[tb303]

Hi there

Welcome to the thread!

I took the plunge a couple of months back and purchased a KANN to replace my Onkyo DP-X1, which was a great player but suffered with problems with the jack outputs. I too wanted to get the most musically out of my KANN and I actually posted a similar question to yours elsewhere on this post.

My advice to you is as follows:

• Don't be too hasty and disregard any headphones you currently own, spend time reappraising them with the KANN
• If you already have a favourite pair of headphones then it might be worth seeing if it is possible to convert to a balanced cable (like i did with the Meze 99 Classics).

What i have found over time was able to do is keep my favourite (Meze 99 Classics) but decided buy a balanced cable for them (for approx 60 eur from Amazon) and they now sound (more) incredible, definitely worth the investment.
I also have a pair of Audeze iSine10 for on the go, which i find are an excellent pairing but being semi-open back they do let some sound in / out so may not be ideal if you use for daily commute in busy areas.

For bluetooth, I have B&W PX - these headphones pair really well with the KANN which is installed with the APTX HD Qualcomm chip. Great for commuting and are the best sounding bluetooth headphones i have heard, however i have a few niggles with the comfort and soundstage (especially when comparing these to some of the other headphones I own).​

• If you are still interested in buying a new headphone in the sub-1k eur budget then try and demo as many different headphones as possible before buying. You will read lots of different opinions and feedback on the forums but nothing beats listening to them in person. We all have different tastes and preferences, and more importantly our ears are different, which means we don't always HEAR the same things, even though we LISTEN to same things!
• Before you demo any headphones, make sure you compile a playlist of favourite songs, based on varied genres (rock, classic rock, pop, jazz, EDM), source type (AAC, mp3, FLAC 16/44 and FLAC 24bit) and stereo and mono recordings depending on whether you like any older songs that were mastered originally in mono (like Beatles or Rolling Stones earlier albums).

Lastly, I too wanted a pair of audiophile-type headphones in the sub 1k eur region, I have a pair of Fidelio X2 which are extremely comfortable and great sound, but wanted a headphone that could be used with a balanced cable.
I conducted loads of research, the main contenders that kept popping up and I was able to demo were the MrSpeaker AEONs (both Open and Closed back versions), Audioquest NightOwl (Closed Back) and Audioquest NightHawk (Open Back), Sennheiser - HD600, HD650, HD660 and HD700 (all Open Back) and Focal Elear (Open back).

I also came across the Audeze LCD2C (Open Back) and this for me was the perfect headphone in terms of sound, which i found extremely detailed and clear and also brought out the macro and micro details you are looking for. The sound-stage is compelling, I don't really know how best to describe it other than it doesn't feel wide or deep but you feel immersed, like it puts you right in the middle of the music, so much so that you it feels extremely soothing and comforting and i can't wait to put them on again. This was the clincher that made me decide to buy these over the other headphones I tried, which are all excellent headphones by the way, but i just felt these were the ones for me. I also managed to buy an aftermarket balanced cable for these, and they sound absolutely amazing!​

So, good luck and enjoy your KANN and I look forward to reading your posts about your journey to your KANN utopia!

Thanks for all your valuable feedback. The idea behind my purchase is to have a decent upgrade over my current Beyerdynamic DT1350 that I still appreciate - I just like them being true to source. I was just wondering what sub-1k headphones will still sound as good as DT1350 in terms the general sound signature, however at the same time be a substantial upgrade that also adds more air and soundstage that DT1350 are not perfect with. BTW: how would you position Meze 99 Classics with/without balanced against DT1350... and secundo, Meze 99 Classics with/without balanced vs Audeze LCD2 with Open/Closed back option?

Thanks in advance for all your comments!

 

[Kwoodell]

Hey all,

Within the last month my KANN has gone from having a great battery to it being absolutely horrible. I get about 2.5 hours of play time now, and standby time is terrible. What's weird is that once it gets down to 2%, if I stop using it and turn the screen off, the battery will go from 2% to about 40%. The 40% doesn't last too long before it's at 2% again, but repeating the same process it goes back up to 20%, repeat is 15%, etc. So I don't know if it's an issue holding a charge or if it's a battery Stat issue. I've tried reseting to factory, and discharging completely and charging to full but nothing works. Does anyone have other ideas on how to fix? I love the Kann and it sounds amazing, but this makes me feel duped for buying $1000 DAP.

