[VisceriousZERO]

   
 
I really think it's inaccurate to imply that it's AK that have been responsible for other vendors producing high-end DAPs. AK arrived very late to that particular party, although iRiver serviced the lower end for many years.
 
The Chinese vendors (Hi-fiMan, iBasso) took an interest in high-end DAPs before the Koreans (iRiver/AK, Calyx) did.

Well we can say that since the AK100 hit the market, more and more people have become interested in hi-end DAPs and higher quality music.

 

[ianmedium]

Well we can say that since the AK100 hit the market, more and more people have become interested in hi-end DAPs and higher quality music.

Absolutely! In fact apart from a brief appearance by HiFiMan (with their DAP's when no one else had anything out) if you look at any of the respected magazines that have been around longer than most sweaty pre-pubescent bloggers who are self proclaimed experts hiding behind their computer screens with no come back or responsibility have been alive you will see only one brand out there, Astell & Kern.
Now, those same prepubescent "experts" will say thats because A&K know how to market and thats the only reason which is pure bunkum as I happen to know a number of reviewers of respected magazines and web based magazines who have heard all that is to offer out there and the main reason A&K are in the magazines, receiving awards as outstanding products is because they are great products. It seems its only here or other forums where they get lambasted and something a quarter of the price is called "better".

Personally I will listen more to the reviewers who have to earn their living at reviewing over some sweaty person hiding behind a computer! Sorry. But I have seen so may people (including myself in the early days) have that happen to because they trust said person over people who have listened to a much wider range of equipment for long periods.

I have seen many many people exposed here who have said they have listened to everything and have self-proclaimed "guru" status to have in fact listened only on a borrowed set of headphones at a meet or show. Twenty minutes in a noisy room with unfamiliar equipment is not a way to get a good idea of what things sound like. I have seen this for myself having attended a few headfi meets, watched certain individuals listen only for a few moments then watched them over the months proclaim they know everything about a product that they listened to for a few minutes at a meet!

Those people tend to deride the HiFi press as a bunch of hacks on a gravy train, they have no idea of the competition out there to write professionally, there are far fewer bad eggs in the HiFi press than there are occupying forums!

 

[Mimouille]

Absolutely! In fact apart from a brief appearance by HiFiMan (with their DAP's when no one else had anything out) if you look at any of the respected magazines that have been around longer than most sweaty pre-pubescent bloggers who are self proclaimed experts hiding behind their computer screens with no come back or responsibility have been alive you will see only one brand out there, Astell & Kern.
Now, those same prepubescent "experts" will say thats because A&K know how to market and thats the only reason which is pure bunkum as I happen to know a number of reviewers of respected magazines and web based magazines who have heard all that is to offer out there and the main reason A&K are in the magazines, receiving awards as outstanding products is because they are great products. It seems its only here or other forums where they get lambasted and something a quarter of the price is called "better".

Personally I will listen more to the reviewers who have to earn their living at reviewing over some sweaty person hiding behind a computer! Sorry. But I have seen so may people (including myself in the early days) have that happen to because they trust said person over people who have listened to a much wider range of equipment for long periods.

I have seen many many people exposed here who have said they have listened to everything and have self-proclaimed "guru" status to have in fact listened only on a borrowed set of headphones at a meet or show. Twenty minutes in a noisy room with unfamiliar equipment is not a way to get a good idea of what things sound like. I have seen this for myself having attended a few headfi meets, watched certain individuals listen only for a few moments then watched them over the months proclaim they know everything about a product that they listened to for a few minutes at a meet!

Those people tend to deride the HiFi press as a bunch of hacks on a gravy train, they have no idea of the competition out there to write professionally, there are far fewer bad eggs in the HiFi press than there are occupying forums!

I think you should tone it down a bit because this is getting a bit extreme. Each brand will have advocates and detractors. Some based on real experience, some based on crap.

However not all AK detractors are full of it. People are entitled to not liking AK or disaproving or its pricing without being called a prepubescent blogger. I for one owned the AK100 and AK120 and enjoyed the design and UI of both players, yet found the sound good, but not good enough for what I paid, based on my tastes and my iems.

I am now very curious to hear what the AK240 will sound like, even if I feel they are pushing it a bit price wise.

 

[ianmedium]

I think if you read through my past posts you will see I have a balanced attitude to things, I am no fanboy and in fact on this thread have championed HiFiMan as well as other things. What I was on about in my previous post is going on about the so called self proclaimed guru's and experts on this and many other forums I won't ever tone down that as there are many people who come to these forums. See the "in crowd" being genuflected at and think their word the only word to trust, in my experience they tend to be the last people whom I trust!

Also, facts are facts and my previous post is fact! Show me in the past twelve months credible HiFi magazines both printed and online that have reviewed and published anything about the other players in depth? You won't find many!

 

[Mimouille]

I think if you read through my past posts you will see I have a balanced attitude to things, I am no fanboy and in fact on this thread have championed HiFiMan as well as other things. What I was on about in my previous post is going on about the so called self proclaimed guru's and experts on this and many other forums I won't ever tone down that as there are many people who come to these forums. See the "in crowd" being genuflected at and think their word the only word to trust, in my experience they tend to be the last people whom I trust!

