[Sauntere]

  If anyone is interested from E INFINITY STORE ON EBAY UK - A BRAND NEW
 
AK380 FOR £2,500 (that's £500 of original price)! Does anyone know much about this store.

 
I have bought from there before and had no problems. Service was good actually.

 

[hemtmaker]

I think with expensive item such as ak380, manufacturer warranty is quite important, especially with AK's reputation......

 

[warrior1975]

Maybe they are an authorized reseller? I agree though, I'd only purchase this thing new with a warranty.

 

[stevemiddie]

The one advertised on the UK Ebay actually ships from Hong Kong. By the time you've paid import duties, shipping etc you won't have saved any money and you may actually be without a valid warranty
 
At 2,500 UK pounds that is the same as 3,900 US dollars
 
At 3,000 UK pounds it becomes 4,700 US dollars.
 
At those UK prices I think I would rather fly to the US, have a short holiday and come back with an AK 380 as well

 

[PhilW]

£2500 + UK VAT = £3000
£3000 is SRP.

 

[stevemiddie]

  £2500 + UK VAT = £3000
£3000 is SRP.

I'm lucky I guess coz although I'm a Brit I'm currently working in Qatar. I ordered my 240ss version through Amazon.com (Prime) for just under 3,000 US dollars. 
 
No import duties in Qatar for personal stuff.
 
I was just looking at your website about an hour ago Phil. Do you ship minus VAT to Qatar? 

 

[jwbrent]

I just saw an ad for the 380 with its leather case on. What attracted my attention is the amp module was attached. It looks strange that the 380 is with leather but the amp is not.
 
Brings to question if there is a 380SS in the future, will the add-ons be available in SS or will it be a two tone affair.

 

[bflat]

  I just saw an ad for the 380 with its leather case on. What attracted my attention is the amp module was attached. It looks strange that the 380 is with leather but the amp is not.
 
Brings to question if there is a 380SS in the future, will the add-ons be available in SS or will it be a two tone affair.

That's a question I posed early on. Where does the SS grounding benefits apply - digital signal or analog signal or both? If it's mostly on the analog side, then a 380SS with an aluminum amp would make no sense. But the real concern is if they do SS for both, my god, that will cost like a billion dollars! Well, I would predict AK380SS to be $4500 and an amp-ss to be $2500. If true, it might as well be a billion for me anyway.

 

[takoyaki]

I found a way to remotely control the AK380 from Apple Watch.
It is to install a DLNA player soft "mconnect player free" to iphone. Then the AK380 is possible remote control via "mconnect play free".

 

[unknownguardian]

I found a way to remotely control the AK380 from Apple Watch.

It is to install a DLNA player soft "mconnect player free" to iphone. Then the AK380 is possible remote control via "mconnect play free".

hi takoyaki san. saw this on your twitter as well. nice sharing with us here. anyway the AK380 Tower was AMAZING.

 

[takoyaki]

hi takoyaki san. saw this on your twitter as well. nice sharing with us here. anyway the AK380 Tower was AMAZING.

This one?

 

[Duncan]

Okay, so deadly serious question, having the ZX2 and the AK Layla, would I benefit massively (outside of being able to run in balanced mode) by getting the 380? I love the ZX2 dearly but, I have money burning a hole in my pocket...

I would need a next level sound improvement though, which worries me with the 240 vs 380 comments, considering the ZX2 is supposed to sit shoulder to shoulder with the 240...

Chances of a demo are slim to zero...

 

[PhilW]

Okay, so deadly serious question, having the ZX2 and the AK Layla, would I benefit massively (outside of being able to run in balanced mode) by getting the 380? I love the ZX2 dearly but, I have money burning a hole in my pocket...

I would need a next level sound improvement though, which worries me with the 240 vs 380 comments, considering the ZX2 is supposed to sit shoulder to shoulder with the 240...

Chances of a demo are slim to zero...

 
Yup I would say it would be. The AK380 is astonishing especially with the Layla.

