[Ripvanlink]

  Audio is about facts. It is about what you can hear The best and most convincing sound always wins. When I would not be 100% sure about my words I would never say it. I understand your reaction. Because I have heard it a lot. These people think different about me after they auditioned my systems. The sound tells the truth I always say. It is as it is.

It doesn't sound like hot air to me, Bobby! 3D is the kind of sound I like best, for sure! My favorite all time recording, on vinyl, is the Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances with Donald Johanos and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and on a budget label, surprise, surprise. Not a Dr. Johnson Reference Recording or anything so hoi-poloi like that, imagine!
 
. That recording was minimally miked and had some of the best sound I've ever heard on a recording with depth and a wide coherent soundstage and the individual imaging of the different instruments was superb. The whole effect was very 3D to me and the highs did NOT breakup or sound like hash as it usually does for me. I just heard it on a digital recording and, though not quite as good, was, nevertheless, also excellent.
If recording engineers can come up with a technique like the ones who did this recording, I'd take them out for some craft beers, for sure, lol.

 

[Bobby72]

The reason that I started to do consulting was that I wanted to have more time for clients. I have worked for over 8 years in an audio shop. I wanted to do it different. I have visited many sets, also a lot of expensive highend sets. At the end many of them have an average sound. You see that many make different mistakes because they are not aware of the different properties of the stuff they own. Then you never will understand how the stage and sound you have is created.
 
Last week I bought a few classical recordings at Qobuz in 24/96. This is what you want, the sound is no natural. And it is very 3 dimensional. I hate 2 dimensional sound because you never will get the intimate experience with a 3 dimensional sound. That is why it is so easy to outperform 2 dimensional sound. The involvement is a lot less. You are not pulled into the music. At the end 3 dimensional sound is a lot more emotional in experience. 3 dimensional sound is very addictive. Because you never get enough of it.
 
Instruments and voices are very direct and small in proporion, I call it intimate sound. Many people make instruments and voices too big in proportion. You will loose the exitement of being pulled into the music. Music is all about emotion, and a natural 3 dimensional sound is what makes listening to music as it's best!

 

[SilverEars]

A well done binaural will provide that directionality of sound although people would argue that it doesn't sound right or unnatural.  I still enjoy binnaural for the expansiveness of the sound.  Same for headpone gear.  Certain iems provide dimentional sound and others provide flat sound.  I personally think, if the iem is capable of dimentional sound, a good source can push it to provide much wider sounding stage.  Even the wide sounding stage may not have depth and could sound flat.  CIEMs are typically mentioned as providing a 3D sound of some sorts and based on my experience with my NT6 a CIEM, I would agree that is the case. On the other hand, majority of universals tend to sound flat. I have not noticed it initially because the recording I was using, but with recordings that has the dimentional information, and the source being transparent enough to output that information, you can definately notice it.  
 
Now, how wide is the stage of the P1 compared to AK240?  

 

 

[Bobby72]

That is a good question? But with the Jeteffect you can make it bigger. I remember that I got my Cowon J3. It was a new experience that you could change the stage. I do not think that A&K has an option to do the same. 

 

[Ripvanlink]

  That is a good question? But with the Jeteffect you can make it bigger. I remember that I got my Cowon J3. It was a new experience that you could change the stage. I do not think that A&K has an option to do the same. 

I had the J3 for about a year and found it to be just okay compared to my present X5. I am now only portable owning b/c of my RV living situation and besides, I am enjoying the whole experience with the X5, esp. when I get that 3Dimensionality. It certainly does lend itself to feeling the emotion of the music, wi/o which it has no meaning for me. 
I find the X5 so good that when the recording has 3D, the X5 will show it.
And, as far as that intimate sound, it seems very difficult when it comes to full orchestra recordings. They are a challenge definitely to record. I mean the temperature has to be right, the humidity, so many factors, simplicity of miking, gawd it must get complicated. But for string quartets and small orchestras, chamber orchestras, it gets easier and I hear that quality, that air much more often.
Hopefully, the P1, once there's enough reviewing done, will prove itself, as you find it, to be that wonderful dimensional experience.

 

[SilverEars]

  That is a good question? But with the Jeteffect you can make it bigger. I remember that I got my Cowon J3. It was a new experience that you could change the stage. I do not think that A&K has an option to do the same. 

 
Well, with the AK, I didn't find an option for sound effects like widening the stage.  What I noticed was it generally opens up depending on the recording.  I have a recording called Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis - Live from NYC which is a stage recording and you notice it opens up with the right source.  Of course there are recordings where, you don't notice any improvements to the recording because the recording is done different or just doesn't have a good dynamic range.  So I think a good source can really do great recordings justice.  Of course you need the right headphones for the source to push it out.

