[Whitigir]

Ak restricts the software intentionally and that won't change. It goes back to it being just a music player and just that. We have cell phones for everything else.

And the purposes for this is about “controls” ? Or what ? I remembered that it took AK a couple years to even allow digital filters options which were always there by the DAC that AK has always marketed for, the AK4499EQ

 

[chef8489]

And the purposes for this is about “controls” ? Or what ? I remembered that it took AK a couple years to even allow digital filters options which were always there by the DAC that AK has always marketed for, the AK4499EQ

I'm sure it's about quality and stability of their ecosystem. With open Android such as fiio you can install anything and it can cause stability issues and compatibility issues. Restricting these things allows ak to focus on compatibility of the apps. It also allows them to focus on what the player is and that is a high res music player and not have to worry about third party apps like games and other apps.

 

[Whitigir]

I'm sure it's about quality and stability of their ecosystem. With open Android such as fiio you can install anything and it can cause stability issues and compatibility issues. Restricting these things allows ak to focus on compatibility of the apps. It also allows them to focus on what the player is and that is a high res music player and not have to worry about third party apps like games and other apps.

Then AK should focused on a dedicated OS instead of an open AndroidOS, because restricting or not, at the core, it is still Android

 

[blotmouse]

I'm not sure I buy the stability angle. A&K have more bugs than most of the open Android players, lol. They just also have frustrated customers who can't do what they thought they could, not to mention the super old supported apk list that's practically worthless. I see their OS as having all the drawbacls of Android and very few of the benefits. They did do a good job with the graphic files. It's a pretty mod.

 

[chef8489]

I'm not sure I buy the stability angle. A&K have more bugs than most of the open Android players, lol. They just also have frustrated customers who can't do what they thought they could, not to mention the super old supported apk list that's practically worthless. I see their OS as having all the drawbacls of Android and very few of the benefits. They did do a good job with the graphic files. It's a pretty mod.

What bugs and crashes would you say the AK players have other than third party apps integration?

 

[blotmouse]

What bugs and crashes would you say the AK players have other than third party apps integration?

No real crashes to speak of, never said that, it's relatively stable, but wasn't the whole point of their "special" OS to minimize 3rd party problems? And because they are the gate keepers and have to qualify everything (to varying degrees of success), that is itself a problem for fast remediation to customers.
Personally my AK experience has been fine and stable, but I would have liked to install players and EQ's that I use across all my devices. Mainly to fill in the gaps left open by A&K not providing the appropriate solution to customers in the 1st place. Just seems like they are getting in their own way due to a misguided attempt at selling stability that isn't always experienced down stream.

 

[jwbrent]

Hi Guys,

You can see the size of it in the first few minutes of his video from the show.

Looks like it’s the same size as an SE180, not too thick at all.

 

[Whitigir]

Looks like it’s the same size as an SE180, not too thick at all.

this makes me thinking that it really is using the Nutubes and able to run balances would be dual tubes!! It would be really impressive to have it all fitting within such chassis

 

[Andricop]

I'm sure it's about quality and stability of their ecosystem. With open Android such as fiio you can install anything and it can cause stability issues and compatibility issues. Restricting these things allows ak to focus on compatibility of the apps. It also allows them to focus on what the player is and that is a high res music player and not have to worry about third party apps like games and other apps.

And battery life ... I had a Sony ZX507 which I liked very much but battery life was awful.
You have to do a lot of tweaking to disable all useless Android features on a DAP (location, calculator, printing service ...) to try to preserve some battery life.
Have a look here : https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-sony-nw-zx500.914486/page-57#post-15339376

 

[jwbrent]

this makes me thinking that it really is using the Nutubes and able to run balances would be dual tubes!! It would be really impressive to have it all fitting within such chassis

yeah, I’m kind of excited about the T. It’s a little bigger than I had hoped, especially the height, but the nutube output stage is a big plus to me, and I’m glad it works with all three outputs. Plus, I’m ordering all my new iem purchases with 4.4mm connectors, so having one device that works with the three most common outputs is great.

I read also the ReplayGain data can be read if one’s library already has the data (like mine), and if not, the T will analyze one’s library and create the data.

 

[jamato8]

Changes color based on what amp mode is enabled, then changes color to indicate bit rate when a track is playing.

How many tubes are in the T? 1 or 2 modules?

 

[Whitigir]

How many tubes are in the T? 1 or 2 modules?

Should be 2 for a true balanced configurations. Good question though! I honestly don’t think in such small chassis , you can squeeze in 2 Nutubes

 

[jamato8]

Should be 2 for a true balanced configurations, otherwise I would bet that using 1 is ok but it would be single ended then differentiated toward balanced amp out (so technically a SE source) ? Good question though. I honestly don’t think in such small chassis , you can squeeze in 2 Nutubes

Unless Korg has a new smaller module, though haven't heard of one. So if one module, not true balanced and would be the op amps on the output. Interesting.

 

[Reactcore]

I’d sacrifice thickness for a smaller footprint. I know the days of the AK110/120 sizes are well and truly over, at least not at the performance level of DAPs these days, but holding onto the belief that AK240/380/SP1KM form factor is still physically possible.

Who says over I'm still holding on to my trusty AK120.. That form factor has never been matched again.. And I'm still lovin the long forgotten Wolfson dac sound. No streaming needed.. All my music stored on two 1TB mSD's

 

[efftee]

Who says over I'm still holding on to my trusty AK120.. That form factor has never been matched again.. And I'm still lovin the long forgotten Wolfson dac sound. No streaming needed.. All my music stored on two 1TB mSD's

Yaa the good old days, how something so small can produce such amazing sounds! It’s a hair-splitting nitpicking incremental game after that…