THE Show Newport 2013 • Hot Product

We covered the Astell & Kern AK100 at CES. It's a high-quality portable digital source, essentially an audiophile-approved iPod-like digital player. The new AK120 ($1300) is slightly larger outside and considerably more robust inside. While the AK120's published specs are better, including greater signal-to-noise ratio and lower clock jitter, its lower output impedance makes it better able to drive a wide array of headphones, and its pair of Wolfson WM8740 DACs and 64GB of space improve its sound and allow for the storage of more music, which is especially important when you're playing 24-bit/192kHz files. Both models feel solid and even elegant, with a brushed-aluminum case and easy-to-read screen. You can view track info with the AK120 or. . . ,

. . .with a second touch, full album artwork.