Astell & Kern SR25: The next A&norma player

[Victory112]

New owner of an A&K SR25. So far I like it. I am a bit concerned in its random crashes. Don't know what's up with that. Another thing that has me befuddled is album artwork. I have my entire collection on a 512GB card, the same collection that I have on an external, SSD, which I have connected to my Bluesound Node 2i. All the album artwork shows up on the Node 2i controll/browser (MacOS). Not all of the artwork shows up on the SR25. Here's a head scratcher; I have the 5 disc collection from, World Party - Arkeology set. The files are in AIFF format, with an identical jpg of the cover art loaded into each disc folder (copied to each folder via "paste".). Three of the discs show up with cover art on the SR25, the two remaining have no cover art.

Have anyone else seen this sort of thing? And, does anyone else experience random crashes?

When I had the SR25, I think I experienced random crashes for songs it hasn't seen before? I think it could also skip a song unless you skipped forward and back with it, and that was with the built-in 64GB memory. Sideloading foobar2k in was the solution I used.

 

[tbrobison]

When I had the SR25, I think I experienced random crashes for songs it hasn't seen before? I think it could also skip a song unless you skipped forward and back with it, and that was with the built-in 64GB memory. Sideloading foobar2k in was the solution I used.

Thanks for your reply, Victory! I haven't touched the internal memory, all the files I loaded are on a microsd. I'm not familiar with a lot of the jargon used in this world of digital audio/DAP's, so I don't know what side loading foobar2k means.
I understand you don't have the SR25 any longer, why did you decide not to keep it? I'm still not sure if I'll keep mine. I expect it to be able to do basic things, like album art, with ease. For this amount of $$, it should handle that part without any problems.

 

[Victory112]

Thanks for your reply, Victory! I haven't touched the internal memory, all the files I loaded are on a microsd. I'm not familiar with a lot of the jargon used in this world of digital audio/DAP's, so I don't know what side loading foobar2k means.
I understand you don't have the SR25 any longer, why did you decide not to keep it? I'm still not sure if I'll keep mine. I expect it to be able to do basic things, like album art, with ease. For this amount of $$, it should handle that part without any problems.

Foobar2000 is a very good music player app. Sideloading means downloading a file with app information that a compatible version of Android will process and turn into a usable app. These terms aren't exclusive to music players and also apply to Android devices in general.

I would have kept the SR25 if it had 5GHz Wifi and the ability to use the Google Play Store to let me use YouTube app or YouTube on Firefox with the screen off*. The fact that the Shanling M3X has about the same battery life, similar power output, sound quality that is at least equally as good, is only a little wider, has full Google Play Store usability, and is half the cost meant that the SR25 had to go back. As much as it pained me to return the DAP with its luxurious build quality and ergonomics, I had to because the M3X is much better for the money when it comes to overall software. The hardware is good enough; usable but not luxurious. The software isn't without its own quirks with being so new, compared to the SR25, but the M3X package now is complete enough for me, so I can swallow those little bugs and wait for them to be patched out.

*anyone with an Android phone can do this with either Firefox mobile+extensions or YouTube Premium. I don't know if iPhones have a similar build of Firefox

 

[tbrobison]

Foobar2000 is a very good music player app. Sideloading means downloading a file with app information that a compatible version of Android will process and turn into a usable app. These terms aren't exclusive to music players and also apply to Android devices in general.

I would have kept the SR25 if it had 5GHz Wifi and the ability to use the Google Play Store to let me use YouTube app or YouTube on Firefox with the screen off*. The fact that the Shanling M3X has about the same battery life, similar power output, sound quality that is at least equally as good, is only a little wider, has full Google Play Store usability, and is half the cost meant that the SR25 had to go back. As much as it pained me to return the DAP with its luxurious build quality and ergonomics, I had to because the M3X is much better for the money when it comes to overall software. The hardware is good enough; usable but not luxurious. The software isn't without its own quirks with being so new, compared to the SR25, but the M3X package now is complete enough for me, so I can swallow those little bugs and wait for them to be patched out.

