[Jalo]

 One thing I noticed was with the latest upgrade on the 380 when using the EE Zeus R the bass and highs actually sound better. 
 

That is exactly my concern.  I like good strong bass but at the same time I also like clear, crisp, clean, airy, extended high.  Over the years my experience teaches me that those two qualities are not easily obtained together.  As soon as the bass is increased, the whole sound frequency usually becomes warm and looses that surreal and airy quality which I am not willing to give up. That is how I felt with the RWAK240ss.  That is why I have not upgraded to FW 1.25 yet.  I hope to hear more feedback from forum members about the differences between the new FW.

 

[prismstorm]

 
There is definitely a difference with the RW mod on the AK380 the sound is definitely more natural sounding then the original AK380 with the highs clearer and the bass sounding much cleaner. 
From my recollection there have been several people that have commented more or less the same on this mod.
 
If you are using just IEMs then the RWAK380 is more than enough, if you are using full size cans then definitely having both the AK380 and AKAMP modded is well worth it. I use to have both but the combo was just too powerful for the EE Zeus R.
 
I was going to sell both the RWAK380 and RWAKAMP and get the copper version of the AK380, after talking to Vinnie he said it's not worth the extra money. He has modded both units and said inside they are identical in every way. With the same SW he mentioned in a blind test you would hear no difference.
 
So I sold the amp and have been very happy with the standard AK380 with the Red Wine Audio mod

  

so would you say RWAK380 (what I currently have) is more than enough for K10, Katana, Andromeda (and all of the TOTL iems out there)? I do have the amp (unmodded) but I use it (on high gain) with the Layla and the Ether very occasionally. The Mojo has tons more power though for the Ether, so the amp usually sits in a box at home. 
 

  I am please that someone of Vinnie's experience has justified my own choice - I listened extensively to both the 380 and 380 copper before buying the 'original' 380 as I could hear not the slightest difference between them. Worried at the time that my hearing was going

Yes, Apina's post above (and Vinnie's advice) confirmed my inability to hear any difference between the Copper and the original AK380, I used the same iem, the same file, on matching volume, with both DAPs side by side. Get the original to save some weight and not have to deal with oxidation and polishing. 

 

[bflat]

Any luck getting ALO CDM to work with the new OTG out on the AK380?

 

[Ultrainferno]

Not yet on my end

 

[jonstatt]

  I am please that someone of Vinnie's experience has justified my own choice - I listened extensively to both the 380 and 380 copper before buying the 'original' 380 as I could hear not the slightest difference between them. Worried at the time that my hearing was going

 
 
We always knew they were identical in terms of the PCB etc. A theory was that the copper shell had an accidental (and positive) effect on the analogue circuitry (the headphone amplifier). I spent some time comparing and with some IEMs I couldn't hear a difference and with others I could. The SE846 I could hear a difference with (better) but with the IE800 I was struggling. I am not in the "sublime, simply sublime" camp and do my best to be objective in comparisons, but I am convinced there was a difference. It was not, to me, night and day. Part of my reason for the copper purchase was just to have something a bit different and more unique.

 

[LouisArmstrong]

   
 
We always knew they were identical in terms of the PCB etc. A theory was that the copper shell had an accidental (and positive) effect on the analogue circuitry (the headphone amplifier). I spent some time comparing and with some IEMs I couldn't hear a difference and with others I could. The SE846 I could hear a difference with (better) but with the IE800 I was struggling. I am not in the "sublime, simply sublime" camp and do my best to be objective in comparisons, but I am convinced there was a difference. It was not, to me, night and day. Part of my reason for the copper purchase was just to have something a bit different and more unique.

It is an objective observation that the AK380Cu is simply sublime. Agree that the difference may not be night and day to everyone - but if you upgraded straight from the AK240 like I did, the change is pretty amazing. And if one paid the price to upgrade from AK240 to stock AK380, there is no reason why he should not go the very last stretch and get the AK380Cu instead. Let's just say the coating isn't for everyone though. 

