[Loquah]

Quote:

 
Cravenz, cheers for your thorough in-depth impressions of the 4 models. I'll share my thoughts on the MS-AK100 & RWAK100 after this but before doing so I have a question about your impressions between the AK100 black and AK100 Gold. Is there really a difference in sound between the AK100 black and AK100 gold? I know it's been mentioned before of the battery life differences but didn't know about the sonic differences. Makes me wonder if the AK100 gold still has the 22 ohm OI.
 
I've had the MS-AK100 and RWAK100 in my hands together for some time now but I've actually spent little time A/B-ing both. Spending some time comparing between the two now, I find the two to be extremely similar. In fact it's a difficult call to make whether one is "better" than the other. As far as I know both are modded pretty much in almost the same way except (at least from pictures I've seen), the bypass wires are different in brand and in gauge.
 
If i were to nitpick between the two, I'd say the RWAK100 has a more holographic effect and a slightly warmer signature whilst the MS-AK100 is more of a drier and more airy focused. I'd probably categorise the MS-AK100 to be more analytical whilst the RWAK100 to be more on the musical side. Detail is easier to discern and more obvious on the MS-AK100 whilst the RWAK100 is more "natural" and and requires just a tad more focus.
 
I feel the RWAK100 also leans a little more on the fluid side, almost more analogue sounding, whist the MS-AK100 to be maybe a little more clinical.
 
Bottom line is that after listening to both, if I had to give up one and keep the other I probably wouldn't miss the other. Both are great performers and are really so similar to each other. The tendency of one vs the other is really at the level of nitpicking.

Great impressions, thanks!
 
What you're hearing makes perfect sense if I remember correctly that the MS version uses a silver cable of some description while the RWA version uses Cardas copper. I personally love the musicality of the RWA - it's rich and warm, but still very well detailed.

 

[Birdoffice]

Great impressions, thanks!

What you're hearing makes perfect sense if I remember correctly that the MS version uses a silver cable of some description while the RWA version uses Cardas copper. I personally love the musicality of the RWA - it's rich and warm, but still very well detailed.

MS mod main conductors made out of crossed coupled copper/silver mixed strands.

It depend on the matching of your cable, headphone and tone preference. If your headphone too warm you need bright signature to compensate. For my ms mod, i use this mix silver copper cable to match with fitear334 and forte X warm signature.

MS is custom mod so i willl used different cable mix for 1plus2 customer as well as ak120.

 

[Soria]

Hello everyone,
I was wondering if any of you that own the RWAK100 have tried it with the Westone ES5 ( I believe they are 5 ohm).
I'm very interested in buying the RWAK100, but I want to make sure that the output Impedance of the RWAK100 is not an issue with my Westone.

Thank you all

 

[lee730]

Quote:

Hello everyone,
I was wondering if any of you that own the RWAK100 have tried it with the Westone ES5 ( I believe they are 5 ohm).
I'm very interested in buying the RWAK100, but I want to make sure that the output Impedance of the RWAK100 is not an issue with my Westone.

Thank you all

The RWA should have less than 1 ohm output impedance so that shouldn't be an issue. Now whether or not you'll like the pairing that is entirely on you.

 

[Soria]

The RWA should have less than 1 ohm output impedance so that shouldn't be an issue. Now whether or not you'll like the pairing that is entirely on you.

Thank you for the response

If anyone that have tried these setup (RWAK100 and Westone Es5) can give some impressions, I would apriciete it very much.

 

[Loquah]

Quote:

MS mod main conductors made out of crossed coupled copper/silver mixed strands.

It depend on the matching of your cable, headphone and tone preference. If your headphone too warm you need bright signature to compensate. For my ms mod, i use this mix silver copper cable to match with fitear334 and forte X warm signature.

MS is custom mod so i willl used different cable mix for 1plus2 customer as well as ak120.

 
Thanks for clarifying and good point about matching the cable to the signature. I completely agree.
 
In my case, I like the warmth of the RWA for use with my Miracles and other more analytical phones, but can understand the MS being a better option for warmer / darker phones.

 

[KK-android]

Now,I got information from iriver japan.
 
tomorrow AK100 update [gapress and AK120 UI] will delay.

