Astell&Kern
Seoul, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea · founded 2013
One of the defining brands of the modern high-end portable DAP market; its A&ultima flagships routinely sit at the top of the price/prestige tier for portable audiophile sources.
Astell&Kern is a South Korean premium audio brand best known for its high-end portable digital audio players (DAPs). Launched in October 2013 by iriver as a premium successor built on iriver’s DAP R&D heritage, it has become one of the most recognized names in the audiophile/summit-fi portable source market, with flagship players like the A&ultima SP3000 series. Alongside DAPs, the brand produces in-ear monitors, headphones (often in collaboration with beyerdynamic and Jerry Harvey Audio), USB DAC/amp dongle cables, and desktop/network audio gear. Astell&Kern is a wholly owned brand of Dreamus Company (formerly iriver / ReignCom), not an independent company.
Featured in
At a glance
- Type
- Manufacturer
- Founder
- iriver (now Dreamus)
- Founded
- 2013
- Headquarters
- Seoul, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- Price range
- Summit-fi
- Makes / sells
- digital audio players, in-ear monitors, headphones, USB DAC/amp cables, amplifiers, network audio players, accessories
- Known for
- portable digital audio players (DAPs), flagship/summit-fi portable sources, multi-DAC HEXA-Audio architecture, premium industrial design (stainless steel/copper bodies), USB-C dual-DAC dongle cables
- Website
- www.astellnkern.com
Notable products
- A&ultima SP3000 — Flagship DAP using four AK4499EX DACs plus two AK4191EQ modulators in A&K's HEXA-Audio architecture; 904L stainless steel body
- A&ultima SP3000T — Vacuum-tube variant blending real tube analog sound with op-amp clarity
- A&ultima SP3000M — Smaller, more portable variant of the SP3000 flagship
- A&ultima SP1000 — Earlier flagship line that established the A&ultima premium tier
- AK240 — Early flagship that introduced Astell&Kern's Android-based OS
- AK100 / AK120 — Original players that launched the brand (AK100 debuted at CES 2013)
- PEE51 (AK HC1) — USB-C dual-DAC dongle cable to 3.5mm
- AK ZERO1 — In-house Astell&Kern IEM
- AK T9iE / AK T5p — Headphones/IEMs co-developed with beyerdynamic
Sources: Astell & Kern - Wikipedia · Dreamus - Wikipedia · Astell&Kern official website · bemyfriends acquires controlling stake in Dreamus (Music Business Worldwide) · Astell&Kern SP3000 Review & Measurements - Headphones.com