[TommyTunes]

Does anyone know the release date of the AK DSD recorder for the 380? This site is costing me way too much money.

 

[spkrs01]

Does anyone know the release date of the AK DSD recorder for the 380? This site is costing me way too much money.

I believe Hong Kong is this weekend...

Last I heard no price was released.

 

[TommyTunes]

I believe Hong Kong is this weekend...

Last I heard no price was released.

Just saw it available for preorder on iRiver's site for $899, I may go ahead and put an order in.

 

[DrSheep]

Yes, for anyone who are interested in the AK Recorder, you can pre-order it from the official iriverinc.com site.  Personally I think it is better for "ripping" LPs to DSD128 than for live records.

 

[Jalo]

James,

I think you should go ahead, and get your CU RWAK'ed, and let me listen when you are next in Hong Kong. So do not put on the Gorrila Glass yet. I will then ask you to bring both my Cu and amp back to the states to have mine done  

I am thinking that it may actually be very worthwhile, liking very much what I heard on the stock 380 yesterday.........

 

Gavin, if you let me take your cu stack back to the states, you may not see that stack again. So a Rwak380cu for a cu stack it's a deal, done.

 

[my-2000]

I believe Hong Kong is this weekend...

Last I heard no price was released.

 
HKD6,280 for the recorder. No set price yet for the mic kit, which is the one I got my eyes on.

 

[LouisArmstrong]

Not sure whether at this level any mod is necessary. Part of the price we pay for the AK380Cu is in the sound tuning. Sure, we can always find even better parts for every part, but whether the end result is something "better" is in great doubt - especially at this price level. Can the RW folks really make things even better?
 
Yes, they once made a very good amp and did some great mods for iPods, but at this level are we entirely sure that they can still provide the same improvements, and not change things for the worse? Just some food for thought.
 
Louis Armstrong

 

[bflat]

  Not sure whether at this level any mod is necessary. Part of the price we pay for the AK380Cu is in the sound tuning. Sure, we can always find even better parts for every part, but whether the end result is something "better" is in great doubt - especially at this price level. Can the RW folks really make things even better?
 
Yes, they once made a very good amp and did some great mods for iPods, but at this level are we entirely sure that they can still provide the same improvements, and not change things for the worse? Just some food for thought.
 
Louis Armstrong

IMHO, anything that Vinnie touches will sound better. When Vinnie makes his own engineering design, it's even more amazing. Try the ALO CDM or his desktop LIO system.
 
Regarding the mod, Vinnie adds components that change the design of the power and amplification stage to enhance the sound quality. The only thing he swaps out 1-1 is the low quality internal wiring of the balanced connectors. If you read the details you will see that RWA mods have engineer facts in what Vinnie does and not flowery subjective marketing speak. As to why AK doesn't do equivalent mods/design, I believe AK is mass produced so the circuit boards would only use SMT components which limits the analog components that they can use.

 

[H20Fidelity]

A local audio shop 25 minutes away from me is now stocking the AK line. I'm going to head over and try the AK380 CU very soon.

I better not be disappointed...

 

[bflat]

A local audio shop 25 minutes away from me is now stocking the AK line. I'm going to head over and try the AK380 CU very soon.

I better not be disappointed...

LOL, say it while shaking your fist!

 

[jonstatt]

On Amazon UK, the prices of the AK380s are as follows
 
Original AK380 Titan = 2999
AK380 Copper = 3199
AK380 Black = 3199
 
As you see, the Black and Copper are the same price! Has anyone compared a Black against the original Titan to make sure the "improvements" in sound seen with the copper version are not related to something other than the casing. The UK pricing would suggest the copper version improvements may be accidental rather than intentional?!

 

[LouisArmstrong]

Not sure why but to my ears (and many Cu owners here) the AK380Cu just sounded significantly better. I couldn't convince myself to buy the original AK380 in my audition and comparison AK240, but once I heard the Cu, it was a no brainer. The best of the best of the best. Simply sublime.

 

[Kiats]

On Amazon UK, the prices of the AK380s are as follows

Original AK380 Titan = 2999
AK380 Copper = 3199
AK380 Black = 3199

As you see, the Black and Copper are the same price! Has anyone compared a Black against the original Titan to make sure the "improvements" in sound seen with the copper version are not related to something other than the casing. The UK pricing would suggest the copper version improvements may be accidental rather than intentional?!

