Astell&Kern ACRO CA1000

The ACRO CA1000 is a headphone amplifier that combines the functions and portability of a high-performance amplifier. The ACRO CA1000 sets a new standard for headphone amplifiers, delivering powerful, clear sound with features never before available on any other headphone amplifier.

As a portable amp, the curved surface and side design pattern prevent the product from being pushed by your hand when holding it in one hand. The ACRO CA1000 has a tilting display that can be adjusted to an optimal position based on where it is placed on a desk or table. The display can be freely adjusted up to 60 degrees to suit your environment.

Quad-DAC with high efficiency and noiseless sound

The ACRO CA1000 is equipped with four ES9068AS DACs, providing perfect decoding capabilities with Astell&Kern’s amplification circuit technology. The 2.5mm, 3.5mm, 4.4mm and 6.35mm output circuits are physically separated by applying tiny independent relay components.

If the signal from each output stage of a high-power headphone amplifier is not properly blocked, it can cause sound interference. The ACRO CA1000 has noiseless output with an independent circuit structure using relays to completely block unused connectors.

Silver plating shield can

Astell&Kern products apply shielding boxes so that noise and electromagnetic interference, which occur when countless parts operate, do not affect the audio block. The CA1000 has gone even further by applying a highly conductive and hyper-pure silver plating to the existing shielding cases for perfect shielding that delivers excellent audio performance.

ReplayGain automatically and evenly adjusts playback volume

ReplayGain, which adjusts sound sources with different volumes to an identical level, has been applied. Now, enjoy your own playlists seamlessly thanks to the ReplayGain function on the CA1000.

Technical Specifications

Main Features

• Headphone amplifier and audiophile player
• 4.1-inch touchscreen (720 × 1280), adjustable up to 60 degrees
• 256 GB internal memory, expandable via MicroSD card up to 1 TB
• Quad-core processor
• Quad DAC converter (ESS ES9068AS × 4)
• 4 gain levels, up to 15 Vrms output
• Silver shielding for noise and interference reduction

Audio Performance

• Compatible with PCM 32-bit / 384 kHz and native DSD512
• Volume normalization (ReplayGain) for automatic sound level adjustment
• Signal-to-noise ratio:
  • Unbalanced: 107 dB at 1 kHz
  • Balanced: 115 dB at 1 kHz
  • RCA: 119 dB at 1 kHz
• Crosstalk:
  • Unbalanced: -105 dB at 1 kHz
  • Balanced: -124 dB at 1 kHz
  • RCA: -121 dB at 1 kHz
• THD+N:
  • Unbalanced: 0.005% at 1 kHz
  • Balanced: 0.002% at 1 kHz
  • RCA: 0.0004% at 1 kHz
• IMD SMPTE:
  • Unbalanced: 0.0008% 800 Hz / 10 kHz (4:1)
  • Balanced: 0.0004% 800 Hz / 10 kHz (4:1)
  • RCA: 0.0003% 800 Hz / 10 kHz (4:1)
• Output impedance: 3.5 mm / 6.35 mm (1 Ω), 2.5 mm / 4.4 mm / RCA (2 Ω)

Supported Formats

• PCM: 8 kHz to 384 kHz (8, 16, 24, 32 bits)
• Native DSD: DSD64, DSD128, DSD256, DSD512
• Formats: WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, MQA

Connectivity

• Unbalanced headphone outputs: 3.5 mm jack, 6.35 mm jack
• Balanced headphone outputs: 2.5 mm, 4.4 mm
• Stereo RCA output
• Inputs: Analog RCA, coaxial/optical digital, USB-C
• Bluetooth 5.0 (aptX HD, LDAC)
• Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 / 5 GHz)

Power Supply

• 8,400 mAh 3.8 V lithium-polymer battery
• Fast charging: 2.5 h (9 V / 3 A PD2.0)
• Standard charging: 7 h (5 V / 2 A)
• Battery life: 10.5 h (FLAC 16/44.1, unbalanced, volume 40)

Dimensions and Weight

• 104.9 × 45 × 148.8 mm
• 919 g