Astell&Kern releases limited edition of its flagship music player

Astell&Kern has launched a new limited edition of its flagship music player, the SP3000M.

This Copper Nickel edition replaces the black finish aluminium of the standard SP3000M with a brighter metal alloy.

“Commonly used in the crafting of wind instruments for its rich tonal resonance, [copper nickel] brings profound depth to the sound,” Astell&Kern claims of the new copper nickel shell.

At its heart, though, you’ll find all the same top tier components as the standard (and already very special) SP3000M, which was released in November 2024.

For demanding listeners

It has four AKM AK4499EX DAC chips and two AK4191EQ equalisation chips. The Astell & Kern SP3000M also has power comparable with that of a modern smartphone. It uses the Snapdragon 6125 CPU, with 8GB RAM, and has a 4.1-inch 720p screen.

These players come with 256GB storage, but you can also use a microSD card, with capacities of up to 1.5TB supported.

Unlike the average phone of today, the Astell & Kern SP3000M has classic cabled connections as well as Bluetooth, and not just a 3.5mm port.

There’s also a 4.4mm balanced output. This is a player made for the most demanding of listeners, but is also super-portable. It weighs 237g, and is just 11.9cm long.

You do have to pay a bit more for the Copper Nickel edition, though. Where a standard aluminium Astell&Kern SP3000M costs £2,299, this limited finish is £2,699. It’s available to order now.

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