Verdict
The Leontyne Price intend it ’s not for everyone , and the proportional size of it and weight mean it ’s not the most portable of portable music players – but if you could accommodate these issues , there ’s so much to enjoy about the SP3000 T …
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
These are uncertain times , but it ’s upright to know we can all rely on Astell & Kern .
The companionship is seemingly on a commission to develop and fork up the most complex , most high - achieving and – rent ’s not be coy – most expensive portable digital audio recording players it possibly can . And so far , it seems to be lead pretty well .
This raw A&ultima SP3000 T is just the latest example of Astell & Kern ’s dedication / mania ( delete as you deem appropriate ) . It ’s complex and it ’s expensive , that ’s for sure – so as long as it ’s high - achieving too , then it ’s chore done …
Availability
The Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000 T is on sales agreement in the United Kingdom it cost an eye - widen £ 3199 . In the United States it ’s a ( slightly ) more palatable $ 2999 , while in Australia it sells for AU$5299 .
Need I say with undue accent that this is quite a lot of money to be pay for a portable music musician ? specially when you consider the amount of money you ’ll need to drop on the headphones to do it justice ?
Design
It ca n’t be all that well-heeled to make a ware that ’s assay to be portable like the form of premium merchandise this asking price implies . But that does n’t think Astell & Kern has n’t given it a right right go …
The A&ultima SP3000 T is a hefty 142 x 85 x 18 mm ( HWD ) smattering , and at 483 g it ’s going to put a strain on all but the most robust pockets . The four edges of its shape are built from 316L stainless steel , which is then plated with 99.9 % pure silver for additional bling .
As is Astell & Kern ’s wo nt , there ’s some angular shape to the left and good edge of the build – and the jewel - corresponding volume dial on the upper right side is specify into a bass six - sided recess . A light behind the telephone dial shines in one of a few different colour , depending on the size and character of digital sound file the SP3000 T is handling .
The other side of the chassis feature four slender playback controls , and on the bottom there ’s a USB - C input and a microSD time slot . The USB - C is strictly for charging the 5050mAh battery – if you mind to not - especially - hi - ray content at not - particularly - high mass , you should be able-bodied to get around 10 hours of action between charge . From flat to full takes a chunky 3.5 hour .
On the top of the player there ’s a power on / off button and three outputs – 2.5 mm and 4.4 mm balanced , and a 3.5 mm unbalanced choice . This last one is a hybrid socket – it can also function as a 3.5 mm digital optical output .
The front of the histrion is basically all 5.5 - inch 1080 x 1920 touchscreen – it ’s vivid , crisp and antiphonal . And on the back there ’s the SP3000 T ’s only optical party - piece – a little windowpane through which the two emptiness tubes can be get word shine in the way of one of those quondam three - prevention fires that pre - date central warming .
Obviously all this expensive hardware require to be kept safe and chicken feed - free – but quite why Astell & Kern feels the need to specify shrivelled sura leather for use as a protective case is beyond me . It does n’t count how famous or storied the Italian tannery from which it ’s source , there are sure as shooting alternative that can do as complete a job without making vegan customers determine against SP3000 T ownership ?
Features
Astell & Kern has drop pretty much everything light of the kitchen cesspit at the A&ultima SP3000 T , so there ’s stack to talk about when it come up to features … so I ’d well get correct to it …
A Snapdragon 6125 octa - core processor with 8 GB of DDR4 memory is running the show as far as user interaction go . It intends to allow for rapid organization response and a liquid , stable and dependable user interface . The CPU , memory and wireless communication components are all gather as a individual system - on - micro chip for optimal efficiency and as footling warmth and digital noise as potential . Internal memory is a useful 256 GB , expandable by up to 1 TB using the microSD card slot .
The SP3000 T uses two AKM AK4499EX DACs in conjunction with a duad of AK4191EQ choice on a freestanding audio circuit . The idea is for the AK4191EQs to act as modulators to melt off digital randomness from the input signal stagecoach , and are applied to the left and right channels independently .
This way , the AK449EX chipsets only process analog signals in what is ( harmonise to Astell & Kern ) a unparalleled audio circuit shape . There is a pick of six different DAC filters a little further downstream , too , so it ’s potential to have quite a say in the minutiae of the sound the SP3000 T dish up .
It ’s in the player ’s amplification stage , though , that Astell & Kern really goes to townsfolk . There are a couple of military - grade Raytheon JAN6418 miniature vacuum tubes deployed as part of what the company calls a triple amp system . Each yoke is carefully match , and then suspended in a fairly complicated silicone PCB arrangement – after all , it would n’t do to allow microphonic haphazardness as a effect of vibrations or shocks into your hearing experience , would it ?
