[Mimouille]

mmm......yes but the competitors in the same price league  have digital output (e.g. Fiio X3 = coax out and line out). For mainstream consumers, it does not matter, I know. But for people like us, it is just unacceptable (considering digital/line out are device multipliers in terms of function and performance).

Once again, I do not think they really compete. Fiio X3ii is the entry price all rounder Audiophile player, while the Jr is the high end in ultra portable, much smaller then the Fiio. To me it competes with the Lotoo Paw 5000, Sony A17 maybe.

 

[LajostheHun]

Once again, I do not think they really compete. Fiio X3ii is the entry price all rounder Audiophile player, while the Jr is the high end in ultra portable, much smaller then the Fiio. To me it competes with the Lotoo Paw 5000, Sony A17 maybe.

High end? I thought that was their entry level as well.

 

[Mimouille]

High end? I thought that was their entry level as well.

Yes but it is a high end brand, and it is the most expensive of the ultra portable DAPs.

 

[LouisArmstrong]

AK380 ultra portable? Don't think so.

 

[Mimouille]

AK380 ultra portable? Don't think so.

If you had read the beginning, you would know I was referring to the JR.

 

[warrior1975]

To be honest, once you get to the X3ii, the differences up from there are minimal. I very much doubt that volume matched and given a choice of five daps with the same music cued to the same second, anyone would reliably tell one player from the next unless the DAC chips in one were skewed for warmth and another for accuracy. We passed the limits of practical improvement long ago.

But the differences in build quality, in design, in labour, in UI quality, in screen, in touch, in in-built memory, etc., are massive from the low and middle end on up.

Couldn't agree more. Having owned and Rwak120b, ak100ii, ak120ii, zx1, zx2, and an AK240... I'd have no idea which is which if I was blind folded (volume matched)... You could probably throw and ipod touch 5g and I wouldn't be able to hear a difference.

2 I'd have a chance I of knowing is my Fiio X1 and Fiio X3, as to me they have the highest noise floor, and the X3 is full of bass...

Still extremely curious in the ak380...

 

[mysony1]

So the AK380 may be a better "source" that the AK500n ? 

Sorry, I haven't got a chance to try on the ak500n.

 

[LouisArmstrong]

Couldn't agree more. Having owned and Rwak120b, ak100ii, ak120ii, zx1, zx2, and an AK240... I'd have no idea which is which if I was blind folded (volume matched)... You could probably throw and ipod touch 5g and I wouldn't be able to hear a difference.

2 I'd have a chance I of knowing is my Fiio X1 and Fiio X3, as to me they have the highest noise floor, and the X3 is full of bass...

Still extremely curious in the ak380...

I think AK is heading towards the route of Bose / B&O. AK380 sounds okay-ish, but is it better than the 240? To my ears the Hugo definitely still stands head and toes above the AK380. This quoted post (and the post quoted by it) seemed to suggest that the difference lies in build quality etc - which is totally fine - as we know, B&O / Bose both have their loyal customers, who think that they are on the top of the audiophile world once they get either brand. I see lots of similarities here. 

 

[raypin]

mmm...from a consumer point of view, the Fiio and the AK jr. belong to the same target market: Entry to mid-tier market segment for DAPs. Here's why: A consumer looking at the Fiio X3 or X5 will, in all likelihood, also look at or consider the AK Jr. or the iBasso DX50. Of course there are price differences but the differences in price will not be enough of a market barrier as, say, the price difference Fiio X3 and the AK 380. Now, going back to my previous post, my only point was I decided not to buy the AK Jr because of the lack of digital out/line out unlike other DAPs, over or under the AK Jr. price. That should be clear enough.

 

[rudi0504]

After long waiting since 3 July 2015 for the Custom released.
Today Fedex delievered my dream AK 380 .
Now no more dream .it is true AK 380 in my hand .

Thank you Fedex and Indonesia Cuatom not opened the Box from my AK 380 .

I am very happy now , that i received my AK 380 is Virgin Original Box hahaha.

I would like to share open the box my AK 380

Impression out the box :
Sound Quality is high end

This is really Master Peace from Astell And Kern Korea
Beside my AK 240 SS.

More detail i will post later after burn in

 

[ATSCODE]

@rudi0504
 
What cable are you using for your MH335DW-SR? 

 

[jwbrent]

Hi rudi,
Looking forward to your thoughts comparing the 380 to the 240SS ... 

 

 

[mysony1]

Hi Rudi,

Congrats on your new AK380, this is a totally different level of enjoyment for this new Astell & Kern.

Especially on the new tuning sound signature.

 

[mysony1]

Hi all,

Not many peoples will use Bluetooth on AK the player.

Just to share the experience, tested the ak380 with using bluetooth connection and do have great improvement on the connection compare to all previous all AK models.

Within 18 feet in range, it won't have any issue at all.

 

[AlanYWM]

Not sure if it has been reported here but I found the scanning of the SD card on the AK380 to be extremely fast compared to the previous AK models. It took literally seconds to scan a 128GB card with nearly 100GB of music.