Astell&Kern / KANN ULTRA

"KANN ULTRA" uses ES9039MPRO dual DAC and Octa-Core CPU. Equipped with triple output mode that separates the circuit and amplifier design, it is the fifth in the KANN series that achieves ultra-high output while also achieving low distortion and high S/N ratio.

■[Fueling Your Sound] KANN ULTRA, the culmination of the KANN series
The fifth model in the KANN series, which is based on the concept of achieving both ultra-high output and high S/N sound, the KANN ULTRA offers the highest output of any Astell&Kern player, as well as a "triple output mode" that separates the headphone output and pre-out/line out into separate circuits and amplifier designs. With the latest Octa-Core processor and UI/UX, you can enjoy excellent operability and sound performance.It uses ESS's flagship DAC ES9039MPRO in a dual DAC configuration, and provides PCM 768kHz/32bit, native DAD512 playback, 4-stage gain settings that provide ultra-high output sound of up to 16Vrms desktop Hi-Fi audio level, and a real-time upsampling DAR function to drive any high-resolution headphones or earphones connected with clarity and ease. KANN ULTRA is the culmination of the KANN series that has been cultivated so far.

■ Triple output, triple sound
・KANN ULTRA is equipped with a "triple output mode" that includes a headphone output that can drive everything from high impedance headphones to high sensitivity IEMs noiselessly, a volume-adjustable pre-out that connects to external devices such as power amplifiers and active speakers to output high-definition sound, and a line-out with a fixed volume. Rather than simply separating the output ports, Astell&Kern's TERATON ALPHA technology separately designs the amplifier and sound of the headphone output port and the pre-out/line-out terminals to provide optimal sound for each terminal.The 3.5mm headphone output also features an S/PDIF optical digital output.

■4-stage gain adjustment and significantly lighter and thinner
- To optimally drive earphones and headphones, it is necessary to provide sufficient output that matches the characteristics of the receiver. KANN ULTRA can adjust the gain output in 4 stages. It can operate many IEMs and headphones optimally.The current handling capacity of the output terminal has also been improved, allowing you to set the gain level to optimally operate devices with different impedances. The KANN ULTRA amplifier is separated into balanced and unbalanced sides to optimize the current, reduce noise and achieve superior sound. In addition to providing the most powerful output in the history of AK players, the KANN ULTRA also features a larger 5.5-inch high-definition large screen and improved grip. Compared to the previous large high-output player, the KANN CUBE, the weight has been significantly reduced and the thickness has been reduced while achieving a larger 5.5-inch screen and improved grip.

