Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 Portable Music Player

Astell & Kern

Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 Portable Music Player

Price
£799.00
Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 Portable Music Player
Product Colour
- Optional

HiFi Sound on-the-go

The A&norma series was created to enjoy the premium sounds of Astell&Kern in a portable size with best in class specifications.

SR25 MKII, the previous model in the series, was loved by audio enthusiasts and those just starting their personal audio journey thanks to its portable size and powerful HiFi sound through a 4.4-mm balanced jack.

Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 Portable HiFi Player standing up beside a vase

The A&norma SR35 inherits these strengths while applying the amplifier and audio design that was applied to Astell&Kern's premium products to deliver the authentic sound quality that Astell&Kern are so well known for. The ultra compact SR35 features 20 hours of continuous playback, while supporting Quad DAC and two-step Gain control, and the A&norma line's first introduction of New Generation Amp technology with Astell&Kern's long-standing know-how for an even more delicate and clear HiFi sound at higher output.

A&K have also applied our new UI/UX with improved visuals and usability to the SR35 for a more immersive music experience. In addition to this the SR35 is equipped with Roon Ready and MQA full decoder support to further enhance the performance of our A&norma line.

Features

  • Quad-DAC (Quad/Dual Switching Mode)
  • New Generation AMP Technology
  • 2-Step Gain Mode
  • NEW UI/UX - Crimson Theme
  • Dual Wi-Fi (2.4 & 5 GHz)
  • 20-hour continuous playtime
  • Supports two-way Bluetooth and LDAC, aptX™ HD
  • Roon Ready (First in A&norma series)

Quad DAC Mode for True HiFi Sound

For the first time in the A&norma series, the SR35 deploys the CS43198 DAC from Cirrus Logic, in Quad DAC configuration. A very well-received DAC praised for its outstanding spatial sense and resolution.

Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 Portable Music Player rear view on a blue background

In addition to this, a new design of audio circuit has been implemented, incorporating Astell&kern’s unique technologies along with the Quad DAC and A&K's patented TERATON ALPHA technology for outstanding advancement in the dynamics, sense of space, resolution, and level of separation. Furthermore, their latest technologically advanced amplification circuitry, which was only available in their flagship products has now been incorporated to the SR35, boasting a dramatically improved and industry leading SNR of 130dB.

A Dual/Quad DAC Switching mode is offered enabling users to adjust and improve power management efficiency, further improving the long continuous playtime, a core feature of the A&norma series.

The SR35 supports Native DSD256 and PCM playback of up to 32 bit/384 kHz allowing you to enjoy true HiFi sound without any restriction and free from distortion.

The Essence of Astell&Kern Technology – Equipped with New generation AMP

Astell&Kern's brand philosophy - refusing to overlook even the smallest differences in sound quality - has been recognised by numerous media and audiophiles through multiple releases of premium audio players that combine innovative circuits and amplifier technologies.

The SR35 is equipped with New generation AMP technology that was applied to the A&ultima line so that A&norma users can also enjoy the highest level of sound provided by the A&ultima line with this exclusive inhouse technology.

Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 Portable Music Player laying face-up with earphones plugged in

The new generation AMP technology applied to the SR35 is Astell&Kern's unique amplifier design that effectively improves noise reduction at high power output.  With this new technology, the SR35 contains the same amplifier design as the latest A&ultima and A&futura products, completely transforming into an amplifier design worthy of premium audio, from OPAMP selection to component placement and circuit design.

Moreover, in order to reliably operate different impedance output sources, the current handling capability at the output end is increased to maximise the performance of various devices with one SR35.

2-Step Gain Mode for the Perfect HiFi Experience

For seamless use of sensitive IEMs and hard to drive headphones, a device must provide suitable output, respective of the connected device’s specification.

The SR35 supports a 2-step Gain Level mode to create the perfect match for a wide range of headphones and IEMs, maintaining optimal sound output. 
The two-step gain setting with "Normal Gain" and "High Gain" modes can generate a high current output to create a powerful sound and excellent driver control.  With up to 6 Vrms from the balanced connections, driving high-impedance headphones has never been easier.