And then you ’re capable to pick out between Tube Amp , OP Amp or Hybrid Amp modes – Astell & Kern regard the differences are between ‘ natural warmth ’ , ‘ crystal - open firmness ’ and ‘ parallel fullness blend with hi - atomic number 75 clarity ’ .
Wireless connectivity is viaBluetooth 5.0and the SP3000 T is compatible with SBC , AAC , aptX HD andLDAC codecs . It ’s Roon Ready , too , and has dual - band Wi - Fi on gameboard . sample distribution rate of up to 32 - bit/768kHz and DSD512 are supported , every worthwhile digital audio Indian file character is supported too , and Astell & Kern ’s Digital Audio Remaster ( DAR ) technology is quick to increase the sample distribution rate of your files in an effort to maximize profound quality . 44.1kHz stuff , for lesson , can be upscaled to 352.8kHz , and sub-96kHz content can be change to DSD128 .
What else ? Well , the Crossfeed feature film – which wants to make a loudspeaker effect when hear through headphones – is quite interesting . The technology mix part of the signal from one channel into the other , with a time - adjustment to centre the icon . The company see music heard this style is less fatiguing and more natural – you’re able to adjust the level of crossfeed agree to your taste .
I could go on ( and on ) , but sure by now the broad item is made . With the A&ultima SP3000 T , Astell & Kern has pulled out every stop it could lay its hands on .
Sound Quality
I suppose it ’s possible , but it does n’t seem very likely to me that you ’re thinking of spend all this money on a portable medicine histrion without a ) having the earphone capable of doing it some justice , b ) a quantity of high - firmness subject matter to load onto its internal memory , or c ) a top - tier subscription to a worthwhile music streaming inspection and repair . And as long as you have a ) plus one or both of atomic number 5 ) and c ) covered , the A&ultima SP3000 T is a deeply rewarding twist .
With a 24 - bit/44.1kHz FLAC file of When We All Fall Asleep , Where Do We Go ? by Billie Eilish toy via a pair of Sennheiser IE900 in - spike monitor plug into the SP3000 T ’s 4.4 mm balanced output , the solvent are telling in every respect . There ’s no scene of music - making the Astell & Kern does n’t understand , and it ’s always aware that you ’re here to be entertained rather than to be tutor .
So the tonal balance , no matter your predilection where amplification , EQ levels or DAC filter are concerned , is naturalistic and convincing . The integration of the frequency reach is unruffled to the point of seamlessness . And at every level , from the deep and confidently shaped low oftenness to the brilliant , substantial top end via the open and eloquent midrange , detail levels are eminent .
And that ’s the smallest , most transient details , as well as the broader , more obvious hooey – the SP3000 T seems subject of distil every scrap of information from a recording and putting it into proper setting without ever losing peck of the bigger exposure .
The soundstage the Astell & Kern make is large and well - define , so even a complex recording has enough articulatio cubiti - room uncommitted for every element to do its thing without being impacted on . There ’s considerable aloofness available , both front - to - back and left - to - right hand , and the SP3000 T yield proper attention to spaces as well as to literal occurrences . Yet it ’s able to open up a transcription and lay it out in this manner without it sounding disjointed – in fact , there ’s right integrity and togetherness to its display , a mavin of performance , that ’s by no means a given no matter how expensive the participant in question might be .
dispirited - frequency control is such that rhythms are expressed with actual positivity . Dynamic headway is considerable , too , so the inevitable shifts in intensity that are part of any transcription are give appropriate accent . And the little , but no less important , dynamical mutant apparent in an acapella voice or solo tool are pluck up on just as readily .
But although the SP3000 T has mighty power of analysis , there ’s nothing dry or donnish about its overall presentation . Instead , it ’s an energetic and entertaining listen , discriminating to engage you on a corporeal , just as pronto as on an donnish , level . And when a music player is as insightful , as detailed and as divulge as this one , that ’s by no substance a give .
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
The SP3000 T is profoundly action machine , and I ca n’t envisage any possessor ever experience bore of listening to it
The SP3000 T is ply with a case made of ‘ shriveled sura leather ’ , which seems a trusted - fire way to alien any identification number of potential customer
Final Thoughts
When the big question - mark against a ware touch the choice of textile for its protective face , you have a go at it the mathematical product in question has got the execution thing nab .
I still find it intemperate to ideate the circumstances in which I might pay this sort of money for adigital sound recording role player – but I know which one I ’d cull if I ever plucked up the courageousness …
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every portable music player we refresh thoroughly over an protracted period of fourth dimension . We utilize industry received tests to compare feature by rights . We ’ll always evidence you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to reexamine a product .
incur out more about how we test in ourethics insurance .
FAQs
The SP3000 T can playback audio in WAV , FLAC , WMA , MP3 , OGG , APE , AAC , ALAC , AIFF , DFF , DSF , and MQA .
