Subject: CEntrance -> GloveAudio A1
Relevant links:
RMAA: MST Audio Chord Mojo-Kai (balanced) 24-bit
RMAA: Onkyo DP-S1 rubato 24-bit
RMAA: Astell & Kern AK70 Kai (Ryuzoh mod) 24-bit
RMAA: iPhone SE 24-bit
RMAA: Apple iPhone 7 24-bit
RMAA: Apple iPhone 6 24-bit
RMAA: Chord Mojo 24-bit
RMAA: Onkyo DP-X1 24-bit single-ended and balanced
RMAA: MS-AK100 24-bit new
RMAA: Astell&Kern AK380 24-bit
RMAA data preceding articles which rely on them is logical. Except as regards preparing articles for Headfonia, which always catch me up. Apologies. Please read this article in conjunction with and foundation today's Wayback Wednesday on Glove Audio's A1.
Blocking both an AK1x0's headphone/optical out and its input, the A1 stuffs things up. There's no way to see the volume level at which it is set. Good news for big pocket people: you can stuff the combo upside down so that it's ready to go when pulled out.
And is it ever ready. My system clocks it up to ~118dB with THD as low as 0,0002%, and nearly flawless drive for almost any load. The one hiccup I noticed was when driving the Audio Technica ES7 at volumes 6dB over an iPhone 6's max, where IMD audibly shears high frequency chirps.
It hisses a bit more than an iPhone 6, AK380, AK240, but much less than an AK70, AK100, Sony NW-WM1Z, and other players.
If you can find it, it goes for 599$ + 300$ or so for an AK100. That's 900$. The performance it returns is better than any stock DAP I've tested, full stop. That includes the 3000$ Sony and Astell & Kern. It spits a bright, neutral, and detailed sound. If you like your DAP to extract as much realism from your music as possible, and you've got an AK100, and can find a used or new A1, do it. You won't find comparable performance outside adding a Chord Mojo to your iPhone.
The following Rightmark Audio Analyzer tests were conducted through this equipment.
Source: Glove Audio A1
ADC: Lynx Studio HILO LT-TB
Computer: 2012 27" iMac
Cables: 1,5m Hosa Pro 3,5mm stereo to dual 3-pin XLR (around 8$); bespoke y-split 2,5 TRRS to dual 3-pin XLR made by Musashi Sound Technology.
Loads:
NL - no load
SM2 - Earsonics SM2
ES7 - Audio Technica ES7
DT880 - Beyerdynamic DT880/600
24-bit single ended @+6dB
24-bit balanced @+6dB
End words
Awesome and ugly. Better-than-TOTL performance from a happy, old, and highly tunable platform.