A&ultima SP3000T
A&ultima SP3000T
A&ultima SP3000T
A&ultima SP3000T
A&ultima SP3000T
A&ultima SP3000T
A&ultima SP3000T
A&ultima SP3000T
A&ultima SP3000T
A&ultima SP3000T

A&ultima SP3000T

Analogue Warmth, Digital Precision
 
  • True analogue sound with Dual RAYTHEON JAN6418 MIL-SPEC Vintage Vacuum Tubes
  • Complete separation of digital and analogue signal processing for the purest possible sonic reproduction using AKM’s x2 AK4191EQ / x2 AK4499EX x2
  • Three adjustable levels of Tube Current for nuanced changes in sound signature
  • TRIPLE AMP SYSTEM allows listeners to select the right tone for their music
  • 316L Stainless steel chassis with 99.9% pure silver plating for superior electrical conductivity
  • High-Performance Qualcomm Snapdragon Octa-Core CPU for instantaneous and fluid system response
  • Reimagined, improved and enhanced Graphic User Interface
  • Digital Audio Remaster Technology (DAR) upsamples the sample rate of the sound source being played for an even greater vivid original sound

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Sale price£3,199.00
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Uncompromising Audio Design and Craftsmanship

 

Astell&Kern's ethos of producing immersive sound from high-resolution original music stands as a testament to the spirit of innovation and excellence embodied in the A&ultima series. Our goal was to match the impeccable design and high-resolution sound of our previous product, the SP3000, by crafting an audio player that truly captures the emotion and resonance of music.

Developed with this vision in mind, the A&ultima SP3000T channels the profound emotion and lasting essence of analogue audio. The integration of real vacuum tubes create an authentic analogue sound complemented by cutting-edge audio technology such as TERATON ALPHA for an immersive auditory experience.

Introducing the A&ultima SP3000T — a portable audio player that defies convention, offering a unique fusion of analogue and digital excellence.

 

True Analogue Sound with Real Vacuum Tubes

The original vacuum tube is known for its warm sound, attributed to its distinctive rich harmonics, which have cemented its status as a cherished component of Hi-Fi audio. However, its impracticality in terms of miniaturization, primarily due to power control and footprint issues, presented a formidable obstacle, rendering it unsuitable for use in portable audio players.

We refused to settle for conventional sound and design, and instead worked to bridge the gap between stationary and portable audio by infusing the essence of analogue sound into our devices. These efforts eventually culminated in the pairing of the SP3000T with the RAYTHEON JAN6418 Miniature vacuum Tube. The RAYTHEON JAN6418 is a mini vacuum tube popular among audiophiles for its distinctively warm and soft sound, leading to its integration into regular audio devices.

Sound Craftsmanship for the Ultimate Vacuum Tube Sound

Due to inherent differences in noise and amplification among original vacuum tubes, Astell&Kern adopted a meticulous selection process to adhere to our philosophy of addressing even the minutest differences in sound quality.

Astell&Kern carefully measures and pairs each JAN6418, a difficult process demanding both time and precision. This thorough selection method minimizes output deviation between the left and right channels, resulting in more natural sound reproduction.

Every shielding operation on the vacuum tube is carefully executed by hand to minimize potential noise interference.

Minimising Microphonic Noise

The integration of vacuum tubes into compact, portable devices presents a formidable technical hurdle - maintaining low noise levels while delivering unparalleled resolution and robust output. With the SP3000T, we've tackled this challenge head-on with a custom-made solution designed to minimize microphonic noise. Our team devoted extensive time to refining the structural integrity of the vacuum tubes, ensuring minimal noise even in the event of minor shocks or vibrations.

  1. Independent modular, flexible PCB design engineered separately from the main PCB
  2. Silicone module case designed to absorb primary shocks from the vacuum tube
  3. Silicone tubing perfectly tailored to the vacuum tube leads to reduced shock transmission along the leads
  4. Silicone dampers around the vacuum tube suspend the tube in the air from both ends

99.9% Pure Silver Plating

While crafting the SP3000T, we spent a long time searching for a material that seamlessly blends high-resolution digital sound with the rich analogue warmth of a vacuum tube.

After rigorous research, Astell&Kern proudly emerged as a pioneer in selecting and applying material featuring 99.9% pure silver plating. Silver boasts superior electrical conductivity compared to copper and gold, making it a popular choice for premium semiconductors and high-end audio components.

