Astell&Kern KANN CUBE

[OverlordRush]

am i just stupid or is there not a skip to next album option with the AK OS... still trying to get use to it...

 

[Nails]

I don’t think there is, I haven’t found it.
Also I cant see an easy way to search downloaded music, seems you can only sort or browse through the huge number of albums to find the one you’re after...too hard when driving lol

 

[OverlordRush]

this annoying AK UI is giving me DX200 flashbacks... plz AK

 

[tb303]

Folks,

Thanks for all your Kann Cube alternatives and if there are no other suggestions, I think I will go for...Kann Cube

Now.... I need your recommendation for closed back cans below 2k that will become a perfect combo with the new Kann. I like organic sound, almost flat frequency response with slight V shape (but not too warm and not too bright). Mid-bass boost or rolled off high frequencies / low frequency bass is also not something what I'm looking for. I want details (macro and micro), soundstage and quality, I want to feel the music without it being too warm or too bright or analytical or lifeless. Alternatively just say what you have and the sound characteristics when paired with Kann Cube.

Thank you!
M.

 

[thecrow]

Folks,

Thanks for all your Kann Cube alternatives and if there are no other suggestions, I think I will go for...Kann Cube

Now.... I need your recommendation for closed back cans below 2k that will become a perfect combo with the new Kann. I like organic sound, almost flat frequency response with slight V shape (but not too warm and not too bright). Mid-bass boost or rolled off high frequencies / low frequency bass is also not something what I'm looking for. I want details (macro and micro), soundstage and quality, I want to feel the music without it being too warm or too bright or analytical or lifeless. Alternatively just say what you have and the sound characteristics when paired with Kann Cube.

Thank you!
M.

A friend of mine (who has a lot of headphones) has the dt1770 as his work closed back and swears by it
here is a review:
https://www.headfonia.com/review-beyerdynamic-dt1770pro-upgrade/2/

And the there is the drop (ex massdrop) version dt177x but again I do not know how they compare (or if they are identical)

 

[maxwillis]

Now.... I need your recommendation for closed back cans below 2k that will become a perfect combo with the new Kann. I like organic sound, almost flat frequency response with slight V shape (but not too warm and not too bright). Mid-bass boost or rolled off high frequencies / low frequency bass is also not something what I'm looking for. I want details (macro and micro), soundstage and quality, I want to feel the music without it being too warm or too bright or analytical or lifeless. Alternatively just say what you have and the sound characteristics when paired with Kann Cube.

My MMCX end broke in the shure se846; I was trying to upgrade the cable. What a bummer! Maybe, i'll skip the whole commuting with cube for now; another iem is out of budget at the moment. However, I'm also interested in knowing good alternatives to se846 for commuting, including on the ear headphones. Seems like the MMCX is a really bad idea - very fragile and prone to breaking, specially on equipment costing this much.

 

[Nails]

Thats all to complex for me lol, but I quite like the Focal Elegias as closed back HPs. At the moment though I prefer my iems, the Andromedas with a balanced cable. Will be getting a balanced cable for the Elegias very soon too then I think they’ll sound even better as did the iems.

@ maxwillis - I was worried about breaking the connection by swapping all the time, so I bought another cheaper set of iems to use with bluetooth and the iphone (also because the Cube BT is terrible). I got the Shure 535 LTDs, I wasn’t happy with them at first, but once I got the rubber tips to seal in my ears, they are quite alright.

 

[maxwillis]

Thats all to complex for me lol, but I quite like the Focal Elegias as closed back HPs.

How's the sound leakage on Elegias? Do you think they could be used on a train without disturbing others, and what about the size?

 

[nicodem]

How's the sound leakage on Elegias? Do you think they could be used on a train without disturbing others, and what about the size?

