Astell&Kern launched its latest digital audio participant right this moment, the KANN Cube, on the Fujiya Avic Spring Headphone Festival in Tokyo, Japan. The KANN Cube is the second mannequin launched in Astell&Kern’s acclaimed line of KANN music gamers. About this time final 12 months, I reviewed the original KANN, which Astell&Kern will proceed to promote.
After spending a couple of weeks with the KANN Cube, I can say with confidence to anybody with an unquenchable craving for a high-performance, feature-rich, high-res digital audio participant that’s able to driving nearly any headphone, no matter impedance stage: The KANN Cube is what you’re searching for. But you’ll want deep pockets to indulge your ardour: This machine will price $1,499 when it arrives at A&Ok sellers in June.
Astell&Kern design, by way of and thru
Astell&Kern gives a number of the most eye-catching high-res music gamers available on the market, and the KANN Cube follows that custom with a daring, laborious, and unapologetic design. As with all Astell&Kern gamers, deliberate use of angles, shapes, and adverse area abound. Look on the pictures intimately to see what I imply.
The KANN Cube has a big, knurled quantity dial.
The participant is an amalgamation of seemingly infinite shapes. Add a light-weight supply, and you may spend hours admiring the interaction of lights and shadows towards its diverse surfaces.
I’ll notice that the KANN Cube’s milled-aluminum shell sports activities numerous laborious angles. The corners felt particularly sharp. You’ll wish to take care that the KANN Cube doesn’t scratch delicate surfaces—similar to your pores and skin! (I’m advised retail models will include a case, which ought to ameliorate the sharp edges.)
Swooping traces on the big, knurled quantity knob make it appear like the attention of a hurricane. The participant is outfitted with an enormous five-inch glass display on the entrance, and a glass panel on its again. The giant show rendered textual content and different lettering huge and simple to learn, and I loved viewing album artwork on it.
Theo Nicolakis / IDGThe KANN Cube sports activities Astell&Kern’s up to date consumer interface.
A&Ok’s custom-made Android-based working system has undergone a UI improve and it debuts on the KANN Cube. As you possibly can see within the picture under, the quantity indicator’s new visible motif is a pyramid sample of traces that will get taller as you enhance the quantity (standard digits are additionally displayed).
Theo Nicolakis / IDGThe KANN Cube’s graphical quantity indicator has a triangular motif.
What’s on the within is simply as stunning
Under the hood, the KANN Cube delivers a formidable array of options and audio tech that may make even probably the most demanding audiophile salivate. Let’s begin with its amplifier stage.
The unique KANN was notable for its energy output, however the KANN Cube comes near doubling it—12Vrms vs. 7Vrms—by way of its balanced output connection. There’s no want for an exterior headphone amp. Furthermore, you possibly can match the KANN Cube’s energy and efficiency to your headphone’s impedance and sensitivity by choosing low, mid, or excessive achieve modes by way of the participant’s settings menu.
Theo Nicolakis / IDGThe KANN Cube is outfitted with a 3.5mm analog audio output
Thankfully, extra energy doesn’t imply extra noise. Astell&Kern says the KANN Cube presents a brand new amplifier design that produces a low noise flooring. The KANN Cube options two 8-channel ESS Sabre ES9038PRO DACs, the flagship converter within the ESS Sabre Pro collection.
These DACs are organized in a dual-mono configuration, that means there one DAC is devoted to the left channel and one is devoted to the precise channel to kind a stereo output. Most high-res gamers use a single DAC for each channels. Astell&Kern says the twin mono DAC design produces a wider sound stage and higher stereo separation.
Theo Nicolakis / IDGThe KANN Cube additionally has a 2.5mm balanced output.
A quad-core CPU does all of the heavy lifting, and I’ll say that the KANN Cube’s interface felt very fluid. I seen many nuanced enhancements in consumer expertise attributable to the elevated horsepower.
High-res and aptX HD music streaming
The KANN Cube helps as much as 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 playback natively. Like its siblings, the KANN Cube helps nearly each lossless and lossy codec available on the market, together with FLAC, ALAC, WAV, APE, AIFF, DFF, DSF, OGG, AAC, and MP3. It may even play DSD information by way of DoP (DSD over PCM), through which a DSD file is shipped on prime of PCM knowledge frames. The participant received’t, nevertheless, play protected AAC information, similar to these downloaded from Apple Music’s subscription-based streaming service. Mac customers will want the free Android File Transfer app to repeat music information to the KANN Cube’s inner storage.
