[Goldlion973]

How is this amp/dac doing with the AK120? It doesn't have an analogue in and I'm £1000 in on a DAP with dual DAC's that will be bypassed to flow into this amp if I opt for it... feels kinda wasteful and is probably harmful to the environment in some way 8-/ It seems this is one for phones and apple devices more than something to use with high quality DAP's that have their own converters.
 
Am I missing something here?

 

[Goldlion973]

Every image in the slide show is of either Michael or an idevice....

 

[ExpatinJapan]

Try the centrance web page, or check the other hifi-m8 thread.

Also at the top of the head-fi home page there are videos, one of videos has the ak120 and a review.

 

[ExpatinJapan]

Well I looked around also and couldnt find an ak100/120 picture with the LX version of hifi-m8.

Here are the various hifi-m8 to choose from: a choice of two back plates (idevice or other,ak100/120) and four front plates.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

 

[Dopaminer]

   
My M8 sounds fantastic out of my computer and my Android phone via USB.  I have only tested briefly with iDevices, but I did not notice a difference in sound.  Certainly not like you have.

fantastic with HD800 ????  
 
I have been waiting for this amp for my HD800 portable system (currently ALO contiV2) but it doesn`s seem like anyone is raving about this combo. . .   
Or have I missed something ?  (highly probable)
 
d

 

[FatmanSize48]

fantastic with HD800 ????  

I have been waiting for this amp for my HD800 portable system (currently ALO contiV2) but it doesn`s seem like anyone is raving about this combo. . .   
Or have I missed something ?  (highly probable)

d

I'll be able to post a few impressions on Monday.

 

[Dopaminer]

 

 

 

 

 

[ExpatinJapan]

Thanks for the pictures. I will add some to the first page.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

  I received my HiFiM8 today, and am finally giving it a listen 7 months after ordering...it was worth the wait!  So far, I've tried 2 configurations:
 
1)  USB out of my MacBook Pro, which is SSD equipped, using iTunes via BitPerfect
 
2)  iPod Classic, hooked up the "normal" way.
 
I'm not sure how much of it is the USB implementation on the M8 and how much is the difference between iPod Classic and the computer, but the iPod version sounds a *lot* better than via USB.  In comparison to the awesome, clean, powerful, detailed sound that makes my LCD 3's sing when the M8 is hooked up to the iPod, the USB connection to my computer sounds muffled and lacking in power with the same headphones - requiring volume to be at maximum to hear anything (with the iPod connection, my volume is below half).
 
So...while I'm not quite satisfied with the USB performance at this point, I am absolutely loving the iPod performance.  And that's fine with me, since the purpose of this amp/dac is to use it with my iDevices - I have the Woo to use with my Wavelength USB DAC for computer use.  But I am intrigued by this difference.
 
Has anybody else noticed this difference?  I've read the last few pages of this thread and not seen much actual talk about the sound of the M8...
 
I'll keep experimenting with headphones and different computers and iDevices to see if this is maybe an issue of my laptop just having crappy audio output.

 
Are you using a PC?  
 
It's great with a Mac, but in the past I've compared the same USB DAC on a PC vs on a Mac, and the PC always sounded bad.
 
That can be fixed with software.  There are a few threads here that address software that will bypass the Windows sound mixer and improve the sound quite a bit.  Also your music player software can affect the sound on a PC a bit too.  I'm a Mac guy, but I seem to have read a lot of PC users using Foobar 2000 player and ASIO4ALL or other software that gives the player direct access to the USB ports.

 

[eron]

Audirvana Plus significantly improves audio on a Mac as well.

 

[wormsdriver]

   
Are you using a PC?  
 
It's great with a Mac, but in the past I've compared the same USB DAC on a PC vs on a Mac, and the PC always sounded bad.
 
**snip

I'm a pc....can we all just get along???

 
 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

[Goldlion973]

Well I looked around also and couldnt find an ak100/120 picture with the LX version of hifi-m8.

Here are the various hifi-m8 to choose from: a choice of two back plates (idevice or other,ak100/120) and four front plates.

 
Yeah, thanks.... Judes review features the AK120 with the device problem is that it only has a digital input so using it with the AK120 would mean bypassing the DAC's on the device to be routed through the M8 which then poses the question, what are my $1000 twin DAC's being used for? On other amps you can at least opt to use an analogue line in and use the M8 as a DAC when needed.... all of this is not doubt why the M8 seems to be an idevice companion, it has yet to sink its teeth into the market share of other amps/DAC's that don't leave you feeling as though all you really need is a source player with a usb out.
 
Bit disappointing, am looking at the International and would have seen this as being better value for money.

 

[flyfish2002]

I recently left a iPod 4G/CLAS/SR-71b rig for a AK100/SR-71b rig, as all of my music is either WAV or lossless, uncompressed FLAC - and about 40% of it is 24/96.  I was using two different third party apps on the iPod to play WAV and FLAC, it was hard to carry a three piece rig and I was limited to 16/48.
 
I plan to enjoy the new combo for a while, but think about replacing the SR-71b with an M8 LX - by passing the AK100 DAC. Basically, using the AK100 as a digital source with the M8 LX providing the DAC and amp.
 
Don't know if I will ever pull the trigger - the AK100/SR-71b rig sounds great and it has a very small footprint.  The AK100 is smaller than the SR-71b.
 
That being said, I see the M8 LX for those who just don't want to live in the Apple universe, but want convenience and high quality.
 

 

[swifttal]

Of those that have received theirs, how many ordered the RSA version?