Dallas, TX – Astell&Kern, the global leader in high-resolution audio playback devices, will feature their full line of high-resolution portable and home audio products providing studio sound quality at home and on the go at CEDIA 2016 in Dallas, TX from September 15 – 17, 2016, in booth # 7425.

All Astell&Kern products can be used as a high-end source component for playback of high-resolution digital audio with up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and Quad DSD support.

The portable players add value because they can be connected to existing 2-channel home systems via a docking cradle with balanced-XLR outputs to serve as a single source for audio playback.  They can also be undocked and slipped into a pocket or bag to take all of your music with you on the road.  One device can replace tens of thousands of dollars of traditional hi-fi components at a fraction of the cost with the built-in DACs, plenty of storage for digital audio files, USB DAC option and numerous analog and digital connections.

With full DLNA networking support, the full line of Astell&Kern high-resolution audio products can act as a music server or playback device for any DLNA-compatible device on the network.  All products are fully controllable via the Astell&Kern AK Connect App available for iOS and Android devices and can also be controlled by any favorite DLNA application a consumer may already use.

Also available from Astell&Kern is the AK RM01 Bluetooth Remote ($249), which will control any of Astell&Kern’s home and portable players, as well as any Bluetooth remote-ready audio systems.

Home Audio Products

AK500 Series Network Audio System

The AK500 Network Audio System is Astell&Kern’s first high-resolution home audio music server system.  The AK500 is available in two base configurations – The AK500N Network Music Server ($8,999 – 1TB SSD, $10,000 – 2TB SSD, $12,000 – 4TB) for consumers who already have a full 2-channel setup and are looking to add a hi-res digital audio server to their current system and the complete AK500 Series system ($16,000 for 1TB configuration, $17,000 – 2TB, $19,000 – 4TB) which includes the AK500N Network Music Server, AK500A Class A/B Amplifier and AK500P Power Supply for those people looking for a simple, elegant all-in-one home server solution.

The Astell&Kern AK500 features a 1TB SSD drive, expandable to 4TB, to store and playback your entire music library, supporting native playback of high resolution audio files up to 24-bit/192Khz, including single and double-rate DSD files, Apple lossless and all other digital audio formats.  A front-loading CD slot allows the user to rip their current CD collection to the 500N as WAV or FLAC files.  DLNA support allows streaming of music tracks from a Mac/PC, NAS drive or other DLNA compatible device located on the same network.

The 500N includes a 7” 1280×800 resolution IPS LCD screen that allows the user to view and playback music located on the device or stream music over the internal network.  The Dual-DAC configuration features two Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC chips, that output audio signals independently to each channel, making the AK500N II a true dual mono (dual monaural) setup.

Included with the 500N is an internal battery pack that helps regulate power flow to the unit, ensuring clean power and no distortion of sound.

Numerous inputs and outputs are included to fit any home setup.  Outputs include two balanced and unbalanced analog outs, balanced (AES/EBU), BNC S/PDIF, coaxial, and optical digital outputs.  Digital inputs include balanced (AES/EBU), BNC S/PDIF, coaxial, and optical digital inputs.  Both 10/100 Ethernet and 802.11 b/g/n wireless networks are supported. Also included are 1 USB type A and 1 USB type B inputs.

The AK500 Series Network Music Player supports the Astell&Kern AK Connect app for full control of the unit.  The AK500 Series is available in Black and Silver.

AK T1 All-In-One Sound System

The Astell&Kern AK T1 ($3,000) is a true lifestyle product, perfect for city living, an office or anywhere that space is a premium.  With the AKT1, you can have audiophile-quality high-resolution audio without the need for multiple components and large speakers.  The AK T1 contains everything a person needs to listen to high resolution audio in a single, sleek, modern package that saves space and looks great anywhere.

The AK T1 contains six speakers in a 3-way configuration, featuring two 0.75” tweeters, two 2” midranges, and two 6.5” woofers with a 4th order crossover.  The speakers are driven by a hybrid amplifier system, combining the best of analog and digital amplification for the best sound possible.  The AK T1 tweeters are driven by an analog amplifier, providing crisp, clear highs, while a digital amplifier drives the midrange speakers and woofers, giving the speakers rich mids and deep, clean bass.

The AKT1 supports native playback of 24-bit/192 KHz PCM and native playback of single (DSD64) and double-rate (DSD128) DSD audio files using two (2) Cirrus Logic 4398 DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) Chipsets, one for each channel, creating a true Dual-Mono setup that gives clear channel separation, broader dynamic range and wider soundstage.

Playback sources include microSD, optical and auxiliary inputs.  The AK T1 includes wired Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 with aptX and DLNA networking support, allowing the AK T1 to stream high resolution music from a network attached storage device, computer, smartphone, portable player or any device compatible with the DLNA protocol.

