Astell & Kern A&Ultima SP2000T Portable Music Player

Astell & Kern

Astell & Kern A&Ultima SP2000T Portable Music Player

Price
£1,999.00
The Ingenious New Solution.
Product Colour
- Optional
- Optional

Find Your Optimal Sound

Staying true to the Astell&Kern philosophy of delivering an original audio experience without compromise, they strive to design portable music players that reach beyond the capabilities of a standard playback device to enhance the listener’s music enjoyment.
The SP2000T combines the OP AMP configuration of our SP2000—the culmination of Astell&Kern's finest audio technology—with a nostalgic vacuum TUBE AMP, adding a vintage feel to the portable player.

  • The Triple Amp System Takes Acoustics to a New Level
  • Vacuum Tube Amplifier Compatible with 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm Output Jacks
  • Equipped with ESS ES9068AS QUAD-DAC, for Balanced, Ultra Detailed Sound
  • TERATON ALPHA, Astell&Kern's Ultimate Sound Solution
  • ReplayGain Function to Maintain Consistent Playback Levels between Tracks
  • Dual-Band WiFi Support for Uninterrupted Wireless Connection and Improved Compatibility
  • Internal Mechanical Design to Minimise Noise

Everlasting Beauty - SP2000T Copper Nickel Limited Edition

Astell&Kern strives to make products delivering music that touches people's hearts, not just their ears. For this goal, not only have they introduced the most innovative and up-to-date technology to the SP2000T, with SP2000T Copper Nickel, they wanted to capture the characteristics of the Copper Nickel material itself and its unique beauty to complete their philosophy and design values.

Previous flagship models that were manufactured using pure copper were praised by audiophiles for the most musical and organic representation of the original sound and instruments. A&K wanted to take the SP2000T a step further and complete their design philosophy and sound by creating a copper and nickel alloy.

The SP2000T Limited Edition is made of an alloy of copper and nickel which is used in wind instruments and is known for creating deep, full sound. The SP2000T Copper Nickel will only be produced in limited quantities.

A&K SP2000T portable music player - two of them.  one viewed from the front and one laying face down.  On top of two thick A4 catalogues on a glass table

Copper Nickel is silver in colour and emanates a beautiful sheen found in jewelry and crafts, taking the SP2000T's seamless design to a higher level. Not only is the design increasingly refined, but it has a very high level of corrosion resistance, a unique property of copper Nickel, giving it a long-lasting beauty, simultaneously being highly antibacterial and resistant to contamination. With high electrical conductivity and low magnetic shielding, you can now experience an alternative sound from that of the original Aluminum SP2000T.

Enjoy the SP2000T Copper Nickel's amazing sound and experience the true artisan design philosophy achieved.

Triple Amp System is the Next Generation of AMP technology

The SP2000T exceeds the standard approach to AMP Mode selection, based on the type of music you are listening to.  Select between TUBE AMP mode, OP AMP mode, or the brand-new HYBRID AMP mode.  OP AMP mode puts Astell&Kern's AMP technology expertise to use, delivering extreme clarity and dynamic sound, while TUBE AMP mode provides a uniquely warm and musical sound.  HYBRID AMP mode - a first for digital audio players - enhances the resolution and clarity of the existing TUBE AMP mode to express more musical detail.  HYBRID AMP mode, combines the advantages of retro analog performance and high-resolution output, giving you the pleasure of a brand new tonal characteristic.  Experience the unique sound enhancements that AMP technology has to offer.

Vacuum Tube Amplifier Compatible with 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm Output Jacks

The SP2000T supports all output types, with no restriction on the type of receiver used, so you can enjoy the unique characteristics of the vacuum tube.

Real Vacuum Tube

Equipped with the portable-friendly dual-triode KORG Nutube, for a unique TUBE AMP sound.

Nutube offers a reliable continuous playback time of approximately 30,000 hours.  It features an anode grid filament structure which operates the same as a triode vacuum tube.  It's much smaller, consumes far less power and yet delivers the same audio with rich overtones.

The SP2000T supports all output types, with no restriction on the type of receiver used, so listeners can enjoy the unique characteristics of the vacuum tube.

Hybrid Amp Mode

HYBRID AMP mode supported for the first time by DAP is the essence of Astell&Kern's advanced AMP design technology.

New combinations of sounds can be enjoyed in HYBRID AMP mode, which is based on the OP AMP sound and addition of tasteful warm tones unique to TUBE AMP technology.

Internal Mechanical Design to Minimise Noise

SP2000T features a special design tailored to minimise microphonics (the phenomenon wherein the vacuum tubes generate noise even from a small external impact). Multiple design iterations and verifications have been performed over a long period of time to fix the structural issues of vacuum tubes that generate microphonics noise even from a small impact or vibration. For minimisation of mechanical impact and vibration, both sides of the vacuum tube are fixed with flexible silicone covers, and the vacuum tube has been modularised so it is physically separate from the PCB.  Astell&Kern goes to great lengths to innovate and design these small components that make a big difference in the quality and sound of our products that no other manufacturer can match.  A structure that uses magnetic forces to float the amp in the air, thus minimising noise from the vacuum tube itself, which is generated when it is exposed to mechanical impact or vibration.

Silver Plating Shield Can

Astell&Kern products apply shield cans so that noise and electromagnetic interference, which occur when the countless parts are in operation, do not affect the audio block.

