[AmberOzL]

   
 
D&A had better shift themselves and get the M released internationally, quickly, or their party will be over before it's begun.

+10000.

 

[tracyca]

I have been peeking at this thread from time to time to get a update on a release date for us in California. Any news will be appreciated.
Cheers!

 

[Levanter]

   
Look at the tall part of the player where the volume control is and compared to the AK100, it's more than 7mm. I don't think I can fit the AK120II in my pocket except if it's cargo pant pockets.

 
Groovers and Qobus is iRiver's bet that both will take off, for me it's a non-event as I buy all my stuff from my PC and never from a smartphone and definitively not from a lone player. I would use the streaming facility though because I keep all my music on my home server, that's more attractive to me. Home wireless is cool, I used it once from my iPod touch which I sold and really loved it but was very buggy so hopefully with higher wireless modem speeds we should have a better continuous signal.
 
 
Sorry to dash your hope but transforming a dual DAC to balanced outputs requires circuitry to phase shift the outputs and then recombine them so it's gonna be very doubtful they can achieve it without major surgery plus the connector will be an issue, something gonna have to give, the DX90 case is anything but packed and no more openings unless they drill a hole. They will most likely have to use one of the existing connector holes so you'll loose some features on the way, which one? Hard to say.

 
I don't think you have to worry, the size is still smaller than iPhone 5s, though almost 2x thicker
 
Yep, the wifi streaming is one of the highlights IMO. The attractive part of Groovers is that they have a number of 24 bit files which i can't find elsewhere, and also the convenience of being able to get new tracks when you are outstation or something. 

 

[Solude]

   
Other than that, though, $419 for such SQ is almost unbeatable right now.
 
I concede that the new AKs will have a more discrete approach to the amp stage, and that is nice, but is it nice enough to justify charging 3-4 times as much as a DX90?
 
I don't know for sure (I'm no electronics expert) but I suspect the DX90 will be a very easy mod to balanced output. The DIY-ers will post about it soon, just wait a while...

 
You are right, the DX90 is likely better than an iPod Touch
 
Yes, quality costs money.  Audio is a game of inches and each inch is exponentially more expensive than the last.  As an example the HeadAmp Lite and GS-X use the exact same circuit and one costs 10x the other.  Just saying.
 
The DX90 can't be configured for balanced as is.  Balanced requires four channels.  The DX90 only has two at the output.  It's balanced into the LPF but single ended afterwards.

 

[musicheaven]

We all took a ticket and waiting in line for when and who will be the authorized dealer, they have not mentioned it yet but for sure we'll post it when it will be published, on FaceBook.

 
 

   
I don't think you have to worry, the size is still smaller than iPhone 5s, though almost 2x thicker
 
Yep, the wifi streaming is one of the highlights IMO. The attractive part of Groovers is that they have a number of 24 bit files which i can't find elsewhere, and also the convenience of being able to get new tracks when you are outstation or something. 

I hope you are right because on the review page of the AK120II, it did look way bigger than the IPhone 5s so let's see. The AK100II though looked properly sized and felt truly portable. Now the whisper price is 1000$ for the AK100II and around 1800$ for the AK120II. I think the AK120II even though being closer or at the same level than the AK240 seems to be out of my wallet price league, the AK100II on the other hand very comparable to the M, so even though I am the kind of guy who likes the double dac implementation, my wallet does not quite agree with me so I'll listen to it and will have to downgrade technologically to please it.

 

[Gintaras]

Gracky, thanks for impressions, really curious. Would you tell if you use high-end at home and which one. I am in the same boat and when you refer to high end vs luxury i am curious to see from what corner you coming in on this. So no doubts about your findings but need understand if we talk the same language as i will need to make my choice blindfolded since in Europe no chance to try out before purchasing. Thx

 

[gracky]

Gracky, thanks for impressions, really curious. Would you tell if you use high-end at home and which one. I am in the same boat and when you refer to high end vs luxury i am curious to see from what corner you coming in on this. So no doubts about your findings but need understand if we talk the same language as i will need to make my choice blindfolded since in Europe no chance to try out before purchasing. Thx

I had used old B&Ws, Krell, McIntosh and Meridian for a long time. For some years I couldn't use speakers and that is why I had to enter the head-fi world. I think my definition of being neutral will be similar to the B&W sound, no excessive highs, firm but not stiff bass, deep sound staging. 

 

[musicheaven]

I had used old B&Ws, Krell, McIntosh and Meridian for a long time. For some years I couldn't use speakers and that is why I had to enter the head-fi world. I think my definition of being neutral will be similar to the B&W sound, no excessive highs, firm but not stiff bass, deep sound staging. 

What's your feeling about the purchase, have you had time burning the player and do you feel the price is right for the sound you heard so far?

Thanks by the way to give us the first production version impressions, we have had so few info about the player that your involvement is truly welcome.

 

[gracky]

What's your feeling about the purchase, have you had time burning the player and do you feel the price is right for the sound you heard so far?
 

 
Too early to conclude, but I had a complex feeling about the situation of the audio market especially after the recession. If I were the D&A president, I'd move the firm to the US, buy an inactive highend brand, and sell M for at least $5k. 

 

[warrior1975]

$5k? That good?

 

[gracky]

$5k? That good?

Perhaps no, but it'll make more profit I think.

 

[musicheaven]

Too early to conclude, but I had a complex feeling about the situation of the audio market especially after the recession. If I were the D&A president, I'd move the firm to the US, buy an inactive highend brand, and sell M for at least $5k. 

It would be nice if it would work that way but seriously doubt he'd make any money. It's hard work and lots of innovation.
However if you have a winning design you can make it big.

Let us know as your player gets burned in how it's SQ improves.

 

[Spamateur]

Are there any reports about battery life so far out of the Korean/Asian early adopters? I read through most of the thread without seeing anything, but out of 188 pages I wouldn't be surprised if I missed something.

 

[ohotonge]

M's battery life is not good. Most of impressions said that they could only listen M around 3hours before battery runs out.
And you guys not gonna believe it!
Some of M users said about 'noises' comming out whenever they hear some hd-tracks, and guess what is the answer from the ceo of calyx.
M's amp is so good that some headphones' drivers can't handle the 'super accurate signal' from M, causing high frequency resonances(he didn't even bother to mention that the users talked about non-music noises).
And he added that most ceos of headphine companies agreed with his conclusion, and of course, he can't say who the ceos are, because it will make them ebarrassed.
End of the story enjoy the show!

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

When are we going to hear some M vs DX90 impressions again