Are the two units that you are testing have the same gain setting?
Featured Stories
Topics Discussed
- categoryDigital Audio FLAC MP3 Players
- brandIriver
- itemIriver RWA AK100
Related Forum Threads
- looking for advice for sleeping iem in the $100 range Last post on 8/16/11 at 6:52pm in Portable Headphones, Earphones and In-Ear Monitors
- Looking to buy headphones for anthem/epic trance. Last post on 5/1/11 at 2:27am in Headphones (full-size)
- of all the mp3 players that can use the current stable Rockbox port, which is best? Last post on 9/10/10 at 5:51pm in Portable Source Gear
- help me choose my new mp3 player! Last post on 9/12/10 at 6:34am in Portable Source Gear
- Audiobook player with specific requirements Last post on 9/2/10 at 2:44am in Portable Source Gear
Related Articles
-
2012 Head-Fi Holiday Gift Guide (Amps & Other Gear)
Edited on 12/28/12
- 2012 Head-Fi Holiday Gift Guide (Over-Ear)
Edited on 5/13/13Related Head Gear
Recent Reviews
-
Build Quality: For something hand built, the overall build quality is quite good. Of course, it isn’t nearly as perfect as something from a plastic molding machine but it is far ahead from the...
-
Disclaimer: My only other good cans to compare these to are Beyerdynamics DT770 (250). I fully realize this review will be biased because of that. So please keep that in mind. This review is my...
-
First Impressions: Well, when I first used these, I used them in the same place I'd expect myself to continue using these, on the go from place to place, and while at places outside the...
-
I bought these this week from amazon.co.uk for £10 including delivery. That's US $15. Packaging, appearance, warranty, euro-nanny knows best: Mine arrived in the small European packaging box,...
-
Absolutely beautiful little player. It's just a gorgeous chunk of tech that feels good to hold. For me personally tech has to have form as well as function and the AK120 doesn't disappoint on...
- 2012 Head-Fi Holiday Gift Guide (Over-Ear)
The New iRiver AK100: A High-End DAP - Page 103
Gear mentioned in this thread:
- 3,053 Posts. Joined 8/2011
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
- Select All Posts By This User
Good questions actually. The DX100 was on low gain (I was using IEMs then). The RWAK100 doesn't actually have a gain switch.
- ExpatinJapan
- Trader Feedback: +1
-
- online
- 1,382 Posts. Joined 6/2010
- Location: Japan, Tokyo.
- Select All Posts By This User
- spkrs01
- Trader Feedback: 0
- Member of the Trade: Tralucent Audio
-
- offline
- 1,711 Posts. Joined 5/2011
- Location: Hong Kong/London
- Select All Posts By This User
I will just wait til next week before a final decision :)
Then I think I may be following in AnakChan/Lee730's foot step as well........Oh no, bear market approaching on the DX100.

Raw-ish notes. RWAK100 gone through 39 hour constant burn-in either through 24k resistors (thx to Vinnie for the little gadget - but I broke the wire today), or TG!334/XBA-30/Merlin IEMs.
Buena Vista Social Club @ 24/96
I'm going to say that the two are very close now. I find it hard to distinguish which has the wider soundstage or deeper imaging although I have my preferences. The RWAK100 sounds more crisp and more impactful. The DX100 sounds more mellow by comparison. However that's not necessarily bad as with the mellowness I feel I can appreciate some of the micro-detail which the RWAK100 may mask with it's more impactful presentation.
I may lean towards the RWAK100 for a slightly deeper bass too.
Norah Jones Come Away with me @ 24/192
The RWAK100 seems to sound more holographic. In fact there's almost a bit of a tubish signature but still a little grainy (so like a tube amp that hasn't really warmed up yet??). The DX100 sounds less holographic - despite that, Norah's voice on the DX100 doesn't feel as forward. Again this could be the laid-backness found in previous album.
The Eagles Hell Freezes Over @ 16/44.1
The DX100's mellowness is definitely more apparent here. The RWAK100 on the other hand feels more "dramatic" in its presentation. When listening to both, The RWAK100 definitely stands out more by grabbing your attention whereas the DX100 seems to "ease" into it.
Interrim Summary
Quick thoughts after the 39 hr burn in, the RWAK100 feels like a strong contender to the DX100. Both are different in the way they execute. Hopefully I'm not too off in my analogies here but I'd say that the RWAK100 is like a 25 yr old Equities trader during a Russell Rebalance morning in a bull market, whilst the DX100 is more like a 40 yr old Risk Operations manager. Both are thorough and articulate but execution in different styles.
Edit: Another update (and hopefully final) after 72 hrs.
