First Bluetooth speaker from Astell&Kern, the Acro BE100, has the same aesthetic as the company’s DAPs, with a faceted front panel and a sizable backlit volume knob. Due to its support for Bluetooth 5.0 as well as the aptX HD and LDAC codecs, this Astell&Kern speaker strives to deliver a high-quality listening experience, staying true to the company’s philosophy. You may connect a wired source to it using the 3.5mm mini-jack input, and the three drivers and 55 watts of amplification guarantee excellent quality. you can purchase this product from amazon.
The Astell&Kern Acro BE100 arrives in a classy box with the words “Hi-Fi Bluetooth Speaker” imprinted on it, making it clear what the function of this diminutive 26cm wide speaker is right away. A quick start manual and a power converter with European-standard connectors are included.
The Astell&Kern Acro BE100 connected speaker has an especially alluring look that makes it clear where it came from. A faceted metal grille on the front panel is reminiscent of the DAPs from the brand, including the Astell&Kern A&norma SR25, Astell&Kern KANN Alpha, and Astell&Kern A&Futura SE180, in terms of their geometric shapes. The A&K Acro BE100 speaker’s top and sides are built of a hardwood chassis that is coated in imitation leather that has a very realistic appearance. The Astell&Kern Acro BE100 has a highly opulent appearance and is a true ornamental item that would look fantastic in both classic and modern settings.
Astell&Kern Acro BE100 review: Design
For crystal pure treble, the BE100 employs two silk dome tweeters and a specially designed 4-kevlar woofer. In order to provide the highest level of durability and a more accurate bass response, Kevlar materials are used. No matter where the volume is set on the device, a class-D amplifier is used to execute the signal output at a constant level.
Dynamic range control, employed to safeguard the speaker unit at its maximum power capable of 55W, enables this. For a greater level of digital conversion for its Bluetooth signal, it also has a 32-bit DAC. One of the first Bluetooth speakers to support aptX HD and LDAC for CODECS, it also supports AAC.
Astell&Kern Acro BE100 review: Sound quality
The Acro BE100 is capable of delivering a wide variety of bass depth on recordings with significant sub-bass content, such The Knife’s “Silent Shout.” The lows are present but not particularly strong at Bass Level 0. At Bass Level 5, they have a significant impact.
The lows can slightly overpower the speaker’s woofers at maximum volume on both the speaker and the source device with Bass Level set to 5, but that’s common for a system that lets you make those independent adjustments. The woofer has no issues with the bass when you reduce the level on both to around 75 or 80%.
We believe Level 3 is the best setting for both the bass and treble. The speaker produces remarkable bass depth and clear, fine-grained highs in this setup. Although we didn’t hear any distortion at maximum volume with these settings, tracks like these nevertheless have a tendency to activate the speaker’s digital signal processing (DSP) and alter the frequency response. We get a better idea of the Acro BE100’s sound profile by listening to Bill Callahan’s “Drover,” a track with significantly less deep bass in the mix.
The percussion on this track gain from some additional low-frequency weight when treble and bass are adjusted to the intermediate levels, but Callahan’s baritone vocals have the strongest low-end presence in the mix. Beautiful, vivid detail can be heard in the acoustic strums and higher-register percussive hits. Although relatively bass-forward, the sonic characteristic is clean, balanced, and rich, with an emphasis on the lows and low-mids rather than the sub-bass.
Astell&Kern Acro BE100 review: Connectivity
The speaker falls short a little bit here. Although Astell & Kern may have been concerned about the quality of alternative connectivity choices, like Wi-Fi, and decided not to add it, the speaker appears to be built to offer the finest possible sound quality. This speaker is a straightforward Bluetooth speaker without any smarts or an integrated digital assistant, but it is a Bluetooth speaker better than any other I have ever seen, heard, or used before, so there’s that.
Additionally, there is no Astell & Kern app to manage the speaker’s equalizer, which is odd given that they provide one for their brand-new wireless earbuds, but it is not necessary. Isn’t that what a good Bluetooth speaker should do? You play the audio you want, and the speaker will reproduce it exactly as it is delivered to it (depending on your speaker’s bass and treble settings, that is). Repeat the signal that was sent to it.
Final Words
Because it projects all the melodic subtleties for my listening attention without becoming diluted, I prefer the BE100 up close. The sound projects easily and fills the room with a warm and clean sound character at 55W output. To fine-tune the audio for the best listening balance at each listening distance, use the treble and bass controls.
Despite my appreciation for the BE100’s internal technology, the single speaker system’s limitations prevent it from being audible to me. However, Astell&Kern’s new product line is off to a strong start, and they might make improvements to the technology in various speaker form factors.