 

[AmberOzL]

Quote:

Hello everyone,
I was wondering if any of you that own the RWAK100 have tried it with the Westone ES5 ( I believe they are 5 ohm).
I'm very interested in buying the RWAK100, but I want to make sure that the output Impedance of the RWAK100 is not an issue with my Westone.

Thank you all

They are 20 ohm, don't even try with stock AK100 but RWAK100 should do the trick.

 

[Birdoffice]

Now,I got information from iriver japan.

tomorrow AK100 update [gapress and AK120 UI] will delay.

Let iriver take sometime. I hope new ak100 firmware not reduce bass like ak120 1.21 firmware.
Really upset everytime changing firmware, sound signature also change. I donot want to change cable or headphone everytime to find best match. It is the main reason i sold my ak120 and i am not only one who did that if you check in the ak120 thread.

Please THINK about of your sound signature carefully and maintain them

 

[kkcc]

Quote:

Let iriver take sometime. I hope new ak100 firmware not reduce bass like ak120 1.21 firmware.
Really upset everytime changing firmware, sound signature also change. I donot want to change cable or headphone everytime to find best match. It is the main reason i sold my ak120 and i am not only one who did that if you check in the ak120 thread.

Please THINK about of your sound signature carefully and maintain them

I think for AK100 the firmware thus far didn't really change the sound so much and I hope they'll be able to maintain it.
 
For AK120, I don't like the v1.21 but not that it "reduce bass".  The FR is pretty much the same to me but the density of sound overall seems lacking.  Just that this is more noticeable in the lower frequencies and contribute to the "less bass" feeling.  Upon listening to it more carefully you will find the overall sound became slight thinner, giving it a more airy feel and wider soundstage.  I hope there will be a 1.22 or whatever number that got the functional upgrade but revert to the stock sound.
 
Too bad you sold it already else maybe you can help to check if there is any current/voltage different in the outputs of these 2 version of firmware.

 

[Birdoffice]

I think for AK100 the firmware thus far didn't really change the sound so much and I hope they'll be able to maintain it.

For AK120, I don't like the v1.21 but not that it "reduce bass".  The FR is pretty much the same to me but the density of sound overall seems lacking.  Just that this is more noticeable in the lower frequencies and contribute to the "less bass" feeling.  Upon listening to it more carefully you will find the overall sound became slight thinner, giving it a more airy feel and wider soundstage.  I hope there will be a 1.22 or whatever number that got the functional upgrade but revert to the stock sound.

Too bad you sold it already else maybe you can help to check if there is any current/voltage different in the outputs of these 2 version of firmware.

Thank you for your elaboration of reduce bass.

Actually I prefer new features but if IRiver would offer more airy or 3D please provide option for customer to select eg sound theme.
Same as reduce current or voltage if ithis is for energy saving to make it run longer, please provide option like energy saving mode.
I expect audiophile DAP to focus on sound quality as priority. Or may be high a top sound engineer to QC before release firmware like Fitear hire Mitsuharu Harada to stamp or tune their top mh335 series

 

[Soria]

They are 20 ohm, don't even try with stock AK100 but RWAK100 should do the trick.

You are right they are 20 ohm...

Thanks

 

[milarepa]

Quote:

Quote:

MS mod main conductors made out of crossed coupled copper/silver mixed strands.

It depend on the matching of your cable, headphone and tone preference. If your headphone too warm you need bright signature to compensate. For my ms mod, i use this mix silver copper cable to match with fitear334 and forte X warm signature.

MS is custom mod so i willl used different cable mix for 1plus2 customer as well as ak120.

 
Thanks for clarifying and good point about matching the cable to the signature. I completely agree.
 
In my case, I like the warmth of the RWA for use with my Miracles and other more analytical phones, but can understand the MS being a better option for warmer / darker phones.

The MS with the 334 and the beautifully bass balanced TWag Gold is such a great synergy words fall short. I barely have time to post since music is consuming me!!! 

 The size of the AK100 makes it even more magical. I will never amp my 334s again.

 

[madFloyd]

Does anyone know if the RWAK100 will drive Audeze LC-2's well?

 

[milarepa]

Quote:

Does anyone know if the RWAK100 will drive Audeze LC-2's well?

You must amp to bring justice to the lcds. My Intruder works wonders when balanced out on the lcds.