[rudi0504]

Hi all head Fi friends

Look like Asteel and Kern working together with JH making JH Roxanne AKR 03
AKR 03 is for japan market only
Available at Rakuten for ¥ 169.800 Yen
AKR 03 is universal iems from JH Roxanns
Body : black acrylic with faceplate carbon black
I was subjected to as a reference tuning Astell & Kern AK240,
Premium model of superdreadnought by God Iyamoni
"Astell & Kern AKR03"
May 2, 2014 (Friday) Pre-start, launch limited few from Saturday May 10, 2014!
 












Ltd. Ayuto (President Watanabe Shinichi, Headquarters: Tokyo, following Ayuto), among "Astell & Kern (Astell and Cologne)" series, hi-res audio brand of iriver Limited Astell & Kern and JH Audio which gave the original tuning to AK240 for will be announced collaboration brand products, the "Astell & Kern AKR03". It continues to produce a custom earphone innovative about 20 years as the god of Iyamoni, universal company also subjected to exquisite tuning of AK240 for model, based on "ROXANNE (Roxanne)" on by Jerry Harvey Mr. JH Audio , in addition to the 3.5 mm earphone cable standard included, because it comes with the AK240 for 2.5 mm 4-pole balance cable Furthermore, it is possible to enjoy the balance of drive, which is one of the features of AK240 maximum. I adopt a carbon material to the face plate, logo of ROXANNE, AKR03 is, I print of Astell & Kern "A" logo on the L side to the R side. Adopted a mini-quad own drivers named SoundrIVe, consists of drivers of each of the four in the high-frequency, mid-range, low-frequency, the internal mechanism is a total of 12 with only earphone on one side "triple quad driver" driver is installed. In addition, proprietary technology to precisely control the phase of each band of the driver of this number by the "FreqPhase", which makes it possible to transfer faithful to the original sound reproduction more. I have adopted the 4pin terminal of its own connector part. Jerry Harvey Roxanne logo and Astell & Kern is printed also in aluminum carrying case original.
The Astell & Kern AKR03, iriver e direct sales store also doubles as from Saturday, May 10, 2014 "Akihabara e market (http://www.akiba-eshop.jp/)" and, Akihabara e market Rakuten branch offices ( I will release sequentially http://www.rakuten.co.jp/akiba-eshop/), Fujiya er Big, by e earphone. 169,800 yen will direct sales price (including tax).
In addition, headphone Festival 2014 "Spring headphone exhibition of the world's largest to be held in two days Nakano Sun Plaza and Sunday 11 May 10, 2014 (Saturday), May (http://www.fujiya- You can also listen in avic.jp / user_data / headphone_fes.php) ".
 
To listen to the voice of the user actively in the future, lineup of portable device a wide range, and expand "iriver" and "Astell & Kern" brand awareness, and market share gains, Ayuto because of the audio market activation in the Japanese market , we will strive to product introductions strategically.


Original press release is here.


http://www.iriver.jp/products/product_99.php


Sale acceptance is here

http://www.akiba-eshop.jp/item/4549325006916.html



http://item.rakuten.co.jp/akiba-eshop/4549325006916/


Product content
AKR03-BLK model number
JAN (EAN) 4549325006916
Feis carbon plate material
Driver mini quad driver x 12 (one side)
Earphone cable 3.5m unbalance x 1 / 2.5mm balance x 1
Frequency characteristic 10Hz ~ 23KHz
Input sensitivity 119dB @ 1mW
Impedance 15Ω
Sound insulation-26dB
Direct sales price (including tax) ¥ 169,800
May 10, 2014 Release Date (Sat)
Information category
Press release
Notice
Event announcement

 

[LFC_SL]

Given success of AK line am guessing iRiver will continue seeking out iem partnerships. Was AKR02 branding or a new IEM from final audio?

 

[kantana]

Not sure about this Japan exclusive, the AKR03 are available internationally.  They seem to be rebranded JH Roxanne universals with 2 cables supplied, 3.5mm and 2.5mm balanced.  They also mentioned 'tuned' for AK240 but not convinced by that.  If anyone can shed some light on the differences between the AKR03 and JH Roxanne universals that'll be useful.

 

[rudi0504]

Given success of AK line am guessing iRiver will continue seeking out iem partnerships. Was AKR02 branding or a new IEM from final audio?

