[cheznous]

http://www.cirrus.com/en/pubs/proDatasheet/CS4398_F2.pdf

I have no idea what any of that stuff means, but there appears to be many things that can be tweaked.

If they changed the sound they would surely be obliged to say. After all that's why you bought the thing.
So unless they say I reckon it's not true.
This nonsense about the 240 change being so much worse we had to restore an earlier version. Nah, just attention seeking. No change.

 

[Saraugie]

  http://www.cirrus.com/en/pubs/proDatasheet/CS4398_F2.pdf
 
I have no idea what any of that stuff means, but there appears to be many things that can be tweaked.

 
I went to the data sheet and the word filter is mentioned 64 times. Some I think can be altered with software.
 

If they changed the sound they would surely be obliged to say. After all that's why you bought the thing.
So unless they say I reckon it's not true.
This nonsense about the 240 change being so much worse we had to restore an earlier version. Nah, just attention seeking. No change.

 
You'd think so......it would be the correct thing to do.
 
This should not be a 'cable' type discussion. There are measurements that can be taken and people at the companies selling updatable products that can say whether a change affects sound.
 
Chez you asked it also, has any manufacturer when releasing updates for DAPs stated a SQ change? Anyone know?

 

[immtbiker]

  Hi immtbiker,
 
Are you asking me or mentioning some of the potential effects of a FW upgrade?
 
-Speed

No speedy. It was a general question posed to the group.

 

[bflat]

   
My only problem now is that I now have to decide which earphones to keep. The JH Audio Angies sound beautiful when paired, with bass at about 3pm. The SE846's are like a party in the head - the subwoofer is really used by the AK380 as it outputs well rendered bass even down there (see my earlier comments about Yulunga by Dead can Dance). The T5p's are probably the most spacious sound, but they are not portable so I only listen to them in my office at home. Decisions, decisions, wish I could afford K10's and Layla's as well. The AK380 makes me want to go to the next level because I know thats where it belongs.
 

 
Great review!
Just sell off your SE846 and Angies and go with Laylas. You just got the TOTL DAP. You know what you have do!

 

 

[goodvibes]

Yet AK don't mention any updates change the sound. So perhaps it's all wishful thinking.

On your part? 

 

[vnmslsrbms]

   
I went to the data sheet and the word filter is mentioned 64 times. Some I think can be altered with software.
 
 
You'd think so......it would be the correct thing to do.
 
This should not be a 'cable' type discussion. There are measurements that can be taken and people at the companies selling updatable products that can say whether a change affects sound.
 
Chez you asked it also, has any manufacturer when releasing updates for DAPs stated a SQ change? Anyone know?

Not a DAP, but PS Audio when releasing firmware updates for their DACs often state sound changes.  There's not much of a reason not to, since if they are making changes to the sound, and it was meant to make it sound better, then they would say so.  If it didn't make it sound better, I doubt they would even make that change.  So I don't think sound was really changed by the firmware.  Another example, the iBasso firmware updates for the DX100 were changed in sound, and they talk about that with users.  It's not a secret.  Some like it, some don't.  

 

[mysony1]

You should try AK380 to WA7 via RCA.  Wow!  What an amazing combo.





I wish I had the 234 MONO here.  Tyll has it.  

Love those woo audio amp. Can't find any of this in HK.

 

[zniper2984]

where on earth does the AK380 cost 2800$?!

I know where.

 

[immtbiker]

Please leave any name-calling, personality pigeonholing and/or character assassinations...out of the forums. 
 
Otherwise I will need to go back and cleanup some posts. 
 
More music discussion, less politics, please! 

 
 
*Oops…another moderator already did it for me….

 

[raypin]

Mmmm......I just did price check and I can get an AK380 here in Manila at around 2883.00 dolyares amerikano.  (was less a while ago but the exchange rate of Php to USD just spiked up). Two dealers with same price.  And, yes, it is sealed, brand-new unit with standard warranty.

 

[Mimouille]

It's crazy that it can already be found at 700$ below official retail price.

 

[immtbiker]

It's crazy that it can already be found at 700$ below official retail price.

Teaches us something about being early adopters.This hobby causes me to crave immature instant gratification. But that's part of the fun!
 
Companies like Shure would take away an authorized dealership if they found one of their sellers was watering down their Brand.
 
Amar Bose insisted that everyone sell Bose for MSRP. That changed as soon as he died. Now, they've lost their elitist status, be it that it was "plastic" elitist at best.
Same thing is happening to Beats, but they are laughing all the way to the bank.
 
iRiver makes a quality product. Whether or not it's priced properly, is a personal decision. Same with Chord.

 

[raypin]

Mmm....check differences in taxes. Europe's tax way too high. Hong Kong is supposed to be duty-free but their cost of doing business (specially in terms of commercial real estate rental or lease rates) are very high, so they  cannot afford to offer substantial discounts. I know because I regularly travel to Hong Kong to buy headfi gear that are not readily  available here.

 

[lextheimpaler]

Its selling for HK$28,000 in HK after discount.

 

[immtbiker]

When I was an audio salesman in the '80's, we had a guy/store in Manhattan, called "Uncle Steve's", whom we sold wholesale to.
 
His prices were unbeatable because he kept 2 different sets of books. One set was for all of the chachkas that he sold, like video tape (what's that?

), power adapters, accessory stuff.
But, his other high dollar item sales, like front $4000 front projection tv's (what's that?

) and $2500 cameras, etc. He sold them at his wholesale cost, so no one could possibly match his prices because of his immense buying power, and these were on his other set of unreported books. So what this enabled him to do, was pocket the 8% sales tax, which was a good hit on the big purchases. No one could undersell him.
 
There was a line out of his door on Canal Street. Of course, eventually he had plenty of time to count his money from his jail cell.