Edited by spkrs01 - 1/4/13 at 4:54am
- Bokyung
- Trader Feedback: +2
-
- offline
- 1,021 Posts. Joined 10/2010
- Location: T̸̶̻̼͉̉ͭ̊o̺̹͎̬̗ͨ̉̎͒̾͑̎ͩ́...
- Select All Posts By This User
Oh oh! You too? I am going to be left behind to bite the dust.
- Alias Gu
- Trader Feedback: 0
-
- offline
- 368 Posts. Joined 10/2012
- Location: VA, USA
- Select All Posts By This User
I just bought AK100 from Japanese shopping proxy.
Lol, it's really a lot money for me.
I hope AK100 will exceptionally sound well.
However, i read more people complaining about AK100's SQ :(
Really disappointed !
Edited by Alias Gu - 1/4/13 at 6:30am

Raw-ish notes. RWAK100 gone through 39 hour constant burn-in either through 24k resistors (thx to Vinnie for the little gadget - but I broke the wire today), or TG!334/XBA-30/Merlin IEMs.
Buena Vista Social Club @ 24/96
I'm going to say that the two are very close now. I find it hard to distinguish which has the wider soundstage or deeper imaging although I have my preferences. The RWAK100 sounds more crisp and more impactful. The DX100 sounds more mellow by comparison. However that's not necessarily bad as with the mellowness I feel I can appreciate some of the micro-detail which the RWAK100 may mask with it's more impactful presentation.
I may lean towards the RWAK100 for a slightly deeper bass too.
Norah Jones Come Away with me @ 24/192
The RWAK100 seems to sound more holographic. In fact there's almost a bit of a tubish signature but still a little grainy (so like a tube amp that hasn't really warmed up yet??). The DX100 sounds less holographic - despite that, Norah's voice on the DX100 doesn't feel as forward. Again this could be the laid-backness found in previous album.
The Eagles Hell Freezes Over @ 16/44.1
The DX100's mellowness is definitely more apparent here. The RWAK100 on the other hand feels more "dramatic" in its presentation. When listening to both, The RWAK100 definitely stands out more by grabbing your attention whereas the DX100 seems to "ease" into it.
Interrim Summary
Quick thoughts after the 39 hr burn in, the RWAK100 feels like a strong contender to the DX100. Both are different in the way they execute. Hopefully I'm not too off in my analogies here but I'd say that the RWAK100 is like a 25 yr old Equities trader during a Russell Rebalance morning in a bull market, whilst the DX100 is more like a 40 yr old Risk Operations manager. Both are thorough and articulate but execution in different styles.
Edit: Another update (and hopefully final) after 72 hrs.
AC or others-- Do you notice substantial differences in the SQ among the various file formats/resolutions? Many times I find that I enjoy the 16/44.1 flacs more than the 24/192 flacs. With the "lower-rez" files, the soundstage seems more wide open and the music seems grander, while various high-rez files sound a bit muted in comparision. Not sure if this phenomenae is something that's common regardless of the DAP.
I have a non-Vinnied AK100 using FTG334s with the ALO SXC cable.
- jamato8
- Trader Feedback: +6
-
- offline
- 11,527 Posts. Joined 11/2004
- Location: Palmer, Alaska. Land of extremes.
- Select All Posts By This User

Raw-ish notes. RWAK100 gone through 39 hour constant burn-in either through 24k resistors (thx to Vinnie for the little gadget - but I broke the wire today), or TG!334/XBA-30/Merlin IEMs.
Buena Vista Social Club @ 24/96
I'm going to say that the two are very close now. I find it hard to distinguish which has the wider soundstage or deeper imaging although I have my preferences. The RWAK100 sounds more crisp and more impactful. The DX100 sounds more mellow by comparison. However that's not necessarily bad as with the mellowness I feel I can appreciate some of the micro-detail which the RWAK100 may mask with it's more impactful presentation.
I may lean towards the RWAK100 for a slightly deeper bass too.
Norah Jones Come Away with me @ 24/192
The RWAK100 seems to sound more holographic. In fact there's almost a bit of a tubish signature but still a little grainy (so like a tube amp that hasn't really warmed up yet??). The DX100 sounds less holographic - despite that, Norah's voice on the DX100 doesn't feel as forward. Again this could be the laid-backness found in previous album.
The Eagles Hell Freezes Over @ 16/44.1
The DX100's mellowness is definitely more apparent here. The RWAK100 on the other hand feels more "dramatic" in its presentation. When listening to both, The RWAK100 definitely stands out more by grabbing your attention whereas the DX100 seems to "ease" into it.
