Astell&Kern - A&futura SE180
Modular Hi-Res Digital Audio PlayerUnfortunately, even if we desire to, we won't be able to resurrect this product. The Museum is where we pay our respects to end-of-life, old, archived, but not forgotten products. This page was made with a lot of love and will live on for posterity. What to say, we're sentimental people. 😔
While this product is gone forever, here are others we recommend
This product is rated 5.0 of 5.0 stars.
It has received 1 review.
Designed in
Korea
Ideal for Audiophiles
Best Suited for Portable Use
Bluetooth with
LDAC & aptX HD
Battery Life
2.5mm & 4.4mm
Balanced Output
Upto 6Vrms
Power Output
DAC Chip
You may not even realise it, but most of us use a digital-to-analogue converter (commonly known as a DAC) daily. Built into your computers, tablets and smartphones, a DAC is fundamental to unlocking the convenience of digital music. Any device that acts as a digital sound source will need a DAC to convert digital audio to analog. A DAC converts the digital information stored in “0s and 1s” into an analog signal that's passed to speakers or headphones and ultimately our ear. In short, DACs play a large part in making digital music hearable.While this technical process is undoubtedly impressive, the DAC embedded into your smartphones or laptops is nowhere good enough to listen to your favourite music recordings in high quality. So, if you want to listen to music in high quality, an external DAC is essential to allow headphones or speakers to perform at their potential. An external DAC, first and foremost, will improve audio quality dramatically.
Volume Controls
256 GB
Internal Memory
Battery Capacity of
3800 mAh
Astell&Kern needs no introduction and their Digital Audio Players are at the top of the pyramid when it comes to features and audio quality. The A&Futura SE180 is no different and introduces modular design architecture. The SE180 comes across as a beautifully formed DAP with plenty of power, portability and no shortage of features.
About RAGHAV SOMANI
Raghav Somani is the Founder & CEO of Headphone Zone. An avid audiophile and musician since 2008, his choice of headphones include STAX Electrostats, Audeze LCD 3, and for music on the go, the JH Audio Roxanne + Astell&Kern SP1000 is never too far away. On his playlist, you'll find A.R. Rahman, Michael Jackson, and the Eagles.
DESCRIPTION
THE FUTURE OF HI-FI MUSIC LISTENING IS HERE WITH THE HIGHLY ADVANCED A&FUTURA SE180
Powered with an interchangeable module, the Astell&Kern A&futura SE180 comes with a powerful ESS ES9038PRO as its default configuration. This 8-channel DAC, used primarily in premium home audio equipment, is now a part of the SE180, extending the dynamic range and presenting detailed sound. The modular design and the ability to use different DAC/AMP configurations, tuning and outputs for each module gives you the freedom to pick the right kind of sound for a personalised music listening experience. Pair almost any headphones or IEMs with the A&futura SE180 as they offer 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs connectivity.
FUTURISTIC DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER WITH ONE-OF-ITS-KIND INTERCHANGEABLE DAC MODULES
The use of innovative interchangeable DACs gives you a whole new way of exploring premium Hi-Fi sound. This modular design also improves the overall sonic performance of the player. The interchangeable modules are connected to the SE180 using a double-locking mechanism. The first locking structure connects the module to the SE180, while the second locking structure informs you that the module is successfully paired. The internal connectors of the SE180 are spring enabled to ensure a stable audio signal connection and to avoid connection failure, particularly during external shock. The SE180 blocks the power and radio frequency (RF) noise caused by the main unit. This unique circuit separation structure eliminates the noise leading to a pure music listening experience.
GO BEYOND THE LIMITS OF HI-FI PREMIUM SOUND WITH NEXT-GEN AMP TECHNOLOGY
Breaking all the limitations of previously used amps, the A&futura SE180 features the Next Generation AMP technology to go beyond the acceptable HI-Fi premium sound and to deliver the absolute best. The SE180 has been entirely redesigned to include upgraded OP-AMP parts, circuit design, board layout and enhanced tuning.
HI-FI WIRELESS SOUND WITH APTX-HD & LDAC CODECS POWERED BY BLUETOOTH 5.0
Get the absolute convenience of listening to music through your headphones wirelessly with Bluetooth 5.0. With support for aptX HD and LDAC, you can listen to audiophile-grade high-quality sound on your SE180. Enjoy your music in original master recording format with the SE180 as it is compatible with MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) playback. Get real-time updates about the volume level and current bit rate directly on the LED volume wheel of the SE180.
