Astell&Kern A&futura SE300 | Digital Audio Player
Astell&Kern Brings Pure Analog Sound One Step Closer with the A&futura SE300
- Features fully discrete 24 bit R-2R DAC
- New UI with "Crimson" theme and option for OS / NOS modes
- New Dual-AMP (Class A/AB) mode
- A&K self-developed FPGA technology
- Bluetooth 5.0 and Dual Wireless (2.4 & 5GHz) HiFi
- Genuine Astell&Kern SE300 premium case available
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Bloom's Take Astell&Kern’s SE300, the 4th in the A&futura line, inherits A&K's innovative and experimental efforts within the series while expanding the scope of sound. The SE300 delivers A&K’s first R2R DAC along with an amp section that can operate in class A or class AB mode. They’ve also included their own flavor of FPGA, developed and optimized in-house. It’s noteworthy to add that every aspect of SE300’s user interface and experience has been drastically improved over previous A&futura DAPs. A&K doesn’t miss a beat here when it comes to its reputation for premium materials, look and feel, resuming the evolution of their design language that began with the SP3000. We’ve noticed the SE300 on our teams’ desks more frequently since its release. It sports TONS of options for tweaking your sound and player efficiency, but you’ll need to be aware of how those options affect your battery (8-12 hours of life depending on your cocktail of settings.) SE300 maintains the detail and resolution for which A&K is known, but with a push towards a true reference exhibition. And with its NOS/OS and Amp Mode options, you get further range above the core tuning (check out our full SE300 review to see some of the combinations we felt worked well with some popular headphones and IEMs.) The SE300 is certainly competitive with other DAPs in its price range, but we feel it comes surprisingly close to SP3000's performance given the difference in cost and is a great blend of A&futura refinement and innovation. Need some guidance getting your music files onto your Astell&Kern DAP? Check out our updated Audiophile 101 guide! |
SE300 Titan Limited Edition
The SE300 Titan Limited Edition is a pioneer in material innovation, delivering both a premium feel and unparalleled sound from the R-2R DAC and analog amp.
Constructed using Grade 5 Titanium alloy (a blend of aluminum and vanadium), the SE300 Titan LE is designed to increase the internal corrosive resistance and strength inherent in pure titanium. The alloy embodies exceptional strength while retaining a light weight and is the material of choice in aerospace, medical, and a wide range of other applications. Its ability to withstand heat and electrical conductivity also positions it as an optimal substance for reducing temperature variations and electrical interference within R-2R DACs and analog amplifiers. The integration of Titanium alloy into the SE300 Titan relied exclusively on ultra-precision manufacturing methods such as the use of 6-axis control robots, highly skilled engineering hands, and a Swiss-made 5-axis vibration-free CNC machine.
Discover the SE300 Titan Limited Edition and embrace the cutting-edge analog sound experience from A&K at your fingertips. The limited edition package for the SE300 Titan includes a leather case.
Fully Discrete 24bit R-2R DAC
The SE300 comes supplied with an R-2R DAC instead of a Delta-Sigma DAC commonly used in other players. R-2R DAC, also known as 'Ladder DAC,' offers natural yet dynamic Hi-Fi sound:
24-bit Decoding
48 pairs (23xR and 25x2R) of 96 ultra-precision resistors are arranged to create analog signals, realizing true Hi-Fi 24-bit decoding.
Ultra-precision Resistor Design
A&K inspected each specifically selected ultra-precision resistor of 0.01% error range for accuracy and precision.
Ultra-precision TCR10 Specs
To create Hi-Fi sound without distortions within such an extreme precision design, the SE300 comes with special TCR10 specs to minimize changes in the 0.01% resistor error range.
Class A/AB Dual AMP Mode
The SE300 comes with Dual-AMP mode:
Class A Mode
Offers the best linear output, amplifying signals without distortion or loss of signal and providing soft, warm, and natural sounds for accurate reproduction.
Class AB Mode
Offers a powerful output with the added benefit of high efficiency, presenting dynamic and crisp sound with less harmonic distortion.
