[Whitigir]

Acoustic Research M20 Player News: 

Following early testing and feedback, we have upgraded the High-Precision Digital Volume Control from 1dB/step with 75 steps to 0.5dB/step with 150 steps. More and finer grained control for users.

Release is still scheduled for mid-April, but we will update until the last minute and then as with the M2, will update the firmware on a regular basis, bringing improvements to all existing owners.

This thing is sounding sweet as anything going to be a real treat for sure. I know the thread has been a little quiet but anyone one a few extra glamour shots? 

Nice! Will it have balanced output as well ? What kind of connector will it have, thank you

 

[dnun8086]

Nice! Will it have balanced output as well ? What kind of connector will it have, thank you

No balanced connection but we can but hope for the future. It will have just one single ended output and will be a damn sight lighter, keeping all the sound quality from the M2 and packing it into something even slimer. Ditched the analogue volume control dropped the price and increased battery life performance.
 
Looking into some additional features but don't know what/when they will be introduced. Just have my word this thing is going to sound great had a friend from Chord who'd spent some time with it just loved it! 
 

 

[krismusic]

Sounds good. I hope it will have wireless and support Tidal. I also hope it has similar build quality to the M2.

 

[dnun8086]

Sounds good. I hope it will have wireless and support Tidal. I also hope it has similar build quality to the M2.

Oh don't worry it will do promise that much they're not planning on doing a Jr lol, 

 

[DOC2008]

 

[buson160man]

Wow is AR still around . Boy they are making portable digital players nowadays . I remember when they were making speakers like the AR3a and later versions. I did use to have a AR 11 at least that was the model I think at the time . Which was their replacement for the AR3a at the time .  Times have changed have they not .

 

[krismusic]

Ye

Wow is AR still around . Boy they are making portable digital players nowadays . I remember when they were making speakers like the AR3a and later versions. I did use to have a AR 11 at least that was the model I think at the time . Which was their replacement for the AR3a at the time .  Times have changed have they not .

I was surprised as well. Pleased too. A quality company back in the day and apparently still.

 

[krismusic]

To my ill informed eye that looks heavily stripped out.

 

[LuckyNat]

? I thought there were quite a few DAPs running regular Android? The AR M2 and some Sony ones at least..

 

[LuckyNat]

But reduced price and hopefully an amp section with less noise for sensitive IEMS (which therefore don't need the special high-power amp of the M2). M2 is out of my price range.. hoping an M20 is closer and still with the same or similar SQ.

 

[krismusic]

But reduced price and hopefully an amp section with less noise for sensitive IEMS (which therefore don't need the special high-power amp of the M2). M2 is out of my price range.. hoping an M20 is closer and still with the same or similar SQ.

I'm with you on all counts!

 

[dnun8086]

I'm with you on all counts!

Don't worry guys it will be sounds brilliant lower price point and no noise with iems so far 

 

[krismusic]

Don't worry guys it will be sounds brilliant lower price point and no noise with iems so far 

Good with multi BA's?

 

[dnun8086]

Good with multi BA's?

As far as I'm aware it should be great a friend of mine was using his Heir 10.A loved the sound it was a noisy environment but didn't complain about any interference. Also a bit more good news for those who were after a longer battery life the M20 should be getting a nice battery boost don't know exactly by how much but thinking in the region of an extra 5 hrs of play time. 

 

[krismusic]

Very interested in this. Is there a release date yet?
Does anyone know? Will third party apps such as Tidal use the main circuitry or a lesser path? I read that many DAP's are optimised for playback of onboard.
A DAP that is optimised for streaming services would be brilliant.