Astell&Kern A&ultima SP3000T
Sep 19, 2024 at 9:51 PM Post #331 of 425
Sep 19, 2024 at 10:03 PM Post #333 of 425
Next SP3000T firmware update will be released in September. Some of the updates included in the next firmware update are:

  • Fixed Apple Music Issue allowing latest version of app to be installed
  • Add battery protection mode
  • Add charging settings in USB DAC mode - ability to turn battery protection mode on/off from USB DAC screen
  • DSD 6-channel support
Any news regarding the firmware update?
 
Sep 23, 2024 at 9:32 PM Post #335 of 425
Next SP3000T firmware update will be released in September. Some of the updates included in the next firmware update are:

  • Fixed Apple Music Issue allowing latest version of app to be installed
  • Add battery protection mode
  • Add charging settings in USB DAC mode - ability to turn battery protection mode on/off from USB DAC screen
  • DSD 6-channel support
The new SP3000T firmware should start rolling out in the next few hours.
 
Astell&Kern Stay updated on Astell&Kern at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
https://www.facebook.com/astellnkern/ https://twitter.com/astell_kern https://www.instagram.com/astellnkern.official/ https://astellnkern.com astellnkern@astellnkern.com
Sep 24, 2024 at 9:36 AM Post #336 of 425
The new SP3000T firmware should start rolling out in the next few hours.
Sorry, I was a day early accounting for the time difference between the US and Korea. The firmware update will be released late tonight (9/24)/early tomorrow morning here in the US/Europe.
 
Astell&Kern Stay updated on Astell&Kern at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
https://www.facebook.com/astellnkern/ https://twitter.com/astell_kern https://www.instagram.com/astellnkern.official/ https://astellnkern.com astellnkern@astellnkern.com
Sep 24, 2024 at 2:19 PM Post #337 of 425
Sorry, I was a day early accounting for the time difference between the US and Korea. The firmware update will be released late tonight (9/24)/early tomorrow morning here in the US/Europe.
Haha no worries. I tried last night and this morning and figured it will come when it is ready. Thank you for the heads up!
 
Sep 24, 2024 at 3:12 PM Post #338 of 425
Hi everyone 👋🏽
I am new to the hobby and having never had a HiRes DAP before, I have short-listed Sp3000t, Cayin N8ii, Hiby R8ii and Sony WM1ZM2. Could anyone (who has listened to some or all of them) please tell me which one would be a better pick in terms of sound quality? Or is that way too a subjective question? Cheers
It is very subjective but if you answer important questions it is possible to help you.
1. What will you associate the dap with? Open, closed, in-ear (iem) headphones.
2. What kind of music are you going to listen to? 3. How to listen to you? Streaming or recorded file.
4. What are the important qualities of a dap for you? Autonomy, power, portability, etc.
 
Sep 25, 2024 at 1:52 AM Post #339 of 425
It is very subjective but if you answer important questions it is possible to help you.
1. What will you associate the dap with? Open, closed, in-ear (iem) headphones.
2. What kind of music are you going to listen to? 3. How to listen to you? Streaming or recorded file.
4. What are the important qualities of a dap for you? Autonomy, power, portability, etc.
Sure thing:

1. I will only be using it for iems.
2. I listen to a variety but my most listened genres are rock and indie. So bands like Tool, Porcupine tree, Pink Floyd, The Black Keys, Arctic Moneys etc
3. I will be streaming from YT Music. I know YT quality is not in the same league as Qobuz or Tidal but a lot of international music that I listen to is only available on YT.
4. Sound quality is the most important for me. Also, although portability is a must (I will be mostly using it on the move), I don't mind bigger daps as long as I can get the best possible quality.

Thank you 🙏🏽
 
Sep 25, 2024 at 12:04 PM Post #340 of 425
Sure thing:

1. I will only be using it for iems.
2. I listen to a variety but my most listened genres are rock and indie. So bands like Tool, Porcupine tree, Pink Floyd, The Black Keys, Arctic Moneys etc
3. I will be streaming from YT Music. I know YT quality is not in the same league as Qobuz or Tidal but a lot of international music that I listen to is only available on YT.
4. Sound quality is the most important for me. Also, although portability is a must (I will be mostly using it on the move), I don't mind bigger daps as long as I can get the best possible quality.

Thank you 🙏🏽
I have both sp3000t and cayin n8ii and to me I like sp3000t better especially with hybrid amp mode of sp3000t.
1. The n8ii is quieter on my very sensitive iems like the CA andromeda 2020 but not by much. They still make a little background noise especially in tube amp mode.
2. I found that the n8ii, using Rohm dac module, sounds more stuffy and a tad bit thicker than even the sp3000t's full tube amp mode. The soundstage of sp3000t is just wider and it offers a lot more details in the song.
3. The only downside to the sp3000t is that it is not an open android system and its wifi connectivity is a little sketchy so if you want to stream mainly from youtube music, you might find the n8ii more compelling.
4. The portability of both devices are about the same. Both are heavy as a brick and would not fit in most of my pant's pocket😆.
Hope this will help make your decision.

Cheers.
 
Sep 25, 2024 at 2:57 PM Post #341 of 425
Sure thing:

1. I will only be using it for iems.
2. I listen to a variety but my most listened genres are rock and indie. So bands like Tool, Porcupine tree, Pink Floyd, The Black Keys, Arctic Moneys etc
3. I will be streaming from YT Music. I know YT quality is not in the same league as Qobuz or Tidal but a lot of international music that I listen to is only available on YT.
4. Sound quality is the most important for me. Also, although portability is a must (I will be mostly using it on the move), I don't mind bigger daps as long as I can get the best possible quality.

