[bflat]

  Very true, but it all boils down to how the software handles tracks and tagging.  Do you know whether there is some kind of automation, or it is all just manually breaking up the tracks and tag them yourself?

I thought about doing this a couple years back so my info may be a little out of date. There are auto rip software programs. You just manually match up the album against an online database and the software auto detects the tracks from there. However the thing that put me off is that there is no way to rip faster than you can play at normal speed so an hour long album will take you an hour to rip and of course have to manually flip the side. I just don't have the patience to spend 100 hours ripping 100 hours of music. Here is the software that I looked at:
 
http://www.channld.com/purevinyl/

 

[DrSheep]

I thought about doing this a couple years back so my info may be a little out of date. There are auto rip software programs. You just manually match up the album against an online database and the software auto detects the tracks from there. However the thing that put me off is that there is no way to rip faster than you can play at normal speed so an hour long album will take you an hour to rip and of course have to manually flip the side. I just don't have the patience to spend 100 hours ripping 100 hours of music. Here is the software that I looked at:
 
http://www.channld.com/purevinyl/

That's very nice, and this problem is hard to crack.  In the extreme case in the future I suppose you can laser scan the LP's surface and make some assumptions for the DA conversion to speed things up, but this will never be the same as playback then record.

 

[highwind2008]

Well done, Astell&Kern!  Can't wait to buy one! 

 

[Troisanneaux]

AK300 will be a hit. This really is value for money and and absolute successor to the AK240.
And the player has access to the amp and the new recorder what the AK240 doesn't have.
Personally I like the black a lot.

 

[Watagump]

 
AK300 will be a hit. This really is value for money and and absolute successor to the AK240.
And the player has access to the amp and the new recorder what the AK240 doesn't have.
Personally I like the black a lot.

 
 
Its an entry level player, the 240 is still above it, so a successor, not sure what you mean.

 

[Troisanneaux]

@Watagumb - You're right about that.

 

[goldendarko]

 
AK300 will be a hit. This really is value for money and and absolute successor to the AK240.

I'd be surprised, the DP-X1 just launched for less money and with more features. This looks like a lackluster release to me, and quite frankly I'm not sure what gap it fills in their lineup?

 

[InfiniteGene]

  I'd be surprised, the DP-X1 just launched for less money and with more features. This looks like a lackluster release to me, and quite frankly I'm not sure what gap it fills in their lineup?

The AK300 probably replace AK100ii.... perhaps we will see an AK400 series later this year?

 
 
1st they say AK380amp is exclusive to AK380, next with the announcement of AK320 followed by AK300, they tell ppl that both models are able to dock with the AK380amp which does not sit flush and with the AK320 being gunmetal in color, it doesn't compliment the amp in any way...

 

[NPWS]

   
 
Its an entry level player, the 240 is still above it, so a successor, not sure what you mean.

+1
ak300 just replace the ak100ii throne
ak240 still above ak300/320. IMO

 

[InfiniteGene]

  +1
ak300 just replace the ak100ii throne
ak240 still above ak300/320. IMO

+1 and totally agree... Design aesthetics will still go to AK300 series... 

 

[masterpfa]

   
All very silly ... I get excited every time there's a rumor of a new AK release ... and disappointed EVERY time that a few simple, but significant issues, remain.
 
Ah well ... if the Onkyo DP-X1 doesn't prove to be a suitable replacement, there's always the FiiO T3.

I feel your pain, I will always keep an eye out for anything new, usually just out of interest or to be considered for a future purchase if the worse happens to my current DAP's AK100MKii and DP-X1
 
I hope you like the Onkyo, I have enjoyed using mine and personally have found the Balanced/ACG output to be better than the 3.5mm SE.
I am also keen on developments in the Fiio T3.
 
I do admire A&K for a common theme among the AK3xx players because at least there is an AMP module and the new recording module that can be used with all 3 available DAP's. It will be interesting to read the reviews

 

[masterpfa]

  Mmmm......recorder is nice but it should not be the selling point of the AK 300. As a headphile, I am more interested in how it fares against the rest of the AK line-up and, of course, against other DAPs in terms of SQ. What does the 300 bring to the table, besides the lower price point?

This is the Million Dollar question
 

 

[qafro]

What about Spotify?? [quote name=
Yeah but no TIDAL streaming or talk of MQA capability. How can you release a product in 2016 for that much without these features?[/quote]

 

[howdy]

What about Spotify?? [quote name=

Yeah but no TIDAL streaming or talk of MQA capability. How can you release a product in 2016 for that much without these features?

[/quote]

 

That is what I was wondering to, it says you can download Google apps and Tidal and Spotify would be those. I think you would be able to load your "offline" content to the internal 64gbs.

Also, according to their website this would be a "successor" (or better than) to the AK240 as they always list them Best to worse.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

How are they charging so much for their players when the Onkyo DP-X1 is coming in at the $800 price range and comes with a balanced out option and a killer screen, WiFi, etc, etc.?