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Astell & Kern SA700
Past Meets Present, SA700
With the launch of Astell&Kern's first product in 2012, we always aim to deliver uncompromising
sound to music lovers.
One day we decided to ask ourselves a question - "What if we combined Astell&Kern's first starting
point and present?"
- We wanted to combine the analog sensibilities that remained in our hearts with the sound
technology
that has evolved over the years since our first product was released.
We wanted to create the best sound that only we can do.
"Past Meets Present" The SA700 is a product where past emotions and current technology meet.
The SA700 is an evolution of technology and design that deliver the ultimate sound to Astell&Kern
original design and sensibility.
We took the original design of AK120 and redesigned it into a simple, but refined form.
With the latest technology, the deeper and stronger sound of the SA700 delivers new experiences and
values not found in other products.
- Emotional Retro Design
- Intuitive LED Indicator
- New Special GUI
- Stainless Steel Body for Premium Sound
- Ideal Size for Portability
- Dual DAC of AK4492ECB from AKM
- 32bit / 384kHz, Native DSD256 support
First DAP Using AKM AK4492ECB DAC
The SA700 is the first DAP to use a AK4492ECB Dual DAC to give a new sound signature.
AKM's AK4492ECB is a DAC that aims to achieve the best performance in the industry by utilizing the
technology obtained by developing AK4497EQ.
It has a lower power consumption and similar audio performance compared to AK4497EQ, making it the
best DAC for a portable DAP.
Only Astell&Kern's Sound Technology know-how has made the DAC's performance even more perfect.
Now you can enjoy premium sound close to the original performance with the SA700 and the AK4492ECB.
Unchanging Value, Stainless Steel
The SA700 uses stainless steel, which is corrosion-resistant and durable, for maximum material strength and beauty.
Since it takes a lot of time, skill and cost to process the material, it is often only used for expensive products. The SA700 uses stainless steel because it provides the perfect sound.
Stainless Steel delivers both luxury and balanced, clean sound
Feel it at the SA700.
Deliver the perfect original sound
SA700 offers the optimal condition to deliver perfect original sound.
SA700 is capable of bit-to-bit playback up to 32bit 384kHz and native DSD playback up to 11.2MHz,
delivering detailed, distortion-free sound just as the artist intended.
32-bit bit-to-bit Playback by the SA700
32-bit Playback by Other Products
Intuitive LED Indicator
The LEDs around the volume wheel are not just visual effects, but provide the listener information
including volume and status of the currently playing song.
Different colors are displayed depending on the bit depth of the song being played,
and 150 levels of red saturation are displayed to reflect the current player volume.
* LED can be turned on or off according to user setting.
New GUI where the past and the present coexist
SA700 maintains the convenience of Astell&Kern's UI combined with a new GUI that reminds users of our 1st
generation players.
You can combine Astell&Kern's past and present through the GUI which is reinterpreted by using Astell&Kern's
various color identities.
Using Open APP Service
The Open APP Service enables the user to install specific APK music streaming apps to the
device.
Copy the desired APK into the Open Service folder of the product and install the relevant
App in the Menu-Service of the product.
Open APP
Service
DESIGN
Inspired by the string bridge, the wheel protector is designed to reveal
the LED lighting hidden under the wheel as you start playing.
The knurled pattern of the volume wheels and the color of the light reflected
by the beautiful luster of stainless steel make it easy to provides various
playback information to the user while also providing visual enjoyment.
The lower microSD slot uses the Astell&Kern 1st generation
sliding door system, further enhancing the Astell&Kern retro look and feel.
The SA700 is designed to be the perfect size for one-handed operation.
The SA700 is optimized for portability so it can be held in one hand with the front 4.1-inch touch display
and all the side control buttons and volume wheel easily accessible.
With control in one hand, the SA700 gives you the best possible environment to focus on your music.
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Professional Reviews 88/100
Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
91/100
Build Quality
86/100
Features Usability
84/100
Value for Money
84/100
The rich, smooth sound of the SA700 makes familiar recordings feel newly alive, with dual AKM DACs delivering detail without a clinical edge. Alpha Audio praised its warm, powerful low end and musical flow, while Audiophilepure highlighted the premium industrial design and subtle illuminated volume wheel.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Delivers a warm, detailed, highly musical presentation that avoids sounding analytical.
Premium industrial design with a distinctive volume wheel and attractive finish.
Versatile feature set including network playback, USB DAC use, CD ripping, balanced output, and Bluetooth aptX HD.
&
Cons
File transfer speeds were described as slow, with large music libraries taking far too long to copy.
The player can feel heavy in the pocket for everyday portable use.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 91/100
Reviewers consistently describe the SA700 as rich, smooth, and highly musical rather than clinical. The sound is praised for strong detail retrieval with a warm, powerful low end, and one review says it reproduces familiar music in a strikingly beautiful way.
Tonal Balance Musicality
93/100
The SA700 is repeatedly described as warm, powerful, smooth, and engaging. Reviewers explicitly say it does not come across as analytical and instead makes music feel beautifully interpreted and honored.
Resolution Detail
89/100
The player is credited with being very rich in detail while avoiding a hard or sterile character. Reviewers highlight clarity and refinement, with the sound revealing enough nuance to make familiar recordings stand out.
Digital Performance
90/100
The reviews point to a clean, confident digital presentation with strong DAC execution and no sense of obvious harshness or digital strain. The comments about smoothness, intensity, and lifelike reproduction suggest a well-controlled digital output stage.
FEATURES USABILITY PERFORMANCE 84/100
The SA700 offers a broad set of playback and connectivity options, including network playback, USB DAC use, direct CD ripping, Bluetooth, balanced output, and microSD expansion. Reviewers do not say much about app quality or software stability, so the software side is simply not a major part of the discussion.
Streaming Software
85/100
The reviews say it can play via the network and act as a DAC, but they do not give meaningful detail about app polish, browsing, stability, or everyday software behavior. With so little direct commentary, there is no strong basis for either praise or criticism.
Features Connectivity
83/100
Connectivity is a strength, with USB DAC input, network playback, CD ripping, balanced output, Bluetooth, and expandable storage all mentioned in the supplied material. The feature set is practical and flexible, even if the device is still clearly centered on portable playback.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
86/100
The reviews emphasize the SA700’s distinctive industrial design, substantial feel, and attractive finish. One reviewer does mention that it can feel heavy in the pocket, but there are no real complaints about construction or fit and finish.
Value for Money
84/100
At 1399 euro, reviewers clearly recognize that the SA700 is expensive, but they stop short of calling it poor value. The praise for its sound and feature set suggests a premium product that may justify itself for buyers who want this kind of presentation, even if it is not framed as a bargain.
Reviews
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