Astell&Kern PD5 Digital Audio Player To Debut At Hong Kong AV Show 2026
ASTELL&KERN PD5 TO MAKE SHOW DEBUT IN HONG KONG
Astell&Kern has announced the new Astell&Kern PD5 digital audio player (DAP), which will make its public debut at this weekend’s Hong Kong AV Show.
The Astell&Kern PD5 succeeds the A&norma SR35 and is designed as a compact portable player featuring an aluminium chassis and a range of technologies aimed at balancing battery life, performance and streaming capabilities.
ASTELL&KERN PD5 FEATURES EIGHT-DAC ARCHITECTURE
The PD5 is built around eight Cirrus Logic CS43198 DACs and offers switchable Quad-DAC and Octa-DAC operating modes. According to Astell&Kern, Quad-DAC mode is intended to maximise battery life for longer listening sessions, while Octa-DAC mode prioritises audio performance. In Quad-DAC mode, the player offers up to 28 hours of continuous playback and supports PD 3.0 fast charging, with a quoted recharge time of around 2.5 hours.
ENVIROTUNE ADAPTS SOUND TO THE ENVIRONMENT
One of the new features introduced with the PD5 is EnviroTune, which analyses ambient noise and automatically adjusts playback settings to suit the listener’s surroundings. The player also supports bit-perfect playback up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and native DSD256.
ASTELL&KERN PD5 STREAMING AND WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY
The PD5 uses an octa-core processor and runs a full Android operating system designed for music streaming services. Wireless connectivity includes dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.3, with support for Qualcomm aptX HD, LDAC and LHDC codecs for high-resolution wireless audio playback.
FURTHER SHOW APPEARANCES PLANNED
Following its debut at the Hong Kong AV Show, Astell&Kern says the PD5 will also be demonstrated at the Shenzhen International Audio Show (SIAS), taking place from 14-16 August in China, and at CanJam SoCal 2026 in the United States on 29-30 August.
ASTELL&KERN PD5 PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The Astell&Kern PD5 will debut at the Hong Kong AV Show before appearing at further events in China and the United States. Additional details, pricing and availability are yet to be announced.
HONG KONG HIGH END AV SHOW 2026 INFO
The Hong Kong High End AV Show 2026 takes place from 7th to 9th August 2026 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.
Opening hours are 10am to 7pm on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th August, and 10am to 6pm on Sunday 9th August.
Single-day admission is HK$100, with each ticket including a copy of the 2026 The Perfect Sound hybrid SACD.
The exhibition spans Hall 3, the S2 and S4 Series Meeting Rooms and the Chancellor Room, with live demonstrations, music software, headphones and HiFi systems on display throughout the three-day event.
