It’s pointless crying into your cereal about the iPod’s demise and the fact that Apple’s last few remaining iPod touch players have already sold out. Even if your beloved old iPod classic is still going strong, the year is 2022, and hi-res audio should be on your radar.
Then there’s the Astell & Kern Kann Max, a brutalist portable hi-res music player that, on paper, at least outperforms the poor old iPod.
Not only that, but the Max is the fourth update to A&K’s Kann lineup, and it packs even more punch (15V RMS) thanks to its smaller, lighter design than its predecessor, the Kann Alpha.
Because of the extra power, the Kann Max can drive high-impedance headphones without the use of a separate headphone amp; these require a bit more voltage to get their volume up to solid listening levels, and include some of the best headphones on the market.
The Kann Max has jacks for 2.5mm, 3.5mm, and 4.4mm wired headphones, all of which are gold PVD coated to reduce contact noise.
Because of those three ports, the A&K player has significantly more flexibility than the 2019 iPod touch (7th generation).
Despite the fact that it was the last portable Apple device to include a 3.5mm headphone jack (the last jack-friendly iPhone models, the iPhone 6S and iPhone SE, were discontinued in 2018) as well as Apple’s ubiquitous Lightning port.
The Kann Max is also the first Kann player to include four ES9038Q2M DAC (digital-to-analogue converter) units.
One DAC is dedicated to each of the four individual amplification channels, which the company claims will add depth and realism to your music collection and, when combined with A&K’s amplifier circuit technology, should ensure ultra-low distortion.
The Kann Max also caters to your ever-expanding hi-res audio collection, supporting files up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and native DSD512.
A&K’s Replay Gain functionality, which automatically adjusts volume playback from sound sources up to 24-bit/192 kHz, is another feature not seen on an iPod.
So, while the Kann Max’s glorious clicky rotary volume dial should be fun to play with, you shouldn’t feel compelled to use it while listening to your favourite playlist.
Astell & Kern’s proprietary Teraton Alpha Sound Solution is also on board, a feature that claims to remove power noise while also providing efficient power consumption and amplification, all in the name of delivering audio at near-original quality. The Astell & Kern Kann Max will be available in mid-June for $1300 / £1199 / AU$1899.
To read our blog on “LG’s New Premium Soundbar brings Next-Generation audio to Today’s At-Home lifestyle,” click here
