Headphones
I have to admit I expected the AK players, and especially the AK240 for its price, to have a tiny nuclear power plant inside making it able to power every single headphone on the market. Of course I was wrong. Sure you can use the Hifiman HE-500 and the Audeze LCD-2 with it and sure they’ll sound OK but they will not sound as good as when using an external amplifier. Same goes for the Sennheiser HD600 @300Ohm. You get sound but switch to a dedicated desktop amp and you’ll immediately hear what you’ve been missing. Sure it works very well with the easier to drive headphones but I expected it to do better with big guns. Plug in the LCD2 or HD650 and the minimum listening level goes all the way up to 50 (out of 75). Not only that but the sound just isn’t there with these kind of headphones. The brand new and supposedly easier to drive Hifiman HE-560? Nope, same story unfortunately. The Audeze LCD-XC still is in the mail and I haven’t had the possibility to try this easy to drive planar with the AKs yet but I will add them into the review once they finally arrive. So there still is hope.
Plug in something like the NAD VISO HP50 or Philips L2 and you get a whole other story. Just like when you’re using IEMs. I can see most of the AK owners using high end earphones like the Shure SE846 and custom inears like the Fitear and Cosmic Ears products and I fully support that. I have gotten the most enjoyment out of the AK players when using my custom Inear Monitors. When using any of my CIEMs my listening volume was between 20 and 25.
Conclusion
Astell& Kern have created gorgeous looking and sounding Digital Audio Players. Have I become a fan? Guilty as charged. Based on looks, build quality, UI, features and sound it would be very hard not to be a fan. But then there is the power issue and the impressive price.
There is no gain switch on these players and so I’m a bit disappointed as I expected them to do better with the hard to drive headphones. To get the normal/best results with the more difficult to drive headphones you will need to carry around an external amplifier like the Cypherlabs Duet (great match). Sure a lot of people will label you as being crazy for having to add another expensive piece of gear to an already expensive DAP, but sound before everything, right? On the other hand I can very well understand their point of view as well. Or you could just use In Ear Monitors and get the absolute best result.
Are the AK players a wonder of technology? Absolutely. Are they well-built and do they look great? Again: absolutely. Do they work like a charm and have a great, if not the best, UI on the market. Oh definitely yes, no denying there. Do they offer enough storage space? Definitely. Do they sound great? Best DAPs I have heard so far, a true High End sound. Can they drive any headphone? I’m afraid not and that sucks. Can I go balanced? Yes, but you’ll need all new cables. Are they expensive? Way too much for my purse I’m afraid but that’s something you have to decide for yourself.
Can I recommend the AK players? Without any doubt. If you can afford it and want great quality sound, go for it. When using the right headphones they could even replace your home setup as they can do it all. The AK120II for sure has the best price/quality ratio and unless you are not on a budget at all and just want that bit extra that the AK240 has to offer, this is the player to go for. You get almost everything the AK240 gives for a whole lot less.
It do is strange. It’s obvious I don’t like everything about the AKs but in the end I really love how they sound. Plug in your headphone, push play, close your eyes and dream away. Yes, they sound that good.
The Astell&Kern prices seem to be a bit different from country to country. For those who didn’t understand yet: these players are very expensive, that’s for sure. Are they worth it? That’s for you to decide. All we can say is that these are luxury products that deliver everything they promise (like audio streaming, DSD and OTA updates). The AK120II will cost you $1699 and the AK240 even sets you back a stunning $2499. Probably even more in Europe. I have to admit that, because of its price tag, I’m not all that comfortable using the unit outdoors. What if I drop it? What if I hit it against something? What if I forget it on the train or what if I get robbed? Ah well, maybe that’s just me.
For all the info on availability and dealers do check out the A&K website here. But I warn you, once you’ve seen, touched and listened to them, you’ll be hooked, so watch your wallet.
Nathan’s point of view on the AK240 and pictures of both units are on the next page
dalethorn
Are the 10 EQ bands/frequencies fixed or user-defined? Is there a graph on-screen that shows the result curve as you change the settings?
L.
http://www.astellnkern.com/eng/images/ak240/img_24.jpg
dalethorn
The photo doesn’t tell anything, but I read this on AK’s site:
“A more accurate EQ setting is featured by doubling the bands from 5 to 10 and halving the dB steps from 1dB to 0.5dB. With the user EQ settings, you can make custom EQ settings to fit each music genre and change them when desired.”
