CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

  • December 31, 2015, 09:38:22 AM
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: [1] 2

Author Topic: My review of the Astell&Kern AK380  (Read 1320 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

ohm-image

  • Headfonia Paparazzo
  • Powder Monkey
  • *
  • Brownie Points: +12/-2
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 61
My review of the Astell&Kern AK380
« on: September 03, 2015, 12:16:45 AM »
I have spent about 1,5 months with it and feel confident to write a few words. Those few words ended up being 4.000 or so,and are up at Headfonia. I'm sorry that it it took so many words.

Headfonia review: http://www.headfonia.com/review-astell-kern-ak380-momentary/

I've also published amateur RMAA measurements of its output under load and driving wire, into a Lynx Studio HILO ADC.

ohm image RMAA: http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-astellkern-ak380-24-bit

The skinny:
good looks on paper
painful to hold
good sound
great signal unloaded
gapless works well
decent/good GUI and software
good hardware UI but bad ergonomics
good to excellent machine quality
poor design work
atrocious marketing/copy
Android File Transfer? Really?

Anyway, I love how it sounds, but only really under optimal to good circumstances. And I'm glad that A&K are trying to revive a serious luxury segment, but I think they are paying too little attention to the small things, and think that rather than purveyors (and those that understand quality from the ground up) of luxury, they have largely targeted wealthy geeks. I have no idea how this will work out in the long run.

I assume that I've made many grammatical/spelling errors, and am open to criticism otherwise.
Logged

DrForBin

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +23/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 218
  • Everything is marketing, the rest is consumption.
Re: My review of the Astell&Kern AK380
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2015, 04:47:13 AM »
hello,

i think your review rocked! thanks for doing it.

(i don't think there is anything from A&K in my future.)
Logged
Firmly ensconced in mid-fi purgatory.

ohm-image

  • Headfonia Paparazzo
  • Powder Monkey
  • *
  • Brownie Points: +12/-2
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 61
Re: My review of the Astell&Kern AK380
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2015, 06:26:43 AM »
Well, that was terse. Thanks for reading it. I know it probably took several beverages.
Logged

madaboutaudio

  • Jude's Closet Lover
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +32/-28
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 213
Re: My review of the Astell&Kern AK380
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2015, 07:23:54 AM »
Either the ak380 is seriously flawed or something is wrong with your measurements. the distortion levels are beyond any other graphs I have seen.

And also you omitted rmaa summary from your ak380 measurements vs your ak jr measurements which has it.

4000 words is too much, KISS is the way. You don't want to end up like 6moons.
Logged

frenchbat

  • Batshit Frenchy
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +22/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 255
Re: My review of the Astell&Kern AK380
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2015, 07:26:57 AM »
Quote from: madaboutaudio on September 03, 2015, 07:23:54 AM
Either the ak380 is seriously flawed or something is wrong with your measurements. the distortion levels are beyond any other graphs I have seen.
That or he's doing measurements that are actually useful. I know Ohm-Image does loaded measurements. Still have to read the review but that might be the difference.
Logged

ohm-image

  • Headfonia Paparazzo
  • Powder Monkey
  • *
  • Brownie Points: +12/-2
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 61
Re: My review of the Astell&Kern AK380
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2015, 07:28:55 AM »
Quote from: frenchbat on September 03, 2015, 07:26:57 AM
That or he's doing measurements that are actually useful. I know Ohm-Image does loaded measurements. Still have to read the review but that might be the difference.

You are talking about loaded distortion levels, correct? Naturally, the HILO isn't a proper measurement device, and will show more distortion than a professional audio measurement device, but, I measure both loaded and unloaded. I don't measure loaded via resistors, but real earphones. I've tested back to back to back to back many outputs in the same day and the AK380 handled my favourite torture earphones: SM2, worse than any source I have.

EDIT: I should add that in balanced, the IQ fared far worse than the MH335DW, and is second to the SM2 as a torture-test. But since it's 800$, I don't want to subject it to the same torture. I just had to show more real-world examples. But I feel sorry for my IQ.
Logged

frenchbat

  • Batshit Frenchy
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +22/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 255
Re: My review of the Astell&Kern AK380
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2015, 07:33:35 AM »
Quote from: ohm-image on September 03, 2015, 07:28:55 AM
You are talking about loaded distortion levels, correct? Naturally, the HILO isn't a proper measurement device, and will show more distortion than a professional audio measurement device, but, I measure both loaded and unloaded. I don't measure loaded via resistors, but real earphones. I've tested back to back to back to back many outputs in the same day and the AK380 handled my favourite torture earphones: SM2, worse than any source I have.
Straight from the horses' mouth.
Logged

Azteca X

  • Audio Tlatoani
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +27/-1
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 232
Re: My review of the Astell&Kern AK380
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2015, 02:42:35 PM »
Yikes at those distortion numbers. A&K already prices most things beyond my reach, and then I hear very mixed impressions, and then I see that maybe their engineering isn't all that. I don't think they make garbage but they are one of those companies who has very successfully represented luxury to people eager to sink money into a hobby.
Logged

madaboutaudio

  • Jude's Closet Lover
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +32/-28
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 213
Re: My review of the Astell&Kern AK380
« Reply #8 on: September 03, 2015, 03:27:58 PM »
Hell I rather take the zero ui terra player over this  poo
Logged

firev1

  • Cynophobic Puss
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +52/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 490
Re: My review of the Astell&Kern AK380
« Reply #9 on: September 03, 2015, 03:40:47 PM »
The loaded numbers are true, its not uncommon to see bad amps react so badly from loading with wild impedance curves. Nevertheless the numbers are truly shocking and its no wonder why they are selling an 'optional' amp module for the AK380.
Logged
Time spent on enjoyment is not time wasted. - someone
Pages: [1] 2
« previous next »