Astell&Kern A&ultima SP3000 24k Pure Gold Limited Edition

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A&ultima SP3000 24k Pure Gold Limited Edition

Due to its innovative technology and perfect design, the A&ultima SP3000 has been highly praised by audiophiles and media around the world as it "opens a new horizon with its stunning sound that reaches the pinnacle of digital audio players ".

Astell&Kern wanted to honor the monumental success of the SP3000 with the introduction of the SP3000 24K Gold Limited Edition, crafted with gold, the most valuable metal in human history.

Astell&Kern started with the innovative material 904L stainless steel, first used in the SP3000, and plated it with 24K pure gold to capture the SP3000's peak sound in a metal of extreme luxury and value.
Gold has a beautiful luster, does not rust and has excellent electrical conductivity, so it is used not only for jewelry but also as a high-quality component for semiconductors and high-end audio and is highly valued due to its rarity.

However, 24-karat gold with the highest purity is difficult to handle due to its low hardness. Therefore, extremely careful processes and work were required to craft the SP3000 24K Gold Limited Edition, which has a much larger area than jewelry, into a flawless product.

In order to deliver an uncompromisingly high quality product, Astell&Kern used a wet process for pure gold plating (layer thickness of 0.5um+/- 20%) and not just surface treatment. In order to fully show off the SUS 904L material and gold plating, nickel plating was first applied, followed by 24K gold plating, and then AF plating was applied to harden the surface and prevent fingerprints.

The SP3000 24K Gold Limited Edition is a monumental design that fully expresses Astell&Kern's brand philosophy.
Discover a new horizon for premium audio players with the unique beauty of timeless metals and amazing sound of the SP3000. The SP3000 24K Gold Limited Edition comes with a special leather case and exclusive packaging that is only available in this limited edition.

Reviews

Astell&Kern A&ultima SP3000 Review — Headfonics

"What a great DAP the Astell&Kern SP3000 is! It’s a true flagship and engineering marvel. Every time when you think it’ can’t get any better, AK comes in and strikes again. On a technical and user experience level, the SP3000 is a step up from the previous SP2000 flagship, although we still like that one very much as well."

Astell&Kern SP3000 Review - Headfonia Reviews

"Simply put, the SP3000 sounds spectacular. There are a lot of great-sounding DAPs, but the SP3000 showcases why it is at the top of the market."

Astell & Kern SP3000 Review - Major HiFi

Luxury meets innovation - SP3000

With the A&ultima series, Astell&Kern has set the standard for perfect sound using the latest innovative technology. The A&ultima SP3000 is the latest flagship product that represents the essence of everything that has been learned and developed in the field of digital music processing over the last 10 years.

The A&ultima SP3000 is the world's first DAP with independent dual audio circuitry and the latest DAC with HEXA audio circuitry structure, as well as with all audio technologies and the best materials that let you feel the overwhelming effect of sound and music .

Experience perfection first hand with the true next generation flagship, the A&ultima SP3000, the pinnacle of audio players.

• World's first use of 904L stainless steel as housing material for DAPs
• The world's first DAP with complete separation of digital and analog signal processing
• (Using Asahi Kasei's latest flagship DAC chip AKM4499EX)
• Stunning audio performance with independent dual audio circuit
• Equipped with powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 6125 Octa-Core CPU
• New graphical user interface experience
• Support for aptX™ HD and LDAC

Innovative materials: World's first use of 904L stainless steel as DAP housing material

To achieve the aim of the A&ultima series, namely "to offer the best value for money that no one can imitate, using the most innovative and uncompromising design and craftsmanship", the SP3000 uses the material 904L stainless steel used, which has never been tried before in a portable audio player. The use of this material has expanded the value of the device from a purely digital device into the sphere of a luxury item.

904L stainless steel is harder and more difficult to process than general stainless steel and requires significantly more time and effort. However, due to its excellent durability and corrosion resistance, it has a property that does not affect its beauty, which is why it is used in expensive luxury watches where perfection of all materials and parts must be pursued with an irreplaceable and wonderful shine.

Experience the uncompromising beauty and luxury of the SP3000, crafted by the skilled craftsmanship of Astell&Kern.

TERATON ALPHA - The essence of A&K audio technologies combined in the SP3000

To create the ultimate audio player never experienced before, we use not only the latest DAC and technology, but also the innovative audio technology TERATON ALPHA, AK's ultimate sound solution, refined for the SP3000.