With Final Audio Design , AK has already done The partnership Last year For their AK 100 + FAD Heaven IV
It is also For japan market Only , i have Bought 1 set and i keep My AK and FAD heaven IV until now

 

[rudi0504]

Not sure about this Japan exclusive, the AKR03 are available internationally.  They seem to be rebranded JH Roxanne universals with 2 cables supplied, 3.5mm and 2.5mm balanced.  They also mentioned 'tuned' for AK240 but not convinced by that.  If anyone can shed some light on the differences between the AKR03 and JH Roxanne universals that'll be useful.

So Far i Know from japan market that japan like bright and detail and excellent clarity

I guesslike The Other product what i have heard from My Friend like sony Z 1070 For japan market SQ is better than International market z 1060 , sound more detail better clarity

Look like JH Roxanne AKR 03 could Be brighter than normal JH Roxanne For International

IMO

 

[kantana]

So Far i Know from japan market that japan like bright and detail and excellent clarity

I guesslike The Other product what i have heard from My Friend like sony Z 1070 For japan market SQ is better than International market z 1060 , sound more detail better clarity

Look like JH Roxanne AKR 03 could Be brighter than normal JH Roxanne For International

IMO

The AKR03 has been sold in other countries already and other people have reported a different sound from universal Roxannes.  The AKR03 have been reported to have more bass and more forward mids and treble.  I wonder if the custom tuning is this?
As for the Z1070, I was using that with the EX1000 but found the sound opens up more when connected to RSA SR71a amp, perhaps it was too bright without it.

 

[Danz03]

Just wondering does anyone here actually own the AKR03?

 

[kantana]

No, I couldn't get a proper fit with any of the tips.  Between the size of the earphones and the weight of the wire they kept falling out when I moved.  I auditioned them for about an hour.  Felt more bass and forward mids compared to universal Roxannes.  Balanced cable had improved staging.

 

[Danz03]

I take it you demoed them at DMA? They fitted me quite well, even with the standard tips. I liked them so much I got a pair right away. But there seemed to be some phasing problems in the highs and high mids with my pair, I thought it'd go away after some burning in. It did mostly, and after 24 hours, even better, but still not perfect, the phasing is happening around the high mids area, around 3-8 kHz I think, the sibilance on the vocals seems to hit a certain frequency around 4kHz region, but not much outside that. The pair I demoed definitely didn't have that problem, and it hasn't really improved in the last 24 hrs of burning in. I'm wondering if I should take them back.

 

[kantana]

Yep, I demied them at DMA, i read on these forums about the Roxannes being recessed @ 8k.  Are you hearing phasing on SE or balanced cable?  I didn't notice that on the AKR03 at DMA or universal Roxannes at Jaben though.  I'm waiting for my custom Roxannes to arrive since I really couldn't get decent fit on AKR03 at all.  Isolation was almost no go with the tips so kept getting distracted by all the ship noise.

 

[Danz03]

Yes I think the phasing problem is around 8 kHz, cymbals sounded strange although very forward compared to my SE846 with the standard nozzle. Phasing problem was much worse with the balanced cable initially with the AK240 but after 24 hrs burning in, they are the same as with the stock unbalanced cable now. I was so tempted to buy the demoed pair because they were out of stock at DMA.

 

[rudi0504]

Picture from Fujiya Avic show 2014

 

[kantana]

Yes I think the phasing problem is around 8 kHz, cymbals sounded strange although very forward compared to my SE846 with the standard nozzle. Phasing problem was much worse with the balanced cable initially with the AK240 but after 24 hrs burning in, they are the same as with the stock unbalanced cable now. I was so tempted to buy the demoed pair because they were out of stock at DMA.

On the chinese forums they noted acoustic instruments sound better with balanced cable but voices are better with SE.  What do you find is better?

 

[Danz03]

I can't really say at the moment because the phasing problem is too distracting right now, so everything above 4kHz is a bit messy.

On the chinese forums they noted acoustic instruments sound better with balanced cable but voices are better with SE.  What do you find is better?

 

[Danz03]

I had the AKR03 burnt in for about a week now, the sibilance and phasing are nearly gone, and for some reason, after the burning in, the balanced and the unbalanced outputs from the AK240 begin to sound quite different, whereas a few days ago, they sounded more or less the same. The balanced out is now much more balanced sounding, while the unbalanced out sounds a bit bass heavy or dull in comparison, more like the SE846 with standard nozzle. When I use my LCD-2/3/X and HD800 with my Schitt Mjolnir, the difference between balanced and unbalanced out was much more subtle, while the difference with the AKR03 and AK240 combo is like night and day. There is still little bit of harshness around the 3-8 kHz region, I do hope they will smooth out eventually.