Also, facts are facts and my previous post is fact! Show me in the past twelve months credible HiFi magazines both printed and online that have reviewed and published anything about the other players in depth? You won't find many!

I am not sure the fact that AK has more PR power proves anything....of course their products are finished better than competitors, so it is easier to promote them. But this does not mean they are the end of all things and we should kneel to them either.

 

[ianmedium]

Honestly, Are you reading my posts???? I said exactly the opposite, its not about PR! Sheesh, read my posts before commenting! Also, where am i saying we should kneel before them?? Your using that time old thing bad journalists have been doing for years, twisting or not even reading what I have written!

The reason they are winning awards is because reviewers (who on two accounts I know for fact as I know them personally) have come from listening to very very expensive Home DAC's, listened to the AK's both 120 and 100 and compared them to those. They, like me (if you would only read my comments here and elsewhere on the AK120 thread) are not saying they are perfect, in fact they describe the limitations and yet, in spite of those limitations they still win the awards as an overall review as what they do do well and in comparison to home DAC's that cost a great deal more is enough to get over that which they do not do well.

Honestly, I have no problem with you disagreeing with me, that brings balance to a point of view which helps others form balanced opinions and i am more than happy to be proven wrong and will admit it in that case but please, do not misconstrue my words to make your point more valid.

 

[Mimouille]

Oh I read well enough, I just see things differently. The fact that the aforementioned magazines gave awards holds not value to me, it just shows AK is doing their PR well.

 

[angelsblood]

Oh I read well enough, I just see things differently. The fact that the aforementioned magazines gave awards holds not value to me, it just shows AK is doing their PR well.

 
+1
 
 
Quote:

Also, facts are facts and my previous post is fact! Show me in the past twelve months credible HiFi magazines both printed and online that have reviewed and published anything about the other players in depth? You won't find many!

 
I really haven't given much care on the appearance in hifi magazines, even "respectable" once. Now i'm not saying they are all full of bull, just saying they can be selective on which to put an "appearance"
 
I'd put my trust on people with passion on music, and their number 1 priority on music, which are fellow listeners on this very forum

 

[OK-Guy]

I think most have reached puberty on Head-Fi and as such I respect their views.
 
ianmedium... to insinuate that fellow Head-fi'ers are no more than 'sweaty prepubescent experts' is very childish wouldn't you agree?... one would hate to think that you're an A&K fanboy who thinks that more money = quality.

 

[burtomr]

 

[ianmedium]

I think most have reached puberty on Head-Fi and as such I respect their views.

ianmedium... to insinuate that fellow Head-fi'ers are no more than 'sweaty prepubescent experts' is very childish wouldn't you agree?... one would hate to think that you're an A&K fanboy who thinks that more money = quality.

Fair point and I am the first to admit I was a little over the top. If you read through posts in the past I have made though you will see I am no fanboy.

However for people to make blanket statements about the HIFi press being liars gets my hackles up. Yes there are some that are less than great but on the whole the ones who have been around for many many years have a reputation to keep that very few online forum members ever have to keep or be held accountable to.

It simply has been my PERSONAL experience that I have been led up the garden path more by so called forum experts than I have in over forty years of greening information from the HIFi press.
Likewise any pro HIFi reviewer worth his salt will always add the caveat to go listen for yourself, sadly this is not the case with many of the so called experts on forums!
But I agree, my argument was on the childish side in my previous post and I apologies for that, I do not apologies however for pulling someone up when they misquote me on a number of occasions!

 

[streetcar]

will the ak240 be mass produced or be in limited quantities?

 

[Mython]

  will the ak240 be mass produced or be in limited quantities?

 
Somewhere in between, probably.

 

[goodvibes]

ianmedium is overstating a bit and likely pushing back some from some of the over the top negativity some here have over pricing. He however is not wrong in his overall view. If he personally knows some reviewers, he probably has a better idea of their sincerity than us. Many here like what I personally may consider a more suped up sound. Doesn't make me right but all this talk about width and depth in IEMs is so much less important than getting a sense of what the musician is trying to express, his take on a piece and connection to his instrument. These reviewers that Ian speaks of are already accustomed to great home kit and understand that the amount of warmth, bass, airiness etc are less important than the message which is much more difficult to get right. If you can get emotionally attached to a performance, the kit is doing a hell of lot right. It's not normally the sort of thing that comes into focus when testing at gatherings or in A/B comparisons.

 

[OK-Guy]

Fair point and I am the first to admit I was a little over the top. If you read through posts in the past I have made though you will see I am no fanboy.

 
it's almost ironic but I'll give you the benefit of my doubts... I would point out that A&K sponsor some of the Hi-Fi press hence the five-star thumbs-up or am I being too assuming... some of the Hi-Fi press have become predictable and rarely do the cottage-industry brands get a mention... if they did I daresay Vinnie  would of picked up an ten-star award for sorting both the AK100 & AK120.
 
See that's the great thing about Head-Fi use it as a wiki and you will be rewarded... if you want to rely on Hi-Fi press be my guest.
 
Could you please explain to me why a $800 device seems to have people selling their AK120's left, right & centre?... genuine question as it relates to one of your earlier post.
 
I think any apologies should be aimed at other Head-fi'ers... I was brought up by a duck so the water flows quite freely