Astell & Kern AK300, User Manual

Page 1: ...INSTRUCTION BOOK AK300 User Guide ...

Page 2: ...tore AK Connect Listening to Music Playlist Management USB DAC Installation CD Ripping Using Bluetooth Settings Connecting to a Wireless Network Equalizer Setup 12 14 15 18 19 25 31 34 35 37 39 44 45 Using the Device _02 Safety Precautions Troubleshooting Copyright Certifications Specifications Registered Trademarks Disclaimers 48 49 51 51 53 54 54 Miscellaneous _03 CONTENTS ...

Page 3: ...rranty card is required for customer and technical support Do not misplace the card User Guide The User Guide can be downloaded from the Astell Kern website http www astellnkern com Support Download MicroSD Card Slot Cover The cover is used to protect the microSD card slot when not in use It is installed on the product by default Contents may be changed without prior notice to improve the performa...

Page 4: ...rnal audio device by using both the earphone port ground and balanced audio port LR in conjunction Micro USB Port Connect to a computer or recharge the device Expansion Unit Balanced Out Output sound to an expansion device that supports balanced audio connections Previous Rewind Play the previous song or restart the song Long press Rewind Getting Started 03 User Guide The appearance of the product...

Page 5: ...en is on press the button to turn off the screen 2 Press the button again to turn off the screen Turn On Off 1 Long press the button to turn on the device 2 While the device is on long press the button to display a shutdown confirmation message 3 Press Confirm to turn off the device Power Manage ment Getting Started 04 Play Pause Play or Pause a song Long press Show the playback screen Next Fast F...

Page 6: ...computer specifications When charging via PC connection the charging time may vary depending on whether the device is turned on or off If a computer goes into standby sleep mode the device may not be charged depending on computer specifications The built in battery will gradually lose capacity over time according to the number of charges discharges Do not use any micro USB cable other than the one...

Page 7: ...phones port Getting Started 06 Balanced Earphones Headphones 1 Connect supported earphones or headphones to the balanced port OR OR Balanced Audio Device 1 Connect to an external audio device by using the Earphones port and Balanced port in conjunction Earphones Port Ground Balanced Port LR ...

Page 8: ...ptical Out 1 Music can be played back on a S PDIF capable external audio device by using an optical cable DSD format is converted to PCM when using Optical Out The volume will be fixed at the maximum level Mac users need to download and install the MTP program from the Astell Kern website http www astellnkern com Support Download For an optimal connection quit any unnecessary programs before conne...

Page 9: ...erations are completed before attempting to disconnect the device from the computer Disconnecting the device from the computer during an operation e g file transfer may corrupt data on the device Windows XP users require Service Pack 2 and Windows Media Player 10 to be installed for the computer to recognize the USB device Download necessary Service Packs and Windows Media Player from the Microsof...

Page 10: ...r speeds may be affected depending on the computer and or OS environment Getting Started 09 User Guide Insert Remove a microSD Card 1 Refer to the diagram and gently insert a microSD card into the microSD card slot Delete Files Folders on the Device 1 Right click the desired file folder and then select Delete 2 Select Yes in the Confirm File Folder Deletion window to delete the selected file folde...

Page 11: ...serious damage to the system Do not remove the microSD card while it is in use Doing so may cause data corruption deletion malfunction and damage to the microSD card Miscellaneous If the device is unable to recognize the microSD card and or malfunctions format the memory card before use We recommend using the FAT32 format Using microSD cards other than the recommended brands may cause device malfu...

Page 12: ...upgrade Doing so may cause data corruption and or damage to the system If an error occurs or the notice in the Notification Bar disappears during an upgrade download the firmware update again through Update System Update Getting Started 11 User Guide Wi Fi Update OTA Over the Air 1 Connect to a wireless network 2 When a new firmware version is available the screen will display a Firmware Update Gu...

Page 13: ...erated with light pressure Using the Device 12 Basic Operations LCD Touchscreen 1 This device features an LCD touchscreen that allows you to perform operations by touch Interact with the device by touching the screen to access various features User Guide Return to the Home Screen Home Screen 1 Press the Home button at any time to return to the Home Screen ...

Page 14: ...Using the Device 13 User Guide Navigating Up Down in a List 1 Scroll through the list by dragging the list screen up and down ...

