immortalsoul
1000+ Head-Fier
I am glad you decided to take the risk and buy one. I really hope you like it. I can barely wait to hear your impressions after you get your hands and ears on it
Acoustic Research M2 Audiophile-Grade Hi-Res Portable
- Thread starter robfol
- Start date
Thanks, buddy. Been curious about it for so long, always liked the angular design. Very curious to see what it does with planar headphones. Will share impressions with Mass Kobo, Phatlab, and Bakoon when it comes!
Thanks, sir. Seeing the AR-M2 paired up with your majestic Paltauf amp was the push I needed to order one.
Grats man, it's a great flavour from the past if you are up to these as some of us 
I even enjoyed it with final audio e3000 and some cheap grados, both of which are broken now, but it was great.
I see you have the Mojo 2, if once you get some time with the AR-M2 you share some thoughts and comparisions that'd be great.
I even enjoyed it with final audio e3000 and some cheap grados, both of which are broken now, but it was great.
I see you have the Mojo 2, if once you get some time with the AR-M2 you share some thoughts and comparisions that'd be great.
Absolutely, will let you know how it compares to Mojo2. Not expecting it to compete technically, but maybe I'll be proven wrong.Grats man, it's a great flavour from the past if you are up to these as some of us
I even enjoyed it with final audio e3000 and some cheap grados, both of which are broken now, but it was great.
I see you have the Mojo 2, if once you get some time with the AR-M2 you share some thoughts and comparisions that'd be great.
immortalsoul
1000+ Head-Fier
I mentioned this before but I want to say it again, for those of you that are interested in the Acoustic Research AR M2 dap and you can't get your hands on one, you can buy a Cayin N6ii dap with T01 motherboard and after that you buy a Romi BX2 plus amp. The combination of the two sounds the same as Acoustic Research AR M2. The Cayin N6ii with T01 by itself doesn't sound as good as the M2
immortalsoul
1000+ Head-Fier
I think the magic of the Acoustic Research AR-M2 comes from utilizing the Burr-Brown PCM1794A Current Output DAC that is implemented really good
I did have the T01 at some point and also the BX2 Plus earlier, but not together. I did enjoy T01 and C9, however.
I'm somewhat expecting AR-M2 to sound like the Bakoon DACs that I have - not only because the each use "classic" PCM variants (1794, 1796) - but it seems they might have the same organic timbre with a wide soundstage. If so, that's a good thing.
How does AR-M2 sound with your C9, out of interest?
Yes, this is exactly what Bakoon use as well in their DACs (and amps) - current output.
Klabauters
100+ Head-Fier
right, they mus have implemented it tremendously good.
After having traded my first AR-M2 against a brand new AK T8iE MkII, while waiting on a connection flight, I went directly to China to buy the newly released Ibasso DX200.
I was and I am still absolutely happy with the DX200 for travelling, but I started gradually to miss the AR-M2 and its wonderful sound signature ….
So I bought an IFI Nano to accompany my DX200 on long distance flights hoping this will deliver the same indescribable sound from the AR-M2 together with a modern DAP with all those nice features included and no hissing on single driver IEMs. As the IFI Nano and the AR-M2 both share (according to my knowledge) the same Burr Brown Chip – it should have been easy ..
But nope – the sound from the IFI Nano was not bad – but it can not compete (by far) with the magic and engaging sound from the AR-M2. I tried the IFI Nano exactly two times at home and then it disappeared in the drawer and never came out again.
Besides the probalby perfect implementation of the Burr Brown, they must have had also golden hands in terms of the amp section, or whatever they did, to acieve this magic sound
Klabauters
100+ Head-Fier
sounds very interesting - can't wait for your AR-M2 to arrive, to get first impressions and comparisons
Klabauters
100+ Head-Fier
@Nostoi ... just seen .... probably your more then impressive "Bakoon Connection" will just blow the little and all alone AR-M2 out of the fish tank -> even more interesting now ...
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Don't worry, I judge AR-M2 on its own terms! Besides, maybe it scales up super well with a current output amp....
I also owned a few Ifi products, and despite having similar chips they've all sounded very dull to me, overly warm, and lacking dynamics (even their Pro iCan thingy sound iffy to me). Implementation is everything!
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