So you can make your own and possibly save it (back it up? – don’t say), but the bands must be fixed as they don’t indicate otherwise.
ohm image
I wish they labelled them, but if impatient, you could just play a flat tone and boost each to measure to see exactly how much is boosted per channel and where on the frequency spectrum the movements occur.
dalethorn
I’ve sort-of discovered a much better way to equalize a headphone. One example (and there are various ways to do this) is to listen to a series of test tones, say, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 khz, about 2 seconds each played in sequence, then write down your impressions of how they compare in volume to each other. Now go into the equalizer with the result graph and move the sliders until you see a result curve that approximates the inverse of the relative volumes of those test tones. You have to remember that changing one slider affects (or should!) the settings of the adjacent sliders, so a bit of back-and-forth should get you close. The main thing is to try to even out the largest variances in the different frequencies, since those variances are big soundstage killers.
ohm image
Sounds good. I will try this out. I tend to, like Lieven, not work with EQs very often.
dalethorn
I would prefer to never have to myself. But if I do, the WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) visual method is a big time-saver.
warrenpchi
No, the bands are fixed and as follows: 30Hz, 60Hz, 120Hz, 250Hz, 500Hz, 1kHz, 2kHz, 4kHz, 8kHz, 16kHz. Yes, there is an on-screen display of the curve you are drawing that appears as you’re drawing it.
L.
Thanks for posting here Warren. Hope you can agree with the review 😉
Look forward to your review!
warrenpchi
Thanks Lieven! Yeah, I think you and I are hearing the same things. My impressions haven’t changed much since T.H.E. Show, so now it’s just a matter of formalizing them in print. 🙂
dalethorn
10 fixed bands are better than nothing, so that’s good. Now if the settings can be backed up and reloaded that will be so much better. There are interesting things happening in this business – the efficient K812 for example. That and a AK120 would make a nice mobile system for quiet listening locations.
warrenpchi
Agreed. 🙂
Eric Thompson
Way better than the old 5 band
George Lai
I’ll need to give up caviar for breakfast to afford these.
ohm image
Where there is a will, there is a way.
Jeff
I’m saving up for the AK240 to replace my pewny DX50 atm and I’m a little scared to hear about the headphone output noise. Well, I guess the solution is to get the DX90 as well? or is it? Obviously this isn’t going to out-play my desktop set-up so I haven’t got too much to worry about I reckon.
L.
Getting the DX90 soon!
Jeff
Cheers! I hope iBasso releases a super software that will make my DX50 outperform everything lol.
L.
I doubt it 🙂
willy vlyminck
On the price/quality related issue the DX-90 might be the best DAP avaiable for the moment, the only negative point is, at least for me; you can´t stream with it. Both AK topmodels can but at a price 4-6 times the DX-90, Maybe a DX-95 bring the solution? 🙂
Headfonia_L.
I don’t think most DAP companies consider streaming a priority
willy vlyminck
Not yet, but companies like Wimp and Qobuz offer HiFi sound, and no doubt others will follow, so it will be only a matter of time, as the streaming market is constantly growing, if however companioes like A&K ,FiiO, and iBasso are happy to operate in the marge you could be right, but I am optimistic 🙂
dalethorn
Streaming on my DAP? What’s going to be next, a front-facing camera? Sorry to sound cynical, but streaming might make sense for a DAP if it has the facility to capture a bit-perfect lossless file for repeated playback.
willy vlyminck
Streaming will be the future if you like it or not . Wimp and Qobuz prove that good sound is possible. I use my iPod touch strictly for music in order not to waste any memory and no, i don’t use the camera either
dalethorn
When I loaded the Beats music app, it asked me to name my favorite genres, and once I did that it then asked me to pick artists from a list in all of my chosen genres, and each time it asked I found a few, then it kept asking until I filled a page of maybe 50 or so.
When I was done, it then offered streaming based on the information it had about me, so I could pick a song and listen and decide if I liked it or not. So the long story short – the Beats app had an algorithm that found more of what I like than any other service. And most of that was not urban music, which most people associate with Beats.
So the way I see it, most streaming I’ve tried is for casual listening while reading or surfing etc. – i.e. ‘background’ music listening, while the difference with the Beats service was research – each tune I found that I liked, I would then go to Amazon or iTunes and listen to that tune and others by that artist, then possibly download it or even buy the CD – then rip the CD to FLAC and save on my music player.
Anyway, I don’t buy a DAP for background music, nor do I want to keep paying to stream the same composition several times so I can compare it to other things. My main focus is on my permanent high-res music collection, and streaming is just a way to help add more goodies to that collection.
