Astell and Kern AK300 High-Res Portable Media Player Preview
The Astell&Kern AK300 Portable High Definition Music Player and USB DAC is the latest from Astell&Kern’s flagship music player in the 300 series. The Ak 300 is the newest attempt from Astell and Kern to the “ Affordable price” of the high res player keeping the same state-of-the-art DAC and scalability as applied to the AK380 and AK320. The AK300 has a single AKM AK4490 chip that allows for DSD to PCM playback, so that it does not need to convert DSD files to WAV prior to analog conversion. It comes fitted with a VCXO (Voltage-Controlled Crystal Oscillator) Clock to help reduce jitter and ultimately deliver your music more accurately.
The AK300’s integrated AKM AK4490 DAC provide exemplary sound quality and detail. It can also be used as an external DAC with your Mac or PC via USB. This hi-res player features 64GB of inbuilt memory and a microSD card slot that supports up to 128GB.
The 4.0″ WVGA touchscreen provides an easy to use interface while the sleek aluminum body and volume knob are smooth and robust. With the help of its WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities, you are not just limited to playback of songs you have on your device, you can also stream tracks from your Mac or PC that have been connected to the same wireless network using the AK Connect app.
Features:
- It is capable of bit-to-bit playback up to 24bit, 192kHz.
- Features 64GB of inbuilt memory while supporting microSD cards of up to 128GB.
- Balanced and un balanced outputs
- parametric equalizer is utilized in the AK300 to deliver detailed adjustment of the original sound.
- Can be used as USB DAC.
- Supports Bluetooth 4.0 & Wi-Fi for Wireless Convenience
- DLNA-based AK Connect App.
- AK300 can be expanded to a variety of devices through the micro-USB and balanced audio out ports such as “AMP, Recorder, Cradle, CD-ripper”
Product Details:
- Type: Digital Media Player
- Body Material: Aluminium.
- Display: 4inch WVGA (480 x 800) Touchscreen
- Supported Audio Formats: WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE(Normal, High, Fast), AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF
- DAC: AKM AK4490 x1
- Input: USB Micro-B(for charging & data transfer (PC & MAC))
- Outputs: 3.5mm headphone out: 3.5mm Optical Out / 2.5mm Balanced Out
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20000Hz; ±0.075 dB / 10Hz – 70000Hz; ±0.56 dB
- Signal to Noise Ratio: 116dB @ 1kHz, Unbalance / 117dB @ 1kHz, Balance
- THD+N: <0.0007-0.0008%@1KHz
- Output Impedance: Balanced out 1Ω, unbalanced out 2Ω
- Wifi: 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz)
- Bluetooth: V4.0 (A2DP, AVRCP, aptX).
- Battery: 3100 mAH z
- Battery life: 12 hours.
- Built-in Memory: 64GB
- Dimensions: 75.15 x 112.4 x 15.45 mm
- Weight: 205 g
What’s in the box?
- AK300 player
- USB cable
- Leather protective sleeve
- micro SC card protector
Now As What Astell and Kern Explain:
Design Concept:
The AK300 is the embodiment of purity and timelessness of music.
Its design was inspired by the AK380, our flagship portable music player, continuing the “light and shadow” motif found in the entire Astell&Kern product line.
The AK240 captured a moment in time at which light had ceased to move, while the AK380 expressed the perpetuity of moving light.
Now, the AK300 represents the purity of a shadow as it reflects no light.
The essence of a shadow without being split by light was captured in a restrained yet immaculate shape, and this exemplifies the purity of the original studio sound that only Astell&Kern can deliver.
Enjoying music:
While succeeding the state-of-the-art DAC and scalability as applied to the AK380 and AK320, the latest model has improved accessibility by being priced at a reasonable level.
AK4490’s Single DAC-DAC, DSD-to-PCM Playback, Parametric EQ with 20bands 0.01dB, 200 Femto Second VCXO Reference Clock,
Exceptional Expandability, DLNA-based AK Connect App and Metal Touch Sensor Home Button
AK300 vs. AK320 vs. AK380
| AK300 | AK320 | AK380 | |
| PCM | 24bit 192kHz Bit to Bit | 24bit 192kHz Bit to Bit | 32bit 384kHz Bit to Bit |
| DSD | DSD to PCM
DSD64/128 PCM 24bit 176kHz |
DSD to PCM
DSD64/128 PCM 24bit 176kHz |
Native DSD Playback
DSD 2.8MHz (DSD 64) / DSD 5.6MHz (DSD 128) / DSD 11.2MHz (DSD 256) |
| DAC | AK4490 x1 (Single DAC) | AK4490 x2 (Dual DAC) | AK4490 x2 (Dual DAC) |
| PEQ | Support | Support | Support |
| Femto Clock | Support | Support | Support |
| USB DAC | Max 24bit 96kHz (UAC 1.0) | Max 24bit 96kHz (UAC 1.0) | Max 32bit 384kHz / DSD 11.2MHz (UAC 2.0) |
| Built-in Memory | 64GB | 128GB | 256GB |
24bit 192kHz bit to bit Playback:
AK300 is capable of bit-to-bit playback up to 24bit, 192kHz.
