[Astell&Kern] SE180 Portable Music Player

A&futura SE180 is Astell&Kern's first DAC interchangeable DAP, created under the pioneering spirit of the A&futura lineup. The design of the SE180 resembles the traces of the wind left behind as natural and flowing lines represent an immersed listening experience of great tunes. With the SE180, we applied Next Generation AMP technology to push beyond the sound quality others feel is acceptable for Premium Hi-Fi Sound to produce the best sound possible. From the selection of OP-AMP parts, to circuit design, board layout and tuning, everything has been completely redesigned to produce the best sound. It is not an easy task to improve the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) while maintaining a high output.

Like the multi-DAC idea that was first introduced with the SE200, different DACs can be used in one DAP, and we wanted to do something different for the SE180. The introduction of Interchangeable All-in-One modules by capitalizing on our multi-DAC experience. This adds a new and fun experience for users. The biggest difference between the SE180 and other products that use interchangeable modules is that the SE180 uses a double-locking mechanism rather than screws to fasten the module to the body. The first locking structure attaches the module and the body. The second locking structure informs the user that the module has been securely fastened to the main body. The spring supported internal connectors of the main body allow reliable audio signal connection and are used to prevent connection failure in case of external shock to the player when on the go.

By applying different DAC/AMP configurations, adjusting tuning and outputs for each module, the user can choose the most suitable module for Premium Hi-Fi Sound. The default configuration module contains the ESS ES9038PRO, an 8-channel DAC mainly used for premium home audio equipment. This DAC provides a wider dynamic range and more refined details. The module supports 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm connections to allow for a greater variety of headphones/IEMs. By physically separating the main body from the All-in-One module, we completely block power and RF noise that may occur from the main body. This creates an independent structure that prevents noise from interfering with music playback.

TERATON ALPHA is AK's ultimate Sound Solution to produce audio playback that is close to the original sound through the audio output interface by use of effective power noise removal, efficient power management and amplification with minimal distortion. TERATON ALPHA features Astell&Kern's patented technologies, which are the result of tens of thousands of hours of continuous research and development to produce sound close to the original sound the artist and producer intended.

The newly introduced BT Sink function connects the SE180 to an external device via Bluetooth, similar to connecting a smartphone with a BT speaker. Music from an external device, such as a smartphone can now be played back in high-quality on the SE180 using the BT Sink function.

The SE180 also features a full HD screen for a higher quality display. To provide more convenient movement through the player user interface that is consistent with an Android smartphone experience, the SE180 features a new navigation bar, the first in an Astell&Kern player. Now you can easily navigate with a single touch and deliver music playback information from any screen.

SPECIFICATION:

Body Colour: Moon Silver
Body Material: Aluminum
Screen Display: 5” FHD 1920 x 1080 Touch Display
Supported Audio Formats:
WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, MQA, MQA Playback
CPU: Quad-Core
Input: USB Type-C input (for charging & PC & MAC)
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz)
Bluetooth: V5.0 (A2DP, AVRCP, Qualcomm® aptX™ HD, LDAC)
Dimensions:
3.03” (77mm)[W] x 5.09” (129.2mm)[H] x 0.78” (19.9mm)[D] (Body Only)
3.03"(77mm)[W] x 5.4"(137.2mm)[H] x 0.78"(19.9mm)[D] (Combined with a module)
Weight: 9.88oz (280g)
Reference Clock Jitter: 800 Femtoseconds
Built-in Memory: 256GB (NAND)
External Memory: microSD x1 (Max. 1TB)
Battery Capacity: 3,800mAh 3.8V Li-Polymer Battery
Charging Time:
About 5hours (Standard: 5V / 2A Charging), about 3hours (Fast : 9V / 1.67A Charging)
Supported OS: Windows 8, 10(32/64bit) Mac OS X 10.7 and up
Audio Performance (SEM1-ES9038Pro)
Sample Rate:
PCM: 8kHz ~ 384kHz (8/16/24/32bits per Sample)
DSD Native: DSD64(1bit 2.8MHz), Stereo / DSD128(1bit 5.6MHz), Stereo / DSD256(1bit 11.2MHz), Stereo
Output:
Unbalanced Out (3.5mm), Balanced Out (2.5mm, only 4-pole supported / 4.4mm, only 5-pole supported)
Output Level:
[Normal Gain] Unbalanced 2Vrms / Balanced 4Vrms (Condition No Load)
[High Gain] Unbalanced 3Vrms / Balanced 6Vrms (Condition No Load)
Digital-Analog Converter: ESS Technology ES9038Pro
Decoding: Support up to 32bit / 384kHz Bit-to-Bit playback
Weight: 3.53oz (100g)
Dimensions: 3.03"(77mm)[W] x 2.99"(76mm)[H] x 0.78"(19.9mm)[D]
Operating Temperature: 0℃ ~ + 40℃ (32℉~ 104℉)
Playback Time: about 10.5hours (FLAC, 16bit, 44.1kHz, Vol.50, LCD Off)
Frequency Response:
±0.04dB (Condition: 20Hz~20kHz) Unbalanced / ±0.04dB (Condition: 20Hz~20kHz) Balanced
±0.07dB (Condition: 20Hz~70kHz) Unbalanced / ±0.06dB (Condition: 20Hz~70kHz) Balanced
Signal-Noise Ratio:
[Normal Gain] 122dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / 126dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
[High Gain] 125dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / 129dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
Crosstalk:
[Normal Gain] -138dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / -145dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
[High Gain] -138dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / -147dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
THD+N:
[Normal Gain] 0.0005% @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / 0.0004% @ 1kHz, Balanced
[High Gain] 0.0007% @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / 0.0006% @ 1kHz, Balanced
IMD SMPTE:
0.0004%, 800Hz 10kHz (4:1), Unbalanced / 0.0004%, 800Hz 10kHz (4:1), Balanced
Output Impedance:
3.5mm (1ohm) / 2.5mm (1.5ohm) / 4.4mm (1.5ohm)