If DAP mfrs. (besides iPhones etc.) want to add streaming, then they’ll no doubt want to add the other features that the iPhone has, like Internet and camera and so on, since streaming requires the Internet connection anyway. Then the DAP is just another iPod Touch without the phone.
dalethorn
BTW, when you pay for streaming, you pay 2 bills – one to the streaming service and one to the cellphone service provider. A few people may stream over free wifi, but most will have to use cellphone service. So I don’t see people buying upscale DAP’s so they can pay money to stream mid-fi sound, when the reason they buy the better quality DAP is to hear high-res sound. But there will be a market for streaming perhaps, for cheaper DAP’s, assuming those users don’t just buy cellphones instead.
willy vlyminck
You can not compare Beats with WIMP, the latter have also loads of mainstream music, that is where they live from, but beside that, they are specialized in prog-avant rock like no other streaming providor and this all in true HiFi sound. Unfortunately WIMP is only to have in a few EU countries, but this might change, as they keep investing.
dalethorn
Different people will like different services for their own reasons, which is OK. I only point out that Beats has (or did have before Apple) the best search engine I’ve experienced since the original Napster in 2000-2001. The reason I’m a very fussy customer is because I like most genres, but I pick only about 1 track out of about 50 tracks I listen to, to keep in my collection. So I don’t really care about streaming per se – I just use it to identify new music I want to buy.
Ahmad Parapat
how about the sound and ui if compared to hifiman hm 802 and 901 ?
L.
Couldn’t tell, sorry
ohm image
The 801 and AK240 are rather different. I can’t comment on the AK120ii. The iRiver is cleaner, sounds better extended, and, in both a good and bad way, sounds more _digital_, while the 801 sounds a bit more like a traditional HiFi, waiting for a comfy chair and whisky.
Which you prefer depends on your listening habits and preferences.
I prefer AK240.
Eric Thompson
LOL yeah im guna buy a $700 player to listen to it via bluetooth, get outa here
Headfonia_L.
it’s so not about bluetooth
willy vlyminck
The prices for these Daps are ridiculous, so I stick with my Apple Touch 64GB, which allows me to stream Wimp, who offer a soundquality close to High-res recordings, I listened to both, and the High-res have the last word in detail,but at which price? Today the Touch cost only 299 Euro after Aplle did drop the price from 420 Euro, and for what you get, the price/quality is unsurpassed. I know it is a mainstream product from an anti-social company but for people on a budget who wants to stream and enjoy good quality sound, there is no alternative yet.
Headfonia_L.
I can only agree. And there’s always Cypherlabs!
willy vlyminck
I use the Beyerdynamic A200p,good on the train, but not practical in pocket of shirt, due to the fact it can´t form a unit with your iPod/ iPhone, but with the IE80 or Grado GR10 the results are more than good enough for the daily bus trip and or walk.But soon we will have headphones with build in Dacs from Philips and Sony, this could be the way to go,looking forward to your reviews of these 🙂
Dietmar Gsell
Read M.Mercer’s article about his A&K,ALO International and LCD2 combo and sold all my desktop gear as I don’t want to be tied up in front to the chair in front of my desktop system.
Right now I have FiiioX5,ALO International and LCD2F and think about upgrading to the new A&K100 but unsure about the sound improvement.I would use it balanced as well.Do you think it is a path worth pursuing?
Headfonia_L.
I do think there will be an improvement over the X5, yes
Dimitry Kolbaskin
absolutely, X5 sounds BAD.
Rain
what the difference in sound between ak100mk2 vs ak100ii or even AK Junior?
and how about AK120 vs AK120ii?
Synyster Jasnizam Paget
I also interest on Ak120II beside chord hugo cuz this is DAP+amp+Dac..really what i dream off..
so does this ak120II/AK240 good to drive both beyerdynamic t1 and also audeze LCD XC?thanks again..
Headfonia_L.
Only when using an external amp. I tend to use the AK120ii + Hugo
digitldlnkwnt
I just picked up the AK240 and i plan on using it with my Violectric v100 and my ZMF’s at the office. Using it now with just the Lyra and no amp and listening to the Cassy side of Cacoon Heros (newer techno/tech house) and the sound is so immersive I can barely type this without drifting away.
Headfonia_L.
it really does impress 🙂
devilnevacry
Will I need and amp with the AK120 II if it is used with ATH-MSR7, HE400i and Shure SE535?
Lieven
I wouldn’t say you need one, but you’ll get even better sound from the 400i i example 🙂
peter
So AK240 and AK120 II, which sounds better?
Steven Zore
Let me take a poll: What do people hear think the best player is in terms of price/quality sweet spot?
If the AK’s are sooo expensive, but sound great, what players sound great and have reasonable price?
I’ve been researching and the more I research the more confused i get.