[GlennCharles63]

Seems to be a lot of negative posts recently on here. Not trying to start an argument, but for some-one researching the Alpha, I thought I would add my input, for the sake of balance.
Whilst I understand the frustration of Alpha users regarding the AK Connect software, I want to say I use the A&K Alpha player, and I am more than happy with it.
I use it as a Streamer on my home wi-fi connected to Tidal or Qobuz, I play it through headphones/iems, I rip CDs onto it, and I download from Tidal/Qobuz for offline listening.
I feel ( for me, of course, YMMV ), this is it's purpose. This is why I bought it. For me, personally, it does exactly what I need it to do.And it does it very well.
I do occasionally play it through my Audiolab amp, via a digi coax cable, and a couple of times over bluetooth.
I DO NOT use A&K Connect, as I don't need to.
But the most important thing is, it sounds AWESOME !!
I think that A&K do need to address the problems with software, after all, enough people are complaining about it, and it doesn't instill confidence to have no response , or indeed even an acknowledgement from the company.

Thanks for this post. As someone new to A&K players, with the SR25, I am looking at returning my SR25 for the Alpha. I too have read this entire 80+ page thread, and like you, don’t intend to use the A&K Connect software as it is not part of my use case. It does appear to me, after spending way to much time researching, that at this price point, the Alpha is a solid offering. For all that have taken time to contribute to the thread, it has cost me a bottle of wine +, however, it has been immensely instrumental in my decision process.

 

[MikeW9788]

Thanks for this post. As someone new to A&K players, with the SR25, I am looking at returning my SR25 for the Alpha. I too have read this entire 80+ page thread, and like you, don’t intend to use the A&K Connect software as it is not part of my use case. It does appear to me, after spending way to much time researching, that at this price point, the Alpha is a solid offering. For all that have taken time to contribute to the thread, it has cost me a bottle of wine +, however, it has been immensely instrumental in my decision process.

I returned my sr25 which I liked a lot for the kann alpha. I really like that it has the 4.4 balanced output and the sound quality is top notch.

 

[GlennCharles63]

I returned my sr25 which I liked a lot for the kann alpha. I really like that it has the 4.4 balanced output and the sound quality is top notch.

I just submitted my return to Crutchfield... Honestly, after reading this thread I am on the fence.... I really would like to try the Alpha and see if it does not provide me with a better experience. Do you find the display any more readable? This was honestly one of my big issues. The small size was difficult to interact with and required me to have my glasses on to operate. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Vandal]

I just submitted my return to Crutchfield... Honestly, after reading this thread I am on the fence.... I really would like to try the Alpha and see if it does not provide me with a better experience. Do you find the display any more readable? This was honestly one of my big issues. The small size was difficult to interact with and required me to have my glasses on to operate. Thanks for your thoughts.

Yea, I feel you. I read through the entire lot of pages too. Still lurking around. While I feel the SR25 will work for me, I'm a little irked that I will get less than a stellar experience with headphones. The KA does put out a lot of power at the expense of battery life, though what I don't get is on low, it offers the same output as the SR25, but the battery life is much less. 16 hrs isn't bad, but 18 or 19 would be better.

Basically, not crying about 3 hours more, but more battery life, means more device longevity, assuming a 400-500 cycle battery charge life. And at 600$+ for a DAP, these are long term purchases in my books.

 

[adityadubey]

I had b4-x before and I didn't like its Sounds even from the 2.5mm balance out, but I did enjoy the original B4 it had more organic sound with burson v5i, but I sold them both and bought LD I+ now using burson v6 opa with western electric 408A tubes and when using AK Alpha as source my K702(65th AE) sounds more genuine.

I have the burson v5i in the mail. Will swap them out and see. Not tube amp endgame by far, but I feel it adds some nice variety since I had it lying around anyway.

 

[GlennCharles63]

I have the burson v5i in the mail. Will swap them out and see. Not tube amp endgame by far, but I feel it adds some nice variety since I had it lying around anyway.

How is the Alpha working as a source? I have Hugo 2 coming to compliment my Mojo/Poly.
One of the reasons I wanted a DAP was to take my phone out of the equation. Since I am sending the SR25 back, I will continue to use my iPhone and the Poly as my source until I figure things out.

 

[Scubacrazy]

How is the Alpha working as a source? I have Hugo 2 coming to compliment my Mojo/Poly.
One of the reasons I wanted a DAP was to take my phone out of the equation. Since I am sending the SR25 back, I will continue to use my iPhone and the Poly as my source until I figure things out.

I have to say, the Alpha, as a source sounds great. I use mine via Line out, into my Audiolabs 6000A via a decent coax cable, and it works very well.

 

[MikeW9788]

I just submitted my return to Crutchfield... Honestly, after reading this thread I am on the fence.... I really would like to try the Alpha and see if it does not provide me with a better experience. Do you find the display any more readable? This was honestly one of my big issues. The small size was difficult to interact with and required me to have my glasses on to operate. Thanks for your thoughts.

The screen is a little bigger which is nice. I have found the battery life to be a non factor and I use the player in high gain mode quite a bit. I think the battery life is more dependent on how hard to drive your headphones are. I use the hd660s and they are not hard to drive. If you like the sr25 you will like this unit too. It will also make you realize the sr25 is a real good player.

 

[MikeW9788]

I have to say, the Alpha, as a source sounds great. I use mine via Line out, into my Audiolabs 6000A via a decent coax cable, and it works very well.

I'm going to try the toslink one of these days. I use the audioquest evergreen 3.5mm to rca into my pioneer elite sc91 and I think it sounds amazing. Curious how the toslink stacks up to that.

