[the wizard of oz]

Oh, it wasn't a final production AK120, OK; I stand corrected. But no native DSD play-back with the WM8740 DAC AFAIUI, and DSD -> PCM on the fly is rather pointless, not to mention process & resource-hungry. More of an effort to pseudo-compete with the iBasso / Hibino InterSound HDP-R10 & attract the few potentially interested in that feature.

 

[jamato8]

Quote:

Oh, it wasn't a final production AK120, OK; I stand corrected. But no native DSD play-back with the WM8740 DAC AFAIUI, and DSD -> PCM on the fly is rather pointless, not to mention process & resource-hungry. More of an effort to pseudo-compete with the iBasso / Hibino InterSound HDP-R10 & attract the few potentially interested in that feature.

The HDP-R10 does true DSD because the Sabre dac can do DSD. The 8740 can not, so as you state, it will be pseudo DSD, which I agree, is pointless and very misleading. If the AK120 sounds good with the other he resolution formats then go with that and be honest with people.

 

[musicday]

The question is
Overall is the AK120 worth if had the same price as HM901, SQ wise?

 

[Gintaras]

The Vorzuge, SR71b, iQube, or 627 are not overpriced. You can ask Sprks01. He is the owner of Tralucent Audio and even he will confirm that those amp is worth it .

Jazzy, not so sure. Sprks is the owner of Tralucent i know this, but he is happy audiophile too and from what i know he believes AK120 unamped sounds better than amped AK.

Else i feel happy about RWAK i bought from you and which sounds great on its own and the amp just helps improve dynamics and add analogue like signature. All i can tell you i was thinking about Vorzuge or 627 but T1 was costing a fraction and i decided let it do for me and ever since i am so happy with this little gem which pairs amazingly well. After all i am now afraid of amp upgrade because i am nor sure Vorzuge or similar would add so much as to wartant extra cost. Mate, you should try T1, this modestly priced amp is miracle, makes you want listen music instead of looking for upgrade

Anyway, this is just me and i assume others might prefer something else.

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

The Vorzuge, SR71b, iQube, or 627 are not overpriced. You can ask Sprks01. He is the owner of Tralucent Audio and even he will confirm that those amp is worth it

.
Quote:

lets see, there is no rush, i can happily listen to RWAK before making my next choice
mind this i do not to overpay for Vorzuge or 627 amp which are not cheap at all, my T1 taught me a lesson, great amp does not have to be expensive :-D

 
Jazzyfi: You may not be aware, but since Sprks01 is a Member of the Trade that sells amps, he isn't allowed to comment on any products that compete in any way with ones he makes. While he is aware of it, many members are probably not aware of our rules. 

 

[audionewbi]

Quote:

The question is
Overall is the AK120 worth if had the same price as HM901, SQ wise?

The selling point of AK120 is smaller size format and longer battery life. SQ no doubt is important but speaking on experience when i am going out I always consider portability. For me Ak100 will sound good with a limited number of IEM, i am really hoping that AK120 fixes that. If it is able to do that I can happily end my DAP search.

 

[Mimouille]

Honestly I think my moded ak100 stage 2 has a great level of performance with iems. At the level of a dx100 though with different sig, once again, with iems. I can hardly imagine a really portable source (I mean not a five pound stack) really outperforming the ak100 mod by a significant margin. So I would need to listen to 901 and ak120 and be blown away to be convinced.

 

[Currawong]

I think an amp is only needed for full-sized headphones. With those, my modded AK100 gets congested quite easily when the music gets complex. With IEMs, I don't feel so, though I'll test this out more in the future.

 

[audionewbi]

Cant say I am please with AK100 when it comes to complex music, sometimes during those complex bit it all just comes out as one high pitch sibilant noise, doesnt matter if it is the ck100pro or the ES10. 

 

[woodcans]

Quote:

Cant say I am please with AK100 when it comes to complex music, sometimes during those complex bit it all just comes out as one high bitch sibilant noise, doesnt matter if it is the ck100pro or the ES10. 

 
I see you are married as well.

 

[audionewbi]

Quote:

 
I see you are married as well.

I assure you it was not a freudian slip .....

 

[miceblue]

Quote:

Here is probably the very first detailed review that actually compared AK120 against AK100 and DX100:
 
 
 

Author:Bad_Robot Moderator at hifi-forum
 
So, I've heard all the late afternoon and evening compared, measured, and tested.
 
Here the AK120 times next to its predecessor, the AK100, and the iBasso DX100:
 
 

 
The AK120 was somewhat larger than the AK100, but is still less than the DX100.
 
Here is the display of the AK120 compared to the DX100:
 

 
 
I have examined the AK120 for its suitability for InEars. (Like other clip-on headphones to try, that is not my core competency.) Tested and I have heard today with the Sennheiser IE800 (dynamic driver), UE 10 and Triple.Fi JHAudio JH-13Pro (both multi-BA-InEars).
 
To pre-empt the outcome: sound can not scratch the AK120 on the throne of the iBasso DX100 IMHO. The AK120 is indeed much better than its predecessor, the AK100 (and not only in terms of output impedance), but he does not reach the DX100.
 
