Astell&Kern Launches New R-2R DAP and IEMs at High End Munich 2023

[Nomax]

Get ready for a dark matter debate on head fi!

But not with me, I have to rest for the High End in Munich next week

NOMAX

PS.lol

 

[Trinkle]

He always laughs when he sees and hears about even more drivers....which make the shells bigger, heavier,unwearable and more expensive


Ultimately, it will lead to a normalization in the implementation of these, which means less is more.

Yes his IEM was the best-selling IEM in the high-price segment many many years ago with over 100.000 Units worldwide
And last it was Apple that bought his patent for 1 million usd
(The integration of a balanced armature transducer into the sound channel of dynamic transducer element)

Other manufacturers can only dream of this...because they are not ahead of the game....as he was over a decade ago
If you charge 2000,3000,4000 or 5000 usd for an IEM nowadays, you should at least be able to come up with real innovations...which I simply miss with most of the IEM manufacturers.....but this is my humble opinion


NOMAX

PS.lol

Was he related in the development of AKG K812. Do you know from the top of your head, which notable headphones he worked on ?

Edit : Found this article https://pro.harman.com/insights/har...light-bernhard-pinter-akg-headphone-engineer/
He worked on 812 and 712 so his new toy should be at least decent in the soundstage department

 

[Nomax]

Yes that will be a joy when the C....... will appear in the fall
On the Sp3000,I am with the Nutopia at 105-110 in balanced mode
With his new toy at 95-100 with the included Penatconn Cable

NOMAX

PS.lol

 

[agrosash]

Alright this DAP has my curiosity piqued. I'm currently listening to my Vision Ears VE8 with an iFi xDSD Gryphon using Roon mostly (I also have Qobuz and Apple Music). It's great. Can anyone with experience with A&K DAPs and the Gryphon share how the sound signature would likely compare?

And it would be important to know if Roon ARC would be supported as well on the SE300 @JasonNYC

 

[GhostWing]

Since AK players do not have low gain mode, AURA sensitivity should not exceed 110dB/mW, for safety of human ears.

 

[Andricop]

I think they made the Microsoft Zoon too.. zoon had great hardware, MS just screwed it up!!

Nope, the Microsoft Zune player was manufactured by Toshiba
https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/13/technology/13zune.html?smid=url-share

 

[qsk78]

Can anyone with experience with A&K DAPs and the Gryphon share how the sound signature would likely compare?

I own Gryphon and SE180 SEM1/4.
Normally I use Gryphon on the go with Etymotic EVO. This is just a perfect combo for this scenario: sound quality combined with an excellent noise isolation.
In parallel (mainly in the office) I listen to SE180 with a higher-end IEM like S-EM9, S-EM6 v2.
And I easily switch from Gryphon to SE180 SEM4, I find them close in tonality (neutral/slightly warm sounding). Both play very well with all IEM I own.
I will keep using both for different scenarios (keeping in mind the SE300 )

 

[Simpeler]

Does the AURA share a simulour shell shape and nozzle depth as the Vision Ears Phönix?
That IEM fits my ear perfectly.
Ill be there next weak at High-end, so I will definitely walk by to try them

 

[Marat Sar]

Damn... just wanted to say AK is killing it with these cool-ass releases. A beautiful VE collab (the aesthetics of VE improved -- always a problem with them for me), a long-awaited R2R implementation on the always interesting futura line, and a beautiful copper sp3000 (that goes perfectly with the VE collab). Beauty, innovation, use, no resting on any laurels -- how head fi is supposed to be done.

Just wanted to spread some appreciation. Have not always been on board with the expensive "luxury" direction of AK but it's hard to to appreciate what you guys are doing with portable music.

One word of ctitique, however -- the colour and look of the cases is going down. The dark green doesn't work for the se300, and I'm the new "cover all" direction is a step down from the old ones that had cool colours and left the metal exposed. Thankfully, Dignis makes pretty and inventive cases for these.

 

[berger]

Since AK players do not have low gain mode, AURA sensitivity should not exceed 110dB/mW, for safety of human ears.

 

[KuroKitsu]

We seem to have some true visionaries on the thread that know exactly how it all sounds even before the introduction. Wish I was that gifted...

drftr

This is what happens when the Sound Science thread leaks.

I've heard enough of the VE house sound and enough of their price tags to not bother with the iem. But SE300 is tempting me right after I swore AK off

 

[Not so fat head]

Found it.. A&K is owned by Iriver...

"In 2013, iRiver launched the premium brand of Astell & Kern. As the digital music player market had changed, Astell & Kern consisted of premium products instead of iriver's older conventional players."

From Wiki...

 

[berger]

I've heard enough of the VE house sound and enough of their price tags to not bother with the iem. But SE300 is tempting me right after I swore AK off

Well, that makes one of us, Kuro

 

[KuroKitsu]

Well, that makes one of us, Kuro

Stop tempting me! I already have the watercooler for that!

 

[drftr]

I've heard enough of the VE house sound and enough of their price tags to not bother with the iem

Although I agree in general, if it sounds like the Phönix LE but with improved timbre.....

For me VE IEMs fit me better than any other brand so there's nothing more needed than that slight change in timbre. If A&K is as stubbornly critical as I am then we might get there

drftr