 

[adityadubey]

I agree, it sounds great as a line out. I've used the 4.4mm out to input into my iFI zen can and the 3.5mm for the B4-X as well. Have a Flux Labs FA-12S Class A on its way hopefully over the next 2 weeks, so excited to use the Kann Alpha as a source for that

 

[Scubacrazy]

I'm going to try the toslink one of these days. I use the audioquest evergreen 3.5mm to rca into my pioneer elite sc91 and I think it sounds amazing. Curious how the toslink stacks up to that.

I have the exact same Evergreen cable, 3.5mm into RCA, I also have a toslink cable, and if Im honest, find it very hard to hear a difference.
At a push, I would say the coax has it, but not by much. I think it is physically "sturdier" though, which is another plus.

 

[Pezzab]

Seems to be a lot of negative posts recently on here. Not trying to start an argument, but for some-one researching the Alpha, I thought I would add my input, for the sake of balance.
Whilst I understand the frustration of Alpha users regarding the AK Connect software, I want to say I use the A&K Alpha player, and I am more than happy with it.
I use it as a Streamer on my home wi-fi connected to Tidal or Qobuz, I play it through headphones/iems, I rip CDs onto it, and I download from Tidal/Qobuz for offline listening.
I feel ( for me, of course, YMMV ), this is it's purpose. This is why I bought it. For me, personally, it does exactly what I need it to do.And it does it very well.
I do occasionally play it through my Audiolab amp, via a digi coax cable, and a couple of times over bluetooth.
I DO NOT use A&K Connect, as I don't need to.
But the most important thing is, it sounds AWESOME !!
I think that A&K do need to address the problems with software, after all, enough people are complaining about it, and it doesn't instill confidence to have no response , or indeed even an acknowledgement from the company.

 

[alsorkin]

That mustard brown Kann original case is quite good though

That case has a tendency to have the Dap slip down from lt.

 

[newworld666]

I found yesterday DS Audio apk 3.15.1 is available
https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/synology-inc/ds-audio/ds-audio-3-15-1-release/
Which seems to be working more or less with Kann Alpha, except that it is still limited to 44.1Khz or 48khz with external DAC (as with any android device like my smartphone without using a dlna renderer like Neutron , USB pro player as renderer of DS Audio,...)... this is a really annoying DS Audio internal renderer limitation.
So, don't expect hires any decoding with DS Audio other than 24bits 48khz, I suppose it's converted from the Synology server (I control the result with the Kann Alpha Toslink output to an external desktop DAC M500 and I can't get 192Kz, as I get with Qobuz or AK Connect).

Basically, now to be almost fully usable at home (and on the way with my smartphone), the only comfortable way to avoid the 10 minutes drops with AK Connect and still be able to listen to Hires files from the NAS, is like an amazing path :
1) The Kann Alpha can, be connected to an Asus or Tp Link extender (placed in the middle of my house to be free to move everywhere) or to my smartphone access point feature

2) The Asus or TP Link extender must be connected to my Galaxy Z fold2 (set as Wifi Access point)

3) my Galaxy Z Fold2 is connected in wifi to my Dlink Wifi 6 MESH or Orange Wifi router

4) Bubbleupnp must be loaded on the Galaxy Z fold2 to give access to my local upnp servers (also it's Publishing Upnp Servers when I want to access with the Kann Alpha on the way to my home upnpn servers with 4G or 5G in hotel, trains, ...)

In this situation, AK Connect is rather stable for hours, though I can't memorize any connection path like any other android or Ios software can do.
This lead to redo the all path to the server library after 10 minutes if you want to change genre, album, artists, etc.. but at least no drops while listening a playlist for hours.

It would be so nice that A&K would allow using directly bubbleupnp apk to replace AK Connect which is so limited in every aspect.

Unfortunately, because I use the Heddphone by HEDD at home and a IER-Z1R on the way, the Kann Alpha is the only available compact DAP with more or less 12V output to nearly move fully this headphone. Sound is a bit behind the Sony WM1A, but still very good and enjoyable.

For a few weeks now, luckily, when I am at home, I can also use, without annoying drops, the Kann Alpha as a simple transport DAP with some limited but more or less sufficient EQ. I just connect the KannAlpha to a M500DAP+Monolith THX887 to get a much better sound quality than any of my DAPs with the HEDDPHONE.
I still didn't have enough time to use fully the A1K CD ripper II, even if the main issue is that you can't listen CD from this item and charge the Kann Alpha via USB-C port.

Unfortunately, my config will not help most of the other users of the Kann Alpha which are struggling to avoid these 10 minutes drops due to AK Connect or Wifi module. As I bought a second Kann Alpha from another country (France instead China) I can clearly say those issues are not depending on the firmware zone (N, M C) or the hardware, but 100% sure it's due to the wifi/lan environment.

... by the way Bluetooth remotes also suffer for a very short standby mode .. I have no issue with 2 types of remote with Fiio M11, Galaxy Z Fold2, WM1A .. and the Kann Alpha again makes the use of the remote quite painfull as we never know it the remote is still active and with to press often twice a button before the command is raelly active.


I have spent so many hours/days trying to configure the Kann Alpha, routers, upnp servers, that I am sure I will never buy any A&K item anymore. So, I will just enjoy as it is now. It's not perfect, but finally usable as it intended to be when I bought this in December 2020.

 

[Vandal]

That case has a tendency to have the Dap slip down from lt.

OMG. A 100$ accessory that doesn't work...