[Steeve]

Latest Qobuz update.

I installled v5.9.0.2 on Thursday with about 70GB of 'imported' (to use Qobuz terminology) music on my SP2000. The stuttering seems to be fixed and I didn't experience any major performance issues although the app is always quite laggy. But it was generally useable. Emboldened by this, I started to import more of my favourited releases. Things were going ok until I got to about 175GB of downloads. Then I got my first freeze again during download. Followed by two more. Doesn't seem to make any difference how many tracks you try to download in one go. Performance has become a little slower in loading. It's still useable and I haven't as yet had any more stutterings, but this seems to be about the limit the app and/or device can cope with whilst maintaining response times that I can just about live with. The Offline Library takes about 1 minute, 5 seconds to load, rather annoyingly every time you click out and then back into it. Also for some reason, accessing the same imported release from the Offline Liibrary seems to be significantly slower than from My Qobuz - My Favourites. It takes about 15 seconds for a release to open when selected from the Offline Library list as opposed to no more than 2 seconds to open from My Favourites. I now have 184GB of imported music but I am assuming that if I import any more releases the situation will only get worse leading to the same complete meltdown experience I had with v5.8.0.1. I would actually like to listen to some music!
I was able to work out that the first version of Qobuz I ever loaded onto my SP2000 was v5.4.3 where this problem also existed more or less the same. It has existed in every version that I have loaded since then, although I have skipped a few versions so haven't tried every one.

@JasonNYC What is the best way to formally log this as an issue with Astell & Kern? I plan to raise it with Qobuz as well but it would be good if someone could take ownership of the problem so the reason for this can be determined and hopefully find a solution. If there is no immediate solution, an honest appraisal of the limitations of Qobuz on Astell & Kern devices should be established and admitted to.

Many thanks

Steve

 

[retnuh]

Latest Qobuz update.

I installled v5.9.0.2 on Thursday with about 70GB of 'imported' (to use Qobuz terminology) music on my SP2000. The stuttering seems to be fixed and I didn't experience any major performance issues although the app is always quite laggy. But it was generally useable. Emboldened by this, I started to import more of my favourited releases. Things were going ok until I got to about 175GB of downloads. Then I got my first freeze again during download. Followed by two more. Doesn't seem to make any difference how many tracks you try to download in one go. Performance has become a little slower in loading. It's still useable and I haven't as yet had any more stutterings, but this seems to be about the limit the app and/or device can cope with whilst maintaining response times that I can just about live with. The Offline Library takes about 1 minute, 5 seconds to load, rather annoyingly every time you click out and then back into it. Also for some reason, accessing the same imported release from the Offline Liibrary seems to be significantly slower than from My Qobuz - My Favourites. It takes about 15 seconds for a release to open when selected from the Offline Library list as opposed to no more than 2 seconds to open from My Favourites. I now have 184GB of imported music but I am assuming that if I import any more releases the situation will only get worse leading to the same complete meltdown experience I had with v5.8.0.1. I would actually like to listen to some music!
I was able to work out that the first version of Qobuz I ever loaded onto my SP2000 was v5.4.3 where this problem also existed more or less the same. It has existed in every version that I have loaded since then, although I have skipped a few versions so haven't tried every one.

@JasonNYC What is the best way to formally log this as an issue with Astell & Kern? I plan to raise it with Qobuz as well but it would be good if someone could take ownership of the problem so the reason for this can be determined and hopefully find a solution. If there is no immediate solution, an honest appraisal of the limitations of Qobuz on Astell & Kern devices should be established and admitted to.

Many thanks

Steve

this sounds more and more like an algorithm issue with however Qobuz is indexing the tracks and/or doing file io and directory management. they probably assumed Android == phone == 64 or 128GB max downloads and eh... it’ll work. I’d be curious if their desktop app showed the same behavior and if not then I’ve got a pretty good guess at what didnt get ported to the mobile app. As far as reporting to them was there a linear slowdown after a certain point and then every so often say 50 or 100 more tracks something measurable in seconds and if you remove some download is it a linear speed up? that sort of info would at least point the devs towards a O(n) sort of file scanning problem or file growth problem (I’m taking a few guesses not having used the app but having run into this with my own programs), if they don’t know already, and then mention just how many 100’s of GB and number of tracks you’re trying to download because frankly it doesn’t look like they tested very high and the way to fix this for 512GB should hold for 1TB or more too.

 

[jonstatt]

How are people's CU models holding up. I have some very slight tarnishing now that seems to reduce by rubbing with a microfiber cloth. It's nothing like an AK380. Its odd as its mostly on the back which has been in the AK case the entire time and not touched by human hands at all

 

[kel77]

How are people's CU models holding up. I have some very slight tarnishing now that seems to reduce by rubbing with a microfiber cloth. It's nothing like an AK380. Its odd as its mostly on the back which has been in the AK case the entire time and not touched by human hands at all

You did not apply the back protectors? I applied the protector since I had the player as the back is a fingerprint magnet. Mine is fine with the plastic cover.

