Astell & Kern unveils gorgeous hi-res player for the cheap(er) seats

By Kris Wouk June 26, 2016

astell kern ak70 ak t8ie 2 ce week featured — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Last month, Astell & Kern introduced its AK300 high-resolution audio player at the High End show in Munich, Germany. It seems the company enjoys debuting products at events, as this week it is introducing two new products at CE Week in New York.

While the AK300 was introduced as a more affordable little brother to the AK320 and AK380 high-res players, now Astell & Kern has unveiled an even more affordable model in the AK70 entry-level, high-resolution audio player. As if to make sure no one would forget that Astell & Kern is a luxury brand, it also introduced a new generation of its fairly pricey AK T8iE in-ear monitors.

Related: Let Shure’s SHA900 hi-res portable amp take you to church

The AK70 isn’t just a watered-down version of the company’s other players — it also happens to be the first player from Astell & Kern to feature both USB connectivity and an optical line-out. The USB port allows the AK70 to be connected to a PC or Mac to bypass the internal sound card and allow the computer to output high-resolution audio, while the optical out allows users to opt for their own preferred DAC should they wish.

The single-DAC AK70 uses a Cirrus Logic CS438 DAC chipset, offering support for high-res playback of up to 192kHz/24-bit or DSD 5.6MHz (converted to PCM). The player offers 64GB internal memory, expandable with up to 200GB extra storage via the included MicroSD slot. The player is Wi-Fi compatible, allowing over-the-air firmware updates and playback from DLNA 1.0 servers.

earbuds-shaded — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The T8iE in-ears aren’t cheap, but they are built to last, with an Aramid coating on the cable for added durability. Astell & Kern says the earbud itself is made from a proprietary composite, and contains copper and chrome. Two cables are included: one with a balanced four-pole 2.5mm jack for use with Astell & Kern’s high-res players, and another standard 3.5mm cable for use with mobile devices or other portable players. Five different varieties of silicon tips are included, as well as three different memory foam tips, so it should be fairly easy to find a decent fit.

Both the AK70 player and AK T8iE in-ears will be available beginning in July, with the AK70 retailing for $600 and the T8iE priced at $1,000. For more information on the AK300, see the Astell & Kern website.

A version of this post first appeared on our “brother site” Digital Trends.

Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…

Culture

These are the best Disney Plus movies to watch in May

If you're a Disney Plus member, stream these movies this month

Princess Bride

Disney is arguably the most iconic entertainment brand in the world. The company's properties, both original and acquired, combine to produce content that transcends age demographics. Disney has built a brand that's beloved by children, and those children eventually age into adults who introduce their kids to the films they loved when they were young. Disney's animation alone has made it iconic, but in recent years, the company has also acquired some of the biggest pieces of intellectual property there are. And, with Disney Plus available on any device, you can watch all these movies whenever you want.

Between its acquisitions of both Marvel and Star Wars, there's a good chance that whatever you love is being shepherded to screens both large and small by Disney. When they launched Disney+, the company was sure to fill it with both those nostalgic animated classics and plenty of new stuff as well. It's meant to be a streaming service for all ages, which is why the selection of movies available there is so diverse. These Disney Plus movies will make you laugh and cry and leave you eager for a rewatch. Here's a look at the best movies on Disney Plus.

Culture

The best movies on Max you can stream in May

New to Max? Here are the top movies to start with

Scene from The Hobbit

Now that HBO Max has rebranded as Max, it's the right time to get acquainted with all of the great movies to watch on the streaming service. In addition to large portions of the Warner Bros. catalog, it also has tons of seminal, classic films, as well as plenty of foreign releases. Because the catalog is so big and rich, there are about 250 titles that could go on this list. There's a wealth of options to choose from whether you're into action movies or comedies, and you shouldn't feel limited by the selection below.
Instead, you should treat it as a jumping-off point of HBO Max movies, one that will hopefully allow you to explore many of the titles that didn't quite make the cut. Max has great movies in every genre and from every period of film history. This is just a sampling of the best movies on Max. And if you're looking for more Max content, we've rounded up the best shows on Max to watch right now.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Culture

Where do cigars come from? A guide to the premium tobacco growing regions

man smoking small cigar by engin-akyurt unsplash

Cigars are composed of various tobacco leaves, including fillers, a binder, and a wrapper on the outside. The tobacco that makes up those leaves is grown in a variety of regions worldwide and undergoes several processes to create the flavor and blend that is eventually rolled into a premium cigar. While many factors influence the result, mainly how the tobacco tastes when it's smoked, none are more important than its cultivation, growth, and harvest. Tobacco grown in Nicaragua will taste very different from tobacco grown in Cuba or even Indonesia. It has to do with the local climate, the soil and its contents, average sun exposure, and much more. But most cigars include a blend or mixture of tobacco leaves, sometimes from entirely different regions, like Nicaraguan fillers and an African Cameroon wrapper. So, when posing the question, "Where do cigars come from," it makes more sense to look at the regions where tobacco is grown.
The Big Five

Not all tobacco comes from the Big Five regions; however, a large majority of the tobacco leaves produced and sold, even to partners in the business, come from fairly localized tobacco growers in the following locations:
Cuba
Everyone has heard of Cuban cigars, Cuban tobacco, and the forbidden fruit, at least in the United States. Ever since the U.S. government activated an embargo against Cuban goods back in 1962, Cuban tobacco cannot be imported or sold in the country. Of course, that doesn't change the fact that Cuba is the birthplace of modern cigars and has inspired many of today's biggest tobacco producers in the world.