A pair of Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 Portable Music Players standing up beside some headphones on a stand

TERATON ALPHA, The Essence of A&K Audio Technologies

TERATON ALPHA, AK’s ultimate sound solution, makes it possible to realise high output and Quad DAC for a wide variety of earphones and headphones whilst maintaining long playtime with minimal noise. A&K advanced the A&norma series one step further with audio technologies from other Astell&Kern products that were praised by countless audio lovers and media reviews as well as TERATON ALPHA gained through years of technical research and development.

TERATON ALPHA, engineered through endless research, is Astell&Kern's unique technology that has been designed to produce audio playback that is as close to the original sound through effective power noise removal, efficient power management and unwavering amplification, and a fully converted audio output interface.

All-Day Music – Amazing Playtime

The SR35 provides premium-class audio specifications and genuine HiFi sound by Astell&Kern.

Along with the core value of A&norma series that seeks to provide unlimited HiFi audio anywhere and at any time, we offer you the best portability in the digital audio player market, with a class leading long playtime and powerful output.

Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 Portable Music Player laying face-up with earphones beside it on an open book

The compact size of the SR35 fits easily in your pocket and weighing in at only 184g is light enough to carry without any inconvenience.  With a maximum of 20-hour continuous playtime, you can enjoy music without a recharge all day long.  The SR35 is the perfect companion that you can use for long-haul flights as well as full days at work and vacations, guaranteeing you HiFi sound anywhere, anytime.

New Experience, New User Interface

The SR35 comes with a redesigned Crimson-themed UI/UX transforming into a "true music player" for users to deeply connect with their music listening experience.

The new UI/UX is designed so that users can quickly browse music categories and re-discover songs within their music library.  A&K also added an easy album art search function so that users can re-discover the joy of viewing and interacting with music album art whilst listening to their music.

The crimson theme focuses on edge, simplicity, and dark mode keywords. The colour theme of black with red highlights lowers visual fatigue and offers intuitive user experiences, and many other improvements were made to the device’s user-friendliness of app service, artist view, album sorting, and the album art search function.

Immerse yourself in music with the new UI/UX.

Sound Design by DAC Filter

With the SR35, you can pick and choose from four DAC filters to create your own sound style.  Design your own sound with 4 different DAC filters.

Roon Ready and MQA Support for HiFi Fans

Roon Ready is a service for HiFi fans who wish to play the best HiFi sound without compromise on various devices through network systems. 
Roon Ready, available on some premium audio products, now comes with the A&norma series for the first time, offering you a SR35-controlled network audio system to deliver the best sound quality.

Additionally, it supports the full decoder of MQA 8X so that SR35 can play and stream Hi-Fi MQA sound natively, true to the concept of A&norma that plays original sounds anywhere and at any time.

Dual-band WiFi (2.4/5 GHz)

SR35 offers Dual Band WiFi (2.4/5 Ghz), providing enhanced network performance to enjoy HiFi music through various streaming and Roon Ready services.

ReplayGain Automatically and Uniformly Adjusts Playback Volume

ReplayGain, which adjusts sound sources with different volumes to an identical level, has been applied. Now, enjoy your own playlists seamlessly through the ReplayGain feature on SR35. * ReplayGain supports up to 24-bit/192 kHz sound sources.

Wireless HiFi Sound Through BT Sink

BT Sink function connects the SR35 to an external device via Bluetooth, similar to connecting a smartphone with a BT speaker. Music from an external device, such as a smartphone can now be played back in high-quality on the SR35 using the BT Sink function.

Supports Native DSD256, 32bit/384kHz

SR35 supports Native DSD256 and up to 32bit/384kHz with Astell&Kern’s excellent audio technology, allowing you to fully enjoy your favorite music.

