I ended up buying the new SE180. The improvement in sound quality is, for me, very real but hard to define. There is a marginal improvement in bass, which I was looking for, but the combination of a more powerful player and perhaps an improved DAC yields an altogether richer sound. The SQ of the SR25 and SE180 are clearly siblings of each other, but the SE180’s sound has more depth, more authority, and is more satisfying. The larger touchscreen and improved navigation software is just gravy on top of that.
I don’t know if I’ll take advantage of the ability to switch out DACs, but that does lend a future-proofing element to my purchase.
I picked up the new PEE51 dongle dac from A&K a few weeks ago and really like it. Very balanced sound, great separation & width, good dynamics, & lots of power. I took a chance based on A&K’s reputation in the hifi world that they would put their best foot forward and bring all of their expertise & quality to a dongle dac at the entry level and I’m happy to say I was not disappointed. Definitely recommended.
Maybe I am doing something wrong, but does Qobuz not stream hi res through the AK device? I have a Kann Alpha and the light stays red regardless of what I play.
I have the SE 180, which also has the LED display on the volume knob, and it only changes from red whenever I play a locally-stored file I own It doesn’t change color for streaming files for either Qobuz or Tidal. I don’t think that means it’s not playing hi-res, but rather that the display only relates to locally-stored PCM files? Would love to know the answer, myself.
A new A&K player is on the horizon, called the SP2000T.
Looks like it brings all of A&K’s intended new technologies/approaches together in one unit - including three amplifier’s/modes (including a tube output), quad ESS9068AS DACs, on-board 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs, dual-band WiFi, LDAC support, updated core OS, and so on.
Interesting potential pre-cursor to the “SP3000” (or whatever the next flagship gets called), and nice to see the direction A&K seem to be going.
Hi - it’s been a while since I have been on here. I have just bought the Sony wf-1000xm4 earbuds. Am I able to download the Sony Headphones Connect App for use on the SR25? I have tried and it doesn’t seem to pick it up even though I have copied it into the OpenService folder for the SR25 when connected to my laptop.
So I recently returned my AK SR15, the sound was really good but it had some software issues with apk files, and the battery life was only about 8 hours, which I initially thought was enough but I decided it would be convenient to have more. I bought the NW-A55 recently to try out and see how it sounds, its 40 hours play time which is amazing but I couldn’t see what DAC it runs, but while I’m listening, it sounds good, but there was something about the A&K that was so crystal clear, and I feel like the NW-A55 doesn’t have it. Just wanted to get others opinions on all these. I also wanted to see what everyone’s opinion is of the SR25 as well since it has 21 hours ish of battery time, but I was wondering if it will sound as well as the SR15.
If you have the NW-A55, try out Mr Walkman firmware on it. It improves it quite a bit! I’m using the Neutral tuning on it now. [ https://www.nwmods.ml/ ]
As far as SR25 vs SR15, here were my impressions from a while back:
Features
Like the Cube, above, the SR25 has USB-C, 3.5mm and 2.5mm balanced, 3 unknown marked buttons, and a clicky volume knob. The latter of these are all shrunken down in size to fit the smaller form factor.
The SR25 still suffers from lag that I experienced with the SR15. This isn’t really seen if you just use the normal player and play only offline files, but when you start to use the app service and load up a streaming app, in my case Quboz, it becomes slower. It will vary a bit from time to time from running normal to grinding to a halt, especially if you’re searching while listening to music, or doing offline downloads.
This really limited by both the weaker processor and the limited RAM on the device. I wish A&K, and most of these DAP manufacturers would put more effort into picking a more modern SOC and adequate RAM for using an Android system. It would solve speed, memory and battery issues.
Now the good news is the that the larger screen is a little easier to navigate than the small SR15 screen. I’ve gotten semi-used to working through a smaller screen of the ZX507, so using the SR25’s similarly sized screen isn’t too challenging, but folks with larger hands or fingers may find it problematic if you need to type.
Sound
The sound here is very A&K house sound. It’s very mid-range focused with a warm and thicker sound. It’s not quite as intimate and rich as the SR15 was from memory, as I feel its a tad leaner and the treble isn’t as laid back,but it is still colored. It’s very similar to my ZX507, though maybe with a bit more lower mid-range and bass emphasis even. This type of sound is very “musical” and people who enjoy that warm, liquid-type sound will probably enjoy this one or the other A&K DAPs, besides the Kann Cube.
