A&ultima SP2000


$ 3,499.00


 


The Next Level, A&ultima SP2000

 


 

A&ultima SP2000 is the third player released in the A&ultima lineup.

A&ultima SP2000 features the latest technologies of Astell&Kern with a newly developed audio circuitry and amplifier design.

 

Flagship AKM AK4499EQ Dual DACs
Balanced 6Vrms, Unbalanced 3Vrms Output Level
32bit/768kHz, Native DSD512 Support
512GB Internal Memory
Dual Band Wi-Fi Support
5.0" 720x1280 HD Touchscreen Octa-Core CPU
Open APP Support for Music Streaming


Introducing Astell&Kern's new flagship, the A&ultima SP2000.

 





The Most Advanced Asahi Kasei DAC Chips, Dual AK4499EQ

The AK4499EQ DAC chip uses the most advanced ‘Current Output Architecture’ technology. To take full advantage of this new architecture, Astell&Kern redesigned the Op Amp and analog amp block configuration completely. The new circuit design optimizes the current consumption and brings out the most from these new DAC chips. The combination of the SP2000 and AK4499EQ chips provide mind-blowing audio quality.

Newly Designed Audio Circuitry

The SP2000 is the first Astell&Kern player to use separate, independent audio channels between the Unbalanced and Balanced outputs. This design offers much more power than ever before, with 6Vrms for Balanced output and 3Vrms for Unbalanced output. With this design, the SP2000 offers the ultimate audio experience as Astell&Kern’s newest flagship player.



    SP2000 vs SP1000

    32bit/768kHz, Native DSD22.4MHz Support

    SP2000 is the first Astell&Kern model to support 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 (22.4MHz) playback natively without compression or loss.

    Two Times the Internal Storage, 512GB

    As CD-ripping and offline storage of streaming content gets more popular, the SP2000 offers twice the amount of internal storage compared to SP1000. 512GB internal storage can hold up to 700+ CDs or 8,000+ tracks of FLAC files (60MB/track). With the addition of a 512GB microSD card, the SP2000 can support over 1TB of storage space.

    Dual Band Wi-Fi (2.4/5Ghz)

    With streaming music services becoming more popular, stronger and more reliable network reception becomes even more important for your audio experience. The SP2000 supports Dual Band Wi-Fi (2.4/5Ghz, b/g/n/ac) with an improved 3-dimensional antenna design. With a stronger wi-fi signal and faster speeds, music streaming from the most popular services is better than ever on the SP2000.


    Great Performance for the Ultimate Experience

    The A&ultima SP2000 is equipped with an octa-core CPU which allows the player to produce the exact details present in the original recording without distortion and provides a quick, lag-free operation.

    The A&ultima SP2000 features faster booting times, speedy file transfers, lag-free processing and an intuitive user interface for the ultimate player experience.

    Using Open APP Service

    The Open APP Service enables the user to install specific APK music streaming apps to the device. Copy the desired APK into the Open Service folder of the product and install the relevant App in the Menu-->Services of the player.

    Using Open APP Service

     

    MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) is an award-winning British technology that delivers the sound of the original master recording. The master MQA file is fully authenticated and is small enough to stream or download. Visit mqa.co.uk for more information. Astell&Kern A&ultima SP2000 includes MQA technology, which enables you to play back MQA audio files and streams, delivering the sound of the original master recording.

    MQA and the Sound Wave Device are registered trade marks of MQA Limited. © 2016

    Roon Ready Support

    Roon is an incredibly rich and engaging way to browse and organize your music. It runs on most Mac, Windows, and Linux PCs, or on other products which include Roon Core. Being Roon Ready means that Astell&Kern network players transparently discover and connect to Roon without any configuration, and bit-perfect audio is delivered from Roon to your network player. Together, Roon and Astell&Kern deliver the power, flexibility, and performance of networked audio, with the easiest setup and highest reliability available.

    The design motif of the SP2000 resembles the dispersion of light around the player. The main focus of the design is the volume wheel, which that is the starting point of the usability design. The exquisite details of the crown pattern crossed over the pattern of the body, reflect the craftsmanship and quality of the player.

    The back stainless steel panel encompasses Astell&Kern’s philosophy of bringing listeners the original performance, without compromise, by featuring a full back plate without screws. This provides a more solid feel to the player and enhances the natural beauty of the body materials used.

    Introducing the new SP2000 Onyx Black. This sleek and premium black coated stainless steel was made possible using PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) coating technology. It is environmentally friendly and the results are finishes that provide long-lasting protection and durability, are resistant to chemicals, easy to maintain and protect against corrosion and wear. PVD coating has been used for products where higher endurance and reliability is demanded, including medical instruments, luxury accessories and more.








