[mikemercer]

Any other reviews besides Mike? After all his praise makes it hard not to preorder.

Thanks!!
 
SO sorry I didn't get into this Thread earlier fellas!!
 
And my praise for the Glove Audio A1 + my AK120 has turned into pure love for this stunning product from @mgoodman and the CEntrance team!!

Driving the new Audeze open-back EL-8 makes for a seductive and enveloping portable rig!!!!
 
After my review was published at Part-Time Audiophile I took my Glove (YUP, grabbed-up my review unit almost immediately) to our last San Francisco Head-Fi Meet to see how other Head-Fiers reacted to it. Most people that tried it simply couldn't believe it!

Sonically-speaking, my Glove Audio A1 + AK120 does things occasionally that I prefer to my AK240! Example: Utilizing the RSA balanced output on the Glove renders more vivid/lifelike vocals and a broader stereo image than the 2.5mm balanced output on the AK240 often (NOT all the time - but when it does - its smacks the sonics of the AK240 down, IMHO...
 
Sure, you sacrifice cool features that you could get on the AK240, like WiFi capability and MQS Streaming - but when you consider the difference in price?!?!?!
I have to continue this ASAP  - as Alexandra's health has deteriorated again - but I'll be back!!!!

 

[jims999]

GloveA1 plus Shure SE846 with silver dragon balanced cables, BLISS! I have never heard anything like it.........the detail is incredible, bass is natural but it's there in spades, just takes you away to another world.......

 

[SckT]

GloveA1 plus Shure SE846 with silver dragon balanced cables, BLISS! I have never heard anything like it.........the detail is incredible, bass is natural but it's there in spades, just takes you away to another world.......

+1
A whole new level of enjoyment!!

 

[JACONE]

You guys are making it really hard for me not to get it!

 

[xuan87]

I've been following this thread for a while so I think i may be the first to have negative things to say about the Glove Audio A1.
 
My main gripe is that the A1 boosted the bass too much, and it not being as neutral as I would like it to be, which I perceived as a slight loss in clarity. My main comparison is against the JDS C5D.
 
It might be due to the source, an AK100 running an outdated firmware (1, something against my AK100's 2. somthing). Unfortunately I wasn't able to use it with my AK100 as the shop couldn't find the allen key to do the swap..

 

[jims999]

You guys are making it really hard for me not to get it!

sell a kidney, you only need one!! Balanced output is even better, unbelievable.....

 

[mikemercer]

sell a kidney, you only need one!! Balanced output is even better, unbelievable.....

INDEED!!!
I only run my Glove balanced whenever possible!
Same w/ my AK240!!!
 

 

[jlbrach]

i listened to my glove along with my titan on my flight yesterday for 3 hours straight and it really is wonderful

 

[digitalzed]

  I've been following this thread for a while so I think i may be the first to have negative things to say about the Glove Audio A1.
 
My main gripe is that the A1 boosted the bass too much, and it not being as neutral as I would like it to be, which I perceived as a slight loss in clarity. My main comparison is against the JDS C5D.
 
It might be due to the source, an AK100 running an outdated firmware (1, something against my AK100's 2. somthing). Unfortunately I wasn't able to use it with my AK100 as the shop couldn't find the allen key to do the swap..

You can update the firmware on the AK100 to 2.40. My Glove came with an allen key.

 

[xuan87]

 
You can update the firmware on the AK100 to 2.40. My Glove came with an allen key.

 
I know, my personal AK100 is already updated. Problem is, the store's AK100 is not updated and I can't remove it from the Glove because they couldn't find the allen key.
 
I was curious though, if anyone has any experience of different firmware giving you a different sound with the Glove. 

 

[Koolpep]

   
I know, my personal AK100 is already updated. Problem is, the store's AK100 is not updated and I can't remove it from the Glove because they couldn't find the allen key.
 
I was curious though, if anyone has any experience of different firmware giving you a different sound with the Glove. 

