[PinkyPowers]

Okay so I'm back with the Single-ended 3.5mm with the Layla + AK100ii

I think the balanced offers more details (slightly?), but at the same time also sounds harsher and the AK100ii loses that liquid smoothness that is so non-fatiguing and engaging/joyful at the same time.

The bass on the 2.5mm is more textured but at the same time is more sloppy and bleeding. On balanced everything sounds super hi-fi, brighter and thinner and seperated, without the meatier focus or smoothness it has in single-ended. I realized all the details are there just in a smoother/liquid way that is more focused and not as spread out and thin.

3.5mm has this focus and grunt that I missed a lot. I've tried balanced half-dozen times now and this time it almost had me, but I'm back to single-ended and will be indefinitely I think.

This personal opinion applies only to the AK100ii and Layla. It might be a different story with a different AK models or different IEMs.

Man, my experience is nothing like that. With my 120ii>balanced>Angie clarity, control, and SMOOTHNESS are the dominant traits. There's nothing harsh about the sound.

At least you've found a setup that gives you the sound you love. That's what's most important.

 

[MadGTI]

Man, my experience is nothing like that. With my 120ii>balanced>Angie clarity, control, and SMOOTHNESS are the dominant traits. There's nothing harsh about the sound.

At least you've found a setup that gives you the sound you love. That's what's most important.

I concur with you. I like the clarity and high fidelity details of the balance out of AK120II and no harshness, even with 320 MP3. I emphasize on vocals of Pop. It gives me enough warmth and lushness.
For 3.5mm single out from AK120II, there's no comparison with 2.5 balance out.

 

[M-13]

Like I said before. My opinion only applies to the AK100ii
 
When I bought my AK100ii the shop also had the 120ii/240/240SS and so I got to try everything. This shop is an authorized dealer for pretty much every brand imaginable, including Stax, Audez'e, AK, Noble, Sennheiser, Beyer, AKG, etc, etc... 
 
I'm in Seoul, South Korea, home of iRiver. The store owner was baffled when I walked out with the AK100ii. I told hiim I like the design and sound

 

[subguy812]

Ah yes ... 100ii great, long listening session sound.

 

[ezekiel77]

  I'm in Seoul, South Korea, home of iRiver. The store owner was baffled when I walked out with the AK100ii. I told hiim I like the design and sound

 
And the best looking of the lot! Most of my listening is right before sleep and the sound is perfect to me.

 

[prismstorm]

Back then when I made my decision I demoed Jr, 100ii, 120ii and 240, the 380 was announced but there was no demo yet and richer clients have already preordered every last unit due to arrive. I couldn't live with the laggy UI of the Jr and no home button, then I tried 100ii and 120ii and probably had a placebo effect moment when I felt that 120ii had more power and sounded more hi-fi. I foolishly convinced myself that I need at least the Dual DAC so it was between 120ii and 240. Because of budget reasons and because after several hours of AB I could not find any difference in sound between 120ii and 240 for standard redbook files (I have like only one album of DSD), I chose the 120ii. I also like the design of the 120ii better, it's more normally shaped and easier to grip when on the go. 
 
Right now the 380 is all the rage and everyone is saying how 380 + amp + custom Layla ruins everything for them and they can't listen to anything else. I have demoed the AK sample tracks on 380 versus my 120ii recently and the 380 sounded smoother, had more texture, separation, air, and sounded more powerful. But the metallic home button was finicky and would only register 2 times out of 10. Plus for the price of a 380 I could get the 120ii and a TOTL iem like Layla, which I did XP. I just felt the price of the 380 was astronomical for something digital, that would be made obsolete much faster than analogue stuff like iems / headphones, depend on software support, runs on lithium based batteries which degrades in 2 years, and basically still have terrible battery life like my 120ii (they also did not bump the internal storage up to 512GB or make it support two micro SD card slots like before for the price). I decided the 380 still felt like the same generation of AK players and I would patiently wait a few years before there is a significant leap in battery, storage and UI. 
 
Balanced does sound better on the AK120ii when using Layla but as I have reported extensively in the Layla thread there is a fatal treble crack that I just can't stand. I'm using a 2.5 > 3.5 adapter right now and is 'burning-in' my Layla. Every so often I will take the adapter off and try balanced again and see if the crack has been alleviated with 'burn-in'. So far no luck. 

 

[olddude]

I can't speak to the 100ll but the 120ll has plenty of smoothness with my new Angie as well as does my UERM in balanced mode.  Also plenty (lots!) of detail.  I don't find them fatiguing at all.  We all have different ears, different sound files and different iems,  For me, smooth, non-fatiguing and full of detail.  If the 100ll is smoother than this, I don't want it, as this is right in my sweet spot.  
 
Just one man's opinion, and not saying others are "wrong."

 

[M-13]

What I can say is that we are all immensely enjoying the AK100ii and AK120ii

 
Great products and surprisingly good sound. I hate it when they get bashed by people who haven't even heard them
 
The prices are high but the quality and what they offer are somethin special too. I doubt I can go back to Ibasso or Fiio daps. Even the X7...
 
What' great is that if we wait around, AK will trickle down the new tech to their lower models. I'm guessing the AK100iii and AK120iii will be 90% like the AK380. We may have to wait a year or two but iRiver will definitely update the lower line with the new chips and architecture
 
Honsetly, a Layla or Angie plus AK100ii/120ii is all a man needs for total sublime happy music listening

 

[holmieSG]

Anybody planning to sidegrade from 100ii/120ii to the new onkyos?

 

[bluesyfluesy]

I've always thought the prices of AK's DAPs were (very) high compared to brands like FiiO, iBasso and the like. I have to admit that AK's designs are much better than the competition, but I won't say they're overpriced, because I've personally never heard how they sounded or performed personally That's why I'm going to audition them this weekend and hopefully I'll walk back with one of the AK's haha. I miss having a dedicated music player; listening from my phone just isn't as enjoyable as listening from my (sold) DX90

 

[subguy812]

Anybody planning to sidegrade from 100ii/120ii to the new onkyos?

I have an Onkyo on preorder. I am not looking to replace my AK, I love it.

 

[philk34]

  I have an Onkyo on preorder. I am not looking to replace my AK, I love it.

And you will be able to compare and give your feedback. 
Thanks by advance

 

[maxedfx]

I have an Onkyo on preorder. I am not looking to replace my AK, I love it.

where did you preorder them?? Any ETA on delivery?
Thanks.

 

[subguy812]

where did you preorder them?? Any ETA on delivery?
Thanks.

Pricejapan...Nov 20

 

[subguy812]

  And you will be able to compare and give your feedback. 
Thanks by advance

Sure