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The Astell & Kern AK240
Aug 25, 2014 at 10:48 AM Post #5,026 of 9,131
Ak240 arrived. :). Un-boxed and transferred some hdtracks and dsd albums to have a test of this beauty. Got a converter for balanced out so looking forward to see how it compares to rwak120-b and intruder. So far really like the footprint and UI is really cool.....
 
Aug 25, 2014 at 11:57 AM Post #5,027 of 9,131
kerrys30 said:
Ak240 arrived.
smily_headphones1.gif
. Un-boxed and transferred some hdtracks and dsd albums to have a test of this beauty. Got a converter for balanced out so looking forward to see how it compares to rwak120-b and intruder. So far really like the footprint and UI is really cool.....
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Congra!
 
Aug 25, 2014 at 12:23 PM Post #5,029 of 9,131
kerrys30 said:
Ak240 arrived. :). Un-boxed and transferred some hdtracks and dsd albums to have a test of this beauty. Got a converter for balanced out so looking forward to see how it compares to rwak120-b and intruder. So far really like the footprint and UI is really cool.....
Click to expand...


Congrats and please compare! I'm going on my honeymoon at the end of September and am thinking of getting an ak240 as my rwak120b + amp looks too bomb-like for me to want to travel with it :xf_eek:
 
Aug 25, 2014 at 5:10 PM Post #5,031 of 9,131
chrissc said:
Congrats and please compare! I'm going on my honeymoon at the end of September and am thinking of getting an ak240 as my rwak120b + amp looks too bomb-like for me to want to travel with it :xf_eek:
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Will do. I should probably give it some time though to burn in a bit so a little more of a level playing field.

Initial impression (only listening to some. Songs ak240. No ABing). It sounds very good, I am not sure I can say better than the 120-b at this stage as doesn't appear as good instrument separation and slightly less detail but very early days. I will try do some back to back listening with both at work for better comparison.

The ak240 definitely has it on size and usability at this point.
 
Aug 25, 2014 at 7:30 PM Post #5,032 of 9,131
Does anybody know,when will upper model release ? Over AK240 ? Or 240 is the last premium product of A&K ?
 
Aug 25, 2014 at 8:08 PM Post #5,033 of 9,131
high-fidelity said:
  Does anybody know,when will upper model release ? Over AK240 ? Or 240 is the last premium product of A&K ?
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The 240 is the "upper model"....and yes, it is the last "premium product" that they will ever make....and I have some land in Florida you may be interested in.....just send me a blank check PM me for the details....
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From the AK website:   ....
THE ULTIMATE ​
AK240​
 
Aug 25, 2014 at 8:19 PM Post #5,034 of 9,131
chrissc said:
Congrats and please compare! I'm going on my honeymoon at the end of September and am thinking of getting an ak240 as my rwak120b + amp looks too bomb-like for me to want to travel with it
redface.gif
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Yeah I was concerned about bringing my DAP+AMP rig overseas too, worried about getting hassled at airports thats why I got a pelican to store my AMP/DAC & DAP within and I got hassled as well. Pelicans are associated with millitary as well......anyways it was a facepalm moment when I was asked what I was carrying within, I had to bring out my portable speaker and demoed to the security staff that it was indeed a portable audio rig and the response from them was huh? Do you really need something so PRO for audio overseas??? LOL!
 
high-fidelity said:
  Does anybody know,when will upper model release ? Over AK240 ? Or 240 is the last premium product of A&K ?
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I would estimate it to be either late this year or early 2015 for the newer higher end model from A&K to be launched. Expected most probably. 240 wont be the last premium product, it is a for profit company so I am very sure there would either be a higher end model launched or a replacement of the AK240 most probably.
 
Aug 25, 2014 at 8:43 PM Post #5,035 of 9,131
delrosa81 said:
  Do you really need something so PRO for audio overseas??? LOL!
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It is VERY important, as loud turbine engines really bring out all the micro details that are otherwise inaudible and presents treble, mids, and bass in a way where no frequency bleeds into another.  Some may say that adding a jet to one's rig is an even bigger upgrade than a TOTL desktop amp.  
atsmile.gif
 
 
Aug 25, 2014 at 9:01 PM Post #5,036 of 9,131
Thanks for answers. =)
 
Aug 25, 2014 at 9:06 PM Post #5,037 of 9,131
I got my AK240 last week. I have compared it against my AK120 and Calyx M. I am mainly using JH13 Pros, but have also tried the AT-M50x, Senn HD25s, HD600s and LCD-Xs (amped and unamped).
 
