Astell&Kern Music Player Comparison

MOON AUDIO | MOON AUDIO STAFF/JUL 10TH 2020

Astell&Kern has a wide range of music players for any budget. You can find top-of-the-line music players with plenty of memory to store your high-resolution files.

Select one of the latest DAP models from the menus below for an interactive comparison of features and specifcations.

DAP Feature Comparison

SP2000

$3,499

Stainless Steel^(S)
Copper^(C)
Onyx Black^(OB)
Vegas Gold ^(VG)

Stainless Steel^(S^/OB/^VG)
Copper^(C)

3.0" x 5.19" x 0.61"
14.49/15.25 oz^(C)

5" Touchscreen
HD 720x1280

Octa-Core Dual DAC:
AKM AK4499EQ

USB Type-C Input

Outputs
3.5mm Unbalance
2.5mm Bal. 4-pole
Optical 3.5mm

Battery Life
8hr Playback
--
5hr charge (5V/2A)
2.5hr chg (9V/1.67A)

Storage
512GB Internal
microSD ≤512GB

Supports WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF

Windows 7, 8, 10 (32/64bit)
MAC OS X 10.7+

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.1

Decoding
≤32bit / 768kHz
Native DSD

Frequency Response
Condition: 20Hz-20kHz
±0.015dB Unbalance
±0.010dB Balance
Condition: 20Hz-70kHz
±0.050dB Unbalance
±0.030dB Balance

Output Level
3.0 Vrms Unbalance
6.0 Vrms Balance

Impedance
1.5 Ohm (3.5mm)
1 Ohm (2.5mm)

KANN CUBE

$1,499

Wolf Gray

Aluminum

3.4" x 5.51" x 1.24"
17.3 oz

5" Touchscreen
HD 720x1280

Quad-Core Dual DAC:
ES9038PRO SABRE
(8-channel)

USB Type-C Input

Outputs
3.5mm Unbalance
2.5mm Balance
Optical 3.5mm
Mini XLR (5-pin)

Battery Life
9hr Playback
--
5.5hr charge (5V/2A)
4hr chg (9V/1.67A)

Storage
128GB Internal
microSD ≤400GB

Supports WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF

Windows 7, 8, 10 (32/64bit)
MAC OS X 10.7+

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.2

Decoding
≤32bit / 384kHz
Native DSD

Frequency Response
Condition: 20Hz-20kHz
±0.027dB Unbalance
±0.025dB Balance
Condition: 10Hz-70kHz
±0.07dB Unbalance
±0.087dB Balance

Output Level
2-6 Vrms Unbalance
4-12 Vrms Balance

Impedance
0.5 Ohm (3.5mm)
1.6 Ohm (2.5mm)

SE200

$1,799

Moon Silver

Aluminum

3.02" x 5.2" x 0.62"
9.66 oz

5" Touchscreen
HD 720x1280

Octa-Core Multi DAC:
AKM AK4499EQ
ESS ES9068AS (x2)

USB Type-C Input

Outputs
3.5mm Unbalance (x2)
2.5mm Bal. 4-pole (x2)

Battery Life (AKM/ESS)
10/14hr Playback
--
--
2.5hr chg (9V/1.67A)

Storage
256GB Internal
microSD ≤1TB

Supports WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, MQA

Windows 7, 8, 10 (32/64bit)
MAC OS X 10.7+

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.2

Decoding
≤32bit / 384kHz
Native DSD256

Frequency Response (AKM/ESS)
Condition: 20Hz-20kHz
±0.015dB/±0.023dB Unbalance
±0.01dB/±0.015dB Balance
Condition: 20Hz-70kHz
±0.05dB/±0.065dB Unbalance
±0.03dB/±0.10dB Balance

Output Level (AKM/ESS)
3.0/2.0 Vrms Unbalance
6.0/4.0 Vrms Balance

Impedance (AKM/ESS)
0.7 / 1 Ohm (3.5mm)
1.3 / 1.6 Ohm (2.5mm)