TRANSFER MUSIC FILES WIRELESSLY IN NO TIME OR PLAY MUSIC DIRECTLY FROM YOUR SMARTPHONE
Transferring files has never been this easy. With the all-new AK File Drop function, you can conveniently transfer files wirelessly from your PC, smartphone or an FTP program located device to your SE180. If you want to play music from an external device without having to transfer files, you can use the newly introduced BT Sync function. This function allows play music by pairing an external device, the smartphone, to your SE180 via Bluetooth.
FIRST-EVER DAP WITH THE INNOVATIVE & POWER-EFFICIENT TERATON ALPHA TECHNOLOGY
It is the first time a Digital Audio Player is showcasing the TERATON ALPHA audio technology. This technology aids the Astell&Kern A&futura SE180 to offer efficient power consumption and amplification and block power noise. This process happens at the audio output interface stage, where the digital-to-analogue signal conversion takes place. TERATON ALPHA consists of Astell&Kern's patented technologies that are developed after extensive research and development to deliver a sound closer to how artists intend their music to sound.
NEWLY UPGRADED USER INTERFACE FOR AN ANDROID-LIKE SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE
With an all-new upgraded user interface, the A&futura SE180 intends to offer a seamless user experience similar to that of an Android smartphone. Within the new interface, you will find a fresh navigation bar right at the bottom of the screen that lets you control playback and skip tracks even when you are swiping through screens.
STUNNING 5-INCH HD SCREEN FOR A VIBRANT AND CRISP DISPLAY
From the album artwork comes to life on the screen of the Astell&Kern A&futura SE180 as it comes with a stunning HD screen. With a 5-inch touchscreen display having a 1920x1080 pixel resolution, you get up to 16.7 million colours and 441 PPI (Pixels Per Inch). This makes for a vibrant, clean and sharp user interface.
AN ART-CENTRIC ELEGANT DESIGN THAT REPRESENTS HIGH-QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP
The design of the A&futura SE180 depicts the traces of the wind, while the flowing lines on its body indicate great tunes vital for an immersive listening experience. The prominent element in the design of the SE180 is the smooth yet expanding silhouette. The continuous outline on the exterior shows the limitless possibility of tonal scalability. You can find the volume knob button at the centre of the curves while a single multi-function button is on the left for efficient one-hand use. The ceramic rear cover, used in the A&futura SE180 implicates a finely crafted art sculpture. Every audio output on this device including, 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm connectors, comes with gold rings.
SPECS
| MODEL | A&futura SE180 |
| BODY COLOR | Moon Silver |
| BODY MATERIAL | Aluminum |
| DISPLAY | 5-inch, 1920x1080 FHD Touch Display |
| SUPPORTED AUDIO FORMATS | WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, MQA |
| MQA PLAYBACK | Services (Tidal Masters), Local files, external USB, MQA-CD (ripped) |
| INPUT | USB Type-C input (for charging PC & MAC) |
| CHARGING | 9V 1.67A/5V 2A |
| WI-FI | 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz) |
| BLUETOOTH | V5.0 (A2DP, AVRCP, Qualcomm® aptX™ HD, LDAC) |
| DIMENSIONS | 3.03"(77 mm)[W] x 5.09"(129.2 mm)[H] x 0.78"(19.9 mm)[D] (Only body) 3.03"(77 mm)[W] x 5.4"(137.2 mm)[H] x 0.78"(19.9 mm)[D] (Combined with a module |
| WEIGHT | 9.88 oz (280g) |
| FEATURE ENHANCEMENTS | Firmware upgrades supported (OTA) |
| SAR | Body 10g SAR (W/Kg)_WLAN 2.4Ghz: 0.016 |
| WHEEL | LED light (LED Indicator) |
| CAPACITY | 3,800mAh 3.8V Li-Polymer Battery |
| CHARGE TIME | About 5 hours (Standard: 5V / 2A Charging), about 3 hours (Fast: 9V / 1.67A Charging) |
| BUILT IN MEMORY | 256GB (NAND) |
