The Kann series of hi-fi players from the Korean brand Astell & Kern has its fans, despite the rather large dimensions of the devices. Three generations of these players have shown that even a portable device can have enough power to pump out high-impedance headphones, which until then could only be used with stationary amplifiers .
The Astell&Kern KANN MAX
provides maximum power up to 15 V RMS in a more compact package than the previous version.
Max is Kann’s first player with four ES9038Q2M DACs. Assigning a DAC to each individual gain channel is said to add greater depth and realism to the sound, which when combined with other Astell & Kern technologies should deliver unmatched sound quality and low distortion.
Kann Max supports files up to 32 bit/768 kHz PCM and natively supports DSD 512. The current file format is traditionally signaled by the multi-colored illumination of the volume control wheel.
The new Kann is equipped with three headphone outputs of 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm, so you can connect both compact IEMs and gain-demanding full-size monitors to it without unnecessary adapters. Each of the connectors is PVD-coated with gold to reduce contact noise.
The Teraton Alpha Sound Solution signature feature eliminates noise from the power source and provides effective energy savings.
We did not forget about wireless functions. There is Bluetooth 5.0 with support for aptX HD and LDAC codecs and the BT Sink function, which allows you to control playback from a smartphone. And Wi-Fi for use with streaming services, software updates, and AK File Drop.
The autonomy of the Kann is up to 13 hours. The built-in memory is 64 GB, memory cards up to 1 TB are supported.
