Astell&Kern Launches KANN ALPHA Digital Audio Player

[Laue]

I understand you are using roon ready on kann alpha. I have a small request in this regard. Can you give me some details about the architecture of your wan, lan network. What is connected to what, over the wire and wireless.
What equipment do you use, and last but not least, what are your wifi router software settings in detail, what frequencies, what channels, what strength, etc.?
Thank you very much.
I understand that in your case suddenly switching off sound playback in this function and visibility of kann alpha in core roon zones does not occur? That is correct.
I also use the Urban version.

and DHCP-Server is the Fritz!box

 

[Snach]

and DHCP-Server is the Fritz!box

I sincerely thank you for your detailed description and your time. I will still be looking for weaknesses in my configuration including the core upgrade to windows10 which I have a license to. In fact I have never experienced any problems with it but at the time I did not have KA in my audio collection. I will share information once the operation is complete.

 

[Snach]

I sincerely thank you for your detailed description and your time. I will still be looking for weaknesses in my configuration including the core upgrade to windows10 which I have a license to. In fact I have never experienced any problems with it but at the time I did not have KA in my audio collection. I will share information once the operation is complete.

Problem solved!!! Thanks again for all the suggestions. They were helpful.
I had to simplify the network map and remove the old router and switch - both TP-Link . These devices were affecting the Kann Alpha's roon ready behavior.
I purchased a new Asus RT-AX55 router, which became the Acces Point for the ISP modem.
I now have fast and stable lan (1gbit/s) and wlan (about 800/900 mbit/s) dual-band. Kann is using 2.4 ghz wifi. The connection is excellent.
So my suggestion for similar problems is to check and understand the network map and look at the network connections
Kann stays with me

 

[klyaksa]

Problem solved!!! Thanks again for all the suggestions. They were helpful.
I had to simplify the network map and remove the old router and switch - both TP-Link . These devices were affecting the Kann Alpha's roon ready behavior.
I purchased a new Asus RT-AX55 router, which became the Acces Point for the ISP modem.
I now have fast and stable lan (1gbit/s) and wlan (about 800/900 mbit/s) dual-band. Kann is using 2.4 ghz wifi. The connection is excellent.
So my suggestion for similar problems is to check and understand the network map and look at the network connections
Kann stays with me

Ha, so all the same the problem is not in the Alpha, but in the router. Everything worked out and works and there are no wifi drops?

 

[Snach]

Ha, so all the same the problem is not in the Alpha, but in the router. Everything worked out and works and there are no wifi drops?

I must admit that the main problem was the network architecture. Now the Kann Alpha does not unexpectedly turn off playback
But it invariably needs to be provided with a very good wifi signal. It is good to manually select the channel with the best parameters.

 

[davidmthekidd]

I must admit that the main problem was the network architecture. Now the Kann Alpha does not unexpectedly turn off playback
But it invariably needs to be provided with a very good wifi signal. It is good to manually select the channel with the best parameters.

Like many have said before, it all points towards weak Networking, I highly recommend Asus/Linksys.

 

[klyaksa]

I must admit that the main problem was the network architecture. Now the Kann Alpha does not unexpectedly turn off playback
But it invariably needs to be provided with a very good wifi signal. It is good to manually select the channel with the best parameters.

This is great , I'm very happy for you. I didn't have such problems.

 

[klyaksa]

I have this

 

[NeedtoBurn]

I have discovered that the router and proximity to it has a big impact on whether my Kann Alpha buffers while playing music from the sideloaded Amazon HD app. I use an OTG adapter with my iPhone XS that is connected to the Kann Alpha in USB DAC mode whenever I encounter a situation where I am steaming with a weak WiFi signal. This workaround seems to solve the buffering problem with the WiFi signal.

 

[Laue]

Problem solved!!! Thanks again for all the suggestions. They were helpful.
I had to simplify the network map and remove the old router and switch - both TP-Link . These devices were affecting the Kann Alpha's roon ready behavior.
I purchased a new Asus RT-AX55 router, which became the Acces Point for the ISP modem.
I now have fast and stable lan (1gbit/s) and wlan (about 800/900 mbit/s) dual-band. Kann is using 2.4 ghz wifi. The connection is excellent.
So my suggestion for similar problems is to check and understand the network map and look at the network connections
Kann stays with me

Happy to hear!! Now you can enjoy the Kann and Roon together - which are really a dream team for mobile use in the house!!

 

[Snach]

I have this

https://www.asus.com/Networking-IoT-Servers/WiFi-Routers/All-series/RT-AX55/

This is my.

 

[NeedtoBurn]

Has anyone been able to measure the power output in mW for the Kann Alpha at any resistance? I searched this thread and found one estimate of 4,500mW @ 32 Ohms (post #1,001) and another estimate of 1W/1.4W @ 42 Ohms (post #1,004); I am assuming that these figures are for the balanced outputs in high gain. I am skeptical of the 4,500mW estimate based on comparisons with my headphones using my other source gear, and I believe it is closer to the 1,000mW estimate.

I am curious if anyone on here has equipment that can measure the true output in mW since A&K is one of the few manufacturers that lists the power specs only in VRMS under no load conditions.

 

[klyaksa]

This value is not constant. If you calculate, 12vrms is really 4.5W, but this is hard to believe even because the Alpha battery is less than 6A. I think no more than 2W in balance at high gain is the maximum, but what kind of output current will be interesting given that this is important for magniplanar headphones.

 

[Tomm11]

I doubt it's even 2 watts but that's going by nothing other than comparisons to desktop gear in which the output power has been measured. I'd love to see a standardized rating system for all DAP's from all manufacturers but that's never going to happen.

 

[klyaksa]

I doubt it's even 2 watts but that's going by nothing other than comparisons to desktop gear in which the output power has been measured. I'd love to see a standardized rating system for all DAP's from all manufacturers but that's never going to happen.

Naturally, they will not tell you about the real powers.