[FrostyP]

WOW SR15 A&Norma $699 just maxing out at DSD 2.8224 MHz and 24/192? jeez, even the $699 Sony walkman NW-ZX300 outperforms the Norma on this 32/384 PCM & 11.28 MHz DSD (DSD 256).. The angled screen hope it is just a faux-pas on the image rendering…

While I do think it's a bit pricey too, the SR15 has Tidal support while the ZX300 does not

What can I say, to each their own. Never had a problem with iTunes myself. Simple things like iTunes for simple minds like me!

As someone who has both an AK player and an iDevice I've found that JRiver offers a similar experience to itunes when it comes to managing devices. It'll cost money and I don't know if there's a Mac version though

 

[Cherubian]

What can I say, to each their own. Never had a problem with iTunes myself. Simple things like iTunes for simple minds like me!

I'm also a Mac user and went through several DAPs just to end up hating Android File Transfer or similar apps. It's an almost impossible task to find an Android based DAP witch works properly with Mac. I now have iBasso DX200 (Android DAP) with Lurker's FW mod installed witch made the DX act like an external drive. What a relief. However if ever AK will manage to improve the compatibility with Mac I will gladly let them take my money (again)

 

[Dionysus]

astell&kern A&futura SE100 Image

 

[Cagin]

I redub thee, Astell&bowtie

 

[Makiah S]

So much criticism over the lack of uber bitRate DSD support, I still don't own or buy into DSD. Frankly I'd rather they implement Tidal Support over super high bit rate DSD

If A&K is re-branding to give people an "essentials" player at $699, 24/192 is sufficient. Going above and beyond that becomes a matter of preference in terms of improvements, again I personally don't listen above 24/96. I have but I saw no benefit, and more importantly is how the chipset is implemented.

So that said I'm curious to hopefully hear them soon, maybe at RMAF

 

[CalvinW]

Tidal support is still really poor with AK. Still no offline mode. That's the main reason I transitioned over to an android DAP like the dx200

 

[Makiah S]

Tidal support is still really poor with AK. Still no offline mode. That's the main reason I transitioned over to an android DAP like the dx200

Honestly I'm a caveman and I still listen Offline with local files lol, just started streaming with spotify on the go and that's mostly just to experince new bands who music I might want to purchase in a lossless format

 

[wirefriend]

I'm quite interested in using the new SE100 model as my primary digital audio player for my home stereo system. (Of course, it could/would do double-duty as a portable player as well.) A question regarding the storage: Do the built-in and microSD storages act as one? Or do I have to partition my audio files separately? (My storage requirements require both.) Also, upon startup, do these players need to read (or worse, create) the index each and every time? A reasonable bootup time is important to me.

I have no doubt the sound quality will be up to par. I now ony wish the functionalities will be so...

Did you try iSyncr? I use it for years to sync Android with iTunes.
Syncs playcount and ratings (from Android Rocket Player) as well.

 

[someyoungguy]

I'm thinking there isn't that much difference between the SR15 and the original AK70, or maybe AK70 mk II if you really wanted dual DAC. The CS43198 chip in the SR15 has specs which are a bit better than the CS4398 used in the AK70 range, but not by much. The rest of the features are largely the same. Be a better bang for your buck to pick up an original AK70 now that they've been superseded and are cheaper.

 

[CalvinW]

I'm thinking there isn't that much difference between the SR15 and the original AK70, or maybe AK70 mk II if you really wanted dual DAC. The CS43198 chip in the SR15 has specs which are a bit better than the CS4398 used in the AK70 range, but not by much. The rest of the features are largely the same. Be a better bang for your buck to pick up an original AK70 now that they've been superseded and are cheaper.

And not to mention, you will have a normally oriented screen.

 

[Makiah S]

I'm thinking there isn't that much difference between the SR15 and the original AK70, or maybe AK70 mk II if you really wanted dual DAC. The CS43198 chip in the SR15 has specs which are a bit better than the CS4398 used in the AK70 range, but not by much. The rest of the features are largely the same. Be a better bang for your buck to pick up an original AK70 now that they've been superseded and are cheaper.

Maybe but implementation means as much as the chipset itself, I'd still wait till some one can chime in whose heard both. A higher performance chip in a better designed circuit will sound better, and a lot of companies will take a topology or design that worked in their higher tier'd models and implement the benefits into lower cost devices

So it isn't that the AK70 is/was bad but I'd imagine A&K has a newer design/circuit topology they will use in the SR 15 based of the success of higher priced designs, still it's all speculation at this point until some one sits down with both.

An as for the tilted screen, given the curves on the devices side I imagine it'll sit/orient properly once in your hand, I think you guys are forgetting how smaller straight edge'd devices sit at a tilt in your hands, like my own little M2S is curved when I hold it as does my smaller LG G5 phone. But it is different

 

[BoomBox]

Wonder if A&K have decided to stick with the crappy and weak 2.5mm connector for balanced, or if they've finally adopted the 4.4mm standard?

Can't believe one of these devices uses micro-b and not usb-c.... what the hell A&K... and what's up with the angle on the screen... bleh.

 

[Sound Eq]

so i assume that it will not support tidal mqa the A&futura

 

[HiFiGuy528]

I would buy one in a heartbeat and get integrated into this ecosystem if A&K would just implement iTunes synchronization support or develop a very good third-party app solution that allows seamless syncing (constant updating) with iTunes.

I found the current Android interface to be extremely clunky, cumbersome, and spent months trying to sync my 15,000 song, 140GB collection – even having to return my unit for repair because I’m pretty sure all of that music transferring I was doing bricked the device.

The way things stand right now, unless you have fewer than 2,000 high-resolution songs that you listen to or use TIDAL, those be the only two instances where I would recommend purchasing a dedicated DAP such as this. I’m sure there are many out there’s like me who are constantly adding new music to my iTunes library, and this ecosystem is very helpless when it comes to helping one organize and keep their music collection updated.

Until a better solution is come up with (and don’t tell me to use Android File Transfer, SyncMate, or Dapper as all of those solutions failed miserably) I (and I’m sure many others) will continue using an iPhone to mojo/cozoy/etc combination…

iTunes is LOCKED to Apple devices. Try a third-party software like this one. https://tunesgo.wondershare.com/

 

[jondextan]

well i'm excited about the SR15's bigger battery compared to the AK70II.