Astell&Kern / AK PA10

The AK PA10 is the brand's first analog portable headphone amplifier, featuring 4.4mm 5-pole true balanced input and output and an analog Class-A amplifier, making full use of the amplifier circuit design know-how that Astell&Kern has cultivated over the years.

■Portable Class-A Amplifier
・The AK PA10 is the first model to introduce a Class-A (A-class operation) analog amplifier that makes full use of the amplifier circuit design technology know-how that Astell&Kern has cultivated so far. Class A amplifiers have the most excellent linear output and provide a soft, warm, natural sound by amplifying signals without distortion or defects. Due to this characteristic, it is the most popular amplification method among music lovers, but it consumes a lot of power, making it very difficult to design for portable audio devices.The AK PA10 is specially designed with Astell&Kern's proprietary circuit design technology that eliminates noise, reduces power consumption, and improves output, allowing you to enjoy the great sound of a Class-A amplifier anytime, anywhere.

■Sound solution with Astell&Kern's proprietary technology "TERATON ALPHA"
- Equipped with "TERATON ALPHA", the ultimate sound solution that integrates the main circuits developed by Astell&Kern. TERATON ALPHA is Astell&Kern's ultimate sound solution that effectively removes power supply noise, efficiently manages power, and amplifies with little distortion to achieve audio playback close to the original sound through the audio output interface.Equipped with Astell&Kern patented technology born from tens of thousands of hours of continuous research and development to reproduce sounds close to the original sounds intended by artists and producers. A good headphone amplifier not only achieves stable output, but also achieves pure and true sound reproduction by carefully designing all parts such as power supply, noise, signal transition, and circuit structure.The AK PA10 is portable in size, yet can be seamlessly connected to a variety of headphones and IEMs, and is further enhanced with TERATON ALPHA technology, the AK Ultimate Sound Solution that reproduces ultra-high quality sound without distortion. The AK PA10 was developed as a sound solution for TERATON ALPHA, producing pure and rich analog sound.

■3-stage Class-A current control
- A headphone amplifier is not just designed to obtain the necessary output to drive headphones. The AK PA10 controls the current to suit various headphones and IEMs, allowing you to reproduce a denser, more spatial sound.By controlling the current of the Class-A amplifier in three stages, the characteristics of the Class-A amplifier relative to the current value are emphasized, creating a more powerful sound. In addition, concerns about battery consumption due to high power consumption have been addressed by controlling the current value. The three-stage current control option allows you to change the detail and richness of the sound to match the characteristics of your headphones or IEMs. Enjoy the spatial sound with realistic texture produced by the Class-A amplifier of the AK PA10.

■Model name: AK PA10
■Color: Graphite Gray
■Body material: Aluminum & Silicon
■Analog input: Unbalanced 3.5mm 3-pole / Balanced 4.4mm 5-pole
■Headphone output: Unbalanced 3.5mm 3-pole / Balanced 4.4mm 5-pole
■Maximum input: Unbalanced 2Vrms / Balanced 4Vrms
■Output level
[Low gain] 2.1Vrms unbalanced / 4.2Vrms balanced (no load)
[High gain] 3.1Vrms unbalanced / 6.2Vrms balanced (no load)
■Recommended headphone impedance: 16 to 300 Ω
■Size (W×H×D): Approx. 73mm × 140mm × 23.3mm
■Weight: Approx. 325g
■Charging port: USB Type-C
■Operating temperature: 0℃ ~ +40℃
■Frequency response
[Low gain] ±0.2dB (20Hz~20kHz) unbalanced / ±0.2dB (20Hz~20kHz) balanced
[High gain] ±0.06dB (20Hz~20kHz) unbalanced / ±0.06dB (20Hz~20kHz) balanced
■S/N ratio
[Low gain] 111dB @ 1kHz, unbalanced / 115dB @ 1kHz, balanced
[High gain] 114dB @ 1kHz, unbalanced / 117dB @ 1kHz, balanced
■Crosstalk
[Low gain] -83dB @ 1kHz, unbalanced / -110dB @ 1kHz, balanced
[High gain] -83dB @ 1kHz, unbalanced / -110dB @ 1kHz, balanced
■THD+N
[Low gain] 0.0045% @ 1kHz, unbalanced / 0.0015% @ 1kHz, balanced
[High gain] 0.0027% @ 1kHz, unbalanced / 0.0013% @ 1kHz, balanced
■Output impedance: unbalanced 3.5mm (1.1Ω) / balanced 4.4mm (1.3Ω)
■Battery: 4,200mAh 3.8V lithium polymer
■Charging time: approx. 3 hours (9V/1.67A fast charging) / approx. 4 hours (5V/2A normal charging)
■Playback time: approx. 12 hours (Unbalanced input 1Vrms / low gain / volume 30%)
■Accessories: USB Type-C cable (C to C), line cable (cable length approx. 10cm / 3.5mm 3-pole to 3.5mm 3-pole), silicone band x 2, quick start guide