[JasonNYC]

Astell&Kern will feature three new products at High End Munich 2024, including the previously announced SP3000T Digital Audio Player with vacuum tube amp and NOVUS, the second In-Ear Monitor Collaboration with Empire Ears.

Astell & Kern‘s New Brand Launch
ACTIVO, a new audio brand launching from Astell&Kern, will debut the ACTIVO P1 digital audio player.

We will exhibit these three products, along with current product lineup in booth H1, C03 at High End Munich 2024, May 9 – 12, 2024.

Official information below...

Three New Products To Be Featured By Astell&Kern At High End Munich 2024

A&ultima SP3000T, the latest Digital Audio Player with Vacuum Tube Amp; NOVUS, the Second In-Ear Monitor Collaboration with Manufacturer Empire Ears and ACTIVO P1 Digital Audio Player Highlight the Exhibit Booth

​

Astell&Kern, a global leader in portable high-resolution audio players and accessories, will feature new products at High End Munich 2024, including the previously announced SP3000T Digital Audio Player with vacuum tube amp and NOVUS, the second In-Ear Monitor Collaboration with Empire Ears.

ACTIVO, a new audio brand launching from Astell&Kern, will debut the ACTIVO P1 digital audio player.

Astell&Kern will exhibit these three products, along with their current product lineup in booth H1, C03 at High End Munich 2024, May 9 – 12, 2024.

A&ultima SP3000T

Expanding on the extremely popular SP3000, Astell&Kern combines the best of our current flagship player with the warm sound of tube amplification. The SP3000T features Astell&Kern’s Triple Amp System, first debuted in 2021 with the A&ultima SP2000T, which allows users customize their sound profile using tube amplification, a digital op-amp, or hybrid combination of both tube and op-amps. All three modes are available when using the 2.5mm, 3.5mm or 4.4mm outputs.

The SP3000T features Dual RAYTHEON JAN6418 MIL-SPEC Vintage Vacuum Tubes. Tube Amp Mode provides a uniquely warm and soothing tone, typically seen with vintage tube amplifiers. While in tube mode, users can adjust the current flow to the tubes, allowing nuanced changes in the sound profile.

Like the A&ultima SP3000, the SP3000T uses Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) latest flagship DAC, the AKM AK4499EX and the AK4191EQ, a separate digital delta-sigma modulator, to process the analog and digital signals separately. By applying this unique design where digital and analog signal processing is physically separated, it is possible to experience an incredible level of sound that has never been experienced before.

The A&ultima SP3000T is equipped with a Snapdragon 6125 Octa-core processor and 8GB of DDR4 memory, which is twice the amount of RAM commonly used in DAPs. Along with the current Astell&Kern 4th generation, Crimson user interface, the player features a more powerful system that is stable with fast and fluid movement.

A Stainless Steel body, with 99.9% pure silver plating, gives the SP3000T a classic look that fully complements the vintage tube amp used in the player.

The A&ultima SP3000T will be available in May 2024 at authorized Astell&Kern dealers worldwide for $2,999.

NOVUS In-Ear Monitor

NOVUS becomes the second Astell&Kern collaboration with IEM manufacturer Empire Ears. Astell&Kern is always challenging the possibilities of infinite sound and striving for the purest sound imaginable. Empire Ears is an uncompromising and prestigious manufacturer of IEMs that combines innovative design with the latest technology. The two legacies are proof that attention to detail and visionary innovation conceive magnificent design. Together, Astell&Kern and Empire Ears first collaborated to create Odyssey, and now NOVUS.

Each NOVUS earbud includes a 13 Driver, Quadbrid, Dual Conduction design with dual W9+ Drivers that produce legendary, unparalleled bass reproduction, five Balanced Armature (BA) Drivers featuring one Sonion driver and Quad Proprietary NOVA Drivers by Knowles, Quad Electrostatic Drivers by Sonion and dual Bone Conductors by Sonion.

NOVUS features a 6061-T6 aluminum shell finished in Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) with 24K Wet Gold-Plated faceplates and sapphire glass.

A custom-made four-wire hybrid copper, gold and silver cable with 23.7AWG Litz Type 4S cable structure reinforced with black macro-molecular fiber and terminated in 4.4mm balanced jack is included.

NOVUS will be a limited edition, produced by Empire Ears under the Astell&Kern brand name and will be for sale exclusively at authorized Astell&Kern dealers worldwide for $4,999. Shipping is expected in June 2024.

ACTIVO P1 Digital Audio Player

ACTIVO is a new audio brand being launched by Astell&Kern and focuses on promoting an active lifestyle, with music as the companion on your journey. With ACTIVO, music isn't just a background; it's the force that propels your life forward.

The ACTIVO P1 features premium sound playback of a wide variety of music formats, including high resolution FLAC and DSD and is tuned by the high-resolution audio experts at Astell&Kern. The compact, one-handed design of the P1 allows users to have a lossless music experience while working out at the gym, running, walking around the neighborhood, or commuting. With an octa-core processor, the P1 provides a smooth, fluid user interface with up to 20 hours of continuous music playback.