| EXTERNAL MEMORY | microSD (Max. 1TB) x1 |
| SUPPORTED OS | Windows 7,8,10 (32/64bit), MAC OS X 10.7 and up |
| CLOCK JITTER | 25ps(Typ) |
| REFERENCE CLOCK JITTER | 800 Femto Seconds |
| MODEL | SEM1 |
| BODY COLOR | Moon Silver |
| BODY MATERIAL | Aluminum, Stainless steel, Polycarbonate |
| SAMPLE RATE | PCM: 8kHz ~ 384kHz (8/16/24/32 bits per Sample) DSD Native: DSD64(1 bit 2.8MHz), Stereo / DSD128(1 bit 5.6MHz), Stereo / DSD256(1 bit 11.2MHz), Stereo |
| OUTPUT LEVEL | [Normal Gain] Unbalanced 2Vrms / Balanced 4Vrms (Condition No Load) [High Gain] Unbalanced 3Vrms / Balanced 6Vrms (Condition No Load) |
| DAC | ESS ES9038PRO (Single DAC) |
| DECODING | Support up to 32 Bit / 384kHz Bit-to-Bit Playback |
| DIMENSIONS | 3.03"(77 mm)[W] x 2.99"(76 mm)[H] x 0.78"(19.9 mm)[D] (Only body) |
| WEIGHT | 3.53 oz (100g) |
| PLAYBACK TIME | Above 10.5hours (FLAC, 16 bit, 44.1 kHz, Vol.50, LCD off) |
| FREQUENCY RESPONSE | ±0.04dB (Condition: 20 Hz~20 kHz) Unbalanced / ±0.04dB (Condition: 20 Hz~20 kHz) Balanced ±0.07dB (Condition: 20 Hz~70 KHz) Unbalanced / ±0.06dB (Condition: 20 Hz~70 KHz) Balanced |
| SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO | [Normal Gain] 122 dB @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced / 126dB @ 1 kHz, Balanced [High Gain] 125dB @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced / 129dB @ 1 kHz, Balance |
| CROSSTALK | [Normal Gain] -138dB @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced / -145dB @ 1 kHz, Balanced [High Gain] -138dB @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced / -147 dB @ 1 kHz, Balanced |
| THD+N | [Normal Gain] 0.0005% @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced / 0.0004% @ 1 kHz, Balanced [High Gain] 0.0007% @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced / 0.0006% @ 1 kHz, Balanced |
| IMD SAMPTE | 0.0003% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Unbalanced / 0.0003% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Balanced |
| OUTPUT IMPEDANCE | 3.5 mm (1ohm) / 2.5 mm (1.5ohm) / 4.4 mm (1.5ohm) |
| BOX CONTENTS | 1. Astell&Kern A&futura SE180 |
| 2. 1 x SEM1 ESS ES9038PRO DAC module | |
| 3. 1 x USB-C to USB-A cable (1 metre) | |
| 4. 3 x screen protectors | |
| 5. 1 x Quick start guide |
THE FUTURE OF HI-FI MUSIC LISTENING IS HERE WITH THE HIGHLY ADVANCED A&FUTURA SE180
Powered with an interchangeable module, the Astell&Kern A&futura SE180 comes with a powerful ESS ES9038PRO as its default configuration. This 8-channel DAC, used primarily in premium home audio equipment, is now a part of the SE180, extending the dynamic range and presenting detailed sound. The modular design and the ability to use different DAC/AMP configurations, tuning and outputs for each module gives you the freedom to pick the right kind of sound for a personalised music listening experience. Pair almost any headphones or IEMs with the A&futura SE180 as they offer 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs connectivity.
FUTURISTIC DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER WITH ONE-OF-ITS-KIND INTERCHANGEABLE DAC MODULES
The use of innovative interchangeable DACs gives you a whole new way of exploring premium Hi-Fi sound. This modular design also improves the overall sonic performance of the player. The interchangeable modules are connected to the SE180 using a double-locking mechanism. The first locking structure connects the module to the SE180, while the second locking structure informs you that the module is successfully paired. The internal connectors of the SE180 are spring enabled to ensure a stable audio signal connection and to avoid connection failure, particularly during external shock. The SE180 blocks the power and radio frequency (RF) noise caused by the main unit. This unique circuit separation structure eliminates the noise leading to a pure music listening experience.
