[jlingo]

  Hi Jlinjo,
 
Sorry I noticed the picture and didn't see your comments regarding the improvements in sound quality.  That's really amazing!!!.  The external amp alone is real a step up sound quality wise and then with the mod it improves even more.  WOW !!!  I'm ready for the mod.  If I don't have to carry that Hugo around I'm going to be real happy..  I just hope AK will release the integrated AK380+External Amp case really soon.
 
Sincerely,
-Speed

Since you already have Hugo, I think it's best for you to hear and compare the two for yourself. I don't know if it's worth it to jump to AK380+AMP if you already have hugo.
I'm also looking forward to AK380+AMP casing.

 

[speedracer1]

 
Hi Speed,
1. Sound Quality wise I can't be happier, It's the typical Red Wine Audio House Sound. High Extended, midrange seductive, tighter bass. I love the RWAK House Sound, until I upgraded all into RWAK240, RWAK240SS, and RWAK380.
2. Sound is a very subjective thing more like wine, in my case, I hear the sound quality difference to be very apparent. 3 things which are very apparent: Extended High, Seductive midrange, and Tighter bass. 
with AK380AMP, you simply get a wake up call, it's alive and powerful: Richer detailed sound, better control, and the bass not only tighter but weight slam.
3. I'm using 1.17 firmware
4. I only sent Vinnie the AK380 to become RWAK380.

That's what I needed to hear I'm going to send mine in to Vinnie!!!
 
The sound improvement between the AK 240 to the 380 alone was a very nice chance.  Yes I agree, the AMP really helps wake up the capability of the 380 in all sound aspects.  But now you have the advantage of the mod both that effects the AK380 player standalone and with the AMP with both the headphones and line out improvements as well!!!  HOLLY CRAP!!!  I have the Layla's (love them) and soon to have the KSE-1500 and with the line out improvements it should be as good as it gets.
Sincerely,
-Speed

 

[speedracer1]

  one can buy a used ak100 and pair it with a chord mojo for a fraction of the cost of the 380 with amp and my money is on the sound quality from the 100/mojo combo....i have the 120 and the 240 and my 120 with the mojo or hugo for that matter is better than the 240 plus enables me to drive my hard to drive cans.....i for one cannot conceive of paying north of 4K for the 380 with amp when i can pair the 100 with the mojo for less than 1k....but then that it just me i suppose

jlbrach,
 
I don't disagree it's clearly expensive... NO question...But after I get the mod...Let's get together and compare the AK240 or the AK100 and mojo combo vs. the AK380 with amp and RWAK mod.  I can meet you in the city sometime in the beginning of December and we can listen together objectively.
 
Sincerely,
-speed

 

[ATSCODE]

  Quote from Red Wine Audio, Vinne email. So basically, AK380 AMP sound also affected by the MOD, therefore doesn't bypass the MOD.
"
I tested the 4-pin line out before and after the mod.  Since I don't have an AK380 AMP, I had to hard wire internally to it and terminated the wires with a 2.5mm TRRS male plug for my ALO CDM (and Kobiconn 4-pin for my SR-71B), and yes, the sonic improvements did transfer to the line-out as well.
 
We class-A JFET bias the opamps in the dacs' analog output stages, and that passes to the line out as well.  And
the added capacitance to the battery and the analog output voltage rails improves the line out signal as well as both headphone
output signals.
 
But I would say that the mods are even more noticeable with the headphone outputs.  And if you using the line-out to the AK380 AMP,"

 
Did Vinnie say anything about modding the AMP, as well?

I'd very much prefer to have both the DAP & AMP modded, if possible.

 

[speedracer1]

   
Did Vinnie say anything about modding the AMP, as well?

I'd very much prefer to have both the DAP & AMP modded, if possible.

Vinnie,
 
Did say he was going to look into the AMP mod.  I posted on this before here post # 2283 about 4 weeks ago: snipit below:
 
I spoke with Vinnie from Red Wine Audio and below everything I could gather...
 
RWAK380 modification will be available by the end of this month. Similar to the RWAK240. Specifically:

1. Adding more capacitance > 2,000uF of low ESR capacitance - this really improves dynamics, punch, speed, bass quality (tightness, definition) ... just like you get with a good quality external headphone amp.

 

1. Utilizing bypass caps in certain locations to open up the top end some more. Not to make it brighter... just to get a little more sense of space in the recordings that is missing compared to other stand-alone amps., and to get a little more decay and low level detail.

  
This modification will be a nice improvement no matter if you use IEMs or full size cans.
 
However to get the most out of harder to drive headphones like the HE1000s, LC2/3's (and potentially the LCD-4), HD800, etc. more power is needed.
 
