The Future of Analogue Sound - SE300
A&futura from Astell&Kern is a product line that represents Astell&Kern’s ceaseless efforts for innovation. SE300, the fourth model in the A&futura range is a premium digital audio player that inherits this identity and expands the scope of sound with an entirely new implemented technology.
A&futura SE300 is equipped with an ultra-refined R-2R DAC, Class A/AB dual amps born with our proprietary TERATON ALPHA technology, and for the first time a self-developed FPGA optimized technology. With these unrivalled components, it offers the true sound philosophy and technology of Astell&Kern.
Immerse yourself into the true analogue sound that the SE300 produces with Class-A AMP and R-2R DAC technologies, for the first time in an Astell&Kern player.
Fully Discrete 24bit R-2R DAC
To ensure the A&futura SE300 audio player better reproduces analogue sounds, Astell&Kern set out to combine the DAC and AMP sections for the first time during the initial design phase.
The SE300 comes supplied with an R-2R DAC, instead of a Delta-Sigma DAC that is most commonly used in other audio players. R-2R DAC, also known as Ladder DAC, as it arranges resistors in a ladder form, and offers natural yet dynamic Hi-Fi sounds, but it is extremely technical and difficult to execute as it requires complex refined resistor units and hard to manage current controls.
However, despite these technical challenges, after several years of development and a lot of trial and error, Astell&Kern has managed to overcome this and create a new analogue sound. In the process, Astell&Kern has meticulously selected each and every one of the 96 ultra-precision resistors and finalized our R-2R DAC technology.
SE300 takes us one step closer to realizing analogue sound from a digital source and is the result of a long journey taken by Astell&Kern with uncompromising craftsmanship to find the ultimate sound solution.
Realization of 24-bit Decoding with R-2R DAC
The R-2R DAC within the SE300 arranges 48 pairs (23xR and 25x2R) of 96 ultra-precision resistors to create analogue signals, in turn realizing true Hi-Fi 24-bit decoding.
Ultra-precision resistor Design, the Key to Hi-Fi Sound
It is key to total the accurate current value with resistors that have the smallest error ranges in order to create Hi-Fi sound with an R-2R DAC.
To realize this, Astell&Kern inspected each specifically selected ultra-precision resistor of 0.01% error range to complete the design of SE300.
Ultra-precision TCR10 Specifications
To create Hi-Fi sound without distortions within such an extreme precision design, Astell&Kern analysed and preconceived any potential impacts that may
be caused by changes in temperature. The SE300 comes with special *TCR10 specifications to minimize the changes in the 0.01% resistor error range.
* TCR10: 10 ppm/℃ Low-Temperature Coefficient of resistor
Supporting Class A/AB Dual AMP Mode
The SE300 comes with a Dual AMP mode. Class A amplification that creates low distortions and natural sounds and a Class AB amplification that plays dynamic sounds with high efficiency so users can pick and choose from the two amps according to their listening preferences and genre of music that they are playing.
Experience the true sounds that only Astell&Kern can deliver with the SE300 that comes with an R-2R DAC and Class A/AB Dual AMPs born from Astell&Kern’s unique proprietary designs that reduces power consumption whilst enhancing output and removing noise.
- Class A AMP mode
Class A AMP is an analogue amp that offers the best linear output, amplifying signals without distortion or loss of signal and providing soft, warm, and natural sounds. The refined analogue signal created directly by the R-2R DAC, reproduces a sound closest to the original analogue audio through the organic and powerful Class A AMP.
- Class AB AMP Mode
Class AB AMP is an analogue amp that offers a powerful output with the added benefit of high efficiency.
This presents dynamic and crisp sounds with less harmonic distortion.
2-Step Gain Mode for the Perfect Hi-Fi Experience
For seamless use of sensitive IEMs and hard to drive headphones, a device must provide suitable output, respective of the connected device’s specification.
The SE300 supports a 2-step Gain Level mode to create the prefect match for a wide range of headphones and IEMs, maintaining an optimal sound output.
The two-step gain setting with "Normal" and "High Gain" modes can generate a high current output to create a powerful sound and excellent driver control.
With up to 6 Vrms from the balanced connections, driving high-impedance headphones has never been easier.
TERATON ALPHA, The Essence of A&K Audio Technologies
It would not have been possible to combine the exquisitely designed R-2R DAC with ultra-precision resistors and Class A AMP, which was considered impossible to miniaturize, without the innovative audio technology of TERATON ALPHA. SE300 is an innovative audio player that is applied with current and temperature control of TERATON ALPHA technology and an optimized FPGA design.
TERATON ALPHA, engineered through endless research, is Astell&Kern's unique technology that has been designed to produce audio playback that is as close to the original sound through effective power noise removal, efficient power management and unwavering amplification, and a fully converted audio output interface.
Circuit structures of R2R DAC and Dual A/AB AMP that are applied for the first time in the SE300 is completed with the sound solution of TERATON ALPHA, creating the purest form of sounds and music.
Supporting Optimized FPGA OS / NOS Modes
The SE300 comes with Astell&Kern’s exclusively developed FPGA and provides optimized OS / NOS modes.
The SE300 uses an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) that we self developed for optimized design instead of using common off the shelf commercial semiconductor chipsets, relaying digital signals to the R-2R DAC through its algorithm. Astell&Kern’s FPGA, developed specifically for the SE300, supports the most ideal OS (Over Sampling) / NOS (Non-Over Sampling).
Enjoy the sound styles reproduced by NOS and OS modes, meticulously designed for the SE300's hardware and programs.
NOS (Non-Over Sampling) Mode
In NOS mode, the player reproduces the pure original sound without any digital processing, allowing users to enjoy the true unprocessed
sounds decoded by the R-2R DAC itself.
OS (Over Sampling) Mode
OS mode offers partial digital processing that expands the bandwidth of the original signal to offer impressive details, with an expansive
sense of space creating crisp and clear sounds.
New Experience, New User Interface
The SE300 comes with a redesigned Crimson-themed UI/UX transforming into a "true music player" for users to deeply connect with their music listening experience.
The new UI/UX is designed so that users can quickly browse music categories and re-discover songs within their music library.
We also added an easy album art search function so that users can re-discover the joy of viewing and interacting with music album art whilst listening to their music.
The crimson theme focuses on edge, simplicity, and dark mode keywords. The color theme of black with red highlights lowers visual fatigue and offers intuitive user experiences, and many other improvements were made to the device’s user-friendliness of app service, artist view, album sorting, and the album art search function.
Immerse yourself in music with the new UI/UX.
Audio Performance
- Frequency Response ±0.038dB (Condition : 20Hz~20kHz) Unbalanced │Balanced
- ±0.45dB (Condition : 20Hz~70kHz) Unbalanced │Balanced
- S/N 114dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ 115dB @ 1kHz, Balanced (Normal Gain)
- 115dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ 115dB @ 1kHz, Balanced (High Gain)
- Crosstalk -135dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ -144dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
- THD+N 0.006% @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ 0.006% @ 1kHz, Balanced
- IMD SMPTE 0.005% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Unbalanced │Balanced
- Output Impedance Unbalanced Out 3.5mm (1.3ohm) │ Balanced Out 2.5mm (1.3ohm), 4.4mm(1.3ohm)