 
I have two AK100 one Mk1 and one Mk2 The Mk1 has FW 2.40 and the Mk2 has 2.41 (Sapphire blue edition). No differences in sound. We also tried a friends AK120 and couldn't hear any difference. Since I have FW 2.41 on one AK100 I asked A&K/iRiver when they are going to release it publicly for the other AK100 that don't have 2.41 yet. 
 
After 6 emails and 7 tweets someone finally answered at all not answering the question. If a AK employee would have been nearby I would have thrown my AK100 onto his head!
 
Cheers,
K

 

[xuan87]

   
I have two AK100 one Mk1 and one Mk2 The Mk1 has FW 2.40 and the Mk2 has 2.41 (Sapphire blue edition). No differences in sound. We also tried a friends AK120 and couldn't hear any difference. Since I have FW 2.41 on one AK100 I asked A&K/iRiver when they are going to release it publicly for the other AK100 that don't have 2.41 yet. 
 
After 6 emails and 7 tweets someone finally answered at all not answering the question. If a AK employee would have been nearby I would have thrown my AK100 onto his head!
 
Cheers,
K

 
Mine was the Sapphire blue edition too, but the shop's AK100 firmware was really old, 1.3 something if I remember right. Not sure if that's going to make a difference.
 
I think we have discussed this before earlier in this thread, but as a transport, the AK100 is not just feeding the original 1s and 0s to the Glove, as can be seen when the equalizer is switched on. Am I correct in saying that on different firmwares, the 1s and 0s being fed to the Glove MIGHT be different too?
 
This is purely subjective but on my first visit, I was using the store's gold AK100 with the Glove and on the 2nd visit, it was a silver AK100, and from sonic memory, the first audition left a more positive impression on me.

 

[Koolpep]

   
Mine was the Sapphire blue edition too, but the shop's AK100 firmware was really old, 1.3 something if I remember right. Not sure if that's going to make a difference.
 
I think we have discussed this before earlier in this thread, but as a transport, the AK100 is not just feeding the original 1s and 0s to the Glove, as can be seen when the equalizer is switched on. Am I correct in saying that on different firmwares, the 1s and 0s being fed to the Glove MIGHT be different too?
 
This is purely subjective but on my first visit, I was using the store's gold AK100 with the Glove and on the 2nd visit, it was a silver AK100, and from sonic memory, the first audition left a more positive impression on me.

 
That's funny, I bought one of the first ones and because of the the special equalizer setting the Sapphire Blue one released December 2014 needs the special firmware. Anyhow, might there be differences? Sure. As you said, the EQ can be used even with digital out. But we tried 3 different AK models with  different FW and hear no difference with SE846, HA-FX850 and UE900s always playing the same high res FLAC. 
 
Cheers,
K

 

[xuan87]

   
That's funny, I bought one of the first ones and because of the the special equalizer setting the Sapphire Blue one released December 2014 needs the special firmware. Anyhow, might there be differences? Sure. As you said, the EQ can be used even with digital out. But we tried 3 different AK models with  different FW and hear no difference with SE846, HA-FX850 and UE900s always playing the same high res FLAC. 
 
Cheers,
K

 
Thanks for confirming what I thought: That regardless of the firmware, with the equalizer off, the AK100 transport will just feed the original bits.
 
This also mean that the Glove Audio A1 is not for me.

 

[Koolpep]

   
Thanks for confirming what I thought: That regardless of the firmware, with the equalizer off, the AK100 transport will just feed the original bits.
 
This also mean that the Glove Audio A1 is not for me.

No, I didn't say that. I said that I didn't hear any difference with 3 different devices running 2.40, 2.41 and AK120 on 1.40 Firmware. Since the bits are certainly touched by the AK100 with or without the equalizer, earlier FW might have a different sounding output. However with the above the difference was inaudible. But I have not downgraded anything, the players came with the latest firmware so we didn't play around with that.
 
The A1 is amazing!
 
Cheers,
K