The KANN Alpha is the third product in the KANN range of portable music players. If the aim of the Astell&Kern KANN range is to provide ultra high output power to operate any headphone or EMI, the KANN Alpha has not forgotten the essence of portable DAP, so that you can enjoy a near-perfect sound experience wherever you are.
It is thus the first DAP Astell&Kern to offer a balanced output on 4.4mm jack. It also offers complete balanced line separation to ensure noiseless output, 141dB crosstalk and first-class audio performance thanks to a complete circuit redesign, high efficiency and Bluetooth 5.0 support, all within a stylish and robust chassis.
Balanced Jack 4.4mm
Unlike products from other manufacturers, the KANN Alpha physically separates the Jack 2.5mm and Jack 4.4mm outputs using micro-relays. When 2.5mm and 4.4mm jack structures are connected only to the cutoff circuit, they do not prevent the sonic interference that can occur because each signal is not properly blocked. The KANN Alpha boasts a noiseless output with an independent structure that completely blocks interference from outputs that are not in use and need to be turned off.
Gold PVD Coating Method
To minimize noise at the output contacts, gold PVD plating is applied to the connector. The 4.4mm Pentaconn NDICS jack connector used benefits from excellent design quality for high durability.
Powerful 12Vrms Output & Large Autonomy
The KANN Alpha has a powerful 12Vrms output while taking advantage of optimization to remain compact and convenient. This is achieved by miniaturizing many parts such as resistors and capacitors, reorganizing various components and optimizing the circuits. As a result, more than 60 parts were modified during the development process.
Very small tantalum capacitors are also used, developed exclusively for Astell&Kern through a collaboration with Matsuo Electric in Japan to meet the need to provide a stable DAP power supply and suppress electrical noise.
In addition, this redesigned power supply circuit also makes it possible to reach an autonomy of 14.5 hours of continuous reading.
Bluetooth 5.0 24bit with aptX HD and LDAC
The KANN Alpha is the first Astell&Kern reader to take advantage of Bluetooth 5.0. This latest version of Bluetooth offers high sound quality with the convenience of wireless playback. Bluetooth 5.0 features a higher transmission speed and greater range compared to Bluetooth 4.2, providing a more stable wireless connection. Both LDAC and Qualcomm® aptX™ HD codecs are supported to provide audiophiles with the best possible wireless audio experience.
LED indicator for real time information
The KANN Alpha features an onboard LED volume knob that displays various playback information, including the volume level and bitrate of the currently playing song.
A unique machining method
The KANN Alpha is dressed in a sublime case, at once modern, massive and robust. This is achieved through the use of extremely precise manufacturing technology, perfected by Astell&Kern over many years.
A precision mold is manufactured separately for the ceramic top panel. Astell&Kern then uses more than seven different processes, including low-speed machining, to form the ceramic top panel and prevent it from cracking.
Unlike other manufacturers, a ring is not simply inserted into the ceramic top where each connector is located, but a PVD Gold plating is applied to minimize noise. A special coating is also applied to the ceramic surface to prevent fingerprints and stains.
The exclusive aluminum chassis design provides noise suppression for improved sound quality, while ensuring the best signal transmission to the audio circuitry.
The vibration-free machines used by Astell&Kern are the same as those used by Swiss manufacturers of luxury watches.
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