Thank you 🙏🏽
If you listen exclusively to iems then you don't necessarily need a nuclear power plant like the FiiO M17 to drive your iems. Especially at the top end of the market, you won't have any power problems.

If you have sensitive iems and the dark background is important to you, I'd still advise you to be careful with tube daps, which are still less silent than the others. The best I've tried for background silence is the SP3000.

Daps like the Cayin N8ii, Hiby RS8, FiiO M17, are real bricks, heavy and cumbersome. I find that Astell&Kern daps are thick enough to be relatively transportable in a suitable pocket. I understand your choice for Youtube music, but I've personally never tried it on a dap.

Do not forget also that the key word is synergy. The most expensive equipment may very well not work well together. Each manufacturer and dac technology (AKM, ESS, CS, R2R, etc.) has a different rendering, amplification also plays a very important role.

The best thing to do in any case is to try out the equipment for yourself with your music and your iems, nobody has your ears.
 
Sep 25, 2024 at 4:01 PM Post #342 of 425
The first tests show that with the battery protection mode enabled (charge up to 85%), the following happens when connected to a power source and listening to music at the same time. I chose one of the heaviest modes: FLAC 24/192, tube amplification (highest level), crossfeed. When disconnected from the power source, such a configuration consumes approximately 30-35% of the battery charge per hour. The test began with a battery charge of 71%. The charger showed floating data of 5.2-7.0V / 0.2-2.1A / 0.3-11W. The charge slowly went up and after about 20-30 minutes reached 85%. Then everything changed. The charger shows a stable 6.2V / 0.9A / 5.5W with the screen on and instantly switches to 6.2V / 0.6A / 3.7W when the screen is turned off. At the same time, the battery charge remains constantly at 85%. This instant transition from 3.7W to 5.5W when the screen is turned on indicates that the power is coming from the network, therefore the battery is disconnected and we have a truly desktop mode for listening to music. The player heated up very little in an hour, almost cold. First impression is very gooood.
 
Sep 25, 2024 at 8:39 PM Post #343 of 425
The first tests show that with the battery protection mode enabled (charge up to 85%), the following happens when connected to a power source and listening to music at the same time. I chose one of the heaviest modes: FLAC 24/192, tube amplification (highest level), crossfeed. When disconnected from the power source, such a configuration consumes approximately 30-35% of the battery charge per hour. The test began with a battery charge of 71%. The charger showed floating data of 5.2-7.0V / 0.2-2.1A / 0.3-11W. The charge slowly went up and after about 20-30 minutes reached 85%. Then everything changed. The charger shows a stable 6.2V / 0.9A / 5.5W with the screen on and instantly switches to 6.2V / 0.6A / 3.7W when the screen is turned off. At the same time, the battery charge remains constantly at 85%. This instant transition from 3.7W to 5.5W when the screen is turned on indicates that the power is coming from the network, therefore the battery is disconnected and we have a truly desktop mode for listening to music. The player heated up very little in an hour, almost cold. First impression is very gooood.
How is the sp3000t connect to the pc? Do you use the power from the pc's usb port exclusively or connect it via wall charger and play the song within the dap itself?
 
Sep 25, 2024 at 9:28 PM Post #344 of 425
I have both sp3000t and cayin n8ii and to me I like sp3000t better especially with hybrid amp mode of sp3000t.
1. The n8ii is quieter on my very sensitive iems like the CA andromeda 2020 but not by much. They still make a little background noise especially in tube amp mode.
2. I found that the n8ii, using Rohm dac module, sounds more stuffy and a tad bit thicker than even the sp3000t's full tube amp mode. The soundstage of sp3000t is just wider and it offers a lot more details in the song.
3. The only downside to the sp3000t is that it is not an open android system and its wifi connectivity is a little sketchy so if you want to stream mainly from youtube music, you might find the n8ii more compelling.
4. The portability of both devices are about the same. Both are heavy as a brick and would not fit in most of my pant's pocket😆.
Hope this will help make your decision.

Cheers.

Thanks! That is very helpful.
Not having open Android is a bit of a downer, I hope it doesn't mean I won't be able to download YT music app on it - I will check.
 
Sep 25, 2024 at 9:32 PM Post #345 of 425
If you listen exclusively to iems then you don't necessarily need a nuclear power plant like the FiiO M17 to drive your iems. Especially at the top end of the market, you won't have any power problems.

If you have sensitive iems and the dark background is important to you, I'd still advise you to be careful with tube daps, which are still less silent than the others. The best I've tried for background silence is the SP3000.

Daps like the Cayin N8ii, Hiby RS8, FiiO M17, are real bricks, heavy and cumbersome. I find that Astell&Kern daps are thick enough to be relatively transportable in a suitable pocket. I understand your choice for Youtube music, but I've personally never tried it on a dap.

Do not forget also that the key word is synergy. The most expensive equipment may very well not work well together. Each manufacturer and dac technology (AKM, ESS, CS, R2R, etc.) has a different rendering, amplification also plays a very important role.

The best thing to do in any case is to try out the equipment for yourself with your music and your iems, nobody has your ears.

Oh that's a good point - I do have some campfire iems that are super sensitive to hissing, so that's something that might cause an issue. I will have a chance to demo both of these in a couple of weeks time (when I go away for holidays), so I'll test them with a few different IEMs.

Appreciate your help 🙏🏽
 

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