The Astell&Kern KANN MAX is a portable Hi-Fi player with high output power, support for Hi-Res Audio Wireless, and MQA.
Features:
- 4 levels of gain;
- Output power up to 15 Vrms;
- 4 ESS ES9038Q2M Quad-DAC chips;
- TERATON ALPHA technology;
- Support for 32-bit / 768kHz, DSD512, and MQA x8;
- aptX HD and LDAC codecs;
- AK File Drop file transfer function and BT Sync wireless receiver mode;
- 4.1" 1280 x 720p display;
- Up to 13 hours of battery life + fast charging feature.
Powerful and Perfect
The KANN series is a lineup of portable players known by audiophiles worldwide for their high performance and clean sound. With even higher performance and mobility, the KANN MAX, the fourth product in the KANN series, takes advantage of the strengths of the KANN series.
The well-established design of the KANN series has become even lighter and more compact. The manufacturer has achieved higher performance and lower noise levels. The KANN MAX features a quad-core ESS ES9038Q2M DAC combined with Astell&Kern's unique audio technology, delivering the best performance you can get from a portable player.
Superior Performance in a Smaller Device
The KANN MAX takes the popular series to a new level, delivering perfect sound with high power and clean sound. It offers 4 levels of gain and an ultra-high output power of up to 15 Vrms, which was previously only possible with a stationary headphone amplifier.
The KANN MAX can handle even the most demanding headphones with high impedance. It has smaller dimensions and weight compared to the KANN ALPHA player, which boasted better portability within the existing KANN series.
Despite its smaller size, all power-related components have been improved, and the power scheme has been revised multiple times to provide up to 13 hours of continuous playback.
Updated Circuitry for High Performance and Low Noise
As output power increases, so does the level of noise. The KANN MAX is equipped with ultra-high output power and eliminates any noise. The device embodies Astell&Kern's philosophy of delivering the original sound as intended, without compromises.
The KANN MAX uses an analog volume controller to ensure a rich dynamic range without losses. By separately tuning the power chips for each audio block - digital, amplifier, and volume adjustment - the stable power delivery required for each audio block is achieved. This design eliminates pulsating noise from the DC power source. The analog noise that can be heard when the operational amplifiers are used at higher volume levels is minimized.
The combination of ultra-high output power and low noise in the KANN MAX was achieved through a new circuit design, including developing and dividing the same-sized PCB as the KANN ALPHA into 12 layers and revising the physical dimensions of the amplifier scheme.
4 ESS Quad-DAC Chips for Clean and Stunning Sound
The KANN MAX is the first player in the KANN series equipped with four ES9038Q2M chips to deliver ultra-high performance. By using a four-channel DAC, one DAC can be dedicated to one channel, allowing the depth and realism of the sound source to be fully expressed.
In combination with Astell&Kern's amplifier circuit design, which naturally and delicately enhances the performance of the DAC, decoding and transmitting the original sound as it is intended is achieved. The four ESS chips