Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Astell&Kern gives its new entry-level digital audio player some premium features

Starting in the $700-range, Astell&Kern’s (A&K) most affordable portable digital audio players have never been easy on the wallet, but they have always been packed with top-quality components and features. With its latest entry-level model, the $799 A&norma SR35, that tradition continues with impressive upgrades, some of which have been lifted directly from the company’s ultra-premium models. You’ll be able to buy it at A&K dealers in May.

Astell&Kern SR35 digital audio player with earbuds.
Astell&Kern

On the outside, not much has changed from the $749 SR25 II (which is still available while supplies last). A&K has kept the same chunky case, oversized volume knob, distinctive bevel edges, and quirky angled display. The player retains its internal 64GB of storage (expandable up to 1TB via microSD cards) as well as the ability to act as both a Bluetooth receiver and transmitter with LDAC and aptX HD codec support. And you can still use the AK File Drop function to load the player with your favorite songs wirelessly — no USB cable required. That wireless connectivity has been improved, however, with support for both 2.4 and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands.

Astell&Kern SR35 digital audio player with earbuds.
Astell&Kern

On the audio processing side, the SR35 has twice as many digital-to-analog converters (DACs) as its predecessor for a total of four Cirrus Logic 43198 MasterClass DACs. Cleverly, the software settings let you choose whether to run just two or all four DACs. Running two (one per channel) can save on battery life, while A&K says that using four (two per channel) stereo separation will be improved and the soundstage will feel wider.

The signal generated from these DACs will now be treated to a premium level of amplification with a new audio circuit design. It’s the same amplifier design as A&K’s flagship A&ultima and A&futura products, and it gives the SR35 what A&K claims is an industry-leading signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 130dB. The SR 25 II, by comparison, maxed out at an SNR of 124dB.

Astell&Kern SR35 digital audio player front and back views with earbuds.
Astell&Kern

The player also offers greater control over how that power gets delivered via the three built-in analog outputs (3.5mm unbalanced; 4.4mm and 2.5mm balanced) thanks to a two-step gain level adjustment. If you’re using tough-to-drive high-impedance headphones or in-ear monitors (IEMs), you can switch from normal gain to high gain and take advantage of up to 6 volts RMS via the balanced connections. That puts the SR35 within striking distance of the best portable headphone amp/DACs.

The experience of using the player also gets an update with the fourth version of A&K’s user interface. According to the company, the black-and-red “Crimson Theme” visuals reduce eye fatigue, maximize battery usage, and reduce heat generation. The experience (like so many music services right now) is centered around rediscovering songs that you have forgotten; you can quickly browse through music categories with simple gestures. A search feature along with album art has been added to show CD album covers of your music collection.

The SR35 also becomes the first A&K entry-level player to be Roon certified for use with that popular, audiophile-oriented media software.

As with the SR25 II, the SR35 has comprehensive support for all types of hi-res, lossless audio formats including native playback of DSD256 and 32-bit/384KHz PCM high-resolution audio. It’s a full MQA decoder (whether you’re storing MQA files locally or streaming them from Tidal HiFi) and it can manage all of the usual suspects like WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, and DSF.

In addition to Tidal, the player comes preloaded with apps for Qobuz, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify for a strong choice of streaming music services. As long as you can find a compatible .apk file for Android, additional services can be added by sideloading their apps to the player.

Editors' Recommendations

Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like spatial…
Cambridge Audio’s first AirPods Pro competitor has lossless audio, massive battery life
Cambridge Audio Melomania M100.

Cambridge Audio's new Melomania M100 wireless earbuds are the U.K. company's first model to offer active noise cancellation (ANC), a key feature of virtually every flagship model from competitors, including Apple's AirPods Pro. The Melomania M100 are priced at $219 and are available starting on March 27 at Amazon and other retailers.

While ANC is a big addition, Cambridge Audio appears to have caught up with the market in a number of other areas, too. The M100 has a case that supports wireless charging, and thanks to Qualcomm's Snapdragon Sound platform, the earbuds can receive lossless CD-quality audio from compatible smartphones, as well as lossy, hi-res audio at up to 24-bit/96kHz.

Read more
Home theater receiver sale: Save on Yamaha, Sony, and more
Sony receiver

If you’re looking for more than just soundbar deals to spruce up your home theater setup, you need to check out Best Buy right now. Currently, the retailer has a big sale on many home theater receivers with some Sony models available from just $250. There are 27 AV receivers in all in the sale so the best thing you can do is hit the button below to check things out for yourself. However, if you want some guidance on what to buy, we can help. Keep reading while we take you through what you need to know and what you should buy.

What to shop for in the Best Buy Home Theater Receiver sale
Considered to be the best AV receiver for a budget purchase, the is even more affordable right now as it’s $100 off bringing it down to $250. The AV receiver has support for 4K and is Dolby Vision compatible with HDCP 2.2. With 145W RMS power x 5 channels, it can provide powerful sound with surround sound decoders including Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby Digital, Dolby Vision, Dolby Dual Mono, DTS 96/24, DTS decoder, Dolby TrueHD and dts HD Enhanced Audio Codecs. There’s also built-in Bluetooth while advanced surround modes mean you can pick different settings for different scenarios. There’s also Hi-Res audio support and even an FM tuner if you want to listen to the radio.

Read more
You can now watch Hulu inside the Disney+ app
Disney+ homescreen featuring Hulu content.

After a limited beta launch in late 2023, Hulu content is now officially available via the Disney+ app for those who subscribe to both services via the Disney Bundle, according to Disney. To mark the occasion, the Disney+ app icon has been given a new Hulu-esque greenish hue that the company calls "Aurora," which replaces the previous blue background.

With the launch, bundle subscribers now have access to Hulu content throughout the Disney+ app, including discovery areas like Continue Watching and recommendations.

Read more