The SP2000T has taken it a step further by applying highly conductive, hyper-pure silver plating on the existing shield cans for perfect shielding that provides excellent audio performance.

Astell&Kern Audio Technology Forms the Teraton Alpha Sound Solution

TERATON ALPHA is AK's Ultimate Sound Solution to produce audio playback that is close to the original sound through the audio output interface by use of effective power noise removal, efficient power management and amplification with minimal distortion. TERATON ALPHA features Astell&Kern's patented technologies, which are the result of tens of thousands of hours of continuous research and development to produce sound close to the original sound the artist and producer intended.

TERATON ALPHA features Astell&Kern's patented technologies, which are the result of tens of thousands of hours of continuous research and development to produce sound close to the original sound the artist and producer intended.


Adoption of full HD Display for Improved Image Quality

The SP2000T features a full HD screen to provide a higher quality display.

Quad-DAC for Perfection of Superior Sound

The SP2000T is equipped with four ES9068AS DACs, this allows two DACs per channel for dedicated decoding. The SP2000T achieves a more detailed and balanced sound with great depth and spatial realism.

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 SP2000T.

AK File Drop to enjoy wireless transfers

The new AK File Drop function in the SP2000T 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.

Wireless HiFi Sound Through BT Sink

The newly introduced BT Sink function connects the SP2000T 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 SP2000T using the BT Sink function.

Real-Time Playback and AMP Moide Information Reflected by Light

Through the softly dispersing LED light, Users are notified of the bit depth information of the song being played or the current AMP mode.

Design

The radial pattern of the volume wheel reflects bursts of light, and the protective surface has been modified to distinguish it from other models.

The side lines fan outward as they extend downwards from the wheel.  Similarly to the SP2000, the edge extends to the rear panel, emphasising the connection between the two models.  The proportions of the face have been adjusted to accommodate the larger form , and the CMF (Colour, Materials, and Finish) have all been selected to make the SP2000T stand out from its predecessor, the SP2000.  To reinforce the idea of light illuminating space, we combined the image of the amp's light filling the empty space of the vacuum tube with Astell&Kern's light and shadow concept.  The protector around the volume wheel is encircled, providing an image of a space that has been created from light.
Although the glass on the rear is one piece, it looks like two separate pieces, and the boundary of the two is designed to look onsistent with the wheel protector.  Rather than evoking the coldness of glass, the underside has been designed to express warmth, and the top features a subtle, shimmering design that flares to life when the amp is switched on.

Specifications
  • Model: SP2000T
  • Body Colour: Onyx Black, Copper Nickel
  • Body Material: Aluminum, Copper Nickel
  • Display: 5inch FHD 1920 x 1080 Touch display
  • Supported Audio Formats: WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, MQA
  • Sample rate: PCM : 8kHz ~ 384kHz (8/16/24/32bits per Sample) / DSD Native: DSD64(1bit 2.8MHz) Stereo / DSD128(1bit 5.6MHz), Stereo / DSD256(1bit 11.2MHz), Stereo / DSD512(1bit 22.4MHz), Stereo
  • Output Level: Unbalanced 3.0Vrms / Balanced 6.0Vrms (Condition No Load)
  • CPU: Quad-Core
  • DAC: ESS ES9068AS x4 (Quad-DAC)
  • Vacuum Tube: KORG Nutube 6P1
  • Decoding: Support up to 32bit / 384Hz 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 / 4.4mm, 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: 3.07 ”(78.1 mm) [W] x 5.55 ”(141.1 mm) [H] x 0.68 ”(17.5 mm) [D]
  • Weight: 
    • Aluminum: about 10.89 oz (309 g)
    • Copper Nickel: about 17.74 oz (503 g)
  • Feature Enhancements: Firmware upgrades supported (OTA)

Audio Performance

  • Frequency Response:
    • ±0.024dB (Condition: 20Hz~20kHz) Unbalanced / ±0.038dB (Condition: 20Hz~20kHz) Balanced
    • ±0.027dB (Condition: 20Hz~70kHz) Unbalanced / ±0.052dB (Condition: 20Hz~70kHz) Balanced
  • Signal to Noise Ratio: 121dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / 123dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
  • Crosstalk: -137dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / -142dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
  • THD+N: 0.0003% @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / 0.0003% @ 1kHz, Balanced
  • IMD SMPTE: 0.0004% 800Hz 10kHz(4:1) Unbalanced / 0.0003% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Balanced
  • Output Impedance: 3.5mm (1ohm), 2.5mm (1.5ohm), 4.4mm(1.5ohm)

Clock Source

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

Battery

  • Capacity: 4,200mAh 3.8V Li-Polymer Battery
  • Playback Time: About 9 hours (Standard : FLAC, 16bit/44.1kHz, Unbalance, Volume 50, LCD Off, LED On, OP AMP Mode)
  • Charge Time About:
    • 3.5 hours (Standard - 9V/1.67A Fast charging)
    • About 5 hours (Standard - 5V/2A General charging)

Memory

  • Built-in Memory: 256GB [NAND]
  • External Memory: microSD (Max. 1TB) x1

Operating System

  • Supported OS: Windows 7,8,10 (32/64bit), MAC OS X 10.7 and up

Overall Rating