■Model name: KANN ULTRA
■Color: Astro Gray
■Body material: Aluminum
■Display: 5.5-inch HD (1080 x 1920) touch screen
■Size (W×H×D): 82.4mm × 141.1mm × 24.4mm
■Weight: Approx. 390g
■Firmware update: OTA
■Operating temperature: 0℃ ~ +40℃
■Supported OS: Windows 10 (32/64bit) 11 (64bit) / MAC OS X 10.7
■Built-in memory: 128GB [NAND] *Including system area
■External memory support: 1 microSD slot (up to 2TB)
■Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)
■Bluetooth: V5.3 (A2DP, AVRCP / Qualcomm? aptX? HD, LDAC, LHDC)
■Supported file formats: WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, MQA
■CPU: Octa-core
■DAC: ESS ES9039MPRO ×2 (Dual-DAC)
■Supported sampling rates
・PCM maximum: 768KHz (16/24/32bit)
・DSD maximum: DSD512 (22.4MHz/1bit) stereo
■Input: USB Type-C (charging & data transfer)
■Output
【Headphone output】3.5mm 3-pole unbalanced output (also used for optical digital output), 4.4mm 5-pole balanced output (5-pole GND connection)
【Pre-out/line out】3.5mm 3-pole unbalanced output, 4.4mm 5-pole balanced output (5-pole GND connection)
■Output level
[Headphone output] [Low gain] Unbalanced 2Vrms / Balanced 4Vrms (no load), [Medium gain] Unbalanced 4Vrms / Balanced 8Vrms (no load), [High gain] Unbalanced 6Vrms / Balanced 12Vrms (no load), [Ultra high gain] Unbalanced 8Vrms / Balanced 16Vrms (no load)
[Pre-out/Line-out] Unbalanced 2Vrms / Balanced 4Vrms (no load)
■Output impedance
[Headphone output] Unbalanced 3.5mm (1Ω) / Balanced 4.4mm (1.3Ω)
[Pre-out] Unbalanced 3.5mm (3.5Ω) / Balanced 4.4mm (5.7Ω)
[Line-out] Unbalanced 3.5mm (6.5Ω) / Balanced 4.4mm (10.7Ω)
■Frequency characteristics
[Headphone output]
±0.006dB (20Hz~20kHz) unbalanced / ±0.004dB (20Hz~20kHz) balanced
±0.016dB (20Hz~70kHz) unbalanced / ±0.020dB (20Hz~70kHz) balanced
[Pre-out]
±0.022dB (20Hz~20kHz) unbalanced / ±0.023dB (20Hz~20kHz) balanced
±0.023dB (20Hz~70kHz) unbalanced / ±0.023dB (20Hz~70kHz) balanced
[Line out]
±0.002dB (20Hz~20kHz) unbalanced / ±0.002dB (20Hz~20kHz) balanced
±0.007dB (20Hz~70kHz) unbalanced / ±0.006dB (20Hz~70kHz) balanced
■S/N ratio
[Headphone output] 115dB @ 1kHz, unbalanced / 119dB @ 1kHz, balanced
[Pre-out] 110dB @ 1kHz, unbalanced / 126dB @ 1kHz, balanced
[Line-out] 110dB @ 1kHz, unbalanced / 125dB @ 1kHz, balanced
■Crosstalk
[Headphone output] -134dB @ 1kHz, unbalanced / -140dB @ 1kHz, balanced
[Pre-out] -128dB @ 1kHz, unbalanced / -128dB @ 1kHz, balanced
[Line-out] -129dB @ 1kHz, unbalanced / -121dB @ 1kHz, balanced
■THD+N
[Headphone output] 0.0004% @ 1kHz, unbalanced / 0.0004% @ 1kHz, Balanced
[Pre-out] 0.0012% @ 1kHz, unbalanced / 0.0005% @ 1kHz, balanced
[Line-out] 0.0013% @ 1kHz, unbalanced / 0.0005% @ 1kHz, balanced
■IMD
[Headphone output] 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) unbalanced / 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) balanced
[Pre-out] 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) unbalanced / 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) balanced
[Line out] 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) unbalanced / 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) balanced
■Clock jitter: 25ps (Typ)
■Reference clock jitter: 200 fs

■Battery: 8,400mAh 3.8V lithium polymer
■Charging time: Approximately 3.5 hours (when charging with PD3.0)
■Playback time: Approximately 11 hours (FLAC, 44.1KHz/16bit, Vol.50, LCD off, unbalanced output, low gain)
■Accessories: USB Type-C cable, screen protector, microSD card slot cover
■Country of origin: Korea
■Manufacturer's warranty: 1 year for main unit / 90 days for accessories

*For product warranty of this product, please be sure to keep proof of purchase such as a receipt, delivery note, or receipt (with date) along with the product.
*microSD card sold separately. Operation of all microSD cards is not guaranteed.
* Operation of all Bluetooth devices is not guaranteed.
* Separate music playback software is required to use the USB-DAC function. Operation with all connected devices is not guaranteed.
*When using the USB audio output and optical digital output functions, operation with all connected devices is not guaranteed.
*This product uses an MTP connection. If using a Mac PC, file transfer software (Android File Transfer) will need to be installed.
*The above specifications are based on information as of November 2024. Please note that they may be changed without notice in order to improve quality.