Interrim Summary
Quick thoughts after the 39 hr burn in, the RWAK100 feels like a strong contender to the DX100. Both are different in the way they execute. Hopefully I'm not too off in my analogies here but I'd say that the RWAK100 is like a 25 yr old Equities trader during a Russell Rebalance morning in a bull market, whilst the DX100 is more like a 40 yr old Risk Operations manager. Both are thorough and articulate but execution in different styles.
Edit: Another update (and hopefully final) after 72 hrs.
What gain setting on the DX100? For me, there is a difference between low and high gain and in high gain, there is more bite and it is always my preferences, with IEM's or anything else.
Unfortunately the DX100, even on low gain, is incredulously loud for my TG334s...
Also to AnakChan, Thanks! I will post more later on about it as I burn it in... just having to copy music into it since I have to convert most of my library into FLAC xD
- GloryUprising
- Trader Feedback: +13
-
- offline
- 326 Posts. Joined 3/2012
- Location: NoVA/DC Metro Area.
- Select All Posts By This User
got my RWAK100!
Now I gotta ask this: anyone found a good case for it yet? (the bag does not count!)
So far soo good. I was able to format a 64gig card and the whole thing is burning in now.
I haven't seen a "proper" case for them but I'm on the lookout now...
- ApaucalyptiK
- Trader Feedback: 0
-
- offline
- 9 Posts. Joined 4/2009
- Location: Paris, France
- Select All Posts By This User
I have a Monster Turbine case and it fits perfectly.
No need to unplug the jack, very handy and nice protection.
- GloryUprising
- Trader Feedback: +13
-
- offline
- 326 Posts. Joined 3/2012
- Location: NoVA/DC Metro Area.
- Select All Posts By This User
Thinking outside the box; I like.
I was thinking of trying this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003F9O770/ref=s9_simh_gw_p147_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1RWKPFAWBM25YMYY65RZ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846
But I am worried about the knob....
I guess the only problem will be having "monster" on it, people might ask if thats a beatspod. C:
- goodvibes
- Trader Feedback: +9
-
- offline
- 4,339 Posts. Joined 12/2009
- Location: USA
- Select All Posts By This User
I'd consider something like this and keep the ends away from the edges. http://www.bestskinsever.com/diy-skins
- The New iRiver AK100: A High-End DAP
Gear mentioned in this thread:
Recent Discussions
- › ++ FULL-SIZE HEADPHONE RECOMMENDATIONS THREAD++ i.e. Don't start a... 8 seconds ago
- › Who has an end game setup? 17 seconds ago
- › Fiio X3 Thread. Full review:... 46 seconds ago
- › The discovery thread.! NEW Jant71's take on the new ATH-CLR100 Pg... 47 seconds ago
- › Most underrated/ Forgotten IEMs.....(only IEM please) 56 seconds ago
- › Wish I'd found this place sooner 1 minute ago
- › The diary entries of a little girl who is now 30! ~ Part 2 1 minute ago
- › New High End Custom-to-Universal IEM: StageDiver 3 2 minutes ago
- › Band Name Game II 2 minutes ago
- › V4.5 Magnums (Must-see super-rare cups!) 4 minutes ago
Recent Reviews
- › [Apollo] IEM Upgrade Cable by Effect Audio by ClieOS
- › Audio Technica ATH-M40FS Precision StudioPhones by UmustBKidn
- › JVC Victor Head-band Portable Headphones | HA-S500-B Black... by daleb
- › Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones by julian67
- › Astell & Kern AK120 by GSARider
- › Denon AH-D600 by johangrb
- › Sennheiser HD 250 Linear II by xEcuToR
- › Sennheiser CX150 Ear-Canal Phones by BadMoose
- › Rhapsodio RDB+ 2v1 by svyr
- › Audio-technica AIR Dynamic Headphones Ath-ad1000x by a_recording
New Articles
- › Syncing music and making playlists work with... by Currawong
- › Mac OS X Music Players - alternatives to iTunes by miceblue
- › STAX SR-007 (Omega II) ... A Review After 4... by Currawong
- › List of lossless and high-res music (FLAC,... by ffivaz
- › Beware of the following scams and people... by Currawong
- › Sennheiser 449 Mod Possibly 4 8 Mod by hernan604
- › 2012 Head-Fi Holiday Gift Guide (Computer Audio) by joe
- › 2012 Head-Fi Holiday Gift Guide (Portable... by joe
- › 2012 Head-Fi Holiday Gift Guide (Desktop Audio) by joe
- › 2012 Head-Fi Holiday Gift Guide (Headphone... by joe
About Head-Fi.org | Join the Community | Advertise
© 2013 Head-Fi.org is powered by Huddler Tech | FAQ | Support | Privacy/TOS | Site Map




