Dual-band Wi-Fi and support for the most popular music streaming apps allows users to easily stream their favorite music. With internal memory and microSD card support, you can store music you own or download tracks from streaming services to listen to in offline mode.

The ACTIVO P1 is expected to ship in July 2024. Pricing and retailer availability will be announced closer to the launch date.

 

[rlw6534]

I thought Activo already existed with the CT10 and CT15 models.

 

[MichRT]

Is this going to have the same Nexell/Exynos molasses chip as the SR15 and ACTIVO C10/15?

 

[RONJA MESCO]

I thought Activo already existed with the CT10 and CT15 models.

Activo already exists? How'd I miss that?

 

[rlw6534]

Activo already exists? How'd I miss that?

The old web site is still there:

https://www.activostyle.com

And the thread here:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/any-love-for-the-activo-ct10.883834/#post-14351084

 

[MichRT]

ACTIVO C10 launched in 2019 or so for $300 US. Given Hiby has the M300 at $200 and the R4 at $250 (both with modern chipsets and an actually usable Android OS) It’ll be interesting to see what A&K brings to the table.

I fight my Kann Alpha every day. There’s a few pieces I like about it, but goodness it would be nice to finally have an A&K device worth recommending to…. Anyone lol

 

[Mbabrete]

So the brand "activo" actually relaunch under a&k ?

ACTIVO C10 launched in 2019 or so for $300 US. Given Hiby has the M300 at $200 and the R4 at $250 (both with modern chipsets and an actually usable Android OS) It’ll be interesting to see what A&K brings to the table.

I fight my Kann Alpha every day. There’s a few pieces I like about it, but goodness it would be nice to finally have an A&K device worth recommending to…. Anyone lol

Actually launch at winter end 2017 in japan, but not yet subsidiary under A&K

 

[henrywil]

So the brand "activo" actually relaunch under a&k ?

Actually launch at winter end 2017 in japan, but not yet subsidiary under A&K

It didn't mentioned then, but still Activo CT10 as their first product used A&K modular solution called teraton with the same DAC as AK70 but with SE only output and different sound tuning

 

[JasonNYC]

I thought Activo already existed with the CT10 and CT15 models.

The ACTIVO CT10 was a collaboration between the music streaming service groovers Japan and IRIVER. It was only available for purchase in Japan and in limited quantities in the US. For the US market, the CT10 was supposed to be sold exclusively at a big box retailer who was looking to offer hi-res audio devices in store, but they decided not to last minute. As the CT10 was already in production, the units that were already produced for the US market were sold direct via the ACTIVO website and Amazon. The CT15 was a collaboration with one of the Chinese music services and only available in China.

ACTIVO is officially launching worldwide under Astell&Kern ownership. Technically, it is more a relaunch as a separate brand instead of a collaborative brand being sold exclusively with by the partner the collaboration is with.

 

[rlw6534]

The ACTIVO CT10 was a collaboration between the music streaming service groovers Japan and IRIVER. It was only available for purchase in Japan and in limited quantities in the US. For the US market, the CT10 was supposed to be sold exclusively at a big box retailer who was looking to offer hi-res audio devices in store, but they decided not to last minute. As the CT10 was already in production, the units that were already produced for the US market were sold direct via the ACTIVO website and Amazon. The CT15 was a collaboration with one of the Chinese music services and only available in China.

ACTIVO is officially launching worldwide under Astell&Kern ownership. Technically, it is more a relaunch as a separate brand instead of a collaborative brand being sold exclusively with by the partner the collaboration is with.

Makes sense. I once considered the CT10...

 

[guerillaw]

Regarding the line out on the SP3000T, will the tubes still be active when the line-out is engaged? I loved the SP2000T sound but had to move on form it because the tube disengaged when used as a line-out.

 

[zie5522]

The ACTIVO CT10 was a collaboration between the music streaming service groovers Japan and IRIVER. It was only available for purchase in Japan and in limited quantities in the US. For the US market, the CT10 was supposed to be sold exclusively at a big box retailer who was looking to offer hi-res audio devices in store, but they decided not to last minute. As the CT10 was already in production, the units that were already produced for the US market were sold direct via the ACTIVO website and Amazon. The CT15 was a collaboration with one of the Chinese music services and only available in China.

ACTIVO is officially launching worldwide under Astell&Kern ownership. Technically, it is more a relaunch as a separate brand instead of a collaborative brand being sold exclusively with by the partner the collaboration is with.

Will Activo P1 come to Indonesia?

 

[JasonNYC]

Will Activo P1 come to Indonesia?

There should be significant availability worldwide. Will have more information on specific country availability as it gets closer to launch in July.

 

[Lu88]

Activo P1 spec overview
https://www.headfonia.com/high-end-munich-2024-preview-3/4/

 

[W41N]

I like A&K stuff, but for some reason the ACTIVO P1 (I know it isn't A&K) isn't a design that speaks to me. Be interesting to read how it compares in its price bracket though. Choice isn't a bad thing for sure...