[pepodenata]

Finally got my unit, and starting to try It out

Very interesting DAP; out of curiosity I tried to drive an old pair of AKG 260 that account for 600ohm... In High gain I could go past the comfortable volume

My only gripe so far Is the dreadful "skipping" when listening to Tidal songs.. I launch a Song, After some seconds It skip to the following or, worse, It Just stops. did you have the same issue?

Will post my impressions later on!

Congratulations. Yes, it is true that sometimes Tidal songs stop or skip to others ... Sometimes it happens more frequently and other times it doesn't happen for hours ... It's strange, and I don't understand why ... I guess it's something you can get used to, as long as you like DAP. We look forward to reading your impressions.

 

[Matpar]

Congratulations. Yes, it is true that sometimes Tidal songs stop or skip to others ... Sometimes it happens more frequently and other times it doesn't happen for hours ... It's strange, and I don't understand why ... I guess it's something you can get used to, as long as you like DAP. We look forward to reading your impressions.

I am cross checking since I believe to have read about this behaviour also on another DAP, but maybe I am mistaken.

Btw, a test I am trying to do Is to leave screen on while playing, my sensation (tbc) Is that It happens a while After screen goes off.

 

[pepodenata]

I am cross checking since I believe to have read about this behaviour also on another DAP, but maybe I am mistaken.

Btw, a test I am trying to do Is to leave screen on while playing, my sensation (tbc) Is that It happens a while After screen goes off.

Yes, I also think I have read it from other DAPs ... Normally I never leave the screen on during playback, except when I want to change discs or playlists (so I don't punish the battery too much). With the screen off, sometimes 20-song records are played and there are no skips, and then all of a sudden it happens ... Like I say, very strange. I've just gotten used to it, but I'm sure it happens to everyone who owns Kann Alpha (whether they say it or not).

 

[Matpar]

Yes, I also think I have read it from other DAPs ... Normally I never leave the screen on during playback, except when I want to change discs or playlists (so I don't punish the battery too much). With the screen off, sometimes 20-song records are played and there are no skips, and then all of a sudden it happens ... Like I say, very strange. I've just gotten used to it, but I'm sure it happens to everyone who owns Kann Alpha (whether they say it or not).

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ast...essions-reviews.885313/page-124#post-15102584

Here we go, seeing the date of the post, Is not that reassuring.

Btw, unless It Is certain that the issue Is on Tidal client side (and this in that sense might give a hint) for the Money paied for the DAP I'd like not to be bothered by such issues..

 

[PortableMusic]

Finally got my unit, and starting to try It out

Very interesting DAP; out of curiosity I tried to drive an old pair of AKG 260 that account for 600ohm... In High gain I could go past the comfortable volume

My only gripe so far Is the dreadful "skipping" when listening to Tidal songs.. I launch a Song, After some seconds It skip to the following or, worse, It Just stops. did you have the same issue?

Will post my impressions later on!

Hello @Matpar: i'm a new owner of the Kann Alpha as well - 3 to 4 weeks thus far. i use it entirely with the Meze Empyreans, and almost 100% at my computer desk at home, where i spend 3 to 8 hours a day. well, this has led me to consider buying an additional small footprint desktop DAC+headphones amp combination to put on my desk, as i spend so many hours a day there.

i noticed the issue of "not finishing a track", just like you described it, when i first received my Kann Alpha. i discussed it with their tech support, and they seemed unaware of this problem! however, i then suggested that we try uploading the full Tidal app ( i only listen via Tidal Hifi, no other services and i don't own any digital music) to see if the full Tidal app has the same issues? clearly, the pre-loaded Tidal app on the Kann Alpha is an abridged version, not full featured.

i then downloaded and installed the full Tidal app, and it doesn't seem to do that "skipping" anymore!

i noticed this in particular in classical music, where, say, the first movement of a piano concerto starts and just around 1 minute prior to the end of the first movement, it abruptly stops and the second movement begins. very annoying. even MORE obvious would be pieces of classical music like "Themes and Variations on a Theme by xxxxxxxx", where there may be ~10 variations based on one theme. well, each of these variations aren't that long and quite often, the pre-installed Tidal app would cut off just prior to the end of a variation, and move on to the beginning of the next variation.

might you wish to try installing the full Tidal app to see if it would work for you like it did for me?

 

[JasonNYC]

Hi, @JasonNYC , just a technical question.

On the website is is stated this:
MQA-CD playback is also supported on KANN ALPHA when playing MQA-CDs using the AK CD-Ripper. You now do not need special, expensive equipment to play back master quality audio CDs.

Which I interpret as the option to use the CD-Ripper in order to plug it to the Kann Alpha and play directly from there the CD.
Since there is also the possibility to rip the same CD though, my question is, would the KA be able to rip then also MQA-CDs keeping the MQA format, or in that case it would rip the "simple" CD trace with classical sampling, hence loosing the MQA encoding?

@Matpar Sorry for the delay. The answer is yes, the AK CD-Ripper will rip MQA-CDs to the player in the original MQA format. The MQA-CD below was ripped using the SR25, but will work the same with KANN ALPHA.