Page 15: ...tly playing song information Launches AK Connect View the list of songs by different search options Current Song AK CONNECT Search Options 1 2 3 1 2 3 Home Screen The search options can be long pressed and dragged to change their locations ...

Page 16: ...Using the Device 15 User Guide Notification Bar 8 2 4 10 11 9 13 12 3 14 15 16 17 5 6 7 1 ...

Page 17: ...ss to turn Gapless Playback on or off Turn Line Out on or off Turn Wi Fi speakers on or off Must be on the same network The icon will become enabled when AK Connect is turned on Notification contents are displayed in this area Enter keywords to display a list of items containing the search terms Displays a list of settings Notification Bar Wi Fi Bluetooth EQ Gapless Playback Line Out Wi Fi Speaker...

Page 18: ...e screen lock onoroff Thevolumewheelisdisabled whenthescreenlockiconisactivated Press to cycle through different play modes Sequential playback Shuffle playback Press to cycle through different Repeat modes Repeat the entire playlist Repeat the current song Disable repeat Turn the CD Ripper on or off Enabled when connected to the AK CD Ripper Output sound through the cradle s Balanced Out port Ena...

Page 19: ...ser Guide Purchasing Music 1 Connect to a wireless network 2 Select Store from the home screen 3 Select the desired store 4 Check the user guide or help menu within each store for detailed information Conveniently purchase music from the Store when connected to a wireless network Purchasing Music from a Store ...

Page 20: ...oad 2 Run the downloaded installer and follow the on screen instructions 3 Check the User Guide within the program for detailed information on using the MQS Streaming Server The AK300 can access and play back music files stored on a computer on the same network as well as output sound through Astell Kern speakers AK CONNECT Connecting to the AK Connect Server 1 Turn on the server and connect to th...

Page 21: ...ll the screen left and right to select a server The selected server will be connected and the server home screen will be displayed 6 Select a search option at the bottom of the server home screen to display a list of music Refer to page 44 of the manual for more information on connecting to a wireless network ...

Page 22: ...e top of the screen to begin downloading A message on the Notification Bar will indicate a completed download Depending on network conditions song loading may be slow or streaming may stutter Server response may be slow when the server computer is under load Depending on network conditions and server status the AK300 s performance may be affected when streaming and downloading at the same time Ter...

Page 23: ...work as the AK300 2 Turn on AK Connect from the device settings 3 Press from the notification bar to display a list of speakers available on the same network as the AK300 4 Scroll the screen left and right to select a speaker The selected speaker will be connected and music will be played back through the speaker Example 1 LIBRARY SPEAKER AK T1 AK300 ...

Page 24: ...Using the Device 23 User Guide Example 2 Example 3 AK500N LIBRARY REMOTE SPEAKER AK T1 AK300 REMOTE LIBRARY AK300 SPEAKER AK500N ...

Page 25: ...Using the Device 24 User Guide Example 4 Example 5 LIBRARY SPEAKER AK T1 AK300 AK500N REMOTE SPEAKER AK T1 LIBRARY AK300 or REMOTE AK Connect APP AK500N LIBRARY ...

Page 26: ...ton on the device Press during playback for the previous next song Play the previous next song by pressing the button on the device Long press during playback to rewind fast forward Rewind fast forward by pressing the button on the device Using the Device 25 User Guide Listening to Music Selecting Music 1 Select a search option at the bottom of the home screen to display the playlist 2 Select a so...

Page 27: ...k to display an additional screen Display the previous screen Display the current playlist Press next to the playlist to edit the playlist order Press at the top of the music list to display music options Add the selected file to the playlist Delete the selected file from the playlist Add the current song to the playlist Display lyrics for the current song Display current song information ...

Page 28: ...Using the Device 27 User Guide Playlist Screen 1 2 4 5 6 3 ...

Page 29: ... Play all songs from the current playlist Displays the playlist for the current location Select a method for sorting the playlist Select a view type for the list of albums Select the checkbox to apply playlist options Current Location Play All Playlist List Sorting List View Music Options 1 2 3 4 5 6 ...

Page 30: ... Device 29 User Guide 2 1 12 11 10 6 5 4 3 7 8 9 13 14 15 Music Player Screen Return to the previous screen Display album covers Press the album cover to show additional functions Previous Screen Album Cover 1 2 ...

