[Mimouille]

Not trying to defend iRiver or their Firmware claim but if the volume control doesn't jump all over the place, after the 1.18 update, then it's fixed. One click or detent turn of the volume control equals .5, plus or minus volume change, as expected. Even when brand new out of the box, I didn't have that kind of accuracy. Logic doesn't always prevail or else, maybe it's just coincidence.

Maybe there are two distinct problems, a part failure in some cases and a firmware issue for others / all?

 

[chawya22]

Maybe there are two distinct problems, a part failure in some cases and a firmware issue for others / all?

No doubt both could exist. I was only talking about my own experience. iRiver said what was causing the problem, and even though it took much longer than expected, fixed the aberrant volume behavior with the 1.18 firmware update. Other's milage may vary.

 

[DrSheep]

Today's loot: AK240 Blue Note hardcover book; Noble K10U; and ALO SXC 8 cable.
 

 

[musicinmymind]

  I too had my RWAK240 fixed by Vinnie.  He replaced the volume regulator also and it works flawlessly now.  It is absolutely in no way related to firmware.  I had the problem start probably two weeks after receiving it and just didn't feel like sending it back to iRiver.  My volume wheel was absolutely awful.  It would jump from volume 30 all the way to 75 with one turn.  It's a hardware issue and no firmware update is going to fix that.  I too emailed iRiver months ago and was told it would be fixed via firmware; then got tired of waiting and destroying my hearing so I had Vinnie fix it.  Best customer service I have ever EVER encountered.  I will use Vinnie for any purchases I can.  If you ever want a mod or one of his products; don't even give it a second thought; go for it--you will not be disappointed.  And if any issues ever come up; he will take care of you.  Some are worried about losing their warranty if they get the mod done; I would rather have Vinnie fix it any day over iRiver and their (lack of) customer service.  

 
Who is Vinnie, can you pls give me the link.

 

[DrSheep]

 
Who is Vinnie, can you pls give me the link.

http://redwineaudio.com/

 

[ysyung]

totally agree!

 

[cattlethief]

looking for external storage either NAS or wireless which works flawlessly with the AK daps,bought a wireless HDD(corsair voyager air 2)but the wifi to my AK100ii and phone was very unstable so will send it back.any suggestions?

 

[DrSheep]

Yes, get yourself a 2Tb notebook drive and a WiFi HDD casing.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Momentus-SpinPoint-ST2000LM003-Notebook/dp/B00I8O6OQ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418499785&sr=8-1&keywords=2tb+9.5+hard+drive&pebp=1418499787817
 
http://www.amazon.com/Macally-Enclosure-Wireless-Storage-WIFIHDD/dp/B00BMQ3LKM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418499814&sr=8-1&keywords=wifihdd&pebp=1418499816479

 

[cattlethief]

  Yes, get yourself a 2Tb notebook drive and a WiFi HDD casing.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Momentus-SpinPoint-ST2000LM003-Notebook/dp/B00I8O6OQ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418499785&sr=8-1&keywords=2tb+9.5+hard+drive&pebp=1418499787817
 
http://www.amazon.com/Macally-Enclosure-Wireless-Storage-WIFIHDD/dp/B00BMQ3LKM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418499814&sr=8-1&keywords=wifihdd&pebp=1418499816479

will this let me stream wirelessly to my ak on the road,it doesnt mention its DNLA compatible.

 

[xtreemsound]

I had AK240 with westone W60.. pretty happy about the sound.. for the vocal , it's quite plain...dynamic, clarity etc is great...
 
now i am thinking about the balanced cable...
 
anyone have tried balanced output?
 
i asked ALO they recommend SXC24 and Copper 22..
 
however, i've never had listened to those cables before and have no idea what's the difference for the two and which one will suit my set better..
 
i listen to a wide range.. maybe more about classical...violins, cello, symphonies etc.. \
 
Any ideas and comments ?
 
thanks...

