Fueling Your Sound
The KANN series is adored by audiophiles all over the world for its performance that focuses on ultra-high output and clear sound.
KANN ULTRA, the latest product in the KANN lineup, delivers maximum output of any Astell&Kern player, a Triple Output Sound system, and a boosted processor and UI/UX for optimal sound quality.
With four Gain Modes that provides up to 16Vrms of desktop Hi-Fi level output and sound, and ES9039MPRO Dual DAC chips, KANN ULTRA perfectly powers many of today's headphones with high resolution. A separate Pre/Line Out allow users to enjoy the sound with a variety of different devices.
Features
- Triple Output Mode Featuring Separately Configured Circuit and Amplifier Designs
- HEADPHONE OUT / PRE-OUT / LINE OUT
- Next-generation Octa-Core processors with significant high-performance improvements
- Supports 4 preset gain settings with ultra-high output up to 16Vrms (Headphone Out)
- Equipped with ES9039MPRO Dual DACs
- Features Digital Audio Remaster (DAR) technology
- Supports playback up to 32bit/768kHz, Native DSD512
- Features Astell&Kern's unique TERATON ALPHA technology
- Battery 8,400 mAh (up to 11 hours of playback)
Triple Output, Triple Sound
KANN ULTRA features a Triple Output Mode that allows you to enjoy Astell&Kern's perfectly prepared sound when connected to demanding headphones, highly detailed IEMs, and external devices.
Instead of simply separating the output ports, Astell&Kern's Teraton Alpha technology allows for separate amplifier/sound design for the Headphone Out and Line/Pre-Out ports to provide the optimal sound for each port.
Complete your powerful Head-Fi system even on portable devices with the KANN ULTRA with Triple Output.
1. Headphone Out
The port features 4 preset gain settings and ultra-high output of up to 16Vrms. The headphone port is designed to perfectly run demanding headphones with high impedance using only the player with no external AMP.
2. Pre-Out
Select Pre-Out mode on the Pre/Line Out port to output sound to an external amplifier or audio device.
[Pre-Out] This mode delivers sound through a specially designed Pre-Out amplifier, instead of the high-powered Headphone Out amp. Pre-Out functions like a Pre-AMP and you can control the volume with the volume wheel.
3. Line Out
Select Line Out mode on the Pre/Line Out port to output sound that is optimized when connected to external devices.
[Line-Out] This mode outputs the sound from the DAC directly without going through an amplifier, resulting in the lowest noise level and making it ideal for connecting to external audio devices.
Line Out has a fixed voltage output (4 levels) and no volume control.
4 Gain Levels and Outputs up to 16Vrms for the Perfect Head-Fi
To run the most sophisticated IEMs and headphones, a DAP needs to be able to fully deliver an output that matches the characteristics of the receiver.
KANN ULTRA features 4 preset gain settings up to 16Vrms, the most powerful output of any Astell&Kern player, to optimally run the many IEMs and headphones available today.
The current-handling capability of the output port has been increased to reliably run devices of different impedances at the Gain Level setting, and the AMPs have been separated into Balanced and Unbalanced to optimize currents and reduce noise for the best possible sound.
On top of providing the most powerful output, KANN ULTRA features a larger 5.5-inch screen and improved grip compared to KANN CUBE, which was popular for its high output versatility. Weight for KANN ULTRA has been significantly reduced to 390 grams.
TERATON ALPHA, The Essence of A&K Audio Technologies
From an ultra-high output that can run even the most delicate headphones, to the Triple Output design, and the complex amplifier design with minimal noise in a compact portable audio player, this would all not have been possible without AK's Ultimate Sound Solution, TERATON ALPHA. Astell&Kern has taken the TERATON ALPHA to the next level with its know-how in noise reduction at ultra-high power, acquired from its predecessors such as the KANN MAX and the CA1000 series.
TERATON ALPHA, engineered through continuous research, is Astell&Kern's unique technology that has been designed to produce audio playback that is as close to the original sound through effective power noise removal, efficient power management and unwavering amplification, and a fully converted audio output interface.
Upgraded Sound, the Newest ESS Flagship DAC
The KANN ULTRA is designed with dual ES9039MPRO DACs, the newest flagship DAC from ESS, to deliver richer and more expansive sounds that exceed your expectations.
The ES9039MPRO is an updated ES9039PRO model that has a built-in stereo hardware MQA renderer. It has even more advanced modulation than the existing flagship DAC to reduce power consumption, noise and distortions inside the DAC for enhanced audio performance.
Astell&Kern has redesigned the AMP BLOCK to ensure that the clear, high-resolution sound of the ES9039MPRO is clearly expressed through every port of the Triple Output, and each output's characteristics show its own advanced performance.
