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Astell&Kern SP3000T Review: 5 Reasons It's The Most Versatile DAP Ever | Moon Audio
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Front
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Side
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Iso
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Angled Rear
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Back
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Angled
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Leather Case Yellow
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Leather Case Yellow
MPN: 195674000620
The warmth of tube circuitry now in a portable DAP. Triple Amp System, Tube Current settings, a… More details
Astell&Kern SP3000T Review: 5 Reasons It's The Most Versatile DAP Ever | Moon Audio
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Front
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Side
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Iso
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Angled Rear
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Back
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Angled
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Leather Case Yellow
Astell&Kern SP3000T Music Player Leather Case Yellow
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Listen to your music, your way. Astell&Kern's A&ultima series embodies innovation and excellence, focusing on delivering immersive sound for your favorite high-resolution music. With the A&ultima SP3000T, Astell&Kern aimed to surpass the impeccable design and sound quality of their previous product, the SP3000. A&K's goal was to create an audio player that captures the true emotion and essence of music. With an incredible stereo soundstage, full-HD touchscreen, compatibility with any sound source, excellent battery life, enough power for IEMs, and full-size headphones: the SP3000T is the jack-of-all-trades high-end portable music player.
Developed with this vision in mind, the Aatell&Kern A&ultima SP3000 T combines the profound emotion and lasting essence of analog audio with cutting-edge digital technology. By integrating a real vacuum tube, Astell&Kern has created an authentic analog sound that is complemented by advanced audio features such as TERATON ALPHA, tube current settings, and the hybrid amp design. This unique fusion of analog and digital excellence results in an immersive auditory experience that defies convention, setting the A&ultima SP3000T apart as a truly exceptional portable audio player.
Just like the previous generation of tube-equipped DAPs by Astell&Kern, the SP3000T is not a replacement for the flagship SP3000 DAP Music Player. The SP3000 DAP still remains the top-of-the-line music player from Astell&Kern at the time of release for the SP3000T.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: We recommend pairing the Astell&Kern SP3000T DAP Music Player with our popular Silver Dragon USB Audio Cable. The Silver Dragon USB cable is our best selling USB cable at Moon Audio, offering an extraordinary amount of detail and resolution to your hi-fi system. The Silver Dragon USB cable is designed to transfer digital audio from your source device (like a computer, phone, tablet, or digital audio player) to a USB-capable DAC. It is built to USB Audio specs. The Silver Dragon USB Cable is meant for audio data transfer only - meaning that this cable should not be used for high-speed data transmission (for external hard drives). Because of the high-quality materials and cable geometry, our USB cables will greatly reduce stock USB cable issues such as packet loss and jitter. We also have the Silver Dragon Form Fit USB Cable for more portable solutions.
Features:
The vacuum tube is renowned for its warm sound, which is attributed to its unique and rich harmonics. This characteristic has solidified its position as a beloved component in high-fidelity audio systems. However, the vacuum tube's impracticality in terms of miniaturization, primarily due to power control and footprint issues, presented a significant challenge, making it unsuitable for use in portable audio players.
Astell&Kern, driven by an unwavering commitment to innovation, refused to settle for conventional sound and design. Instead, they focused their efforts on bridging the gap between stationary and portable audio by infusing the essence of analog sound into their devices. These endeavors ultimately led to the pairing of the SP3000T with the RAYTHEON JAN6418 Miniature Vacuum Tube.
The RAYTHEON JAN6418 is a mini vacuum tube that has gained popularity among audiophiles. Originally designed to meet military specifications and commonly used in military communication equipment, the RAYTHEON JAN6418 quickly gained recognition for its distinctively warm and soft sound. This led to its integration into regular audio devices, allowing a wider audience to experience its unique sonic characteristics.
Astell&Kern recognize that original vacuum tubes inherently possess variations in noise and amplification. To uphold their philosophy of addressing even the most minor differences in sound quality, they have implemented a meticulous selection process for the JAN6418 vacuum tubes used in their products. The process of carefully measuring and pairing each JAN6418 vacuum tube is a time-consuming and precise task. Astell&Kern has dedicated the necessary resources to ensure that each vacuum tube meets its stringent standards. This thorough selection method effectively minimizes output deviations between the left and right channels, resulting in a more natural and balanced sound reproduction.