Here the AK120 RMAA measurements of a UE 10 are Triple.Fi even think about it.
http://www.markuskraus.com/RMAA/ak120tf10.htm
 
Both the frequency response as well as the other measured values ​​are slightly better than - for example - an iPhone 5 with UE 10 Triple.Fi it. The iPhone 5 was measured somewhere once with 3.27 ohms, so the specification of 3 ohms when AK120 seems to be true already.
http://www.markuskraus.com/RMAA/iphone5.htm
The values ​​of AK120 are quite good, but whether it is worth the price of one, everyone must decide for themselves.
 
Next, the Sennheiser IE800 turn came. I was thinking at first that the AK120 with these InEars (with dynamic range driver) can cope better, but as it turned out, not really:
 
AK120 with Sennheiser IE800.
http://www.markuskraus.com/RMAA/ak120ie800.htm
 
Although the true frequency response (which was expected), but strangely, bagged the channel separation of the AK120 with the IE800 off in the basement.
 
I first thought of a measurement error or poor contact with the cable. Therefore, I have time to umgeswitcht iBasso DX100 and those measured with the IE800:
 
iBasso DX100 Sennheiser IE800.
http://www.markuskraus.com/RMAA/dx100ie800.htm
 
As you can see, all right. Then put back the AK120, measured again, and again the same result (channel separation sags).
 
Well, a measuring technique "worse" channel separation is often even subjectively perceived as "nice" as worse values ​​in the separation channel, the acoustic stage slightly increase. The stage presentation is certainly quite a bit different between AK120 and DX100 (whether "better" or "worse" is a matter of personal taste). It seems to me the direct comparison before and as if the AK120 plays a bit of "crystal clear". This is (either my imagination or) may on the other DAC or other digital filters. DX100 first I was really written that he was a bit "soft flushed" to me sounds like. I could fix this, as I had changed the DX100. Somewhere in the menus, you can change the digital filter of "slow roll-off" to "fast / sharp roll-off". This has the "problem" that I fixed with the DX100 for me.
 
Well, the AK120 is such that he probably still a "faster" setting runs. The difference DX100 from "slow" to "fast" is about as how the difference of DX100 (the "sharp") for AK120. (The AK120 plays virtually in "super sharp".)
 
Whichever is better, like everything else, however, is also a matter of personal taste.
 
The AK120 makes quite a few things but not different, but better than the DX100. What I noticed is this:
 
- Smaller housing
 
- Does not require a separate charger as the DX100. The AK120 is charged via the USB cable.
 
- Longer battery life (7 hours vs 16 hours in the DX100 AK120).
 
- I also like the UI of the AK120 better. Although it's kind of minimalist, but "more responsive". It seems to react faster. The DX100 always carry a complete halt in the background Android 'around with it. Who knows what's going on, always in the background. DX100 somehow it always takes a bite until he responds to display oppressors. The AK120 is there faster.
 
Measurement techniques can be considered the AK120 but only heave on the DX100 level if you connect an external pKHV very good. In my case it was an RSA Hornet (something in the caliber then IMHO it should be already). The metrological looks like this:
 
AK120 -> RSA Hornet -> UE Triple.Fi 10
 
So, that's it for today.
 
Best regards,
Markus
 
PS: The iBasso DX100 UE Triple.Fi 10 off can be found here.

source  :http://www.hifi-forum.de/viewthread-125-8492.html

Just chiming in here. I definitely won't be getting an AK120, nor 100, but I'm just curious to see what people think of these super expensive DAPs. I quickly browsed through the TF10 thread and people seem to like how it sounds straight out of a Sansa Clip_. Looking at those measurements, that frequency response looks quite scary, and even more so considering you're shelling out a whopping $1300 for the AK120... :/

 

[kkcc]

Cant say I am please with AK100 when it comes to complex music, sometimes during those complex bit it all just comes out as one high pitch sibilant noise, doesnt matter if it is the ck100pro or the ES10.

This was one of my biggest gripes of my stock Ak100 and happy to report that the AK120 fixed it for me.

But I probably need a better custom to block out the high bitch noise that came with my AK120... ><"...

 

[audionewbi]

Quote:

Just chiming in here. I definitely won't be getting an AK120, nor 100, but I'm just curious to see what people think of these super expensive DAPs. I quickly browsed through the TF10 thread and people seem to like how it sounds straight out of a Sansa Clip_. Looking at those measurements, that frequency response looks quite scary, and even more so considering you're shelling out a whopping $1300 for the AK120... :/

I am another sansa clip+ fan, i will not ever deny that the stock AK 100 is not suitable for all genera of music, it does acoustic based music and musics with few instrument which are not bass emphasised nicely but the rest it tend to struggle.

And ofcourse dont forget those are MSRP. 

 

[audionewbi]

I really hope that is true, AK got the size and battery life perfectly.
Quote:

This was one of my biggest gripes of my stock Ak100 and happy to report that the AK120 fixed it for me.

But I probably need a better custom to block out the high birch noise that came with my AK120... ><"...