Equipped with stunning engineering and topped off by the extraordinary construction quality that characterizes Astell&Ken's creations, the A&futura SE300 shines especially for the refined and groundbreaking D/A conversion scheme that it incorporates, of the R-2R type (ladder resistors) and that provides its sound with a genuinely “analog” warmth with respect to the restitution of the Delta-Sigma type “chips” used by the vast majority of digital sources. The TERATON ALPHA technology of the Asian company contributes powerfully to this, without which the aforementioned addition would not have been possible, since its contributions include the virtual elimination of...

Faithful to its philosophy of permanent search for maximum sound purity and realism in the “analog” way of the term, the South Korean firm Astell&Kern has just drawn attention once again for the technological uniqueness of its latest proposal in portable “Hi-Res” players: the A&futura SE300. In this case, such uniqueness is concentrated in a component whose influence is fundamental on the sound quality of any audio source, whether portable or stationary: the D/A conversion circuitry or DAC.

Thus, in the new Astell&Kern the traditional Delta-Sigma device is replaced by one of R2R ladder resistors, although using an extremely refined configuration. Specifically, it is based on the use of very high precision resistors, which allows, associated with exclusive technical solutions from the South Korean brand, to achieve definition and warmth in equal parts. And need it be said?, the A&futura SE300 dazzles in industrial design, manufacturing quality, luxury of materials and power of the user interface. 

D/A R2R conversion: the effectiveness of well-executed classic recipes

One of the characteristics that define the “magic” of High Fidelity, especially in its High End version, is that the path necessary to reach a certain result, in principle always related to obtaining the maximum possible sound naturalness, is not unique. This is corroborated, for example, by the use oftransistors, vacuum tubesor both devices in preamplification and amplification electronics, or the commitment to specific transducers and configurations in loudspeakers, not to mention something as subtle as the proportion ofmaterials and geometries of conductors used in cables.

Powered by a quad-core processor, the Astell&Kern can play PCM files up to 32-bit/384 kHz and DSD up to DSD256 and is complete with a completely redesigned graphical interface, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, a 139 mm diagonal high-definition touch screen and a 100% construction metal with perfect machining from which a volume control with a triangular pattern protrudes that provides it with fantastic visual appeal. And, of course, it goes without saying that the specifications for parameters such as frequency response, signal-to-noise ratio, crosstalk and distortion supplied by the manufacturer are stratospheric.

A liquid and balanced sound that invites you to long listening sessions

We tested the A&futura SE300 with the fantastic B1 in-ear headphones from the Japanese company Final. In the practical field, it is very clear that the combination of internal memory (256 GB expandable by an extra 1 TB via microSD card) and 12 hours of autonomy (with 16-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC files at an intermediate volume level) of the Astell&Kern really goes a long way. Taking due precautions regarding the influence of the acoustic "capture" in each recording, it cannot be denied that the protagonist of this Blog encourages sharing long hours of musical enjoyment.

There is, indeed, “analogue” warmth, although in the end it is difficult to deduce what part of it is due to the R2R DAC, the TERATON ALPHA technologyor the Dual AMP mode (and therefore the possibility of choosing between Class A and Class AB amplification). What is undeniable is that one perceives, and also with all kinds of musical genres, a fluidity that manages to perfectly balance the ability to analyze micro-information and “humanity”, all complemented by a genuinely “pro” dynamic and a graphical interface that, as the creators of the A&futura SE300 proudly state, “allows users connect deeply with their listening experience.”