After the new A&K CA1000T headphone amp, audiophile specialist Astell&Kern unveils its new entry-level model: the Astell&Kern A&norma SR35. It replaces the popular Astell&Kern A&norma SR25 MKII, to which it adds a quadruple 32-bit/384kHz DAC, DSD and MQA, as well as technologies borrowed from the high-end A&ultima and A&futura series. Its amplification is more powerful and accurate, as is the proprietary operating system, which has been refined to provide a more user-friendly and smoother experience.
Astell&Kern A&norma SR35: quadruple DAC
The new Astell&Kern A&norma SR35 DAP is inspired by the A&K SR25 MKII from which it keeps the Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC. This chip is now mounted in a quadruple DAC architecture to perform fully separated channel conversion, limit interaction and lower the noise. The result is increasingly accurate playback of Hi-Res streams up to 32-bit/384kHz resolution. Support for DSD files is also provided natively up to DSD256, as well as MQA playback.
Astell&Kern A&norma SR35: incredibly high power
The amplifier stage of the Astell&Kern A&norma SR35 is based on proprietary technologies that have been tried and tested in the high-end A&ultima (Astell&Kern A&ultima SP2000T and Astell&Kern A&ultima SP3000) and A&futura (Astell&Kern A&Futura SE180 and Astell&Kern A&futura SE200) DAP ranges. Without going into the technical details, the manufacturer announces that this model can deliver a very high output power while effectively eliminating noise. The numbers speak for themselves, as the A&K SR35 is capable of developing up to 6 Vrms and offers a signal-to-noise ratio of over 130 dB. This ensures a transparent and very detailed sound.
To take advantage of this, the Astell&Kern A&norma SR35 has an unbalanced 3.5mm mini-jack output and two balanced outputs: one in 4.4mm jack format and the other in 2.5mm mini-jack format. A wide range of connectors allows you to easily associate any hi-fi headphones or in-ear monitors. In addition, the Astell&Kern A&norma SR35 has an adjustable gain to match the output power to the characteristics of the associated system.
Astell&Kern A&norma SR35: new interface
At a time when Android DAPs are becoming the norm, the Korean manufacturer continues to rely on its in-house operating system. Often criticized for its poor user-friendliness, it has been completely overhauled to ensure a more intuitive and smooth use with the various apps, including those of streaming services such as Qobuz, Tidal and Spotify. In addition, the AK File Drop function has been made even more convenient, allowing music to be transferred wirelessly to the player from a computer, smartphone or FTP application.
Astell&Kern A&norma SR35: Bluetooth aptX HD and LDAC
The other functions of the Astell&Kern A&norma SR35 remain unchanged. It includes the aptX HD and LDAC compatible Bluetooth transmitter for listening with Bluetooth headphones or True Wireless earbuds. The battery is also as powerful as ever, with up to 20 hours of autonomy with the unbalanced output. Finally, the USB port is used for both charging the player and playing files from a computer.
Astell&Kern A&norma SR35: price & availability
The new Astell&Kern A&norma SR35 DAP is now available to pre-order on Son-Vidéo.com for €899. It will form Astell&Kern’s entry-level range, offering a more affordable alternative to the current Astell&Kern SA700. This new Astell&Kern A&norma SR35 player will be soon be reviewed on the blog.
