The price is lower than I expected but still incredibly close to the price of SR-009. Yes you'll need a dedicated amp and a good source for a 009 - but that's just one example of what other items that kind of money can get you (besides an iRiver). When in doubt, I would compare DAPs with my graphics cards and feel more comfortable when I think that my graphics cards mostly become obsolete in 6 months (my latest is Titan X in SLI). But compared with any other head-fi or hi-fi equipment, the value of digital gadgets and in the worst case, DAPs, depreciate fastest in the whole audio chain. That's where the money lies - and that's the reason why we see tons of DAPs being made by unheard-of manufacturers in recent years yet there are very few notably good portable headphone amps out in the market which can compare with the few classics.
Digital products get depreciated really fast. If you haven't yet, invest in a pair of good headphones, a pair of good speakers or lush IEMs like the Layla. At least they don't get old every 6 months. If you already have them and want to drive them to the max with extra money, by all means get the AK1080 or whatever is the latest. I am not teaching people how to spend money but I see some of my friends become obsessed with DAP and portable amp upgrades, eating up all the marketing stuff (e.g. naming a product with no western connection at all to X&Y) and yet using not so great IEMs or headphones. I often tell them to cool their heads - go get a pair of Kaiser 10, Layla or even just the SE846 and drive them through an iPhone would improve the sound quality a whole lot more than driving their IEMs (I won't name which) with a $10,000 portable 4-hit combo stack (how to make 4? Portable battery obviously).