 

[jonstatt]

You did not apply the back protectors? I applied the protector since I had the player as the back is a fingerprint magnet. Mine is fine with the plastic cover.

I protected the black plastic elements only. I thought the player would be safe from this in the case

 

[MatW]

How are people's CU models holding up. I have some very slight tarnishing now that seems to reduce by rubbing with a microfiber cloth. It's nothing like an AK380. Its odd as its mostly on the back which has been in the AK case the entire time and not touched by human hands at all

No issues here. I like using this clear TPU case over the leather versions, so you can see the beautiful colors of this thing.

 

[jonstatt]

I have had the sp2000 in the UK before it was available in the US. I wonder if there was a flaw with the coating with the very early ones

 

[JasonNYC]

If anyone is looking for DSD512 content for their SP2000, NativeDSD.com is giving AK owners 20% off the new Positive Feedback DSD Sampler Volume 3. It is available in all DSD rates including DSD512.

David Robinson, editor in chief of the audio review site Positive Feedback created the Positive Feedback DSD Sampler Volume 3 with selections from the following 6 albums:

Bach: Harpsichord Works (Sono Luminus), Mabuchi Plays Miles Davis (Yarlung Records), Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky / Lieutenant Kijé Suite (Reference Recordings), Reid (TRPTK), Bach: 6 Flute Sonatas (OUR Recordings), and Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 5 (Channel Classics)

Get 20% off with coupon code AKVOL3. Coupon code expires July 1, 2020. Link to album - https://www.nativedsd.com/albums/NDSD016-positive-feedback-dsd-sampler-volume-3

 

[Marat Sar]

I'm really enjoying my SP2000, but if there's one thing I find off with this generation of AK flagships it's the leather cases. Sp1000 got much prettier, more vibrant Cordoba greens and reds, all kinds of cases. I have the black sp2000 case and the green that came with SS, and both are quite muted and conservative.

Then, one would assume, you go to aftermarket leatherworks, right?

Well, Valentinum doesn't have an sp2000 to measure so they don't make one. (They made nice cases for sp1000, but don't have an sp2000 on hand to measure so they don't make those.)

And the cases Dignis makes for sp2000 are just way ugly.

So this is my call to Astell & Kern -- please put more cases on sale! The red from the black onyx one would be cool -- but also new ones! This would be very appreciated!


Proof?

This is the choice ak120 owners got 7 years ago: https://us.astellnkern.com/products/ak120-ii-case

This is what sp1000 owners got 2 years ago (scroll down a notch): https://us.astellnkern.com/collections/accessories/products/sp1000-standard-leather-case

This is what sp1000 owners get today: https://us.astellnkern.com/collections/accessories/products/sp2000-leather-case

 

[MatW]

I favor the clear tpu case, but I also have a leather case from China.. But yeah, also there the colors are limited to black and brown. Suits me just fine, I like bleak colors, must be my personality.

 

[dhc0329]

What is AK's strategy in depending its throne while its competitors are coming up with the equally good sounding daps
with the working EQ and superior 4.4mm connection at more competitive price?

 

[denis1976]

The strategy is having the best sounding Dap, expensive (is not for everyone) with minimal EQ (don't need) and a 2.5mm that the only let down is that is more fragile than the 4.4 IMO

 

[dhc0329]

The strategy is having the best sounding Dap, expensive (is not for everyone) with minimal EQ (don't need) and a 2.5mm that the only let down is that is more fragile than the 4.4 IMO

So you do not believe in evolution for SP wanting the dap to be like this forever more?

 

[denis1976]

The SP has one year, the convert chips are tops the amp arquiteture is very advanced, and, has every top dap from AK has one of the lowest noise level, I should remember you that all the "evolutions" that you claim in the recent DAPs there is one thing that until today no one done, if you pay attention the tops daps from AK have no low gain no mid gain or high gain, and even without that factor (that "help") the noise is very very low, don't you think that to achieve this it took a lot of work and the use the highest quality components? The sound is subjective, people can like, others love, others hate it,not even God pleases everyone, but the rest is not questionable

 

[arftech]

The strategy is having the best sounding Dap, expensive (is not for everyone) with minimal EQ (don't need) and a 2.5mm that the only let down is that is more fragile than the 4.4 IMO

IMO, nothing quite sounds like the SP2K. It allows me to dig deeper into the music. The next upgrade for the 2K will most likely be the 3K next year. I’m anxious to see what they’ll implement.