Astell&Kern AK300 Portable Player
£749.00 inc. VAT
(£624.17 ex. VAT)
The AK300
effectively replaces the ageing AK100
(HFC 370) but is just under half the
price of the next model up in the
range, the AK320. In their
chiselled, cool alloy chunkiness and
distinctly high-end feel, the two are
hard to tell apart. But the spec, while
incorporating many of the features
seen on AK’s pricier models, has been
trimmed back to just one AK4490
DAC rather than the dual-configuration
on the AK320 and AK380.
That said, the AK300 can accept high-resolution audio files up to 32-bit/384kHz and 5.6MHz DSD – both down converted to PCM for play back – and uses an extremely accurate VCXO Reference Clock to minimise jitter. A 20-band parametric EQ and wireless streaming via the AK Connect app also figure, and the unit can be used as a USB DAC. Internal storage is 64GB, but there’s only one microSD slot for adding up to a further 128GB, whereas even the least expensive model here, the Opus 1, sports a pair capable of accepting 200GB each. On a more positive note, there can’t be many DAPs that are nicer to use. Its snug palm fit and precise click-step volume thumbwheel are a joy, the full-depth touchscreen bright, crisp and responsive.
This is a massively accomplished player. Notably free from artifice and undue emphasis, it nails the neutral ground with such cool confidence that you’re allowed to relax into the music and forget about the machine playing it. Wherein lies the path to many a long, unfatiguing listening session.
Technical Specifications:-
Body Colour: Midnight Black
Body Material: Aluminum
Display: 4inch WVGA (480 x 800) Touchscreen
Supported Audio Formats: WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE(Normal, High, Fast), AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF
Sample rate: PCM : 8kHz ~ 192kHz (8/16/24bits per Sample) DSD : DSD64, Stereo / DSD128, Stereo
Output Level: Unbalance 1.98Vrms / Balance 1.98Vrms (Condition No Load)
DAC: AKM AK4490 x 1 (Single DAC)
Decoding: Support up to 24bit / 192kHz Bit to Bit Decoding
Input: USB Micro-B input (for charging & data transfer (PC & MAC)
Connection Mode : MTP (Media Device)
Outputs: PHONES (3.5mm) / Optical Out (3.5mm) / Balanced Out (2.5mm, only 4-pole supported)
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz)
Bluetooth: V4.0 (A2DP, AVRCP, aptX)
TYPE:32-bit/384kHz & DSD-capable Digital Audio Player
WEIGHT 205g
DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 75 x 112 x 15mm
l Quoted battery life: 10 hours
l 64GB internal storage
l MicroSD slot (128GB max)
That said, the AK300 can accept high-resolution audio files up to 32-bit/384kHz and 5.6MHz DSD – both down converted to PCM for play back – and uses an extremely accurate VCXO Reference Clock to minimise jitter. A 20-band parametric EQ and wireless streaming via the AK Connect app also figure, and the unit can be used as a USB DAC. Internal storage is 64GB, but there’s only one microSD slot for adding up to a further 128GB, whereas even the least expensive model here, the Opus 1, sports a pair capable of accepting 200GB each. On a more positive note, there can’t be many DAPs that are nicer to use. Its snug palm fit and precise click-step volume thumbwheel are a joy, the full-depth touchscreen bright, crisp and responsive.
This is a massively accomplished player. Notably free from artifice and undue emphasis, it nails the neutral ground with such cool confidence that you’re allowed to relax into the music and forget about the machine playing it. Wherein lies the path to many a long, unfatiguing listening session.
Technical Specifications:-
Body Colour: Midnight Black
Body Material: Aluminum
Display: 4inch WVGA (480 x 800) Touchscreen
Supported Audio Formats: WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE(Normal, High, Fast), AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF
Sample rate: PCM : 8kHz ~ 192kHz (8/16/24bits per Sample) DSD : DSD64, Stereo / DSD128, Stereo
Output Level: Unbalance 1.98Vrms / Balance 1.98Vrms (Condition No Load)
DAC: AKM AK4490 x 1 (Single DAC)
Decoding: Support up to 24bit / 192kHz Bit to Bit Decoding
Input: USB Micro-B input (for charging & data transfer (PC & MAC)
Connection Mode : MTP (Media Device)
Outputs: PHONES (3.5mm) / Optical Out (3.5mm) / Balanced Out (2.5mm, only 4-pole supported)
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz)
Bluetooth: V4.0 (A2DP, AVRCP, aptX)
TYPE:32-bit/384kHz & DSD-capable Digital Audio Player
WEIGHT 205g
DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 75 x 112 x 15mm
l Quoted battery life: 10 hours
l 64GB internal storage
l MicroSD slot (128GB max)
£624.17