[kerrys30]

Not sure if I am on right track here but for me they seem to be looking at this like Ibasso.  They have AK100/120.  Very similar design and build.  120 a little bigger and more specs.  Everyone thought the next itiration would be the AK140.  With the Wolfson 8741 dual and maybe balanced and some of Vinnies mode etc.    But no, they come out with a complete redesign, larger unit different DACS etc and it is the AK240 at a much higher price.
 
Now quiet a few will sell but people then have choice of little brother also.   Then in 6 months they will bring out the AK140 or AK160 with the dual Wolfson 8741 and blanced with Titan internl storage and the regular 2 x microsd.   Cost will be inbetween 120 and 240.
 
Now the AK240 owners probably will not bother but the AK100/120 owners that theym,issed with the AK240 now have an upgrade option.     Like DX100.  Then DX50.  and next DX90!
 
Just my thought......

 

[soundblast75]

Hugo will be far superior to any of the daps we are discussing here.
I sound certain and of course i am not , but i expect it to be special , cant say the same about the AK240,
of course it all boils down to what you are prepared to carry..and .. money

 

[OK-Guy]

   
£2700 for the AK240?  That has to be a mistake.  That's $4400 USD?  
 
[Well, if that is true I'll try to buy a small stock of AK240s and sell them to the UK for you guys much lower (and I'll take care of the customs) - LOL 

But I wouldn't be alone in doing so I'm sure.  No dealer in the UK will want to sell it then because the black market will dominate.]
 

 
UK Hi-Fi dealers will be licking their lips at the prospect of another cash-cow to milk from A&K... the UK GBP price normally matches the USD amount i.e $1200 = £1200+
 
The UK release price for the AK120 was £1400+... we were telling people to import them but the UK dealers & their trolls put people of with the Customs question, what people didn't realise is that if they would have imported legally from the USA/JAPAN etc. they would of paid around £1000 with Customs & Taxes... the greed of UK dealers should not be underestimated.

 

[DMinor]

  Seriously speaking though - I think Mython has the right idea.  Make a thin, lightweight pure transport DAP with serious storage size, great play time, and
a few digital connectivity options (coax, toslink, usb) and then offer a dac/amp, or let the customer pick the one they want to use.  It would have the potential
to sell more than the current higher end DAPs.  I'd love to use one for home audio and portable use!   Even better, allow for a built-in amp option (you pay for it
if you want all-in-one, or you don't bother).  Modular design is the way to go!  

 
It should allow end users to configure the critical audio path from the dac to LO, in my opinion.

 

[Vinnie R.]

   
UK Hi-Fi dealers will be licking their lips at the prospect of another cash-cow to milk from A&K... the UK GBP price normally matches the USD amount i.e $1200 = £1200+
 
The UK release price for the AK120 was £1400+... we were telling people to import them but the UK dealers & their trolls put people of with the Customs question, what people didn't realise is that if they would have imported legally from the USA/JAPAN etc. they would of paid around £1000 with Customs & Taxes... the greed of UK dealers should not be underestimated.

 
Damn - that's really harsh.  
 
I'd just ship it declared as "used, portable mp3 player" and value it under $100.  It will fly right through.  They want to stick it to you - you stick
it right back to them!  I'm all for honesty where honesty is due, but to the "organized crime lords" that rape us over on duties, I say f_ck 'em!

 

[burtomr]

Hate to spoil the party for all you wannabe AK-240 fan boy's, but....
 
Where's the BUTTero Leather Case....Hmmm???  An AK without a fine Italiano Leather Case is clearly just plain wrong.....sheesh! 

 

[Mimouille]

I am sorry to say this, but they may sell the player 5k$ and I will still sell...because however greedy iRiver may be, the greed of us headfiers for the feeling of having "the ultimate" and the latest rig is even larger. If you add to that post purchase rationalization, most people will love it. I loved the AK120 at first and then found I did not like the sig all that much past the excitement of the purchase.

 

[gerard14ph]

http://astellnkern.com/

 

[Randius]

The technical spec:

- 3.31" 480x800 OLED touch panel
- 256GB internal, support 1x microSDXC card of up to 128GB for total of 384GB
- support WIFI (b/g/n)
- Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC chip
- Has headphone out, optical out and balanced out
- supports DSD
- supports Bluetooth over A2DP/AVRCP
- dimension 107×66×17.5mm weight 185g
- supports direct access to music distribution sites and download the music files. streaming is also supported
- supports WAV、FLAC、WMA、MP3、OGG、APE、AAC、Apple Lossless、AIFF、DFF、DSF

 

[burtomr]

  The technical spec:

- dimension 107×66×17.5mm weight 185g
 

 
Same size as AK120 + 0.7" longer/taller

 

[Mython]

  The technical spec:

- 3.31" 480x800 OLED touch panel
- 256GB internal, support 1x microSDXC card of up to 128GB for total of 384GB
- support WIFI (b/g/n)
- Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC chip
- Has headphone out, optical out and balanced out
- supports DSD
- supports Bluetooth over A2DP/AVRCP
- dimension 107×66×17.5mm weight 185g
- supports direct access to music distribution sites and download the music files. streaming is also supported
- supports WAV、FLAC、WMA、MP3、OGG、APE、AAC、Apple Lossless、AIFF、DFF、DSF

 
 
Yes, but balanced what? HO or LO?

 

[burtomr]

 
Yes, but balanced what? HO or LO?

 
HO
 

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

Mython, did u not get the memo? "line out" is forbidden to be discussed in iriver office LoL

 

[Mython]

Mython, did u not get the memo? "line out" is forbidden to be discussed in iriver office LoL

 Heheh - they want all the toys, and they're not going to 'share' with anyone else!

 

[Mython]

   
HO
 

 
 
Thanks. I had heard the rumour about it being balanced HO, rather than LO, but was just asking for certain confirmation.
 
I believe you.