[Van Gogh]

... and I was about to add, if Kygo takes you up that high, try another Norwegian DJ, Alan Walker, which can take you up even higher I'm listening to all his tunes non-stop lately (Qobuz streaming).

Should be getting SP2k review loaner soon!

Thanks for the recommendation, will listen to Alan Walker next!
Enjoy the loaner!

 

[Van Gogh]

It's burning in...

Something is definitely happening to the player.
It's getting more and more smooth, the music is like smooth silk now... Notes blend into each other, it's a weird surreal experience...

 

[jmills8]

I am seriously starting to doubt that money can't buy happiness.
Sitting in my room, listening to Kygo on SP2000 with AK T8IE IEM's.

I am in heaven.
Wish more people could experience music the way it is really meant to be experienced...
This player sounds better to me every day.

Ok so October 10 , 2019 all great. Lets see when you start looking for a new iem or dap.

 

[szore]

Ok so October 10 , 2019 all great. Lets see when you start looking for a new iem or dap.

SPK 2500 will be out in January...

 

[ChisChas]

If you really like the song, i'm sure you'll enjoy Kygo from your cellphone and a $50 set of IEMs.

yes, until you heard the song on better kit! And I've easily noticed the improvements in SQ going from C4 Pro to Plenue 1 to QP2R to N8 Brass Black. I didn't find the improvement 'subtle' but each to our own, I guess.

 

[twister6]

My dealer was nice enough to let me borrow his personal Gold SP2000 to compare to my SS SP2000 and I must say, there are definitely some differences and I continue to question if it is just all in my head and will report back since first impressions are just that, impressions.

The SS Version picks up all the small details and is much "faster."

The Gold Version sounds fuller, little less detailed and more "musical."

Bass wise, seems like the gold version pumps little more bass.

These are just first impressions so I could be wrong but I will spend some intimate time periods with both and will report back. I do believe regardless at the end of the day this will be a preference call.

Anyone have similar experiences?

I assume you meant SP1000M Gold model.

 

[ChisChas]

SPK 2500 will be out in January...

Ha ha, the SP2000 CU isn't available in the UK before mid-October, the SP2000 availability was considerably delayed.

 

[subguy812]

Anyone that has heard the Kann Cube vs. the SP2000 please chime in

 

[jonstatt]

Ha ha, the SP2000 CU isn't available in the UK before mid-October, the SP2000 availability was considerably delayed.

I had the SP2k in the UK before it was out in the US. This is from an official UK reseller. Sounds like your dealer is messing you around.

 

[F208Frank]

I assume you meant SP1000M Gold model.

No SP2000 copper version versus SS SP2000, sorry need to edit.

 

[Van Gogh]

Ok so October 10 , 2019 all great. Lets see when you start looking for a new iem or dap.

I know what you mean, but me, personally, I am one of those people who gets staff and enjoys for as long as possible, until that said staff dies.

This is my story.
I used to have an HTC10 phone as my media player and my T8IE ii IEM for the last 4 years. I was really happy with that setup, so, it lasted me 4 years.
After 4 years, my HTC10 phone dies. I tried to revive it by trying to fix it at a shop, but even they said it was hopeless.
T8IE mkii still going strong.

So, I was forced to buy a new phone. That's when it crossed my mind to maybe I get a dedicated DAC. That's when SP2000 happened.
I loved that phone a lot for the music it produced, so, I can imagine how attached I will get to this DAC over time.

From another perspective also, to be quite frank, I believe I have achieved an endgame setup for my needs. I will have to get this setup going until it's dead lol.

P.S. Kind of curious about T8IE replacement, T9IE haha. Let's see what the reviews say when it's out...

 

[twister6]

No SP2000 copper version versus SS SP2000, sorry need to edit.

Gotcha! Just want to be sure people are not confusing it with Platinum and Palladium versions of SP2000

 

[Van Gogh]

yes, until you heard the song on better kit! And I've easily noticed the improvements in SQ going from C4 Pro to Plenue 1 to QP2R to N8 Brass Black. I didn't find the improvement 'subtle' but each to our own, I guess.

To me, the improvement from LG G8 phone to SP2000 was subtle at first, although definitely there.
But as I use it more and more, the difference gets bigger and bigger.
Originally I was planning to use the SP2000 only at home, but now take it with me everywhere

 

[F208Frank]

So the blind test went like this. I set up the SS and CU units with the same track at 75/150 on the volume pot. With my wife’s assistance she flipped a coin and if it is a head each time then she will play the SS model and if it is tail she will play the CU model. We did fifteen times, I am usually able to give an answer within ten to fifteen seconds and she would record my answer.

At the end of the trials, I turned around and asked how did I do and this is totally shocking to me when she said “you are all wrong”. I looked at the paper and sure enough I was wrong on all fifteen trials. Actually I should say I was 100% wrong and 100% right. First of all, the result indicates that I am able to consistently recognized the same music playing from the same player, however, the player that I thought was the brighter one turned out to be the CU model. There was one sequence when there were six heads in a row and even me I was so certain that those were from the same player started to have doubts but in the end I was right. I was scratching my head and ask how could that be because I am certain that the SS model should be the brighter one. I double checked every thing to make sure that everything is the same, and I noticed that the SS unit had the stock leather case on, so I remove the leather case to see if that made a difference (for those who followed the AK380CU thread from a few years ago will know what I mean) and the difference was still there. So after I thought about the whole thing over, the only difference is the burn in time, the SS has about five hours of use whereas the CU has 35 hours. But whether that is the reason I do not know until I burn in the SS for another 30 hours and rerun the exercise. I am still scratching my head right now. As of this moment I prefer the CU sound. Of course, whether this phenomenon only happen with my units or whether it can be generalized to all units between SS and CU Ido not know. But even Jason from the Source told me the CU is warmer because the copper is a softer metal. And my recollection from hearin the SP1k ss and CU also confirm my experience that the SS is the brighter model.

I am trying them both back to back non stop and I feel the copper version is warmer with the SS version being more detailed but less fun.

 

[F208Frank]

As I mentioned previously in this thread, A&K do not release measurements for their daps or let you change digital filters. This is why I think the copper is using slow roll off to make it sound warmer and smoother and the steel is using a fast roll off filter for extended treble and precision. They haven't commented on this yet, but we could really do with someone measuring both to really know for sure if it's just the housing making all the difference in sound.

Until then I'll happily let them prove me wrong in this thread.

Do you personally think they really use different filters for each model?

I definitely feel I hear the copper version to be smoother and funner but the SS version to be more accurate and fast.