Activo P1 Review

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Sound performance

For the purpose of this review, I used the Beyerdynamic DT900 Pro X, the Sennheiser HD660S2, and the lovely Meze 109 Pro. All files were streamed from Spotify for convenience, and Apple Music for Hi-Res source, and my own library via Roon.

Overall signature

So, did Dreamus achieve its goal of bringing the Astell&Kern mantra into a more affordable player? I’d dare to say yes!

Out of the box, and paired with my Beyerdynamic (my go-to headphone), the Activo P1 performs exceptionally well. The highs are crisp, maintaining the brand’s signature clarity, while the lows are powerful without being overwhelming. The mids hold their own against those on my M11S, even surpassing them on certain complex tones, the P1 pushing a little bit further than the FiiO.

Head to head with the equally price chines player, the P1 and M11S are usually neck to neck, but if I had to choose one device between the two, I think I’d keep the Activo: bass goes slightly lower, ADSR is better and on my usual techno tracklist, the big boy sounded fuller, stiffer and quite surprisingly, more natural.

Clearly, the new circuit design contributes to its remarkable transparency, and the Teraton setup – even in its affordable form – managed to deliver music in its purest form, or at least closer to reality in my ears. I tried local tracks, some Spotify and of course Apple Music – which worked strangely good here – and every time I was gifted with expensive soundstage, impressive imaging, and superb instrument separation. It’s not as smooth and refined as the PA10 I reviewed last time – nothing really ever will be – but I do think that it’s a matter of personal appreciation in this case, as both devices showcased the subtleties and micro-details in each recording.

Every brand has a forte, something that makes it loveable for some, hateful for others. FiiO offers catchy mediums, Shanling sharp high-mids, iBasso catchy lows, but with the P1, Activo seems ,once again, to be aiming at a more balanced approach. I do think the M23 gives a little more on the lower section, more energy under 100Hz, but some may prefer the more linear sound signature of the Activo, over FiiO’s more colored presentation.

Paired with the Meze 109 Pro, the Activo showcased its ability to handle the most demanding headphones with ease. Truthfully, I had to reach the third part of the four volume ladder, but once I did that, I never had to push more than necessary. Yes, the FiiO M23 outputs more power, and if you’re looking to drive large planar headphones to their absolute max, the FiiO will give you that extra punch. But in 90% of cases, the Activo provides more than enough power to get the job done. For those extra headphones, I put the A&K PA10 to work, an amazing device that complete the P1 in the best possible way.

In comparison to my old SE180, both device shared the same linear and analytical sound signature, with A&K usual acute rendering of both male and female vocals, but I found the P1 a little more accurate on the upper range, with a noticeably wider soundstage. This became especially apparent when paired with the Beyerdynamic DT-900 Pro X – an amazing headphone that blended perfectly with the player.

It’s definitely better and on my techno track list, the bass went much deeper, without ever impeding on the other frequencies range, instruments were perfectly defined, transients stay blazing fast and the longer you listen, the more you get accustomed to those uncanny moments where, out of nowhere, the voice seems to appear right in front of you.

Out of curiosity, I paired with my FiiO SP3, I began my listening with Suncircus from Vonnside – an amazing track, but oh so short – and if I was not blown away, I was still deeply impressed by how refined the new player sounded, even more considering the size of the speakers.

I did the same test with my KEF LS50 Wireless and compared to my SMSL DO400, my usual source for those speakers, the P1 was able to match some of the SMSL prowess, up to a limit – which was expected considering the wide size gap, but still! And, as anticipated, the Activo sounded more natural and musical, while the SMSL leaned towards a more neutral presentation.

It sounds a little more refined, with a wider soundstage, tamer mids/highs, and a slightly cleaner background – if that was ever necessary. Add to that the super sharp volume steps, – no other brand gives you so much finesse to fine-tune your volume, even if no gain settings are available – and, even with my super sensitive Onkyo CIEM, I could never hear ANY noise or interference. Combined with its super-low distortion, this creates the canvas for an incredibly immersive sonic experience, whether you chose streaming or local files

So yeah, to sum it up, it sounds as good as it looks, which means terrific!

Tonality

Highs: exquisite. Crisp and precise, the Activo presentation remains smooth and non-fatiguing, delivering a pristine render at every given volume. The Teraton design does seem to work and lends a natural and airy quality to the highs, ensuring that even the most delicate nuances are reproduced faithfully.

Good test track : Bernard’s Song – Veronique Sansson

Mids: massive soundstage, impressive definition. As for the highs, the mids has been given the same amount of care and voices are absolutely brilliant. This is especially true with big cans and hybrid IEM, who love its large power reserve, but even paired with classics like the Meze 99 Classics, the Activo delivered superb vocals, almost effortlessly.

Good test track:  Obama – Dombrance

Lows: good power, good lows. The P1 isn’t the most impressive player in that regard, but lows were still able to impress me more than one. Paired with the Audeze LCD-X or my UM Maestro, I could hear the rumble of the bass, even at (very) low volume level. The player really surprised me in a good way, and this is honestly one my favorite A&K in this regard now.

Good test track : The Return – Pylot

Noise and power

Noise: needless to say that the Activo P1 is absolutely dead silent in any conditions. Even when I used Spotify or connected my computer to the player in Bluetooth, I didn’t hear any hiss or hum. Great!

Power: power-wise, you’ll be able to drive most headphone of your catalog, albeit some very power hungry one. It’s powerful, but not too much and you always feel in control.

Conclusion

With the Activo P1, Astell & Dreamus return to their roots, delivering an impressively cohesive player that blends the renowned Korean sound expertise with some refreshing new innovations.

Sound-wise, the result is superb, and since I got mine, it’s become my go-to whenever I need a reliable DAP on the go, thanks to its build quality and lovely sound signature. And while the CA1000T was notoriously slow, the P1 doesn’t suffer from that issue, handling all of my usual streaming services smoothly and without any hiccups.

Add to that a sleek-looking design, solid battery life overall, and, last but not least, a very reasonable MSRP of just $429, and you have one of the best DAPs available today in this price range.

The best introduction into the high-end brand, without breaking the bank!

Summary

Pros:

• Excellent sound performances
• Very comprehensive layout thanks to the USB-C port
• Great build quality
• Superb UI (and snappy)

Cons:

• A little too light for power-hungry headphones

Page 1: About the brand, design, layout

Page 2: UI & Usage

Page 3: Specifications

Page 4: Sound performances