Astell&Kern A&ultima SP3000

[OneEyedHito]

@JasonNYC a couple of quick questions/feature requests if they are not already there:
1. Is there a rotate screen feature so that when the device is held flipped 180 horiz that you can still see the screen upright if you want the headphone cable to come out of the bottom, if not can it be added even on a limited android os kernel?
2. Wheel lock in settings doesn’t seem to actually lock anything on my SP3000M (assuming it is same on the 3K) the volume wheel (knob) still works while the software button is engaged (blue), what is the background on this feature and is it working correctly in some manner I am missing?

Going to cross post this to the standard SP3000M thread for coverage but a reply in either location is always appreciated!

Thanks

 

[strayears]

Hi all ... my first post

Recently bought an SP3000 and need to sanity check the collective experience against my own. I'm finding:

1) The sound signature changes significantly through the first 40 minutes of play (having just powered up), starting a bit too bright, going through balanced and then at 30 mins turning dark
2) The stable state (after 40 mins) is a dark sound, relatively bass heavy, with very little texture or bounce in the bass, no shimmer (and certainly no air) in the top end, and an unremarkable sound stage; it's not the open, slightly warm side of balanced I was expecting.

What are your experiences?

Thanks

 

[nfandi]

Hi all ... my first post

Recently bought an SP3000 and need to sanity check the collective experience against my own. I'm finding:

1) The sound signature changes significantly through the first 40 minutes of play (having just powered up), starting a bit too bright, going through balanced and then at 30 mins turning dark
2) The stable state (after 40 mins) is a dark sound, relatively bass heavy, with very little texture or bounce in the bass, no shimmer (and certainly no air) in the top end, and an unremarkable sound stage; it's not the open, slightly warm side of balanced I was expecting.

What are your experiences?

Thanks

Yes to the start up state you’ve experienced, I always power up my SP3000 for 15-30 mins before I listen; it’s something to do with the oscillator chip or something or other that needs to warm up before it reaches its operating spec. I get to the very nice balanced stage after that but I never arrive at your dark stage. Your description of what you’re hearing is very different to my experience. Did you buy new or is it a used unit? What phones are you using and at what volume do you generally listen?

 

[zaphod 45]

Send it into astel and kern for a service, they are very effective.

 

[Joebas]

It doesn't help unfortunately, that's the sound of this firmware. The best sound for me was in v1.310. If someone shares it, I'll be happy. If not, I'll sell the player and choose another brand.

Hello can you send me please version 1.31 as a file or maybe several if you have them. I have a file with extension hex. But I have no succes in installing a previous fe version. Thanks for your reply and hopefully the file’s
Toine

 

[boodi]

Hi all ... my first post

Recently bought an SP3000 and need to sanity check the collective experience against my own. I'm finding:

1) The sound signature changes significantly through the first 40 minutes of play (having just powered up), starting a bit too bright, going through balanced and then at 30 mins turning dark
2) The stable state (after 40 mins) is a dark sound, relatively bass heavy, with very little texture or bounce in the bass, no shimmer (and certainly no air) in the top end, and an unremarkable sound stage; it's not the open, slightly warm side of balanced I was expecting.

What are your experiences?

Thanks

Wonder what iem / cable are you pairing it with..

It might need burn-in if it is a new unit too .


Sp3k changes significantly after first 20 30m play but never to dark/dull/compressed :
if anything then to the opposite.
More in particular it gets to the ultimate refinement it s been designed for , so it's best sound signature is on / alive after 30m play or so..: overall smoother , better balanced and more prominent/expanded sub bass , better stage and space clues..Sp3k sure is quite one of the airier among existing totl daps too

 

[strayears]

Thanks for the replies. boodi and nfandi it's good to know the warm up time is normal. I've been using the Pathfinder IEMs that are currently bundled free with the SP3000. Whatever short comings they may have they are good enough, and they sound fine with my other device (an old A&K SR15), so I don't think they're the main cause of what I'm hearing (which I also hear with my much cheaper headphones). Actually, the old A&K SR15 sounds more balanced and alive than the SP3000 and is more engaging to listen to.

I should add I've given it a lot of run in time, at least 60 hours now I'd guess.

zaphod 45, thanks yes I did contact A&K UK 'support' (a UK distributor I think), who asked to take a look. They returned it saying it is fine, no problems with it, which leaves me at a bit of a loss.

