According to Astell & Kern, the latest audio player is the first in the world with DACs from two different manufacturers, which you can use to switch between them to adapt the sound to your wired headphones. The $ 1,799 A & Futura SE200 Contains DACs from AKM (AK4499EQ) and ESS (Dual ES9068AS), which have their own AMP circuits that are tailored to their individual sounds. After selecting a DAC, the sound can be further adjusted with a series of audio filters.
High-end audio devices typically contain high quality DACs. LG often distinguishes its phones by a Quad DAC system and a headphone jack for better sound. However, this is the first time that a company has included DACs from two different manufacturers so listeners can optimize their audio data.
As expected from a music player that costs $ 1,799, the SE200 supports almost any music file you can throw at it. Native 32-bit / 384 kHz and DSD256 files are played, and there is also MQA support so that high-resolution audio files that are encoded in format can be played or streamed – handy if you are a HiFi membership plan subscriber are from Tidal and want to stream his Master-quality music. There is 256 GB of onboard storage, a microSD card slot that can expand it by up to 1 TB, Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth AptX HD and a battery life of up to 14 hours.
Externally, the SE200 is controlled via its 5.0-inch 720p display, and there's a volume wheel that lights up in different colors to show details of the music being played, including the bit rate or the DAC currently in use. There is a USB-C port for charging, and you can also use the player as an external DAC for your Mac or Windows computer.
The player not only plays locally stored files, but is also compatible with a number of streaming services, including Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, Tidal, SoundCloud, Deezer and more. Additional services can be added by downloading and installing the appropriate Android APK.
$ 1,799 is a lot of money for a digital audio player, but on a DAC-per-dollar basis, the A & futura SE200 looks a little less obscene.
