Astell&Kern A&Ultima SP2000T, Portable Tube Amplifier: High-Resolution Digital Audio Player DAP (SP 2000T)

SP2000T Copper Nickel - Limited Edition is now available for a limited run only

A&K's SP2000T is the ingenious new solution to finding YOUR ideal sound at home and one the go. SP2000T combines the OP AMP confirugation of the SP2000, the culmination of Astell&Kern's finest audio engineering technology, and adds a nostalgic vaccum tube amp for a vintage feel and sound.

Astell&Kern A&ultima SP2000T new audio design and feature innovations include:

• Triple Amp System takes portable music listening to a new acoustic level.

• Vacuum tube amplifier compatible with 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm output jacks.

• Equipped with an ESS ES9068AS QUAD-DAC for balanced and ultra-detailed sound.

• New TERATON ALPHA Sound Solution technology.

• Replay Gain function uniformly adjusts volume playback from sound sources up to 24-bit/192 kHz.

• Dual-Band Wi-Fi Support for improved wireless connection.

• Internal mechanical design to minimise noise.

NEXT GENERATION AMPLIFIER TECHNOLOGY

Boasting the most advanced amp technology of any portable player, SP2000T owners can toggle between three-amp modes to find the optimal sound to suit the music they are listening to. Based on the set-up from the original SP2000, the OP-AMP configuration offers ultra-clarity and a dynamic playback. Switch to the TUBE AMP mode and the uniquely warm and musical audio associated with vacuum tube amplifiers will be revealed.

To realise the sonic flavour of a vacuum tube amp, the SP2000T is equipped with the portable-friendly dual-triode KORG Nutube. Featuring an anode grid filament structure that operates the same as a triode vacuum tube, this smaller component, consumes far less power, yet delivers the same audio with rich overtones. The Nutube also offers a reliable continuous playback time of approximately 30,000 hours with support for the player’s onboard 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm headphone output jacks.

BEST OF BOTH AMP WORLDS

The culmination of Astell&Kern’s rich amp design heritage and expertise, the new innovative HYBRID MODE brings together the distinctive sonic DNA of the detailed OP-AMP and expressive TUBE AMP modes, while providing five options with different mix ratios of each amp’s sound characteristics to best serve the music being played.

SPECIAL INTERNAL DESIGN

To overcome internal microphonic resonances generated by the vacuum tubes that can seriously impact sound quality, Astell&Kern’s audio engineers painstakingly designed a clever modular structure physically separate from the PCB (Printed Circuit Board). Firstly, the vacuum tubes are fixed with flexible silicone covers to minimize any mechanical vibration, while the design uses magnetic forces to float the amp in the air to reduce internal noise.

Further steps are taken to eliminate electromagnetic interference caused when internal components are in operation by applying highly conductive, hyper-pure silver plating on the existing shield cans for extra defence against these sound performance-effecting disturbances.