32bit audio is downsampled using a sample-rate converter (SRC). In addition, DSD 64/128 can be played back via conversion to PCM.
PEQ (Parametric EQ)
A parametric equalizer (PEQ*1) was implemented in the AK380 to deliver detailed adjustment of the original sound, and an audio digital signal processor (DSP) was added to aid in this process.
This frees up CPU cycles previously needed for calculating graphic equalizers (GEQ), allowing more detailed and accurate calculations via the dedicated DSP.
The audio DSP expands the existing 10-band, ±0.5 dB graphic equalizer (GEQ*2) to 20-band, ±0.01 dB to more precisely adjust the frequency and gain (dB) as well as more accurately specifying the frequency range via Q value adjustments.
What is Parametric Equalization (PEQ*1)?
Parametric equalization refers to the ability to increase or decrease the volume within the Q value range. A Q value is a frequency range relative to a selected frequency. The frequency range decreases when the Q value increases and vice versa.
What is Graphic Equalization (GEQ*2)?
Graphic equalization divides the audible frequency register into several registers and increases or decreases the level of each register with a volume slider to adjust the respective frequency’s characteristics. The switches of the volume slider are connected like a graph to visually determine the frequency characteristics, hence the name “graphic equalizer.”
Equipped With a Femto Clock to Deliver True Original Sound
Astell&Kern implemented a voltage-controlled crystal oscillator (VCXO) high-precision clock with a reference jitter value of 200 femto seconds*3.
Femto clocks are commonly used in high-end audio systems, and the clock is measured in high-precision femtosecond units (one quadrillionth of a second).
What is VCXO?
A VCXO, or a voltage-controlled crystal oscillator, is a type of crystal oscillation device that creates oscillation frequencies. External environmental stimuli, which in this case mean voltage inputs, influence the frequency value. Adjustments to the voltage input tunes a precise frequency value.
What is Jitter?
Jitter refers to the undesired deviation in time that occurs in a periodic signal. In this case, jitter is the error that occurs in the reference clock required to perform the sampling in digital audio equipment.
By utilizing a femto clock, the AK300 is able to create a more accurate frequency value and make fine jitter corrections.
As a result, the AK300 faithfully reproduces analog sound closer than ever to the original source when transmitting a digital signal as an analog signal.
USB DAC
The AK300 supports USB DAC functionality.
The AK300 can be connected to a PC or Mac via USB for use as a USB DAC that supports PCM/DSD.
When playing back music stored on a PC or Mac, the Single-DAC is able to deliver richer audio of outstanding soundstage and resolution well beyond the limits of a built-in sound card.
* When using the AK300 as a USB DAC, its PEQ settings are not applied, and output up to 24bit, 96kHz is supported.
- DSD 64/128 is converted via DSD-to-PCM for playback.
AK Connect App
Astell&Kern has further enhanced DLNA functionality via the AK Connect app.
Wireless networking DLNA (version 1.0) connects to a NAS or PC, and is easily controlled with a smartphone or tablet through AK Connect.
Source files on a PC or NAS can be freely transferred and streamed without the hassle of turning on the computer and physically connecting with a cable.
If on the same access point (AP) network, music files on a PC or NAS can be played back via DLNA.
DMP (Digital Media Player)
Finds a list of content on a media server for selection and playback.
DMC (Digital Media Controller)
Finds a list of content on a media server and establishes a connection to a playback-capable device (renderer). By default, a DMC establishes a connection between a media server and media renderer and controls content playback-related operations.
DMS (Digital Media Server = Network Server)
Actually stores the media content to be shared. When connected to a network, the DMS transmits/distributes the media content for other devices to stream or download.
DMR (Digital Media Renderer = Network Player)
Connects to a media server via media controller for content playback.
