[Bendixen]

If you can get to central London , go to selfridges (Technology department) . They have both the sp1000 ss and sp1000m on display. You can demo as well .

Thanks, do you know if they have the SP1000 AMP and ripper mrk II on display as well?

 

[quodjo105]

Thanks, do you know if they have the SP1000 AMP and ripper mrk II on display as well?

I don’t think so , but you can ask when you get there .

 

[GRUMPYOLDGUY]

Finally received my Van Nuys cases from Japan for the SP1000M. What a disappointment. The quality control here is awful... the two cases have completely different dimensions. The leather one is virtually unusable because it is so oversized that the device moves around in it. Which is a shame, because the quality of the leather itself is fantastic. The ballistic nylon case more closely matched the dimension of the SP1000M, but also was a little oversized. This one is at least workable, so I'll use it. I wouldn't expect a second order to match the sizing of the first though. If someone offers you a Van Nuys product, run away as fast as you can. If the company was based in the US, I would be on the phone with them demanding this be corrected.

 

[dakchi]

Finally received my Van Nuys cases from Japan for the SP1000M. What a disappointment. The quality control here is awful... the two cases have completely different dimensions. The leather one is virtually unusable because it is so oversized that the device moves around in it. Which is a shame, because the quality of the leather itself is fantastic. The ballistic nylon case more closely matched the dimension of the SP1000M, but also was a little oversized. This one is at least workable, so I'll use it. I wouldn't expect a second order to match the sizing of the first though. If someone offers you a Van Nuys product, run away as fast as you can. If the company was based in the US, I would be on the phone with them demanding this be corrected.

From where did you buy them? I couldn't find them in the internet

 

[scsalsa]

Hi Anyone know how to stream Tidal from SP1000 to external DLNA device like speaker?

The in-built AK connect in SP1000 only allow to stream local file in SP1000 to external DLNA device but not Tidal. I understand that the standalone version of AK Connect 2.0 for Android does support Tidal but this feature is not enable in SP1000's default AK connect software.

Can we upgrade the in-built AK connect to the 2.0 version which supports Tidal? Or alternatively can we install Bubbleupnp, which has Tidal support features, into SP1000?

 

[olddude]

The VaNuys cases have velcro to adjust them. My SPK leather one is perfect (as is the nylon one I got for my iPhone). You aren't showing the back of the leather one. I went to the site but can't tell there, either. If it has velcro, you can tighten it. If not, well, sorry to hear you don't like yours. I keep buying VanNuys cases because, for me, they have been perfect. In fact, yours is the first complaint I have heard from anyone about them.

 

[GRUMPYOLDGUY]

The VaNuys cases have velcro to adjust them. My SPK leather one is perfect (as is the nylon one I got for my iPhone). You aren't showing the back of the leather one. I went to the site but can't tell there, either. If it has velcro, you can tighten it. If not, well, sorry to hear you don't like yours. I keep buying VanNuys cases because, for me, they have been perfect. In fact, yours is the first complaint I have heard from anyone about them.

Both have velcro, but only the ballistic nylon case is suitable for use after adjustment... and even that is a tad bit sloppy. The leather case simply does not have enough hook side on the straps to tighten the case enough to secure the 1000M. It is absolutely oversized. As I said, at least the ballistic nylon case is close... but the fact that two of the same case (albeit different material) differ so vastly in size, speaks to the poor manufacturing standards (i.e. tolerance)

From where did you buy them? I couldn't find them in the internet

Directly from Van Nuys in Japan. I used a mail forwarding service in Tokyo to get it to me in the US.

 

[olddude]

eBay has cases but they are overpriced and one seller is a rip-off artist.

 

[DeepSouth]

I own the SP1000 and it's been in service twice in about 6 months. A fellow head-fi'er friend recommended I get a DX220.
So far I don't like it.
1: The interface isn't ideal. It's confusing to play music, it's like using a cellphone to play music if you've never used that operating system before. It has an internet browser and other apps. Once I learned to use the "Mango player" it's ok now, but going to my "music folder" and clicking on a song won't result in playing music. You can only play music by launching the mango app and then navigating to the songs you'd like to play. After learning this, you might like the customization of the operating system.

2: It needs to be burned in. My SP1000 sounded great from the beginning, and perhaps got a little better after use. My DX220 sounded bad from the beginning. In the beginning is sounded worse than my iphone or old ipod classic. The only way to describe it was that it sounded cheap. After 24 hours of burn in, the sound significantly improved, but nowhere near the SQ of SP1000. I'd say the songs sound raspy where there should be no raspiness. My friend warned me that it needs 200 hours of burn in time. I'm only 4 days of 24/7 burn in using the supplied 2.5 balanced burn in cable, and my other headphones. After 4 days it still sounds raspy.

3: The supplied leather case is bad. My case was misfigured so it jets out away from the screen instead of close fitting. It's moot since I can't use my 2.5 cable and the leather case at the same time. The hole at the bottom isn't big enough to use my DHC 2.5 cable.

4: The screen wasn't calibrated to a finger. I press a song, and the song underneath it would play. My friend told me to reset the dx220 that worked. Turning it on/off didn't help. I had to delete and start over.

5: The screws securing the amp look tampered, as if someone used a flat head screwdriver that was ill-fitted to the screw. Perhaps it's an oversite on quality control in the manufacturing process, perhaps I bought a returned unit and there is more to it's story.