 

[JFBCFO]

Thanks for all your valuable feedback. The idea behind my purchase is to have a decent upgrade over my current Beyerdynamic DT1350 that I still appreciate - I just like them being true to source. I was just wondering what sub-1k headphones will still sound as good as DT1350 in terms the general sound signature, however at the same time be a substantial upgrade that also adds more air and soundstage that DT1350 are not perfect with. BTW: how would you position Meze 99 Classics with/without balanced against DT1350... and secundo, Meze 99 Classics with/without balanced vs Audeze LCD2 with Open/Closed back option?

Thanks in advance for all your comments!

Hi,
I have had the Kann for about a year now and I use them with the Oppo closed back headphones (US$399) . Even thought these are relatively inexpensive, they are wired to take a balanced cable. I ordered a custom balanced cable from Moon Audio (I believe they are in North Carolina) and together, I think they sound sensational with the Kann. I also have a pair of Sennheiser 800HD S which I use with a Sennheiser amp, and I think the Oppos are almost as good. Also, because they are close-backed, the Oppos are great for traveling with the Kann. Hope this helps.

 

[mcook1970]

Thanks for all your valuable feedback. The idea behind my purchase is to have a decent upgrade over my current Beyerdynamic DT1350 that I still appreciate - I just like them being true to source. I was just wondering what sub-1k headphones will still sound as good as DT1350 in terms the general sound signature, however at the same time be a substantial upgrade that also adds more air and soundstage that DT1350 are not perfect with. BTW: how would you position Meze 99 Classics with/without balanced against DT1350... and secundo, Meze 99 Classics with/without balanced vs Audeze LCD2 with Open/Closed back option?

Thanks in advance for all your comments!

I am not familiar with the sound signature of the DT1350 so it will be wrong for me to pass any judgement.

In terms of the Meze 99 Classics vs Audeze LCD2C, i would say that despite the 200 EUR price difference there isn't much between them in terms of sound quality. I would say the Meze's are more energetic and lively whereas the LCD2C's are more restrained and clinical. Soundstage is good on both, better on the LCD2C because it is more immersive. Balanced is definitely the way to go on both, there is a noticeable improvement on sound quality versus unbalanced. I tend to use the Meze's on the go and the LCD2C's at home, although there is an underlying attraction with the LCD2C's in terms of the sound signature that makes me want to go back for more - the way the sound eminates from those ear-hugging earpads is extremely soothing and pleasant and I can't get enough of them. The only issue is because they are open backed they leak sound, which can be an annoyance to other people in the same vicinity whereas the Meze's don't suffer with that problem because they are closed back.

It's a tough choice but I would definitely recommend you trying them both to find out what works best for you.

 

[tb303]

i find my 800's to be aweful with the KANN, thin harsh sound. i ended up buying ibasso IT01 and a balanced cable off amazon and couldn't be happier.

Hi - I find it strange that Sennheiser ie800 sound thinner than ibasso IT01 (considering significant price difference) - I'll have to compare myself one day. Maybe this is the balanced cable that does the trick??? Thanks for your comment.

 

[tb303]

Hi,
I have had the Kann for about a year now and I use them with the Oppo closed back headphones (US$399) . Even thought these are relatively inexpensive, they are wired to take a balanced cable. I ordered a custom balanced cable from Moon Audio (I believe they are in North Carolina) and together, I think they sound sensational with the Kann. I also have a pair of Sennheiser 800HD S which I use with a Sennheiser amp, and I think the Oppos are almost as good. Also, because they are close-backed, the Oppos are great for traveling with the Kann. Hope this helps.

Thanks for your feedback - there seems to be many great sub-1k choices on the market currently. I can also see that balanced cable is a key...do you think that cheaper phones on balanced can generally sound better than way more expensive ones on single ended? I've been reading through many reviews and this seems to be a case. But I still find it funny that 1k headphones sound worse than 300 bucks on balanced.

 

[lithiumnk]

@JasonNYC According to the this statement " Offline mode for the embedded Tidal app on Astell&Kern players without OpenAPK support will be available soon via firmware update."
Will kann support tidal offline in future ?

 

[JasonNYC]

@JasonNYC According to the this statement " Offline mode for the embedded Tidal app on Astell&Kern players without OpenAPK support will be available soon via firmware update."
Will kann support tidal offline in future ?

We are actively working with Tidal to bring offline mode to the embedded Tidal app which would include KANN and older generation players.

 

[iridium7777]

when i try to hook up the kann as a usb dac to my iphone i get an error saying this accessory requires too much power.

my sony wm1a has a setting to disable charging when using with iphone in usb dac mode, is the same possible on iphone?

i have unlimited data on my phone but only 15gb tether so it’s better for me to steam from my phone than tether the kann.

 

[Thesonofkrypton]

A&K fans, cover your ears.