SR25

$699

Moon Silver

Aluminum

2.5" x 4.26" x 0.63"
6.27 oz

3.6" Touchscreen
HD 720x1280

Quad-Core Dual DAC:
Cirrus Logic CS43198

USB Type-C Input

Outputs
3.5mm Unbalance
2.5mm Bal. 4-pole

Battery Life
21hr Playback
--
2.5hr charge (5V/2A)
--

Storage
64GB Internal
microSD ≤1TB

Supports WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, LDAC

Windows 7, 8, 10 (32/64bit)
MAC OS X 10.7+

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.2

Decoding
≤32bit / 384kHz
Native DSD256

Frequency Response
Condition: 20Hz-20kHz
±0.014dB Unbalance
±0.011dB Balance
Condition: 20Hz-70kHz
±0.10dB Unbalance
±0.12dB Balance

Output Level
2.0 Vrms Unbalance
4.0 Vrms Balance

Impedance
1.8 Ohm (3.5mm)
1.6 Ohm (2.5mm)

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Legacy Models

Astell&Kern crafted a long line of high-perfomance DAPs since their start in 2013 with the AK100. Here's how those legacy models stack up.

AK380

$3,499 | 2016

Meteoric Titan^(T)
Black^(B)
Copper^(C)

Duralumin^(T)^(B)
Copper^(C)

3.14" x 4.42" x 0.7"
8.11^(T)^(B) / 12.35oz^(C)

4" Touchscreen
WVGA 480x800

Dual DAC:
AKM AK4490

USB Micro-B Input

Outputs
3.5mm Unbalance
Optical 3.5mm
2.5mm Bal.

Battery Capacity
3,400 mAh

Storage
256GB Internal
microSD ≤128GB

Supports WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF

Windows XP, 7, 8, 10 (32/64bit)
MAC OS X 10.7+

Wi-fi, Bluetooth v4.0

Decoding
≤32bit / 384kHz
DSD Native

Frequency Response
Condition: 20Hz-20kHz
±0.053dB Unbalance
±0.053dB Balance
Condition: 10Hz-70kHz
±0.56.dB Unbalance
±0.55.dB Balance

Output Level
2.2 Vrms Unbalance
2.3 Vrms Balance

Impedance
2 Ohm (3.5mm)
1 Ohm (2.5mm)

AK320

$1,799 | 2015

Gun Metal

Aluminum

2.95" x 4.42" x 0.64"
7.65 oz

4" Touchscreen
WVGA 480x800

Dual DAC:
AKM AK4490

USB Micro-B Input

Outputs
3.5mm Unbalance
Optical 3.5mm
2.5mm Bal. 4-pole

Battery Capacity
3,400 mAh

Storage
128GB Internal
microSD ≤128GB

Supports WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF

Windows XP, 7, 8, 10 (32/64bit)
MAC OS X 10.7+

Wi-fi, Bluetooth v4.0

Decoding
≤24bit / 192kHz
DSD128

Frequency Response
Condition: 20Hz-20kHz
±0.053dB Unbalance
±0.053dB Balance
Condition: 10Hz–70kHz
±0.56dB Unbalance
±0.55dB Balance

Output Level
2.2 Vrms Unbalance
2.3 Vrms Balance

Impedance
2 Ohm (3.5mm)
1 Ohm (2.5mm)

AK300

$899 | 2016

Midnight Black

Aluminum

2.95" x 4.42" x 0.6"
7.23 oz

4" Touchscreen
WVGA 480x800

Single DAC:
AKM AK4490

USB Micro-B Input

Outputs
3.5mm Unbalance
Optical 3.5mm
2.5mm Bal. 4-pole

Battery Capacity
3,100 mAh

Storage
64GB Internal
microSD ≤128GB

Supports WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF

Windows XP, 7, 8, 10 (32/64bit)
MAC OS X 10.7+

Wi-fi, Bluetooth v4.0

Decoding
≤24bit / 192kHz

Frequency Response
Condition: 20Hz-20kHz
±0.075dB Unbalance
±0.075dB Balance
Condition: 10Hz-70kHz
±0.56.dB Unbalance
±0.55.dB Balance

Output Level
1.98 Vrms Unbalance
1.98 Vrms Balance

Impedance
2 Ohm (3.5mm)
1 Ohm (2.5mm)

AK240

$2,499 | 2014

Gun Metal

Duralumin

2.59" x 4.21" x 0.68"
6.5 oz

3.31" Touchscreen
WVGA 480x800

Dual DAC:
Cirrus Logic CS4398

USB Micro-B Input

Outputs
3.5mm Unbalance
Optical 3.5mm
2.5mm Bal. 4-pole

Battery Capacity
3,250 mAh

Storage
256GB Internal
microSD ≤128GB

Supports WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF

Windows XP, 7, 8 (32/64bit)
MAC OS X 10.7+

Wi-fi, Bluetooth v4.0

Decoding
≤24bit / 192kHz
DSD Native

Frequency Response
Condition: 20Hz-20kHz
±0.023dB Unbalance
±0.023dB Balance
Condition: 10Hz-70kHz
±0.3dB Unbalance
±0.3dB Balance

