[uzi2]

It's the very reason why I chose both in the end. I didn't mind the stack.
I love the fit finish, UI, and look of the Ak and the SQ of the Mojo at a reasonable cost to me, without spending the money on say an Ak240 and up.

So to me that was the deciding factor and perceived trade off, value. I can use the Ak100Ii standalone when I want as I did recently on a trip and use it with the Mojo when I'm up for more critical listening.

It was a similar choice for me. I bought the AK100ii as a transport for the Hugo. It was a replacement for FiiO X5.
As @olddude has pointed out, used in this way the sound was the same. It was the GUI and overall ease of use that was the upgrade.
I have come to use the AK100ii as a standalone with IEMs while out walking and here it is far superior to the X5 in every department (except storage).
 
I think that @joshk4 has a valid point in making an either/or choice between Mojo(+cheap transport) and AK. Yes the Mojo stack is likely to have better SQ, but the AK will be more convenient and far superior in SQ to the cheap transport alone.

 

[subguy812]

I had the Mojo and of course my 120ii.  I have tried stacking many times and always given up. The Mojo was one of those I have to try products and I tried stacking again. The Mojo sounded great but again I decided I hate stacking so I sold it. I always default to my 120ii. I walk each day and do not use a waist bag or anything so with looser fitting shorts the extra bulk and weight flopping around is annoying.

 

[olddude]

My use is also while walking, so whatever slight gain I would get from the Mojo would be offset by the stack and the necessity of using the Mojo's volume control (I'm in love with the volume control on the 120ll).

 

[MadGTI]

  My use is also while walking, so whatever slight gain I would get from the Mojo would be offset by the stack and the necessity of using the Mojo's volume control (I'm in love with the volume control on the 120ll).

I wonder if the stack of Mojo and 120II will create overheat if placing in your jacket or pocket. As I noticed when I play DSF or 24/96 while during shoving the snow for an hour,I felt my pocket has a warmer there.

 

[olddude]

Can't say about the Mojo but the 120ll gets a bit warm on the screen side when in my shirt pocket.  I assume if you are "shoving" snow you have layers on and that might restrict airflow to your device(s).  

 

[MadGTI]

  Can't say about the Mojo but the 120ll gets a bit warm on the screen side when in my shirt pocket.  I assume if you are "shoving" snow you have layers on and that might restrict airflow to your device(s).  

But when I used it in a milder weather, I still felt a little bit of hot in the jean's pocket.

 

[olddude]

When the screen is against cloth it seems to warm up.  When I carry it in a pouch and there's less screen contact it doesn't.

 

[fattycheesebeef]

  Has anyone had the chance to try both RWAK100ii and stock AK100ii? Does the Red-Wine mod bring any noticeable improvements?

 
Yes, it does especially with the bass. It sounds more punchier yet having a good soundstage too. You can hear the vocals are a bit separated from the rest of the instruments. To me, it's worth the upgrade due to me not wanting to carry around a stack.

 

[EagleWings]

   
Yes, it does especially with the bass. It sounds more punchier yet having a good soundstage too. You can hear the vocals are a bit separated from the rest of the instruments. To me, it's worth the upgrade due to me not wanting to carry around a stack.

 
Thank you. From what I have read, the tonality of the AK100ii seems to lean a bit towards the Bright side of neutral. Does the RW mod do anything to the tonality?

 

[PinkyPowers]

Astell&Kern DAPs tend to be warmer than neutral. The 240 and 380 are said to be quite a bit warmer than the AK100ii and 120ii, but these are still nice and warm in their own right.

I noticed just how warm my AK120ii was when I tested the FiiO X7. I would call the X7 pretty damn neutral. Not bright, but almost. I prefer the AK sound.

 

[EagleWings]

Astell&Kern DAPs tend to be warmer than neutral. The 240 and 380 are said to be quite a bit warmer than the AK100ii and 120ii, but these are still nice and warm in their own right.

I noticed just how warm my AK120ii was when I tested the FiiO X7. I would call the X7 pretty damn neutral. Not bright, but almost. I prefer the AK sound.

 
Got it. Thank you!

 

[JoeDoe]

Any of you 100 owners use it regularly as a USB DAC? If so, can you offer any comparisons? I'm wondering if it'd be redundant to spend $$$ on another USB DAC for the ol' MacBook if this guy is gonna offer similar performance.

 

[PinkyPowers]

As a DAC it should be great, but not as an amp. What's nice about desktop systems is they can have so much more power, sound better, and at a fraction of the cost of a TOTL DAP.

What you're paying for in a DAP is compactness.

 

[The Life]

  Any of you 100 owners use it regularly as a USB DAC? If so, can you offer any comparisons? I'm wondering if it'd be redundant to spend $$$ on another USB DAC for the ol' MacBook if this guy is gonna offer similar performance.

I use my AK100ii as my do it all usb DAC at home and at work. I like a very specific sound, which the AK100ii (in combination with a Linum Music cable and Noble K10s) gives me more than more expensive DACs and players I own currently and have owned in the past, and so it goes with me everywhere. At home I use a Alo CMD as an amp, by I still use the Ak100ii as the USB DAC.

 

[Dopaminer]

  Any of you 100 owners use it regularly as a USB DAC? If so, can you offer any comparisons? I'm wondering if it'd be redundant to spend $$$ on another USB DAC for the ol' MacBook if this guy is gonna offer similar performance.

 
My 120ii works flawlessly, effortlessly as a usb DAC with my Macbookpro, for music. I even had a 2.5 TRRS - to - dual XLR3-pin adaptor made so I can run the AK through my balanced speaker amplifier.  However, I cannot get rid of the latency issue so watching videos is impossible -even with constant tweaking of soundtrack delay with programs like VLC, which makes me assume the latency is actually drifting, not constant.  I`ve heard other members complain of the same issue, so if any 100ii or 120ii owners have fixed it, please speak up ! I would like to watch movies with my AK as the audio DAC . . .