Astell&Kern Expanding Partnerships With Record Labels To Bring More High Resolution Audio To Consumers
Seoul, South Korea – Astell&Kern, the leader in portable high-resolution audio players, has partnered with Warner Music to release the Maria Callas Remastered – The Complete Studio Recordings (1949 – 1969) Box Set in high resolution, 24-bit audio. Opera lovers will now be able to hear Maria Callas as never before. Each recording has been painstakingly remastered in 24-bit/96kHz sound at Abbey Road Studios, using the original tapes, and the entire collection has been curated with the greatest of care.
Conceived as a true collector’s edition, the Maria Callas Remastered Box Set presents each individual opera or recital MQS Album on microSD card with its original artwork. The box set contains a 132–page hardcover book with essays, a biography and chronology, rarely-seen photos and reproductions of revealing letters written by Maria Callas, Walter Legge and other EMI executives. The opera librettos and aria texts are provided on each MQS Album.
Also available, in celebration of Blue Note Records’ 75th Anniversary, Astell&Kern has partnered with the legendary record label to offer an exclusive, limited edition box set. Available now for a limited time, the Astell&Kern Blue Note 75th Anniversary Box Set: Limited Edition features 75 of Blue Note’s most essential albums, newly remastered from analog to the hi-res MQS digital format (24bit/192kHz). Five Blue Note albums make their exclusive hi-res audio debuts with this release: Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers’ Mosaic, Tina Brooks’ True Blue, Don Cherry’s Complete Communion, Andrew Hill’s Point Of Departure, and Bobby Hutcherson’s Components. The lavish collection includes the Blue Note branded Astell&Kern AK240 high-resolution portable audio player, a special book filled with original album art (front and back cover) for the 75 titles, as well as Richard Havers’ new book, Blue Note: Uncompromising Expression.
Both box sets are unique because they offer consumers the digital tracks in full 24-bit, high resolution audio and each album on physical media, in microSD card format, along with album covers, track listings and liner notes like traditional music media consumers already own. Astell&Kern wants consumers to hold the media in their hands, experience and feel it and not worry about losing a digital download and being unable to recover it. The owner can simply re copy the track or album to their portable player, computer or other device from the physical microSD card. These two sets are the first of many Astell&Kern will release with record labels to promote high resolution audio to consumers in a format they are already accustomed to.
The Maria Callas Remastered – The Complete Studio Recordings (1949 – 1969) Box Set is currently available for $1,200. The Astell&Kern Blue Note 75th Anniversary Box Set: Limited Edition is also currently available for $5,500.
For a list of dealers that carry these products, as well as other products in the Astell&Kern line, please visit http://www.iriverinc.com/support/wheretobuy.asp.
For more information about the Astell&Kern Blue Note 75th Anniversary Box Set: Limited Edition collection and how to order, visit http://www.astellnkern.com/eng/htm/ak240/ak240_bluenote.asp.
About Astell&Kern
Launched in October 2012, Astell&Kern is the high-end audiophile brand by iriver. The current Astell&Kern line includes the award-winning first generation AK100, AK120, the second generation AK100 II and AK120 II and the AK240 high-resolution portable audio players, capable of playing 24-bit/192 kHz Mastering Quality Sound (MQS) files including DSD. Astell&Kern’s lineup has recently expanded to include accessories such as a full line of In-Ear monitors and headphones, Astell&Kern portable player docking stations, Bluetooth remote controls and line of home audio products.
For more information about Astell&Kern, please visit www.AstellnKern.com or the Astell&Kern Facebook page and Twitter feed.
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