Sendy Audio KyLin DAC Headphone Amplifier Review – Stylish Rich Premium Design
Sendy Audio KyLin is a $1499 USD Desktop DAC and Headphone Amplifier with a Dual ESS ES9038Q2M DAC at the core, Native DSD512 Decoding, Pure Class A Headphone Amplifier, using Hitachi Transistors, Premium WIMA and Nichicon components and a versatile Input Output along with Preamp outputs. Today we will review the KyLin and also compare it with iBasso D17 Atheris (1699 USD), Luxsin X9 Desktop DAC AMP (1099 USD) and FiiO K17 (899 USD). It is a good idea to note that although the names sound similar, Sendy Audio KyLin has a different name and is a different thing from iBasso Kunlun, a Headphone Amplifier that I reviewed recently.
Introduction
Sendy Audio is best known for their premium headphones, including the ultra-flagship Peacock model which is likely the most flashy, best looking model on the market, but their budget headphones are also super popular. Together with Sivga, they have impressed the world with headphones and earphones, so today we study their first high-end DAC AMP. You can purchase Sendy Audio products from HiFi Trade channels, Aliexpress, Amazon.
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Product Link
Amazon – https://link.amazon/B089k0Qvm
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c4Dz2gfT
Build Quality – Design
KyLin is the first entry in the DAC AMP world for Sendy Audio and it comes with an ultra premium design of black and gold accents, two VU Meters at the front and a golden ring around all the outputs, giving it a special style and luxury feel. Sendy Audio premises a Natural, Transparent and Refined sound, and KyLin is powered by an XMOS interface for USB decoding and a Dual ES9038Q2M combo. This means that KyLin is technically capable to read and decode DSD512 formats with bit-perfect playback, and just like Luxsin X9, KyLin features automatic impedance detection and adjustment of the output.
For their first DAC, Sendy used high quality capacitors from Wima in Germany and NiChicon in Japan. Those were made to order for the KyLin, with a capacity of over 9.400 uF and are used for the post-amplifier circuit. The whole Class A AMP has fully matched Hitachi B649 / D669 bipolar transistors. This is the first DAC AMP to use this solution, so it will be very intriguing to explore how it sounds like.
We have a high-fidelity analog circuit with two Burr-Brown OPA604 mono Op-AMPs and all resistors in the audio signa patch are 1/2 – W and 2-W Metal film transistors ensuring long-term stability and tonal richness. The high-precision aluminium housing case also helps with the thermals for internal circuit protection and long-term durability of the KyLin.
Input and Output list is comprehensive with 3 headphone outputs, 4-Pin XLR, 4.4mm balanced and 6.35mm single ended outputs available. Those are controlled by a Japanese APLS volume wheel and KyLin has manual gain settings also, while the input list is just as complete. We have three RCA line inputs, one RCA line output, and Digital inputs include USB Type-B, Optical and Coaxial inputs. PreAMP circuitry is handled by the CS 3.5 design from Xindak and a servo-regulated power supply will deliver the power needed for the whole DAC AMP.
On a technical level, Sendy Audio KyLin comes with an output power of 200mW for a 600 OHM impedance and 1W for a 30 OHM impedance. Channel separation is 85 dB, while SNR is 90dB, with the unit having a weight of 3.1 kg, for a 245x225x50mm size.
Subjective Usage
I avoided reviewing the KuLin for a while because I am just re-organizing my digital life from Windows to Linux, and it just happened to be a bit more picky with the cables and protocols than other DAC AMPs. This being said, it is absolutely beautiful, a truly majestic DAC AMP that I love having on my table, it feels high-end, looks high-end and is like a truly amazing piece of both vintage and modern player architecture. Blending gold with black with transparent VU Meters and Orange lights is simply stunning.
On a more practical note, KyLin can play real-time content, including videos and games without an issue, it has no hiccups, and it is generally blazing fast and reliable. I experienced no signal loss, no issues, outside of one minor bug under Linux. Basically, it works at 32 Bit , and if an app tries to hook at a lower data rate, it stops working. This is something very specific because on Windows the drivers always resample to 32 Bit under the hood, and in linux Pipewire does this too, but it just happens that some apps that use ALSA try to output raw data which causes a freeze that needs a full power reset to clear.
Another reason I am happy I delayed this review is that I was previously working on reviewing some ridiculously hard to drive headphones (Lily Audio Genesis One) and nothing handled them, KyLin included, but now that I am back to more traditionally hard to drive headphones like HE6 Remastered (still terribly hard to drive) and it shows just how brilliant Kylin sounds and handles headphones.
It stays cool even after working for weeks without stopping, it handles both headphones and line outs really well with no audible noise, and is great for both IEMs and headphones. I like its versatility and while it is not quite as versa as Luxin X9, in some ways it is a better DAC AMP.
