KANN Alpha DAP Music Player

KANN Alpha is a power house DAP, featuring Ultra-High Output along with a 4.4mm implementation with compact design.

Key Specs

• Dual ESS ES9068AS DACs, Quad-Core CPU
• Supports 32bit/384kHz, DSD256
• 12Vrms Output
• 4.4mm, 2.5mm & 3.5mm outputs
• Complete circuit redesign
• DAC filters
• Bluetooth 5.0, aptX HD, LDAC
• Internal storage: 64GB +microSD card slot
• 4.1 inch HD 720 x 1,280
• Aluminum body

The Power House

KANN ALPHA, the third product in the KANN series of Digital Audio Players.

While the goal of the Astell&Kern KANN line is to provide ultra 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 first Astell&Kern DAP to feature a 4.4mm balanced output
• Complete separation of balanced lines to provide noise-free output
• Crosstalk of 141dB and top-notch audio performance through a complete circuit redesign
• Powerful 12Vrms ultra-high output support
• 14 ½ hours of continuous playback
• Equipped with the latest version of Bluetooth, Bluetooth 5.0
• Artistic design and ultra-precision metal shaping technology that Astell&Kern has perfected

Gold PVD Coating Method

In order to minimize contact noise from the output, a gold PVD coating method is applied to the headphone connector instead of the typical rings used by other products.This improves both design and function.

By adopting NDICS' Pentaconn 4.4mm connector, KANN ALPHA not only satisfies the requests of users, but the implementation boasts excellent quality and durability.

The Highest Level Of Channel Separation(Crosstalk)

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 L channel, R channel circuit design

Powerful 12Vrms Output With 14 ½ Hours of Continuous Playback

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.

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.

A comparison of outputs of KANN ALPHA vs. KANN CUBE vs. KANN

Bluetooth version comparison

Features	Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 4.2
Speed	2Mbps	1Mbps
Range	40meters	10meters
Power Consumption	Low	High
Battery Life	Longer	Shorter

Real-Time Information Confirmed by Light

KANN ALPHA features a LED volume wheel which displays various playback information, including volume level and bit-rate of the track currently playing. * LED can be turned on or off according to user setting.

Unique Manufacturing Technology Taken to a New Level

Astell&products are often compared with art sculptures in that they feature colorful facets and angles that cannot be found in other products. This is accomplished through the use of extremely precise metal manufacturing technology that has been perfected by Astell&Kern over many years.

The first generation KANN used an extrusion method to form the aluminum body where the KANN APLPHA uses precise metal manufacturing to create a luxurious and detailed design.

A precision mold is then separately manufactured for the high-gloss ceramic top cover. Astell&Kern then uses more than seven different processes including low-speed machining to form the ceramic top cover and prevent cracking.

Unlike other manufacturers, a ring is not simply inserted into the ceramic top where each audio terminal is located, instead a gold PVD coating is applied to minimize noise. A special coating is also applied to the ceramic surface to prevent fingerprints and smudging.

Astell&Kern's proprietary aluminum body design suppresses noise to improve sound quality, while providing the best signal transmission to the audio circuits. With our laser ground extension technology, you can achieve the best sound possible.

The vibration-free processing machines used by Astell&Kern are the same ones used by expensive Swiss luxury watch manufacturers. This is reflected in the crafting of the volume wheel which is processed precisely like the crown of a luxury watch for the best operating feel. Independent machining processing is applied to individual areas to create each small pattern.

AK Player Comparison

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