Therefore Vinnie is looking into two other options.  However it’s not finalized yet!
 
The two options maybe:

1. RWAK380H modification.  (H for high output power). RWAK380H would add a dedicated balanced output stage to the RWAK380 that would actually be installed *inside* the AK380 and has will have the power of a very strong desktop amp!  Powerful enough to drive HE-6s. It would replace the stock balanced output of the AK380 (but the SE would remain the same as the RWAK380). It's still a Class AB output stage (not Class D), but a lot more output power and still fit inside your pocket.

 
Of course those who don't need the extra power would not need the RWAK380H mod.
 
The second option maybe:

1. Look into AK380 external amp and decide if it makes sense to mod it

 
Vinnie is hopeful there will be more room inside (the amp) and perhaps he could install his custom balanced output stage inside. He is weighing decisions with regard to power draw and potential reduction in play time (of the AK380 DAP) by an hour or two if one is playing music loud into harder to drive cans.  As more output power = more current draw from the battery.
 
Your feedback to Vinnie is very much appreciated as he continues working on RWAK380H mod (to either be used inside AK380 DAP, or inside AK380 external amp instead. As he put it to me: “The RWAK380H would definitely be the most powerful DAP available... and for those with cans that need the power, it will blow your mind, baby ”
 
Sincerely,
Your friend in audio.
-Speed 

 

[Apina]

First post in the AK380 thread so hi to all,

Vinnie is already looking into the possibility of modding the AK380 amp.
I sent him mine as a sacrificial lamb to play around with

 

[bmichels]

I sent him mine as a sacrificial lamb to play around with

 
You are brave !
 
A while ago I also suggested Vinnie to try to INCREASE the CAPACITY  (external SSD ? full SD connected externally to the Micro-SD slot, .... )

 

[jlbrach]

jlbrach,
 
I don't disagree it's clearly expensive... NO question...But after I get the mod...Let's get together and compare the AK240 or the AK100 and mojo combo vs. the AK380 with amp and RWAK mod.  I can meet you in the city sometime in the beginning of December and we can listen together objectively.
 
Sincerely,
-speed
 
silly comparison,the ak100 with the mojo would cost me about 850 dollars...the combo you speak of would run about 5K.....having owned pretty much every combo possible I am quite confident that the Mojo or Hugo with an AK100 will be as good as the combo you speak of and if not it would be so marginal as to make the huge cost differential crazy.....I would not argue that a person could like one combo or the other more but the differences are marginal either way...if the cost differential was a couple of hundred dollars it would be worth investigating but for an additional 4K i will pass 

 

[musicday]

Can Vinnie do,has any modifications in mind for Lotoo?
Or is already too good sounding/powerful to be modified?

 

[Apina]

I've had the iMod, RWAK120-B and the RWAK240-B in the past.
Vinnie has always been a guy that backs up his work so it wasn't such a big deal to send the amp through to him.

Main point being if others can benefit with just an amp mod instead of the expensive dap then it makes more sense.

I'll keep you all posted how it's going since he mentioned it's a 50/50 thing at the moment. First he needs to have a good rummage around to see what is possible.

For now I have the AK380 with the noble k10u which sounds great.... But not as good as out of the AK amp to be honest.

 

[laurencewayne]

Question for fellow 380ers: it seems some have tried 200 San disc micro cards and they function fine. But the instructions clearly state 128 is max. Any thoughts or experiences?

 

[sutjahjo]

[COLOR=FF0000]jlbrach,

 

I don't disagree it's clearly expensive... NO question...But after I get the mod...Let's get together and compare the AK240 or the AK100 and mojo combo vs. the AK380 with amp and RWAK mod.  I can meet you in the city sometime in the beginning of December and we can listen together objectively.

 

Sincerely,

-speed[/COLOR]

silly comparison,the ak100 with the mojo would cost me about 850 dollars...the combo you speak of would run about 5K.....having owned pretty much every combo possible I am quite confident that the Mojo or Hugo with an AK100 will be as good as the combo you speak of and if not it would be so marginal as to make the huge cost differential crazy.....I would not argue that a person could like one combo or the other more but the differences are marginal either way...if the cost differential was a couple of hundred dollars it would be worth investigating but for an additional 4K i will pass 

Not true, I am using both AK100+Hugo vs AK380+Hugo, the later combo is clearly superior.

 

[warrior1975]

Pointless argument, you will not get anywhere.

 

[kerrys30]

Question for fellow 380ers: it seems some have tried 200 San disc micro cards and they function fine. But the instructions clearly state 128 is max. Any thoughts or experiences?

 hi - i use 200GB sandisc just fine for 380. 

 

[laurencewayne]

Thanks for the response. I'll give it a go.