[LouisArmstrong]

Nice. Really nice.

 

[Eroica4th]

Hahah ak380cu made me smile like the very first moment i had it on.

We will see though i doubt it. Later when im free i will use kse15000 to see if i get impressed or not

 

[wldcohso]

Good price if anyone is interested.

 

[Omega139]

This is a copy and paste from my post in the 380 thread because I figured it would be appropriate to ask here too.


Alrighty friends, i've already gone too deep down the rabbit hole and decided to cancel my SS 240 order and increased my budget to get something better. I want to pay around 2500.

I REALLY want a 380SS, but given my budget I think it's going to be highly unlikely that i'll find one for that price. In that regard, I can easily find a 380 in gunmetal for 2500. However, I came across the SP1000 stainless steel which I can get for a couple extra hundred dollars.

How does the SP1000 SS compre to the 380 gunmetal or the 380SS?

 

[ctsooner22]

Can's answer your question, but I'm the one who purchased Erocia's 380cu and amp. He was a GREAT guy to deal with. We had a lot to overcome with a US/Kuwait purchase. We worked closely and make it all workout. I love this player. It's very special folks. I have now used it with my Noble Savant's, but they has no bass or sub bass. The mids are special and on the 380cu they are fleshed out perfectly. I think this is what's missing for some with the 1000, but can only base that on what folks have talked about with me.

What often gets overlooked is that when you have a great device that can flesh out the mids and have full highs, it can sound as though it's missing micro and macro detail. That's not the case here. I used the amp and the ZMF Ori's with the 380 grouping. It's very special folks. It's so subtle that you have to really listen more than a few times to realize what the heck it's doing. The staging is incredible and it has sub bass in spades. It's also very coherent. Nothing stands out, but it's why you often will say it makes you happy. It's dynamic as heck and so open on top. It may not sound 'airy', but in fact it is. It pushed many boundaries I feel.

I also own an Ayre QX5/20. I went back and forth using all different music AND recorded voices, sounds of nature etc... I used many of my audiophile recordings in regular 44.1 as well as high res and some DAD 258 I think it is. Anyways, it wasn't quite to the level of the Ayre, but honestly you need to get to the 20k plus range and the Davinici mk 2 that two of my friends are running to get better digital sound. You'd still need a great amp with the DaVinci though. The headphone amp on the Ayre is the best I've ever heard and it's not close in balanced mode. The top Woo I've heard isn't as good to my ears. The Ori's have nearly perfect balance for a headphone. I like it in it's newly modded form than the LCD 4.

To even be able to mention the 380cu in this discussion means the it's special. I need to get the TOTL Empire Ears in to really give it a run through. So far I've not heard an IEM that can compete with the Ori's. I have a feeling that the EE's will be the one that can. I'll try to get a demo 1000 in to see how it stacks up to my ref as well as a head to head vs the 380cu. JMHO...

 

[bflat]

This is a copy and paste from my post in the 380 thread because I figured it would be appropriate to ask here too.


Alrighty friends, i've already gone too deep down the rabbit hole and decided to cancel my SS 240 order and increased my budget to get something better. I want to pay around 2500.

I REALLY want a 380SS, but given my budget I think it's going to be highly unlikely that i'll find one for that price. In that regard, I can easily find a 380 in gunmetal for 2500. However, I came across the SP1000 stainless steel which I can get for a couple extra hundred dollars.

How does the SP1000 SS compre to the 380 gunmetal or the 380SS?

What are you going to use for headphones?

Hahah ak380cu made me smile like the very first moment i had it on.

We will see though i doubt it. Later when im free i will use kse15000 to see if i get impressed or not

Yep, I know the feeling. When I upgraded from my RWAK240 to AK380CU, there was a moment of "what have a done?????". I think each AK DAP have a unique feel and familiarity about them that's hard to let go. I really wish I could have kept them all. When I got my SP1000, same feeling, but I really did not enjoy polishing the AK380CU and Amp CU so that was easier to get over.

 

[lights]

Been 2 days now since i got sp1000ss.. not too impressed. I liked ak380cu more.

In terms of sound, look, colour, size.

Maybe it is just to early to feel the difference. If only doesnt ak380cu tarnish......

I kind of wish there was a AK380 design but with the performance/UI of the SP1000.

 

[Omega139]

What are you going to use for headphones?

Noble K10 and Campfire Andromeda. I'm eventually going to fork up the cash for something even better in the future.

 

[bflat]

Noble K10 and Campfire Andromeda. I'm eventually going to fork up the cash for something even better in the future.

Neither of those are going to need the amp module. The only IEM that I know of that I would recommend the amp module is the JH Layla. However, on the SP1000, Layla sound great with no external amp. AK380 plus Amp is really heavy and bulky and I have no regrets now moving on to the SP1000. You have to pay $4500 for an AK380 SS + Amp SS and the SP1000 SS is $3500. I personally don't think the Amp SS is worth $1000. With our IEMs, the Amp will likely go unused and it basically becomes a $1000 paper weight.

 

[Omega139]

Neither of those are going to need the amp module. The only IEM that I know of that I would recommend the amp module is the JH Layla. However, on the SP1000, Layla sound great with no external amp. AK380 plus Amp is really heavy and bulky and I have no regrets now moving on to the SP1000. You have to pay $4500 for an AK380 SS + Amp SS and the SP1000 SS is $3500. I personally don't think the Amp SS is worth $1000. With our IEMs, the Amp will likely go unused and it basically becomes a $1000 paper weight.

Hmm...well excuse my lack of knowledge, i'm a little new to the game here. What exactly is the "amp module"?

In terms of sound quality, can you compare the 380 SS to the SP1000 SS?

 

[bflat]

Hmm...well excuse my lack of knowledge, i'm a little new to the game here. What exactly is the "amp module"?

In terms of sound quality, can you compare the 380 SS to the SP1000 SS?

No problem, the full description is here:

https://www.moon-audio.com/astell-kern-ak380ss-digital-music-media-player-package.html

Unfortunately, the SS is not sold with just the DAP. It's only sold as a set with the Amp module. The later gives you 4x the power output than the DAP. On other AK380 models, the Amp is optional.

I have not listened to the 380 SS so can't comment specifically on that. Based on my experience with the 380 CU, I find SP1000 SS more resolving and spacious and a definite upgrade.

 

[bflat]

WOW, this is a deal:

https://www.headamp.com/order/aultima-sp1000-astellkern-jh-audio-layla-ii/

It's like buying the Laylas for $800! I can attest the combo is pretty awesome.

 

[Omega139]

Let's say I was able to find a 380SS without an amp off ebay. Can anyone chime in about the differences in sound between the SP1000 and the AK380SS ?

 

[wldcohso]

In terms of sound quality, can you compare the 380 SS to the SP1000 SS?[/QUOTE[/QUOTE]

Let's say I was able to find a 380SS without an amp off ebay. Can anyone chime in about the differences in sound between the SP1000 and the AK380SS ?

how did you pull that off... I was wanting one soooo darn bad.... the copper one is something to hold on to. I’m getting another one eventually...

 

[kubig123]

In terms of sound quality, can you compare the 380 SS to the SP1000 SS?[/QUOTE

how did you pull that off... I was wanting one soooo darn bad.... the copper one is something to hold on to. I’m getting another one eventually...[/QUOTE]

I was checking on Ebay an used 380ss (with amp) cost more than a new sp1000.
Definitely the limited editions are holding the value quite well.