Astell&Kern ACRO CA1000
“Powerful Sound Anywhere”. This is the motto of the exclusive portable headphone amplifier with DAC that Astekll&Kern just launched the market: the ACRO CA1000. With an industrial design inspired by that of the vehicle recently used in the exploration of Mars, but reinterpreted through the brand identity of the prestigious South Korean firm, the ACRO CA1000 immediately attracts attention for its aluminum body and wheels with high-precision computer-assisted machining, as well as for the delicacy of its finishes. On the other hand, the condition of portable amplifier The ACRO CA1000 is highlighted by a curvilinear surface and a design of the side panels that facilitates its handling, to which must be added a touch screen whose inclination can be optimally adjusted depending on the position of the device.
Regarding its conception, the ACRO CA1000 is a headphone amplifier that combines the functions and portability of a high performance amplifier with advanced signal processing electronics, which is based on the search for the highest possible sound quality to establish a new standard of excellence and unprecedented functionalities in the field of headphone amplifiers. The first of the relevant technological elements of the ACRO CA1000 is a amplification circuitry with 4 gain levels and a maximum output of 15 Vrms (Super option in balanced mode) that allows you to comfortably attack practically all headphones available on the market, while the presence of multiple digital inputs and outputs (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 compatibility included) plus a analog input They facilitate compatibility with other audio components.
As always at Astell&Kern, the quality of the key elements has been taken very special care, highlighting the use of four D/A converters ES9068AS of the Californian firm ESS Technology to achieve a exceptionally detailed and balanced sound with audio files encoded in PCM up to 32-bit/384 kHz, DSD up to DSD512 and MQA. But the key to the fabulous musicality of the new Astell&Kern lies in an exclusivity that surpasses anything seen in portable audio: the TERATON ALPHAmaximum expression of the technological know-how of the South Korean firm and which concentrates a series of solutions in power, amplification and audio interface exclusive to the brand, aimed at maximize sound quality of the digital section.
The ACRO CA1000 also has such innovative features as the Crossfeed functionwhich allows you to obtain a more natural acoustic experience with headphones, and the exclusive ReplayGain, which automatically adjusts the volume levels of different musical themes so that there are no differences between them that are potentially annoying for listening. Finally, let us point out that the new Astell&Kern headphone amplifier includes a high capacity internal battery with fast charging via USB-PD 2.0 that provides a maximum autonomy of 10 hours, while being compatible with the Exclusive BT Sink function from Astell&Kern to facilitate the connection of an external device via Bluetooth.
