If you want to come to our experience stores and experience this product for yourself, you can get support from our Hifilife Experience Experts by contacting our stores at the contact numbers below.
Astell&Kern | Hifilife Akasya: 0538 013 02 59
Astell&Kern | Hifilife Canyon: 0531 080 80 45
Astell&Kern | Hifilife Panora: 0535 366 34 83
KAAN MAX Engineered to Powerful Perfection
The KANN series is a portable player lineup loved by audiophiles all over the world for its performance focused on high output and clear sound. KANN MAX, the fourth product in the KANN series, builds on the advantages of the KANN series with higher output and portability. It provides 4 levels of gain and up to 15Vrms output so that a wide array of headphones can be driven in an optimal state.
By integrating the proven design of the KANN series into a lighter weight and smaller sized player, we have realized both ultra-high output and low noise. KANN MAX features ESS ES9038Q2M Quad-DAC together with Astell&Kern's unique audio technology to provide the best performance you can feel from a portable DAP.
KANN MAX takes the identity of the series to the next level to provide a perfect experience with high power and clear sound.
It provides 4 stages of gain level and ultra-high output of up to 15Vrms, which was previously only possible with a stationary headphone amplifier.
KANN MAX can perfectly drive even the most sophisticated headphones with high impedance.
KANN MAX offers a smaller size and weight than the KANN APLHA player, which boasted the best portability in the existing KANN series.
Although smaller in size, all power-related components have been analyzed and the power circuit has been redesigned several times to achieve 13 hours of continuous playback.
As the output increases, so does the noise level.
KANN MAX is equipped with ultra-high output, does not allow any noise and conveys Astell&Kern's philosophy of delivering the original sound as it should be, without compromise. Together, we have completed the perfect circuit design to achieve this.
KANN MAX applies an analog volume controller to deliver a rich dynamic range without loss. By separately configuring the power supply IC for each Audio Block divided into DAC, Volume, and AMP, KANN MAX is designed to stably supply the power required for each Audio IC. Through this design, the interference ripple noise of the DC-DC power supply (the shaking noise phenomenon that occurs when power is supplied) is removed. Audio noise that can be heard amplified like audio sound in OP AMP is minimized.
Ultra-high output and low noise in the KANN MAX was achieved through different circuit design, including creating and dividing a limited PCB that is the same size as KANN ALPHA into 12 layers and reviewing the physical size of the device applied to the AMP circuit.
KANN MAX is the first player in the KANN series to be equipped with four ES9038Q2M DACs for high-output performance.
By applying Quad DACs, one DAC can be fully allocated to one channel, so the depth and realism of the sound source can be expressed to the fullest.
Combined with Astell&Kern's amplifier circuit technology that naturally and delicately raises the strengths of the DAC, and the perfect decoding ability of the DAC to deliver the original sound as it is, music output is expressed as the original sound without distortion.
Four DACs applied to KANN MAX, a power supply IC configured for each audio block, and a perfect circuit design produce ultra-high output and low noise, providing you with the best performance and sound that the KANN series is known for.
In order to minimize contact noise from the output jacks, a gold PVD coating method is applied to the headphone connector instead of the typical rings used by other products. This improves both design and function.
Bit-to-bit playback is available up to 32-bit/768Hz, and DSD playback is native up to 22.4MHz, for uncompressed sound quality, staying true to the artist’s original intention, in high-resolution and with minimal distortion.
Bluetooth 5.0 features faster transmission speed and greater range compared to Bluetooth 4.2, therefore providing a more stable wireless connection.
Both LDAC and aptX™ HD is supported to provide audiophiles with high-quality sound even when listening wirelessly.
KANN MAX features a LED volume wheel which displays various playback information, including volume level and bit-rate of the track currently playing.
* LED can be turned on or off according to user setting.
Design
KANN MAX has been visualized as Maximum while inheriting the bold concept of the KANN series to capture the overflowing horsepower of a high-performance sports car and the intense power of a rocket engine.
While the existing KANN series image was a heavy and strong image like an off-road car, with KANN MAX, we wanted to continue the identity of the Astell&Kern KANN lineup while boasting a thinner size and high-power performance like a high-performance sports car.
The slimmer shape is emphasized with the hexagonal top line that narrows sharply from the bottom up, and the hairline treatment on the back expresses the sense of speed and shows confidence that it can produce powerful output.
The wheel protectors wrapped around the volume wheel radiate sparks in the shape of a powerful engine mounted on them, giving off a strong image that looks like it will pop out at any moment.
The KANN MAX is made of an aluminum body, and is available in an Anthracite Gray color model that inherits the signature color of Astell&Kern, and a limited edition of the Brown Mud color.
The KANN MAX Brown Mud model is produced in limited quantities, and the identity of the KANN series with its bold and heavy concept is enhanced using this bold color and look. Experience the identity of the KANN series with the delicate and sophisticated design of the Anthracite Gray color model, and the Brown Mud color model with strength and luxury.
Overall, the KANN MAX met my expectations from an Astell&Kern device in terms of sound quality and performance, it's great to experience the fact that such a compact device can make such a big impact.
I was using KANN Cube before with my hifi system at home. Of course, these devices act as very good headphone amps when it's time to turn off the speaker in the evening and switch to my Focal headphones. These are the primary use cases anyway. Cube was a little big. KANN MAX is both stronger, lighter and at least as good as cube. I enjoy my focal clear mg headset more than ever with the unique tonal character and feeding power of the KANN series.