Not content with launching its first digital audio player to use three DACs in 2020, high-end audio brand Astell & Kern will be going one better with its latest release, the A&ultima SP2000T, the company's first quad-DAC player.
Unlike last years SE200, which gave listeners a choice of DACs from different manufacturers, the SP2000T will feature four of the same ESS ES9068AS DAC chips to convert digital file data into analogue audio. The chips will have built-in MQA 8x rendering, supporting up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM, 96k SPDIF and DSD1024 files.
The SP2000T still promises to offer sonic versatility, though. Listeners will have the option of plugging their headphones into the 2.5mm, 3.5mm or 4.4mm ports and then choosing between three amp types to complement the music they're listening to. The SP2000T's Triple Amp System offers a tube amp mode, a normal op-amp setting or a hybrid amp that uses both the tube and op-amps. All three modes will be available across the three headphone outputs.
Rounding out the new features is Replay Gain, which allows the player to automatically adjust the volume between tracks and maintain a consistent playback level.
The full technical specification will be available at the end of this month but we know the SP2000T will support 2.4/5GHz wi-fi and Bluetooth using LDAC and aptX-HD codecs as well as sporting a 1920x1080 full HD touch screen.
The A&ultima SP2000T digital music player is expected to launch in October of this year.
MORE
Read all of our Astell & Kern reviews
Best portable MP3 players 2021: from budget to hi-res music players
Best audiophile headphones 2021: ultimate high-end headphones
