[stephenkostas]

I gotta say the KANN MAX is not suitable for those headphones. The MAX’s amplification power resource is know-where near refined enough nor does it deliver a sufficient amount of current most planars absolutely crave. Speaking from experience and being an owner of the Kann Max it doesn’t even handle my LCD XC well. It lack’s current and I can definitely hear it.
Some headphones like the stealth, expanse and even the LCD XC need a full sized amp with proper and large transformers.

I would be the first person in line to say to an Expanse or stealth owner to not think of the KANN Max as a one stop shop amplification source. That would be a very bad thing; in fact, it is not even close.
Planars are tricky. They are current hungry.

I address this in the video – and the simple fact that even the highest capacity portable sized battery would be instantly depleted trying to match the potential of household current – but I'd still say that Expanse and Stealth are on the edge of the need for current where one listener might think that they're absolutely perfect with KANN Max/Ultra while another finds the sound lacking.

 

[stephenkostas]

I appreciate the insight / comparison. Putting aside sound quality / characteristics for a moment - any sense for the UI performance of the KANN Ultra vs the SE300? In particular, is one of them more responsive and snappy when using the Tidal app (the version that allows offline music)? In the specs, it looks like the Ultra has an octa-core and the SE300 has quad-core - would love a sense for how that translates to actual user experience (for someone that almost exclusively uses Tidal).

KANN Ultra is noticeably faster/more responsive than SE300. I didn't do any particularly scientific testing, but I found that SE300 lagged behind SP3000 slightly, while KANN Ultra is at least as fast as SP3000, and may have actually been faster for some things. There's a clear difference between whatever unnamed "octa-core" vs "quad-core" chips they're using in these things.

 

[Trickness]

After you turn EQ on, press normal and you should see a box open up with a + sign and normal. Press the + sign to create a custom EQ. Another box will open saying "Add" and allowing you to name the new EQ setting. Click "Save" and the EQ adjustment screen will open.


You need to have the player connected to a computer first before you can select USB DAC mode


In folder view, you can delete items in folders. If you click on the three dots next to what you would like to delete, a menu opens up. Delete is the 4th option in the menu.

If you click on the icon that looks like a pencil. you can select multiple files/folders and then click the trash can icon to delete.

Jason thank you for being so responsive! I did have the player connected to my Mac, but it wasn't working - rebooted both the Mac and the Kann a few times and got ti to work. Sounds lovely as a desktop DAC! Thanks for the other tips, I will try.

 

[Benesyed]

I address this in the video – and the simple fact that even the highest capacity portable sized battery would be instantly depleted trying to match the potential of household current – but I'd still say that Expanse and Stealth are on the edge of the need for current where one listener might think that they're absolutely perfect with KANN Max/Ultra while another finds the sound lacking.

Thanks! maybe next can jam I'll give it a whirl

 

[Trickness]

Just got a 4.4 cable from Audio Sensibility for my OG Empyreans - listening to the Ultra as a DAC via Roon on my Mac desktop and holy wow, what a match made in heaven. The new Steely Dan Gaucho Bernie Grundman remaster, 24/192, volume at 100, sounds unreal good. I also have the Utopia 2022 here on the stock 3.5mm and its very detailed but a bit thin sounding - ordered a Black Dragon Copper 4.4 for that too (Audio Sensibility only does silver cables for the Utopia otherwise I'd get it from them, love their cables.) Very VERY pleased with the sound - normally I listen with tube amps and this is obviously different, but different in a great way.

 

[Badgerio]

Excuse me, what the hell?

 

[JasonNYC]

Excuse me, what the hell?

This really pertains to older units that had lower res screens and slower processors when VLink first became available a few years ago. All of the recent AK players have HD screens and faster processors to handle HD video, so it does not really pertain to anything released in the last 2 or so years.

I will mention to the team about updating that message.

 

[Badgerio]

As long as this message is there, if device somehow die when playing youtube obove 720p i assume warranty will be honored? Knowing Astells way of treating warranty claims , (even if device was bricked by the official update) I doubt it.

 

[NYanakiev]

As long as this message is there, if device somehow die when playing youtube obove 720p i assume warranty will be honored? Knowing Astells way of treating warranty claims , (even if device was bricked by the official update) I doubt it.

Come on now. I have, personally, had nothing but good experiences with A&K- be it here in the UK through the official distributor or through @JasonNYC on here

 

[listen4joy]

A Review

 

[FooFighter]

Roon Ready support will be available in a future firmware update. It was not certified yet by Roon when the Ultra began shipping. It has since been certified.

Hi Jason
Any rough estimate when that Roon-ready firmware will be available for download?
Thx

 

[JasonNYC]

Hi Jason
Any rough estimate when that Roon-ready firmware will be available for download?
Thx

Tentatively scheduled for December 27. I just received the new firmware file this morning for testing but have not had a chance to install it yet.

 

[FooFighter]

Tentatively scheduled for December 27. I just received the new firmware file this morning for testing but have not had a chance to install it yet.

Great news.
Thx for the update!

 

[JasonNYC]

More information on the AK HB1 case that will be shipping end of December - https://astellnkern.com/product/product_detail.jsp?productNo=154

 

[FooFighter]

Guys, reading the comments about PA10 improving the performance for harder to drive cans is puzzling me.
I have owned external mobile amps like C9 and Tsuranagi where I can understand they make a difference but PA10 is rated similarly as Sp3k s internal Amp (which btw was sufficient for me before for driving DCA Stealth and Meze Elite to a satisfying level) and has lower specs than the built in amp of Kann Ultra?

PA10
- HEADPHONE OUT
[Low Gain] Unbalanced 2.1Vrms / Balanced 4.2Vrms (Condition No Load)
* [High Gain] Unbalanced 3.1Vrms / Balanced 6.2Vrms (Condition No Load)

Kann Ultra
- HEADPHONE OUT
[Low Gain] Unbalanced 2Vrms │ Balanced 4Vrms (Condition No Load)
[Mid Gain]Unbalanced 4Vrms │ Balanced 8Vrms (Condition No Load)
[High Gain]Unbalanced 6Vrms │ Balanced 12Vrms (Condition No Load)
[Super Gain]Unbalanced 8Vrms │ Balanced 16Vrms (Condition No Load)

I sold Sp3k in favor of N30LE and that DAP hasn't left me wanting more in terms of power too with its Hyper mode though its voltage specs are far lower than the Kann Ultra ones and I think slightly higher than Sp3k ones.
I fully understand the limitations of mobile sources in terms of current compared to desktop devices but actually I am puzzled reading such comments after selling both C9 and Tsuranagi and happily listened out of Sp3k and N30LE afterwards as mentioned even out of DCA Stealth.

Are we really talking about technical limitations here or more about synergies and personal preferences?
The reason for me for looking back into Kann Ultra was looking for a more neutral alternative compared to the colored Cayin N30LE but actually I wasn't expecting driving power limitation discussions for the powerhorse model of A&K compared to lower power DAPs which were just fine for me.

Edit: 2 scenarios I can imagine improvement through battery powered Amp
a.) preamp voltage of Kann Ultra is adding onto the external amp voltage and getting over a certain threshold (I think I ve read such posts here though the loudest gain was causing clipping too) plus I think not all external amps can digest hot voltage inputs
b.) external mobile amp is boosting current and not voltage (am not an electrical engineer and don't know how that's happening but I believe Cayin N30LE is doing that for example in Hyper mode)

But actually the perceptions and needs of people can differ quite much I believe in general, so what sounds fine for one might not fit another - haven't heard clipping though on Sp3k with DCA Stealth before so that was actually my starting point, maybe I am not listening as loud as others