Page 31: ...laylist Displays current song information Indicates the song s total duration Press to switch from elapsed time to remaining time Indicates song progress Drag the indicator to move to the desired time Short press Previous song Long press Rewind the current song Short press Next song Long press Fast forward the current song Lyrics Add to Playlist Song Progress Details Title Artist Play Pause Playli...

Page 32: ...ts 2 Press at the upper right corner of the screen 3 Enter a name for the playlist and then press Add to create a new playlist Adding a Song to a Playlist 1 Press Playlists to display a list of playlists 2 Select a playlist and press Add to display a list of songs 3 Select the desired song and then press Add to add the song to the selected playlist ...

Page 33: ...and then press to remove the song from the selected playlist Editing the Playlist Order 1 Press next to the playlist to modify the playlist order Playing a Playlist 1 Press Playlists to display a list of playlists and then press at the top of the screen 2 Select the desired playlist for playback 3 Press at the top of the screen to add the selected playlist after the current last song of the curren...

Page 34: ...t the playlist to be deleted 3 Press at the top of the screen to delete the selected playlist 1 Press Playlists to display a list of playlists and then press at the top of the screen 2 Select a playlist to be renamed 3 Press at the top of the screen to display a rename window 4 Enter a name for the playlist and then press Rename to save the playlist under a new name ...

Page 35: ...arphones port for an enhanced listening experience Sound will not play back for files that exceed the supported formats Volume control is unavailable when the LCD screen is turned off during USB DAC connection The Previous Play and Next buttons are unavailable during USB DAC connection Playback may stutter when computer performance is slow or the USB connection is experiencing heavy usage There ma...

Page 36: ... a CD 2 The metadata ID3 tags for the inserted CD will be retrieved via Gracenote 3 CD ripping will begin automatically after the metadata has been retrieved 4 When finished press OK on the results prompt to complete automatic CD ripping Manual CD Ripping 1 When the AK Ripper is connected and a CD is inserted the CD Ripping menu will be activated on the home screen 2 Press the CD Ripping menu and ...

Page 37: ... playback until the entire CD has been ripped You can set the desired file format and ripping speed from the CD Ripping menu Several attempts at correction will be made for data with errors when the feature is enabled under CD Ripping Error Correction Please note that the CD ripping speed will be affected when this feature is enabled Using the Device 36 User Guide CD Ripping Results Indicates that...

Page 38: ...on manual for details 1 Select from the home screen or select On Off from Bluetooth Bluetooth Pairing 1 Select the appropriate Bluetooth device from the list of available devices Terminating a Bluetooth Connection 1 Press the connected Bluetooth device and confirm the message prompt to disconnect the device A Bluetooth device must be paired with the AK300 prior to use Refer to the Bluetooth device...

Page 39: ...etooth For multipoint devices make the necessary connections prior to use Car audio Bluetooth connections are not supported Malfunction noise and other undesirable effects may occur due to the device s battery level and the environment If signal interference affects data transmission e g holding the device while wearing a Bluetooth device holding the device while holding another electronic device ...

Page 40: ...ar 2 Select the desired item for setup Wi Fi Change wireless network settings and turn Wi Fi on or off Bluetooth Connect a Bluetooth device to listen to music wirelessly Refer to page 44 of the manual for more information on setting a wireless network Refer to Using Bluetooth on page 37 of the manual for more information on setting up a Bluetooth connection AK CONNECT Set whether to use AK Connect...

Page 41: ...qualizer Set the equalizer according to the user s preferences Pro EQ EQ Preset recommended by professionals User EQ Adjust the frequencies according to the user s preferences Left Right Balance Adjust the left right balance for earphones headphones Do not use earphones with the Line Out feature enabled Doing so may cause permanent hearing loss Supported Formats for EQ PCM 8 192 kHz 8 16 24 bit DS...

Page 42: ...ion as well as the file format and ripping speed Theme Change the theme Date Time Set the current date and time Amp Set the amplification level when connected to the AK Amp Language Select the display language Supported languages English Korean Japanese Chinese Simplified Traditional French Russian German Screen Brightness Adjust screen brightness settings ...

