[bmichels]

  No word on Tidal implementation? 

 
That is " THE important " question !

 

[S Crowther]

Why would anyone think integration with qobuz or tidal is on Iriver's radar at the moment?
It would mean a rewritten operating system that allowed apps.to function.
The present limited link to qobuz does not have streaming or even purchase abilities,I guess for just that reason.

 

[Uncle E1]

Still not a fan of streaming, high-res or not.  Using mainly DSD at the moment.

 

[bmichels]

Why would anyone think integration with qobuz or tidal is on Iriver's radar at the moment?...

 
well, BECAUSE it was already promised and demonstrated by A&K for the AK240, and for some reasons, it never really reach full implementation.
 
From a past press release : 
 

 

[S Crowther]

The picture shows nothing much more than the present qobuz implementation.
In fact,as I posted here then,at the time of the press release I emailed qobuz and asked if we could expect streaming and they replied yes.
When the qobuz store arrived it was download only of albums already bought on a computer.

I guess the reason is as I said in my last posting.

 

[harmonix]

As a non-tech user, the dac chip part number mean very little to me as i google to find out they are cheap **** anyway..i think the paw gold has less storage, primitive UI but a longer battery life and a true line out...but considerably cheaper

As a tech user the dac chip part number also means very little - it's the full implementation that is more important.

 

[jwbrent]

I just read on Enjoy the Music that using the balanced output will now be automatically selected by the 380. There's a few more tidbits from the Newport Beach show on its site.

 

[bflat]

 
good to know.

Every time I see and article like this, it brings back fond memories when I worked at NEC back in 90s. I remember seeing the first prototype solid state music player that held a whopping 256 MB of music and would cost something like $8,000 back then. So what does all this mean? An AK380 back in 1990 would have cost a cool $8 Million. What a bargain today at just $3500!!

 

[musicday]

I think the first mp3 player in the world with flash memory was iRiver IFP 180 with 128mb released in 1999.

 

[jwbrent]

I think the first mp3 player in the world with flash memory was iRiver IFP 180 with 128mb released in 1999.

I owned a Rio 500 which came out, I believe, at the same time. Don't recall the storage but it wasn't much.

 

[bflat]

I think the first mp3 player in the world with flash memory was iRiver IFP 180 with 128mb released in 1999.

That sounds about right. I know it wasn't NEC because the execs that saw the prototype were like "What!! Who the hell is going to pay that kind of money just to listen to music????" Instead, they ok'd a product that was a $5,000 HD Tube TV that could play endless loops of an aquarium or fireplace. Those didn't sell too well so you use to see a lot of those TVs in all of the NEC offices.
 
LOL, I totally forgot that MP3 didn't exist back then I think I remember that the prototype could hold about 5 songs.

 

[Simon T]

Does anyone know, when will Astell & Kern release the details and pricing of the AK380 eco-system (i.e. amp, dock & CD writer)?
 
Thanks

 

[seeteeyou]

AK380 Launching event in HK just finished.
 
AK380 Limited stock will be available in HK this weekend!
 
https://www.facebook.com/alex.an.9843/posts/909013695803767
 

---

 
Unboxing video by Alex An
 
https://www.facebook.com/alex.an.9843/posts/909049622466841
 
http://youtu.be/0OEHiWn7uvM
 

 

[Ike1985]

  Still not a fan of streaming, high-res or not.  Using mainly DSD at the moment.

Almost none of othe music I like is available in DSD format, how do you find the music you like in DSD format?

 

[Uncle E1]

 
Almost none of othe music I like is available in DSD format, how do you find the music you like in DSD format?

 
Mr Google