Leakage is ok but have listened them?
For that price they are really bad. It was big disappointment for me. Try d7200 denon instead

 

[Nails]

nicodem, what did you find bad about them? I found them good and better after burn in of about 50 hours or so. I don’t have the volume very high and no ones complained about leakage as expected I guess

 

[Nails]

Hi maxwillis, how did the mmcx break? was it the housing of the Shure, are they plastic like the 535, or was it the metal connector somehow? any photos?
are they new? any chance of warranty?
thanks

 

[maxwillis]

Hi maxwillis, how did the mmcx break? was it the housing of the Shure, are they plastic like the 535, or was it the metal connector somehow? any photos?
are they new? any chance of warranty?
thanks

I didn't twist, and was being careful. However, one of them was stuck and I had a hard time pulling it apart. From what I can tell, the mmcx connector is possibly fine but, maybe, some connection came loose inside the shell? The left side earbud is working fine; however, there's no sound from the right earbud. I tried plugging the left cable in the right bud, but there was no sound. Needless to say, I am very dissapointed.

I bought these about 3 years back, so it's out of warranty. From what I hear, the repair might be costly, but I will have to wait till week starts, to confirm. The whole experience was very daunting - I will be very afraid to switch any wires in future. This was also my main iem that I used during commute, so there's no fallback; I guess there is the bose headset, for now. Oh well!

This was the first time I ever tried to take the stock cable out. The fact that it was stuck doesn't seem like user fault. At the minimum such a thing should be easily fixable or replaceable, instead of having to shell almost the cost of the whole earbud.

 

[nicodem]

nicodem, what did you find bad about them? I found them good and better after burn in of about 50 hours or so. I don’t have the volume very high and no ones complained about leakage as expected I guess

I bought these looking for elex and clear replacement as closed back ones. Unfortunately this time focal did not made job properly and these closed ones are blurred, slow and loosing all good points of Clear. Returned after two weeks. Replaced with d7200 then and finally moved to Z1R and this is way, way better.

 

[Newsee]

My MMCX end broke in the shure se846; I was trying to upgrade the cable. What a bummer! Maybe, i'll skip the whole commuting with cube for now; another iem is out of budget at the moment. However, I'm also interested in knowing good alternatives to se846 for commuting, including on the ear headphones. Seems like the MMCX is a really bad idea - very fragile and prone to breaking, specially on equipment costing this much.

Very soory to hear . It reminds me my suppressed fear about this hobby. Anything can break down, fall off, get lost or stolen - especially on the go. But it can happent to home equipment as well. To spend money on audio gear in the amount of which loss counts, or even hurts...

For the time being you can use your noise cancelling hp, I guess. I know, if you got used to a certain quality, it is difficult to step back. The Sony WH-1000XM3 that I had for a month had very nice noise cancelling, but I did not like he SQ. Too much bass somehow. In a comparision review to a Bose QuietComfort 35 II I've heard that the Sony had better SQ.

Once I tried several Beyerdinamics, listening to Chris Jones' No Sanctuary Here. I really liked the DT770 Pro 250 Ohm. That is where I learned about sound stage, because the DT770 did not have any, compared to the DT1990Pro. I thought the DT770Pro might be good enough for commute or open space office, cheap enough, but I had some doubts about portability. I guess it is not foldable. I did not like the sound of the DT1770Pro at all, I do not remember any more the reasons. At the same place I tried the Shure 535, because I have read some praising posts, but I was missing the bass too much.

Any used marked offer from a broken left side owner?

Good luck with finding a new solution. If you liked the Shure 846 you will like even more a Campfire Andromeda or a Meze Rai Penta. Maybe for a near future. You can take it as opportunity for improvement .

 

[The jedi Baritone]

I personally enjoy KC with HD800S and I actually enjoy KC with everything I have LCDi4.. UE Live etc. KC is neutral therefore makes everything sound very natural,therefore I did enjoy it more then SP 2000. A very important aspect is in-ear fitting with IEMS.. the tips size, too small you have much to less bass, too big tips will always throw the IEMs out of the ear so the tips that fit perfect are also doing a really good job sound wise.. I didn’t like at all Andromeda’s with the original tip, changed a few tips and I could think about buying them( nevertheless I like much more UE live) a huge soundstage for IEMs and many other qualities.. but too much resolution in every piece of music you throw at them, much to much for Classical Orchestra, a bit too much for Jazz and less disturbing in all the other kinds. KC is a marvel and you might laugh If I tell you I enjoyed more the KC with the LCD4Z in a test then I enjoyed the Sundara with Shangri-la or even the Dave and Shangri-la toghether. I search for the natural sound i don’t like unnatural resolution and so on.