[audionewbi]

You are been too kind, the pricing is out of this galaxy. 

 

[AlanYWM]

Based on the amazon website, I am not too convinced this is the real deal. The volume knob in the 1st image is different from the second image. And if real, that volume knob guard is really ugly - to me 

  Lastly, why would iRiver quietly release the new model without any advertisement?

 

[audionewbi]

What most companies do is release a limited number to the market and see how the market takes the new product. 

 

[Swimsonny]

I do have a very reliable source in what I said. In fact it is the UK distributor. As for specs, he gets them him self next week.

 

[ChrisSC]

oh, and look ibasso finally figured out gapless playback...err wait, only for the one that costs over $1,500 

 

[audionewbi]

I think the price will be a little lower than 1000 Euro considering the insane VAT. I say take a good 14% off and that is should be MSRP for the American market. Still quiet expensive. 

 

[Retrias]

Quote:

oh, and look ibasso finally figured out gapless playback...err wait, only for the one that costs over $1,500 

What does ibasso have to do with this? 

 

[ChrisSC]

Quote:

What does ibasso have to do with this? 

my bad.. meant to say iriver

 

[Gintaras]

if the release of new AK120 will lead to price drop for AK100 this will be great too

 
in any case i could not be happier with my AK100 moded by Vinnie from Red Wine Audio. all i wonder is WHAT player could emerge if people from Iriver would join efforts with Vinnie and Indonesian guys to create an ultimate high-res playback in portable device...... UHHHHHHHHHHHH........ i can only dream about this.
 
regarding Ibasso, when and if they will come out with something less bricky and heavy and put a better battery i might become interested. otherwise my interest stays with AK and HiSound. and not to forget about small trusty soldier Colofly C3 which is excellent solution on the budget.
 
so far so good and i am warming up to my brand new T-Peos H200, will listen to them on long weekend with my AK alias RWAK

 

[hecaitomex]

Here is something official from the german A&K Homepage:
 
http://www.astell-kern.de/downloads/AstellKern_Webbrochure_de.pdf

 

[audionewbi]

Thanks for all the info, it seems like AK100 is not going to have true gapless. My skeptic part is thinking whether or not AK100 was designed with those specs (22 OI and lack of gapless) simply so that it is can provide a reason for people to purchase/upgrade to the AK120.

 

[Mimouille]

This price is ridiculous, more than a 901 with balanced card.

 

[Gintaras]

Quote:

Here is something official from the german A&K Homepage:
 
http://www.astell-kern.de/downloads/AstellKern_Webbrochure_de.pdf

 
thanks for sharing......... UNFORTUNATELY the price is not appealing as i doubt all the improvements would be worth paying double price of AK100

 
i afraid the price vs. imrpoved specs does not make much sense. maximum i could see 1K but in real world such a player should cost max 900$ all in and AK100 must cost max 500-600$. taking into account the upcoming X3 from Fiio, likely resurrection of V-studio 3rd Anv edition and also new offerings from HiFiman and likely new smaller body iBasso i am afraid Ak120 will be less appealing now. besides AK120 cannot cost like an entry level NAIM CDP 5i-mk2 IMHO.
so i keep my AK100 alias RWAK

 

[audionewbi]

The point is RWAK100 is also not a cheap alternative. The cheapest AK100 in the market cost 450 USD and add the 250 P&H that increase the price to 700 USD(min). As I predicted a while back I guessed the price is going to be around that region simply because there was a market for it. Yes there seems to be a market for it!
Well we had people on here who paid 850-900 USD for their DIYAK100, considering how the AK120 has dual wolfson+ USB DAC feature plus and OI that is usable the price is not really out of this world.
 
So in a way we actually did this to ourselves by purchasing and so openly supporting those expensive modifications. 
 
Having said that I might be sending mine for modding real soon (hypocrisy at its best!)

 

[Gintaras]

as i said, the new AK price must be 1000$ or slightly less but not 1300 Euros !!! apply FX rate to see my point.
 
i disagree about mods because they came due to demand... but if AK100+mod =700-800$ and AK120=1277E*1.3=1660$ the difference becomes prohibitive. come on, for this money i can buy a good high-end DAC for my rig. who will be willing to spend this money on a player which will sound only marginally better? or are we talking here about repackaged to portable Nagra or Scarlatti?
 
AK is really nice product so this will be a pity IF corporate greed and overestimation of success will kill this product. this is not the first time to happen to good brands when they cut the branch on which they seat
 
even self-proud Apple had to cut prices when Jobs returned to Apple with iCube design, remember the story?