TERATON ALPHA, developed through endless research, is Astell&Kern's unique technology designed to produce audio reproduction very close to the original sound through effective noise reduction, efficient energy management and unshakable amplification as well as a fully converted audio output interface.

The HEXA-Audio Circuitry structure and the independent dual audio circuit, implemented for the first time in the SP3000, are combined with the TERATON ALPHA sound solution to produce the purest original sound.

Learn more about TERATON ALPHA >>

First use of AKM's latest flagship DAC - Complete separation of digital and analog signals

The SP3000 is a flagship product with the latest technology and uncompromising design. Astell&Kern worked with AKM from the initial development phase to develop the DAC and circuit structure.

As a result of this collaboration, the world's first four AK4499EX DACs, AKM's newest flagship, were deployed in the SP3000. The innovative HEXA-Audio circuit design, which uses two AK4191EQs that process digital signals separately, completes the amazing sound that is only available from Astell&Kern.

Most digital players process digital and analog signals together in the DAC. However, the SP3000's advanced HEXA audio circuit structure reduces the noise of the digital signal input through the AK4191EQ, a separate digital delta-sigma modulator, and the AK4499EX DAC is then designed to process the analog signals separately.

This unique design achieves physically separate processing of digital and analog signals for the first time in a digital audio player and maximizes the stunning SNR (signal-to-noise ratio), which is an incredible, unprecedented makes the sound experience possible.

Silver-plated shield

A shielding box prevents various noises and electromagnetic interference from affecting the audio block.

The SP3000 goes one step further to achieve excellent audio performance and perfect shielding by applying highly conductive, high-purity silver to the existing shielding can and physically separating digital and analog signals.

Stunning audio performance with independent dual audio circuitry

To create a truly innovative DAP, not just a great DAP, we tried to push the boundaries of sound by developing an independent dual audio circuit that has never been used by anyone with a HEXA audio circuit structure unbalanced and balanced outputs were tried.

Almost all other DAPs, including Astell&Kern, use an internal DAC for both unbalanced and balanced outputs. Since the signal from the DAC is split into unbalanced and balanced and then routed to the AMP, an audio switch is essential. However, when using a switch, there is a limit to the range that can receive the signal sent by the DAC, so most DAPs must first reduce the signal size and then, when the signal is transmitted back to the amplifier, restore the original signal size. This results in a limitation in improving audio performance.

To overcome these limitations, our engineers developed a HEXA audio circuit structure with two AK4191EQs and four AK4499EXs, forming an innovative single-ended and balanced independent dual audio circuit design. As a result, the SP3000 achieves an SNR of 130 dB, the best of any DAP available. With the SP3000 you can feel the clean, pure subtlety of sound that you cannot experience with any other DAP.

*SP3000 and SP2000 are based on the idle, symmetrical condition, and there may be differences depending on the measurement method.*The third-party models conform to the specifications listed on the official website.

Drive your Music - Latest Snapdragon Octa-Core CPU for the latest flagship device

A&ultima SP3000 is equipped with a Snapdragon 6125 octa-core processor, so you can enjoy stunning sound, faster system response and a redesigned new generation user interface that moves comfortably and smoothly.

With a high-performance CPU and an improved DDR4 memory of 8GB, twice the usual size, the more powerful system is stable and moves quickly and smoothly.

The CPU, memory and wireless communication parts are configured as a module, with the digital circuit parts arranged in the same area, creating a single system on a chip (SoC). This maximizes the efficiency of the entire circuit configuration by providing more space for audio-only circuits and reducing heat and noise from digital circuits.

Heighten your Music - New user experience thanks to the new graphical user interface

With the newly developed UX/UI, the SP3000 focuses on the process and experience of listening to music, and we wanted to become a "player for music" that makes this process tangible.

The new design focuses on rediscovering songs you've forgotten; You can quickly browse through the music categories with simple gestures. A convenient search function and album covers have been added so you can enjoy a digital display of the CD covers in your music collection. This should not only make listening to music fun, but also using the device.

In addition, the Crimson theme, one of the key features of the new generation interface, is designed so that you can feel the look of the SP3000 on the screen. The graphics are simple and unobtrusive, focusing on usability and intuitiveness. Three key concepts, Edge, Simple and Dark Mode, were used to improve usability and increase clarity with a unique style from AK. The black and red colors were chosen to reduce eye fatigue, maximize battery usage and reduce heat generation.

