Astell&Kern SP4000 Copper & Collector’s Atelier Make High-End Statement

Astell & Kern’s copper-bodied update to its high-end SP4000 portable music player becomes the range-topper of its flagship DAP line.

The new SP4000 Copper boasts “precision engineering” and a 99.98% pure copper exterior that promises to bring the SP4000 to a new level of audio performance, “and pure analogue sound expression.”

The new portable player shares the impressive internals with the standard A&ultima SP4000, including A&K's advanced quad-DAC, octa-circuit architecture and supports hi-res PCM files up to 32-bit/768kHz, aptX Adaptive and LDAC Bluetooth codecs for 24-bit audio playback, as well as around 10 hours of continuous playback from a single charge.

Wrapping the top-flight tech in copper is not merely a fashion statement; Astell & Kern claims the material elevates the player's performance to "another level". This apparently comes by way of the metal’s "ideal audio properties", which “directly shape its sonic character”, such as copper's natural conductivity and shielding properties, which are said to preserve your music's finer details.

According to Astell & Kern, the SP4000 Copper delivers "deep, authoritative bass, a rich and articulate midrange" complemented by a "treble that decays with natural ease" thanks to its unique copper casing.

However, copper requires a multi-layer stabilisation process and meticulous machining to achieve long-term durability and a flawless finish, hence the premium price.

Also released is A&K’s Collector’s Atelier, which is designed to store and protect your Astell&Kern player and accessories, cossetted in Perlinger leather.

Founded in 1864, German tannery Perlinger has been producing the finest quality leather for over five generations. Using “premium male calf leather” and Perlinger’s “exclusive Shrunken leather technique” that eschews the use of heat in favour of “a special chemical treatment process” that is said to retain the leather’s natural grain and texture, resulting in a surface that is soft and highly elastic.

The limited-edition A&ultima SP4000 Copper is available now, priced at £4,000 | US$4,500 | €4,700 (a moderate bump over the standard unit’s £3,800 | US$3,900 | €4,500). Meanwhile, the Collector’s Atelier has an SRP of £230 | US$260.

For more information visit Astell&Kern