Astell & Kern A&norma SR15
Acombination of a geometrically ambitious structure and an obtuse name certainly draws your attention to the Astell & Kern A&norma SR15. But considering A&K’S track record, any new player from the US company – however daft its name or lopsided its shape – was always going to pique our interest.
The A&norma SR15 is a portable music player with dual-dacs, 3.5mm and balanced 2.5mm headphone jacks, 64GB built-in storage (expandable via microsd card), and built-in Bluetooth, wi-fi and Tidal. If those specs sound familiar, it’s because they’re almost exactly the same as those on A&K’S AK70 MKII (£600) – the predecessor to the A&norma.
But improvements have been made here to evolve A&K’S ‘standard’ music player line. As well as implementing two more advanced DACS (the Cirrus Logic Masterhifi class DAC CS43198) in a dual-dac design for optimum performance from both left and right channels, the A&norma sports an improved interface and support for
native DSD playback (to DSD64) in addition to PCM files up to 24-bit/192khz.
Owners of even higher-resolution files are also catered for. A 32-bit file with a 384khz or 352khz sampling rate is downsampled to 24-bit/192 khz or 24-bit/176 khz respectively for playback, while DSD128 is also playable through conversion to PCM 24-bit/176khz.
The A&norma also has an alter-ego as a preamp/dac, meaning it can be used solely as a digital source when its USB type-b output (also a charging port) is connected to an external DAC or amplifier with a USB input. The player’s USB type-b connection doesn’t work as an input, as it does on the AK70 MKII, so unlike its predecessor the A&norma can’t work as a DAC between your headphones and laptop, which we think is a shame.
However, the A&norma also features the more sophisticated user interface of the A&ultima, which means it inches closer to a slick smartphone experience. The pull-down menu for quick access to wi-fi, Bluetooth, EQ and volume swaps a screen-hogging interface for a scrollable single-tier bar, while the home screen, which can be viewed by scrolling right, also has a more contemporary feel.
On the playback screen, album art gets a little more space without sacrificing the display of file information, such as file type and size, the name of the song, artist and album.
Thinner frame
The A&norma more or less matches the AK70 MKII for size, with its slightly thinner frame evened out by a few extra millimetres of height. It keeps the A&K players’ hallmark design: a notch in its aluminium chassis for a slightly protruding volume wheel, and while it’s more recessed here, it’s still exposed enough to allow for good thumb grip.
A&K has ditched the sloped right-hand side panel seen on the AK70 MKII, in which the volume wheel sits, and chiselled a far more artistic angular design. The 3.3in screen is slightly off-kilter against the rectangular aluminium body, although the effect is subtle. It’s as close to geometric abstraction as we’ve seen in a portable music player, and the design may prove to be rather divisive.
Fortunately, the A&norma has as much sonic aspiration as design ambition. We play St. Vincent’s Los Angeles, and the opening synth beat is hurled forward. Its rhythmic prowess choreographs the synth elements around it, while the accompanying vocal is not only clearer, but also has more sassiness.
Its wider canvas is evident during the initial stereo interplay of Radiohead’s Bones (24-bit/48khz). As the track’s chorus kicks in, the guitar lines and percussion sound more determined, and that unrelenting reverb rings even truer.
We switch to Manu Delago’s Parasol Peak album (16-bit/44.1khz, Tidal), and the A&norma’s affinity for subtlety is exposed. Everything is full and lush, from the bellowing brass and pattering percussion to Delago’s handpan handiwork. The A&norma picks out the sonic intricacies of the natural sounds of running streams, and keeps them at the forefront of the composition while the rest of the track builds around them.
Battery life is good too; we get around nine hours playing at reasonably high volumes, switching between wired headphones and Bluetooth connectivity.
Making strides with performance, usability and file support, the A&norma keeps A&K’S standard line progressing in the right direction. It offers more refinement, rather than a full-scale revolution, over its predecessor, which is reaching the end of its natural shelf life.