recently I was asked by a friend what I will do with my music, all the LPs and CDs and Tapes I have collected during the last 45 years when I need moving into a retirement home.
I looked at him and replied “Do you think it’s about time?”
He laughed. “Sure! I know you. I guess you will build up some other entertaining environment in the next time”.

It was a good joke but… Not being 60 years old I assume there will be at least some more years with a good mind and crystal clear ears – and of course quite a hell of work in business.
Nevertheless this conversation started something with me.

From that day on I started plans how to become a bit more flexible on my fixed assets, I mean the humble collection of stored music data. Being an 80% analogue guy I first put some thoughts in how to duplicate my LP collection not loosing too much of it’s sound quality when being played in a phono chain at home. In the end I decided how to do it but today is not the place talking about it, maybe at Xmas…

Today I will present my solution on the digital formats: I went for an Astell & Kern AK500 with a 4 terra byte storage space. So far I always resisted going for a ripping device “as I have my CDs and SACDs on hand” when starting a listening session. This unit changed my mind. Having enough storing space for my 9500 CDs the playback sound is excellent using the 7 hours lasting inbuilt battery, the DSD64 transfer of the PCM data and the locking of the unused in- & outputs.

The well built AK500 is quite heavy but not an ugly big computer screen.The touchscreen is designed pretty nicely. You cannot carry it around. It does communicate via AK connect with the mobile HIres player AK240, so you are able to access music data from both devices. In the end you might play with the imagination of putting it on the desk besides your rest home’s bed, no?