GO BEYOND THE LIMITS OF HI-FI PREMIUM SOUND WITH NEXT-GEN AMP TECHNOLOGY
Breaking all the limitations of previously used amps, the A&futura SE180 features the Next Generation AMP technology to go beyond the acceptable HI-Fi premium sound and to deliver the absolute best. The SE180 has been entirely redesigned to include upgraded OP-AMP parts, circuit design, board layout and enhanced tuning.
HI-FI WIRELESS SOUND WITH APTX-HD & LDAC CODECS POWERED BY BLUETOOTH 5.0
Get the absolute convenience of listening to music through your headphones wirelessly with Bluetooth 5.0. With support for aptX HD and LDAC, you can listen to audiophile-grade high-quality sound on your SE180. Enjoy your music in original master recording format with the SE180 as it is compatible with MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) playback. Get real-time updates about the volume level and current bit rate directly on the LED volume wheel of the SE180.
TRANSFER MUSIC FILES WIRELESSLY IN NO TIME OR PLAY MUSIC DIRECTLY FROM YOUR SMARTPHONE
Transferring files has never been this easy. With the all-new AK File Drop function, you can conveniently transfer files wirelessly from your PC, smartphone or an FTP program located device to your SE180. If you want to play music from an external device without having to transfer files, you can use the newly introduced BT Sync function. This function allows play music by pairing an external device, the smartphone, to your SE180 via Bluetooth.
FIRST-EVER DAP WITH THE INNOVATIVE & POWER-EFFICIENT TERATON ALPHA TECHNOLOGY
It is the first time a Digital Audio Player is showcasing the TERATON ALPHA audio technology. This technology aids the Astell&Kern A&futura SE180 to offer efficient power consumption and amplification and block power noise. This process happens at the audio output interface stage, where the digital-to-analogue signal conversion takes place. TERATON ALPHA consists of Astell&Kern's patented technologies that are developed after extensive research and development to deliver a sound closer to how artists intend their music to sound.
NEWLY UPGRADED USER INTERFACE FOR AN ANDROID-LIKE SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE
With an all-new upgraded user interface, the A&futura SE180 intends to offer a seamless user experience similar to that of an Android smartphone. Within the new interface, you will find a fresh navigation bar right at the bottom of the screen that lets you control playback and skip tracks even when you are swiping through screens.
STUNNING 5-INCH HD SCREEN FOR A VIBRANT AND CRISP DISPLAY
From the album artwork comes to life on the screen of the Astell&Kern A&futura SE180 as it comes with a stunning HD screen. With a 5-inch touchscreen display having a 1920x1080 pixel resolution, you get up to 16.7 million colours and 441 PPI (Pixels Per Inch). This makes for a vibrant, clean and sharp user interface.
AN ART-CENTRIC ELEGANT DESIGN THAT REPRESENTS HIGH-QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP
The design of the A&futura SE180 depicts the traces of the wind, while the flowing lines on its body indicate great tunes vital for an immersive listening experience. The prominent element in the design of the SE180 is the smooth yet expanding silhouette. The continuous outline on the exterior shows the limitless possibility of tonal scalability. You can find the volume knob button at the centre of the curves while a single multi-function button is on the left for efficient one-hand use. The ceramic rear cover, used in the A&futura SE180 implicates a finely crafted art sculpture. Every audio output on this device including, 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm connectors, comes with gold rings.