Page 43: ...there is no user input Screen Timeout The screen will turn off after a defined period when there is no user input Sleep Timer Music playback will stop and the device will turn off after a defined period Keyboard Select the keyboard language Supported languages English Korean Japanese Chinese Simplified Traditional Russian The default folder is set when using AK Connect to download files When Selec...

Page 44: ...n the device Default Settings Revert all user settings back to their original settings Factory Reset Delete all user data and restore the device to its original factory settings Update System Update Update the system when a new version is found Application Update Update the default applications including the Store when new versions are found Formatting the microSD card will delete all data on the ...

Page 45: ...ay be required depending on the network settings 3 Long press the network name and select Network Settings to edit specific network settings Connecting to a Network 1 Long press from the Notification Bar or select Wi Fi to display a list of access points AP Networks requiring browser or other additional certifications are not supported Channels 1 through 11 are supported ...

Page 46: ...2 Press Pro EQ at the upper left corner of the screen and select 3 Enter a name for the custom EQ settings and select Add Equalizer Setup Equalizer Setup 1 Long press EQ from the Notification Bar or turn on the feature from Equalizer ...

Page 47: ...default settings 4 Adjust the frequencies up and down according to the user s preferences 5 The number values at the lower left corner of the screen can be adjusted for fine tuning 6 Press at the lower right corner of the screen to display the PEQ settings screen The frequency gain and Q values can be adjusted according to the user s preferences ...

Page 48: ...eft corner of the screen 2 Press next to the desired item to delete the selected equalizer Renaming an Equalizer 1 Press Pro EQ at the upper left corner of the screen 2 Press next to the desired item and enter a new name for the selected equalizer 3 Press Rename to apply the changes ...

Page 49: ...er Do not store or use in hot and humid places such as saunas Avoid places with excess moisture dust or smoke Do not use for extended period on blankets electric blankets or carpet Do not place near a fire or in a microwave Never attempt to disassemble repair or alter the product Do not store for extended periods in a confined space with the power on Do not place the device near magnetic objects m...

Page 50: ...ume or discontinue using the product and obtain medical advice Do not listen to music at excessive volumes for extended periods Do not use the earphones headphones at excessive volumes Be careful not to get the earphones headphones caught in other objects Do not sleep with earphones in your ears or leave them in for extended periods Trouble shooting Check for solutions to common problems 1 The dev...

Page 51: ...tery consumption Set the time at Power Saving Screen Timeout 5 The screen does not display images properly Check the screen for debris 6 There is no sound or there is static interference Check that the volume setting is above 0 Check that the earphones are plugged in properly and make sure debris isn t obstructing the port connection Check if the music file is corrupted Verify that the audio setti...

Page 52: ...nce with relevant copyright laws The user accepts all legal responsibility for the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of the copyrighted contents from this product Companies organizations products people and events used in the examples are not based on actual data iriver has no intention to be associated with any company institution product person or incident through this instruction manual...

Page 53: ...rtable music player kept 5mm from the body To maintain compliance requirements use only belt clips holsters or similar accessories that maintain a 5mm separation distance between the user s Body and the back of the Portable music player including the antenna The use of belt clips holsters and similar accessories should not contain metallic components in its assembly The use of accessories that do ...

Page 54: ...z Balance 0 56 dB Condition 10Hz 70kHz Unbalance 0 55 dB Condition 10Hz 70kHz Balance 116dB 1kHz Unbalance 116dB 1kHz Balance 130dB 1kHz Unbalance 130dB 1kHz Balance 0 0008 1 kHz Unbalanced 0 0007 1 kHz Balanced 0 0007 800 Hz 10 kHz 4 1 Unbalanced 0 0006 800 Hz 10 kHz 4 1 Balanced Balanced Out 2 5 mm 1 ohm Phones 3 5 mm 2 ohm 30 ps Typ Reference Clock Jitter VCXO Clock 0 2 ps Typ 0 2ps VCXO Clock ...

Page 55: ...ply new technologies in the future All specifications may be changed without prior notice There is no warranty against data loss due to the use of this product Registered Trademarks Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows 7 Windows 8 Windows 10 and Windows Media Player are trademarks of Microsoft Corp 2012 CSR plc and its group companies The aptX mark and the aptX logo are trade marks of CSR plc or one of...