Essayer OR - Gratuit
Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000
What Hi-Fi UK
|January 2024
EXPENSIVE, YES. BUT YOU KNOW YOU WANT THEM
-

The pile of What Hi-Fi? Awards Astell & Kern has won since its foundation in 2013 is enough to prove the company’s ability. A&K has stuck to the ‘reassuringly expensive’ path that has served it well. Even its current entry-level offering, the excellent A&norma SR35, which retails for £799, falls into the premium category by most judgements.
Good as the company’s players have been, we have always wondered what would happen if its engineers were tasked with producing a true cost-no-object offering. The arrival of the Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000 answers that question.
This player may be around the size of a large box of matches but it weighs in at just short of half a kilogram. While it is small enough to fit into a pocket, the SP3000 won’t feel comfortable there, in part due to the sharp-edged angular casework. It is made of highly polished 904L stainless steel, known for being durable and resistant to corrosion – so much so it is used by Rolex. There are two finishes, black or silver, while the supplied ALRAN leather case helps protect against scratches.
The SP3000’s touchscreen is a responsive and relatively crisp 5.46in LCD display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920.
The physical control count is minimal, with three buttons on the side handling standard play/pause/skip and scan, leaving the crown-like volume dial to double as an on/off switch. There are three outputs on the top: a 3.5mm that also serves as an optical output, a 4.4mm balanced and a 2.5mm balanced. It is clear that A&K is trying to cover all bases. The unit is charged via a USB-C socket on the base, which also acts as the input when you want to download files into the player.
APPEALING FULLNESS
Cette histoire est tirée de l'édition January 2024 de What Hi-Fi UK.
Abonnez-vous à Magzter GOLD pour accéder à des milliers d'histoires premium sélectionnées et à plus de 9 000 magazines et journaux.
Déjà abonné ? Se connecter
PLUS D'HISTOIRES DE What Hi-Fi UK
What Hi-Fi UK
Samsung The Premiere 5
A compact ultra-short-throw projector that isn't as showstopping as its name suggests
3 mins
December 2025

What Hi-Fi UK
UNITY, NOT UNIFORMITY
Why Bowers & Wilkins' new owners won't be tinkering with the brand's sound
4 mins
December 2025

What Hi-Fi UK
Neat Mystique Classic
Small towers that go big on fun
4 mins
December 2025

What Hi-Fi UK
Fell Audio Fell Amp
Ambitious, keenly priced and well-featured – but does it sound good?
4 mins
December 2025

What Hi-Fi UK
Fyne Audio F502S
Fyne strikes gold once again
5 mins
December 2025
What Hi-Fi UK
PMC Prodigy 5
PMC's slimline floorstanders deliver a sonic masterclass
5 mins
December 2025

What Hi-Fi UK
TCL 98C7K
A huge, brilliant and surprisingly affordable slice of home cinema heaven
10 mins
December 2025

What Hi-Fi UK
Bose SoundLink Plus
Light on features, big on sound
3 mins
December 2025
What Hi-Fi UK
Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro X
Insightful, balanced and comfortable open-backs
5 mins
December 2025

What Hi-Fi UK
Monitor Audio Bronze 50 7G
Fighting spirit from attractive standmounts
5 mins
December 2025
Translate
Change font size