jamato8
Headphoneus Supremus
That is the alpa not the max.
DX320 ROHM dac chips, Android 11, AMP11MK2s. *******NEW FW: 2.07*******
- Thread starter Paul - iBasso
- Start date
-
- Tags
- ibasso ibasso dx320
RIGATIO
Headphoneus Supremus
Im not interested in powering full sized headphones from a dap. Its competely pointless for me. I treat dap as a DAP- something portable, so that means i use iems with it.
I would never spend 1000+ dol/e for getting a dap to power Susvaras or something similar. For 1,5-2k you can get Hugo 2 or even Ifi Diablo for 1k which will deliver way better performance with full sized, open back planars.
I auditioned Kann Alpha and didnt like its sound at all. It was flat, grayish and uninspiring in comparison to my former dx300.
The best dap ive heard to date was the Shanling M9 (never tried the n8ii) but i knew that the dx320 was coming so i sent it back. It wasnt worth 2800e. Now when we have dx320, i could pay max 2100e max for the M9 and i still think that they are very very comparable.
Im not sure I made a mistake when ordering Kann Max because the dx320 is already on e of the best daps ive heard to date (and ive tried many).
The only thing that keeps me searching is the dx320's size.
I would never spend 1000+ dol/e for getting a dap to power Susvaras or something similar. For 1,5-2k you can get Hugo 2 or even Ifi Diablo for 1k which will deliver way better performance with full sized, open back planars.
I auditioned Kann Alpha and didnt like its sound at all. It was flat, grayish and uninspiring in comparison to my former dx300.
The best dap ive heard to date was the Shanling M9 (never tried the n8ii) but i knew that the dx320 was coming so i sent it back. It wasnt worth 2800e. Now when we have dx320, i could pay max 2100e max for the M9 and i still think that they are very very comparable.
Im not sure I made a mistake when ordering Kann Max because the dx320 is already on e of the best daps ive heard to date (and ive tried many).
The only thing that keeps me searching is the dx320's size.
RIGATIO
Headphoneus Supremus
Ive heard that the Oracles are amazing, buttery smooth iems. I have Monarchs 2 and i wouldnt change them. I really really love how they sound, for me the iem search is finished definitely, ive found my end game in a quite good price.
How would you compare the Kann Max to the dx300? I had dx300 so maybe i could draw some conclusion from your description
It's pointless to you but any clue how much fun it is for those owners able to take their favorite hard to drive headphones on the road
Or even not being stuck in one spot
I never tried the M9 and as I understood it was limited due to AKM DAC chip shortage
Intention was 400 units but I heard only 200 where made ...
I hope you like the MAX and as far as I've been reading it's a different sound from the Alpha
You'll know soon ...
Last edited:
Tomm11
500+ Head-Fier
Yes, I realize that but if they are specifying power of the Alpha and Max the same way, and they are, (voltage into no load) then the actual measured power of the Alpha may be relevant in anticipating what the actual power of Max will be. Of course one won't know for sure without actually measuring Max. But it's better than buying blind. A&K certainly isn't going to offer up useful power numbers.
RIGATIO
Headphoneus Supremus
But the problem is that the Max isnt capable of driving the most power hungry planars to their full potential. So its "power" thats mentioned on any data sheet is completely pointless.It's pointless to you but any clue how much fun it is for those owners able to take their favorite hard to drive headphones on the road
Or even not being stuck in one spot
I never tried the M9 and as I understood it was limited due to AKM DAC chip shortage
Intention was 400 units but I heard only 200 where made ...
I hope you like the MAX and as far as I've been reading it's a different sound from the Alpha
You'll know soon ...
Last edited:
Tomm11
500+ Head-Fier
Yes but apparently into 47K ohms.
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2013
- Posts
- 28,353
- Likes
- 32,195
Battery packs is battery packs, voltage is voltage, and 3.7V battery is 3.7V battery
Doesnt matter what you do to it. The outcome will be very clear By using basic ohm laws. The more voltage you raise up, the more your battery will lose in current supplying, and ripples noises effects will raise up as well.
