Astell & Kern unveils PD20 portable digital audio player with built-in hearing test for personalized high-resolution music playback

Astell & Kern has announced the PD20 digital audio player, its first with a built-in hearing test to optimize the sound output for every user, using technology from Audiodo. The quad-DAC player supports lossless music playback from local and streaming music sources such as Tidal to balanced and unbalanced headphones.

The PD20 borrows technology from the company's flagship DAPs, enabling a frequency response of 20 Hz to 70 kHz (±0.020dB) with a S/N ratio of 127dB and THD+N of 0.0004% when using balanced headphones.

The DAP can drive headphones with its triple mode amplifier, supporting Class A, Class AB, and hybrid operation with a three-step current adjustment for nuanced sound output, according to the company. The audio can be further customized through a variety of EQ, amp, and surround sound settings.

The PD20 can be controlled by its 6-inch, 2,160 x 1,080 touchscreen and multiple physical switches and knobs. It comes with 256 GB of storage, which can be expanded with a microSD card up to 2 TB in capacity.

The A&K PD20 will be available in March 2026 for an MSRP of $1,970 in the USA and $1,800 elsewhere. Readers who don't want to wait for a top-end DAP can look through the company's other offerings in the A&K store on Amazon.