BLOG: Because it’s 2016 – Nathan’s Selection

DAPs

ak70-on-white

  • Winner: Astell & Kern AK70: Review: Astell & Kern AK70 – AK’s best yet. Great interface, decent screen, balanced output, great measurements, and a democratic price make this everyday AK DAP killer by nearly any metric. It is a shame, however, that it is as worthless with the XB10 as every other Astell&Kern player.

AMPs on the next page:

4.3/5 - (21 votes)
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Back before he became the main photographer for bunches of audio magazines and stuff, Nathan was fiddling with pretty cool audio gear all day long at TouchMyApps. He loves Depeche Mode, trance, colonial hip-hop, and raisins. Sometimes, he gets to listening. Sometimes, he gets to shooting. Usually he's got a smile on his face. Always, he's got a whisky in his prehensile grip.

7 Comments

  • Reply January 1, 2017

    Barun C

    Yeah, the hits and misses are pretty much in line with what you wrote through out year Nathan. But I am surprised in once instance, you didn’t include PHATLAB AUDIO PHANTASY in the best of the year list.

    Anyway, happy new year to you, your family and all the people at HeadFonia. Watch the skies, look at the trees, stay away from any screen or digital devices and see how good it feels.

    • Reply January 2, 2017

      ohm image

      Barun, check page 5. Because damn, I would not forget PHAntasy. No way.

      • Reply January 3, 2017

        Barun C

        Oh. I missed that one. I thought to my self, after so much high praise you didn’t include that product. How can that be. Anyway, one thing, which I felt was a big change in 2016 is inclusion of two AK products in the best list, that was quiet a surprise.

        • Reply January 3, 2017

          ohm image

          It’s a hard tale: PHAntansy is the most beautiful amp I’ve ever used. It also makes a wonderful sound. But it is only really suited to high-Ω headphones. This is both audible and measurable.

          If it were stably able to drive headphones of less than 80Ω, I would have considered it for first spot. But the provisos attached to it are a bit heavy. Again, it is the most perfectly haptically engineered amp I’ve used, and when paired with the right headphone, superb.

          And yes, the AK thing is a bit surprise for me, too. I think their ducks are finally in a row.

  • Reply January 2, 2017

    L.Kramer

    Hi,
    I was wondering if anyone had a recommendation for a desktop amplifier that cost less or up to 250 USD that beats my current FiiO E12a in terms of detail and soundstage. It would be driving the beyerdynamic Dt990 (250 Ohm).
    Cheers and thanks in advance for any replies !

    • Reply January 3, 2017

      ohm image

      I’m afraid that I’ve got not experience with that FiiO.

    • Reply January 10, 2017

      Rikk

      I see Audio-GD NFB 11 for the same price and very popular on head-fi.

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