Astell & Kern SP2000T Review – Finding Harmony in Dichotomy

Usability –

The SP2000T provides a very similar experience to that provided by their new A&Futura devices and one that is slightly different from the older SP2000 devices. It sports the company’s new octa-core SOC alongside a 1080p screen. Like previous devices, it runs a customised version of Android with some handy and convenient additions by Astell & Kern at the expense of limited third-party app support. Setup is as simple as ever, simply select your language and pop in a micro-SD card, the SP2000T automatically begins its library scan function. Unlike the SE180 and SE200, the status LED is on the back of the device rather than surrounding the volume wheel which can be less convenient to see. The SP2000T offers 256GB of internal storage, of which 221GB was free to the user on my test device.

UI

I tested the SP2000T on firmware version 1.03cm which was the latest available at the time of writing. As has been my experience with the SE180, the SP2000T sporting a similar screen resolution and, presumably, the same SOC also provides a similar user experience. That means you receive a reasonably responsive device that runs at a low albeit consistent framerate. Indeed, if you have a large music library, small navigation hangs are apparent but not exceedingly irking. Similarly, the WiFi implementation once again is very pleasing and aids overall streamlining during listening. Similar to the SE180, though not outstandingly fast or smooth, the device didn’t freeze on me during my testing period and having that security makes this a more pleasant device to use than many.  

Screen

The 1080p 5” display is also quite reminiscent of that used on the SE180 and a step up from the 720p unit on the SE200 and vanilla SP2000 too. Being an IPS panel, there is zero colour shift, only some brightness fall off during off-axis viewing. The screen has impressive maximum brightness that is visible outdoors. Colours are slightly less saturated and the white balance skews cool though I find the screen variance between different units of the same DAP to be quite high so take this with a grain of salt. Combined with the higher resolution, the SP2000T offers sharp text and a clear image in most situations. While the older 720p DAPs were noticeably smoother, the SP2000T doesn’t strike as an especially slow device either.

Software

The SP2000T runs a locked version of Android similar to other AK devices. It does not have Google Play services and has limited third-party app support that must be installed through AK’s Open services menu. This means you need to sideload apps like Spotify and it must be a version that works with Android 9.0 and has been whitelisted by AK themselves – otherwise, the app will not install.

There is no navigation bar like the SE180, instead it provides a similar experience to the SP2000 with a floating back button and capacitive home button hidden below the display. I’m an old-fashioned guy and found the physical controls quite comforting and convenient. The back button can be moved around the screen, which is great for single-handed use, but it can also be disabled in favour of a swipe gesture if you find this more convenient.

Audio Modes

Beyond your usual Android AK DAP, I think important mentions include the amp modes which are more unique to the SP2000T. In the settings menu, you get granular control over this – 7 settings from complete SS to complete tube and 5 hybrid settings between with varying degrees of either SS or tube sound. Otherwise, you can toggle between 3 presets from the notification quick settings. For a more detailed breakdown of eQ and modes, the experience is identical to the SE180 which I detailed further in my dedicated review for that DAP.

Battery

Astell & Kern has outfitted the SP2000T with a larger 4200mAh battery relative to the 3700mAh unit on the SP2000. This gives it a purported additional hour of operation rated at 9hrs listening to 16bit FLAC, unbalanced, volume 50, screen off in OP-AMP mode. Of course, using the device’s screen will shorten this figure. As a result, it is difficult to provide a concrete figure of expected runtime, though I was seeing consistently around an 8-9hr figure during my uses which involved both tube and SS amp modes, lossless files and a lower volume around setting 40.

Connectivity

The SP2000T carries over a similar WiFi implementation to the SE180 meaning you get a very fast implementation with a good range. This is especially noticeable during streaming where I experienced minimal buffering similar to a good smartphone – of course, this will depend on your local internet speeds as well. OTAs also download quickly as the DAP was able to download a 600MB OTA in about 10 minutes.

On the Bluetooth side, we once again see a BT5.0 supporting chip with aptX HD and LDAC. AK’s BT Sinc allows the SP2000T to function as a very luxurious BT receiver from a smartphone or computer. In addition, you can use the SP2000T as a USB DAC/AMP and this worked perfectly on my Windows 10 PC without requiring the installation of a dedicated driver.

Next Page: Sound Breakdown