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Astell&Kern, the Korean manufacturer of high-end and slightly avantgarde Digital Audio Players (DAPs) has unveiled the second model in the company’s A&norma range of portable high-resolution audio players. The latest addition to the lineup is the A&norma SR25.

It’s fair to say that the styling of the A&norma line of portable audio players is somewhat eccentric and slightly quirky in design but there’s nothing wrong with the specifications. These are DAPs aimed at audiophiles who want to take their music with them and are unwilling to compromise on sound. Designed to play music in high-resolution, this high-end, and luxurious design can reproduce sound just as it was originally conceived by the recording artist, producer, and engineer. The SR25 is intended to be more affordable than Astell&Kern’s premium players, but still with a sound quality that can knock spots off any smartphone.

The SR25 is an upgrade of the award-winning A&norma SR15 player and supports native playback download lagu of DSD256 and 32-bit/384KHz PCM high-resolution audio files. Inside the SR25 are two Cirrus Logic 43198 MasterClass digital-to-audio converters (DACs) in dual-mono configuration, just like the SR15. However, the SR25 has some extra features such as a faster Quad-core CPU and newly designed circuitry that the company claims will improve sound quality.

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Circuit board form the Astell&Kern A&norma SR25

The new Astell&Kern A&norma SR25 features two Cirrus Logic 43198 MasterClass digital-to-audio ... [+] ASTELL&KERN

Onboard storage for music files is a reasonable 64GB and there’s a MicroSD card slot that can take up to 1GB of music files, so there’s not much chance of running out of storage space. The Astell&Kern system also allows for the installation of music streaming services like Tidal and Qobuz. At just 6.27 oz or 128 g, the SR25 is light enough and small enough to carry around in a bag or jacket without feeling too bulky.

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In a first for Astell&Kern, the SR25 supports the ultra-high-quality LDAC Bluetooth audio codec which enables users to wirelessly stream 24-bit hi-res audio to compatible speakers, headphones, or in-ear monitors. It also supports playback of MQA files for maximum storage efficiency. The SR25 can play up to 20 hours of continuous music before needing a recharge. This is double the playback time of the SR15 and longer than any other player in the Astell&Kern catalog.

The SR25’s has a unique design that tries to offer usability as well as a slightly quirky aesthetic with its offset screen and sharp lines. The body of the unit is wrought from aluminum and features an ultra-precision volume wheel machined with a vibration-free process that’s used in making luxury watches. The aluminum body is designed to suppress noise and deliver excellent sound quality, while the thin-body enables the user to hold and operate the 3.6-inch touchscreen display easily with one hand.

Front and back view of two Astell&Kern A&norma SR25 digital audio players

A 3.6-inch (720 x 1,280) Touch Display display on the Astell&Kern A&norma SR25 displays album art ... [+] HAKSHIN YOON

Pricing and availability: The Astell&Kern A&norma SR25 will be available from May 2020 and is priced at $699 / £649.