 

[nfandi]

Thanks for the replies. boodi and nfandi it's good to know the warm up time is normal. I've been using the Pathfinder IEMs that are currently bundled free with the SP3000. Whatever short comings they may have they are good enough, and they sound fine with my other device (an old A&K SR15), so I don't think they're the main cause of what I'm hearing (which I also hear with my much cheaper headphones). Actually, the old A&K SR15 sounds more balanced and alive than the SP3000 and is more engaging to listen to.

I should add I've given it a lot of run in time, at least 60 hours now I'd guess.

zaphod 45, thanks yes I did contact A&K UK 'support' (a UK distributor I think), who asked to take a look. They returned it saying it is fine, no problems with it, which leaves me at a bit of a loss.

Not sure what to offer you now except what you’re hearing is not what I hear. The SP3000 is without doubt one of if not the finest sounding DAPs available. It has a very clean clear sound to my ears which is neither too analytical or sterile sounding but is very musical. It is definitely not ‘dark’ sounding. Can I ask specifically when you sent it to A&K UK support did they listen to it after the 40 min switchover time to the dark sound you are hearing? I really don’t know what I can say that will help you because my SP3000 does not sound like what you describe.

 

[boodi]

1. 60 hours might not been enough. Leave it on ( play/ balanced out ) for 100+hrs.
Just to be sure of things.

2. Try couple more iem any chance you have , to understand or dismiss causes. Might give clues.

3. If 1 and 2 are done then contact A&K directly maybe .

 

[strayears]

nfandi, thanks yes I did make the 40 minute warm up clear, but I don't know exactly what they did - they had it last week and I just got it back yesterday.

And as you suggest boodi, I'll dig out some old IEMs, and also give it a but more run in.

But if the strings don't soar soon I will have to argue for a refund

Thanks for the sanity check it's helped give me sone context

 

[nfandi]

nfandi, thanks yes I did make the 40 minute warm up clear, but I don't know exactly what they did - they had it last week and I just got it back yesterday.

And as you suggest boodi, I'll dig out some old IEMs, and also give it a but more run in.

But if the strings don't soar soon I will have to argue for a refund

Thanks for the sanity check it's helped give me sone context

The question that I have in my head is if A&K say it is fine did they confirm that after the c.40 min mark did it switch from clean and clear to dark sounding? You really need to pursue this with them. Do they hear the same change as you do or not? Is this change just a figment of your imagination (not what I’m saying), is it normal for this player (not what I hear), or is it just not happening like you describe it as far as they are concerned?

 

[boodi]

nfandi, thanks yes I did make the 40 minute warm up clear, but I don't know exactly what they did - they had it last week and I just got it back yesterday.

And as you suggest boodi, I'll dig out some old IEMs, and also give it a but more run in.

But if the strings don't soar soon I will have to argue for a refund

Sure..make those simple tests and contact A&K too about the issue once those are done

Thanks for the sanity check it's helped give me sone context

Welcome

 

[boodi]

It's a 'weird' issue but....., if it happened before to someone else.. , then A&K likely would know smthing about it

so you might try pm about it to @JasonNYC here too

 

[arftech]

Hi all ... my first post

Recently bought an SP3000 and need to sanity check the collective experience against my own. I'm finding:

1) The sound signature changes significantly through the first 40 minutes of play (having just powered up), starting a bit too bright, going through balanced and then at 30 mins turning dark
2) The stable state (after 40 mins) is a dark sound, relatively bass heavy, with very little texture or bounce in the bass, no shimmer (and certainly no air) in the top end, and an unremarkable sound stage; it's not the open, slightly warm side of balanced I was expecting.

What are your experiences?

Thanks

That’s not my first experience at all using Utopias and SuperMoons.

 

[strayears]

The question that I have in my head is if A&K say it is fine did they confirm that after the c.40 min mark did it switch from clean and clear to dark sounding? You really need to pursue this with them. Do they hear the same change as you do or not? Is this change just a figment of your imagination (not what I’m saying), is it normal for this player (not what I hear), or is it just not happening like you describe it as far as they are concerned?

Yes they were a bit ambiguous about this question and I am going to have to follow this up.

Regards the figment of imagination, that's a totally legitimate thing to allude to. I did do some AB comparison with my old device to try to avoid this, still the SP3000 seems darker and thicker.

However, had an extended listening session last night and after an hour it was a little more open and engaging (though quite rough sounding), so maybe it does need a bit more running in. I'll do that for a while before pursuing things