| MODEL | A&futura SE180 |
| BODY COLOR | Moon Silver |
| BODY MATERIAL | Aluminum |
| DISPLAY | 5-inch, 1920x1080 FHD Touch Display |
| SUPPORTED AUDIO FORMATS | WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, MQA |
| MQA PLAYBACK | Services (Tidal Masters), Local files, external USB, MQA-CD (ripped) |
| INPUT | USB Type-C input (for charging PC & MAC) |
| CHARGING | 9V 1.67A/5V 2A |
| WI-FI | 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz) |
| BLUETOOTH | V5.0 (A2DP, AVRCP, Qualcomm® aptX™ HD, LDAC) |
| DIMENSIONS | 3.03"(77 mm)[W] x 5.09"(129.2 mm)[H] x 0.78"(19.9 mm)[D] (Only body) 3.03"(77 mm)[W] x 5.4"(137.2 mm)[H] x 0.78"(19.9 mm)[D] (Combined with a module |
| WEIGHT | 9.88 oz (280g) |
| FEATURE ENHANCEMENTS | Firmware upgrades supported (OTA) |
| SAR | Body 10g SAR (W/Kg)_WLAN 2.4Ghz: 0.016 |
| WHEEL | LED light (LED Indicator) |
| CAPACITY | 3,800mAh 3.8V Li-Polymer Battery |
| CHARGE TIME | About 5 hours (Standard: 5V / 2A Charging), about 3 hours (Fast: 9V / 1.67A Charging) |
| BUILT IN MEMORY | 256GB (NAND) |
| EXTERNAL MEMORY | microSD (Max. 1TB) x1 |
| SUPPORTED OS | Windows 7,8,10 (32/64bit), MAC OS X 10.7 and up |
| CLOCK JITTER | 25ps(Typ) |
| REFERENCE CLOCK JITTER | 800 Femto Seconds |
| MODEL | SEM1 |
| BODY COLOR | Moon Silver |
| BODY MATERIAL | Aluminum, Stainless steel, Polycarbonate |
| SAMPLE RATE | PCM: 8kHz ~ 384kHz (8/16/24/32 bits per Sample) DSD Native: DSD64(1 bit 2.8MHz), Stereo / DSD128(1 bit 5.6MHz), Stereo / DSD256(1 bit 11.2MHz), Stereo |
| OUTPUT LEVEL | [Normal Gain] Unbalanced 2Vrms / Balanced 4Vrms (Condition No Load) [High Gain] Unbalanced 3Vrms / Balanced 6Vrms (Condition No Load) |
| DAC | ESS ES9038PRO (Single DAC) |
| DECODING | Support up to 32 Bit / 384kHz Bit-to-Bit Playback |
| DIMENSIONS | 3.03"(77 mm)[W] x 2.99"(76 mm)[H] x 0.78"(19.9 mm)[D] (Only body) |
| WEIGHT | 3.53 oz (100g) |
| PLAYBACK TIME | Above 10.5hours (FLAC, 16 bit, 44.1 kHz, Vol.50, LCD off) |
| FREQUENCY RESPONSE | ±0.04dB (Condition: 20 Hz~20 kHz) Unbalanced / ±0.04dB (Condition: 20 Hz~20 kHz) Balanced ±0.07dB (Condition: 20 Hz~70 KHz) Unbalanced / ±0.06dB (Condition: 20 Hz~70 KHz) Balanced |
| SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO | [Normal Gain] 122 dB @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced / 126dB @ 1 kHz, Balanced [High Gain] 125dB @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced / 129dB @ 1 kHz, Balance |
| CROSSTALK | [Normal Gain] -138dB @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced / -145dB @ 1 kHz, Balanced [High Gain] -138dB @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced / -147 dB @ 1 kHz, Balanced |
| THD+N | [Normal Gain] 0.0005% @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced / 0.0004% @ 1 kHz, Balanced [High Gain] 0.0007% @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced / 0.0006% @ 1 kHz, Balanced |
| IMD SAMPTE | 0.0003% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Unbalanced / 0.0003% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Balanced |
| OUTPUT IMPEDANCE | 3.5 mm (1ohm) / 2.5 mm (1.5ohm) / 4.4 mm (1.5ohm) |
| BOX CONTENTS | 1. Astell&Kern A&futura SE180 |
| 2. 1 x SEM1 ESS ES9038PRO DAC module | |
| 3. 1 x USB-C to USB-A cable (1 metre) | |
| 4. 3 x screen protectors | |
| 5. 1 x Quick start guide |
Don't sweat it, this
Astell&Kern - A&futura SE180 comes with a 1 Year warranty
from Astell&Kern that covers manufacturing defects.
All products featured on Headphone Zone are backed by an original manufacturer's warranty.
Read more about Astell&Kern's warranty in India.
iF
Design
Award
iF Design Awards 2022
Apr, 2022
"The newly introduced BT Sink function connects the SE180 to an external device, such as your smartphone, via BT, enabling you to take advantage of the A&K's DAC while playing from your phone's library."
Read More
"The A&futura SE180 is the first model to boast Astell&Kern’s Teraton Alpha Sound Solution technology. This is designed for deliver audio playback close to the original sound."
Read More
"A&futura SE180 has 256GB onboard memory that can be expanded up to 1TB by using the microSD card slot, meaning users can carry thousands of hi-res albums at all times."
Read MoreThis product is rated 5.0 of 5.0 stars.
It has received 1 review.