Astell & Kern Kann Ultra DAP Review

[DrZingo]

There are still plenty of phones around that have both a 3.5 mm jack and an SD card slot. Sony have them, as well as the Samsung Galaxy A line, the Xiaomi Redmi phones and quite a lot of others:

Phone Finder results - GSMArena.com

m.gsmarena.com

Granted, you may still have to use a dongle if you want to use hard to drive phones that require a lot of power. Personally I just tend to leave those at home.

 

[M.C. Logan]

There are still plenty of phones around that have both a 3.5 mm jack and an SD card slot. Sony have them, as well as the Samsung Galaxy A line, the Xiaomi Redmi phones and quite a lot of others:

Phone Finder results - GSMArena.com

m.gsmarena.com

Granted, you may still have to use a dongle if you want to use hard to drive phones that require a lot of power. Personally I just tend to leave those at home.

And people may want to choose their phone for other reasons. Personally I want a pure Android phone without any crapware, with long term upgrades guaranteed and with good cameras, which means a Pixel, not Sony or Samsung and not Chinese landfill-ware. My phone will be good for at least 5 years, My DAP for probably 10 unless it gets broken.
What is wrong with people wanting the choice of separate devices for separate tasks? Millions of people do and for good reasons, you don't happen to for your reasons, different priorities and use cases.

 

[Jimster480]

And people may want to choose their phone for other reasons. Personally I want a pure Android phone without any crapware, with long term upgrades guaranteed and with good cameras, which means a Pixel, not Sony or Samsung and not Chinese landfill-ware. My phone will be good for at least 5 years, My DAP for probably 10 unless it gets broken.
What is wrong with people wanting the choice of separate devices for separate tasks? Millions of people do and for good reasons, you don't happen to for your reasons, different priorities and use cases.

DAP just doesn't have good performance... it has nothing that you can't get from a used phone from ebay for $50 or less.
When you get a pixel phone; you give up all privacy and data security as Google has spyware just like Apple that is built straight into the devices chips and logs everything you do and everywhere you go. So for people who do care about privacy and personal security; they would never touch Google or Apple devices.
Personally I have a Sony phone and so does my wife.. Android updates are mostly unimportant and have been for several years at this point. It isn't like any of the new versions of android since 2019 have brought any meaningful or useful features.
As far as "security"; there hasn't ever been a widespread Android hack that let all devices be remotely rooted. So without that.... there isn't much that other "security patches" can do in a real world malware application one way or another.

 

[jdjung]

Love my Astell and Kern SR35 (different than the one reviewed). I bought it for the specific purpose of using Roon on my phone, without draining my phones battery with a dongle dac. For those that are not familiar with Roon, you can control your Roon devices from your phone remotely. Thus while browsing the internet on my phone I can control and listen to my albums on Roon through the SR35. My biggest issue with dongle dacs are that they drain my phone to quickly. I do own a DDHiFi power and dac splitter, but it gets a bit messy.

The SR35 sounds great to me and I really can't tell a difference between it and my RME or Topping desktop setup.

The SR35 just works. It connects to my phone instantly, shows up as a Roon endpoint instantly, has a knob vs buttons for volume, LDAC, and powers my IEMs without a problem. I also like the build quality and the way it looks.

 

[M.C. Logan]

DAP just doesn't have good performance... it has nothing that you can't get from a used phone from ebay for $50 or less.
When you get a pixel phone; you give up all privacy and data security as Google has spyware just like Apple that is built straight into the devices chips and logs everything you do and everywhere you go. So for people who do care about privacy and personal security; they would never touch Google or Apple devices.
Personally I have a Sony phone and so does my wife.. Android updates are mostly unimportant and have been for several years at this point. It isn't like any of the new versions of android since 2019 have brought any meaningful or useful features.
As far as "security"; there hasn't ever been a widespread Android hack that let all devices be remotely rooted. So without that.... there isn't much that other "security patches" can do in a real world malware application one way or another.

OK, here we go
Security updates are not just to prevent remote rooting, there are daily CVE's reported across all OS which is what monthly security updates on all OS address. With Pixel you get 7 years of them.
I am not concerned with Google knowing my shopping habits or interests, I am concerned about criminals trying to access my data which is why I use a post quantum encrypted VPN.
A DAP can clearly have more available power to drive headphones as it doesn't have to run radios or all the background tasks which a phone does, ergo it has potential to sound better, especially with high impedance headphones. As previously stated I don't want a dongle hanging out of my phone permanently stressing the USB port and getting in the way when I want to use my phone, instead I can cap the USB port to prevent the ingress of muck.
Your Sony phone runs all the same Google 'spyware' as a Pixel as it also runs Android, just with a Sony crapware skin on top.
My priorities and use case are different to yours, as are millions of peoples, hence the multi billion pound market in DAPs.

 

[leonasj500]

hi.looking for those ibasso DX340, kann ultra or used hiby RS8 . pairing with ier-z1r. whats best sounds of them? i like ESS sound more vs AKM.

​

 

[leonasj500]

I've used a DAP for many years. Currently I have the Sony NWA-106 that Amir tested at about 89db SNR. I would hope a Sony device get at least 96db CD range, but I use it almost exclusively for running these days, so I'm not sure I would really get too much from the extra few db in an outdoor environment. For me, the small size is the most important factor in deciding to use a DAP. I'm thinking about the smallest Hiby model as a replacement, but so far have decided it's silly to replace something that's working OK. BTW, purchase price was $350, so not in A&K range.

better lower dB? im see some daps has 122, other 130dB. so better get with lower db?