AK File Drop to enjoy wireless transfers

The new AK File Drop function in the SR35 makes file transfers easier and more convenient. Using AK File Drop, you can freely transfer files wirelessly through a PC, smartphone, or FTP program located on the same network. Music file management is now possible with a cableless, wireless solution.

Design

The SR35 visualises the powerful portability of the A&norma series into its design.

The intense dynamics of the A&norma series are symbolised as a mighty warrior's sword and shield on the device. The single bold line on the side and the surface that gets bigger at the bottom represent a sword of battle, and the delicately refined volume control and its concave surface symbolise a shield. These symbolic shapes found in the SR35’s design represent a warrior’s powerful force and characteristic.

An "A" pattern on the rear glass creates a sophisticated rectangular pattern. This unique pattern on the SR35 symbolises the first use of Quad DAC architecture in the A&norma series.

A&K kept our iconic angular display which works perfectly in the hand, further redefining the characteristic of the series.

Specifications
  • Model: SR35
  • Body Colour: Charcoal Grey
  • Body Material: Aluminium
  • Display: 3.6inch HD 720 x 1280 touch screen
  • Supported Audio Formats: WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF
  • Sample rate PCM: 8kHz ~ 384kHz (8/16/24/32bits per Sample)
  • Sample rate DSD Native: DSD64(1bit 2.8MHz), Stereo / DSD128(1bit 5.6MHz), Stereo / DSD256(1bit 11.2MHz), Stereo
  • Output Level [Normal] Unbalanced: 2.1Vrms │ Balanced 4Vrms (Condition No Load)
  • Output Level [High] Unbalanced: 3.1Vrms │ Balanced 6Vrms (Condition No Load)
  • CPU: Quad-core
  • DAC: Ciruss Logic CS43198 x4 (Quad-DAC)
  • Decoding: Support up to 32bit / 384kHz Bit to Bit playback
  • Input: USB Type-C input (for charging & PC & MAC)
  • Outputs: Unbalanced Out (3.5mm), Balanced Out (2.5mm, only 4-pole supported | 4.4m, only 5-pole supported)
  • WiFi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4&5GHz)
  • Bluetooth: V5.0 (A2DP, AVRCP, Qualcomm® aptX™ HD, LDAC)
  • Dimensions: 2.51” (64mm)[W] x 4.26” (108.3mm)[H] x 0.63” (16.1mm)[D]
  • Weight: about 6.49oz (184g)
  • Feature Enhancements: Firmware upgrade supported (OTA)
  • Operating Temperature: 0℃ ~ + 40℃ (32℉~ 104℉)

Audio Specifications

  • Frequency Response: 
    • ±0.012dB (Condition : 20Hz~20kHz) Unbalanced │ ±0.011dB (Condition : 20Hz~20kHz) Balanced
    • ±0.125dB (Condition : 20Hz~70kHz) Unbalanced │ ±0.126dB (Condition : 20Hz~70kHz) Balanced
  • S/N: 127dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ 130dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
  • Crosstalk: -133dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ -145dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
  • THD+N: 0.0005% @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ 0.0006% @ 1kHz, Balanced
  • IMD SMPTE: 0.0002% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Unbalanced │ 0.0002% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Balanced
  • Output Impedance: Unbalanced Out 3.5mm (1.1ohm) │ Balanced Out 2.5mm, 4.4mm (2.7ohm)

Clock Source

  • Clock Jitter: 25pS (Typ)
  • Reference Clock Jitter: 70ps

Storage Capacity

  • Built-in Memory: 64GB [NAND]
  • External Memory: Micro SD x1 (Max. 1TB)

Battery

  • Capacity: 3,150mAh 3.7V Li-Polymer
  • Charge Time: about 2.5hours (5V 2A General Charging)
  • Playback Time: about 20hours (Standard : FLAC, 16bit, 44.1kHz, Normal Gain, Unbalanced, Vol.50, LCD Off, Dual DAC Mode)

Overall Rating