Astell&Kern A&norma SR25 MK II - Available November 2021
Nov 20, 2021 at 8:44 PM Post #76 of 143
TBH R5 saber is truly a nice DAP, handy and good 4.4mm output but not 3.5mm, plus sometimes the app itself will get crashed. 2gb ram now is really not sufficient for android platform.

No but it's smoother than some. It's not quite up to ibasso, AK or lotoo but it's on sale for 379 dollars. I mean If you want a decent streamer.
 
Nov 21, 2021 at 12:28 AM Post #77 of 143
Must report that the wifi is really weak, using YouTube is next to impossible. I've reset router, changed channels and still very weak. I have to be in the same room as the router to have it work properly. Plus I have a dead pixel :frowning2: so it's going back and I will probably have to eat a restocking fee. 😞

Now I know why it never played amazon ultra HD files, just not enough bandwidth. Seems even worse than my original mk1.

Sounds amazing but this just seems wrong for so much $$$. Would be better to just leave wifi off if you're going to use a weak chip. Can't recommend if you're going to stream.
I'm experiencing the same wifi issues with my unit as well:/ I've tried changing the channels on the 2.4g connection on my router, but to no avail. This wifi issue makes AK Connect mostly unusable since it will play a few songs, then the app will freeze on my phone, and I'll have to disable, and re enable the "ak connect" button on the SR 25. What I envisioned was being able to plug my SR25 into my stereo and control music from anywhere in the house, but after about 10 minutes or so, the SR25 loses wifi connection and freezes the app. I experienced this as well with my SR25mark 1, and it seems like a real missed opportunity to not implement a fix in the mark 2. Really hoping there can be some sort of firmware update to fix this connectivity issue. I love the SR25mkii for so many other things it does right, but it's a shame several of the advertised features are nearly unusable. You shouldn't need to spend upwards of 800+ dollars on more expensive players just to have working features that are present in the "entry level" models.
 
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Nov 22, 2021 at 4:03 PM Post #78 of 143
I do have one more question for anyone who may be able to shed some light on things. So, prior to selling my old SR25, I copied the playlist folder containing all my .m3u playlists I created on the original SR25 to my computer desktop. When I got my new SR25mkii, I copied the playlist back over to the playlist folder on the SR25mkii, but when I go to playlists on the player, they all show up but have zero songs in them. Is it possible to transfer these playlists over? It would be a big pain to need to manually re create them:frowning2:
UPDATE: I did just figure out how to transfer playlists from my old SR25 to the MKii! I'm not sure if this has been discussed anywhere online before, but it's not what I expected at all. So when you create a playlist in the player itself, they are stored in a folder called "playlists" locally on the device. So naturally, I tried to copy my .m3u files back to that folder on my new SR25mkii, but they were all just showing as blank with 0 songs... However, I tried making a folder on the SD Card called "playlists" and when I dragged the .m3u files into that folder, they populated as expected on the SR25!!
 
Dec 2, 2021 at 4:52 AM Post #80 of 143
Anyone listen on PAW 6000? SR25 mkii vs Lotoo PAW 6000? Any thought? Not really use online streaming, just play local files
 
Dec 4, 2021 at 8:37 PM Post #83 of 143
Streaming is always the biggest downside of any lotoo players since they aren't using Android. But their UI is miles ahead of other DAPs imo. It is responsive and more stable.

Sound is subjective. But the internals of PAW6000 is a lot better than SR25 MKII. Which makes sense seeing PAW6000 is close to double the price of SR25 MKII.
 
Dec 10, 2021 at 5:04 AM Post #84 of 143
I bought an SR25 at the end of 2020, which I sold a few months later for a number of cumulative reasons, including poor WiFi performance.

I also found the processor struggling to cope with a rather heavy library (I was using a 1TB card). I would often get a "this music has been moved" message when I was browsing the library quickly.

It is with regret that I made the decision to part with it because besides, I found a lot of qualities in the SR25 MK1.

It is therefore with great interest that I read the first feedback on this MK2 version which brings significant improvements, such as the 4.4mm port and improved sound quality.
For streaming (mainly Apple Music), I use my Sony WM1A in BT Receiver mode, paired with my phone. I get a very good quality by doing this. Have anyone already tested the BT Sink function of the SR25 MK2 in LDAC quality? Can the use of the BT Sink function not be an alternative for streaming, because if I have read the first feedback correctly, the WiFi performance on the SR25 MK2 can still be improved?

I think that I would have finally been able to keep my SR25 MK1 if it had had this BT Receiver function.
 
Dec 20, 2021 at 11:28 AM Post #85 of 143
Recently got this after becoming very frustrated with the horrible battery life and sluggish, buggy UI of the iBasso Dx160. It sounds better than the DX160. I'm not going to say anything further about the sound quality because I don't know what I'm talking about.

