The New iRiver AK100: A High-End DAP - Page 3

It's all written on headfonia.coms facebook page by a person who works for MP3store.pl and trailed the player. There's heaps of juicy inside info from that person in this link.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=471079189603450&set=a.283848904993147.77118.145341288843910&type=1&relevant_count=1

I'm not sure if it works for non-account users.
Edited by H20Fidelity - 10/4/12 at 5:45pm

 

okay now that is smart!

And they've tested 64GB cards without any problem.

little ideas like this make a huge difference. I always wondered is it really that hard for high end DAP developers like ibasso and hifiman to design a unit which takes dual SD or microSD cards?

 

How hard can it be? 

 

Actually, I was just about to PM the OP AB (i.e., about that; where the Lamia is your acronym key!?) when I saw your post.

 

Pressed for time while researching the device and fixing the translation, I arrived at head-fi, noticed I'd been scooped in the moment it took to prepare and tried to post the details while sharpening the focus of the title (since this would become the master thread) -- all during a very short knosh break between projects.

 

In fact, omitting the K was unintentional. It's needed not only for accuracy but to show the connection between the model number and Astell & Kern.

 

ExpatinJapan:  Could you possibly add a K to the title of this thread so that the model number reads AK100? Apologies for the dropped letter.

 

Everyone else:  Please continue to ogle the sable square.

Edited by scrypt - 10/4/12 at 7:30pm

this looks to be competing with the dx100, can't wait for impressions

Now, considering the pricing should be a more reasonable $400ish, I'm HIGHLY interested in this. Plus I'm DIEING for an iriver comeback. We need a new player to stoke the fires again,...might this be the gasoline for me???

And speaking of FB, the Polish gentleman who received the prototype wrote this reply to two of my FB questions:

 

 

Other high-end DAPs have had pedestrian screens and UIs, which we've put up with because of their sound quality and ability to play higher-resolution formats.  The AK100 appears to offer a more comfortable user experience:

 

 

 

 

For 490 crustaceans, we shouldn't have to squint at a Commodore display soldered to the buttocks of a Steinway.

 

* * * * *

 

In case the link posted earlier seemed unimportant to my fellow myopes, here it is again:

 

Click here for Krzysztof's testes-collapsing cavalcade of photos!

Edited by scrypt - 10/5/12 at 12:04am

 

I sometimes use Spotify at work.  Even if you select the service's highest resolution files and the option to store them on your SD temporarily, the AK100 is overkill for that purpose.  The whole point of a player like this is to play lossless and high-resolution files.  Spotify doesn't offer either one. 

 

Spotify's best option is Ogg Vorbis at 320 kbps.

i wouldn't get too excited about it unless they let the player play from both cards in a playlist or in shuffle mode.
otherwise it's nice, but not quite there. (if it does, then it might replace my cowon D2 )

hmmm pretty but really glossy and reflective screen there.

>http://forum.mp3store.pl/topic/92701-iriver-astellkern-koreanska-szarza-portable-hi-end/
>For 490 crustaceans, we shouldn't have to squint at a Commodore display soldered to the buttocks of a Steinway.

Thanks for the link. Err, really expensive and 12h playtime + unknown output impedance (let's face it "Frequency Response 20Khz to 20Khz (+ _0.3dB)" without anything plugged in means crap all, and no power output is stated either) and UI/OS worry me.

The buttons look nice, but not sure about the physical pot (I'd rather not have it adjust volume in my pocket by accident)

not quite sure whether it can be used as DACamp from the PC either (as in input from PC to internal amp)
Edited by svyr - 10/5/12 at 1:25am

This may sound silly but why would u need bluetooth 3.0 for a DAP like this anyway? :/

any idea of the price yet?

Now, with 32GB onboard and 128GB removable (2x64) capacity this is starting to look a lot more interesting! This makes the same capacity as my 160GB Rockboxed iPod Classic... 

In this French site the announced price is about 850$

 

http://www.generationmp3.com/index.php/2012/10/05/iriver-astell-kern-un-lecteur-haut-de-gamme/

 

DAC Wolfson WM8740 24bits/192Khz.

32Go Memory

2 MicroSD slots

2,4″ screen

2000mAh Battery for 12hr playing FLAC

Bluetooth 3.0

Edited by Migou67 - 10/5/12 at 4:05am