[Kernmac]

USB-DAC
 
I plugged the Jr into a Windows 10 based PC.  Selected DAC  option on Jr and right clicked on sound icon to ensure IRiver device was recognised.  No problem, however also no sound.  Repeated the steps however this time I used the PCs USB 2 slot (not USB3) and presto, DAP operates as decent DAC.  I don't know if this is your problem, but give it a try.  For the record my Jr charges and files can be dragged and dropped using the USB3 slot, however it seems that to operate as a DAC USB 3 doesn't work and USB 2 does.

 

[Lycosa777]

 

Ive only been able to confirm it working on Windows 7 and 8 so I cant say whether or not Windows 10 is to blame.
The JR only supports USB2.0 and 1.1. Also check the audio settings of Windows or your respective music player to ensure that the output is set to the JR's DAC.
As the volume is controlled via the JR, be sure to turn the volume up to your liking, or max if you are using an amp.

If none of the above works for you, id suggest that you contact AK directly.

 
 

  USB-DAC
 
I plugged the Jr into a Windows 10 based PC.  Selected DAC  option on Jr and right clicked on sound icon to ensure IRiver device was recognised.  No problem, however also no sound.  Repeated the steps however this time I used the PCs USB 2 slot (not USB3) and presto, DAP operates as decent DAC.  I don't know if this is your problem, but give it a try.  For the record my Jr charges and files can be dragged and dropped using the USB3 slot, however it seems that to operate as a DAC USB 3 doesn't work and USB 2 does.

As mentioned, although mine doesn't seem to like USB3. USB2.0 and 1.1 is officially supported.
Good to hear it works with Windows 10!

 

[mishrapod]

So my Ipod Classic recently broke after years and years of faithful service. I'm looking to replace it, and I've decided to not take the easy (and expensive!) way out of just buying a new iPod...I figure if they're done making them, I should figure out how to transition my library to a new ecosystem anyway.
 
So I'd like to get some views from current users if this player would be a good fit for me. The price is a little more than I'd prefer, but within my budget.
 
My main concerns relate to the UI. I have a fairly large library (approx 14k songs, 95% v0 mp3s and some other various formats).
 
1. Is the lag that bad for navigating through songs with a library of this size? Its around 130 GB, so I was going to get a 200GB micro SD card. I have my files organized in a straightforward "Music/Artist/Album" format. 
 
2. How is it for playlists/library management? One thing I really liked about the iPod/iTunes was the ability to micromanage my library. I add a lot of new music to my library so I'd want it to be pretty simple to take music on or off. In addition, I would like for it to be pretty simple to modify playlists that are synced with the device. Is it compatible with software like MediaMonkey? Can I make a playlist on my computer, put it on the AK, and then modify it down the road with relative ease? Sorry if this isn't being clear, I could elaborate on what I mean if this doesn't make sense.
 
Also all ears to hear what other users who went from a Classic to this have to say. I've been going through this thread and finding it very informative. 

 

[vincik]

Hello, i just brought home new ak jr, connected it into pc, selected USB DAC and it doesn't work. I got win10 64bit. I read there could be problem with usb 3.0 and you need to disable something. Can somebody explain to me how to solve this?

 

[JamesAnthony]

Hey everyone I posted an Ad for an AKJR with navy leather case a while back but decided to put it on Ebay. What a terrible decision that was, the guy sent it back because it didnt come with the original USB cable (even though I didnt say it came with one). In hindsight I probably should have said no original USB but I honestly didnt think it would be a big deal because I rarely use mine and have never had a problem charging or transferring music (dont use the DAC functionality as people have said it really depends on what OS you are using, too much faff). 
 
Anyway if anyone is interested I have the same player for sale (with original box and some back protectors) and the leather navy case (in the original box as well), the case box is slightly dinged. Its in pretty much near perfect condition (no dings, scratches etc there does appear to be a dead pixel though on the top - never noticed it before but I gave the player a really good inspection when he sent it back (Ive got a picture) (I have pictures of everything if anyone is interested). 
 
Selling cheap because I just want to get this eBay fiasco out of my mind. £160 + (whatever shipping costs). 
 
Please PM if you want more details. 

 

[Lycosa777]

  So my Ipod Classic recently broke after years and years of faithful service. I'm looking to replace it, and I've decided to not take the easy (and expensive!) way out of just buying a new iPod...I figure if they're done making them, I should figure out how to transition my library to a new ecosystem anyway.
 
So I'd like to get some views from current users if this player would be a good fit for me. The price is a little more than I'd prefer, but within my budget.
 
My main concerns relate to the UI. I have a fairly large library (approx 14k songs, 95% v0 mp3s and some other various formats).
 