     

    General Specifications

    Model

    SP2000

    Body Color

    Stainless Steel, Copper, Onyx Black or Vegas Gold

    Body Material

    Stainless Steel: Stainless Steel, Onyx Black, Vegas Gold
    Copper: Copper

    Display

    5-inch 720 x 1,280 Touch display

    Supported Audio Formats

    WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, MQA

    MQA Playback

    Local Files, External USB, MQA-CD (Ripped), Services (Tidal Masters)

    Sample Rate

    PCM: 8kHz ~ 768kHz (8/16/24/32-bits per Sample)

    DSD Native: DSD64 (1-bit, 2.8MHz), Stereo / DSD128 (1-bit, 5.6MHz), Stereo / DSD256 (1-bit, 11.2MHz), Stereo / DSD512 (1-bit, 22.4MHz), Stereo

    Output Level

    Unbalanced 3.0Vrms / Balanced 6.0Vrms (Condition No Load)

    CPU

    Octa-Core

    DAC

    AKM AK4499EQ x2 (Dual-DAC)

    Decoding

    Support up to 32-bit / 768kHz Bit-to-Bit Playback

    Input

    USB 3.0 Type-C Input (for charging, PC & MAC)

    Outputs

    Unbalanced Out (3.5mm) / Optical Out (3.5mm) / Balanced Out (2.5mm, only 4-pole supported)

    Wi-Fi

    802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)

    Bluetooth

    V4.1 (A2DP, AVRCP, Qualcommâ aptX™ HD)

    Dimensions

    3.00” (76.3mm) [W] x 5.19” (132mm) [H] x 0.61” (15.7mm) [D]

    Weight

    Stainless Steel, Onyx Black, Vegas Gold: 14.49oz (410.8g) 
    Copper: 15.25oz (432.4g)

     

    Audio Performance

    Frequency Response

    Condition 20Hz~20kHz: ±0.015dB Unbalanced / ±0.010dB Balanced
    Condition 20Hz~70kHz: ±0.050dB Unbalanced / ±0.030dB Balanced

    Signal to Noise Ratio

    124dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / 125dB @ 1kHz, Balanced

    Crosstalk

    -138dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / -144dB @ 1kHz, Balanced

    THD+N

    0.0005% @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / 0.0004% @ 1kHz, Balanced

    IMD SMPTE

    0.0003%, 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Unbalanced & Balanced

    Output Impedance

    Unbalanced Out 3.5mm (1.5 ohm), Balanced Out 2.5mm (1 ohm)

     

    Clock Source

    Clock Jitter

    25ps (Typ)

    Reference Clock Jitter

    200 Femto Seconds

     

    Battery

    Capacity

    3,700mAh 3.8V Li-Polymer Battery

    Playback Time

    About 8 hours (Standard: FLAC, 16-bit/44.1kHz, Unbalanced, Vol. 80, EQ off, LCD off)

    Charge Time

    About 2.5 hours (Standard: 9V/1.67A Fast charging)
    About 5 hours (Standard: 5V/2A General charging)

     

    Memory

    Built-In Memory

    512GB [NAND]

    External Memory

    microSD (Max. 1TB) x 1

     

    OS

    Supported OS

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

    *Audio was NOT muted during measurement *The image/specifications may be changed without notice to improve product performance and quality

    Package contents include:

    • A&ultima SP2000 Device x 1
    • Leather Case x 1
      • Stainless Steel: Green Leather Case
      • Copper: Dark Brown Leather Case
      • Onyx Black: Tan Leather Case
      • Vegas Gold: Brown Leather Case
    • USB Type-C Cable x 1
    • Quick Start Guide x 1
    • Warranty Card x 1
    • microSD card slot cover x 2
    • Protective Film (Front x 2, Back x 2)

     

     

    SP2000 User Guide

    SP2000 MAC OS Driver

    SP2000 is compatible with MAC OS X 10.7 and up. In order for a Mac computer to communicate with our device a MTP program will need to be installed.

    How to install the program for file transfer:

    1. Disconnect Device from PC
    2. Download the file transfer driver at Android File Transfer site: http://www.android.com/filetransfer
    3. Install the file downloaded according to the provided directions on website.
    4. After successful installation, connect the device with the computer.


    SP2000 USB DAC Driver

    Driver File: SP2000 USB DAC Driver

    References

    1. This Driver is for Windows XP (32bit), Windows 7/8(32/64bit). In case of MAC OS, it can recognize without Driver install.
    2. Driver is installed only the first time. After that, it will be recognized automatically.
    3. To use SP2000 USB DAC as Default device, please modify the setting as below:
    • Windows XP: Control Panel - Sounds and Audio Devices – Change Sound Playback default device to "SP2000 USB DAC" in the ‘Audio’ tab.
    • Windows 7/8: Control Panel - Sounds  Select the "SP2000 USB DAC" in the ‘Play’ tab, and then select as “set as the Default device”
    1. To play High quality sound in Windows 7/8: Control PanelSounds - Click the Properties of "SP2000 USB DAC" - ‘Advanced’ tab  Change Default to the “24bit, 192000Hz"
    2. For Native DSD playback, music playback program can play Native DSD. Depending on the music playback program, you have to change ‘Device’ into the ‘SP2000 USB DAC’ in the device settings.
    3. Please refer to the manual for other USB DAC information.

    How to install Driver

    1. Disconnect the SP2000 from PC
    2. On the Home Screen of SP2000, Touch the "DAC/DISK" and then change into the "DAC". Or, SettingUSB connection setting – “DAC Input”
    3. Click the Download button and download the USB DAC, and run the "setup.exe" file, then click the [Next >] button
    4. When the below screen is displayed, connect the SP2000 to PC, then Click the [Next >] button. 



    5. USB DAC connection screen will be displayed on SP2000. Install location screen will be displayed on the install program. 6. Click the [Install] button. 




    7. When install is completed, please click [Finish] button.
     

    Reviews

    Awards