TaylorDawe
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The FAD FI-BA-SS you mention look surprisingly like my AKR02s - are they the same thing? Mine have removable cables and so on, but superficially look nearly identical.
Astell&Kern AK380
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The FAD FI-BA-SS you mention look surprisingly like my AKR02s - are they the same thing? Mine have removable cables and so on, but superficially look nearly identical.
They are most likely slightly different, it's just like how AK has their own version of the Beyerdynamic T1 and JH Audio Serien Series IEMs.
TaylorDawe
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RodLaird
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Has anybody any inside info as to whether A&K are going to update the Tidal app on the AK3xx to play their "MASTER" streams. (I presume the MASTER streams are MQA - given recent announcements from the MQA consorrtium - but may be wrong)
I pinged the US A&K Facebook page and got a quick response saying any update was "to be determined" - but if it came it would be an OTA firmware update (Doh!)
I have been impressed by the Tidal master stream quality on my computers and so have my fingers crossed. For me this would be a "killer" upgrade...
cheers from Oz
Rod
I pinged the US A&K Facebook page and got a quick response saying any update was "to be determined" - but if it came it would be an OTA firmware update (Doh!)
I have been impressed by the Tidal master stream quality on my computers and so have my fingers crossed. For me this would be a "killer" upgrade...
cheers from Oz
Rod
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It seems what AK gets are specs to the Tidal API and AK writes their own Tidal app (possibly like this unsupported GitHub Tidal sub-initiative). I'm speculating (rightfully? wrongfully?) that there are probably multiple spec sheets to different levels of API that has varying level of features within Tidal. I would guess that there'll be different pricing for different feature set of API? Someone please do feel free to correct me if I'm right or wrong.
Alumi
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It will be interesting to know is it possible to enable mqa in ak380 dac… that is the only way to enjoy mqa in 24/192. Firmware I think can only give software decoding up to 24/96… On computer there is only software encoding, but I agree that is really good)
http://www.audiostream.com/content/mqa-decoding-explained#rMO0WbkUuQukDxhU.97
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I met Alex An for the first time today & had a brief chat with him about MQA. My understanding from the conversation is that both H/W & firmware required to the AK devices for MQA support. As such it's still no confirmation of AK's direction about MQA.
So it seems it's not posaible to enable MQA on existing AK players.
So it seems it's not posaible to enable MQA on existing AK players.
Mm..hopefully the upcoming flagship (and other future models) will have the necessary MQA hardware modifications. It seems to me a natural step for A&K to take (hi def streaming music + hi quality DAP).
Samuel777
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This is a commercial argument! really you could work with them
Can't really hear a difference between 24/96 & 24/192 anyway. So, Software decoding will be OK for me if it is properly done...
Also, I believe that A&K will implement MQA decoding only in their next TOL AK4xx to .... "force" users to upgrade from their older AK3xx player
Mm..I'd like to take the sunny side of the road and just believe that addional hardware is needed that will enable full
MQA implementation rather than take a cynical view. Also, it is a foregone conclusion that A&K customers will upgrade anyway. It is in our DNA. Admit it. It is a money pit . Lol!
MQA implementation rather than take a cynical view. Also, it is a foregone conclusion that A&K customers will upgrade anyway. It is in our DNA. Admit it. It is a money pit . Lol!
RodLaird
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Alumi
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Hope AK staff read this thread and believe us to make MQA enchancement on current AK models))
Rei87
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Can't really hear a difference between 24/96 & 24/192 anyway. So, Software decoding will be OK for me if it is properly done...
Also, I believe that A&K will implement MQA decoding only in their next TOL AK4xx to .... "force" users to upgrade from their older AK3xx player
I have no idea if it is my fortune or bane that my music genre hardly, if ever, releases stuff in MQA. Heck, I'll be happy to even see anything above standard lossless flac....
That said, I for one have very little intention to upgrade from my CU. After being with my CU for the better part of a year, it has really grown onto me. But, if upgradetitis does come biting, I'll just wait till end 2017 to do a full musashi mod. I have a friend who upgraded his 240SS with said mod, and not even the 380CU could tempt him. So with that as a reference point, I can only imagine how the CU musashi mod will sound like
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