much. Sure if you have a hard to drive pair of HP it's necessary, but I wouldn't be too worried. A dac is going to have a larger impact on SQ because that's its job. The C6 was great sounding and was better than any of my "just" amps.

Honestly though, if you can afford it, you might just want to go the same route as me. Get a vmoda vamp verza off ebay for like $320-370. 

The c6 always felt like it was draining my battery.


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## UNOE

I see it asked several times but no one has given a clear answer.  How does the C6 amp compare to the C5.  Are they same amp or different?


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## Hapster

unoe said:


> I see it asked several times but no one has given a clear answer.  How does the C6 amp compare to the C5.  Are they same amp or different?




If you can find the chipset for the C5 I might be able to locate the C6 information again.


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## UNOE

hapster said:


> If you can find the chipset for the C5 I might be able to locate the C6 information again.


 

 I have no idea


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## pesci1234

hi
 can i use the cayin C6 with my hifi system Amp + speaker
 i mean iphone -> cayin c6 -> hifi system (NAD amp + speaker)
  
 thanks for your answer


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## Hapster

pesci1234 said:


> hi
> can i use the cayin C6 with my hifi system Amp + speaker
> i mean iphone -> cayin c6 -> hifi system (NAD amp + speaker)
> 
> thanks for your answer




The C6 will support auxiliary out. So if that's what you're using, then yes.

Any particular reason you're double amping it?


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## zilch0md

highflyin9 said:


> Sorry to get back so late on this thread. I did finally receive the unit and I really appreciate what it does. The bass and lower midrange is thicker and stronger and overall coherence is better. I've had some friends have a listed as well and they were impressed. I've tried with the Sennheiser Amperior, Momentums, and Harman Kardon CL with good results.
> 
> I've found the Nomad LNG-W Lightning cable makes a great match for the amp, as it's nice and short and doesn't waste pocket space.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Is the RFI caused by WiFi activity or by 3G/4G activity?


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## Hapster

zilch0md said:


> Is the RFI caused by WiFi activity or by 3G/4G activity?


Necroposting.


The interference is due to wifi. Since it interfered on my iPod touch.


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## apaar123

what is the maximum impedance for which it can give good power?


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## apaar123

how does it compare to wm 8740?


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## mikek200

apaar123 said:


> how does it compare to wm 8740?


 
 Question, for the head-fi experts:
  
 I'm going to order the C6,and will be using it with a Fiio X-3ii player
 I will not be using any apple connections.
 Currently ,I am using the C5,and the X-3,and my sound quality is excellent...better than my desktop SQ.
  
 Is the upgrade worth it?,will the Wolfson 8741,bring a major change??
  
 Any input/suggestions ,will be appreciated.
  
 Thanks,
 Mike


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## RAQemUP

Just a heads-up, Amazon has the black Cayin C6 for 79.99 shipped with Prime.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00UXZJXPU/ref=sxts1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488349130&sr=1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65
It comes with a 3.5mm to RCA cable and a USB wall charger as extras on top of everything that comes in the retail box.

In trying to keep everything nice and tidy with my iPhone 7 plus, I ordered this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ASOMI9I/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1488349596&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=angle+lightning+cable 4" angled lightning cable but it sometimes randomly drops out on me so don't recommend it.

So far it's fantastic for the price. I just use it to listen to vbr -0 and 320 bitrate mp3s. I haven't had any issues with interference from wifi or cell signals from my phone.


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## DJtheAudiophile

Would the C6 work with a iPod Touch 4G?


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