Astell&Kern AK120 DUAL DAC MQS Portable DAP available now direct from iriver & Astell&Kern!

[JmoonAK]

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AK120 Dual DAC ​

Mastering Quality Sound (MQS) Portable System​

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Hello Head-Fi'ers!
 
We're at Astell&Kern are proud to announce the US launch of the Astell&Kern AK120 Dual-DAC Mastering Quality Sound (MQS) Portable System and is now available to order at the iriver/Astell&Kern E-store!
 
Buy it now for $1299 and receive free shipping! (Applies to US residents only). It even comes with a free genuine 100% leather, made in Italy leather case and a 15% discount coupon code for at HDTracks.com!

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Astell&Kern AK120 DualDAC Features:​

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1. Dual Wolfson WM8740 DACs: Provides true Dual-Mono setup for better channel separation, broader dynamic range, and wider soundstage
2. USB & S-PDIF External DAC function (USB external DAC function support coming soon)
3. Mastering Quality Sound High-resolution digital audio playback up to 24bit/192kHz
4. 64GB of Internal Flash Memory & Dual MicroSD card slots support up to 64GB in each slot
5. PRO EQ Preset: R
   ecreate the live concert experience in your pocket.
6. 2.4" capacitive 16MM IPS touchscreen (320x240)
7. 14 hours of continuous audio playback (FLAC 24bit/96kHz)

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About the AK120 DualDAC Mastering Quality Sound Portable System:​

 
Dual-DAC / Dual Mono: Broader Dynamic Range & Wider Soundstage!
 
The AK120 not only meets the standards of Hi-Fi audio, but also utilizes two DACs (digital to analog converters) maximizing the dual-mono set up to completely separate and isolate the left and right audio channels. As a result, the AK120 delivers broader a dynamic range and wider soundstage so that you can enjoy an even more realistic music experience.  Enjoy the great MQS music up to 14 hours, which was made possible by the same ultra-low-power design that was unveiled with the AK100.

 

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The Professional Equalizer (PRO EQ) Preset Re-creates the Feeling of Live Music
 
After the Astell&Kern engineering team listened to various genres of music for hundreds of hours, the AK120's PRO EQ preset was created to help to users recreate the live concert experience in their pocket. Through countless hours of testing, listening, and development, the Pro EQ preset and the Dual Wolfson DACs of the AK120 lets users clearly experience the live soundstage of the music.
 
A good sound comes from a recorded piece of music, expressed in the way the artist intended to be heard. The focus of the PRO EQ preset is to create the soundstage through the music. For example, with the PRO EQ preset turned on for a quartet performance, the position of each of the four individual musicians can be heard clearly.
 
 

64GB of Internal Flash Memory + Dual Micro SD Card Slots = Up to 192GB of Storage Space
 
The AK120 comes with double the internal flash memory of the AK100 and provides 64GB of high-speed internal flash memory. The dual Micro SD memory card slots are capable of supporting up to 64GB of memory in each slot.
 
Store up to 192GB of high-resolution audio with the AK120.
 

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Updated User Interface
 
The updated GUI offers even faster selection of your large library of high-resolution music. Setting up the equalizer to your desired sound is also easy and is simple as a swipe of your finger. 

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The main GUI screen now consists of six (6) key icons to help navigate and play your favorites quickly. Touching the upper part of the main menu instantly brings you back to the “Now Playing” screen. Access your current playlist in a flash by touching the left side of the “Now Playing” screen. Touching the “Option” icon brings up the other option settings, including the EQ. The dedicated UI design gives easy access of music and makes the AK120 a true hi-resolution audio companion.
 

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Technical Specs ​

 

1. Dimensions: 2.3" x 3.5" x 0.6" (in) 
2. Weight: 5oz 
3. DAC: Dual Wolfson WM8740 (24bit/192kHz) 
4. Display: 2.4" IPS Touchscreen (320x240) 
5. Memory: 64GB Internal / Dual MicroSD card slots (64GB each) 
6. Audio Formats: WAV / FLAC / MP3 / OGG / WMV / APE / AAC / AIFF / ALAC / DSD (coming soon)
7. Bluetooth: 3.0 / A2DP 
8. Output Level: 1.5Vrms 
9. THD+N: < 0.0008%/1kHz 
10. Signal to Noise: 113dB 
11. Frequency Response: ± 0.02dB (20Hz ~ 20kHz) 
12. Jitter: 50PS 
13. Output Impedance: 3Ω

 

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Additional Pictures​

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Got questions? Private message me, post here in the thread, or shoot our customer service team an email at: support.inc@iriver.com!
 
-JMoonAK
Astell&Kern

 

 

 

 

 

 

[superjohny]

US only.....

 

[Audio Addict]

Can it take a USB input to use its DAC from a phone, tablet or laptop?

 

[livewire]

Beautiful piece of monolithic kit. So tempting...
Really like the milled knob shroud, nice improvement.
Have you considered  a knob-less implementation?

 

[JmoonAK]

Quote:

Beautiful piece of monolithic kit. So tempting...
Really like the milled knob shroud, nice improvement.
Have you considered  a knob-less implementation?

The idea on a volume-knob less design has been discussed, but no implementation on a new product yet.
 
Quote:

Can it take a USB input to use its DAC from a phone, tablet or laptop?

Yes! With the soon to be released firmware update, the AK120 can most certainly be used as a USB DAC.

 

[Audio Addict]

The idea on a volume-knob less design has been discussed, but no implementation on a new product yet.

Yes! With the soon to be released firmware update, the AK120 can most certainly be used as a USB DAC.

That just increased the potential but will it work as a USB DAC for an Android phone or tablet?

 

[JmoonAK]

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That just increased the potential but will it work as a USB DAC for an Android phone or tablet?

As long as you can select a specific audio output channel on the tablet (in this case, the AK120 USB DAC), then the USB DAC feature should work fine.

 

[GSARider]

Hi JMoon are you following the AK120 impressions thread with the replies regarding the software update on the AK120?

 

[KT66]

US only.....

Yes another US only deal ! They already get better pricing , it's us poor Europeans who need the discount !

 

[musicheaven]

I am ecstatic, this cannot come any better even though the price seems to be high compared to the AK100 having the DAC functionality makes it a more attractive unit.
 
I just wished they used the WM8741 instead for both units, this would have made it the DAP to own at any costs.