[Saraguie]

   
I am very happy with it, but I do like the idea of what he is doing. I said in a few places that the AK240 can sound a little thin at times.
 
It is not about extra power, it is about adding capacitance to the power rails for better power delivery.

If you do send it, look forward to hearing your impression after its worked on.

 

[hemtmaker]

Anyone tried connecting the balanced output of the ak240 into a SR71B and listen in balanced mode? I wonder if it will sound much better than without amping.

Cheers

 

[Mimouille]

I'm getting tempted to do the same, as I did like how the 901 sounded as well.

You should...a well burned in 901 with balanced card brings the best sound to my ears. If with the RWAK240 I can get that sound with more memory and a better UI...I am in.

 

[Mimouille]

If you all do end up sending for the RWAK240, do come back with your thoughts. Currently impressions are scarce enough where I'm skeptical as to whether or not there's a substantial improvement.

You can rest assured that if a professional like Vinnie is going to open your 2.5k DAP and charge you 500$ for it, he is bringing something to the table...but I will test it with my own ears hopefully.

 

[kkcc]

You should...a well burned in 901 with balanced card brings the best sound to my ears. If with the RWAK240 I can get that sound with more memory and a better UI...I am in.

From my brief listen the rwak240 does indeed move it closer to the 901+balanced card type of sound. But still is some ways away from the powerful full transparent and authoritative delivery I get from 901. Not saying one is better than the other but they definitely are still different enough I can't let go of my 901.

Btw you should also try the "EQ on with all bands set to +5 trick" that holeout reported. It does sound a bit fuller and maybe more to your taste.

 

[holeout]

From my brief listen the rwak240 does indeed move it closer to the 901+balanced card type of sound. But still is some ways away from the powerful full transparent and authoritative delivery I get from 901. Not saying one is better than the other but they definitely are still different enough I can't let go of my 901.

Btw you should also try the "EQ on with all bands set to +5 trick" that holeout reported. It does sound a bit fuller and maybe more to your taste.

Sorry kkcc, don't recall I reported the "EQ +5 trick". Could it be someone else?

 

[burtomr]

  Sorry kkcc, don't recall I reported the "EQ +5 trick". Could it be someone else?

 
Maybe it was Bluebear here  (post #593)
 
Or, this post looks like the one that really 'sucked you in' here  (post #629)

 

[surfcitydawg]

I have owned an AK120 for a year. Yesterday at T.H.E. Show in Newport Beach CA I purchased an AK240 and inserted a Micro SD card with DSD music. Using my UE TripleFi 10 Pro IEM's the native DSD playback on the AK240 is easily heard as superior to the DSD converted to 24/192 PCM of the AK120. Expensive yes, but for someone on the road & 'up in the air' a lot its well worth the price!

 

[Funambulus]

  Second thing: while the AK240 sound very good (much much more to my liking than the AK120), it still does not have the power / body / authority of the 901. So I think I will send it to Vinnie for a mod, because my aim is to replace the 901, not complement it. I am hoping the RWAK240 will be closer to the 901.

 
 
It seems to me that if such moding could deliver a discernible SC improvement in a $2500 DAP, then the price on the stock player is hard to justify.

 

[confusedone]

Hi, I have a question regarding my balanced Tralucent Uber cable in relation to the AK240. I have it terminated so that it can go straight into the balanced output of an RSA Intruder portable amp. However, I am now looking for an adaptor so that I can use the same cable directly into the 2.5mm balanced headphone output of the AK240. I have spoken to Gavin at Tralucent who believes there is a Kobiconn to 2.5trrs plug adaptor that somebody makes. Ideally, I would also like a Kobiconn to 6.3mm plug adaptor for SE use in more traditional amps.  Does anybody know where I can buy such products? 

 

[burtomr]

  Hi, I have a question regarding my balanced Tralucent Uber cable in relation to the AK240. I have it terminated so that it can go straight into the balanced output of an RSA Intruder portable amp. However, I am now looking for an adaptor so that I can use the same cable directly into the 2.5mm balanced headphone output of the AK240. I have spoken to Gavin at Tralucent who believes there is a Kobiconn to 2.5trrs plug adaptor that somebody makes. Ideally, I would also like a Kobiconn to 6.3mm plug adaptor for SE use in more traditional amps.  Does anybody know where I can buy such products? 

