[lee730]

Quote:

 
Well, you could use it with high impedance headphones. But...I kind of feel enormous open headphones also ruin the portability. What a frustrating little box the AK100 is.

It's a pandoras box . As you said you can use full size cans with it but it kills the portability factor. Plus the DX100 will always be better than it for powering full size cans regardless yet it also has the ability to work with sensitive IEMs. The only thing it loses out in is portability and UI. The UI will not be a winning factor in the future as the DX100 will have support with neutron and power amp native 24/192 and also their own UI will continue to improve.

 

[AnAnalogSpirit]

.

 

[lee730]

Quote:

Yes. These are my conundrums for the AK100... I LIKE the AK100 UI. I LIKE that the AK100 works well with higher impedance cans (that's what I prefer to listen to... 100 ohm to 600 ohm to even some ortho) and then the SPDIF in/out to transport to a DAC or DAC/AMP.
 
YET
 
Your guys mention these future improvements coming to the lovely aluminum & magnesium shelled iBasso DX100, with any android player to choose from, and, sigh, idunno... esp these hires ones, (if i ever go hires) vs. the new iRiver/iriver "master format" lossless format.
 
It is all a set of choices and tradeoffs with High Quality Hi Fi: either in the Budget Arena, Portable Arena, Desktop Arena, or MidFi, HiFi, or SummitFi Arenas... So much to choose from and ONLY so much WALLET. </end rant and or musing here>
 
Please continue discussing the AK100... I'm still full of curious...

lol well all I know is that Power Amp and Neutron (seem to be the best players on android) will be supported sometimes in the future as well as some others possible UIs that they didn't specifically mention. Meaning they will be using ibassos custom API to bypass the craptastic kernel on android that ruins the DX100 sound with these music players (the limitation is on android not the DX100). Currently the stock player walks circles (sound quality-wise) around these players due to this .

 

[AnAnalogSpirit]

.

 

[audionewbi]

The million dollar question still is "Why did iriver decided to go ahead with such a high output impedance knowing that it will have impedance issue with a vast majority of portable IEM in the market? "
 
It is either 
a)They forgot to check that, hence bad design or 
b)They decided to go ahead with that hoping to sell their own "custom made IEM audiophile portable IEM"

 

[lee730]

Quote:

The million dollar question still is "Why did iriver decided to go ahead with such a high output impedance knowing that it will have impedance issue with a vast majority of portable IEM in the market? "
 
It is either 
a)They forgot to check that, hence bad design or 
b)They decided to go ahead with that hoping to sell their own "custom made IEM audiophile portable IEM"

I think (a) is the appropriate answer and (b) is their sad solution.

 

[reginalb]

Quote:

Yes. These are my conundrums for the AK100... I LIKE the AK100 UI. I LIKE that the AK100 works well with higher impedance cans (that's what I prefer to listen to... 100 ohm to 600 ohm to even some ortho) and then the SPDIF in/out to transport to a DAC or DAC/AMP.
 
YET
 
Your guys mention these future improvements coming to the lovely aluminum & magnesium shelled iBasso DX100, with any android player to choose from, and, sigh, idunno... esp these hires ones, (if i ever go hires) vs. the new iRiver/iriver "master format" lossless format.
 
It is all a set of choices and tradeoffs with High Quality Hi Fi: either in the Budget Arena, Portable Arena, Desktop Arena, or MidFi, HiFi, or SummitFi Arenas... So much to choose from and ONLY so much WALLET. </end rant and or musing here>
 
Please continue discussing the AK100... I'm still full of curious...

 
 
If it was lower impedance, it would still work fine with high impedance cans. 

 

[Naras]

Posting some quick iPhone pics of the AK100 + FTG334 commute bundle (not the best resolution pics, i know).
 
1. This is the case that comes with the FTG334:

 
 
2. The AK100 fits snugly with the FTG334 (did not need to add pressure to close the case):

 
 
3. All out:
 

 

 

 
 

 

[Bokyung]

That's pretty convenient. Both IEM and DAP in one small case. Seems that more and more members are getting 334.

 

[doublea71]

It does look very, very slick in the picture which shows it in someone's hand. The volume knob is relatively small and it is certainly much less of an issue than the impedance problem which is the death knell for this player (at least as far as it being a commercial success). They knew who their target market was and somehow a measurement that is of monumental importance is completely botched. Can anybody think of another product that had so much going for it only to be severely hampered by one incomprehensible design flaw? If it had the right output impedance and no volume knob on the side, I think it would supplant the DX100 as the cream of the crop player for a lot of people.
 

 

[TheGrumpyOldMan]

Quote:

uhmmm u need the physical knob to activate the on screen volume bar

Ha, thanks for clarifying that. It didn't occur to me that somebody would have touch-adjustable volume controls without touch-access to said controls... a bit of a UI design fail

Btw I did not earnestly suggest to remove the knob, I guess a smiley would help. Anyway, at that high price there should no need or justification for such a radical alteration...

 

[Vinnie R.]

I find the knob to be very sturdy at least.  You can tug on it (yes, I tugged on my knob 

 ) and apply force to it in all directions and it is solid.  It gives you really precise control of the volume, and it is a rotary encoder that spins quite a few times around to go from min to max (again - precise control).  I need to free up some time to see what else can be done because there is a ton of potential with this player.  

 

[shotgunshane]

iRiver posted this on the one Amazon.com review complaining about AAC/ALAC support:
'"We apologize if you were misinformed from the Astell&Kern AK100 on Amazon. The AAC format is currently not supported on the Astell&Kern AK100. 

While the AAC lossy digital music format is not supported at this moment, we have plans of supporting Apple's proprietary lossy & lossless audio formats (AIFF, ALAC AAC) in the very near future via software update. Look for a software upgrade announcement from us at our Facebook page and at our website, www.iriverinc.com."

 

[AUDIOBREEDER]

Actually, I'm finding an advantage to that knob now. When placed in the pocket I could just slip my finger & control the amount.
 
The greatest adv. of this player is that its available here in the US. So don't have to think about customs etc.
 
The memory, touch screen are all positives.
 
I might have to dip into this!
 
Is there an expected release of the itunes compatability anytime soon?

 

[HideousPride]

Quote:

I posted something on the RWA facebook page (all can view, even if you are not a FB member).  I won't go into details here because my findings will be
deleted by the moderators.  

Would be very interested in the AK100 if the findings hold up withont any negative effects.