Astell&Kern KANN CUBE

[thecrow]

What is the Tidal version on your Cube?
I did the firmware upgrade to 1.26CM, installed Qobuz 5.15.0.0 from .apk, and xapk installer ver. 2.2.2.
I tried Tidal, all xapk files for the last 3 versions 2.37.0 backwards, but no success so far. I have not given up yet, even if I do not intend to use Tidal.

The new firmware keeps the old volume level, does not set back to 40 after power off/on. A welcome change.

Kc firmware 1.21
tidal 2.19.0

 

[wormcycle]

Hi @JasonNYC, Roon Ready is coming to SP2000 and SP1000. We really need it for Kann Cube. Do you have any idea if and when?
Kan Cube is a great DAC with XLR out, having it as a Roon endpoint would be a big deal.

 

[JasonNYC]

Hi @JasonNYC, Roon Ready is coming to SP2000 and SP1000. We really need it for Kann Cube. Do you have any idea if and when?
Kan Cube is a great DAC with XLR out, having it as a Roon endpoint would be a big deal.

I do not have any info on other players at this time. I know there are plans to bring to other players, but have not been told which ones. I will share when I have additional information.

 

[Newsee]

Firmware version 1.26CM is out. Interesting new feature is choice of 7 DAC filters in Settings, haven’t played with them yet.
Oliver Barrett

Woohoo! Here’s hoping the operational stability improvements allow xapk installs

Still new versions of Tidal won't install.

Kc firmware 1.21
tidal 2.19.0

I think I have found something.
I have downloaded the tidal 2.31.0 version (apk) from apkmirror.com and installed successfully. This is the last version marked for Android 5.0+. The next tidal version, the 2.32.0, is marked for Android 6.0+. After putting this .apk into the OpenService folder of the Cube it does not even appear in the Service menu as available for install.
My suspicion is that the A&K firmware is based in Android 5, that is why it is not possible to install anything what requires Android 6.0 as minimum.

One more finding about the new firmware 1.26CM : when using the Cube as USB DAC the battery is constantly depleting even if it is connected to the USB C slot of the desktop computer, and showing the charging sign inside the battery icon. On the previous firmware the battery level was increasing when connected to the same port.

 

[thecrow]

i update the kc firmware

as mentioned my tidal is 2.19.0 and there is no issues.
It is telling me my tidal is up to date - or would that be the case regardless because it is sideloaded? Either way all has gone well.

fwiw

 

[Newsee]

i update the kc firmware

as mentioned my tidal is 2.19.0 and there is no issues.
It is telling me my tidal is up to date - or would that be the case regardless because it is sideloaded? Either way all has gone well.

fwiw

Sideloaded software does not update automatically. You have to sideload the newer version manually. The latest tidal version installable on the Cube I've found is 2.31.0. The latest available in Google Playstore for android phones is 2.37.1. If you are happy with 2.19.0, no need to touch.

I updated Qobuz to 5.15.0.0 because they improved the search functionality. Now it is possible to choose if the typed in text in the search shall be regarded as artist, release, or track. That is a very useful feature, the lack of it did cost a lot of nerves.

 

[thecrow]

Sideloaded software does not update automatically. You have to sideload the newer version manually. The latest tidal version installable on the Cube I've found is 2.31.0. The latest available in Google Playstore for android phones is 2.37.1. If you are happy with 2.19.0, no need to touch.

I updated Qobuz to 5.15.0.0 because they improved the search functionality. Now it is possible to choose if the typed in text in the search shall be regarded as artist, release, or track. That is a very useful feature, the lack of it did cost a lot of nerves.

thanks for confirming and yes i shall leave as is

 

[vonBaron]

Anyone compare Cube to SP1000(m) in terms of SQ?

 

[thecrow]

Anyone compare Cube to SP1000(m) in terms of SQ?

at the time of demoing the two about 15 months ago, buying buying the kc, i found the sp1000 (non m) had a bit more nuanced. I felt for iems the sp1000 might have been a bit better because of that. But i chose the kc as i wanted it for full sized hps, portable and full sized. And I didn’t want to spend more them the kc as the sp1000 was about 40% more in cost from memory

 

[rfernand]

Xapk still broken

 

[Newsee]

Xapk still broken

Nope. The same that I mentioned in my previous post is valid for xapk as well as for apk: It has to be made for Android 5.0+.
The last tidal xapk created for Android 5.0+ is 2.31.0. I have downloaded it from apkpure.com and successfuly installed through the 2.2.2 version of the xapk installer. The later versions are failing at package parsing.

I wonder if there will ever be an android 6 based Cube firmware. Alternatively Tidal has to be pesuaded to develop its app on android 5 base. Or you can switch to Qobuz.

 

[bettyn]

Does this player work well with a 1 TB card, or should I stick to a 512 gb?

 

[WyattEarp]

Does this player work well with a 1 TB card, or should I stick to a 512 gb?

Been using 1TB card from the beginning with no issues.

 

[Newsee]

Does this player work well with a 1 TB card, or should I stick to a 512 gb?

Been using 1TB card from the beginning with no issues.

+1

 

[audio-]

Might anyone happen to know of an apk installer that works on a Mac?

Any Qobuz fans who might know the best version that can be sideloaded onto the Kann Cube?

I seem to have marooned myself at Qobuz 5.4.3. The link to buy music is now permanently deactivated and it just reported that over 200 tracks will have to be wiped from the device and downloaded again due to a “synchronization error”.

Ooops!