*anyone with an Android phone can do this with either Firefox mobile+extensions or YouTube Premium. I don't know if iPhones have a similar build of Firefox

Thanks for taking the time and effort to explain your reasoning for opting out of the SR25! I'll give the $R25 some more time, and I really do like it, especially when it doesn't crash. I've dabbled in Android when I had my first smart phone (S2 Galaxy), but I live in the Apple ecosystem, so there's that.

BTW, what does your handle, Victory112, mean, or have a relationship to? The reason I ask is because to me, Victory112, is a Grumman Tomcat US Navy Tactical callsign. VF-84, to be exact.

Again, thanks for answering my question.

Tom

 

[Victory112]

Thanks for taking the time and effort to explain your reasoning for opting out of the SR25! I'll give the $R25 some more time, and I really do like it, especially when it doesn't crash. I've dabbled in Android when I had my first smart phone (S2 Galaxy), but I live in the Apple ecosystem, so there's that.

Yeah if I didn't need to use YouTube then I would really adore the device. I suggest taking a look at this webpage for the full list of apps you can sideload into the device. Their suggestion for apkpure.com doesn't quite work. For Tidal, audible, bandcamp, Amazon Music, and foobar2k, using apkmirror.com worked for me. Googling "spotify apk" should actually bring you a result that links to spotify's website.

BTW, what does your handle, Victory112, mean, or have a relationship to? The reason I ask is because to me, Victory112, is a Grumman Tomcat US Navy Tactical callsign. VF-84, to be exact.

Oh, interesting similarity. That wasn't the origin of the name. It's merely a deformation of an old handle I have previously used.

Again, thanks for answering my question.

My pleasure.

 

[TjFont]

Check out one of iFi products: EarBuddy, IEMatch, or IMatch+. They will allow you to have some volume range to play with.

Thanks. I own an iFi Nano DAC to use with my iPod with good results. So I will check out these others.

 

[NewEve]

My SR25 is up for grabs if anyone's interested.

 

[purplesun]

Hi. Anyone else use this TPU case for their SR25? Thinking about the black shaded one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-IRIVER...-/324330406437?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

On a side note: having a heck of a time getting bubble free application of the A&K supplied screen protectors. Ruined a front/back set, then gave up. Bubbles, dust specks underneath, misaligned... you name it!

I do have it in the A&K leather case, but I think it hides the cool design of the player.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/astell-kern-sr25-the-next-a-norma-player.926918/post-15924235

 

[cadgers]

SOLD

 

[iFi audio]

Thanks. I own an iFi Nano DAC to use with my iPod with good results. So I will check out these others.

If yours is nano iDSD Black label, it already has our iEMatch built in

 

[drkhermushov]

Does SR25 have parametric EQ? If so, with how many bands and how versatile?

 

[Victory112]

Does SR25 have parametric EQ? If so, with how many bands and how versatile?

It has some good gain adjustment but only manipulates peaks at particular frequencies. Admittedly there are like...20-25 different frequencies with which you can adjust the Q values from 2 to 4 so it's a pretty good peak-based EQ system. I think maximum gain deviation is 5 dB up or down.

 

[drkhermushov]

It has some good gain adjustment but only manipulates peaks at particular frequencies. Admittedly there are like...20-25 different frequencies with which you can adjust the Q values from 2 to 4 so it's a pretty good peak-based EQ system. I think maximum gain deviation is 5 dB up or down.

Thnaks! I hoped it would be something like paw 6000.
Is it possible to sideload something like Neutron player and use its PEQ?

 

[Victory112]

Thnaks! I hoped it would be something like paw 6000.
Is it possible to sideload something like Neutron player and use its PEQ?

I don't recall seeing it in the page where they describe the apps that are whitelisted, but you can see them all here: https://us.astellnkern.com/blogs/news/open-app-service-instructions

 

[Chaz1952]

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/astell-kern-sr25-the-next-a-norma-player.926918/post-15924235

Thanks purplesun!