cosmicholyghost said:

cable with brand name or local DIY? In Hong Kong, there are many shops that provide services to build DIY cables. I presume it is the same in Singapore....brand name cables have better resell value

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Prefer brand name cables.

cosmicholyghost said:

  http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=125158.0
 

- The "line out" feature of the stock AK240 is NOT a true line out.  The signal still goes through the headphone output stage.  When you set the volume to max (or select "line out" in the settings menu), the output level of the SE output jack is approx. 2Vrms, but it still passes through the headphone amplification stage.  iRiver wants to call this a line-out, but I do not agree.  We can call it a pseudo-line-out (PLO).
 
The RWAK240+ will be all the modifications of the RWAK240, + there will be an added line-out jack.  This jack can be either a 3.5mm TRS (for those who want a SE line out), OR a 3.5mm TRRS (for those who want a balanced line out).  Either line out option of the RWAK240+ will require that you set the volume of the player to MAX (75) for full signal (no digital attenuation), but the signal will NOT pass through the headphone output stage.  They are taken from the output stage of the dual d/a converters before the headphone amplification stage. This is the optimal signal to pass to an external headphone amplifier

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Something doesn't make sense here.  If Vin recommends the volume to be set to max for the LO, then that means AK240's output is basically not optimal since you will not have the volume at max when using headphone out.  So, Vin recommends Max volume, and the AK240 is designed not to be listened at full volume.  So is the AK flawed or is Vin's assertion flawed?  There is a conflict between Vin's and AK's.

Anyone here own the balanced line out cable from DHC that cost about USD500? How does it sound compared to those custom DIY ones?

burtomr said:

  This was seen/posted over in the DX90 thread:
 
 
Can somebody here please tell me what I'm missing before I throw my 240 in the trash and get a DX90.
 
THX

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I'm the one responsible for that. Honestly, I prefer using the AK240 by a large margin. It is faster, has a better touchscreen, a better implemented volume system (apart from the volume overriding touch controls and making it possible to blast your ears with a swipe), way better memory, and more. It is built better and a whole lot more. I'm not a fan of iRiver as a company, and don't think a low end company should be in charge of a hi-end device. But, I was very very pleasantly surprised by the AK240. Where I would prefer the DX90 is if I only used sensitive earphones and didn't care about anything else but raw performance of 16 bit files. 24/192 seem excellent on both, but the DX90's slight performance nod: lower background noise being the main one, is the one thing that truly impressed me. I'm not a big 'best performance' guy. But iRiver shot themselves in the foot. They advertised (now for the 3rd time) their player as 'ultimate'. Either they don't understand English (despite having a large overseas division, their sloppy marketing copy suggests this), or they just like to throw around words. I think it is a little of both. Performance wise, the AK240 isn't ultimate in ALL situations. I think it is ultimate in its extremely smooth handling of all files, its speed of operation (as compared to other audiophile players, which generally, are sluggish), and build quality (though I have a couple of beefs there, too).
 
I loved it while I had (borrowed it) from AnakChan. Great player. The market for the DX90 and the AK240 are not compatible. A person in the market for a 500$ DAP isn't looking at a 2500$ DAP. And a person in search of ultimate performance probably is probably looking for bang for buck, and cares not a whit for luxury. I think the AK240 itself (removed from the iRiver parent company) does a pretty good job of showing itself a luxury item. It is by far the nicest audiophile player out today. Again, nicest, and most hardcore performance ultimate marketing ejaculation... those are completely different things. If anyone can ruin the luxury image (all things considered) it is iRiver.

silverears said:

  Something doesn't make sense here.  If Vin recommends the volume to be set to max for the LO, then that means AK240's output is basically not optimal since you will not have the volume at max when using headphone out.  So, Vin recommends Max volume, and the AK240 is designed not to be listened at full volume.  So is the AK flawed or is Vin's assertion flawed?  There is a conflict between Vin's and AK's.