 

[klove4252]

  Any luck getting ALO CDM to work with the new OTG out on the AK380?

Nope. Pretty disappointing. 

 

[TaylorDawe]

   
 
We always knew they were identical in terms of the PCB etc. A theory was that the copper shell had an accidental (and positive) effect on the analogue circuitry (the headphone amplifier). I spent some time comparing and with some IEMs I couldn't hear a difference and with others I could. The SE846 I could hear a difference with (better) but with the IE800 I was struggling. I am not in the "sublime, simply sublime" camp and do my best to be objective in comparisons, but I am convinced there was a difference. It was not, to me, night and day. Part of my reason for the copper purchase was just to have something a bit different and more unique.

Sorry, jonstatt, I didn't mean to denigrate anyone else's opinion (although, re-reading my somewhat hasty post I can see how it might come across like that), so my apologies. I was just happy that someone who's opinion's I sort of have to respect (the guy mods them for goodness sake) seemed to agree with my impressions. And happy that it wasn't down to my 'lack' of hearing.

 

[bflat]

  Not yet on my end

 
 

  Nope. Pretty disappointing. 

 
Bummer. That is a deal breaker for me.

 

[raypin]

mmm.....AK 380 cu  is sublime, sublime, sublime. Lol! Might as well throw this in the pot: the super-duper special AK all-the-way reference in-ear system that I've test the past couple of months - AK 380 cu + cu amp + AK Crystal Cable  Next balanced + AK Beyerdynamic AK T8iE. Guaranteed to please your ears that so very few in-ear system can ever hope to match......and, yeah, I'm keeping the Aesopica case in use. Hmmmp! From Bee Gees, Diana Krall, Justin Bieber, Nordic Sound, Snoop Dog, LSO, David Ebo, Aretha Franklin, Society of Sound  Jazz at the Pawnshop, Renee Olstead....etc.....it just delivers. There must be a reason why they bear the AK co-brand.....it is synergy.
 
Best regards,
An AK loyalist!
 
P.S. 1.25 rocks!

 

[Kiats]

Finally got around to updating the FW in the 380Cu to 1.25. Immediate impressions are that it is quickly apparent that the sonics, on my tralucent plus5, are more atmospheric. It gives a sense of being enveloped by the music. The sound is denser and more layered now. There's a 3D sense to the music.

So far, I do like this new FW.

 

[Gosod]

Finally got around to updating the FW in the 380Cu to 1.25. Immediate impressions are that it is quickly apparent that the sonics, on my tralucent plus5, are more atmospheric. It gives a sense of being enveloped by the music. The sound is denser and more layered now. There's a 3D sense to the music.

So far, I do like this new FW.

what firmware are you using?

 

[Kiats]

[COLOR=111111]what firmware are you using?[/COLOR]

As stated in the first line: 1.25...

 

[Jalo]

Finally got around to updating the FW in the 380Cu to 1.25. Immediate impressions are that it is quickly apparent that the sonics, on my tralucent plus5, are more atmospheric. It gives a sense of being enveloped by the music. The sound is denser and more layered now. There's a 3D sense to the music.

So far, I do like this new FW.

What is atmospheric to you? Can you describe it further? Do you mean it is more airy? And is the difference noticeable? When you say "being enveloped by the music" Do you mean bigger sound stage? Or do you mean the music is more out of your head? Is the closeness to the music about the same? There there changes to the bass, mid and treble ranges?

 

[Jalo]

Does anyone knows if AK publishes software changes with each FW release? This is standard practice in the software industry. If not I wish AK will do it instead of having customers guessing what changes are made with each new release? Or will they response if anyone ask AK? It shouldn't be a secret, should it? I also don't understand AK FW policy. It seems once you upgraded to the new FW they won't let you go back, or at least the older version is not available on their website. Other dap manufacturers like Ibasso will keep all versions on their website so you can choose which one to go back to.