Specification
General Specifications
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Model
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KANN ULTRA
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Body Color
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Astro Gray
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Body Material
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Aluminum
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Display
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5.5-inch HD 10800 x 1920 touchscreen
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Supported Audio Formats
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WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DIFF, DSF, MQA
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Sample Rate
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PCM: 8kHz ~ 768kHz (8/16/24/32-bits per Sample)
DSD Native: DSD64 (1-bit, 2.8MHz), Stereo / DSD128 (1-bit, 5.6MHz), Stereo / DSD256 (1-bit, 11.2MHz), Stereo / DSD512 (1-bit, 22.4MHz), Stereo
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Output Level
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Headphone Out
[Low Gain] Unbalanced 2Vrms / Balanced 4Vrms (Condition No Load)
[Mid Gain] Unbalanced 4Vrms / Balanced 8Vrms (Condition No Load)
[High Gain] Unbalanced 6Vrms / Balanced 12Vrms (Condition No Load)
[Super Gain] Unbalanced 8Vrms / Balanced 16Vrms (Condition No Load)
Pre - Line Out: Unbalanced 2Vrms / Balanced 4Vrms (Condition No Load)
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| CPU |
Octa-Core
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DAC
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ESS ES9039MPRO x 2 (Dual-DAC)
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Decoding
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Support up to 32-Bit/768kHz Bit-to-Bit Playback
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Input
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USB Type-C Input (For Charging & PC & MAC)
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Outputs
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Headphone Out: 3.5mm (Unbalanced Out, Optical Out), 4.4mm (Balanced Out, only 5-pole supported)
Pre - Line Out: 3.5mm (Unbalanced Out), 4.4mm (Balanced Out, only 5-pole supported)
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Wi-Fi
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802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)
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Bluetooth
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V5.3 (A2DP, AVRCP, Qualcomm® aptX™ HD, LDAC, LHDC)
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Dimensions
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3.24" (82.4mm) [W] x 5.55" (141.1mm) [H] x 0.96" (24.4mm) [D]
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Weight
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About 13.75oz (390g)
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Feature Enhancements
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Firmware upgrade supported (OTA)
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Operating Temperature
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0℃ ~ + 40℃ (32℉~ 104℉)
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Audio Specifications
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Frequency Response
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Headphone Out
±0.006dB (Condition: 20Hz~20kHz) Unbalanced │ ±0.004dB (Condition: 20Hz~20kHz) Balanced
±0.016dB (Condition: 20Hz~70kHz) Unbalanced │ ±0.020dB (Condition: 20Hz~70kHz) Balanced
Pre-Out
±0.022dB (Condition: 20Hz~20kHz) Unbalanced │ ±0.023dB (Condition: 20Hz~20kHz) Balanced
±0.023dB (Condition: 20Hz~70kHz) Unbalanced │ ±0.023dB (Condition: 20Hz~70kHz) Balanced
Line Out
±0.002dB (Condition: 20Hz~20kHz) Unbalanced │ ±0.002dB (Condition: 20Hz~20kHz) Balanced
±0.007dB (Condition: 20Hz~70kHz) Unbalanced │ ±0.006dB (Condition: 20Hz~70kHz) Balanced
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S/N
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Headphone Out: 115dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ 119dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
Pre-Out: 110dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ 126dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
Line Out: 110dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ 125dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
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Crosstalk
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Headphone Out: -134dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ -140dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
Pre-Out: -128dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ -128dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
Headphone Out: -129dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ -121dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
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THD+N
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Headphone Out: 0.0004% @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ 0.0004% @ 1kHz, Balanced
Pre-Out: 0.0012% @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ 0.0005% @ 1kHz, Balanced
Line Out: 0.0013% @ 1kHz, Unbalanced │ 0.0005% @ 1kHz, Balanced
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IMD SMPTE
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Headphone Out: 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Unbalanced │ 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Balanced
Pre-Out: 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Unbalanced │ 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Balanced
Line Out: 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Unbalanced │ 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Balanced
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Output Impedance
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Headphone Out: Unbalanced Out 3.5mm (1ohm) │ Balanced Out 4.4mm (1.3ohm)
Pre-Out: Unbalanced Out 3.5mm (3.5ohm) │ Balanced Out 4.4mm (5.7ohm)
Line Out: Unbalanced Out 3.5mm (6.5ohm) │ Balanced Out 4.4mm (10.7ohm)
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Clock Source
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Clock Jitter
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25ps (Typ)
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Reference Clock Jitter
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200 Femto Seconds
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Storage Capacity
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Built-In Memory
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128GB [NAND]
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External Memory
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microSD x 1 (Max. 1TB)
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Battery
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Capacity
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8,400mAh 3.8V Li-Polymer
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Charge Time
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About 4.5 hours (9V 1.67A Fast Charging) | 6.5 hours (5V 2A General Charging)
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Playback Time
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About 11 hours (Standard: FLAC, 16-bit, 44.1kHz, Vol. 50, LCD Off, LED On, Low Gain)
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Supported OS
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Supported OS
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Windows 8, 10, 11 (32/64bit); MAC OS X 10.7
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