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Everything should be at max all the time but in the real world, we accept some compromise so that we can actually use something. Vin recommends max for LO because you can without other issues just like other DAPS may already be maxed at lo but variable with a somewhat compromised noise floor at HO. Can't be below max without more thermal noise but I think I'll use my DAP at less than max, thank you. Wasn't it you that was using the DX90 HO at less than max into an amp?

goodvibes said:

  Everything should be at max all the time but in the real world, we accept some compromise so that we can actually use something. Vin recommends max for LO because you can without other issues just like other DAPS may already be maxed at lo but variable with a somewhat compromised noise floor at HO. Can't be below max without more thermal noise but I think I'll use my DAP at less than max, thank you.

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Unless you want to blow your drums.  

shigzeo said:

  I'm the one responsible for that. Honestly, I prefer using the AK240 by a large margin.

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It was well done. The poster just put his slant on it. You were clear enough of your feelings on the devices in your comments.

goodvibes said:

  It was well done. The poster just put his slant on it. You were clear enough of your feelings on the devices in your comments.

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Well the measurements speaks for itself.  People could say there are more accurate tools, but if both are measured under the same settings, the difference of the values are there.  I applaud the effort in measuring the devices.

streetcar said:

  can the ak240 be used as a hard drive to store large amount of non music files?

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Any reasons that you want to do this?

tumi96 said:

  Does anyone have any opinions on ak240 vs altmann tera, SQ-wise?

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Impressions from using Tralucent Ref.1 IEMs.
 
- TP overall sounds smoother and around 90% of Ak240 analytical details.  If you want to go details, AK240.  If you prefer more analogue sound, go for TP.
- Sound stage wise...AK has better sound stage, width and depth with ability to interpret musical instruments in better separations
- Bass...AK has better definition and texture of different bass.  TP pulls back with lesser ability to control bass with less definition & control.  
- Mid...both has its own attractions.  TP more natural.  AK more analytical.
- High...AK has better extension probably due to TP's high output impedance that rolls off both ends.

Tralucent and AK240 is an awesome combo.

flymetothemoon said:

 
 
Impressions from using Tralucent Ref.1 IEMs.
 
- TP overall sounds smoother and around 90% of Ak240 analytical details.  If you want to go details, AK240.  If you prefer more analogue sound, go for TP.
- Sound stage wise...AK has better sound stage, width and depth with ability to interpret musical instruments in better separations
- Bass...AK has better definition and texture of different bass.  TP pulls back with lesser ability to control bass with less definition & control.  
- Mid...both has its own attractions.  TP more natural.  AK more analytical.
- High...AK has better extension probably due to TP's high output impedance that rolls off both ends.

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Thanks, I was always curious about the Terra player.  I didn't really expect the Terra to have an expansive SS.  Translucent can definately reveal that aspect I'm sure.  Sounds like AK is pretty detailed.  I like details and clarity.  

streetcar said:

  can the ak240 be used as a hard drive to store large amount of non music files?

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Yes.. I've actually done that before at work when I ran out of room on another portable drive I had. Alas, it's pretty cr@p at doing so. Don't for a minute think you're getting a portable SSD here. Firstly you don't get a drive letter mapping under windows so it doesn't behave like a normal drive. Secondly the IO performance is awful! A&K should have put a USB 3 controller on this DAP given its high price. Anyway - rant over. It's a great audio player but a crappy external storage drive. 

dbo240 said:

  Yes.. I've actually done that before at work when I ran out of room on another portable drive I had. Alas, it's pretty cr@p at doing so. Don't for a minute think you're getting a portable SSD here. Firstly you don't get a drive letter mapping under windows so it doesn't behave like a normal drive. Secondly the IO performance is awful! A&K should have put a USB 3 controller on this DAP given its high price. Anyway - rant over. It's a great audio player but a crappy external storage drive. 

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4 pieces of micro SDs would do the same job as the AK240 storage and with much less size.

flymetothemoon said:

4 pieces of micro SDs would do the same job as the AK240 storage and with much less size.

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You mean 2 pieces of micro sd