A milestone for hearing-based personalisation in reference-grade portable audio

Stockholm, Sweden – 1 April 2026 – Audiodo announced 27th of february the expansion of its hearing-based personalisation technologies into the high-fidelity portable audio category through a collaboration with Astell&Kern, integrating Audiodo’s full audio enhancement suite into the new Astell&Kern PD20 digital audio player.

The PD20 is the first digital audio player to support personalised audio through a built-in hearing test, developed in collaboration with global audio solutions leader Audiodo. While hearing-based personalisation has become increasingly common in mainstream consumer audio, its application within a reference-grade portable player presents a very different challenge. High-resolution playback environments demand absolute fidelity, stability, and transparency, requiring any form of processing to operate without compromising the underlying sonic character of the device.

Audiodo’s hearing-based personalisation technologies make their reference-grade portable debut in late March via the Astell&Kern PD20, priced at $1,970 / £1,799.

From the earliest stages of development, Audiodo worked closely with Astell&Kern’s engineering team to integrate its technologies coherently within the PD20’s high-performance playback architecture. Rather than functioning as a superficial EQ layer, Audiodo’s solution combines Personal Sound, Audiosphere, Acura, and Equalizer processing to form a broader audio enhancement suite, designed to operate in harmony with the player’s signal path while preserving reference-grade performance.

Audiodo’s Personal Sound technology analyses individual hearing characteristics and applies targeted compensatory adjustments to improve clarity, balance, and perceived detail. Audiosphere extends two-channel audio into a more immersive spatial presentation, while Acura and the Equalizer provide refined tonal control and optimisation. Extensive evaluation and tuning were carried out to ensure these enhancements remain meaningful and transparent, meeting the expectations of high-end listeners using premium headphones and in-ear monitors.

Jay Ahn, Product Manager at Astell&Kern, commented:“Integrating hearing-based personalisation into a reference-grade portable audio player introduced a new level of technical complexity. Through close collaboration with Audiodo, we were able to implement these technologies in a way that complements our audio architecture and maintains the performance standards expected from an Astell&Kern product. The result is a personalised listening experience that remains faithful to the original recording.”

For Audiodo, the collaboration represents a significant step in the evolution of its technologies, demonstrating scalability beyond mainstream devices and into demanding high-fidelity listening environments.

“This collaboration with Astell&Kern marks an important milestone for Audiodo,” said Amir Sheikh, CEO of Audiodo. “It shows that hearing-based personalisation can be successfully applied within reference-grade audio systems without compromising sound quality. Expanding our technologies into the high-fidelity segment strengthens Audiodo’s premium positioning and opens new opportunities for personalised listening across advanced audio platforms.”

ContactsAmir SheikhCEO at Audiodoamir.sheikh@audiodo.com

About UsAudiodo™ is a Swedish software and algorithm company based in Malmö, committed to transforming the way people experience sound. With over 30 years of expertise in acoustical algorithms, we develop innovative audio solutions that adapt to the unique hearing profiles of each individual. Our mission is to provide clearer, more immersive audio for everyone, whether enhancing daily listening or addressing the challenges of hearing loss.For more information about Audiodo™, please visit www.audiodo.com.

AttachmentsAudiodo Expands Personal Sound Technology into High-Fidelity Portable Audio with Astell&Kern