Astell & Kern Acro BE100 BT speaker: aptX HD and LDAC with 32bit DAC

01/03/202201/03/2022 hifinext.com 406 Views Astell & Kern

Astell & Kern has more than enough experience to make a high-end Bluetooth speaker, and the Acro BE100 is a prime example of that. Moreover, the Acro BE100 is the first Bluetooth speaker in Astell & Kern’s portfolio, and it’s even a little strange that it is released only now.

aptX-HD and LDAC codecs

The equipment of the Astell & Kern Acro BE100, in particular, the onboard 32-bit DAC, may seem redundant, but it is worth considering that the Acro BE100 was one of the first speakers to support aptX HD and LDAC codecs. In principle, the novelty can also work as a headphone amplifier – there is a corresponding 3.5mm jack.

Exquisitely Customized Driver and High-End Class-D AMP

According to the acoustic architecture, the Acro BE100 can be considered a single-chassis triphonic. One 4″ bass driver with a 4″ Kevlar cone is complemented by a pair of 1.5″ Silk Dome Tweeter. Amplification with a total power of 55W works in class D – overheating of the Acro BE100 does not threaten.

The Astell & Kern Acro BE100 is designed to replace many much more bulky devices, without sacrificing sound quality. In addition to Bluetooth, the model also has an FM tuner, and the operation status is displayed on a bright LED display behind a protective grille. There are two design options: white and black. The cases, as befits devices from Astell & Kern, are graphic and faceted.