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New AKM chips coming.

Labjr

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I guess they've recovered from the factory fire. Time to break new barriers in the SINAD race!

 
It's going to be interesting to see how these perform once manufacturers have an opportunity to design around them.

Or maybe it's just yet another excuse for me to put off buying a new DAC... ;)

 
These should drop right into existing AK4490 and 4493 designs. Looks like AK4493S performance even is slightly improved over earlier samples, while AK4490R is much the same as before.

Good news for manufacturers with unpopulated boards sitting on their shelves no doubt, these were some of AKM's most popular DACs pre-fire. If mass production starts in Q2 as indicated I would expect the first devices using them to ship somewhere between August and October.

This was already posted yesterday, btw.
 
Last edited:
In fact it was posted and dicussed in detail already on Monday:

 
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Use your favorite Japanese to <your language> translator.

Highlights
- The new AK4499EX is a new two chip design!
- The AKM listening room uses Focal’s, Accuphase, Denon, Esoteric, Linn gear. I believe the components in that room DO NOT use AKM DACs but use competitors that they are benchmarking against.
- AKM obviously relies on a lot of science and engineering, but they still have a subjective worldview too.
 

Use your favorite Japanese to <your language> translator.

Highlights
- The new AK4499EX is a new two chip design!
- The AKM listening room uses Focal’s, Accuphase, Denon, Esoteric, Linn gear. I believe the components in that room DO NOT use AKM DACs but use competitors that they are benchmarking against.
- AKM obviously relies on a lot of science and engineering, but they still have a subjective worldview too.

That sounds all very interesting. I will probably get a AK4499EX DAC if someone releases something under 1k$.

I believe the akm chips are still the best when it comes to DSD? And I enjoy to mess around with DSP stuff in Roon.
Even if differences are probably only measurable but inaudible, it will be a nice toy.
 
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