 

[DBO240]

I had AK240 with westone W60.. pretty happy about the sound.. for the vocal , it's quite plain...dynamic, clarity etc is great...

now i am thinking about the balanced cable...

anyone have tried balanced output?

i asked ALO they recommend SXC24 and Copper 22..

however, i've never had listened to those cables before and have no idea what's the difference for the two and which one will suit my set better..

i listen to a wide range.. maybe more about classical...violins, cello, symphonies etc.. \

Any ideas and comments ?

thanks...

I've had my AK240 for some time, running with both Sennheiser IE800 and HD650 just through the normal stereo out. Never had a reason to complain about sound quality in either configuration but I've always wondered about the balanced out. Not an option for my IE800 but I did recently have a cable made for the HD650. There is definitely a difference but it's slight.

It's hard to write an exact evaluation since the difference is largely perceptual based on music, but I do prefer the balanced out for classical especially.

 

[xtreemsound]

Hi thanks for your reply.
 
Did you get your cable from ALO or somewhere else..Is it the most reliable cable supplier?
 
Is it a fair price on ALO? Saw the price for copper 22 and SXC24 to be  $289 which is not cheap.....

 

[DBO240]

Hi thanks for your reply.

Did you get your cable from ALO or somewhere else..Is it the most reliable cable supplier?

Is it a fair price on ALO? Saw the price for copper 22 and SXC24 to be  $289 which is not cheap.....

No, I didn't want to spend that much on a cable just to try the balanced out. I had mine made in China using 1.2m lenght 8 cores 4N OCC Silver plated cable with gold TRRS. Cost me under $100. I can't offer a comparison to the expensive options and I'm sure it's not going to be as superb as an ALO cable but I'm very happy with the product I received. I doubted that paying 3 times as much on a cable was going to yield a much improved sound. Bang for your buck is a slippery slope when venturing into audiophile gear so I don't want to open that can of worms in terms of discussing which is better. It's like anything high performance - small gains cost more and more dollars, the closer you get to the pinnacle.

The other option I looked at was a TRRS to XLR connector and an OEM balanced cable from Sennheiser. Again, buying that out of Asia was much cheaper than buying an ALO or similar. In the end I thought that fewer connectors or adapters would be preferable, but as before I'd be surprised if it makes a big difference.

 

[jedx02]

  I had AK240 with westone W60.. pretty happy about the sound.. for the vocal , it's quite plain...dynamic, clarity etc is great...
 
now i am thinking about the balanced cable...
 
anyone have tried balanced output?
 
i asked ALO they recommend SXC24 and Copper 22..
 
however, i've never had listened to those cables before and have no idea what's the difference for the two and which one will suit my set better..
 
i listen to a wide range.. maybe more about classical...violins, cello, symphonies etc.. \
 
Any ideas and comments ?
 
thanks...

 
 
I tried the balanced cable from moon audio.  It sounded nice but lost sound off and on if the player moved around.  I wrote to Moon Audio customer service and was told that it was a flaw in the AK240 balanced plug tolerance level.  I asked if the cable could be replaced and he responded that it would be the same since the problem was with the AK240 plug.  I did not bother to ask why they sold a cable connector for a knowingly flawed plug without any warning if they thought that the problem would recur.  Don't know if other providers will provide plugs without a problem but, without being able to say whether the problem is with Moon Audio or the AK240, I would not recommend the Moon Audio balanced cable for AK240.

 

[Jeff Y]

  I had AK240 with westone W60.. pretty happy about the sound.. for the vocal , it's quite plain...dynamic, clarity etc is great...
 
now i am thinking about the balanced cable...
 
anyone have tried balanced output?
 
i asked ALO they recommend SXC24 and Copper 22..
 
however, i've never had listened to those cables before and have no idea what's the difference for the two and which one will suit my set better..
 
i listen to a wide range.. maybe more about classical...violins, cello, symphonies etc.. \
 
Any ideas and comments ?
 
thanks...

I'm sure companies like ALO and Moon Audio will do great job with your Westones but if you want to get something at a lower price, you should really look into Forza Cables.
http://forzaaudioworks.com/en/category.php?id_category=36
They have all the connections including the Westone ones and the 2.5mm AK240 plug. Prices are really fair especially if you consider the fact that these are made in Europe (Poland?).
They use UPOCC with their cables and they're durable too.