Astell&Kern PD20 Portable Digital Audio Player
ASTELL&KERN PD20 DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER WITH PERSONALISED HEARING TUNING LAUNCHED
Astell&Kern has announced the Astell&Kern PD20, a portable digital audio player designed to tailor playback to the listener’s individual hearing profile.
Developed with Audiodo, the PD20 uses a Personal Sound system that analyses hearing characteristics and compensates independently for left and right ears. The player is supplied with dedicated earphones that enable users to complete a built-in hearing test and generate a personalised listening profile.
ASTELL&KERN PD20 PORTABLE DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER
The Astell&Kern PD20 includes a Sound Master Wheel providing 160-step equalisation control from –8.0 dB to +8.0 dB across bass, mid and treble. This allows real-time adjustment without interrupting playback. A dual-wheel layout separates sound tuning from volume, while slide switches give direct access to amplifier mode and current settings.
The Astell&Kern PD20 uses a triple amplifier architecture with Class A, Class AB and Hybrid modes selectable via a hardware switch. In Class A and Hybrid modes, users can select between three current levels designed to suit different headphones and listening scenarios, offering control over output, efficiency and background noise.
QUAD-DAC DESIGN AND DIGITAL PROCESSING
At its core, the Astell&Kern PD20 uses a quad-DAC configuration based on ESS ES9027PRO converters, with each DAC operating independently to reduce inter-channel interference. The player incorporates Astell&Kern’s Enhanced Signal Alignment (ESA) technology to align frequency signals and reduce distortion, alongside second-generation Digital Audio Remaster (DAR) processing with Virtual Sound Extender (VSE) for harmonic reconstruction prior to upsampling.
SPATIAL AUDIO AND CONNECTIVITY FEATURES
The Astell&Kern PD20 includes Audiosphere processing to create a virtual spatial sound field from stereo sources, with four selectable presets. The player offers 256GB of internal storage and supports microSD cards up to 2TB. Connectivity includes dual-band Wi-Fi, DLNA networking, USB-C, and Bluetooth with aptX HD, LDAC and BT Sink modes. The device can also function as a USB DAC for Mac and Windows computers and is expected to be Roon Ready pending certification by Roon Labs.
PLAYBACK SUPPORT AND BATTERY
Additional features of the Astell&Kern PD20 include ReplayGain for consistent playback levels, AK File Drop for wireless file transfer, and adjustable Crossfeed for speaker-like listening. The player supports PCM up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD512, and features a 6-inch FHD+ display. USB PD 3.0 fast charging allows a full charge in approximately 3.5 hours.
ASTELL&KERN PD20 PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The Astell&Kern PD20 is scheduled for release in late March, with a suggested retail price of £1799 / $1970.
HiFi PiG Says: An interesting new product for those who like to tailor their listening to their own preferences.