 

[leonasj500]

Love my Astell and Kern SR35 (different than the one reviewed). I bought it for the specific purpose of using Roon on my phone, without draining my phones battery with a dongle dac. For those that are not familiar with Roon, you can control your Roon devices from your phone remotely. Thus while browsing the internet on my phone I can control and listen to my albums on Roon through the SR35. My biggest issue with dongle dacs are that they drain my phone to quickly. I do own a DDHiFi power and dac splitter, but it gets a bit messy.

The SR35 sounds great to me and I really can't tell a difference between it and my RME or Topping desktop setup.

The SR35 just works. It connects to my phone instantly, shows up as a Roon endpoint instantly, has a knob vs buttons for volume, LDAC, and powers my IEMs without a problem. I also like the build quality and the way it looks.

how sp3000 sounf vs sr35? similar? no hear difference? just placebo? all daps sounds similar?

 

[fin]

Sure, all quality DAPs sound similar, if not identical, regardless of whether they use ESS or AKM chips.
What I appreciate about DAPs over phones is the physical buttons for play/pause, next/previous, and volume control. I really wish phones could have them too so I wouldn’t need to spend extra on a dedicated DAP.

 

[Bamish]

Sure, all quality DAPs sound similar, if not identical, regardless of whether they use ESS or AKM chips.
What I appreciate about DAPs over phones is the physical buttons for play/pause, next/previous, and volume control. I really wish phones could have them too so I wouldn’t need to spend extra on a dedicated DAP.

MOONDROP MIAD01 5G Mobile Smartphone HiFi Audio Device | MOONDROP Official Website

moondroplab.com

Not sure if the buttons are programmable?

 

[leonasj500]

Sure, all quality DAPs sound similar, if not identical, regardless of whether they use ESS or AKM chips.
What I appreciate about DAPs over phones is the physical buttons for play/pause, next/previous, and volume control. I really wish phones could have them too so I wouldn’t need to spend extra on a dedicated DAP.

but i have on sale AK sr 25 ii dap and selling also my shanling M7 dap. both sounds different if listen same song AB compared. astell house more neutral and shanling warmer. selling 2x lower price as want get new dap -want upgrade dap with tubes or with titanium body. just for fun use.

 

[leonasj500]

MOONDROP MIAD01 5G Mobile Smartphone HiFi Audio Device | MOONDROP Official Website

moondroplab.com

Not sure if the buttons are programmable?

this one really keep my eyes too

 

[DrZingo]

this one really keep my eyes too

What on earth is a "Pulyarbnnntelpc Shell"?

 

[Kremmen]

What on earth is a "Pulyarbnnntelpc Shell"?View attachment 453215

I suspect they meant to write 'polycarbonate shell'.

 

[leonasj500]

does kann ultra is brigter side sounding with extended treble or has emphized on low ,bassy warm tone/ im read ess sabre sounds more detailed analytical vs akm chips.

 

[leonasj500]

does better idea get ak kann ultra vs sp2000? same size weihgt ,but ultra has top chip vs older ones. more detailed sounds kann ultra?

 

[leonasj500]

This is my device. Thanks to Amir for the review!

Bought it for the dual ES9039MPRO and the impressive power output on the spec sheet. DAC wise, as a device released in 2024, it does not seem to pull a considerable performance gap to the likes of Dual AK4499 Fiio M15 or AK4497EQ Lotoo Paw Gold Touch, released years earlier. The headphone amp part... Leaves me scratching my head. I can't say it doesn't meet the promise of the spec sheet, but there sure is an asterisk next to the numbers.

Besides, this JM20 dongle review just looks really funny in juxtaposition.

All things considered,



I agree. My current solution - Qudelix T71 + whichever device I plug it into - offers enough power for every pair of headphones I have, including the demanding HE6se, and Qudelix sells a MagSafe case for it so it's not too hard to carry the T71 around. I would recommend this over a standalone DAP for anyone needing to use headphones with mobile devices.

hi,how sound quality kann ultra vs your othere daps/ / its bad? im have 40ohm iems only/ so,kann ultra best pair for 300-600ohm headphones,as with 50-60ohm headphones too much hearing noise?

 

[fin]

does better idea get ak kann ultra vs sp2000? same size weihgt ,but ultra has top chip vs older ones. more detailed sounds kann ultra?

You seem to be placing too much emphasis on the idea that "they should sound different." Two high-quality, properly functioning daps or dacs&amps should not sound different under the same conditions to human ear. If there is clear audible difference, it might suggest that one or both units are defective or not performing as intended. If they sound different and both claim to be "hi-fi" , then which one is the true "hi-fi"? Or one is more "hi-fi" than the other? doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[leonasj500]

You seem to be placing too much emphasis on the idea that "they should sound different." Two high-quality, properly functioning daps or dacs&amps should not sound different under the same conditions to human ear. If there is clear audible difference, it might suggest that one or both units are defective or not performing as intended. If they sound different and both claim to be "hi-fi" , then which one is the true "hi-fi"? Or one is more "hi-fi" than the other? doesn't make any sense to me.

does kann ultra with max output 16Vrms(16x16/32=8000mW) ? too much power for 40-50ohm headphones? impossible use as even on minimum volume will be too much big sound? better look at 900-1200mW dap?

 

[HELIAS]

hi,how sound quality kann ultra vs your othere daps/ / its bad? im have 40ohm iems only/ so,kann ultra best pair for 300-600ohm headphones,as with 50-60ohm headphones too much hearing noise?

I don't think I will be able to tell the difference in a blind test if I plug the same pair of headphones into the Kann Ultra vs Qudelix T71 and set them to the same volume, except I can maybe hear the noise issue of the Kann Ultra at High and Super gain as pointed out by Amir. Since Kann Ultra is my only DAP and I went back to using phone/laptop + Qudelix T71 afterwards, I don't know how it compares with other DAPs.