Astell &Kern has updated its popular player to version SR25 MK II .
A&norma SR25 MK II adds support for 4.4mm, 2.5mm and 3.5mm headphones
Supports LDAC and aptX HD Bluetooth, 20 hours of continuous playback, 32-bit/384KHz PCM and DSD256 Native playback.
New features of the second generation player include ReplayGain, AK File Drop for wireless file transfer and Bluetooth transmit/receive
According to the brief description, the A&norma SR25 MKII has improved sound, added a 4.4 mm balanced jack, new wireless functions and a redesigned design.
The A&norma SR25 MKII continues Astell & Kern’s eclectic design with its angular, asymmetrical appearance, but has a clearer, more tactile volume wheel and comes in a darker silver color. Protection is provided by the case, available in three finishes (denim blue, orange and black), which protects against external impacts and scratches and also provides “superior grip.”
Another form of protection is provided by the SR25 MKII’s internal silver-plated shielding to eliminate electromagnetic interference during player operation. This reduces the effect of degrading sound quality.
The back of the Astell and Kern SR25 MK2
Sound quality has also improved, with Astell & Kern claiming the player is more detailed than its predecessor, with “natural, high-resolution sounds delivering clearly defined highs and lows” and a deeper, more rounded sound.
A balanced 4.4mm headphone jack joins the 2.5mm (balanced) and 3.5mm (unbalanced) outputs, allowing users to connect a wider range and variety of headphones. The benefits of connecting headphones via the 4.4mm balanced output include “improved dynamic range and bass response”, a wider soundstage, sharper imaging and finer details conveyed from the sound source.
The range of music formats supported by the SR25 MKII remains unchanged: LDAC and aptX-HD, as well as DSD256 and 32-bit/384KHz PCM resolution playback.
Another new feature comes in the form of Replay Gain, which “automatically and uniformly” adjusts the playback volume of audio sources up to 24-bit/192kHz, so that the volume remains the same regardless of the source.
Also new to this player are the File Drop function (first introduced on the A&futura SE180 player) to simplify wireless file transfer; and BT Sink, which connects the SR25 MKII to an external device via Bluetooth to enable playback on Astell&Kern.
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