Today, I will share my impressions on the Astell&Kern Ultima SP2000T and discuss any incremental changes in firmware or performance from the initial first look video
we did on the SP2000T. In that video, I discussed some of the features, build quality, design and gave some brief impressions on the sound quality of the SP2000T.
This video will focus on the quality of sound paired with several different headphones and some comparisons vs. the Chord Hugo 2/2go combo, my reference portable headphone amplifier, and DAC.
Has anyone listened to the astell kern acro ca1000? Any review coming soon? I’ve seen moon audio review saying it could drive the susvara and two more people saying that on head-fi and one more with the he-6. I’m really interested to see if this is true or comes with a conditional statement.
Was curious to hear thoughts on if the SP2000 (top-of-the-line DAC from A&K) is considered dated (3 years old) and due for an upgrade ? Hate to buy this, if there’s a new model coming out in the next 6-months. There is of course the Kann Max and SP2000T but the SP2000 seems to be considered the best for audio quality.
I ended up getting the AK ACRO CA1000 after its price dropped 400 USD (discount is still running, goes until September) so I thought in leaving some of my experience/impressions with it to whoever it might be of interest.
First thing I wanna mention is it is much smaller than I thought it would be previously, the marketing words “Carryable Headphone Amp” and the picture of it alone gave me the wrong impression even though there are pictures where you can see the hands of a person on it.
I had a hard learning curve on this, and the following points were difficulties or weakness I see in it and remember (most of them were usability problems that are mostly not problems after you learn, just skip if you are not interested, I just tried to make some next owner life easier):
Connecting to the Wi-Fi to be able to download Deezer was a nightmare, let me try to explain what happened. As I can use two ISP (I will call A and B) and one of them is connected to another Wi-Fi router (it was A signal on a tp-link router, I will call it C) it came out wifi connection only worked in A (the only device I have at home that this happens). B is a small local ISP provider. I started trying to connect just to B and C - without success, it appeared to connect (a chain symbol appears) and then it just disconnected a little later or when I tried to download a warning/error message appeared alerting that I needed to connect. I stayed a long time just trying to connect to B and C because I don’t know the password of A by heart, so part of the headache was my fault. Problem was solved, but the fact that it connected to A and not to C gives me caution. Also the user guide says: “Networks requiring browser or other additional certifications are not supported.
Wi-Fi Channels 1 through 13 supported, except in the USA, channels 12 and 13 are disabled.”. Whatever that means, I’m afraid when traveling I won’t be able to connect to Wi-Fi just because it requires you to login in a browser (think hotels and airports) or just because there is a router in the path like my case of A and C.
Before making the software update you notice a laggy interface. After update I have no complaints, so make it as soon as you can.
Bluetooth: there is a Bluetooth icon in the menu, you can turn it on or off. I initially turned it on and tried to play music from iPhone/iPad on it. Another failure. After figuring out how to use it: since it is a Bluetooth transmitter and receiver, when you just turn it on it is in transmitter mode. If you want to use it as a receiver you have to go to the Bluetooth settings and turn it on the Bluetooth sink mode. Making a slider button in the interface which you chose between BT RX and BT TX would be much better (I’m saying this because fiio bta-30 just uses this terminology with a real button and it is waaay more intuitive). Another thing, when you are using it in the bluetooth dac mode if Wi-Fi is on you get a looot of interference (took me a while to find this out too, I thought I had a broken unit. I did not check if in transmitter mode it happens too). So for using Bluetooth I just remember to turn it of. As a transmitter it also has more problems with walls comparing to using iPhone (but to be fair, the AK was using ldac or aptx hd and iPhone AACs, so I think this is expected). After knowing how to use it I have to mention I have no complaints with it. One extra thing to notice is for example, connecting it to the AK XB-10, you cannot change the volume with the AK XB-10 buttons, I guess other buttons also does not work (did not use). On the positive side, ACRO CA 1000 offers much more volume steps if you compare to the iPhone+ak XB-10, so much better when using with sensitive Iems.