Also included is support for a variety of streaming services and Internet radio stations, which can be accessed and controlled via the 4” LCD touchscreen on the unit.  With the AK Connect app for iOS and Android-based smartphones and tablets, you can control playback on the device and stream music located on your device directly to the AK T1.

With the optional aluminum AK RM01 Bluetooth Remote ($249), full control of the AK T1, including volume, playback and changing modes is as simple as the touch of a button.

Portable Audio Products

Players in the portable high-resolution audio player line from Astell&Kern are currently the best-selling portable audio players in the world.  These players can be docked at home to provide a high-end source component to play back high-resolution digital audio on a 2-channel system, then slipped into a pocket or bag to take that high-resolution audio on-the-go.

All of Astell&Kern portable players are fully controllable with the Astell&Kern AK Connect app, available for iOS and Android.  Astell&Kern’s portable players provide a single solution for high-resolution audio playback both at home and on the road.

All portable players include both internal memory and a microSD card slot for additional storage space.

AK300 Series Players and Accessories

The AK380 series of portable hi-res audio players allow users to add features and functionality with the addition of separate docking stations.  Utilizing the microUSB jack and new 4-pin balanced out jacks on the bottom of the player, the AK300 series players slot into the expansion docks, providing a high quality connection without adding additional bulk to the player.

The AK300 series players consist of the single DAC AK300 (64GB internal memory – $899) and dual-DAC AK320 (128GB – $1,799) and flagship AK380 (256GB – $3,499 in Duralumin, $3,999 in Copper).

All three players feature AKM AK 4490 DAC chipsets, Parametric EQ (PEQ), VCXO Reference Clock (Femto Clock) for minimal jitter, AK Connect support, USB DAC function, Wi-Fi connectivity, OTA software updates, and pressure sensitive Metal Touch Home Button.   The AK300 series supports digital audio output via USB. =

The AK300 and AK320 support up to 32-bit/384KHz PCM (downconverted to 24bit/192khz PCM) and double-rate, 5.6MHz DSD (converted to PCM).  The AK380 supports native playback of up to 32-bit/384KHz PCM and Quad-rate, 11.2MHz DSD.

Expansion accessories for the AK300 series include:

·         AK380 Cradle ($349) – A docking cradle that provides a convenient and secure place to put your AK380 while charging via USB or using the player as a USB DAC.  The new AK cradle also features balanced outs to use the AK300 series players as a high-res source for a 2-channel system.

·         AK Recorder ($999) – This new module allows users to turn the AK300, AK320 or AK380 into a portable recording studio, capable of recording high-resolution audio anywhere in the world.  The AK Recorder is the world’s first to support DSD 5.6 MHz recording from a hand-held unit.  The AK Recorder is the perfect accessory to rip vinyl collections to high-resolution digital audio formats.

·         AK380 AMP (starting at $699) – A portable amp that provides the AK300 series players with greater power output to drive a wide variety of inefficient headphones and IEMs without the need for added cables and another device to carry.

·         AK380 CD-ROM ($349) – An external CD-ROM drive that allows users to rip music from discs directly to Astell&Kern portable players, without the need for a computer.  All album information and artwork is downloaded from Gracenote and added automatically.

Additional Portable High-Resolution Audio Players

Astell&Kern features a full line of portable high-resolution audio players to fit any consumer’s portable audio needs.  All of the players below feature Cirrus Logic CS4498 DAC chipsets and support playback of high-resolution audio up to 32-bit/384KHz PCM (downconverted to 24bit/192khz PCM) and up to double-rate, 5.6MHz DSD (converted to PCM except for the AK240 which features native DSD playback).

Features include DLNA 1.0 support; Wi-Fi connectivity, supporting OTA firmware updates and streaming music from other devices on the same network; support for the AK Connect app; USB DAC function, allowing a Mac/PC to bypass internal sound card and output hi-resolution audio; and support for the Astell&Kern CD-Ripper, so users can rip music directly to the player without the need for a computer.

The lineup includes:

·         The AK70 ($599) is a single DAC unit and features 64GB of internal memory and digital audio output via USB.

·         AK100 II ($899) features 64GB of internal memory and is also a single DAC player

·         AK120 II ($1,699) – A dual-DAC portable high-resolution audio player one for each channel, creating a true Dual-Mono setup that gives clear channel separation, broader dynamic range and wider soundstage and includes 128GB of internal storage.

·         AK240 ($2,499) – Features native playback of both 24-bit/192kHz PCM and double-rate DSD without conversion.  The AK240 features 256GB of internal memory and is a dual-DAC unit.

Astell&Kern products can be purchased online directly at us.astellnkern.com