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With the AK Solaris X, the hi-fi specialist Astell & Kern, in collaboration with the headphone experts from Campfire Audio, has presented a new In Ear Monitor system which, in combination with a hi-fi music player, should offer the best possible sound.
The latest IEMS from Astell & Kern is based on the Campfire Audio Solaris 2020. Just like the older model, the exclusive in-ear is made by hand in Portland, USA. In addition to the eye-catching metal housing, the expensive InEar should convince with their first-class audio quality, for which the combination of a specially developed “Armature” driver and a “Tuned Acoustic Expansion Chamber (TAEC)” should be responsible.
Specifically, the manufacturer promises a reproduction with an incomparable clarity and a particularly detailed reproduction of high tones. By contrast, special sound bodies in front of and behind the driver are intended to achieve deeper and higher-resolution bass and mid-tones. The manufacturer specifies a frequency range of 5 Hz to 20 kHz, i.e. significantly deeper bass than most earphones.
Since Bluetooth is still not able to transmit lossless hi-fi music, Astell & Kern relies on a cable that uses pure silver to transmit the audio data – compared to conventional copper cables, silver conducts electricity by at least 7 percent more effective. At the end of the cable, there is a 2.5-millimeter jack plug, with an adapter for the widely used 3.5 mm plugs included.
The In-Ear themselves rely on an MMCX connection, which not only allows the cable to be exchanged in the event of a defect but in theory, could also be easily retrofitted with Bluetooth, for example with a simple MMCX Bluetooth module. The manufacturer supplies a protective cover made of cork, which is also made by hand in Portugal.
Astell & Kern AK Solaris X price and availability
The AK Solaris X from Astell & Kern and Campfire Audio has been priced at $1,499 and will be available to pre-order from July 1st from the Bhphotovideo.com website.
Astell & Kern has recently also released their newest portable music player, called the A&futura SE180. This is an Astell and Kern money player that can replace the DAC/Amp Module and is now available to order in the US for $1,499.
