[Gintaras]

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[Gintaras]

Quote:

You know the Fiio E17 has a optical input but i would ot reccomend it for a Ak100 user. Not saying the UHA is rubbish by any means, in fact it gets great reviews!

 
LOL... Freudian slip?
 
perhaps you wanted to say E17? not UHA

 

[Swimsonny]

I was just saying cheap is not always the best thing to get, especially if you want to improve on the AK100 and sometime cheap would not cut it like in the case of the E17 but not that this was me saying the UHA is a bad device!

 

[CraftyClown]

If I'm right in understanding what I have just read, using the International with the Ak100 as transport only would be impractical, due to the fact an optical to USB converter would be needed, however using the amp section alone would not be such a problem. This is of particular interest to me, as I wish to use a pair of HD650s with my stock AK and have been advised that the stock amp may not get the best out of them.

As a bit of a hifi newbie I still get a bit confused as to what elements in the chain effect the final sound. Other than the obvious, such as the volume and the ability to drive more headphones, how else does the amp effect the final sound we hear? Or is everything else a question of what DAC is being used?

Sorry if that is a silly question

 

[klipschman70]

Anybody can share thoughts here, why would you want to use another DAC amp with AK100? Is the internal DAC of AK100 not sufficiently good ? I can understand using external amp to power full size cans, but why do you want to use AK100's optical output to external DAC amp? Unless the external DAC/ amp is superior to Wolfson DAC in AK100...?
 
Regards
 
Harry

 

[CraftyClown]

Anybody can share thoughts here, why would you want to use another DAC amp with AK100? Is the internal DAC of AK100 not sufficiently good ? I can understand using external amp to power full size cans, but why do you want to use AK100's optical output to external DAC amp? Unless the external DAC/ amp is superior to Wolfson DAC in AK100...?

Regards

Harry

Well I guess that's part of what I was curious about. I will certainly need the amp for the 650s anyway, but I was curious about what part of the chain, the DAC or the amp is the part that might affect the sound the most.

 

[Mimouille]

Thank you for all the answers guys. I may be asking stupid questions as I do not know these devices well. I did not know the intruder and international had no optical in. So people using these with the ak100 use the HO and just the amp part of the intruder or international? It seems like a waste.
My objective is simple. I think the ak100 looks great but from what I have read does not match the SQ of the dx100 without mod or amping. So I am considering getting one and adding an amp or dac / amp, but one that matches the size...otherwise there is no point.

 

[jamato8]

Quote:

Thank you for all the answers guys. I may be asking stupid questions as I do not know these devices well. I did not know the intruder and international had no optical in. So people using these with the ak100 use the HO and just the amp part of the intruder or international? It seems like a waste.
My objective is simple. I think the ak100 looks great but from what I have read does not match the SQ of the dx100 without mod or amping. So I am considering getting one and adding an amp or dac / amp, but one that matches the size...otherwise there is no point.

If you use an amp with the AK you are gong through the amp of the AK and not a true line out, which is preferable, IMO. I do not think the AK is as good as the Dx even amped and my AK has the 22ohm resistors bypassed. I like it fine just as it is with no need for external amping. If you need more power then I would just get one of the larger daps that has more power and doesn't need an external amp. 

 

[Gintaras]

Klipsch, for me optical is nice bonus on Rwak or Ak and IF lets say Naim or Rega or Meridian will go out of mind and create portable DAC with optical In instead of USB then i will be very curious since high-end boys know how to make great sound. I bet many will love to link AK to superior dac and such things might emerge. Check what reviewers write about Musical Fidelity IEM... And they are just single BA, i have them and can confirm they sound outstanding for the money, somehow Musical Fidelity was able to pull magic. The only problem with them is fit for many people is not good, luckily in my case fit no problem.

however i would not be looking to DAC my RWAK unless we talk about true high end makers like Meridian, MF and similar.

Mimo, there are no stupid questions but stupid answers, sorry if i did not understand all your questions right. You are welcome to ask more questions if you please.

 

[knights]

Quote:

If you use an amp with the AK you are gong through the amp of the AK and not a true line out, which is preferable, IMO. I do not think the AK is as good as the Dx even amped and my AK has the 22ohm resistors bypassed. I like it fine just as it is with no need for external amping. If you need more power then I would just get one of the larger daps that has more power and doesn't need an external amp. 

So, how do i get the true line-out? Why you prefer going thru the amp than true line-out?

 

[knights]

From what i read, going thru HO with max volume level will also act like a true line-out, or did i miss something?

 

[knights]

ok, i get it now... Sorry for being a noob...
 
True line-out is by using an optical cable and connecting to external DAC/AMP...
 
Using HO @ max volume is using its internal DAC and you can stack it with external Amp...

 

[Retrias]

? Line out is not only optical, infact most lineout is 3.5mm, line outs mean you totally bypass the amp not the dac you are still using the player internal dac

 

[Mimouille]

Quote:

ok, i get it now... Sorry for being a noob...
 
True line-out is by using an optical cable and connecting to external DAC/AMP...
 
Using HO @ max volume is using its internal DAC and you can stack it with external Amp...

Not exactly. If you go through optical (or other such connections on other players you might have Coaxial) you only use the player as transport thus bypassing dac AND amp. Then some players have a true line out, which is a 3.5mm fed from the DAC without amping. So you only bypass the internal amp. The HO does not allow to bypass anything, but some people say double amping is not really an issue with the AK100. I could not say.
 
@Jamato8: +1 on the question with double amping. Why is it ok to use the HO at max volume and double amp ? Consider I use only iems.

 

[knights]

Quote:

? Line out is not only optical, infact most lineout is 3.5mm, line outs mean you totally bypass the amp not the dac you are still using the player internal dac

you misunderstood my post... 3.5mm can also act as optical/digital route... my post was referring to Jamato's "true line-out" word which he referred to "optical out" by using this cable http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=003082000016&search=venturecraft&sort=brandname