 

[PortableMusic]

I have, but not with 100% success. For example, I couldn't get the Spotify desktop app to play through it no matter what I did, but had no trouble with the web version (or anything on the web, for that matter, or on my computer in general). I haven't tried Tidal, so can't speak to that specifically. I suspect this may come down to growing pains that will eventually go away after a firmware update or two...

I am a bit concerned on that matter too.

Considering that you can't use apps like UAPP on this kind of OS (if I got It right) then can you confirm me this DAP can work out bit perfect and MQA at a system level, regardless of the app used?

I would be buying It only if sure I can get same (or Better) quality of processing ie. A Tidal Master in the same stream I would have with UAPP+Tidal on a smartphone, sent It to an external DAC/amp.

Btw, I also did not get in the end if you think this DAP being superior to the N6ii and, in case, under what parameter (SQ, usability, ability to drive stuff, ease of sinergy, etc ..).

i was informed that the LED ring light around the volume control only indicated bitrate correctly for DOWNLOADED music. streaming music's bitrate is not accurately displayed by the color of the light! i don't know if it's random, or what, but i was told that the color does not accurately indicate the streaming music's bitrate.

furthermore, when the Alpha is connected to a pc, it is unable to decode MQA. there is no MQA via the usb connection to a pc.

so...i'm thinking about buying a desktop, smaller footprint DAC+headphone amp like the Topping D90/A90 combination, or similar. the downside is there is no advantage of having two boxes sitting on my computer desk sound quality-wise, i think, as the Topping D90 would likely be no better than the ES9068 dual chips in the Alpha, though the nuances may be different as the Topping uses the AK4499. still, there are very few benefits of having the two desktop boxes sitting on my computer desktop besides the ability to navigate the Windows Tidal desktop app conveniently via my desktop PC's big monitor - that would indeed be pleasant, but at the expense of having two extra boxes sitting around.

what do you guys think please? thanks.

 

[IEMmasterRace]

Looks like a very strong proposition and at last 4.4 bless you this is the natural evolution to go along with, it was only a matter of time

Now one thing I regret in those specs.... 1.8ohm output impedance balanced, not great.... not as bad as M15 with its 3ohms OI but... it will affect lower impedance IEMs signature (except those with FIBAE, LID, etc... tech).

What happends when the output inpadence is abive 1 ohm? Is there any negative aspect? What kind of iem it will affect?

 

[Matpar]

For those who are interested, Dignis will release a case for the Kann Alpha next month

Hi, any news on this?

I am on the fence whether to wait for it or go for the original leather one; it costs "too much" imho, but the Mitra PU is not on par with this DAP
What would be an average price for the Dignis?

tnx

 

[Matpar]

@Matpar Sorry for the delay. The answer is yes, the AK CD-Ripper will rip MQA-CDs to the player in the original MQA format. The MQA-CD below was ripped using the SR25, but will work the same with KANN ALPHA.

Thanks @JasonNYC that (to me at least) is a real game changer. Will evaluate to get the ripper and give it a try.

 

[davidmolliere]

What happends when the output inpadence is abive 1 ohm? Is there any negative aspect? What kind of iem it will affect?

That's ohm's law output impedance should be 1/8th of the impedance of the IEM and since there are quite a few IEMs with impedance under 8ohm (a few years back only a few IEMs like SE846 were in that case) well under the 1ohm mark is preferable. Unless your IEM is from 64 Audio and has LID tech, Custom Art FIBAE tech or the like this will skew the frequency response of your IEM. More manufacturer are making sure this doesn't happen but it's not universal yet.

 

[Newsee]

@Newsee: thank you kindly for this good idea. i looked up in the manual for the Kann Alpha and there seems to be numerous limitations, as far as i understand. A screenshot of page 36 of the manual is attached below for your convenience - that's the relevant page regarding connecting the Kann Alpha to a PC.

it seems to say that the maximum resolution is PCM 384kHz up to 32 bit. It doesn't talk about whether MQA is supported or not.

Previous/Play/Next buttons are unavailable it says. Does that mean we simply use our desktop PC's Tidal app to control the playback tracks?

Thank you.

I do not see anything there what can be considered as limitation.

Regarding the buttons:
that is normal. All pure DAC box works that way. You want to control what you play and when to play from the PC anyway. What is a limitation on the Cube that it does not display battery status and the received bitrate. I do not know if it remained like that on the Alpha.

Do not be afraid, just try and see.

 

[Matpar]

Regarding MQA:
From A&K homepage:
"Support for MQA 8x Rendering and MQA-CD
Enjoy the original master sound through the dedicated hardware full decoder installed in KANN ALPHA."
It would be strange not to support MQA from the USB in "USB-DAC mode", and support it when the signal comes to it from the CD ripper. A&K documentation has some weak points for the Cube as well.

About documentation, were you able to download the manual from the website? I've tried both EN and FR, but the pdf gives me error when trying to open them!

Btw, on A&K website it seems KA is out of stock already...

 

[Newsee]

About documentation, were you able to download the manual from the website? I've tried both EN and FR, but the pdf gives me error when trying to open them!

Btw, on A&K website it seems KA is out of stock already...

Just downloaded the English version without problem.

 

[Matpar]

Just downloaded the English version without problem.

yes, tried it after the effort of yesterday, today it works.... weird.