Astell&Kern; HB1 Bluetooth/USB-C DAC/Amp & Kann Ultra Player Released
Astell & Kern's latest pair of portable products, the AK HB1 DAC/amplifier and Kann Ultra music player, are designed to improve your on-the-go audio.
The AK HB1 promises "outstanding high-resolution sound" from PCs, phones and tablets via a wired USB-C or wireless Bluetooth connection. There is support for native DSD256 and 32-bit/384 kHz playback, as well as MQA, thanks to a renderer function.
Bluetooth isn't necessarily the poor cousin here, either. There is codec support for LDAC (Sony's high-quality codec), aptX HD, AAC and SBC.
As for cabled connectivity, the HB1 offers USB Type-C while 3.5mm (unbalanced) and 4.4 mm (balanced) output connections cater for a range of wired headphones. The Korean company states that the HB1s' amp enables a "commanding 4 Vrms output" via the balanced connection.
Portable gamers rejoice! Many handheld gaming devices only offer UAC 1.0 connections, so HB1 supports UAC 2.0 and UAC 1.0 for cross-platform listening. This should mean that the likes of the PlayStation and Nintendo Switch should enjoy lower latency and better audio for what Astell&Kern promises will be "an immersive gaming experience".
There's even a Car Mode - Simply connect AK HB1 to your vehicle's AUX port, and its power automatically turns on/off based on your vehicle's ignition, allowing you to enjoy audio from your paired devices.
Finally, the AK HB1 has a "high-quality" microphone for clear voice calls. Also, it features the company's Clear Voice Capture technology, blocking out ambient noise while enhancing voice clarity.
A&K KANN ULTRA
The new Kann Ultra is the latest entry in the acclaimed A&K Kann line. Furthermore, it is touted as Astell & Kern's most potent portable player, being the first to feature next-gen Octa-core processors. With new DAR technology and an upgraded internal DAC, the Kann Ultra certainly seems to have the chops on paper to be a formidable DAP.
The Kann Ultra is outfitted with a USB-C input for charging plus 3.5mm (unbalanced and optical) and 4.4mm (balanced) outputs and supports up to 32-bit/768Hz file decoding via an ES9039MPRO chip. The majority of control is via the 5.5-inch HD touchscreen, but there is also that rather lovely dial.
The audio circuitry has been removed from the processors themselves, which, says A&K, reduces heat and noise from the processors and thus improves audio performance. Meanwhile, DAR (Digital Audio Remaster) tech aims to deliver refined sound at higher sample rates, upsampling those rates from the source to "go beyond the limits of the format". Triple Output Mode is also designed to boost the detail and performance of the more demanding headphones out here.
Naturally, A&K's Teraton Alpha tech is also on board, charged with reducing unwanted noise at high power. This unique in-house technology is devised to deliver audio playback as close to the original sound as possible through more "efficient power management, unwavering amplification", and the reduction of unwanted noise.
Both are available now, with the Astell & Kern AK HB1 priced at £259/ €299, while the Astell & Kern Kann Ultra in aluminium Astro Grey costs £1,599/ €1899.
Visit Astell&Kern for more information
Jay Garrett
StereoNET’s resident rock star, bass player, and gadget junkie. Jay heads up StereoNET as Editor for the United Kingdom and Europe regions. His passion for gadgets and Hi-Fi is second only to being a touring musician.
Posted in: Headphones
JOIN IN THE DISCUSSION
Want to share your opinion or get advice from other enthusiasts? Then head into the Message
Forums where thousands of other enthusiasts are communicating on a daily basis.
CLICK HERE FOR FREE MEMBERSHIP
Trending
1Audio-Technica’s Hotaru Levitates Analog Listening to New Heights
2Vertere DG-X Turntable Spins Simplicity into High-End Sound
3Stratton Shrinks the Form Not the Fidelity with Element 6 and 8
4Noise-Free Networking with SilentPower OMNI LAN
5Careful What Music You W(ai)sh For As Deezer Sounds Alarm
applause awards
Each time StereoNET reviews a product, it is considered for an Applause Award. Winning one marks it out as a design of great quality and distinction – a special product in its class, on the grounds of either performance, value for money, or usually both.
Applause Awards are personally issued by StereoNET’s global Editor-in-Chief, David Price – who has over three decades of experience reviewing hi-fi products at the highest level – after consulting with our senior editorial team. They are not automatically given with all reviews, nor can manufacturers purchase them.
The StereoNET editorial team includes some of the world’s most experienced and respected hi-fi journalists with a vast wealth of knowledge. Some have edited popular English language hi-fi magazines, and others have been senior contributors to famous audio journals stretching back to the late 1970s. And we also employ professional IT and home theatre specialists who work at the cutting edge of today’s technology.
We believe that no other online hi-fi and home cinema resource offers such expert knowledge, so when StereoNET gives an Applause Award, it is a trustworthy hallmark of quality. Receiving such an award is the prerequisite to becoming eligible for our annual Product of the Year awards, awarded only to the finest designs in their respective categories. Buyers of hi-fi, home cinema, and headphones can be sure that a StereoNET Applause Award winner is worthy of your most serious attention.