ASTELL&KERN ACRO BE100 BLUETOOTH WIRELESS SPEAKER UNVEILED

The Astell&Kern ACRO BE100 Bluetooth wireless speaker features a dedicated 32-bit DAC and support for the latest 24-bit hi-res quality wireless streaming codecs.

The Astell&Kern ACRO BE100 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker

ASTELL&KERN ACRO BE100 PRICE SIGNATURE DESIGN

Sporting Astell&Kern’s recognisable signature angled design, influenced by the reflective interplay of shadow and light, the ACRO BE100 combines triangular shapes on front metal-grille mesh with a premium faux leather finish and a top-mounted aluminium-hewn knurling-patterned volume knob.

The area below the volume control illuminates and acts as an indicator, flashing different colours for each mode or volume level, helping users to easily identify the speaker status and control it intuitively.

Astell&Kern ACRO BE100 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker is available in black or white

DEDICATED DAC

The Astell&Kernv ACRO BE100 arrives with an onboard 32-bit high-quality DAC (digital-to-analogue converter). Where many Bluetooth speakers rely on the DAC embedded into the Bluetooth chipset, the BE100’s dedicated DAC is based on the technology from Astell&Kern portable digital audio players.

ASTELL&KERN ACRO BE100 DRIVERS

The mid/bass driver and two tweeters have been custom-built. The 4-inch mid-bass cone is made from ultra-durable yet lightweight Kevlar fabric to improve response speed and timing and provide a more accurate bass sound. Furthermore, the rear port is installed to extend the speaker’s bass response. The two silk dome tweeters produce the high-frequencies, while sound-absorbing material inside the wooden cabinet reduces resonance by completely sealing the interior.

Rear view of the Astell&Kern ACRO BE100 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker

CLASS D AMPLIFIER

The speaker features an Astell&Kern developed  Class-D amplifier along with an  onboard digital crossover and dynamic range control (DRC) is used to protect the speaker unit as it hits maximum output power. To minimise jitter – the undesired deviation in time from the transmitted signal – the Bluetooth chipset is equipped with a 50ps clock.

ASTELL&KERN ACRO BE100 CONNECTIVITY

The latest high-definition wireless connectivity options are covered with the ACRO BE100 having Bluetooth® 5.0, providing greater range and a more stable wireless connection when streaming from a compatible device such as a smartphone, tablet or laptop. 24-bit aptX™ HD (48khz) and LDAC (96khz) codecs are supported.

There are also onboard five-level treble and bass settings, while a 3.5mm AUX input allows the connection of Astell&Kern’s portable digital audio players, like the  Astell & Kern SE180 Digital Audio Player that we reviewed recently, and similar devices.

A version of the ACRO BE100 featuring FM radio is available in selected countries.

Side view of the Astell&Kern ACRO BE100 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Mid/Bass driver: 1x 4-inch

Tweeter: 2x 1.5-inch

Amplifier output: 55W (1x 25W + 2x 15W)

Frequency response: 50 – 20kHz

Maximum sound level: 94dB SPL@1m

Bluetooth version: 5.0

Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX™HD, LDAC

Power input: 19V / 3,43A

AUX: 3.5mm stereo

Dimensions: 261 x 164 x 171mm

Weight: about 3.2kg

ASTELL&KERN ACRO BE100 PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

The Astell&Kern ACRO BE100 is priced at £449 / €529 / $380 and will be available from December

HiFi Pig Says: As well as their portable audio players and headphones, the connected speaker seems a sensible addition to the A&K range of products.

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