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Product Description
The successor to Astell&Kern’s popular AK100, the AK100 II features a Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC chip and a dedicated HiFi amplifier that can drive any IEM and efficient headphones. The AK100 II comes with two ports: a standard unbalanced 3.5mm port and a 2.5mm balanced port for increased channel separation and clarity Read More
I have the AK100 ll. Love it, worth the money in my opinion. Definitely the best sounding device I own. I can't compare it to other devices some have mentioned but I am sure that cheaper devices aren't too far off. What drew me to this device is the elegance and the experience you have using it. The touch screen is really nice, the feel of the device is premium, and the volume knob is a pure joy to use.
Absolutely love my AK Jr, single WM8740. Hoping forever AK240, dual CS4398, would drop and be possible. It dropped, still not possible. New Fiio X5iii just out with the same dual AK4490 as AK's flagship 380! Chip sets alone don't define a DAP, but... and then there's the reality of price to contend with.
I received my X5iii on Friday and am sending it back tomorrow. Nearly all of it's "features" are only available in the "Pure" mode, aka Fiio proprietary mode. Music you download from services like Tidal are only available in Android mode. In Android mode the device is really no different than some of the newer smartphones that have put extra effort into audio components (like my ZTE Axon 7).
Rochambeauxcould you please elaborate? I'm expecting mine to arrive in couple of days.
I'm hoping to hear a difference also on hifi streaming services such as Tidal compared to my iphone 7.
I apologize for the late respond.
As I try to get into DAP products... I don't understand why they wouldn't build an amp into their DAP. I hear that these high-end DAP products has a the sufficient power to run headphones with powerful drivers, but what is the limit that it can drive? Why would a DAP be better than other amp products? I assume that DAPs can't drive headphones that has over 100+ ohm impedance???
KITTY1) DAPs exist only for portable use (as all in one device) or as portable transport which provide the user ability to choose, preserve, play and manage music.
2) Nowadays, even top notch players are capable to drive full-size cans to, probably, 80% of its potential. The problem is not in the power, many DAPs nowadays have enough power to drive even 600ohm cans and Abyss, but they just can't compete with the quality of desktop amps. To arise this percentage of quality people buy additional portable (1) amps or (2) amp\DACs combines the best of such are: (1) Neco soundlabs V5, Phatlab (all series, but especially Sassy II+GT), ALO Continental V5, RX mkII, (2)Chord Hugo (+v2), Mojo, ifi Micro iDSD (+Black Label), ALO CDM, WA 8 Eclipse.
3) For iems the best additional amps are: Headamp Pico Power, ALO Rx (iem edition).
4) There are no sufficient differences between DACs. Chord Dave (15k$) and Fiio X7 are different, but not so much.
5) all DAPs produce the sound to which brain and ears adapt really quickly and soundsignture becomes boring. This is why people keep switching DAPs a lot - they get tired of sound...
ALO Rx is so much different...I'm using it for a year and never had a thought of switching it...it is magical. X7 as a transport is perfect while ALO Rx is perfect as an amp.
6) AK brand have prices which do not correlate with price\quality their products offer.
Hopefully, my comment will help))