Astell&Kern ACRO BE100 Bluetooth Speaker

The Astell&Kern ACRO BE100 is a stereo Bluetooth speaker built like a piece of hi-fi. Where most Bluetooth speakers use the basic DAC inside their Bluetooth chip, the BE100 has a dedicated 32-bit DAC and separate circuitry, based on Astell&Kern’s portable players. A custom 4-inch Kevlar woofer and two 1.5-inch silk dome tweeters, driven by 55W of Class D amplification, fill a room with stereo sound, and it streams 24-bit aptX HD and LDAC, which Astell&Kern says made it the first Bluetooth speaker to support both.

Light, shadow and edge

Metal, wood and premium PU leather come together seamlessly in Astell&Kern’s signature language of light and shadow. The front grille’s edges meet at one point in an asymmetric, triangle-based pattern, balanced so that areas of light and shadow give the box a solid, stable look that changes as you move around it. The knurled aluminium knob on top adjusts the volume step by step with a gentle touch, and the area below it lights up in different colours for each mode and volume level, so you can see the speaker’s status at a glance.

A dedicated 32-bit DAC

Digital music has to be converted to analogue before you can hear it. Most Bluetooth speakers rely on the DAC embedded in the Bluetooth chip, which limits the sound. The BE100 uses a 32-bit hi-fi DAC on its own circuit, drawing on the technology and expertise behind Astell&Kern’s players, to keep the authentic detail of analogue sound.

Custom drivers for true stereo

The 4-inch woofer is made of ultra-durable, lightweight Kevlar fabric, for faster response and more accurate, solid bass, and a rear port extends the bass. Two silk dome tweeters give crystal-clear treble. Astell&Kern worked to find the ideal positions for the woofer and tweeters so the BE100 plays real stereo, not mono. Inside, sound-absorbing material lines the wooden cabinet and seals the interior, reducing resonance for a full, rich sound.

Amplification without clipping

A poorly designed speaker amplifier can clip at full output. The BE100’s high-end Class D amplifier, designed by Astell&Kern, reaches its maximum power cleanly, without distortion, and gives 55W in total from a compact cabinet (25W × 1 + 15W × 2). A digital crossover splits the frequencies precisely so they don’t mix, dynamic range control (DRC) protects the drivers at maximum output, and a 50ps clock in the Bluetooth section minimises jitter for accurate sound.

Bluetooth or AUX, tuned for each

Bluetooth 5.0 gives a stable connection with greater range, with SBC, AAC, aptX HD (24-bit/48kHz) and LDAC (24-bit/96kHz). The 3.5mm AUX input connects a phone or a portable music player by cable. Astell&Kern tuned the sound separately for each connection mode, allowing for reverb and internal resonance, so voices and instruments separate naturally whatever you play.

Independent treble and bass controls, five levels each, let you shape the sound, and the front LED display shows the mode and settings: BTP (pairing), BT (Bluetooth), AUX, and TREB or BASS 0–5.

Good to know

• Mains powered (no battery). Colours: black or white.
• This item is ordered on demand and may take longer than our usual 2–4 working days.
• In the box: ACRO BE100, power cable and quick start guide.