So far I am disappointed. It sounds very similar to the AK120, which did not impress me much either. While it is very detailed, it still sounds a little "small", with a lean, slightly constricted sound, and also a certain dryness and lack of smoothness, with a gray, hashy background. Compared to the AK120 it is a shade brighter sounding, and perhaps a tiny bit more resolving, but really I am not hearing anything to justify the massive price increase. The Calyx M sounds much better. More resolving, much smoother, blacker backgrounds, "bigger" sound, although a bit less three dimensional. The UI of the AK240 is better, but that is a minor issue.
 
Given the cost of the AK240, I was really expecting much better. I am now debating whether to spend another $500 sending it to RWA for modding, or whether I should just cut my losses on this player.
 
Aug 25, 2014 at 9:07 PM Post #5,038 of 9,131
chrissc said:
   
It is VERY important, as loud turbine engines really bring out all the micro details that are otherwise inaudible and presents treble, mids, and bass in a way where no frequency bleeds into another.  Some may say that adding a jet to one's rig is an even bigger upgrade than a TOTL desktop amp.  
atsmile.gif
 
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Lol! Yeah but I had to be very polite in case the security personnel tries to be funny and make me miss my flight
dt880smile.png

 
Aug 25, 2014 at 9:45 PM Post #5,039 of 9,131
ross said:
  I got my AK240 last week. I have compared it against my AK120 and Calyx M. I am mainly using JH13 Pros, but have also tried the AT-M50x, Senn HD25s, HD600s and LCD-Xs (amped and unamped).
 
So far I am disappointed. It sounds very similar to the AK120, which did not impress me much either. While it is very detailed, it still sounds a little "small", with a lean, slightly constricted sound, and also a certain dryness and lack of smoothness, with a gray, hashy background. Compared to the AK120 it is a shade brighter sounding, and perhaps a tiny bit more resolving, but really I am not hearing anything to justify the massive price increase. The Calyx M sounds much better. More resolving, much smoother, blacker backgrounds, "bigger" sound, although a bit less three dimensional. The UI of the AK240 is better, but that is a minor issue.
 
Given the cost of the AK240, I was really expecting much better. I am now debating whether to spend another $500 sending it to RWA for modding, or whether I should just cut my losses on this player.
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interesting you say that.    I have minimal time on my 240 but was expecting a night and day difference between the wolfson and cirrus chips.  maybe the 8741 in the 120-B mod is just closer to this offering but so far I cant say I have noticed a huge difference.   (but not A/B'd yet).  battery now dead on 240 so gonna charge and get more songs over.
 
Aug 25, 2014 at 9:50 PM Post #5,040 of 9,131
ross said:
  I got my AK240 last week. I have compared it against my AK120 and Calyx M. I am mainly using JH13 Pros, but have also tried the AT-M50x, Senn HD25s, HD600s and LCD-Xs (amped and unamped).
 
So far I am disappointed. It sounds very similar to the AK120, which did not impress me much either. While it is very detailed, it still sounds a little "small", with a lean, slightly constricted sound, and also a certain dryness and lack of smoothness, with a gray, hashy background. Compared to the AK120 it is a shade brighter sounding, and perhaps a tiny bit more resolving, but really I am not hearing anything to justify the massive price increase. The Calyx M sounds much better. More resolving, much smoother, blacker backgrounds, "bigger" sound, although a bit less three dimensional. The UI of the AK240 is better, but that is a minor issue.
 
Given the cost of the AK240, I was really expecting much better. I am now debating whether to spend another $500 sending it to RWA for modding, or whether I should just cut my losses on this player.
Click to expand...

Interesting you say the M sounds resolving.  How about the stage and dynamics?  Have you compared masterings that you know are perfect?  Which player is transparent to the mastering and outputs the uncompressed dynamics of the recording?  I have heard that Calyx M is warm, and does this mask the recordings from it's true intentions?  
 
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