Astell & Kern – A & Futura SE100

Astell & Kern virtually invented the market for high-end portable music players. The Astell & Kern SE100 makes use of the ESS Sabre ES9038PRPro DAC, which has eight separate processing channels divided into four for the right and four for the left.

It supports PCM formats with bit depths ranging from 8kHz to 384kHz. It also supports DSD up to 11.2 MHz natively. The SE100 supports all of the latest Bluetooth V4.1 codecs, including A2DP, AVRCP, and aptX HD. 

The SE100’s internal storage capacity is limited to 128 GB, and the single micro SD card slot can accept 512 GB cards, bringing the total storage space to 640 GB.

Astell & Kern SE100 Design and Build Quality 

Astell&Kern has always been intrigued with their excellence in industrial design; in fact, the A&futura SE100 is one of the most beautiful DAPs on the market today.

The A&futura SE100 weighs 241g and measures 75.8 mm (W) x 132.7 mm (H) x 15.3 mm (D), making it 36.6 percent lighter than the A&ultima SP1000 despite having similar dimensions. 

The DAP features what some call flame design. An appealing design that combines soft concave shapes with sharp edges, with the volume knob on the right side, at the end of the side curves, allowing for easy operation from both the front and back of the device.

The power button is located at the top right of the DAP, along with the 3.5mm single-ended jack and 2.5mm balanced jack. Three buttons for playback functionality are located on the left side. 

A USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer, as well as a microSD card slot, are located at the bottom. The A&futura also has a 5′′ (720 x 1,280) LCD touchscreen and a glass backplate with a diamond pattern depicting the company’s “A” logo.

The A&futura SE100 is aesthetically pleasing, but it is not without flaws. The design, particularly its sharp edges, can cause discomfort and accidental damage during normal use if used without a case.

Fortunately, all of these can be mitigated with a case. Unfortunately, unlike the A&ultima line, the case is not included as a standard accessory with the A&futura SE100. Include the cost of a case in your budget for the A&futura SE100.

Astell & Kern SE100 Audio Quality

It should come as no surprise that the resolution and fidelity are excellent. Whether you’re bumping deep hip hop tracks drenched in samples, flowing classical soundscapes, or sugary pop excursions, the SE100 can handle it all.

The SE100 can appear almost too clinical in terms of rendering detail at times. This quality of sound will definitely raise your eyebrows and heartbeat, but fans of character or personality in their sound should look elsewhere.

The SE100 has a higher power output than A&K’s previous flagship model, the AK380, with a published spec of 123 dB signal to noise from its balanced outputs and up to 4.1 Vrms of potential output. When compared to the AK380, the SE100 has lower total harmonic distortion and noise figures.

The SE100 can precisely clock to 800 femtoseconds thanks to a voltage-controlled crystal oscillator. Luxury brands, such as Astell&Kern, are frequently accused of not providing good value, but the SE100’s performance provides a compelling counter-argument. It outperforms its previous flagship model while costing half the price.

Last Thought about Astell & Kern SE100

The Astell & Kern SE100 is a high-end item with impressive audio capabilities. It benefits higher resolution files as well as headphones that can benefit from its inherent sound quality.

It is a listening tool as well as a listening experience, with everything from the solid weight and arresting design to the precise and exacting level of fidelity that crystallizes in your ears.

This is a solid DAP for an audiophile looking for something a little more and who can afford the price of admission. Or, for those who want SP1000-like performance at a lower cost.

The Astell & Kern SE100 provides a luxurious and detailed listening experience that will complement any music collection. Those looking for a higher-resolution setup will appreciate the flexibility and outstanding fidelity that this DAP provides.

Astell & Kern SE100 Specifications:

• Model:  SE100
• Body Color:  Titan Silver
• Body Material:  Aluminum
• Display:  5 inch (720 x 1280) Touchscreen
• Supported Audio Formats:  WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF
• Sample Rate:  PCM: 8kHz ~ 384kHz (8/16/24/32 bits per Sample) / DSD Native: DSD64 (1 bit 11.2MHz); Stereo/DSD128 (1 bit 5.6MHZ); Stereo/DSD256 (1 bit 11.2MHz)
• Output Level:  Unbalance 2.0 Vrms (Condition No Load)
• CPU:  Octa-core
• DAC:  ESS SABRE ES9038PRO 8channel
• Decoding:  Support up to 32 bit/384kHz Bit to Bit Decoding
• Input:  USB 3.0 Type-C input (for charging & data transfer (PC & MAC))/Connection Mode:  MTP (Media Device)
• Outputs:  PHONES (3.5mm)/Optical Out (3.5mm)/Balanced Out (2.5mm, only 4-pole supported)
• Wi-Fi:  802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz)
• Bluetooth:  V4.1 (A2DP, AVRCP, aptX HD)