Astell&Kern PD20
Astell&Kern audiophile portable player fitted with a Quad-DAC ESS9027PRO and a sound personalisation function, designed for high-fidelity portable listening.
Description
The PD20 is a digital audio player (DAP) from Astell&Kern, designed as an entirely new device rather than a simple evolution of the PD10. It features a 6-inch touchscreen with 2160 x 1080 resolution and a silver aluminium body, for standalone use dedicated to listening to locally stored or wirelessly streamed audio files.
The heart of the system relies on four ESS ES9027PRO converters arranged in a Quad-DAC configuration, capable of decoding PCM files up to 768 kHz at 32 bits as well as native DSD up to DSD512 (22.4 MHz). The device offers a 5 Vrms unbalanced output and a 10 Vrms balanced output (unloaded), as well as an optical output and a 5-pole 4.4 mm balanced output, capable of driving demanding headphones or in-ear monitors. The Personal Sound function allows a sound signature to be established from a hearing test, subsequently adjustable across 160 steps via the Sound Master Wheel, which also controls switching between Class A and AB amplification modes.
On the connectivity side, the PD20 integrates 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.3 with support for aptX HD, LDAC and LHDC, enabling high-resolution wireless listening to compatible devices. Storage relies on 256 GB of built-in NAND memory, expandable via a microSD card up to 2 TB. The 5,770 mAh lithium-polymer battery offers approximately 14 hours of battery life when playing 16-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC files, with a charging time of approximately 4 hours via PD3.0-compatible USB-C.
This player is aimed at listeners seeking precise, customisable portable listening, whether with a high-end wired headphone connected in balanced mode or with wireless in-ear monitors compatible with LDAC or aptX HD. The Personal Sound function and fine-tuned amplification settings make it a particularly suitable tool for those wishing to adapt the sound to their own hearing rather than accept a fixed setting.
Technical specifications
| Colour | Silver |
| Body material | Aluminium |
| Display | 6-inch touchscreen, 2160 x 1080 |
| Supported audio formats | WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF |
| PCM sampling rate | 8 kHz to 768 kHz (8/16/24/32 bits per sample) |
| Native DSD | DSD64 (2.8 MHz), DSD128 (5.6 MHz), DSD256 (11.2 MHz), DSD512 (22.4 MHz), stereo |
| Output level | 5 Vrms unbalanced / 10 Vrms balanced (unloaded) |
| DAC | ESS ES9027PRO x4 (Quad-DAC) |
| Decoding | Bit-perfect playback up to 32 bits / 768 kHz |
| Processor | Octa-Core |
| Input | USB Type-C (charging, PC and Mac) |
| Connections | 3.5 mm unbalanced output, 3.5 mm optical output, 4.4 mm balanced output (5-pole) |
| Wi Fi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz) |
| Bluetooth | V5.3 (A2DP, AVRCP, aptX HD, LDAC, LHDC, SBC, AAC) |
| Built in memory | 256 GB (NAND) |
| External memory | 1 microSD card slot (2 TB max.) |
| Battery | 5,770 mAh lithium-polymer, 3.8 V |
| Charging time | Approximately 4 hours (PD3.0 charging) |
| Playback time | Approximately 14 hours (16-bit FLAC, 44.1 kHz, Vol. 50, Class AB, LCD off) |
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 155.7 mm x 77.5 mm x 17.3 mm |
| Weight | 313 g |
What to check before buying used
When buying used, it is worth checking the condition of the lithium-polymer battery, whose actual capacity may have decreased with charge cycles, as well as the proper functioning of the USB-C port used for both charging and data transfer. The touchscreen deserves careful inspection, particularly for the absence of deep scratches or defective pixels given its high resolution. It is also useful to test the various audio outputs, notably the 4.4 mm balanced output, as well as the Sound Master Wheel, which is used frequently and prone to mechanical wear on this type of device.
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