Sound design with DAC filters

The SP3000 allows you to create your own sound style by selecting different DAC filters provided by the DAC manufacturer. Create your own sound with 6 different DAC filters.

Digital Audio Remaster technology for even more vivid original sound

The SP3000 features Digital Audio Remaster (DAR) technology, designed to deliver the finest sound at higher sample rates.

DAR technology is designed to increase the sampling rate of the sound source being played, thereby exceeding the limits of the source format.

The high sampling rate enables finer reproduction and provides a delicate and analog-like original sound, allowing you to enjoy the richness of the original sound, subtle differences in the nuances of the music and rich sounds at a higher level.

*The DAR function can be turned on and off, and you can select it according to the sound source and your own preferences.*The maximum PCM rate of 384kHz/DSD256 is supported, and files are converted to the sample rate appropriate to the sound source and played back.

Speaker effect when listening via headphones - Crossfeed

In a headphone environment where the left and right channels are clearly separated, prolonged listening can cause ear fatigue. The moment you turn on Crossfeed, the experience of crisp but pleasant sound begins.

Crossfeed mixes parts of the original signal from one channel and sends this signal to the opposite channel with a time delay in order to center the sound image.

Detailed settings such as Shelf Cutoff, Shelf Gain and Mixer Level allow you to adjust the crossfeed level according to your listening preferences.

Real-time information via LED

The SP3000 features an LED volume wheel that displays various playback information, including volume and bitrate of the track currently playing.

*The LED can be turned on or off depending on user settings.

5.46-inch Full HD display

Experience the SP3000 even more conveniently and comfortably with the large 5.46-inch Full HD display.

AK File Drop for wireless transfers

The SP3000's new AK File Drop feature makes file transfers easier and more convenient. AK File Drop allows you to transfer files wirelessly via a PC, smartphone or FTP program located on the same network. Managing music files is now possible with a wireless, wireless solution.

Supports QC 3.0-Fast Charge

The SP3000 supports Qualcomm QC 3.0 quick charge feature, allowing you to charge your DAP faster and more efficiently than previous models. A full charge is achieved in approximately 3.5 hours.

Wireless Hi-Fi sound through BT Sink

The BT Sink feature connects the SP3000 to an external device via Bluetooth, similar to connecting a smartphone to a BT speaker. Music from an external device, such as b a smartphone, can now be played back in high quality on the SP3000 using the BT Sink function.

ReplayGain automatically and evenly adjusts the playback volume

ReplayGain, which adjusts sound sources with different volumes to an identical level, has been introduced. Now enjoy your own playlists seamlessly with the SP3000's ReplayGain feature.

*ReplayGain supports up to 24-bit/192kHz sound sources.

Supports Native DSD512, 32bit/768kHz

The SP3000 supports Native DSD512 and up to 32bit/768kHz with Astell&Kern's excellent audio technology, so you can enjoy your favorite music to the fullest.

MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) is an award-winning British technology that reproduces the sound of the original master recording. The MQA master file is fully authenticated and small enough to stream or download. Visit mqa.couk for more information.

Astell&Kern KANN MAX is equipped with MQA technology, which allows you to play MQA audio files and streams and preserve the sound of the original master recording.The MQA logo is a trademark of MQA Limited. © MQA Limited 2018

Qualcomm aptX is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. aptX is a trademark of Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd, registered in the United States and other countries.

LDAC and the LDAC logo are trademarks of Sony Corporation.

Roon Ready network players from our partners have already integrated Roon's high-resolution streaming technology.They combine easy setup, everyday reliability and support for the highest level of digital audio performance in the industry.Every Roon Ready Player is certified by Roon to guarantee the same outstanding experience regardless of manufacturer, price and features.

High-quality goatskin case

The SP3000 comes with a French goatskin case that protects and enhances the beauty of the 904L stainless steel case.

The case is made by ALRAN in Tarn in southern France, a historic tannery founded in 1903 that has been producing leather for over 100 years. It is one of the world's leading tanneries and has been known for its natural leather production technology since the 1980s. ALRAN is recognized as the best goat leather manufacturer and supplies other leading luxury brands such as H and L.

The leather case included with the SP3000 was developed using ALRAN Tannery's unique hand-boarding technology. In this technology, the leather is rubbed in different directions using wooden boards so that you can feel the structure of the surface. This process is unique compared to the production of other goat leather bags.