1. Is the lag that bad for navigating through songs with a library of this size? Its around 130 GB, so I was going to get a 200GB micro SD card. I have my files organized in a straightforward "Music/Artist/Album" format. 
 
2. How is it for playlists/library management? One thing I really liked about the iPod/iTunes was the ability to micromanage my library. I add a lot of new music to my library so I'd want it to be pretty simple to take music on or off. In addition, I would like for it to be pretty simple to modify playlists that are synced with the device. Is it compatible with software like MediaMonkey? Can I make a playlist on my computer, put it on the AK, and then modify it down the road with relative ease? Sorry if this isn't being clear, I could elaborate on what I mean if this doesn't make sense.
 
Also all ears to hear what other users who went from a Classic to this have to say. I've been going through this thread and finding it very informative. 

To my surprise, the Jr accepts 200GB cards (As mentioned by Dr Sheep here) despite the manual showing supporting a max of 64GB.

1 -  IME, the lag is minimal when navigating the menus and various folders. The problem I had was playing music in DSD. The processor in the JR struggles to convert DSD into PCM whilst allowing you to scroll/navigate the UI. With Hi-Res PCM (24/192), lag starts to kick in - but still very usable.

In your case, 320kbps mp3's are no trouble at all and you will not notice any decrease in performance. General navigation should be no problem either. Keep in mind, Ive got roughly 1000 songs (80GB) on my Jr so YMMV.

2 - Adding and removing songs/folders is very simple. Drag and drop. Or click delete.
Unfortunately, I cant help you with playlist management or confirm whether MediaMonkey works. You can create playlists on the player itself, which creates ".pls" files. I personally prefer randomised play over playlists.

I used to have an Classic. You may miss the wheel like I did which influenced my decision to purchase an X3SG.
The interface is must faster and more efficient on the iPod but it did have many years to mature... The premium build and SQ keep me happy with the Jr. Not to mention - SD based storage!

If you want to spend a bit less on a Hi-res player, Id recommend the X1. Great sound for a great price. Works with 24/192 files so you should be good if you ever wanted to venture further.

 

 

[vincik]

  USB-DAC
 
I used the PCs USB 2 slot (not USB3) and presto, DAP operates as decent DAC.

not for me. Neither 2.0 nor 3.0 ports work. It's dead silent. Please help

 

[JamesAnthony]

  Hey everyone I posted an Ad for an AKJR with navy leather case a while back but decided to put it on Ebay. What a terrible decision that was, the guy sent it back because it didnt come with the original USB cable (even though I didnt say it came with one). In hindsight I probably should have said no original USB but I honestly didnt think it would be a big deal because I rarely use mine and have never had a problem charging or transferring music (dont use the DAC functionality as people have said it really depends on what OS you are using, too much faff). 
 
Anyway if anyone is interested I have the same player for sale (with original box and some back protectors) and the leather navy case (in the original box as well), the case box is slightly dinged. Its in pretty much near perfect condition (no dings, scratches etc there does appear to be a dead pixel though on the top - never noticed it before but I gave the player a really good inspection when he sent it back (Ive got a picture) (I have pictures of everything if anyone is interested). 
 
Selling cheap because I just want to get this eBay fiasco out of my mind. £160 + (whatever shipping costs). 
 
Please PM if you want more details. 

Your in luck prospective buyers, I just found the original USB cable Jesus this would have saved me so much trouble. 

 

[mishrapod]

 

To my surprise, the Jr accepts 200GB cards (As mentioned by Dr Sheep here) despite the manual showing supporting a max of 64GB.

1 -  IME, the lag is minimal when navigating the menus and various folders. The problem I had was playing music in DSD. The processor in the JR struggles to convert DSD into PCM whilst allowing you to scroll/navigate the UI. With Hi-Res PCM (24/192), lag starts to kick in - but still very usable.

In your case, 320kbps mp3's are no trouble at all and you will not notice any decrease in performance. General navigation should be no problem either. Keep in mind, Ive got roughly 1000 songs (80GB) on my Jr so YMMV.

2 - Adding and removing songs/folders is very simple. Drag and drop. Or click delete.
Unfortunately, I cant help you with playlist management or confirm whether MediaMonkey works. You can create playlists on the player itself, which creates ".pls" files. I personally prefer randomised play over playlists.

I used to have an Classic. You may miss the wheel like I did which influenced my decision to purchase an X3SG.
The interface is must faster and more efficient on the iPod but it did have many years to mature... The premium build and SQ keep me happy with the Jr. Not to mention - SD based storage!

If you want to spend a bit less on a Hi-res player, Id recommend the X1. Great sound for a great price. Works with 24/192 files so you should be good if you ever wanted to venture further.

 

Gotcha, thanks a lot for your reply.
 
