[olddude]

The SP looks like a big cell phone. The 240 looks like nothing else. I'll be sorry to see it go.

 

[LCeh]

Seems there will be a new line up soon, according to A&K fb page

 

[lithiumnk]

Seems there will be a new line up soon, according to A&K fb page

 

[LCeh]

Thanks for the info. Just out of curiosity, any idea supposedly what the difference in performance or sound between the 9038 pro and the 4497 on the sp1000?

 

[alphanumerix1]

where is this info from?

 

[lithiumnk]

where is this info from?

Social networking site.
@JasonNYC Pz confirm this info.

 

[bflat]

Looks like lower end models will be added since the current model is "Ultima". Specs seem to confirm this too (assuming they are authentic).

This could also mean a line of docks and amps may be forthcoming too like the AK3xx line.

 

[JasonNYC]

Social networking site.
@JasonNYC Pz confirm this info.

New product announcement from High End Munich can be found here - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ast...-high-end-show-2018-in-munich-germany.879392/

 

[olddude]

Thanks, Jason. Looks like the same price points are continuing with the new models.

 

[bflat]

The &norma screen is crooked for no good reason imho. I get the fact that a "straight" screen is crooked while in hand, but correcting for that makes the screen look crooked when not in hand which is 90% of the time when in use. At least on the AK380 it didn't look so obvious.

 

[cj3209]

The &norma screen is crooked for no good reason imho. I get the fact that a "straight" screen is crooked while in hand, but correcting for that makes the screen look crooked when not in hand which is 90% of the time when in use. At least on the AK380 it didn't look so obvious.

I figure AK needs to try different things; I mean, they want to make money and sell their products. The crooked screen is a bit unorthodox but it will sell. AK is clearly leading the pack and others are following (or will follow). We'll probably be seeing more 'crooked' screens from other players. LOL.

 

[olddude]

Looks fine to me.

 

[sapfeer]

It's something wrong with me guys... I've been using AK70 MKI + XBA-Z5 for little more than a year for now and decided to move on. Had auditioned SP1000SS with Utopia/JH13/JH16 for a while and didn't hear a thing. I took my SD card to Ultima and tried rock (The Rolling Stones - Terrifying, Muse - New Born), jazz (Some bop from Mingus and Peterson and chamber from Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Music from the Found Harmonium) and for the desert - a bit of classics (Flight of the Valkyries, Flight of the Bumblebees, In the Hall of Mountain King). I knew it's something wrong with my ears, but... It couldn't be THAT bad. Z5 seemed the best of all others, at least I heard the details and felt the difference with AK70. I feared that UIEMs samples would be a nightmare to try because of the wrong fit and it became true. I'll try to reach 64audio later, hopefully they'll cure my ears. A friend advised to have a little rest for ears before going to demo zone, I may give it a try and keep a couple of days of silence before the next try.

Those of you who remember your early audiophile years - how did it start when you begin to distinguish rich sound from poor?

 

[bflat]

It's something wrong with me guys... I've been using AK70 MKI + XBA-Z5 for little more than a year for now and decided to move on. Had auditioned SP1000SS with Utopia/JH13/JH16 for a while and didn't hear a thing. I took my SD card to Ultima and tried rock (The Rolling Stones - Terrifying, Muse - New Born), jazz (Some bop from Mingus and Peterson and chamber from Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Music from the Found Harmonium) and for the desert - a bit of classics (Flight of the Valkyries, Flight of the Bumblebees, In the Hall of Mountain King). I knew it's something wrong with my ears, but... It couldn't be THAT bad. Z5 seemed the best of all others, at least I heard the details and felt the difference with AK70. I feared that UIEMs samples would be a nightmare to try because of the wrong fit and it became true. I'll try to reach 64audio later, hopefully they'll cure my ears. A friend advised to have a little rest for ears before going to demo zone, I may give it a try and keep a couple of days of silence before the next try.

Those of you who remember your early audiophile years - how did it start when you begin to distinguish rich sound from poor?

If you are hearing more details from the Z5 versus Utopia, there is absolutely something wrong in the chain or you are simply not listening at equal volume levels. There are few headphones that can out resolve Utopia and none of those are IEMs.

 

[kubig123]

If you are hearing more details from the Z5 versus Utopia, there is absolutely something wrong in the chain or you are simply not listening at equal volume levels. There are few headphones that can out resolve Utopia and none of those are IEMs.

I tried briefly the Utopia at the last Canjam in NY with my SP1000 and I have to say I wasn't impressed, I honestly have the feeling that the SP1000 cannot drive the headphone, even if it's loud, it feels it's lacking the correct alumni of resolution and dynamism.