Listen to 75 Jazz Masterpieces with Blue Note-Approved Sound Quality

When music is produced in a distributable format such as CD, the final sound balance is determined through a process called "mastering." However, due to factors like playback device equalization tailored to listening environments and the diversification of audio formats, faithfully reproducing that original sound has become increasingly difficult.

Astell & Kern is an audio brand that pursues "Mastering Quality Sound (MQS)," aiming to reproduce the "original sound" intended by the music creator through its high-end D/A converter and unique amplifier mechanisms. It offers a new music experience that transcends the concept of "high sound quality," which can be defined in multiple ways depending on interpretation.

Now, the brand's flagship portable audio player, the "AK240," which supports high-resolution audio up to PCM 384kHz/32bit and DSD 5.6MHz/1bit, will be released as an original specification model from the prestigious jazz label Blue Note. This product comes pre-installed with 75 high-resolution (PCM 24bit) tracks from the label's representative artists, including works by Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, and Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers.


The sound quality is so impressive that Don Was, the current president of Blue Note Records, stated, "It perfectly reproduces the Blue Note aesthetic." Furthermore, the 75 tracks are each stored on a microSD card and packaged in a special case featuring the original album artwork. These can be displayed on a dedicated stand with a serial number. The set also includes a 400-page hardcover memorial book and an album introduction book, making it a truly coveted item for fans.

"AK240 Blue Note 75th Anniversary Edition"
Release Date: Saturday, December 6th
Limited Worldwide Edition of 1,000 Units
Open Price (Direct Sales Price: ¥777,600 including tax)
Included Items
AK240 Blue Note Edition Main Unit
75 microSD Cards (Containing 75 Blue Note High-Resolution Audio Titles)
Dedicated Case and Display Stand for microSD Cards
Memorial Book (Hardcover, 400 pages)
Album Introduction Book (100 pages)
AK240 Main Unit Specifications
Color | Blue
Material | Aluminum Body + Coating
Internal Memory | 256GB (NAND Flash) *Includes system area
External Memory | microSDXC card slot x1 (Supports up to 128GB officially) compatible with exFAT
Display | 3.31-inch (480x800 dots) AMOLED (Capacitive Touch Panel)
Supported File Formats | WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF
Supported Playback Rates | PCM up to 384kHz/32bit (Native output is 192kHz/24bit),
DSD up to 5.6MHz/1bit (Converted to PCM 176.4kHz/24bit)
Output Terminals | Earphone (Unbalanced) / Optical Digital Output (3.5mm), Balanced Output (2.5mm/4-pole)
Input Terminals | USB microB Terminal (Charging, Data Transfer, USB DAC)
USB DAC Function | 44.1kHz-96kHz/16bit, 24bit, DSD 2.8MHz, 5.6MHz (PCM Conversion)
Wi-Fi | IEEE 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz)
Bluetooth | 4.0 (A2DP, AVRCP)
Continuous Playback Time | Approx. 10 hours (FLAC/44.1kHz/16bit, Volume 37, EQ Off, Screen Off)
Dimensions | W66 x H107 x D17.5mm

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