The battery life and general speediness of the SR25 Mkii are certainly a lot better than the DX160. Those are about the only complimentary things I have to say about its usability. There are a number of issues:
  • It is ridiculous for a device released at the tailend of 2021 to only have 2.4Ghz WiFi. The DX160 costs half as much as the SR2 and has both 2.4 and 5, which should be completely standard in this day and age. The SR25 also couldn't connect to the network until I changed the mode in the router to b/g/n instead of just n.
  • The Openapp implementation is quite clunky. You can download various music services directly from the DAP, but they can't immediately be installed because they're downloaded into a 'Download' subfolder of the Openservice folder, and the SR25 can only install APKs located in the Openservice folder. As there's no file explorer, you have to connect the SR25 to a computer and move the APK file. Stupid.
  • The limitations A&K have put on their version of Android OS are also ridiculous. I expect a walled garden, limited configuration approach with an iOS device, not one based on Android. We should be able to install any Android app, not just those whitelisted by A&K. I'd like to install Pocketcasts, my preferred podcast app, and the Economist and possibly other apps. No can do. Does anyone know a way around this? I can't seem to access developer mode. I tried tapping on "model number" several time in system information and ended up with a screen that's all in Chinese or something.
 
Dec 20, 2021 at 11:48 AM Post #86 of 143
Recently got this after becoming very frustrated with the horrible battery life and sluggish, buggy UI of the iBasso Dx160. It sounds better than the DX160. I'm not going to say anything further about the sound quality because I don't know what I'm talking about.

The battery life and general speediness of the SR25 Mkii are certainly a lot better than the DX160. Those are about the only complimentary things I have to say about its usability. There are a number of issues:
  • It is ridiculous for a device released at the tailend of 2021 to only have 2.4Ghz WiFi. The DX160 costs half as much as the SR2 and has both 2.4 and 5, which should be completely standard in this day and age. The SR25 also couldn't connect to the network until I changed the mode in the router to b/g/n instead of just n.
  • The Openapp implementation is quite clunky. You can download various music services directly from the DAP, but they can't immediately be installed because they're downloaded into a 'Download' subfolder of the Openservice folder, and the SR25 can only install APKs located in the Openservice folder. As there's no file explorer, you have to connect the SR25 to a computer and move the APK file. Stupid.
  • The limitations A&K have put on their version of Android OS are also ridiculous. I expect a walled garden, limited configuration approach with an iOS device, not one based on Android. We should be able to install any Android app, not just those whitelisted by A&K. I'd like to install Pocketcasts, my preferred podcast app, and the Economist and possibly other apps. No can do. Does anyone know a way around this? I can't seem to access developer mode. I tried tapping on "model number" several time in system information and ended up with a screen that's all in Chinese or something.
You could try the ibasso dx240 also. 100 dol more but the UI is on another level comparing to the dx160, it's like a middle class smartphone. The sound should be an upgrade too from the sr25 mkII. The only drawback is the battery life which is around 11-12 h.
 
Jan 7, 2022 at 5:21 PM Post #87 of 143
I just have ordered the SR25 MKII because I was looking for a DAP with the following criteria (in the order of importance):

- Long battery life
- Warmish sound signature with decent detail retrieval
- True portable form factor
- 3.5mm, 4.4mm HO and LO
- Solid built

Not really caring about the AK brand and the "status" behind it. No streaming, just local music on a 400gb sd-card.

IEMs are 7HZ Timeless, Sony N3, Dunu ZEN. All in 4.4mm.

I might report impressions whatever they are after some hours of usage.
 
Jan 7, 2022 at 6:52 PM Post #88 of 143
I just have ordered the SR25 MKII because I was looking for a DAP with the following criteria (in the order of importance):

- Long battery life
- Warmish sound signature with decent detail retrieval
- True portable form factor
- 3.5mm, 4.4mm HO and LO
- Solid built

Not really caring about the AK brand and the "status" behind it. No streaming, just local music on a 400gb sd-card.

IEMs are 7HZ Timeless, Sony N3, Dunu ZEN. All in 4.4mm.

I might report impressions whatever they are after some hours of usage.
I am looking for a DAP that exactly what you are looking for, now considering Lotoo Paw 6000 and SR25mkii.

Would appreciate that you share your impression on the SR25mkii.
 
Jan 8, 2022 at 3:14 AM Post #89 of 143
I am looking for a DAP that exactly what you are looking for, now considering Lotoo Paw 6000 and SR25mkii.

Would appreciate that you share your impression on the SR25mkii.
Interesting, I had the P6K on my radar too. Soundwise, based on numerous impressions I read on different forums, the P6K seems to be the more refined of the two and it sports a PEQ that works better than the one from the SR25 MKII. Form factor is about the same, but I hold a SR25 in my hands a few months ago and the tilted screen really works for me.

I am ok to sacrifice some technical abilities at the benefit of a somewhat longer battery life and better « comfort » (tilted screen). Finally, there is a price difference that my wallet cannot ignore. I might add that I got a good deal buying the DAP and the black leather case for less than EUR 800.-.

If I had deeper pocket, not sure the outcome would have been the same, to be really honest.
 
Jan 9, 2022 at 3:52 AM Post #90 of 143
Interesting, I had the P6K on my radar too. Soundwise, based on numerous impressions I read on different forums, the P6K seems to be the more refined of the two and it sports a PEQ that works better than the one from the SR25 MKII. Form factor is about the same, but I hold a SR25 in my hands a few months ago and the tilted screen really works for me.

I am ok to sacrifice some technical abilities at the benefit of a somewhat longer battery life and better « comfort » (tilted screen). Finally, there is a price difference that my wallet cannot ignore. I might add that I got a good deal buying the DAP and the black leather case for less than EUR 800.-.

If I had deeper pocket, not sure the outcome would have been the same, to be really honest.
if the audio quality is not that too much difference (I am only to use it to drive IEM), cheaper SR25mkii might really can be considered. However, still waiting for ur impression on it haha. 😄😄
 

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