28 days ago I requested a RMA from A&K. Scroll back a few pages and you will find my disgust with their lack response. 11 days later I received a RMA number and form. Astell and Kern moved and had me send the Kann to the old address. After verifying the address with FedEx after two failed delivery attempts I finally received a response from A&K, they had moved and indicated in the email that they said they were reaching out to shippers to have packages rerouted. BS. I shipped the Kann on our corporate account and had several conversations with the appropriate folks at FedEx over three days. A&K lied, they never contacted FedEx until they finally got around to reading my emails.

Today I received another email from A&K. 15 days after receiving my Kann they have confirmed that the battery is shot and is 70% depleted after an hour of playback. IT TOOK THEM 15 DAYS AND I TOLD THEM WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS!!!! Now it will be another three weeks while the TURD is shipped to Seoul for repair. Add in another few days for their future screw ups and that's two months. Totally unacceptable for what poses to be a high end product.

I have been blessed to be friends with many of the great names in high end audio. All of them have strived to insure that warranty and repairs receive top priority. Even the behemoth that Linn has become gets repairs out within five days including a personal email regarding the solution to the problem (thanks Dan!).

Since it's my day to deservedly crap on A&K let me give you a little secret to the Kann's sound. A lot of it is in the power supply. Years ago Joe Grado and I had a humor filled conversation about Dick Sequerra's $400 CD3400 dock. It was a few gel cells and a float charger with lights and ports in a fancy case. Three 7 ah alarm jell cells were the sweet spot. As I recall Tyll introduced some new hotrod models with PSU upgrades shortly after this.

As to A&K, you deserve this public flogging. Buyer beware, a high tech product is only as good as the support behind it.

Edit, added thoughts:

A return label with the appropriate LiPo warning label should have been provided. No LiPo shipping cautions in the RMA despite the fact that what I described pointed to a failing & puffing LiPo pack. I just hope these incompetent folks don't ship the whole thing back by air without removing the battery first (for the clueless it's a fire hazard). I asked them to remove the failing battery before sending it overseas a couple of weeks ago via email.

Edit, more added thoughts:

The other aspect to this is corporate liability. A&K has not played by the rules and is wide open. Anyone who is serious about RC stuff (quads, I don't know what the rest of the hobbyists do) knows that LiPos should be monitored and maintained. Active batteries are best kept in fire proof containers. Failing puffers should be safely disposed. No one in the RC community would suggest shipping a failing battery yet it's commonplace for the devices in our mobile connected world. At least all the PC/cell phone/tablet manufacturers have the decency to provide proper shipping documents and hazard labels.

Thinking about getting a Kann so have been reading through the forum. Really disgusting customer service from A&K from the sound of things. If I didn't know about the quality of their products, I'd think they were some mickey mouse company lol. This has made me think about customer service especially if I'm looking to use it for a few years. Might just opt for a Sony DAP in this case, excellent battery life and great customer service from my experiences.

 

[Miniculthero]

Anyone using kaiser noble encores with Kann know of any decent balanced cable other than nobunaga labs medusa (as they won’t ship to uk) compatible and available in the uk??

 

[hellfire8888]

Jasonnyc do you think is possible to add Bluetooth receiver function via firmware update? Phone Bluetooth output to Kann

 

[JasonNYC]

Jasonnyc do you think is possible to add Bluetooth receiver function via firmware update? Phone Bluetooth output to Kann

I am not sure. Even if it was possible, I dont know if this option would be added. I will pass on your request to our development team for consideration.

 

[tb303]

Folks,

Has anyone tried KANN with MrSpeakers AEON Flow Closed?

My previous DAP was Fiio X7 that I liked with AM1 amp for the clarity and critical listening (didn't like some harsh high frequency though) and AM2A module for the smooth experience (this module however seemed to have missing resolution and not much of micro/macro details). I have then bought Fiio X7 mark2 which I also loved as it was a good compromise between liquid sound and details, however wasn't very happy with sound-stage and resolution, therefore decided to go for KANN. Need to say that the positioning, resolution and separation is now all there, however I'm kinda missing some mid frequencies and treble and would also prefer to have them airy enough to extract all these valuable macro and micro details. Cherry on the top would be slightly more pronounced high frequencies (sparkle!) to additional clarity.

Can you please let me know if AEON Flow Closed will meet my expectations? How do they sound with KANN on single ended and balanced? Will KANN drive them with authority on single ended or balanced? If AEON is not the answer to my taste, what other sub-1k euro closed back headphones (preferably over ear) would you guys recommend?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[gazzington]

How does the Kann compare to sr15 and ak70mk2 sq wise. Am wondering which model to start with in astell and Kern.