Furthermore, every shielding operation on the vacuum tubes is meticulously performed by hand to minimize potential noise interference. This attention to detail showcases Astell&Kern's unwavering commitment to sound craftsmanship. Through their diligent efforts, Astell&Kern has successfully integrated the distinctive spatial sense and balance found in their existing audio players into the analog realm of vacuum tube sound. This achievement allows users to experience the unique characteristics of vacuum tube technology while benefiting from the portability and convenience of Astell&Kern's audio devices.
Integrating vacuum tubes into compact, portable devices presents a significant technical challenge: maintaining low noise levels while simultaneously delivering exceptional resolution and robust output. Astell&Kern has directly addressed this challenge with the SP3000T by developing a custom-made solution designed to minimize microphonic noise. Microphonic noise occurs when the internal components of a device, such as vacuum tubes, are sensitive to external vibrations or shocks, causing unwanted noise in the audio output. To combat this issue, Astell&Kern's team has invested considerable time and effort into refining the structural integrity of the vacuum tubes used in the SP3000T.
Through meticulous design and engineering, they have created a system that ensures minimal noise, even when the device is subjected to minor shocks or vibrations. This attention to detail allows users to enjoy the benefits of vacuum tube technology, such as warm and natural sound, without compromising on the device's portability or audio quality.
1. Independent modular, flexible PCB design engineered separately from the main PCB
2. Silicone module case designed to absorb primary shocks from the vacuum tube
3. Silicone tubing perfectly tailored to the vacuum tube leads to reduce shock transmission along the leads
4. Silicone dampers around the vacuum tube suspend the tube in the air from both ends
* Microphonic Noise might be audible when bumping against the player itself or knocking it against a table.
Building upon the success of the highly acclaimed SP3000, Astell&Kern has taken its flagship player to the next level by incorporating the warm, rich sound of tube amplification. The SP3000T features Astell&Kern's innovative Triple Amp System, which was first introduced in 2021 with the A&ultima SP2000T.
This system allows users to tailor their listening experience by choosing between three distinct amplification modes:
Users can easily switch between these three modes when using any of the SP3000T's outputs, including the 2.5mm, 3.5mm, or 4.4mm jacks, ensuring a versatile and personalized listening experience.
The SP3000T incorporates two RAYTHEON JAN6418 MIL-SPEC Vintage Vacuum Tubes, which are the heart of its Tube Amp Mode. When this mode is engaged, the vacuum tubes impart a distinctively warm and smooth sound signature reminiscent of classic tube amplifiers from the golden age of audio.
In addition to the vacuum tubes, the SP3000T features a separate op-amp section that leverages Astell&Kern's years of expertise in digital audio player design. This proven op-amp technology, refined over multiple generations of Astell&Kern players, delivers the brand's signature sound: exceptional clarity, a remarkably low noise floor, and a highly dynamic listening experience. It is this op-amp design that has earned Astell&Kern worldwide recognition for their outstanding audio performance.
Hybrid Amp Mode, first introduced in the SP2000T, elevates the resolution and clarity of the tube amp mode to deliver even greater musical detail. This innovative mode combines the best of both worlds: the warm, analog-like character of vacuum tubes and the high-resolution precision of op-amps. By merging these two technologies, Hybrid Amp Mode offers a unique tonality that brings together the strengths of both designs, providing users with an unparalleled listening experience that showcases the finest elements of retro analog sensibility and modern high-resolution performance.
Tube mode offers users the ability to fine-tune the sound profile by adjusting the current flow to the vacuum tubes. This unique feature allows for subtle, nuanced changes in the audio characteristics, enabling users to tailor the sound to their personal preferences and achieve the perfect balance for their listening experience.
The A&ultima SP3000T, like the SP3000, features a unique design that completely separates digital and analog signal processing. At the heart of this design are two key components: the AKM AK4499EX, Asahi Kasei Microdevices' (AKM) latest flagship DAC, and the AK4191EQ, a separate digital delta-sigma modulator.
In most digital audio players, the DAC processes both digital and analog signals together. However, the SP3000 and SP3000T take a different approach. First, the AK4191EQ reduces the noise of the digital signal input. Then, the AK4499EX DAC processes the analog signals separately. This physical separation of digital and analog signal processing results in an unprecedented level of sound quality, offering users an unparalleled listening experience that sets the SP3000 and SP3000T apart from other digital audio players on the market. This works much like how AK has designed their Hexa-Audio Circuitry Structure (found in the Astell&Kern SP3000), with independent dual audio circuits (independent dual-audio circuitry), with crossfeed settings, Bluetooth, Wifi, incredible output level for a portable player, TOL DAC chips, DAC filters, Roon integration, and compatibility with all your favorite hi-fi music streaming services like Tidal and Qobuz.
