[Earbones]

  Jude, thanks so much for all the detail. The point above is tantalizing: can you tell us more about what features the UI has? What about playlist support, ratings of songs and ability to dynamically play songs based upon criteria - basically, what elements other than search are there?
 
I'm sure the sound is great - it is in the 120 - but the buying decision to me will be based around usability given that I am not worried about sound quality.

Is the AK240 utilizing it's own boutique OS and player program, with designated connectivity to select HD audio sites? Or is it using Android with it's own player program bundled? I think the second scenario makes a lot more sense, honestly. Boutique operating systems are generally slow to innovate or even update... Plus with a Google-powered browser you could download from any HD site you wished, and then place them directly in the A&K player program, like how iTunes works...

 

[Gintaras]

hearing opinions about Fiio x5 sound quality and seeing latest on Calyx M specs i wonder how iRiver will sell a 2.5k DAP unless its sound quality is akin a megabuck reference front end system.

 

[ALRAINBOW]

That is exactly my option as well. I cannot believe anyone will pay almost 3K
For a DAP. it is just insane and a definite point of extortion
And if you think there is anyway this device can be that good
You are kidding yourself. We can buy a great DAC and amp for about a third
Of that and I am not acting bitter I can well afford to buyOne if I wanted to.

Al

 

[VisceriousZERO]

We'll all have to wait and see then, no?

 

[burtomr]

  We'll all have to wait and see then, no?

 
Are you kidding?  
You already know it's a HeadFi tradition to decide how good new gear is w-a-y before it's actually heard...

 

 

[Gintaras]

Alrainbow, it does not matter what others may buy, what matters for me is what i will buy and ak240 is clealry out of my list, i better pay upgrade cables for my front end than give money to iRiver, but that's me.

 

[ianmedium]

hearing opinions about Fiio x5 sound quality and seeing latest on Calyx M specs i wonder how iRiver will sell a 2.5k DAP unless its sound quality is akin a megabuck reference front end system.

As long as i have been on this forum there have been people saying lesser priced things are giant killers, i have yet to experience any of them that actually were! The classic are the JDS labs products. People go one about them being technically perfect and so they think that makes it sound better but each piece I have heard have sounded good but no where near as good as people make out unless you think measuring well means good sound quality.

I found them to have zero musical emotional involvement.

 

[seeteeyou]

.

 

[OK-Guy]

I found them to have zero musical emotional involvement.

 
most things that are tuned to be 'neutral' will sound sterile and uninvolving, some people love it and others hate it.

 

[OK-Guy]

Apparently there's a "secret" processor (“隠れたCPU”) just for native DSD decoding.

 
it won't be a secret for long... welcome to Head-fi.

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

I predict this one will sell like hot cakes in Japan and even outnumbers AK120...I said it first

 

[daseinpdx]

I found a few vids at youtube - including an "unboxing."   Supposed to be out in the 1st quarter, presumably before the end of March then.   Price in U.S. will probably be  in the 2400-2499 area. 
 
2014 CES booth interview with Innerfidelity:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpbdUJjto70
 
Unboxing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kElnSNQ_0Ns

 

[Sauntere]

   
most things that are tuned to be 'neutral' will sound sterile and uninvolving, some people love it and others hate it.

 
I think the fault there lays entirely with the mastering. Genuinely neutral gear should amplify the sound exactly as recorded and replay it exactly as recorded. The boredom is a result of the mastering. Or the performance..

 

[harmonix]

Agreed. Eq'd and compressed to death

 

[seeteeyou]

.