Sound, Elevated

With Astell&Kern's new digital audio player, next-level listening is finally at hand.

- Words: Robert Ross

THE CONCEPT OF a portable digital audio player (DAP) goes back to 1979, the beginning of the bits-and-bytes era of music recording. At the time, all such devices—like most digitally recorded music of the period—sounded awful, but the sheer luxury of on-the-go listening promised an intoxicating sonic adventure. Technology has advanced, and 46 years later, a few of these components are, well, sublime. Peripatetic audiophiles will be enamoured with Astell&Kern's SP3000M Copper Nickel Limited Edition (S$4,199), a top choice in the segment of pocket-sized players that enable the enjoyment of high-resolution music or media files anywhere.