The Astell & Kern PD5 digital audio player follows the Award-winning SR35 with a 28-hour battery life and eight DACs

Key Points:

• Astell & Kern has launched the PD5, a high-end portable music player that improves on the award-winning A&norma SR35 by doubling the number of DACs from four to eight and adding eight extra hours of battery life, totaling 28 hours.
• The PD5 allows users to switch between four and eight Cirrus Logic CS43198 DACs to balance sound quality and battery life, with fast charging via PD 3.0 taking about 2.5 hours for a full charge.
• A new EnviroTune feature automatically adjusts sound based on ambient noise levels, ensuring clear audio in various environments, while supporting high-resolution audio formats up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and native DSD256.
• Powered by an octa-core processor and running on an Android OS platform, the PD5 supports music streaming services (likely including Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon Music, and Apple Music) and offers dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, and multiple high-resolution wireless codecs like aptX HD, LDAC, and LHDC.
• The PD5 will be showcased at upcoming audio shows in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and the US, with pricing and release date yet to be confirmed but expected to be similar to or slightly higher than the SR35’s launch price of around $799/£799.