Fundamentally, players such as the Astell & Kern Kann Alpha must deliver hi-res music in a portable design – and it delivers this in spades.
KANN ALPHA, the third product in the KANN series, which is loved by audiophiles around the world, was designed to solve the problem of providing ultra high power output in a digital audio player, while ensuring a compact design.
While the goal of the Astell&Kern KANN line is to provide high power output to drive any headphone or IEM, KANN ALPHA has not forgotten the essence of being a portable DAP, so you can enjoy a near-perfect sound experience wherever you are.
The newly introduced feature of the 4.4mm balanced output port is exciting, however, the most important part is how we implemented it.
Unlike other manufacturer’s products, KANN ALPHA has physically separated the 2.5mm and 4.4mm outputs using micro relays.
When 2.5mm and 4.4mm structures are connected to the general mute circuit they do not prevent noise interference that may occur because each signal is not properly blocked.
KANN ALPHA boasts noise-free output because we built in an independent structure that completely blocks interference from outputs that are not being used and to be switched off therefore preventing the noise from occurring.
KANN ALPHA boasts excellent performance measurement for crosstalk. Channel crosstalk is how much signal leaking there is between the L and R channels.
The higher the crosstalk number, the better the separation between channels and the deeper and wider the sense of space that can be felt.
As evident with the newly developed audio circuit design, KANN ALPHA features a never before seen Crosstalk measurement of -141dB (high gain), which is unmatched by any other portable audio products in its class.
KANN ALPHA supports the same powerful 12Vrms output as the existing KANN CUBE, however the player has been optimized to be more compact.
This is achieved through the miniaturization of numerous parts such as resistors and capacitors, by rearranging various components and through circuit optimization. This resulted in the modification of more than 60 parts during the development process.
The new design allows us to provide maximum power output in a smaller, more compact portable device without compromise.
A stable power supply is extremely important with the added power output to not affect the sound of a high resolution audio device.
If vibration or noise is produced when power is supplied to the player, the sound becomes adversely affected by power noise.
Ultra-small tantalum capacitors, which were developed exclusively for Astell&Kern through a collaboration with Matsuo Electric in Japan to meet our high performance requirements, supply stable power to the player and suppress electrical noise.
This redesigned power circuit used in KANN ALPHA also allows us to achieve 14 ½ hours of continuous playback.
KANN ALPHA is the first Astell&Kern player to use Bluetooth 5.0. The latest Bluetooth version provides high sound quality with the convenience of wireless playback to headphones and IEMs.
Bluetooth 5.0 features faster transmission speed and greater range compared to Bluetooth 4.2, therefore providing a more stable wireless connection.
Both LDAC and aptX HD is supported to provide audiophiles with the best wireless sound possible.
The high-quality sound that Astell&Kern is known for can now be heard when using Bluetooth earphones, headphones, and speakers.
KANN ALPHA features a LED volume wheel which displays various playback information, including volume level and bit-rate of the track currently playing.
MQA hardware rendering is built into the ES9068AS DACs and supports MQA 8x rendering.
MQA-CD playback is also supported on KANN ALPHA when playing MQA-CDs using the AK CD-Ripper. You now do not need special, expensive equipment to play back master quality audio CDs.
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Roon Ready network players from our partners have Roon’s high-resolution streaming technology built right in.
They combine simple setup, daily reliability, and support for the highest level of digital audio performance in the industry.
Every Roon Ready player is certified by Roon to guarantee the same stellar experience, regardless of its manufacturer, its price, or its features.
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