Astell&Kern Launches KANN ALPHA Digital Audio Player

[Avenida]

Edited for Privacy

 

[WyattEarp]

Wow if these manufacturers are really sending out purposely tweaked models that work flawlessly but somehow don't make it to the production model AND sponsoring advertisement content, that's some class-action, false advertising exposure they're taking on! Anyone have any proof they do this?

All products are displayed in their “best light” when you think about it. When you go to a store to listen to speakers or headphones for example they are already calibrated or placed in a special area or the specific tracks are played to give the best sound. Then, when you go home it sounds nothing like it did in the store. The same goes for TV. It just that some reviewers can’t be completely trusted and some companies do send special units to reviewers. I’ve seen this mostly in the smartphone category but this is also nothing new.

As end-users it’s up to us to hold companies responsible when they mess up. It’s not always on purpose but at the same time like I said before, we should not keep a faulty device in hopes of and in this case a software fix for something that wasn’t working new out the box. Some here have returned their Alpha and gotten a replacement that works without issue while others seem to rather sit and wait for a fix. How one handles their own stuff is up to them but if it never gets fixed you can’t keep complaining when you decided to keep a device that isn’t functioning properly and did nothing about it. The company already got your money. I love technology and it would be nice if I could like everything but sometimes you just have to say no.

 

[WyattEarp]

I got my alpha recently and it’s really cool as an audio player, but adding extra services really shows its flaws. It would be awesome to have Bluetooth keyboard support for typing out long passwords.

It’s a bit disappointing that a quad core processor with 4GB of RAM is laggy, as well as no 5GHz wifi support. After doing some sniffing it’s basically a watered-down, boxed-in android device that has optimisation issues.

Unfortunately, Android still doesn't do well with that amount of RAM which is why Andriod phones require 6-8 GB to operate better. The 5GHz wifi is another story that I'm not that sure of but I do know it does draw significantly more power than 2.4GHz which does play a factory in which one companies put into their DAPs.

 

[Avenida]

Edited for Privacy

 

[Avenida]

Edited for Privacy

 

[WyattEarp]

The M11 Pro works completely fine despite being clunky. I guess it’s one of those things the Kann definitely sounded better and has a better music app, so I went with it despite some of the flaws I noticed after playing around for a while.

Yeah, I totally get that depending on the flaws. There are always minor things one can over look as appose to others that you can't. For example, I never had a problem with the Cube, but initially it was a slow compared to my phone but nothing I could honestly complain about. It got slower after an update and was a bit aggravating at that point even though it functioned just fine. Then, the most recent update resolved everything, even improved the speed making it operate even faster and smother than how it was initially out the box. So I understand were the lines get blurry sometimes and everyone chooses what they will put up with.

 

[Avenida]

Edited for Privacy

 

[Onik]

My damn KA got new problem now! The 4.4mm and 2.5mm only one channel working!

Thought it was my JH audio Rosie's cable issue but NO! Tried my HD650 with 4.4mm balanced but only one channel working!

I left my KA FOR SALE because the damn wifi thing dont work and now This! Now I have to throw this Trash that I bought for £1000 into rubbish 🗑 bin!!

W.T.F A&K??

 

[n2413]

My damn KA got new problem now! The 4.4mm and 2.5mm only one channel working!

Thought it was my JH audio Rosie's cable issue but NO! Tried my HD650 with 4.4mm balanced but only one channel working!

I left my KA FOR SALE because the damn wifi thing dont work and now This! Now I have throw this Trash that I bought for £1000 into rubbish 🗑 bin!!

W.T.F A&K??

That's unacceptable, is it under warranty? They should fix this.

I just bought the Sony zx507 in hope it doesn't have the issues my Kann does, my Kann will be going back most likely.

 

[Onik]

That's unacceptable, is it under warranty? They should fix this.

I just bought the Sony zx507 in hope it doesn't have the issues my Kann does, my Kann will be going back most likely.

Its not even a year, so still got warranty but I'm from UK and most likely I'll have to send this trash to Us/korea and then this Dodgy A&K might say that they didn't receive my return then what??

 

[Figjam]

Do you mean the apple music APK or Qobuz? I got Qobuz to do 24/192 but my issue what I couldn't stream any hires despite having giga bit internet, it would play for 5 seconds then buffer.

Apple Music APK

 

[Tymestream]

What sources for the Spotify APK are people using? I am running an older version that recently became very sluggish. (More that AK usual)

Links appreciated.

 

[rlw6534]

What sources for the Spotify APK are people using? I am running an older version that recently became very sluggish. (More that AK usual)

Links appreciated.

https://apkcombo.com/apk-downloader...v8a&sdkInt=default&format=apk&dpi=480&lang=en

 

[Tymestream]

https://apkcombo.com/apk-downloader...v8a&sdkInt=default&format=apk&dpi=480&lang=en

Cheers for the assist. Thank you.

 

[Kiats]

My damn KA got new problem now! The 4.4mm and 2.5mm only one channel working!

Thought it was my JH audio Rosie's cable issue but NO! Tried my HD650 with 4.4mm balanced but only one channel working!

I left my KA FOR SALE because the damn wifi thing dont work and now This! Now I have to throw this Trash that I bought for £1000 into rubbish 🗑 bin!!

W.T.F A&K??

Had the same issue with the 4.4mm socket. So it’s gone back to AK. Yes, less than a year. Disappointing. Guess AK is losing the plot insofar as QC is concerned. Together with its inflexibility even as a flawed android device, the Chinese DAPs have mostly overtaken it both in terms of SQ and UI/UX. Pity.