There is a floating button (a circle with left arrow) in the menu. Its function is to go back or go to the home page (which is the dap screen). You can deactivate it, but it continues appearing on deezer. This button is kinda annoying. The unit has 4 physical buttons, the on/off, reward, stop/play, forward. They could’ve made the floating button a physical one. If space was lacking, they could just take the reward-stop/play-forward buttons and put it instead, as the other three buttons are properly integrated in the user interface.
USB Dac input: I can play music using iPad as a source, but not with iPhone. It is not only AK problem and most of the fault is from Apple. But I think in 2022 they should know how to make it work. As I don’t use it as DAP (my own music, still use Deezer) I would like it to be fully functional as a DAC.
the input / output interface: this is one of the strengths of the unit, but It lacks input / outputs (usb in and out are the ones I missed most in the beginning). Again, after learning how it works I’m totally fine with it, but when you start using it you don’t understand why you can’t find them there.
Okay, after dirty laundry, I would like to say I’m really happy with it. It is a small unit with tons of functionality, and if you think, many of the problems I mentioned are just a reflex of the complexity of a unit that tries to do it all like I guess no other is doing. After getting used to it, problems seems not be problems at all.
Eq/crossfeed capability:
No Eq sounds better than when it is on in the default “Normal Settings” to me. I’m a person who avoided Eq at all costs, just because eq options in Apple products is not good and the only suitable option for optical (I use it for TV) that I saw was the RME dac (which did not look as complete as AK). After I Eq’ ed LCDi4 with the cipher cable (using audeze app) I just saw a lot of value in it, and the AK Acro CA1000 is really good in it (I still avoid it though, but I keep turning on/off/changing eq depending on mood). As info, you can change gain between -5 to 5 (2 decimals steps) and Q between 2 to 4 (one decimal) and 20 bands to adjust; you have to adapt when trying to apply reviewers eq profiles because their eq settings seems to have a wider range in both options and less bands.
I don’t use much the crossfeed, it makes a difference, but I still did not buy into it. I think similar to eq, when you have it turned it off and then turn it on, personally it seems to go to a worse sound default base sound. I did not tested setting first the crossfeed and later the eq, I believe it could solve what I think is worse to my ears.
I did not plan to use it as a source, but one thing I really like in it is the possibility to use it as a DAC output (will write about it soon). As I want it all, if anyone from AK (or any AK dealer can pass this to AK), two features would be great:
we can’t use it with Audeze cipher cable + anker usb-c to lightning.
I think you can only send usb output from music in the player. It would great if at least we could make optical input > usb out.
If someone has specific questions about sound I can try to answer, but I don’t intend in this already long post to write a lot about it, but it would be unfair to not bring these mostly positive impressions on the sound (I would like to write more about more things of it, but at this point I’m exhausted and I think the reader is also.):
as a source/DAC sending data in line out (2V) from 3.5mm headphone out to rca inputs into music fidelity m6si + kef ls50s it sounds much better to me than using xduuo-xd05 bal as dac with iPhone/iPad as usb source and same cable. I also prefer it to using iPhone/iPad + apple CCK / Yulong cu2 usba to usb-b cable with m6si internal dac. I tended to have a strong preference to listen to headphones before, now kegs are back in game.
as a source with usb-c out + ddhifi usbc cable into xduuo xd05 bal + 64 audio Tia fourte noir: there is a seriously a good synergy with all the elements. By itself xduuo bal output brings in the head soundstage / excess reverb/higher harmonics / cymbals that are very aggressive and almost no bass. Together, all these weakness go away: improved soundstage, instruments sounds so real / acoustic, cymbals are present and sound real, without being aggressive. Bass and voices come alive get really more textured. By itself Acro sounds very good, but xduuo helps with a more interesting/engaging presentation. This is my “this is it stage” in this hobby, whatever I was looking for in sound it delivers without any dealbreaker compromise for my personal taste.
I could test it with Focal Utopia for some hours, but I got problems with the single ended cable (of the headphone, not the amp). In single ended headphone output it ran well in the super gain with volume at 105-110 of 150 max. I will be soon be able to test it with 4.4 mm I guess. I don’t have a proper amp to compare it to now, but I may have pretty soon.
and is it Roon Ready ?
