Cayin HA-1A : Initial Impressions

[jarthel 0]

RMB 2900.

mainland china's renminbi? including shipping?

 

where did you get it? who's the contact person?

Edited August 5, 2003 by jarthel

[Mackie 0]

I'm not well versed in tubes but the humming could be a result of unbalanced impedance matching? Tubes must also be rebiased periodically and this might help. I guess the prevalent tube fanatics in this forum may be of better help than my groundless banter.

[headphonecrazy 0]

I guessing that tomcat's Cayin's could be from the first production batch, i.e. the transformer without the metal shealthed cover which explain the hum. It could also be that his 12AX7 and 12AU7 are placed in the wrong sockets, I think? Correct me if I'm wrong but teh 12AX7 should be closest to the window. Damn Chinese tubes & manual got no indication and markings at all.

 

I reckon it is not healthy for you turn your volume up to 1 o'clock, most of time 9-10 o'clock will suffice to enjoy any kind of music.

[Northern Oak 0]

RMB 2900.

mainland china's renminbi? including shipping?

 

where did you get it? who's the contact person?

Source : headphonecrazy

He got it while he was over there, so the price does not include shipping.

 

... tomcat's Cayin's could be from the first production batch, i.e. the transformer without the metal shealthed cover which explain the hum

 

Yes, I believe so too! Joe Lau of ASL got it for tomcat as soon as Spark Audio released the Cayin so that he could compare it with his MG Head so I do think that he has got the very first batch. I did placed the 12AX7 closest to the window and there was no humming at all. BTW, the Chinese manual is very sparse but tomcat's has the schematics included. Did I miss out something?

 

I usually play my music at about 9 o'clock, the 1 o'clock experiment was done with the music stopped.

Edited August 5, 2003 by Northern Oak

[Mackie 0]

Guys, does it mean the current units on sale belong to newer batches and the initial batch has already been cleared/taken off the shelves?

[headphonecrazy 0]

The first batch had the all "silver" chasis + unshealthed transformer. The later units mostly come with the black top + shealthed trans.

 

Northern Oak's "black" top unit was shipped directly from the factory. I was told that they do not produce many of them.

 

I'll like to share my personal experience bout the hum/noise from my RKV. I've tried the Sony V6 & other low impedance phones plugged directly to the RKV, at zero volume, no source input, and I do get some hiss and noise. But with the impedancer everything is OK. Must be impedance matching haah? BTW the RKV impedancer is 8, 16, 32 & 64 ohms, quite different from the Cayin's rating.

 

[Mackie 0]

Thanks mate.

 

Ah...I guess my banter on the hum issue is not worthless afterall.

[Rameish 0]

So the 1st batch hums while the 2nd batch sings LOL. Looking forward to hearing it with the N@Z's tubes.

[N@Z 0]

Correction, they are practically Oak's tubes pending payment

[Northern Oak 0]

Can't wait to hear it with the new tubes ... meanwhile I will just clear the ear wax to ensure unbiased comparison.

[Rameish 0]

Hey Oak,

 

I hope you're bringing your CDP as well as the amp?

 

We have a shortage of CDPs man.

[Northern Oak 0]

Sorry but I can't this time round as I'm leaving early, heading to town for my wife's b'day celebration, so I wouldn't be able to bring both the amp and the cdp to the meet.

[Northern Oak 0]

BTW, headphonecrazy is bringing his Cyrus player which has 2 sets of RCA outputs, so effectively, he's bringing 2 CDPs.

[headphonecrazy 0]

Just bring some extra i/cs

[Blues 0]

ok will bring my monster cable 300 (I know this is crappy ) just incase you guys need extra