 

LINK  (fixed)

 

[confusedone]

   

LINK

Yes, this is what I'm looking for. That link doesn't work though. Could you try again?

 

[Bluebear]

   
Maybe it was Bluebear here  (post #593)
 
Or, this post looks like the one that really 'sucked you in' here  (post #629)

 
Yes, I mentioned about the EQ behavior of the AK240 when Gavin (@spkrs01) posted about his observation and then we got into a pm conversation discussing about its effect on the SQ since both of us are running the same setup with AK240 -> Ref. 1. So we decided to share what we have observed so far from our experimentation below: 
 
Quote @spkrs01:

I must admit for me, with the EQ on and flat, I am liking the sonics more than EQ off.  
There seems to be less congestion in the lower mids/upper bass. Also it brings about a purer lower/mid highs, and seems to extend better. The presentation overall sounds much more natural to my ears.
 
Just wanted your opinion on the above, since we are both running the exact same system.

 
Quote @Bluebear:

Seems like you are very right! Initially I thought the difference between EQ on (flat) versus EQ off is just softer at lower decibel db. But now that you mention it, I tested with a few songs and found that EQ on (flat) sounds smoother/fluid and more musical/sweeter. It also makes the sound on some parts of the mids a little more laid back/distant. EQ off besides being louder overall, actually adds a slight layer of aggressiveness/clarity to the music which causes the musical notes to sound a little more edgy/piercing and rough/coarse. So now I try to compensate for the lower decibel of the EQ on (flat) by increasing the volume by +2.5 on the AK240's volume dial (NOT increase the EQ bar +2.5 db; I think changing the EQ bar may introduce distortion).  
Overall EQ on (flat) makes the sound a bit warmer/natural but less forward, whereas the original EQ off makes the sound a bit more sharp/analytical and more forward. The soundstage/depth feels the same. What do you think?

 
Quote @spkrs01:

I usually do not play about with EQ...until the DX100. The implementation of the EQ on that player was just plain weird.
 
With the EQ on and flat, The AK240 is sounding a lot more natural to me.....I find more layers to the mids, with better differential and placement of images. Soundstage width is much wider than before which allow more air for the bass to breathe. 
 
Depending on music file depth has increased a little too.........

 
Quote @Bluebear:

Now I am wondering if the firmware version changes anything. Like in the case of AK120 which I also have, someone previously reported that firmware 1.37 seems to have made the preset Pro EQ from 1.32/1.33 into the default EQ off, i. e. AK forces the Pro EQ as the default no EQ sound. Much like what Sony did to its ZX1 by force-enabling the sound enhancement effects by default which actually sounds worse. In the case of iBasso DX50 and DX90, the firmware versions also change the default sound.

 
Quote @spkrs01:

Well on the 240, I didn't actually noticed much between no EQ and the Pro EQ...and thought they were of the same.  
Sometimes I wonder if the manufactures know how to control the FW and correlation to the sonics??! 

 
Quote @Bluebear:

This is strange. Previously on earlier firmware versions 1.07/1.08/1.09/1.10 when I first bought my AK240 (I think it started with 1.06), I remembered I can hear a big difference in SQ between Pro EQ and No EQ. Now at firmware 1.11, I just try again and I cannot detect a difference. AK did the same thing as the AK120?

 
 
These are our findings so far. Seems like now at firmware 1.11, the SQ sounds better with EQ On but set at flat neutral curve than without EQ. Can any early AK240 owners remember if there was a difference between Pro EQ versus no EQ on the earlier firmware versions? I clearly remembered there was a significant difference when turning on Pro EQ versus no EQ when I first bought my AK240 running on earlier firmware versions. Seems like AK did the same thing to AK240's Pro EQ just like what happened to AK120 on firmware 1.37 and swapped the Pro EQ with the EQ On with flat neutral curve (i.e. Pro EQ became the default no EQ sound signature).
 
 
Side note: The Tralucent Ref. 1 sounds sublime with AK240 

 I think I have passed the 100 hours burn-in mark.

 

[kahkityoong]

Would really appreciate if anyone can post a pic of their high end setup with AK240 & HD800 / LCD3 and the external amp. Do I need a separate external DAC or the one in AK240 is good enough.

 

[kkcc]

Sorry kkcc, don't recall I reported the "EQ +5 trick". Could it be someone else?

Oops got mixed up! Credit should goes to bluebear and gavin per above...