[z3r0day]

  May be the  Calyx-M will offer us the best of booth worlds ?  emotion & transparency ?  we will see....   (plus it has a gorgeous UI
 
Calyx-M  +   TU-05 ? 

  

 

 
I would wait if the UI is not that laggy from their videos. Half of the clicks don't register 

 

[bmichels]

I would wait if the UI is not that laggy from their videos. Half of the clicks don't register 

As I said : " we will see... "

 

[piercer]

I would just like to add that, personally, I find the AK240 incredibly musical. I would even go so far as to say that it has a sound akin to a single ended triode (SET) amp. Very subtle and light in the way that it deals with the music. Not to every ones tastes probably, but what I like

 

[Shinystar325]

omg, k812 with ak240. the combined price is the most impressed part....

 

[z3r0day]

As I said : " we will see... "

 
Looking at the spec: Cortex A5 6xx MHz..
 
If you think this will have a good UX you would be dead wrong. This chip was out in 2011, and used in low end smartphones:
http://www.androidauthority.com/tag/cortex-a5/
 
Plus Android, it means a laggy hell. Just look up youtube for some Samsung Galaxy Duo videos. That phone even got a higher clock speed than the Calyx!
 
It's low cost for a reason... and cheap components must be used. I highly doubt this would be competing with the AK240 or the ZX1. Rather, feels more like a competition with the DX90 and X5.

 

[VladGuardian]

warrenpchi
Please make (in a future) a comparative review between AK240 and HM-901, Colorfly C4, HiFi-MA9, Calyx M, etc. (compare the sound quality only)
I think it will be highly appreciated by the people...

 

[batteraziiz]

Great review, for a dap I'll never get the chance to try

. I still can't stand the design of the thing though... Weird shape, and the back looks like a ******* Magic Eye or something.

 

[z3r0day]

  warrenpchi
Please make (in a future) a comparative review between AK240 and HM-901, Colorfly C4, HiFi-MA9, Calyx M, etc. (compare the sound quality only)
I think it will be highly appreciated by the people...

 
Certainly a hard thing to orchestrate, but I would pay just to read that.

 

[warrenpchi]

  I don't think I'll be early adopting this one this time.  I've paid my early adopting dues last year too much.

 
Roger that.  SoCal Meet's almost here.  I wonder how many of the the TOTL DAPs are going to be there in one way or another?  If there are quite a few, I bet we could get an ad hoc evaluation committee going.
 

 
Box Thingy™ ®‎

 
LOL 

 

  If the AK240 can strike a truly neutral and transparent sounding with authority power, then you got a winner all-in-one piece dap. With transparency, everything else takes care of itself. It's really that simple. Some people like colored sounding, but I hate it.

 
Then you'll love this!  Which means trouble because it is not a paltry expenditure.
 

  WOW! I have been listening to an AK240 for a couple of days now and I am blown away by its effortless, open, natural, neutral and transparent sound for everything I have thrown at it, as well as an impressive sound stage.

 
I definitely agree.  Although... a bit of a downside there is that it makes me want to audition a lot of IEMs all over again just to get my bearings reset.  Some of the IEMs that I used to like aren't the bees knees with the AK240, others have found new life.  It's just a different beast from the AK120 IMO.
 

You could have listened to the 240 through my TU-05. That amp adds not only transparency but oodles of musicality and emotion to anything fed it. I love the 120 on its own but think of increasing that emotional content by a good margin and that is the TU-05 effect!

  Please let me know what you think about it sans TU-05.
I'm very happy with my AK240. It's just that I feel a little more introspection is needed.
We've all (including me) got a bit emotional about it at the moment.  Very understandably.

 
Ian and Rumpel, did you see what piercer wrote in one of the other threads?  I've quoted it below:
 

Originally Posted by piercer /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Hi all,
 
OK today I was working from home and I got the chance to try out the following combination.
 
Astell&Kern AK240
Analog Squared Paper TU-05g
Beyerdynamic T5p
 
I tried the AK240 on its own and then put it into line-out mode  and plugged it into the TU-05g.
 
Both combinations sound amazing. A few hours of listening to them backed up my growing conviction that the AK240 has a very valve like sound and that the amplifier section is very good indeed. Most of the time the TU-05g did not improve the sound quality, merely changed it.
 
The AK240 on its own is definitely a winner for clarity and neutrality. The TU-05g added some coloration and made the whole thing more opinionated (in a good way).
 
I think on the whole I preferred the AK240 on its own - it really does not need any external amplifier - but at one point when using the TU-05g and listening to Rush (A Farewell To Kings) it did lift the base AK240 sound into a rock and roll heaven - the amp was very warmed up by then.
 
I think this shows that that AK240 is a very good source component as well as a standalone player. I need to get the right cable, but hopefully I will soon be able to connect it to my Unison Research Preludio. I think it will survive very well as a source for my main HiFi.

 

---

 

 

  warrenpchi
Please make (in a future) a comparative review between AK240 and HM-901, Colorfly C4, HiFi-MA9, Calyx M, etc. (compare the sound quality only)
I think it will be highly appreciated by the people...

 
Certainly a hard thing to orchestrate, but I would pay just to read that.

 
Whoa, this list just keeps getting bigger. 

  We want to do a shootout between the AK240, HM-901, and ZX1 at the very least.  Lemme see what else can be arranged on top of that.

 

[Goldlion973]

Is the Boxthingy included in the box...?

 

[sutjahjo]

Is the Boxthingy included in the box...?

No, not in mine at least.

 

[Goldlion973]

No, not in mine at least.

 
Then how much is the Boxthingy if its not in the box?

 

[ariesq]

Warren, how does the AK240 (on it's own) compare against the WA7 + Upgraded PSU with the LCD-XC? Setting aside, the WA7 is a tube amp, are their performance levels comparable? 

 

[warrenpchi]

 

No, not in mine at least.

 
Then how much is the Boxthingy if its not in the box?

 
I'm kinda interested in the Box Thingy myself... gonna reach out to Astell & Kern to find out.
 

  Warren, how does the AK240 (on it's own) compare against the WA7 + Upgraded PSU with the LCD-XC? Setting aside, the WA7 is a tube amp, are their performance levels comparable? 

 
I'll have to get back to you on that as I haven't received the upgraded PSU yet.  I'll AB as soon as it gets here and let you know. 

  Any preference as to the stock Sovtek tubes or the Electro Harmonix upgrade tubes?

 

[ariesq]

   
I'm kinda interested in the Box Thingy myself... gonna reach out to Astell & Kern to find out.
 
 
I'll have to get back to you on that as I haven't received the upgraded PSU yet.  I'll AB as soon as it gets here and let you know. 

  Any preference as to the stock Sovtek tubes or the Electro Harmonix upgrade tubes?

 
I haven't heard the upgraded PSU yet either, but I had originally planned to pick it up when it was released. How about a comparison against WA7 + EH Gold pin tubes vs AK240 (alone) using LCD-XC.
 
Much appreciated =)