[reginalb]

Astell & Kern perhaps reached a bit of a crossroad with DAP's.
 
Here's the new product announcement. 
 
http://astellnkern.com/eng/htm/ak10/ak10_feature.asp
 
An amp for smartphones.....hmm. I think I'll pass on this one.

At least they've figured out output impedance.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[flaco]

  Hey flack,
I did get some stuttering in playback with some 24 bit alac files. Haven't had any with flac. Could have been something else but I think I've heard of others with similar issues. 

I've had the stuttering too. But I managed to figure it out with more free space on my sd-card and moving the high-res files on the player itself. If i run the 64GB card almost full with music and put some high-res on it, I get stuttering. I have now more than 10GB free space on the SD and on the player. It works really well. No stuttering, It was awful.

 

[mnarwold]

Just thought I'd let you know I'm selling a brand new in box AK120 for $1,150. That includes free shipping to CONUS and I'll cover paypal fees. Thread is here

 

[greenmountain]

I load my albums from my Macbook Pro by just dragging an album form iTunes to the micro SDXC.I have no problems with ALAC files. Some albums in AIFF work fine but most of them get not recognized as separated albums but are all dumped into Unknown Album by the AK120 and can not played as separate albums. Also album art gets lost. Is there a better procedures to load my albums on the SD card or do I have to wait that AK comes up with a firmware update
FLac files work too but not with iTunes - so I don't use it much.

 

[DrSheep]

You need some kind of 3rd party tag manager, as I found that iTunes taggings are little iffy on the older stuff.  I have dBpoweramp for rips and conversions, and it comes with the tag plug-in installed.

 

[gracky]

Question about swapping SD cards:
 
My library is getting near 2T but I want to avoid erasing and downloading music repeatedly if possible (I'm doing so with my Ipod 5G 240G). So if it's ok to swap SD cards in AK-120 like disk media, it should be great. But I read somewhere that swapping SD cards requires reloading the library(?) and it can take up to 15 minutes! If 15 min wait is necessary whenever you swap a card, it is not a reasonable solution. I'd like to hear from anyone tried swapping SD cards, any opinion?

 

[sidrpm]

  Question about swapping SD cards:
 
My library is getting near 2T but I want to avoid erasing and downloading music repeatedly if possible (I'm doing so with my Ipod 5G 240G). So if it's ok to swap SD cards in AK-120 like disk media, it should be great. But I read somewhere that swapping SD cards requires reloading the library(?) and it can take up to 15 minutes! If 15 min wait is necessary whenever you swap a card, it is not a reasonable solution. I'd like to hear from anyone tried swapping SD cards, any opinion?

I use 3 64gb cards - and tend to stay away from library scanning totally. I use the folders option for music or just work with playlists.

 

[Sam Edwards]

I also have 3x64GB microSD cards that I swap. It's a bit of a hit time and battery wise, but often you can plan ahead. It's true that you don't NEED to do a library scan, but I usually do it for convenience.
My other solution is using an inexpensive SD>microSD adapter (~ $6 from China!) with a 128GB SD card. It works, but I wouldn't recommend it on the go. It's very easy to disconnect it, but it works fine at my desk at work. Unfortunately my HD music library is getting too big for all of these options. And 256GB SD cards are still very expensive.
I may try to find or fashion some kind of case that would hold it more securely.  
I believe that 128GB microSD's are still a ways away. 
 

http://dx.com/p/sd-to-microsd-transflash-card-converter-module-27001

 

[Sam Edwards]

I always swap media with the AK120 turned off, just to be safe. 

 

[burtomr]

  It's very easy to disconnect it....
 
I may try to find or fashion some kind of case that would hold it more securely.  
 

 
Sam: Velcro
 

 

[Sam Edwards]

Mostly I'll be happy when 128GB microSD cards ship. It's a shame to take such an elegant little device and rubber band a memory card to it.
I was hoping the SD>microSD adapter could be squeezed into the leather case. Maybe there's a smaller one out there.

 

[sidrpm]

  Mostly I'll be happy when 128GB microSD cards ship. It's a shame to take such an elegant little device and rubber band a memory card to it.
I was hoping the SD>microSD adapter could be squeezed into the leather case. Maybe there's a smaller one out there.

I think the 128GB mircoSD cards will be really expensive first few months.

 

[harryb]

  I also have 3x64GB microSD cards that I swap. It's a bit of a hit time and battery wise, but often you can plan ahead. It's true that you don't NEED to do a library scan, but I usually do it for convenience.
My other solution is using an inexpensive SD>microSD adapter (~ $6 from China!) with a 128GB SD card. It works, but I wouldn't recommend it on the go. It's very easy to disconnect it, but it works fine at my desk at work. Unfortunately my HD music library is getting too big for all of these options. And 256GB SD cards are still very expensive.
I may try to find or fashion some kind of case that would hold it more securely.  
I believe that 128GB microSD's are still a ways away. 
 

http://dx.com/p/sd-to-microsd-transflash-card-converter-module-27001

I have two of these connected to my AK120.  I have them secured with velcro, but the connectors come loose a bit too easily.  Working on a fix.  

 

[Sam Edwards]

  I have two of these connected to my AK120.  I have them secured with velcro, but the connectors come loose a bit too easily.  Working on a fix.  

Hey Harry,
That will happen when your collection grows too big.
I have a second one of these, too. For $6 why not! But I don't have a second SD card > 64GB Let me know what you figure out for attaching. Mine tolerates zero bouncing in my pocket before detaching. I did trim the little plastic bit that inserts into the microSD slot so it does't protrude beyond the AK120, which helps.
Cheers,
Sam

 

[sidrpm]

  I have two of these connected to my AK120.  I have them secured with velcro, but the connectors come loose a bit too easily.  Working on a fix.  

Hi Harry,
 
Do keep us posted on the fix. I for one am really interested in getting the reader.