[flymetothemoon]

I agree & I'm very tempted to purchase one.
Just waiting on some more reviews than perhaps some opinions on the ak100ii vs the ak120 & which is the better buy.
For now we keep waiting

From the spec and design the 100ll resembles the 240 big brother in many ways.  I bet it will sound good and considering you'd only pay less than 1/3 price of the 240...outstanding bargain.

 

[sonicaudio]

From the spec and design the 100ll resembles the 240 big brother in many ways.  I bet it will sound good and considering you'd only pay less than 1/3 price of the 240...outstanding bargain.

...now I'm salivating.

 

[kkcc]

I agree & I'm very tempted to purchase one.
Just waiting on some more reviews than perhaps some opinions on the ak100ii vs the ak120 & which is the better buy.
For now we keep waiting

From the spec and design the 100ll resembles the 240 big brother in many ways.  I bet it will sound good and considering you'd only pay less than 1/3 price of the 240...outstanding bargain.

Well I guess which one is better would also depends on whether he likes the Wolfson's sound vs Cirrus Logic's. Fwiw there are people who likes AK120 over AK240. However if you had demoed AK240 and really liked it but not enough to part with $2500, then AK100II / AK120II makes a lot of sense.

 

[flymetothemoon]

Well I guess which one is better would also depends on whether he likes the Wolfson's sound vs Cirrus Logic's. Fwiw there are people who likes AK120 over AK240. However if you had demoed AK240 and really liked it but not enough to part with $2500, then AK100II / AK120II makes a lot of sense.

and the spare cash for a set of good phones.

 

[Sauntere]

Why does everyone think the AK100II is the best buy...?  Surely the AK120II will be a lot closer to the 240 in sound quality from looking at the specs..

 

[kkcc]

Why does everyone think the AK100II is the best buy...?  Surely the AK120II will be a lot closer to the 240 in sound quality from looking at the specs..

Probably becoz many (including myself) believe the amp section, the DAC chip performance, and the implementation circuitry of the DAC chip, are a lot of deterministic of the resulting SQ than using 1 or 2 said DAC chip. Therefore, AK100II, sharing most everything except no XMOS (not affecting non dsd playback on the DAP), and 1 less DAC chip should be capable to approximate to a huge extend the performance of the AK240 playing anything except dsd on it at "just" 1/3 of the price.

It wasn't like the case of the original AK120 where it has also new amp section and different HO OI on top of one more DAC chip over original AK100.

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

I was like auditioning the balance vs single out of AK240. To my ears, it didnt feel like a day and nite difference...

 

[flymetothemoon]

Probably becoz many (including myself) believe the amp section, the DAC chip performance, and the implementation circuitry of the DAC chip, are a lot of deterministic of the resulting SQ than using 1 or 2 said DAC chip. Therefore, AK100II, sharing most everything except no XMOS (not affecting non dsd playback on the DAP), and 1 less DAC chip should be capable to approximate to a huge extend the performance of the AK240 playing anything except dsd on it at "just" 1/3 of the price.

It wasn't like the case of the original AK120 where it has also new amp section and different HO OI on top of one more DAC chip over original AK100.

+1.
 
I think this new generation of AKs have made amends to the 1st generation.  
 
The original AK100's OI was a joke and only to have a low impedance version at a later stage.
 
With the modest price, AK100ll can satisfy most fellow headfiers at its price range and thus I vote it a top bargain among AK offerings.

 

[flymetothemoon]

  I was like auditioning the balance vs single out of AK240. To my ears, it didnt feel like a day and nite difference...

Same cable model with balanced and single ended?

 

[Sauntere]

Probably becoz many (including myself) believe the amp section, the DAC chip performance, and the implementation circuitry of the DAC chip, are a lot of deterministic of the resulting SQ than using 1 or 2 said DAC chip. Therefore, AK100II, sharing most everything except no XMOS (not affecting non dsd playback on the DAP), and 1 less DAC chip should be capable to approximate to a huge extend the performance of the AK240 playing anything except dsd on it at "just" 1/3 of the price.

It wasn't like the case of the original AK120 where it has also new amp section and different HO OI on top of one more DAC chip over original AK100.

 
Seems reasonable.. It's just that on the DX90 thread many are saying there is a big difference in SQ between it and the DX50. I know they have different amp sections but there is also one dac chip vs two.

 

[kkcc]

Seems reasonable.. It's just that on the DX90 thread many are saying there is a big difference in SQ between it and the DX50. I know they have different amp sections but there is also one dac chip vs two.

Dx90 v dx50: dual ess9018k2m v single WM8740, and completely different IV/LPF/voltage amp/buffer circuitry.

They are really two completely different DAPs who happen to share the same case/screen/ui/battery. Even the CPU processor is different.

The AK analogy (on the sound h/w) would be AK100 original v AK240.

 

[likearake]

Are we sure the circuitry of the 100ii is the same as the higher models (minus the dual DAC)?

 

[flymetothemoon]

Are we sure the circuitry of the 100ii is the same as the higher models (minus the dual DAC)?

Don't think someone could give you answer to your question.

 

[likearake]

The AK website mentions the 120ii inherits from the 240 but no 240 reference in the 100ii blurb. Just wondering if we are assuming wrong that the 100ii will be so good.

 

[headwilier]

The full specs of AK120ii and AK100ii can be found on the official website 
 
http://www.astellnkern.com/