The KANN Cube has a full MQA decoder in-built, and MQA playback is supported each by way of downloaded MQA audio information and thru the Tidal app (for many who subscribe to the Tidal Masters tier of that music-streaming service).
Support for aptX HD means the KANN Cube can wirelessly stream music over Bluetooth in 24-bit decision at a 48kHz sampling price. I examined the participant with a pair of Bowers & Wilkins PX wi-fi headphones, which additionally assist aptX HD, and the KANN Cube confirmed an aptX HD connection.
This is not any pocket-sized participant
Astell&Kern’s unique KANN was giant, however nothing ready me for the KANN Cube’s weight and kind issue. “This thing is a tank!” was my visceral response once I unboxed it. My spouse stated it reminded her of Sony’s cassette-based Walkman from the early 80s. I may barely match the KANN Cube into my entrance pocket and located I used to be higher off utilizing a backpack to take it on the go—or on the very least, stuffing it into an outer coat pocket.
Theo Nicolakis / IDGThe KANN Cube is palm-sized, not pocket-sized.
I really don’t assume Astell&Kern has any intention of selling the KANN Cube as a cellular participant. Rather, given the strong amplification part, I feel the corporate is concentrating on customers who need a transportable high-performance participant and headphone amp that they will pair with very high-performance headphones at dwelling or at a resort or resort.
Astell&KernA rear view of the KANN Cube.
For dwelling use, Astell&Kern went as far as to include a five-pin mini XLR audio output, giving severe music listeners the choice of connecting the KANN Cube on to a high-performance stereo system.
Theo Nicolakis / IDGThe KANN Cube sports activities a mini XLR (balanced) output and a microSD slot for much more storage.
I used to be advised my overview pattern was one in all just some early models, which is why it arrived with only a a USB-A to USB-C charging and synchronization cable. I confirmed with an Astell&Kern consultant that the manufacturing packaging may even embody a case for the participant, which I’d didn’t get an opportunity to guage.
Network management and streaming choices
Any Astell&Kern’s participant can function the hub of a high-resolution music-listening system, however the Kann Cube takes that idea to the subsequent stage. If you take into account it merely as a music participant, you’ve missed the purpose of getting all of that energy below the hood.
In addition to utilizing it by itself, you possibly can join the KANN Cube to your Mac or PC and use it as a high-end USB DAC. It can function as a community shopper machine to a DLNA media server (and Astell&Kern gives its personal server within the type of the MQS Streaming Server for Windows and MacOS). And the free AK Connect cellular app (obtainable for Andriod and iOS) creates a seamless bridge between the KANN Cube and the sensible machine the app is operating on. You may even use the app as a distant management for the KANN Cube—or for any Astell&Kern participant for that matter.
Astell&KernA 3/4 view of the brand new Astell&Kern KANN Cube
Memory and battery energy galore
The KANN Cube is outfitted with 128GB of inner storage, and it has a microSD card slot able to internet hosting playing cards with as much as 1TB of reminiscence. If that’s nonetheless not sufficient to retailer your music library, my Astell&Kern contact tells me the participant will likely be able to studying 2TB microSD playing cards when these come to market (assuming they adhere to present requirements).
The participant’s 7,400mA battery helps quick charging and may play again music repeatedly for as much as 9 hours on a single cost.
Introducing Astell&KANN’s Open APP Service
Although Astell&Kern’s working system relies on Android, the corporate doesn’t permit customers to put in Android apps by way of the Google Play Store. That limits the variety of music-streaming companies you should utilize with its gamers, an inventory that’s sometimes restricted to Tidal and maybe one or two others.
Late final 12 months, nevertheless, A&Ok started rolling out its Open APP service to permits customers to put in a wider collection of music-streaming apps by way of APKs (Android Package Kits). Thanks to Open APP, you possibly can set up not solely Tidal but in addition Qobuz, Deezer, Spotify, Amazon Music, SoundCloud, TuneIn Radio, myTuner, Sirius XM, DS Audio, Bandcamp, Melon, Bugs, Music Mate, AWA, QQ Music, KK BOX, KT genie, Joox and Moov on the KANN Cube.