Heheh! Well, I think spkrs01 has stated previously in this thread that AK lucked out on the use of copper. Though AK seem to have suggested differently here: http://www.whathifi.com/news/astell-kern-ak380-copper-edition-brings-sonic-benefits

 

[onlychild]

Redwine mod for Copper AK380 and Copper Amp
 
 
Been swamped with work and family so don’t have time for a full written review, but I thought I would atleast post some of my thoughts on the mod.   I have about 95 hours and about 3-4 weeks on it and here are things I’ve noticed that the mod brings.  Not trying to start an argument of the benefits of the mod or the copper housing, etc, just posting what I hear and my thoughts.  Take it with a grain of salt or base your buying decision on it, to each his own.
 
These comments are using the AK+amp with my Hifiman Edition X and Moon Audio Black dragon cable running balanced.   These improvements are noticeable with my Roxannes and Jh16s, but nowhere as much as with the Edition X.  Same goes for most of the equipment I’ve heard in the last 10 years, improvement/differences are just more noticeable with full size headphones vs IEMs
 

• The entire spectrum has improved, bass mids highs. 
• Bass goes deeper and hits tighter.  I’ve noticed bass notes in songs I’ve been listening to for years that I didn’t hear before.  This is some of the best bass and it does’t over power the other spectrum and its only called upon when the song has it.
• Soundstage has improved drastically.  Much more open.
• There is an effortless feel to the sound that I didn’t quite get b4 the mod.  I made this bold because I don't know how to describe it better, but this is one of the biggest advantages of the mod. 
• B4 the mod, I did notice that some highs were sibilant, actually on a lot of songs, and after the mod, none whatsoever.  I think this has a lot to do with the cheap ribbons cable and connectors that are used in the balance path that the mod replaces with Litz copper.
• Micro details, Micro details, Micro details, Micro details, did I mention micro details- wow, tons and tons.  Details i’ve never heard before in songs i’ve listened to for years.  This has a lot to do with grounding to the copper housing as it gets rid of majority of noise (noise I didn’t know existed until it was gone) and the mod just brings more of the details up front.  There were tons of details b4 the mod, but after, I just hear more of them and hear them clearly.   
• Somehow, the sound stays neutral while still sounding very musical.  I was comparing to my ALO dual mono (using the ak as source) and what I notice is that with the CDM as the amp,  almost all the songs sound nearly the same.  Bass is pronounced, mids are great, etc etc.  Song after song, they have nearly the same signature.  With the AK, each song is its own and sound very different from one another.  Songs that emphasize bass, its more pronounced there, songs that emphasize cymbals, its more pronounced there, so each song is very different on the AK, a real pleasure to re-listen to your entire library cause you get to hear it in a way you didn’t before. With the CDM they all sound very similar.  I think the Plussound 8-wire copper interconnect I was using between the ak and CDM has a lot to do with changing/coloring the sound signature.  If you want a very neutral, uncolored sound that is also very musical, then playing straight from the ak amp is probably the best choice.
• I’m selling my CDM.  I’ve gone back and forth and actually prefer using the ak with the ak amp vs the CDM.  There’s just something to the sound with the RWAKcu+amp that gets lost with the CDM as the amp.
• Before the mod, I actually preferred the CDM cause I found the sound from the AK to be not as “full” sounding as I liked, after the mod, the CDM is going up for sale.
• The mod has done exactly what I was hoping for, make the 380 my one and only go to source/amp.   

 
 
Edit : Forgot to add, Highs sound more natural.  Cymbal hits actually sound like real cymbals.  Again, I think this has to do with the ribbon cable that was removed.  Before, highs had a little metallic sound to it that is no longer present.
 
I opted not to get the Redwine Labels put on the Copper ak or amp.

 

[bflat]

  Redwine mod for Copper AK380 and Copper Amp
 

• There is an effortless feel to the sound that I didn’t quite get b4 the mod.  I made this bold because I don't know how to describe it better, but this is one of the biggest advantages of the mod. 

Well done!
 
What you describe is a similar revelation I had when I did the RWA mod to my past AK240 so I'm a big believer in Vinnie's mods. One question - how does RWA380cu DAP by itself with your JH IEMs compare to CDM? I don't plan to use full size headphones and a single smaller DAP that can stand up to my current DP-X1/CDM stack would be great.