Output Level
2.1 Vrms Unbalance
2.3 Vrms Balance

Impedance
1 Ohm Impedance

AK120 II

$1,499 | 2014

Stone Silver

Aluminum

2.16" x 4.64" x 0.58"
6.24 oz

3.31" Touchscreen
WVGA 480x800

Dual DAC:
Cirrus Logic CS4398

USB Micro-B Input

Outputs
3.5mm Unbalance
Optical 3.5mm
2.5mm Bal. 4-pole

Battery Capacity
3,250 mAh

Storage
128GB Internal
microSD ≤128GB

Supports WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSvF

Windows XP, 7, 8 (32/64bit)
MAC OS X 10.7+

Bluetooth v4.0

Decoding
≤24bit / 192kHz
DSD128

Frequency Response
Condition: 20Hz-20kHz
±0.023dB Unbalance
±0.023dB Balance
Condition: 10Hz-70kHz
±0.3dB Unbalance
±0.3dB Balance

Output Level
2.1 Vrms Unbalance
2.3 Vrms Balance

Impedance
2 Ohm (3.5mm)
1 Ohm (2.5mm)

AK100 II

$899 | 2014

Smoky Blue

Aluminum

2.16" x 4.37" x 0.58"
5.99 oz

3.31" Touchscreen
WVGA 480x800

Single DAC:
Cirrus Logic CS4398

USB Micro-B Input

Outputs
3.5mm Unbalance
Optical 3.5mm
2.5mm Bal. 4-pole

Battery Capacity
3,150 mAh

Storage
64GB Internal
microSD ≤128GB

Supports WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF

Windows XP, 7, 8 (32/64bit)
MAC OS X 10.7+

Bluetooth v4.0

Decoding
≤24bit / 192kHz
DSD128

Frequency Response
Condition: 20Hz-20kHz
±0.025dB Unbalance
±0.025dB Balance
Condition: 10Hz-70kHz
±0.6dB Unbalance
±0.6dB Balance

Output Level
2.0 Vrms Unbalance
1.7 Vrms Balance

Impedance
2 Ohm (3.5mm)
1 Ohm (2.5mm)

AK70

$599 | 2016

Misty Mint

Aluminum

2.37" x 3.81" x 0.51"
4.66 oz

3.3" Touchscreen
WVGA 480x800

Single DAC:
Cirrus Logic CS4398

USB Micro-B Input

Outputs
3.5mm Unbalance
2.5mm Bal. 4-pole

Battery Capacity
2,200 mAh

Storage
64GB Internal
microSD ≤128GB

Supports WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF

Windows 7, 8, 10 (32/64bit)
MAC OS X 10.7+

Wi-fi, Bluetooth v4.0

Decoding
≤24bit / 192kHz

Frequency Response
Condition: 20Hz-20kHz
±0.075dB Unbalance
±0.075dB Balance
Condition: 10Hz-70kHz
±0.56dB Unbalance
±0.55dB Balance

Output Level
2.3 Vrms Unbalance
2.3 Vrms Balance

Impedance
2 Ohm (3.5mm)
1 Ohm (2.5mm)

AK Jr

$499 | 2015

Sleek Silver

Aluminum

2.1" x 4.6" x 0.4"
3.3 oz

3.1" Touchscreen
WVGA 240x400

Single DAC:
Wolfson WM8740

USB Micro-B Input

Outputs
3.5mm Unbalance

Battery Capacity
1,450 mAh

Storage
64GB Internal
microSD ≤256GB

Supports WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF

Windows XP, 7, 8 (32/64bit)
MAC OS X 10.7+

Bluetooth v4.0

Decoding
≤24bit / 192kHz
DSD64

Frequency Response
Condition: 20Hz-20kHz
±0.04dB Unbalance

Condition: 20Hz-70kHz
±0.3dB Unbalance

Output Level
1.95 Vrms Unbalance

Impedance
2 Ohm Impedance

Back to A&K Magazine

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BY: MOON AUDIO | JUL 2020

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