In May, Astell&Kern will release a new portable hi-res audio player called the KANN. This is Astell&Kern's first sub-$1,000 model to support native playback of 32-bit/384-kHz PCM and DSD, up to DSD256. It has 64 GB of internal memory and supports the addition of both full-sized SD and microSD card slots for added storage. It also has dedicated 3.5mm unbalanced and 2.5mm balanced headphone outs, plus 3.5mm unbalanced and 2.5mm balanced line outs, a USB-C connection, a larger battery, and a built-in headphone amplifier.

From Astell&Kern
Astell&Kern launches the KANN, a new portable high-resolution audio player. The KANN combines the best features of higher-end Astell&Kern players in a new design for $999.

The KANN also adds a number of new options not available on previous generations of Astell&Kern players, including a dedicated 3.5mm unbalanced/2.5mm balanced headphone out and 3.5mm unbalanced/2.5mm balanced dedicated line out; full-size SD and microSD card slots for additional storage; a USB-C connection for faster charging and transfer speeds; a larger battery; and a built-in headphone amplifier.

Featuring a single AKM AK4490 DAC chipset and 64 GB of internal memory, the KANN is the first sub-$1,000 player from Astell&Kern to support native playback of 32-bit/384-kHz high-resolution PCM audio and native playback of DSD audio, up to Quad-rate (DSD256).

Like the Astell&Kern AK300 series player line, the KANN includes a Parametric EQ (PEQ), VCXO Reference Clock (Femto Clock) for minimal jitter, AK Connect support, USB DAC function, Wi-Fi connectivity, DLNA networking support, OTA software updates, digital audio output via micro-USB, aptX HD, and support for high-resolution music streaming services, including TIDAL, MOOV and Groovers+ (support for streaming services varies by country).

James Lee, CEO of IRIVER, parent company of Astell&Kern, said, "KANN features the best technological advances that we've offered since the launch of our first Astell&Kern player five years ago. This is truly a robust player that adds flagship features at a fraction of the cost. We feel KANN is an amazing value for people who want the best musical playback experience possible."

The KANN will be available in May 2017 for $999 and comes in two colors--Astro Silver and Eos Blue.

Additional Resources
• Visit the Astell&Kern website for more product information.
• Astell&Kern Adds TIDAL to Its Hi-Res Audio Players at HomeTheaterReview.com.