I’m not 100% sure what you mean by “grade” in reference to a USB cable. Are you talking about which USB specification they’re compliant with, or some other, arbitrary audiophile “grade” designation?
Either way, my standard USB cable for DAC reviews is currently the AudioQuest Diamond.
If you have a suitable transport with a COAX output, and you don’t need support for high-bit-rate source material (more than 24/192 for PCM or single-rate DSD/DSD 64 for DSD), then there’s no reason not to use it - especially if using the built-in headphone output.
You might hear a difference in a super-resolving chain (external amp, TOTL cans), but otherwise it’s doubtful you’d notice, and you’d have to be listening for specific differences even then.
Nice one, these are realy nice looking units. With the positive review of the Cyan I’m looking forward to learn if the new amp is a worthwhile upgrade.
I haven’t heard the Flint, so can’t comment on that.
And I have not done a direct comparison between the Cyan and the Amethyst, though I’ve done an extensive review of the Cyan and I’ve spent a little time with the Amethyst - which was a nice enough sounding unit but not something that I was tempted by. Where as with the Cyan if I had been looking for an all-in-one (or a NOS DAC) in that price range I’d not have hesitated to buy one.
I like the Metrum DACs … but until you get to the Pavane I do not find them compelling from a value perspective.
@Torq, in your review of the DSD version you seem to use this exclusively with a native DSD stream from HDplayer. How well does the DSD Cyan handle a PCM stream compared to native DSD from your HQplayer setup?
Reading the review I get the impression that the DSD Cyan is mainly worthwhile when combined a native DVD stream.
(I hope I didn’t get the technicalities wrong, audio can be complicated)
I’m using the HD600/HD650 and wonder at when I might reach a point of diminishing return playing with DACs like the Cyan. I consider getting the fan edition with both modules.
The short version is, If it were me, I would not buy the DSD version of the Cyan unless I was going to use it with HQPlayer.
Not because it doesn’t sound good doing internal DSD conversion from PCM - it does. But with PCM source material the PCM module (in NOS mode) is more to my preference, and the next best result I got was feeding the DSD module from HQPlayer for PCM content.
There just isn’t enough native DSD content available, let alone in my own collection, for me to want a primarily DSD DAC. Which means feeding it a much larger diet of PCM source material - and the best way to listen to that with the DSD module in the Cyan is via HQPlayer.
Upsampling native DSD content further, and applying the more sophisticated filtering and noise-shaping available in HQPlayer also works better than just having the Cyan play it natively.
The following table ranks the various combinations of source, conversion and module, from “best” (i.e. that I enjoyed the most) to “worst”. None of them sound bad at all. But there are differences and this is how I personally rank them:
I had a similar question, but was waiting for your answer on this one. I may keep an eye out for a sale on the PCM model of the Cyan…they have the DSD one on sale currently.
Mayn thanks! I just bought a Cyan with both modules. I was torn between the Grungnir MB and the Cyan for some time and went for the Holo Audio unit because of the better looks, the amp that might come in handy and makes the unit more mobile in the living room. Also Grungnir is more often available on the used market.
NOS is also something I realy want to try and the Cyan seems to be the DAC with the best price performance ratio. And the only one the budget allowed.
@Torq ve been eying this with a GSX Mini for my Clears and future ZMF’s. Great review by the way, now im torn between the Azure and the GSX but mainly worried about power. Also brightness, any thoughts
Unless you’re looking at the DSD version of the CYAN, then I would start off without using an additional amplifier. The CYAN PCM version’s internal amplifier offers way more power than any of the Focal or ZMF headphones need even in single-ended mode.
The Azure doesn’t offer any more power than the CYAN’s built in amp, though it does improve overall performance. So I’d try the raw CYAN first, and then decide if the Azure was something you wanted.
I wouldn’t pair a GSX Mini with the CYAN at all unless I was looking at driving AB-1266, HEDDphone, HE6(original or SE/SEV2) or Susvara. And that’d only be for the extra power those cans can use/need. This is not because of any shortfall isn the performance of the GSX Mini, it’s just that the Azure is a better physical and aesthetic match for the CYAN.
Brightness is not a concern with any of those combinations, however. If you were talking about a GSX Mk2 with Clear or Utopia, then I’d have a different opinion, but you’re not.
right on thanks for the detail, definitely helped my decision, im on a Monoprice THX Desktop Dac/Amp currently and while i feel it was a great in, im just ready to move up, FOMO i guess. But yes the aesthetic also drew me in. Would the Cyan be fine for the Gold Planar GL 2000’s? My Monoprice can get them loud but its not the most engaging, a little sterile and cold…
I already have a ifi Pro iCan and my cans are the Aryas. Would these be a good match considering I would like a sweeter sound? (Coming from a Soncoz SGD-1 as a DAC)
I kid, new job time crunch. Looking forward to reading your review on these as a combo.
. Really looking forward to this too.