Today we look at the Astell&Kern SP3000T reference portable player. The SP3000T is selling for $3,699 USD..

Disclaimer: The sample of the AK SP3000T DAP was loaned to us by Astell&Kern directly. After the review the SP3000T will be returned Astell & Kern.

Astell & Kern

I don’t think Astell&Kern need a lengthy introduction at this point anymore, since they have been around for over ten years now. Astell&Kern has completely reshaped the portable hifi market since their introduction of the AK100 DAP back in 2014. Since then, AK has become synonymous of being one of the most luxurious and innovative portable audio player brands in the world.

Here at Headfonia we have reviewed many of their products in the past. Including their TOTL DAPs SP3000, SP2000, SP1000 as well as their more entry-level focused DAPs like the SR35. Many of their DAPs have also won our Best Product of the Year awards. So they are definitely worth checking out, if you’re looking for the best of the best.

Astell&Kern produces a wide range of different products as well. Such as headphones or IEMs together with established brands like Empire Ears, Vision Ears or Beyerdynamic. Over the course of the past years AK has released many different products, like the AURA, Odyssey, Pathfinder or today’s review of honor – the NOVUS.

In this article we are looking at the SP3000T version of AK’s reference portable player. As it shares a lot of things we already discussed in the SP3000 review, we won’t go into full detail on what’s already known and we’ll focus on what is new. We do recommend reading up on the Award Winning SP3000 first, you can do so here:

SP3000T

With the SP3000T, Astell&Kern’s goal was to surpass the design and sound of their previous product, the AK SP3000. This by crafting an audio player that truly captures the emotion and resonance of music.

A portable audio player that defies convention, offering a unique fusion of analog and digital excellence.

The SP3000T is part of the A&ultima series and it is Astell’s top of the line product and it is selling for $2,999 USD and €3.599 Euro. A high-end price for a true high-end portable player.

Of course the SP3000T has a dedicated website, and you can find that here. The SP3000T is available through one of AK’s dealers such as Headphone.shop.

The SP3000T’s most important features are the following:

• Dual RAYTHEON JAN6418 MIL-SPEC Vintage Vacuum Tubes – measures and pairs each JAN6418
• TRIPLE AMP SYSTEM which allows listeners to select the right tones for their music
• Three levels of voltage with Tube Current option
• Stainless steel with 99.9% pure silver plating
• Separate digital and analog signal processing (AK4191EQ x2 / AK4499EX x2)
• VU Meters
• High-performance Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU

Of course the biggest feature here is the presence of vacuum tubes, for which Astell&Kern did a lot of work on minimizing the microphonic noise. AK uses a matched set of RAYTHEON JAN6418 miniature vacuum tubes, which are very popular in portable audio designs nowadays. This tube is designed to meet military specifications and traditionally was used in military communication equipment. It quickly garnered recognition for its distinctively warm and soft sound, leading to its integration into regular audio devices.

The SP3000T offers three distinct modes to cater to your audio preferences: Tube, Solid State and Hybrid. Together with the Tube and Hybrid mode, there also are three tube current settings (internal plate voltage control system) which let you tune your sound by affecting the amplification rate. In Hybrid mode you get 5 additional settings.

Another way to tune your sound is by selecting various DAC filters provided by the DAC manufacturer. You can design your own sound with no less than 6 different DAC filters. Then there also is an Equalizer available if you want to tweak your sound even further, and there’s cross feed functions available as well (I never use the EQ or CF).

The SP3000T marks another milestone for Astell&Kern, as it is their first device to feature a VU Meter GUI. AK states it elevates the listening experience by providing a visual representation of sound levels as you indulge in your favorite music.

AS before the SP3000T allows you to use multiple streaming services as well as AK Connect/Network Play. Wireless BT wise the SP3000T features both LDAC and Aptx, though this has never been AK’s strongest feature.

The internal memory size is 256GB [NAND] and the player lets you use a single external microSD (Max 1.5TB). That’s a lot of memory on top of the streaming capability.

The full specs can of course be found on the SP3000T’s dedicated webpage we linked on top.

Design & lay-out

I’ve always been a big fan of AK’s design philosophy with the sharp edges, straight lines and sexy curves. The volume wheel is a piece of art on its own. Or how Astell&Kern describes it: Inside the A&ultima’s beautiful volume wheel are LED lights shaped like a majestic musical sound swirling through the unit.

You can check the bit depth information of the currently playing song or view the set AMP mode through the LED light that spreads intensely from the inside of the SP3000T (16bit red, 24 green, 32 blue, DSD Magenta).

All of the SP3000T’s audio connections are on the top of the unit and the unit offers a 3.5mm single-ended output, a 4.4mm balanced input and 2.5mm balanced output. The power button in this design is on the top left side of the player, which means the volume control on the right only is a volume control. Well, on top of being the bit depth and AMP mode indicator.

On the bottom of the unit you only have a USB-C port. On the left side you can find four regular control buttons (which aren’t always the easiest to fins when using the case). Actually besides the play/pause, next and previous controls, the top button offers you a short cut to the amp section where you can solid the output type and set the tube current. Very handy!

On the back of the unit, you while in vacuum tube mode or hybrid mode, will see the vacuum tubes on the back of the SP3000T emit light. This enhances the device’s subtle and stylish analog feel. The orange glows brightest in tube mode of course. Note that the Tubes do not light up when the device is in OP AMP (solid state) Mode.

All-in-all the SP3000T’s design is stunning and the lay-out is practical and visually pleasing.

Box, Accessories & Price

As stated before, AK’s top player doesn’t come cheap but in exchange you an impressive packaging and a gorgeous wooden box. To me AK always delivers here and it’s one of the best brands when it comes to packaging and presentation.

On the inside of the box we have:

• 1x Astell&Kern A&ultima SP3000T player
• 1x High-End Shrunken Calfskin Case
• 1x USB-C to USB-C cable (1 metre)
• 3x screen protectors
• 1x Quick start guide

The case that comes with the SP3000T is fashioned from exquisite leather crafted by the Perlinger tannery in Germany. Renowned for its unparalleled quality, Perlinger’s shrunken calf is regarded as the finest in the industry, making it highly sought after by prestigious luxury brands. I have to say that this case is by far the prettiest and most luxurious one I have had the pleasure to work with. An absolute stunner.

The article continues on the second page. Click here or use the jumps below.

Page 1: Astell&Kern, SP3000T, Design/Lay-out, Box/Accessories/Price

Page 2: Firmware/Usability/User Interface, Sound Pt. 1, Sound Pt. 2, Sound General

Page 3: Sound Synergy, Vs SP3000T, Synergy, End Words, Conclusion