I really like shuffle as well, basically use that or listen to albums. However, on my iPod i had something of a "master shuffle" playlist, without any intro tracks or skits or anything like that. New music would automatically get added to it, and I would manually take songs off of it. At a collection of my size I found it really improved my shuffle by taking out the 20-30% of songs that aren't usually what I want to hear when I press shuffle. So it would be nice to be able to fiddle with playlists like that, or sync them with a library (which I could fiddle with on the computer). 
 
I'm also beginning to think that the level of library manipulation I'm looking for just doesn't exist in this field of SD card mp3 players and I should just pick a device I like on other grounds. I was definitely looking at the X1 & X3 as well, but those received even worse complaints on the UI, both in lag and general navigability- and with 10k+ songs, those felt relevant to me. 
 
If you are familiar with both players, would you mind briefly contrasting the AK JR with the Fiio line (in my case I'd only be looking at the x1 or x3)? I'm also definitely curious about durability, as I did just break this ipod by dropping it...My general impression is that they're more or less comparable sound-wise; the AK Jr is going for more of a slick design feel, while the Fiios are more stocky and utilitarian. Again, I appreciate it and any thoughts others have

 

[Lycosa777]

  not for me. Neither 2.0 nor 3.0 ports work. It's dead silent. Please help

Maybe check the default sound output?
 

  Gotcha, thanks a lot for your reply.
 
I really like shuffle as well, basically use that or listen to albums. However, on my iPod i had something of a "master shuffle" playlist, without any intro tracks or skits or anything like that. New music would automatically get added to it, and I would manually take songs off of it. At a collection of my size I found it really improved my shuffle by taking out the 20-30% of songs that aren't usually what I want to hear when I press shuffle. So it would be nice to be able to fiddle with playlists like that, or sync them with a library (which I could fiddle with on the computer). 
 
I'm also beginning to think that the level of library manipulation I'm looking for just doesn't exist in this field of SD card mp3 players and I should just pick a device I like on other grounds. I was definitely looking at the X1 & X3 as well, but those received even worse complaints on the UI, both in lag and general navigability- and with 10k+ songs, those felt relevant to me. 
 
If you are familiar with both players, would you mind briefly contrasting the AK JR with the Fiio line (in my case I'd only be looking at the x1 or x3)? I'm also definitely curious about durability, as I did just break this ipod by dropping it...My general impression is that they're more or less comparable sound-wise; the AK Jr is going for more of a slick design feel, while the Fiios are more stocky and utilitarian. Again, I appreciate it and any thoughts others have

Having a quick look around on my Jr, ive only been able to add individual songs on the device. So I guess its the other way round!


Ive owned the X3SG but was able to listen to the X1 for a bit to get an impression.

To give a quick summary -

The X1 has a very likeable sound with a decent soundstage. Punchy bass and good treble extension. A warm and dynamic player.
The X3SG is relatively neutral with extended treble and a touch of bass. Well detailed with a slightly larger soundstage than the X1. A clinical sounding player.
The Jr is somewhere in between sound signature wise. Classic Wolfson sound - Warm, intimate. Great detail. Neutral-ish. Well balanced and realistic.


The build quality of both devices is great but I feel as if the Jr could take more abuse. But ive probably got more of a "The bigger they are, the harder they fall" kind of mentality. Had both devices drop in the past, both unscathed so either should be fine. UI was fine for me, although changing songs took a bit of time. Might have just been my memory card.. Navigating is about as close to an iPod classic as you'll get on a non apple device.

 

[vincik]

i tried different computer and it worked even with USB 3.0. ********. i will return this piece of overpriced crap and go back to my fiio

 

[NemanVtc]

Very satisfied, the weight and size of the device, design, sound quality, combined with my Sennheiser momentum 2.0 very sexy

 

[dakchi]

Hello, 
 
I have a Mi Note pro mobile from Xiaomi that has SABRE/ESS Dac (ES9018K2M) which is supposed to offer good quality sound. I was wondering if I will notice a difference in sound quality if I take the Astell Kern JR?
 
Thank you

 

[Lycosa777]

  Hello, 
 
I have a Mi Note pro mobile from Xiaomi that has SABRE/ESS Dac (ES9018K2M) which is supposed to offer good quality sound. I was wondering if I will notice a difference in sound quality if I take the Astell Kern JR?
 
Thank you

I guess you're not impressed?
What resolution files do you listen to? What earphones/headphones do you have?

 

[dakchi]

Well the quality of sound is quite good. I am just wondering if it will make a difference is I buy a DAP. I listen to Flac and MP3 320k
I have a sony 1A (Hi res headphones) and a noise cancellation in-ear AKG k391-NC. I know that they are not the best headphones, but will I notice a difference even with other headphones?
 
Thank you