The A&ultima SP3000T boasts a powerful Snapdragon 6125 Octa-core processor and an impressive 8GB of DDR4 memory – double the RAM typically found in most digital audio players (DAPs). This enhanced hardware, combined with Astell&Kern's latest 4th generation Crimson user interface, ensures a stable, fast, and fluid user experience. The SP3000T's advanced system delivers seamless navigation and responsive performance, allowing users to effortlessly explore their music library and enjoy their favorite tracks without interruption. Expand your storage with the integrated MicroSD card slot. Native DSD512, 768kHz, nothing is too much for the Snapdragon Octa-Core processor.
The SP3000T features a sleek, stainless steel body that has been meticulously plated with 99.9% pure silver. This classic, timeless design perfectly complements the vintage vacuum tubes integrated into the player, creating a harmonious blend of modern aesthetics and retro charm. The premium materials and craftsmanship showcase Astell&Kern's dedication to both form and function, ensuring that the SP3000T not only delivers exceptional sound quality but also looks stunning while doing so.
The SP3000T represents a significant milestone for Astell&Kern, as it is the first device in their lineup to feature a VU Meter GUI (Graphical User Interface). This addition enhances the listening experience by providing users with a visual representation of sound levels as they enjoy their favorite music.
The VU Meter, an iconic piece of audio equipment with a rich history, is designed to display the voltage levels of voice signals, aiding in volume measurement and adjustment. While serving a practical purpose, the VU Meter's distinctive design and retro charm also contribute to creating an immersive music-listening experience.
Astell&Kern has made the VU Meter easily accessible through the bottom navigation bar on the SP3000T, allowing users to monitor sound levels while simultaneously viewing album art or streaming via the device's Open App Service. This seamless integration enables users to engage with their music on both a visual and auditory level.
The SP3000T comes with a deluxe case made from premium materials, including shrunken calf leather from Germany's renowned Perlinger tannery and Alcantara from Italy. The shrunken method creates a unique, irregular texture that enhances the case's luxurious appearance while preserving the leather's natural texture and color vibrancy. Perlinger, with a five-generation heritage dating back to 1864, is the last remaining calf leather manufacturer in Germany and is highly sought after by luxury brands for its unparalleled quality.
What are the key features of the Astell&Kern SP3000T?
The Astell&Kern SP3000T features a high-end ESS DAC, dual AK4499EQ chips, a triple amp mode (tube, op-amp, and hybrid), a high-resolution touchscreen, and support for various high-resolution audio formats, making it a top-tier digital audio player.
How does the triple amp mode in the SP3000T work?
The SP3000T offers three amp modes: a tube amplifier mode for a warm, analog sound; an op-amp mode for a clean, detailed sound; and a hybrid mode that combines both to provide a versatile listening experience.
What audio formats does the Astell&Kern SP3000T support?
The SP3000T supports a wide range of audio formats, including FLAC, WAV, ALAC, DSD, MQA, and more, ensuring compatibility with high-resolution audio files.
Is the Astell&Kern SP3000T compatible with streaming services?
Yes, the SP3000T is compatible with popular streaming services like Tidal, Qobuz, and Spotify, allowing users to stream high-resolution audio directly from the device.
What is the battery life of the Astell&Kern SP3000T?
The SP3000T offers up to 9 hours of continuous playback on a single charge, depending on usage and settings.
Does the Astell&Kern SP3000T have expandable storage?
Yes, the SP3000T comes with built-in storage and a microSD card slot that supports up to 1TB of additional storage, allowing users to carry a vast library of high-resolution audio files.
How does the SP3000T connect to other audio equipment?
The SP3000T features balanced (2.5mm, 4.4mm) and unbalanced (3.5mm) headphone outputs, as well as USB-C for data transfer and charging, providing flexible connectivity options.
Is the Astell&Kern SP3000T user-friendly?
The SP3000T features a high-resolution touchscreen and an intuitive user interface, making it easy to navigate and control your music library and settings.
What is the build quality of the Astell&Kern SP3000T like?
The SP3000T is built with premium materials, including a high-quality stainless-steel body and a tempered glass back, offering a durable and stylish design. It also comes with a premium leather case for added protection.
How does the Astell&Kern SP3000T compare to other high-end DAPs on the market?
The SP3000T stands out with its unique triple amp mode, exceptional sound quality, and robust feature set, making it a strong contender among high-end digital audio players.