2-Step Gain Mode
The SE300 supports a 2-step Gain Level mode to create a perfect match for a wide range of headphones and IEMs. "Normal" and "High Gain" settings allow for high current output to create a powerful sound and excellent driver control. With up to 6 Vrms from Balanced connections, driving high-impedance headphones has never been easier.
Optimized FPGA OS / NOS Modes
The SE300 comes with exclusively developed FPGA and provides optimized OS / NOS modes. The FPGA uses an optimized, proprietary design over off-the-shelf semiconductor chipsets, and supports the most ideal OS (Over Sampling) / NOS (Non-Over Sampling).
NOS (Non-Over Sampling) Mode
Player reproduces the pure original sound without any digital processing, allowing users to enjoy true, unprocessed sounds decoded by the R-2R DAC.
OS (Over Sampling) Mode
OS mode offers partial digital processing that expands the bandwidth of the original signal to offer impressive details, with an expansive sense of space and crisp, clear sounds.
Other Features
- Supports native DSD256, 32bit/384kHz
- AK File Drop wireless transfers
- Wireless Hi-Fi sound via BT Sink
- ReplayGain automatically and uniformly adjusts volume
Specifications
- Material: Aluminum and Stainless Steel | Grade 5 Titanium Alloy
- Supported OS: Windows 10, 11 (32/64bit) Mac OS X 10.7
- Astell&Kern 1 Year Warranty
- Display: 5.46" HD 1080 x 1920 touch
- Supported Audio Formats: WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF
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Sample Rate
- PCM: 8kHz ~ 384kHz (8/16/24/32-bits per Sample)
- DSD Native: DSD64 (1-bit, 2.8MHz) Stereo | DSD128 (1-bit, 5.6MHz) Stereo | DSD256 (1-bit, 11.2MHz) Stereo
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Output Level
- [Normal] UnBAL 2.Vrms | BAL 4Vrms (No Load)
- [High] UnBAL 3.Vrms | BAL 6Vrms (No Load)
- CPU: Quad-Core
- DAC: Full Discrete R-2R
- Decoding: Support up to 32-Bit / 384kHz Playback
- Input: USB-C (for charging & PC/MAC)
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Outputs
- UnBAL: 3.5mm (Optical)
- BAL: 2.5mm, 4-pole | 4.4mm, 5-pole
- Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)
- Bluetooth: v5.0 (A2DP, AVRCP, Qualcomm® aptX™ HD, LDAC)
- Dimensions: 3.01" x 5.49” x 0.69"
- Weight: About 11.18 oz
- Firmware upgrade supported (OTA)
- Operating Temp: 0℃ ~ + 40℃ (32℉~ 104℉)
Audio
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Frequency Response
- ±0.038dB (20Hz~20kHz)
- ±0.45dB (20Hz~70kHz)
- S/NR (Normal): 114dB @ 1kHz, UnBAL │ 115dB @ 1kHz, BAL
- S/NR (High): 115dB @ 1kHz
- Crosstalk: -135dB @ 1kHz, UnBAL │ -144dB @ 1kHz, BAL
- THD+N: 0.006% @ 1kHz
- IMD SMPTE: 0.005% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1)
- Output Impedance: 1.3Ω, all outputs
Clock Source
- Jitter: 25pS (Typ)
- Reference Clock Jitter: 500 Femto Seconds
Storage Capacity
- Built-In Memory: 256GB [NAND]
- External Memory: (x1) microSD (Max. 1TB)
Battery
- Capacity: 5050mAh, 3.8V Li-Polymer
- Charge Time: About 3.5 hours (9V/1.67A General Charging)
- Playback Time: About 12 hours (FLAC, 16-bit, 44.1kHz, Normal Gain, Vol. 50, LCD Off)
In the Box
- SE300 Device
- Leather Case included only with Titan LE | SE300 cases available separately
- USB-C Cable
- Quick Start Guide
- microSD card slot cover
- Protective Films