On an optimistic level it could be a good backup if SQ improves. The modular amp portion can be swapped out and I could have 3.5, 2.5 or 4.4 connectors. As an AK owner I like the 2.5 option. I kind of regret the DX220 at this point, and would like another AK player, but I am disappointed in AK build quality right now. I'm just unlucky I suppose.

(Just an update from my DX220) Sorry it's off-topic but since it seems like I bashed it, I thought I'd update. ~200 hours burn in, no way to be sure; the raspy sound defect is completely gone (or very seldomly can I detect it). For better or worse it's a lot less sterile sounding than my well refined SP1000.

 

[Andricop]

Hi,

- Do you know if it's possible to install the Naim app (which is available on APKPure) on the SP1000 ?

- Is there any way to stream music from the SP1000 to a Naim speaker (which supports AirPlay, DLNA, Bluetooth apt-X, Spotify Connect, Tidal - not sure for Chromecast - and can play up to 24/192)?

Thanks !

 

[FidelityCastro]

I don’t think so , but you can ask when you get there .

Or just call them and ask.. they will be nice.

 

[FidelityCastro]

Hi guys! Need some help-advice....

I have an SPKM blue, with which I'm very happy, and out of all the things I've heard, sounds amazing, and with it I'm using the CA Atlas, which I feel is a great combo.
Musical, spacious, powerful, excellent soundstage out of the SE (with the stock silver cable, really high quality).
I got a cheap 2.5 silver 8 core cable, I figured just to burn the 2.5 while I got an even better cable for the Atlas, they and I deserve it.

My question: out of the 2.5, while the sound is even richer, thicker and more musical than I thought possible, I hear the soundstage much more bunched up in the middle.
There are sounds that with the SE come from 9-3 o'clock or even further back, that with the 2.5 sound up front at about 11 or 1.

Can somebody please tell me it's the cheap cable that is doing this?

I'm planning on getting an 8 core from CA, but unless I'm sure I'm keeping the gorgeous soundstage, I'm not sure whether I should get the 2.5 or stick with the SE.
Advice please!

With every DAP I’ve owned that has SE and balanced, the balanced has ALWAYS been a noticeably wider soundstage (I.e. the soundstage has been very much ‘9 o’clock to 3 o’clock’ and generally ‘outside my head’ on both sides). I always run balanced where I have the option, except last few weeks where I’ve been using the Shure KSE1200 with my SP1000 SS, and only because the KSE is SE-only. Even then, while sounding amazing, it’s not as wide as my balanced IEMs.

The only difference I’ve noticed between different cables - SE or balanced - has been the EQ (copper = ‘warmer’, silver = ‘brighter’), rather than any expansion or contraction of soundstage. So if I understand you correctly that you’re not getting the wider soundstage with balanced versus SE, then it is probably a duff cable.

YMMV but balanced should always sound wider, regardless of richness etc.

 

[Luisonic]

With every DAP I’ve owned that has SE and balanced, the balanced has ALWAYS been a noticeably wider soundstage (I.e. the soundstage has been very much ‘9 o’clock to 3 o’clock’ and generally ‘outside my head’ on both sides). I always run balanced where I have the option, except last few weeks where I’ve been using the Shure KSE1200 with my SP1000 SS, and only because the KSE is SE-only. Even then, while sounding amazing, it’s not as wide as my balanced IEMs.

The only difference I’ve noticed between different cables - SE or balanced - has been the EQ (copper = ‘warmer’, silver = ‘brighter’), rather than any expansion or contraction of soundstage. So if I understand you correctly that you’re not getting the wider soundstage with balanced versus SE, then it is probably a duff cable.

YMMV but balanced should always sound wider, regardless of richness etc.

Thanks for finally squaring this thing for me. The other guys that helped me on this already had me thinking this was the case, but now it is clear.

What you're saying is exactly the way I suspected (and wanted) the SE should work, and not hearing that made me wary.

It's definitely the crappy cable, and I'll just get a good 2.5 a be over with it. I'll post the results to confirm when I do.
At least the 2.5 in my SPKM is decently burned now...

 

[szore]

Astell & Kern will launch at Munich their new flagship.

more info here: http://www.quebecaudio.com/index.php/astellkern-launches-new-product-lines-at-high-end-2017-munich/

• Ultimate music playback with the latest dual AK4497EQ DAC
• Equipped with Octa-Core CPU to optimize system performance
• Sound designed with high output power with low distortion
• 5 inch LCD screen, new GUI, USB 3.0, and multifunction wheel
and 12 hours playing time (advertised ! )

SS version available in MAY... and CU version available later.

but.... what about TITAL and TITAL Off-line ???

It's the 99 DAC, not the 97.

 

[FidelityCastro]

Thanks for finally squaring this thing for me. The other guys that helped me on this already had me thinking this was the case, but now it is clear.

What you're saying is exactly the way I suspected (and wanted) the SE should work, and not hearing that made me wary.

It's definitely the crappy cable, and I'll just get a good 2.5 a be over with it. I'll post the results to confirm when I do.
At least the 2.5 in my SPKM is decently burned now...

Good call, and let us know. SE can sound awesome (hello new KSE1200s, in my case), but that’s just about sound QUALITY, not soundstage width. If you look at the DAPs in my sig, for every one that has SE and balanced on the same device, the balanced has a wider soundstage, regardless of whether the able is 4W, 8W, copper, silver or the copper/silver mix (I have tried all of the above). I think it’s worth you trying some other cables and I suspect you will arrive at the same conclusion. Balanced out was a revelation for me and even now, owning the rather expensive KSEs, I still enjoy a lot of my music collection more with my other fave IEMs and the 2.5 - balanced - output on the DAP.