Sound Quality
Pairings – To truly test the KyLin I have paired it with basically all the latest headphones and IEMs I reviewed, the list including the best from all worlds, but entry level models too, namely Lily Audio Genesis One, Artpical Blue Planet, Faith Audio E1000, Lily Audio Genesis One, KBEar Cepheus, Crosszone CZ-10 Enhanced, NFAudio NE4, Sivga Peng, Crosszone CZ-8a Enhanced, Soundz Flame, Dunu Vulkan 2, Moritz Aura, Hiby Digital Yume, Westone Mach 80, BQEYZ Winter II, Fosi Audio IM4, Aune AC55, iBasso Cookie Ti Jr.
You can rely on the Kylin to drive all headphones under the sun unless you’re looking at mountains that nothing can move. It has Up to 1W at 30 OHM (Balanced), 300mW at 300 OHM, 200 mW @ 600 OHM, which technically does not sound quite as good as many DAC AMPs I reviewed, but in actual practice it somehow delivers better driving power than most of the stuff I have. It is enough for basically anything you may throw at it and for some reason drives headphones better than DAC AMPs that can have even double or 3-4 times the power. Maybe there was a measurement mismatch or misinterpretation somewhere, as I cannot really measure it directly. I alsos saw the power quoted to be 10 times higher on some websites which would be closer to what i hear. Interestingly, you can use the volume wheel up to around 2 o’clock as after this it adds gain not just volume and it has an overdriven sound. Still, by 2 o’clock you are already at 110 dB or even 130 dB with most headphones, so you will not need more power. With IEMS, it has no audible DAC noise, although you might notice minor amounts with ultra sensitive models like Campfire Ara. Driving power is 2-4 times as high as Luxin X9, and noise floor is less than half, and that is its most direct competitor that I know of.
Overall Signature – Sendy Audio Kylin has a signature and tuning that is true to its roots, vivid above it all, full of live, personal and vocal, yet with a full bass punch and extreme treble extension / clarity. It is brilliant in how much life it can put into music, how well it renders rich instrumentals, personal vocals and how well it handles complex tracks while keeping them sounding natural and rich, not one bit analytical.
Bass – Starting from the low-end, KyLin sounds detailed, but it is on the slower bass type of sounds that remains natural and analogue sounding. It is quite brilliant at rendering full, warm and fuzzy songs. As vintage and analogue as it looks, as analogue, vintage and warm, fuzzy it sounds like. Bass can have a strong backbone and kick, but it focuses more on warmth, and fuzz than it does on absolute bass extension or depth.
Midrange – Personal, vivid and colorful, with a full and voluptuous vocal range, KyLin is excellent for rock, metal, as well as EDM and classical. The fact that it is one of the few high-end DAC AMPs that sounds rich and has a lot of instrumental realism makes it special. Most songs will sound personal, real, magical, as Kylin and its class A AMP really paints an euphonic, musical, magical scene with each song. It separates lead from background really nicely, rendering a special set of multiple middle layers rather than front and back.
Treble – Top end is also vivid, personal, real, with a strong resolution. In fact, KyLin is likely the most detailed sounding Desktop DAC AMP that is not analytical in tuning and instead sounds musical, euphonic but still renders a lot of details and information. It handles even complex bands like Infant Annihilator really well, without struggling with overexpressed cymbal crashes, crowded songs and lots of overlapping bits of information. Still it will play a song even in the darkest depths of your despair.
Dynamics And Textures – Dynamic range is natural, expressive. This means taht even overly compressed metal music or pop will sound natural and airy, and it will be more vivid, more lively than you usually hear it. It has the tendency to extend the dynamic range. Texture is fast but rich, wet but not overly splashy, instead being a bit velvety and gradually musical, it handles guitars, pianos, choirs and violnis better than it handles synths and square waves. This means that it does not thrive on precision but on fluidity, richness ande musicality.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – Loudness is excellent, max and minimum, performance and noise control. This being said, KyLin tends to achieve a really high loudness really fast on the balanced headphone output, so that is not really adequate for IEMS and in-ear monitors. It will become extremely loud extremely fast. This means that even if you’re barely touching the volume pot, you’re already at 80 dB – 90 dB. For headphones, it is just excellent, it has the right power, right dynamic range at all volumes. Most of the power can be explored below 2 pm, as above that it starts to overdrive. This is different from distortion, it seems to add volume and power and after 2 pm it adds drive and gain instead. Quite interesting, this type of rendering makes it even more like a vintage deck rather than a modern DAC AMP.
