Astell & Kern’s $1,799 music player lets you switch between DACs – The Verge

In addition to playing locally stored files, the gamer is also compatible with a variety of streaming services consisting of Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, Tidal, SoundCloud, Deezer, and more. Extra services can be included by downloading and installing the suitable Android APK.

As anticipated from a music gamer that costs $1,799, the SE200 supports practically any music file you can throw at it. Itll play native 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256 files, and theres likewise MQA assistance so it can play or stream hi-res audio files encoded in the format– handy if youre a customer to Tidals HiFi membership plan and desire to stream its Master-quality music. Theres 256GB of onboard storage, a microSD card slot that can broaden it by approximately 1TB, Wi-Fi connection, Bluetooth AptX HD, and battery life is rated at up to 14 hours.

Luxury audio devices typically consist of high-quality DACs. LG often distinguishes its phones by incorporating a quad-DAC system and earphone jack for better noise. This is the first time weve seen a business consist of DACs from two various makers, simply to let listeners fine-tune their audio.

$1,799 is a lot to invest in a digital audio gamer, but on a DAC-per-dollar basis the A&& futura SE200 looks ever so slightly less profane.

Astell & & Kern says its most current audio gamer is the very first in the world to come with DACs from two different makers, letting you change in between them to personalize the noise to your wired earphones. The $1,799 A&& futura SE200 includes DACs from both AKM (AK4499EQ) and ESS (double ES9068AS), which have their own AMP circuits customized to their individual sounds. After selecting a DAC, the sound can be personalized further with a series of audio filters.

Externally, the SE200 is managed by means of its 5.0-inch 720p screen, and theres a volume wheel that will illuminate in different colors to show details about the music thats currently playing, including its bit-rate, or which DAC is presently in use. Theres a USB-C port for charging, and you can also use the player as an external DAC for your Mac or Windows computer system.