You can counter those noises with feedbacks and errors, which means you can filter them out and claim to be powerful output. The more you filter out, the more you have to lose
Just like drinking water from a 300mL cup. The faster and harder you suck the water, the more noises, and the faster it deplete. But if you were to have a Huge Water tank reservoir for the whole city, you don’t need to “suck the water” out….it comes to you. This is why Desktop AC will always have the advantages
The More batteries = the more advantages
The Dx300/320 have 2 batteries dedicated to each sections
The Dx300 Max has 5 batteries with 3 dedicated sections
Weather you can tell the performances….is subjective , but you Can not escape the laws of physics
Doesnt matter what you do to it. The outcome will be very clear By using basic ohm laws. The more voltage you raise up, the more your battery will lose in current supplying, and ripples noises effects will raise up as well.
You can counter those noises with feedbacks and errors, which means you can filter them out and claim to be powerful output. The more you filter out, the more you have to lose
Just like drinking water from a 300mL cup. The faster and harder you suck the water, the more noises, and the faster it deplete. But if you were to have a Huge Water tank reservoir for the whole city, you don’t need to “suck the water” out….it comes to you. This is why Desktop AC will always have the advantages
The More batteries = the more advantages
The Dx300/320 have 2 batteries dedicated to each sections
The Dx300 Max has 5 batteries with 3 dedicated sections
Weather you can tell the performances….is subjective , but you Can not escape the laws of physics
RIGATIO
Headphoneus Supremus
Very true statement which probably covers what the guy in a video i posted above said. He said that the bass is distorted on the Kann Max when he was trying to power his Susvaras. He even said that the Kann Max ist capable of driving the Mest to their full potential. So a snake oil??
RIGATIO
Headphoneus Supremus
I think that Shanling has a very good approach in tuning their daps. They know that the daps are mainly for fun and portable use so they dont try to make a typical "reference" sounding devices for use in this kind of scenario. They make them fun sounding but still with a very good quality. I remember the M9 as a typical "fun" tuned device- bass boost and very extended trebles. Also the soundstage was the biggest ive heard from any dap (AK lags far behind in this regard). It was detail monster with a very smooth and bit distant presentation.It's pointless to you but any clue how much fun it is for those owners able to take their favorite hard to drive headphones on the road
Or even not being stuck in one spot
I never tried the M9 and as I understood it was limited due to AKM DAC chip shortage
Intention was 400 units but I heard only 200 where made ...
I hope you like the MAX and as far as I've been reading it's a different sound from the Alpha
You'll know soon ...
The dx320 is similar, maybe even better in naturalness and rounded, wetter, better defined notes. But the M9 had this grand, very expanded soundscape and it displayed everything that was in the recording. The dx320 is more elegant and emotional i would say, but this is very very subjective description.
Tomm11
500+ Head-Fier
I believe it about the Susvara but Alpha has no issues whatsoever driving MEST MKII. It seems strange that Max would have an issue.
Common theme on the Kann Alpha thread was that Alpha had an issue with low impedance, low sensitivity phones. Distorted low end was the first and obvious sign of Alpha struggling with those loads. Max may have the same problem but I wouldn't consider one, early Youtube review as definitive. But I wouldn't dismiss it either. Definitely something to look into further before spending the $1300. Then again, $1300 is pocket change to some folks.
Last edited:
RIGATIO
Headphoneus Supremus
I also think that this guy is exaggerating a bit. But i posted this having Susvaras and some other hard to drive headphones in my mind. So we could agree here.
Well I have Mest Mk II here and a AK Kann Alpha
And if this guy says they are hard to drive I seriously question him ...
Anyway it's audio and we all have our ideas and visions plus we all hear different things
I buy and try and hear it myself ...
.
Last edited:
Tomm11
500+ Head-Fier
Isn't the Fiio M17 supposed to be a power monster? If output power were my top priority, I'd probably put M17 on my short list. Maybe it's too big to carry out?
Users who are viewing this thread
