Astell&Kern Set to Ship $500 'Audiophile-Grade' Bluetooth Speaker

High-end audio company Astell&Kern bowed an “audiophile-grade” Bluetooth speaker. The $499 unit has support for aptX HD and LDAC Bluetooth codecs, allowing users to play “better than CD-quality audio” wirelessly from a smartphone or other Bluetooth source, the company emailed Wednesday. The BE100 has a dedicated 32-bit hi-fi digital-to-analog converter, 3.5mm Aux input, 4-inch Kevlar woofer and two silk dome tweeters. Users can set five bass and treble settings that are viewable on the speaker’s front LED display; a multifunction wheel changes speaker modes, powers the speaker on/off and provides volume control. Its 55-watt class D amplifier was designed in house. The BE100 will be available March 7, the company said.