Name: Astell&Kern A&futura SE300 | Digital Audio Player
Brand: Astell&Kern
SKU: AK-SE300-SLV
Price: 1499.0 USD
Availability: InStock

Astell&Kern SE300 (x2) silver (x1) Titanium 3 quarter front and rear over white background

Astell&Kern SE300 (x2) silver front and back 3 quarter over white background

Astell&Kern SE300 silver (x2) stacked over white background

Astell&Kern SE300 silver (x2) front and back over white background

Astell&Kern SE300 silver front right 3 quarter over white background

Astell&Kern SE300 silver front over white background

Astell&Kern SE300 silver rear over white background

Astell&Kern SE300 Titanium 3 quarter rear inserted into stock case over white background

Astell&Kern SE300 Titanium 3 quarter rear over white background

Astell&Kern SE300 Titan retail box front 3 quarter over white background

Astell&Kern SE300 Titan 3 quarter front edge highlighting volume knob over white background

$1,899.00 $1,499.00 Save 21%

Finish

Silver

Titan Limited

Silver - Open Box

Astell&Kern Brings Pure Analog Sound One Step Closer with the A&futura SE300

Titan Limited Edition now available with grade 5 Titanium alloy - Limited to 600 units and includes Leather Case (details below)
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

Astell&Kern SE300 marketing banner with player over water background

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.

Astell&Kern SE300 Titanium edition dramatic 3 quarter front over gray shadowy background

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.

Astell&Kern SE300 3 quarter top over U2 vinyl jacket

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.

Astell&Kern screenshots of AMP class and gain modes

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).

Astell&Kern OS/NOS FPGA workflow diagram

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.

Astell&Kern OS/NOS mode conversion rate diagram

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

Astell&Kern SE300 screen closeup with connected Vision Ears earphones on wood table

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
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
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)
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

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

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Outstanding Astell & Kern DAP!

Outstanding warm and engaging music that brings you to the music the way it was intended. I have diminished hearing and I can clearly hear upper, mid, and low musical notes I never detected before. I couple the player with Focal Celestee headset.

Amazing sound, short battery life

I have had my SE300 Titanium for 3 weeks now and can say it sounds amazing with all of my headphones, from cheap IEMs to expensive IEMs to full size over the ear Audeze headphones. To get the maximum out of the SE300, I set the amp to class A of course and at home I stream DSD128 or 384khz from my Roon rock server. On the go, I have loaded a 1TB micro SD card with tons of music in different formats, from redbook to DSD128 and can say it scan VERY fast. I have also downloaded playlists on Spotify and Tidal - all play without any issues. The operating system is pretty fast with only the occasional hang-up, the screen resolution is very nice, wifi is great and it works great as a transport when connected to a USB Dac or as a Dac connected via a mini 3.5mm to dual RCA cable to an integrated amp or power speakers. The built in apps work flawlessly once installed (i.e. Tidal, etc.) . The few downsides I experienced are the heat the unit creates, especially once you have it in a cozy leather case, the size / bulkiness / weight of the DAP that pulls your pants down, and the fairly short battery life - the later is maybe 4-5 hours when running Class A and high resolution files. Also, I am not a fan of the vegetable green case that comes with the Titanium SE300 and I ordered a clear case instead that shows off the beauty of the DAP. Overall, these nitpicks don’t overshadow the positives and I will definitely enjoy this DAP for a while. I have many other (lesser) DAPs, i.e. Sony, Shanling, etc. and this one is definitely at the top of the heap.

DAP first experience

I wouldn't call myself an audiophile but instead an avid music listener that enjoys the thought provoking ride that music takes me on. I have listened to music in many different formats over the years, most recently vinyl & Flac files on a samsung s23 over Ldac Bluetooth. After watching review videos I came across the world of DAPs. They attracted me simply because they are made for music only and they offer much better connectivity than my phone such as a wired connection. I wanted a DAP that was well built & incorporated the latest technology that would last me for many years to come. I decided after many comparisons that I would go for the Astell & Kern SE300 as it ticked all the boxes for me, with solid build quality and the latest R-2R Resistor Ladder dac. The sound of this device is warm with great mids, highs & bass. An open and inviting soundstage and I'm truly hearing background instruments & separation that I've never heard before in songs that I have played many times over in the past. The SE300 has surpassed the s23 in leaps and bounds which is no surprise as it is solely made to get the most out of music. I have no regrets in purchasing the SE300, I look forward to listening to my music collection even more, now that each song sounds like the definition & clarity has been increased a great deal by this incredible DAP

Titanium SE300 a superb DAP

I have been using my Astell&Kern SE300 Titanium edition for a week now and I am very satisfied. It is rare that I can so immediately hear something different and great. When you get into higher end audio there's nothing that doesn't sound good, but outside speakers and headphones the differences can be very subtle and only apparent after a long time. Not so here, I could immediately hear something unique in the sound and it was very pleasing. The features are also very complete and interesting. I also feel good when buying an R2R based DAC as it seems more interesting and logical to justify a premium priced product versus and implementation of delta sigma chips converters. And although I don;t want to say R2R is "better", it is more interesting and does sound different. I highly recommend. The only downside, and to be honest most DAPs are worse on this.. the size and weight is not insignificant. I bought this to replace my Questyle QPM that was in my estimation a fantastic form factor (but had other drawbacks). Always trade-offs!

Thank you to Bloom Audio team for their quick response on my questions and fast shipping, everything happened at the same day. So after a week of listening, I can really confirm I love the sound of SE300. I can recommend this DAP to whom loves warm and detailed sound.

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Astell&Kern A&futura SE300 | Digital Audio Player