The body of the SP3000T is coated in 99.9% pure silver plating atop 316L stainless steel, which is renowned for its exceptional corrosion resistance. Since silver can tarnish over time due to exposure to air, we've taken extra steps to increase its longevity, such as adding a special multi-layer coating to prevent sulfurization, to enhance durability and prevent exposure with air.

High-End Shrunken Calfskin Case

The SP3000T comes with a deluxe case crafted from shrunken calf leather sourced from Perlinger in Germany and Alcantara in Italy, ensuring a level of style and quality that matches the quality of the device. The shrunken method used to craft the leather results in natural wrinkles, creating an irregular, yet distinctive texture that enhances its luxurious appearance. Unlike regular embossing techniques, this process preserves the leather's natural texture and minimizes discoloration, ensuring the color remains vibrant even after pro- longed use.

The case of the SP3000T is fashioned from exquisite leather crafted by the Per- linger tannery in Germany. With a heritage spanning five generations since its inception in 1864, Perlinger stands as the last bastion of calf leather manufacturing in Germany. Renowned for its unparalleled quality, Perlinger's shrunken calf is regarded as the finest in the industry, making it highly sought after by prestigious luxury brands.
   

Included in the box

 
  • 1x Astell&Kern A&ultima SP3000T player
  • 1x High-End Shrunken Calfskin Case
  • 1x USB-C to USB-C cable (1 metre)
  • 3x screen protectors
  • 1x Quick start guide
SP300T whats in the box
General Specifications
Model
SP3000T
Body Color
Black, Silver
Body Material
Stainless Steel with Pure Silver Plating
Display
5.5 inch 1080 x 1920 Full HD touch screen
Supported Audio Formats
WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, MQA
Sample rate
PCM : 8kHz ~ 768kHz (8/16/24/32bits per Sample) DSD Native: DSD64(1bit 2.8MHz), Stereo / DSD128(1bit 5.6MHz), Stereo / DSD256(1bit 11.2MHz), DSD512(1bit, 22.4MHz) Stereo
Output Level
Unbalanced 3.3Vrms │ Balanced 6.3Vrms (Condition No Load)
CPU
Octa-core
DAC
AKM AK4191 x2 (Dual Modulator) & AKM AK4499EX x2 (Dual DAC)
Vacuum Tube
RAYTHEON JAN6418 x2
Decoding
Support up to 32bit / 768kHz Bit to Bit playback
Input
USB Type-C input (for charging & PC & MAC)
Outputs
Unbalanced Out (3.5mm), Optical Out(3.5mm) Balanced Out (2.5mm, only 4-pole supported | 4.4m, only 5-pole supported)
Wi-Fi
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)
Bluetooth®
V5.0 (A2DP, AVRCP │ Qualcomm® aptX™ HD, LDAC, LHDC)
Dimensions
3.33" (84.7mm)[W] x 5.57" (141.5mm)[H] x 0.70" (18mm)[D]
Weight
about 17oz (483g)
Feature Enhancements
Firmware upgrade supported (OTA: Over-The-Air)
Audio Performance
Frequency Response
±0.005dB (Condition : 20Hz~20kHz) Unbalanced │ ±0.003dB (Condition : 20Hz~20kHz) Balanced
±0.006dB (Condition : 20Hz~70kHz) Unbalanced │ ±0.024dB (Condition : 20Hz~70kHz) Balanced
Signal to Noise Ratio
120dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ 124dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
Crosstalk
-136dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ -145dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
THD+N
0.0005% @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ 0.0004% @ 1kHz, Balanced
IMD SMPTE
0.0007% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Unbalanced │ 0.0007% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Balanced
Output Impedance
Unbalanced Out 3.5mm (1.5ohm) │ Balanced Out 2.5mm (1.5ohm), 4.4mm(1.4ohm)
Clock Source
Clock Jitter
25ps (Typ)
Reference Clock Jitter
200 Femto Seconds
Battery
Capacity
5,050mAh 3.8V Li-Polymer
Continuous Playback Time
about 10hours (Standard : FLAC, 16bit, 44.1kHz, Unbalanced, Vol.50, LCD Off, LED On, OP AMP Mode)
Charge Time
about 3.5hours (QC3.0 Charging)
Storage
Built-in Memory
256GB[NAND]
External Memory
microSD (Max. 1TB) x1
OS
Supported OS
Windows 10,11 (32/64bit) MAC OS X 10.7