Astell & Kern SR35 Review

Comparison

In the past months and years I have used mainly my Lotoo PAW Gold Touch and PAW 6000 as well as my Sony WM-1A and AK120ii. But the latter two are not with me anymore, hence I can’t compare them to the SR35.

Here we will briefly go over how the Astell & Kern compares to the Lotoo PAW 6000, which is more expensive and doesn’t bring the same convenience features of the SR35. It’s a pure audio player vs. an every-day carrier.

Lotoo – PAW 6000

I have used the AK SR35 as my primary DAP for the almost all the time since I got it. Going back to the Lotoo PAW 6000 showed me that there was a significant step between the two.

The Lotoo comes out as the superior DAP in pure sound quality to me. It has better definition throughout the entire frequency range. Delivers a more dynamic bass with better pace and rhythm. The PAW 6000 just sounds more alive and energetic to me. It might be less smooth and less warm than the SR35, but it comes with higher values of transparency, resolution and creates a bigger stage with better imaging sharpness and separation.

The Lotoo just sounds bigger, grander and more grabbing to me. It gets my attention when I’m listening.

Where the AK is miles apart from the Lotoo is convenience. It’s a lot more pocketable, it’s lighter, smaller and gives you the option to stream music with Tidal, Spotify or other music streaming apps. The Lotoo is not able to handle streaming with its custom non-Android firmware. The SR35 fully delivers on that front to me and has shown that for this reason alone it’s an excellent choice as an EDC.

Conclusion

I have used the AK SR35 for the better part of four months now, and can firmly say, that it’s a nice sounding product. The point where it has convinced me the most though is comfort. Not only is its form just perfect for a portable audio player, but it also let me dive deep into the streaming rabbit-hole. Never was I a fan of it, but the convenience it brought with the SR35 has just been such a pleasure for me, that I am now looking for more.

The A&norma SR35 is a warmer and smoother sounding DAP with a focus on emotional engagement, where it wants to build a connection between you, your music and your gear. To me the SR35 is not a DAP for critical listening, where you’re going after the tiniest of details and become in awe of the performance. With the SR35 you’ll be in touch with the albums you’re listening to and if you like a soft and smooth sound, the SR35 should definitely be on your list.

Pro’s:

• Convenience
• Form-Factor and weight
• Streaming
• Smooth sound
• Battery life

Con’s:

• Missing resolution
• No case/protection included