Astell & Kern's amazing hi-res audio player is heavy, metal

Astell & Kern has launched a new version of its premium SP3000T hi-res audio player. This version is finished in ultra-pure copper but costs the same as the stainless steel model.

One of the things I love about Astell & Kern's hi-res music players is how solid they feel: they're machined from high quality metal and feel reassuringly expensive in the hand. And now there's an even more desirable metal. The new SP3000T Copper Edition is made from, you've guessed it, copper. Not only that but it's 99.98% pure copper, and that's important.

Copper is famous for its connectivity, and in this ultra-pure form Astell & Kern says it delivers even better transport of digital-analogue signals. And Astell & Kern has also taken steps to address the other thing copper is famous for, which is its tendency to change colour over time. This copper won't: it's got a special multi-layer coating to protect it from oxidisation, so you don't need to worry about your hi-res audio player going blue as you play the blues.

Astell & Kern SP3000T Copper Edition: what's new?

At heart this is the SP3000T that launched earlier this year, and that means you get Astell & Kern's clever Triple Amp system. That gives you the choice of a digital op-amp, famed for its clarity; a tube amp, famed for its warmth; or a mix of the two for the best of both worlds.

Inside there's a Snapdragon 6125 octa-core processor with 8GB of RAM, double the usual amount you'll find in a small digital audio player, and the tubes are twin Raytheon JAN6418 MIL-SPEC vintage vacuum tubes.

According to Astell & Kern the copper here isn't just cosmetic: it says that the metal was chosen for its "outstanding" electrical conductivity, high shielding performance and low resonance, which means that your sound signal should be as pure as the copper surrounding it.

The new Copper Edition keeps the same price as the original, which is made from watch-grade stainless steel: both models are £3,199 ($2,999 / €3,599).