[Mimouille]

Lol Mimouille, I suggest you contact a local dealer or distributor in order to audition an AK240 and get to know the interface  

 

[Sauntere]

Disagree completely with this statement. Part of my work is in a recording studio. We want neutrality in there so as to create a good mix. At home the last thing you want is that! When I listen in the studio i listen for faults in the recording process. When I listen at home I want to be entertained just as the performer wants me entertained. Listening to a pure signal through equipment that is neutral is not listening to a musical performance I feel.

This is where people who say they want to hear it how we hear it in the studio get it wrong. None of us (least all the people i know in the industry) would ever want to listen to music at home through the systems we have in the studio. That is an analytical tool to make sure the end product is correct. Most of the people I know in the industry listen through equipment that the designers at JDS or those on the SS forum would deride in a heart beat.

Remember, music is an emotional experience, not analysis!

I couldn't care less if you disagree.  The best sounds i have ever heard have been on neutral electronics and speakers replaying live recordings ? I think that says it all. Those systems allow the performance to shine through with all it's emotion. I wonder why. Probably because i could hear everything the artist was conveying. Also, if your aiming to get a good mix in the studio and your using neutral electronics to get it you would require similarly neutral gear to hear it as you intend. If not  your doing it wrong. So, mix it right... let the performance come through.. let us hear the little nuances of the voice.. then all the emotion is easy to pick up on.  Music is an entirely emotional experience... at least good music is. I want to hear it all.   
 
In a previous life.. 25 years years ago i spent lots of time in studios. .. even did a couple of tracks all by myself. 
 
This really doesn't belong on this thread i know... but i had to answer.     

 

[bmichels]

What would you like to know? I have a unit to hand and am more than happy to offer specifics.

Well, in term of usability I will be interested to know How it is Easy to create and manage PlayLists.

Also, does the UI really take avantage of the added screen réal estate to help the searching ? For exemple is it possible to scroll through panels of cover arts like in iTune ?

How the Line-out works ? Is it à REAL Line-out that by pass the Amp and the volume contrôle or... Is it just the headphone out set to "Max" ?

And finaly... How does it sound ? Is it really better than the AK120 ?

CAN you show pictures of the UI including thé différent type of file display ( list, covert art, ...)


Thanks in advance

 

[nashton]

  What would you like to know? I have a unit to hand and am more than happy to offer specifics.

1. How does the playlist support differ from the 120?
2. Is it possible to define playlists on a PC or Mac and export them to the unit?
3. Are dynamic playlists supported - like those iTunes supports?
4. What playlist formats does the machine support?
5. Does the unit sync contents with a PC or Mac a la iTunes and if so, what software does it work with (or does one have to manually copy files to/from like the 120).
6. What's the sync speed (as the 120 is pretty slow via USB)
7. What features are supported via WiFi? Just shopping, or syncing with a PC or Mac, etc.? If the latter, can you add services to the list the device supports
8. Does Bluetooth pairing work properly? On the 120 it drops sync frequently - it would be good to be able to pair with a phone so you can hear the phone ring whilst listening to the 240. This doesn't work on the 120 at all reliably.
9. Can you turn off things, like Bluetooth, WiFi, etc. without any ill effects?
 
Thanks ever so much for any info you can provide I don't know why there are so few details on things like this on the AK website, you'd think that they'd want to make it easy for people to see what the device does and how it works.

 

[garcsa]

   
no, i am amateur, played time ago in school and DJing but have many friends from music world.

llrnr!  

 

[Gintaras]

I couldn't care less if you disagree.  The best sounds i have ever heard have been on neutral electronics and speakers replaying live recordings ? I think that says it all. Those systems allow the performance to shine through with all it's emotion. I wonder why. Probably because i could hear everything the artist was conveying. Also, if your aiming to get a good mix in the studio and your using neutral electronics to get it you would require similarly neutral gear to hear it as you intend. If not  your doing it wrong. So, mix it right... let the performance come through.. let us hear the little nuances of the voice.. then all the emotion is easy to pick up on.  Music is an entirely emotional experience... at least good music is. I want to hear it all.   

In a previous life.. 25 years years ago i spent lots of time in studios. .. even did a couple of tracks all by myself. 

This really doesn't belong on this thread i know... but i had to answer.     

why not? It's always great to hear about headfiers background, some had been into music industry, so make own gear, some are just passionate about this hobby. this does not mean we have all answers but nevertheless. great place and great people here

 

[streetcar]

has any of you ak120 owners experienced the first second of a track being skipped when you press pause, play, or even rewind? 
 
I have 1.37 firmware and it has not corrected this. any ideas how to resolve this?

 

[DMinor]

  I couldn't care less if you disagree.  The best sounds i have ever heard have been on neutral electronics and speakers replaying live recordings ? I think that says it all. Those systems allow the performance to shine through with all it's emotion. I wonder why. Probably because i could hear everything the artist was conveying. Also, if your aiming to get a good mix in the studio and your using neutral electronics to get it you would require similarly neutral gear to hear it as you intend. If not  your doing it wrong. So, mix it right... let the performance come through.. let us hear the little nuances of the voice.. then all the emotion is easy to pick up on.  Music is an entirely emotional experience... at least good music is. I want to hear it all.   
 
In a previous life.. 25 years years ago i spent lots of time in studios. .. even did a couple of tracks all by myself. 
 
This really doesn't belong on this thread i know... but i had to answer.     

 
+1
 
Neutral and transparent sounding rule my music. A clean audio path just opens up everything for music to flow effortlessly and sound fresh.
 
In general I don't like colored sound, although some mystery caps can add some dynamics and energize the sounding with extended bass/treble on both ends while sacrificing some transparency.

 

[VisceriousZERO]

All we're really saying is we like what we like and if we don't like it WE DON'T LIKE IT.
 
Accept that others will not like what you like and life can go on...
 
AK240, you are so like a Roxanne... Too much anticipation so when there are some "shortcomings" you will die a violent death from "i told you so"s

 

[DMinor]

  All we're really saying is we like what we like and if we don't like it WE DON'T LIKE IT.
 
Accept that others will not like what you like and life can go on...
 
AK240, you are so like a Roxanne... Too much anticipation so when there are some "shortcomings" you will die a violent death from "i told you so"s

 
Actually I don't give a damn about what others like or not. 
 
 

 

[OK-Guy]

  AK240, you are so like a Roxanne... Too much anticipation so when there are some "shortcomings" you will die a violent death from "i told you so"s

 
sorry to throw a monkey-wrench into the works... it's death by 'firmware updates', looks like plenty are on the way.

 

[Sauntere]

I just want to read some detailed impressions of how this thing sounds..   I guess it won't be too long before they start coming in although there probably won't be a whole lot of early adopters.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Hi all,


 


Just to let you know i've had a sample of the AK240 for just over a week now, and have already had 3 OTA firmware updates. They are continuously working to make this a flawless and seamless operating system that makes it pleasurable to use. so expect more frequent updates with this model than the previous A&K units.

 


yeah they are busy bees at Astell&Kern

 

[rudi0504]

DMA Audio in Kowloon *might* have a demo (soon) but most likely they're closing early today since it's CNY tomorrow

http://www.post76.com/x2/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=180139

HK$20,800 for sure

http://www.dma-audio.com/product_detail.php?id=2318

You are lucky Man that you Stay In Hong kong , you can buy latest audio gear

Jaben has Stock for AK 240

 

[AnakChan]

You are lucky Man that you Stay In Hong kong , you can buy latest audio gear

Jaben has Stock for AK 240
 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 
@spkrs01, could you please do the honours and let us know how it sounds against your RWAK120S?