Soundstage – Staging is vivid, natural, and exceptionally rich. KyLin renders a really thick, rich selection of layers, including multiple middle layers, a naturally exposed foreground layer that keeps the song alive and a distant, atmospheric background layer that gives music effects and an interesting presentation with a wide, and deep scene. Instrument separation is strong, but not in an analytical sense, and rather Kylin sounds vivid, natural, and extended, you never think it is too wide or exaggerated in any way, but you always think that it is exceptionally lively.
Comparisons
Sendy Audio Kylin vs Luxsin X9 (1499 USD vs 1099 USD) – I actually kept both on my desk for around 2 months now, but for very different reasons. As a user, I find Luxsin X9 to be more versatile because it has two line outs, XLR line outs as well as RCA and because it has a nice VU Meter, but that VU Meter is digital. The headphone output of the KyLin is much much better, more dynamic, it has more driving power, a more pleasing tone and in fact right now I feel like it is the best sounding h-amp I recently reviewed. This being said, KyLin has analogic VU Meters as well which look stunning, it gets hotter during usage and its volume is a wheel that you need tyo turn manually. Both have 4.4mm balance headphone outputs, but as a rule of thumb, Kylin sounds warmer, smoother, thicker, but also more dynamic and punchier with a better bass, while X9 is a bit more neutral, has XLR outputs, has a slightly lower noise fort sensitive headphones and IEMs, but sonically it is less dynamic and less dramatic.
Sendy Audio Kylin vs iBasso D17 Atheris (1499 USD vs 1699 USD) – D17 Atheris is a portable DAC AMP, so it has a different usage scenario from Kylin, but they are within the same price point and a lot of you folks asked me whether you could get a similar quality with D17 as you would get with Kylin. Besides the very different set of features, and if we assume you don’t care about the desktop line outs of the Kylin, they are still quite different. Kylin has a much much higher driving power at maximum, with a slightly higher noise floor too. This being said, the tuning is also vastly different. Kylin is a very dynamic, warm, and bassy souding DAC AMP, while D17 is much closer to true neutrality, much cleaner, has a lower noise floor and a more controlled sound, at the cost of being less dramatic than Kylin. I personally find each very interesting, but for example I prefer Kylin with Lily Audio Genesis One, HIFIMAN He6 Remastered and headphones / IEMS that are generally known to sound neutral or bright. This being said, there is not much volume control in Kylin since it has such a high power draw, so D17 is infinitely better for IEMS and sensitive headphones. With headphones like Baum Ellipse I barely can touch the volume before it gets way too loud on Kylin. So basically, for most hard to drive headphones I would lean more towards Kylin, while for everything else D17 is better suited.
Sendy Audio Kylin vs FiiO K17 (1499 USD vs 899 USD) – FiiO K17 is another huge favorite of mine, I find it to be one of the best desktop DAC AMPs both in how versatile it is and how good it sounds. Generally, Kylin is remarkably better for hard to drive headphones, it has a much higher driving power, much better control with he6 remastered and very hazard to drive headphones, but it also has a higher noise floor with sensitive IEMs. All of this being said, there is a huge difference in tuning and signature. K17 sounds more digital, more edgy and far less warm, less smooth and more suited for technical listening or if your headphones already have enough bass, while Kylin can pack a whole lotta punch, deliver unsteady and devastating blows and be truly interesting and dynamic, but it is not bright. I would generally chose Kylin as an intereswting product, if you had hard to drive headphones and K17 if you needed the XLR balanced outputs, or have sensitive IEMS which might show noise floor with Kylin.
Value – Conclusion
From a value standpoint, KyLin is not cheap at all, but it costs nowhere near as much as it could, considering the luxurious design, top sonic performance and reliable company behind it. It falls into the just right price performance ratio, it is an expensive piece of desktop equipment, but it delivers a performance even better than you’d expect from the price point.
At the end of the day, despite being a review I was hesitant to make, Sendy Audio KyLin impressed me in ways nothing did this year, it is as vivid and engaging as it is beautiful. It delivers a warm, fuzzy, pleasing sonic experience, it is a top performer for all aspects of music.
PROs
- Exciting sound with a vivid, engaging presentation
- Deck, analogue-like presentation with a personal and warm vocal range
- Warm bass that is interesting, fuzzy and feels vintage
- Airy treble with top extension but a relaxed presentation
- Top control even for very hard to drive headphones
- Real-Time playback with zero issues
- Does not get warm during usage
- Absolutely stunning design, gold plus black, VU Meters, makes me fall in love every time I see it
- Top support from Sendy, one of the most reliable brands
Cons
- Volume is usable up to 2 pm as after that it adds gain and overdrive rather than volume a unique behavior
Product Link
Amazon – https://link.amazon/B089k0Qvm
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c4Dz2gfT
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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great review thank you!