What’s even higher than the variety of companies is the truth that Open APP Service allows offline listening modes for the streaming companies that supply that function. Before this, you couldn’t obtain music from any service to any Astell&Kern participant. I can’t inform you what number of occasions I wanted I may obtain tracks from Tidal to different A&Ok gamers, so I may pay attention in locations I didn’t have entry to Wi-Fi.
On the draw back, utilizing the present implementation of Open APP Service is a clunky expertise that consists of downloading an software installer to a predefined folder on in your A&Ok participant, after which ending the set up on the participant itself.
Here are the steps:
- Point your pc’s net browser to https://apkpure.com
- Find the app you want to set up in your Astell&Kern participant
- Connect your A&Ok participant to the pc
- Drag the downloaded file onto the OpenService folder on the participant
- Initiate the set up from the participant’s service menu.
Once profitable, you’ll be capable to entry the apps by way of the identical menu. Astell&Kern has detailed step-by-step instructions here.
A brutally sincere performer
I examined the KANN Cube with 4 completely different wired headphones: The Focal Clear, Bowers & Wilkins’ P9 Signature, Oppo PM-2, and Beyerdynamic Amiron Home. And I used the Bowers & Wilkins PX wi-fi headphones for wi-fi playback utilizing aptX HD. My feedback under are associated to wired playback.
The KANN Cube is that instructor you had at school who you have been afraid would tear your work aside. Put one other manner, the KANN is among the many most brutally sincere high-res DAP’s I’ve auditioned. That’s a severe praise to the KANN’s musical prowess and energy. It will reproduce well-recorded music in all its glory as if you’re listening to these works for the primary time. Conversely, it’s going to lay naked any shortcomings in your sources.
Theo Nicolakis / IDGAstell&Kern KANN Cube and Focal Clear headphones.
The expertise of listening to the Astell&Kern KANN Cube was like strolling into that secret again room at a high-end audio retailer and listening to the electronics and speaker combo you could possibly by no means afford. But when you’ve listened, you possibly can’t simply neglect the expertise.
The KANN Cube reveled in enjoying the DSD model of John Coltrane’s Blue Train, creating an attractive, seamless sound stage on “I’m Old Fashioned” and “Locomotion,” with devices firmly positioned in area and time. The devices sounded alive with element.
The KANN Cube did an attractive job of rendering music after which getting out of the best way, in order that my headphone’s character may shine by way of. The B&W P9’s heat, intimacy, and bass response abounded. The Focal Clear’s spaciousness, delicacy, element, and very good assault have been ever current. No matter which headphone I attempted, the KANN Cube exerted masterful management, holding an iron grip upon the drivers and commanding their each transfer.
The KANN Cube excelled in its dynamics, particulars, and realism. Even intimate tracks similar to Rebecca Pidgeon’s “Spanish Harlem” sprung to life. Against the Cube’s silent background I may observe the final decaying sounds of guitar strings on Patricia Barber’s “Taste of Honey.” And on Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the Machine,” the opening machine sounds gushed forth firmly positioned in area and time, rife with element and realism.
Theo NicolakisThe KANN Cube was at dwelling with each musical style. It’s giant, 5-inch display is nice for viewing album artwork.
The KANN Cube elevated my expertise of each musical style: Classical, Jazz, R&B, and Rock to call however a couple of.
But don’t mistake the KANN as medical. I bought chills when Yo-Yo Ma’s Cello kicked in on “The Swan (From ‘Carnival of the animals’)” from Yo-Yo Ma’s and Kathryn Stott’s album The Arc of Life.
Conclusion
Astell&Kern’s new KANN Cube high-res music participant is an enormous, daring, powerhouse. It has an enormous footprint and an equally huge price ticket. But its huge dimension and weight are equaled by very good efficiency. While the KANN Cube is designed to drive practically any headphone available on the market, its wealthy streaming function set, AK Connect management app, and mini XLR output make it a severe contender to displace competing streaming gamers for any high-end sound system.
If you will have a pair of high-performance headphones and lengthy to mate them with an equally high-performance music participant, there isn’t a more sensible choice than this.