 

[Ripvanlink]

I got to listen to Darin's Out of your Head at the meet yesterday with the Hobbit movie, the first one and that was amazing how, just with the Stax phones, you could experience the sound moving from left front to right front and left rear to right rear, etc. The voices were so realistic and made me realize all the more what an excellent work of art that movie is.
My question, though, is, why aren't people as crazy about this movie as people were when Star Wars came out, with all that frenzied and well deserved talk, the long lines, all the excitement.
It seemed that the Hobbit's movies just came and gone. Is it a sign a the blas-e nature of people nowadays?

 

[musicday]

Anyone can comment on P1 vs AK240 build quality,SQ,UI detailed please,thanks.

 

[beemarman]

  Does anyone know if the P1 can output DSD over the optical out?
 
Looking for a transport for the Hugo and this may fit the bill nicely.

 
I have the P1 as a transport for the Hugo and the max output from optical is 192/24 bit.
 
As a source it's excellent. I used to use my  AK240 as transport but it's now up for sale as I believe for the price i prefer the P1.

 

[beemarman]

Anyone can comment on P1 vs AK240 build quality,SQ,UI detailed please,thanks.

 
I have both the P1 and AK240. 
 
 
UI- The P1 is really good for the price. I paid £650 for mine brand new in the UK. The UI is not as good as the AK240. It sometimes a bit difficulty to make selection, but you’ll get used to it. I do like the screen display on the P1. The themes included  are a lot more fun than the AK240. 
 
 
Build quality- The AK240 beats it hands down, but remember you could  buy nearly 4 P1 for the price of 1 AK240. To me the AK240 is overpriced.
 
 
SQ- I have not  tested both as I use the Hugo for DAC and AMP purpose. Not sure it would be fair test as the P1 is new and  the internal amp is never used. It's only a source for my Hugo.
 
 
UI- The P1 is really good for the price. I paid £650 for mine brand new in the UK. The UI is not as good as the AK240. It sometimes a bit difficulty to make selection, but you’ll get used to it. . The themes included in the P1  are a lot more fun than the boring ones included in the AK240.
 
 
If you have the cash and want the most expensive DAP then get the AK240, but if you want the best packaged DAP that comes close to the AK240 in every way, I either get the P1 or the AK120ii.
 
The best comparison for the P1 in price  is the AK100ii. The P1 wins hands down if you’re going to compare it to the AK100ii in every one. 

 

[warrior1975]

That's a very interesting assessment. By what I've heard, that would mean the P1 would beat that ak120ii as well, since I've heard no difference between the two.

 

[high-fidelity]

That's a very interesting assessment. By what I've heard, that would mean the P1 would beat that ak120ii as well, since I've heard no difference between the two.

 
No difference is interesting I think.Will you buy AK240 ? If you have DSD,if you want more space and more luxurious labor = AK240

 

[warrior1975]

Yes, I've decided to get the 240... I doubt I will hear much difference, if any, but I need to know for myself. I will buy a couple of DSD albums to compare on the 240 and it's lil bro, the 120ii. Since they have the same internals, I'm almost sure I won't hear a difference. The components are much different between the two lil Bros, and no difference to me... Being the AK120II is similar to the 240, it's hard for me to imagine a difference.

 

[beemarman]

   
No difference is interesting I think.Will you buy AK240 ? If you have DSD,if you want more space and more luxurious labor = AK240

 
 
Personally DSD playback is all hyped as far as I’m concerned. The problem is finding a good quality recorded  DSD music. Some of the ones  I have  bought sound worse than a lot of  redbook cds  I currently have.
 
 Personally at the moment I would not buy a DAP just because it plays native DSD. Things might change in the future, but for now good recorded Redbook would do me fine. The AK240 plays native DSD but I can’t tell much of a difference between a good quality redbook. 96/24khz file and DSD file except in the amount it takes on the hard disk

 

[high-fidelity]

Yes, I've decided to get the 240... I doubt I will hear much difference, if any, but I need to know for myself. I will buy a couple of DSD albums to compare on the 240 and it's lil bro, the 120ii. Since they have the same internals, I'm almost sure I won't hear a difference. The components are much different between the two lil Bros, and no difference to me... Being the AK120II is similar to the 240, it's hard for me to imagine a difference.

 
I hope,you like it.AK240 is really different player.I didn't try other brothers,which you used.But you did nice thing.First 100,after 120 and now 240.I mean you tried all one and upgraded slowly.