[jay-w]

Where are Astell & Kern from? I see their website is in English or Korean.
 
edit. I just found out they used to be iRiver.

 

[DrSheep]

No iriver is still iriver, and they started the AK brand to up market, so AK is just a brand within iriver.

 

[georgelai57]

No iriver is still iriver, and they started the AK brand to up market, so AK is just a brand within iriver.

A la Toyota and Lexus

 

[Mython]

  No iriver is still iriver, and they started the AK brand to up market, so AK is just a brand within iriver.

 
 
Yes, I wonder if iRiver decided they maybe just weren't ripping-off their customers enough, and maybe weren't playing on their customers' psychological inadequacies enough - and maybe urgently needed to do something about that.
 
Now, following the creation of a 'premium' brandname, a bucketload of shiny marketing, some chummy friendships with certain influential people, and the result is that customers can feel a tiny bit less inadequate, with the reassurance that buying an overpriced gadget helps them to 'be the Ultimate'. They also have the reassurance that they can dispose of thousands of dollars of unwanted ca$h every 12 months or so, on an ongoing basis, for marginal SQ improvements. I just hate the idea of having too much cash, so I think of it as a disposable-income-relief subscription.
 
Amazingly, this seems to fit the demographic of a large proportion of head-fi members.
 
 
Frankly, I'm amazed no one has yet realised that it'd be easier to set up a direct-debit to automatically be relieved of several thousand dollars on an annual basis...

 

[Richsvt]

I don't understand your attitude. No one is making you purchase this stuff. If you feel you are being played, don't buy their stuff.
BTW, every money making retail institution in the world is doing what they can to get your money. How you respond is your choice. Don't like their position, refuse to buy their products.
 
Back on track, I for one, love the design, despite the fact that it seems 'dumbed down' to fit this market place at this price.
Could be I have GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)...I love new toys.

 

[Mython]

Look a little deeper beneath the surface and you might understand why I feel they are such a deeply and thoroughly obnoxious company. It's more than just the obvious.
 

---

 
Anyway,
 
I hope this iRiver Jr DAP competes on-par with offerings in the same price-bracket.
 
If it does, then great - it is nice to see some more compact DAPs finally creeping into the audiophile DAP marketplace. I still use my old Cowon J3 because it is so compact.

 

[gHeadphone]

Anymore ideas on why the SD card is maxed at 64GB?
 
Im sorely tempted to replace my X3 with this.

 

[clee290]

  Anymore ideas on why the SD card is maxed at 64GB?
 
Im sorely tempted to replace my X3 with this.

There is a post on Astell&Kern's Facebook saying that 128GB Micro SD cards might work when formatted in FAT32. Won't really know if it's true until someone gets their hands on a Jr though
 
https://www.facebook.com/alex.an.9843/posts/892283447476792

 

[walkman666]

 
There is a post on Astell&Kern's Facebook saying that 128GB Micro SD cards might work when formatted in FAT32. Won't really know if it's true until someone gets their hands on a Jr though
 
https://www.facebook.com/alex.an.9843/posts/892283447476792

 
If this is true, I'd consider getting one. I like my DX90, but it only has 8gb on board storage and that with my 128gb card requires me to make cuts about which tunes I copy over.  If the AK Jr took 64 + 128. I could move my entire library over, with about 20-30gb to spare.

 

[DrSheep]

 
If this is true, I'd consider getting one. I like my DX90, but it only has 8gb on board storage and that with my 128gb card requires me to make cuts about which tunes I copy over.  If the AK Jr took 64 + 128. I could move my entire library over, with about 20-30gb to spare.

I mentioned this before, but I will test this when I get mine.  Also, someone else did confirmed it worked, but not much detail.

 

[BensonTT]

Subbed

 

[Fluffy Muffinz]

The ASTELL&KERN AK JR is AU$699 in Australia.
 
IMO, that's still a bit steep for a music player but that's coming from a person who isn't a music buff, so your mileage may very. 
Once the price drops a bit, I'll definitely consider it but for now I'll wait. 
I'm sure it will become more affordable in time. 

 

[chailee80]

The [COLOR=333333]ASTELL&KERN AK JR is AU$699 in Australia.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]IMO, that's still a bit steep for a music player but that's coming from a person who isn't a music buff, so your mileage may very. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]Once the price drops a bit, I'll definitely consider it but for now I'll wait. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]I'm sure it will become more affordable in time. [/COLOR]

Yeh it is a bit steep but I haven't seen any other mid/high end daps available here in oz that are as slim as the junior so I'm quite keen to get my hands on it.

 

[Fluffy Muffinz]

Yeh it is a bit steep but I haven't seen any other mid/high end daps available here in oz that are as slim as the junior so I'm quite keen to get my hands on it.

yeah definitely,
 
I've always had this urge to get a ipod touch. Especially since on gumtree you can get a 32gb for under $200. However since I already have a phone it would feel like carrying around 2 phones in my pocket. The AK Junior looks to be at least to my eyes a little smaller, like a blown up ipod Nano. 
 
I'll probably just stick with my phone for now but it wouldn't be terrible to own a device just for music if it's not going to be inconvenient for me to carry 2 devices.
 
Either way the AK Junior looks like the perfect size for people who also will be carrying around a phone (which would be 99% of the population) also. I only hope that the price drops quite significantly or that I can find it for such a price for me to justify owning one for myself. 
 
 
.

 

[davidcotton]

   
If this is true, I'd consider getting one. I like my DX90, but it only has 8gb on board storage and that with my 128gb card requires me to make cuts about which tunes I copy over.  If the AK Jr took 64 + 128. I could move my entire library over, with about 20-30gb to spare.

If you need more space can you not get one of those micro sd to sd card extenders and just have the card of your choice in there?