 

[rudi0504]

Today is my second day of Ramadhan Holiday .
I have more time to do comparison between my AK 240 ss more than 100 hours vs AK 380 just burn in 14 hour

Source :
Set up A : AK 240 SS
Set up B : AK 380

Amp :
Mass Ko Bo 404

Headphone :
LCD 3 Fazor with AK Crystal Cable prototype

Sound Quality :

As pure DAPs :

Set Up A : AK 240 SS
High :
Has better clarity and extended high than AK 380

Mid :
Is not as sweet and natural and neutral than AK 380

Bass :
Is faster and cleaner Bass and less detail than AK 380
Bass impact about the same as AK 380

Separation :
It is slightly behind AK 380

Soundatage :
Is smaller than AK 380 .like medium Concert Hall

Background :
Slightly less black background than AK 380

Set Up B : AK 380

High :
Has better micro detail and very smooth high than AK 240 SS
Overall better present

Mid :
Very sweet , natural and neutral Mid has better pronounce than AK 240 SS

Bass :
Very good in detail and has deeper bass but slightly slower speed than AK 240 SS
Bass Impact about the same .
Overall AK 380 has more natural bass sound

Separation :
AK 380 has better music separation .that i can detect individual instrument more accurate.

Soundstage :
Wider and deeper soundstage more 3 D persentation like big concert hall

Background :
Has better Black Background that i can hear better micro detail.

Overall :

AK 380 as the Winner again AK 240 ss .

The Improvement is about 20% for better micro detail .cleaner back ground .that we can hear the music more relax with a lot of micro .
Imo

Set Up C with Amp

Source :
AK 240 SS
AK 380

Amp :
Mass Ko Bo 404

Cable :
Trrs to Trrs by Charles Wong

Headphone :
LCD 3 Fazor with AK Crystal Cable prototype.

Overall :
With an Amp AK 380 is Better as Source compare AK 240 SS

High :
Is better in detail and better presentaion.

Mid :
Is sweeter and thicker and more natural mid

Bass :
Has fuller Bass sound and better Bass detail and impactSeparation :
With an Amp i can hear better separation on AK 380

Soundstage :
Is wider and has better depth

conculsion :

As Pure DAP AK 380 Sq differrent is about 15 to 20 %

With an Amp .
the Sq is more than direct as pure DAP.

AK 380 has fuller sound and the position from individual instrement has better placement.
IMO

 

[jwbrent]

Today is my second day of Ramadhan Holiday .
I have more time to do comparison between my AK 240 ss more than 100 hours vs AK 380 just burn in 14 hour

Source :
Set up A : AK 240 SS
Set up B : AK 380

Amp :
Mass Ko Bo 404

Headphone :
LCD 3 Fazor with AK Crystal Cable prototype

Sound Quality :

As pure DAPs :

Set Up A : AK 240 SS
High :
Has better clarity and extended high than AK 380

Mid :
Is not as sweet and natural and neutral than AK 380

Bass :
Is faster and cleaner Bass and less detail than AK 380
Bass impact about the same as AK 380

Separation :
It is slightly behind AK 380

Soundatage :
Is smaller than AK 380 .like medium Concert Hall

Background :
Slightly less black background than AK 380

Set Up B : AK 380

High :
Has better micro detail and very smooth high than AK 240 SS
Overall better present

Mid :
Very sweet , natural and neutral Mid has better pronounce than AK 240 SS

Bass :
Very good in detail and has deeper bass but slightly slower speed than AK 240 SS
Bass Impact about the same .
Overall AK 380 has more natural bass sound

Separation :
AK 380 has better music separation .that i can detect individual instrument more accurate.

Soundstage :
Wider and deeper soundstage more 3 D persentation like big concert hall

Background :
Has better Black Background that i can hear better micro detail.

Overall :

AK 380 as the Winner again AK 240 ss .

The Improvement is about 20% for better micro detail .cleaner back ground .that we can hear the music more relax with a lot of micro .
Imo

Set Up C with Amp

Source :
AK 240 SS
AK 380

Amp :
Mass Ko Bo 404

Cable :
Trrs to Trrs by Charles Wong

Headphone :
LCD 3 Fazor with AK Crystal Cable prototype.

Overall :
With an Amp AK 380 is Better as Source compare AK 240 SS

High :
Is better in detail and better presentaion.

Mid :
Is sweeter and thicker and more natural mid

Bass :
Has fuller Bass sound and better Bass detail and impactSeparation :
With an Amp i can hear better separation on AK 380

Soundstage :
Is wider and has better depth

conculsion :

As Pure DAP AK 380 Sq differrent is about 15 to 20 %

With an Amp .
the Sq is more than direct as pure DAP.

AK 380 has fuller sound and the position from individual instrement has better placement.

 
Thanks, rudi, for your observations. A 15-20% improvement makes the 380 a viable upgrade over the SS. Without the amp, did you find the SS more capable of driving the LCD-3s to higher levels? Also, I'd be interested in your observations with a Hugo.
 
At some point, one has to make the decision to get off the upgrade train and be happy with what they have. This is where I find myself with my SS, but it's good to know what further improvements can be made by A&K's design team.