[doraymon]

Hey all, just got the 100ii and wanted to make sure I didn't get a bad unit.  Is the volume control supposed to have some play to it?  Meaning I can roll it back and forth a little bit before pushing it over to the next step?

Yes, it's the same on my 120II. You can move the volume knob by 2-3 degrees back and forth without actually changing volume.

PS: congrats for your purchase, you will enjoy it!

 

[jamato8]

Originally Posted by doraymon /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I have a 120II.
The main difference i can clearly hear is improved detail and clarity, and a higher output volume.

Originally Posted by JeremyLaurenson /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I have the 100II and agree

Interesting. I get no higher volume output, as I thought I would get. I have a number of balanced sources, amps and have built balanced equipment and was surprised that I am not hearing any real difference. Will have to experiment some more I guess. 

 

[JeremyLaurenson]

Hey all, just got the 100ii and wanted to make sure I didn't get a bad unit.  Is the volume control supposed to have some play to it?  Meaning I can roll it back and forth a little bit before pushing it over to the next step?

Mine is like this

 

[danelmix]

I took delivery of the Cayin C5 Portable Amp today. The difference running my HE400i with AK100ii paired with the C5, is one of those chuckling,  holy crap moments. They sound like totally different cans. Audio bliss!  Gonna give my SE846 a try next. 

 

[pekingduck]

  Interesting. I get no higher volume output, as I thought I would get. I have a number of balanced sources, amps and have built balanced equipment and was surprised that I am not hearing any real difference. Will have to experiment some more I guess. 

I tried my RE600 briefly and couldn't hear any meaningful difference.

 

[kennybobenny]

In two weeks with AK100 II and I love it!
This my niece experiencing musical bliss.

 

[Dopaminer]

Happy 2015 all AK owners, fans, devotees, skeptics, victims, etc !  
 
 
Has anyone recieved their 100ii or 120ii cases?  Any other info on places to buy ?  So far I can only ifnd the UK shop that was posted earlier . . . .  I was hoping to find one here in Bangkok, but no luck.  
 
d

 

[jamato8]

  I tried my RE600 briefly and couldn't hear any meaningful difference.

I just tried another phone, harder to drive but wanted to see if the normal power of balanced would be evident. It was not, odd. No volume change, as would be normal and it was set to max for SE and balanced. 

 

[Dopaminer]

 
I just tried another phone, harder to drive but wanted to see if the normal power of balanced would be evident. It was not, odd. No volume change, as would be normal and it was set to max for SE and balanced. 

I thought the 100ii`s balanced out was actually lower power than SE . . . ? 

 

[b0ssMax]

I just tried another phone, harder to drive but wanted to see if the normal power of balanced would be evident. It was not, odd. No volume change, as would be normal and it was set to max for SE and balanced. 

I was expecting simlar that the volume would be higher on bal at the same volume number. It did not. I actually am listening at a higher level than on SE. I'm using ak240 + bal IE800.

On the IE800 thread, i mentioned that the separation and clarity improved a bit w/o loss of cohesiveness.

Jamato8, would you be able to share a comparison on hm901 and your ak100ii?

 

[jamato8]

I was expecting simlar that the volume would be higher on bal at the same volume number. It did not. I actually am listening at a higher level than on SE. I'm using ak240 + bal IE800.

On the IE800 thread, i mentioned that the separation and clarity improved a bit w/o loss of cohesiveness.

Jamato8, would you be able to share a comparison on hm901 and your ak100ii?

Balanced or SE? :^)
 
Sure, I will compare them. I have been burning in the 100II. Obviously the 901 is much more powerful but on IEM's or phones that will work on the 100II, I will do the comparison. 

 

[jamato8]

I thought the 100ii`s balanced out was actually lower power than SE . . . ? 

If it is lower power then something is wrong. 

 

[Dopaminer]

  If it is lower power then something is wrong. 

Why?  
 
We discussed this earlier in the thread.  I was also surprised that the 100ii`s balanced output is lower-power than unbalanced.   Here are the numbers :
 
120ii   SE :  2.1v   Bal:  2.3v 
100ii   SE:   2.0v   Bal:  1.7v  
 
Someone smarter than me explained this; I can`t remember exactly . .   

 

[CasperBxl]

 
Why?  
 
We discussed this earlier in the thread.  I was also surprised that the 100ii`s balanced output is lower-power than unbalanced.   Here are the numbers :
 
120ii   SE :  2.1v   Bal:  2.3v 
100ii   SE:   2.0v   Bal:  1.7v  
 
Someone smarter than me explained this; I can`t remember exactly . .   

 
Just a thought:
 
The AK120 II has 1 AMP per channel for balanced = 2 AMP's
The AK100 II has only 1 AMP ...
 
Your number are correct, that is what is the site of AK.

 

[doraymon]

I have a 120II.
The main difference i can clearly hear is improved detail and clarity, and a higher output volume.

I actually quote myself to specify that the difference I am referring to, results from the comparison of the stock cable of my SE846 IEMs on the unbalanced connection of the AK120II and the ALO balanced cable on the balanced connection of the same AK120II.

This is to say that the difference I hear may not be only due to the balanced vs unbalanced but also to the different quality of the cable itself.

This makes even more sense thinking that balanced solutions show their benefit on long cable connections. I suspect that for lengths below 1m the benefit of noise reduction is really minimal...