Anyone recommend a portable FLAC player ?

[tufty]

That's very pretty. Also pretty expensive.

[Deckard]

New A&K 400 quid player - http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/aste ... sic-player

[Deckard]

Going to trade in my x5 (well sell it on ebay) for this little beauty

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mp3-player ... jr-review/

[Deckard]

Well succumbed and got an AK JR from http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/ and found a discount voucher so got 10% off too (AMP20 was the code) Only problem was I had alaready ordered from Amazon so canned their one but looks like its in transit so will have to mail back theirs....hope it wont be a problem but then their website let me can it so shouldnt be.

[Chontler]

Well succumbed and got an AK JR from http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/ and found a discount voucher so got 10% off too (AMP20 was the code) Only problem was I had alaready ordered from Amazon so canned their one but looks like its in transit so will have to mail back theirs....hope it wont be a problem but then their website let me can it so shouldnt be.

Looks good - review please! The 64gb sd cap seems a bit stingy. I succumbed to a zx1 from eBay. Took a while to get used to it - it's android is locked down unless you want to lose Sony's audio drivers and player. It lacks some power for my preferred headphones and the eu volume cap never helps but I managed to get a japanese upgrade on it the seems to have removed that. It's sound quality is might fine, and that's all that really counts. I tried the whole player/amp/rubber band sandwich but that was just ridiculous. Battery life is pretty good, and as it's basically an android phone it's nice for streaming.

[Deckard]

Well the AK JR GUI makes my Fiio X5 GUI (or lack of and tiny view screen) look like the dinosaur it is (and pretty much the only thing I didn't like about it) so it will be on eBay later tonight.

The AK JR is a lovely crafted tactile thing even if the corners are a bit sharp !! Great soundstage too which is probably the most important thing really and seem to do better with MP3s (boo, hiss) than my X5 does. Heavy enough to feel decent but small in the hand/pocket and it is the first DAP I have used that just feels right.

Coming from my iPhone 5S there is a bit of lag even with v1.03 software but not enough to be annoying. Nice bright screen and the physical volume dial is a thing of beauty to behold and to touch. Certainly can play loud too. 9/10 for me and perhaps 10/10 when the 128 gig micro SD cards are supported coupled with a slight speed increase in the interface. For the "cheaper" DAP end I would say currently this is a no brainer.

[Chontler]

hmmm...tempting. I got the zx1 to replace my ipod classic. not as much space and even less with the hi-res files, but sonys audio hardware, like yours, does improve lossy music. It's only my Grados that reveal bad recordings so I just keep my albums I really listen to as lossless and anything that I use as background for work or bedroom speakers as mp3s. It just about works. I also have the C4 that is now my mobile home stereo that only has lossless.
From what I've picked up on the web, you can already put a 128gb card in the ak jr. You have to format it as a bootable fat32 drive. It sounds like the same thing with the colorfly. I can't find the link, but basically the machine is capped with a maximum address space. For the C4 that is 64gb - 32 internal and a 32 card...but format a 64gb card properly and it fools the hardware somehow.
It might be worth a go if you have one handy.

[Deckard]

Well now all my kit has "bedded" in, AK JR, Oppo Ha-2 and Sennheiser HD700 - It's easily the best gadgets and enjoyment I get, if not exactly that portable - Was listening to the new Jarre (dont ask about some of the tracks) in 24 bit and its just outstanding.

[OX mkII]

Don't know if anyone has already mentioned yet (and I can't be arsed to check through 8 pages) but why not get a ipod touch and use VLC for flac playback, it also negates having to use the awful itunes.

[Deckard]

Funny enough already got an 80 gig iPod classic running rock box from a year or two back - it's nice but not even in the same ballpark sound wise as the AK Jr - I notice they are now becoming quite the collectors item

[gumboot]

New A&K 400 quid player - http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/aste ... sic-player

For anyone hoping to see a 40% markdown on that to push them over the edge...

Spoiler: show

http://camelcamelcamel.com/Astell-Kern- ... B00XNME0GC

... you just missed it.

HTH

[wanye]

just saw this and thought of this post

http://www.whathifi.com/news/dp-x1-onky ... dio-player



Dual SABRE DACs & Amps
Standard Balanced and Active Control Ground (ACG) Modes
2.5mm 4-Pole (for balanced output) and 3.5mm 3-Pole Output
Physical Buttons for Quick Music Control - No Need to Turn On Screen
Support for up to 432GB of Storage
Support for MQA
Based on Android™ OS with Access to Google Play™
Wi-Fi & Bluetooth®
http://www.onkyousa.com/Products/model. ... =prodClass

[Deckard]

Almost twice the price of the AK Jr though.

[VNVObit]

Don't know if anyone has already mentioned yet (and I can't be arsed to check through 8 pages) but why not get a ipod touch and use VLC for flac playback, it also negates having to use the awful itunes.

but is a faff to use in practice - have done this on my iPhone and reverted to using ALAC IIRC you are still limited to 24/48 (though that's not a real hardship)


at £700 I think I'll give the Onkyo a miss I see the Pioneer XDP-100R is a slightly cut down version (single DAC/AMP combo) from the same group

No doubt it'll be subjective as to whether or not going from single to dual is really worth the £200 premium

[gumboot]

New A&K 400 quid player - http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/aste ... sic-player

For anyone hoping to see a 40% markdown on that to push them over the edge...

Spoiler: show

http://camelcamelcamel.com/Astell-Kern- ... B00XNME0GC

... you just missed it.

HTH

One more chance!