The company debuted two new high-resolution audio players at CES this year — the AK320 and AK380 — but prices started at $1,800 and headed upward from there. At $900, the AK300, which Astell & Kern launched today at the High End show in Munich, Germany, still isn’t cheap, but the price is more in line with other hi-res players on the market. This little brother to the AK320 and AK380 packs in a single DAC and is less extravagant, but the company didn’t skimped where it counts.
The AK300 sports a AK4490 DAC, capable of playing back high-resolution audio up to 32-bit/384KHz (down-converted to 24bit/192khz) PCM format, or 5.6MHz DSD, which is converted to PCM for playback. The player features 64GB of built-in storage with up to 200GB of additional storage available thanks to the built-in MicroSD slot. Like its big siblings, the AK300 features Wi-Fi connectivity, the ability to act as a USB DAC, and support for AK Connect.
Another product unveiled by Astell & Kern this week is the AK Recorder, a module for the AK300, AK320, and AK380 that, as the name implies, adds recording capabilities to the players. The company calls this a “pro-grade” audio recorder, and it has features to match with a mic input featuring 48V phantom power for condensers and other mics that require power, as well as a line-in for sources like turntables. Recordings can be anywhere from CD-quality 16-bit/44.1kHz up to hi-res 32-bit/384kHz, supporting DSD64 and DSD128 formats.
The AK Recorder offers the ability to tune mic and pre-amp gain, as well as a number of features like a built-in digital limiter, peak hold, low-cut filters, prerecording, and remote control via Wi-Fi. The AK Recorder sells for $800, with an optional stereo recording kit also available, but sold separately.
Finally, the company is also launching something only the most hardcore audiophiles will truly be excited for: Astell & Kern Graphene Cables, the world’s first audio cable to use the material. The company says that due to the cable’s conductivity — two-thirds better than copper — and its low rate of oxidation, graphene provides the “best possible signal pathway” for audio.
Astell & Kern doesn’t yet have a concrete release date for any of the new products, but says that the AK300 or AK Recorder will be available soon. For more information, see the company’s website.
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