Astell & Kern KANN CUBE
The KANN CUBE brings commanding headroom, tight bass control and an expansive, precisely mapped soundstage to demanding headphones. Home Theater Review found its detail, dynamics and composure exceptional, while What Hi-Fi? highlights versatile outputs, broad hi-res support and tank-like construction. Dual ESS PRO DACs and potent balanced drive make this a formidable portable-to-hi-fi source.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
92/100
Build Quality
88/100
Features Usability
93/100
Value for Money
85/100
Pros
Delivers powerful, controlled dynamics with deep, solid bass and ample headroom for demanding headphones.
Produces abundant clean detail, an expansive precise soundstage, and composed performance at dynamic peaks.
Offers extensive connectivity and format support, including balanced and unbalanced outputs, mini-XLR, MQA, DSD256, aptX HD, and expandable storage.
Solid, robust aluminum construction feels exceptionally durable.
Cons
Less subtle and finely resolved than Astell & Kern’s similarly priced SP1000M sibling.
Large, heavy chassis and sharp corners compromise true portability and handling comfort.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
Reviewers find the KANN CUBE powerful, clean and highly controlled, with an expansive presentation and unusually convincing bass authority from a portable player. Its main limitation is comparative rather than fundamental: What Hi-Fi? found the more expensive SP1000M more subtle and adept at conveying fine intricacies.
Transparency Resolution
92/100
Home Theater Review praises abundant, easily heard detail, nuanced instrumental realism and a presentation that stays composed at dynamic peaks. It also found the sound well detailed without harshness, though What Hi-Fi? felt the SP1000M offered greater finesse with the smallest musical intricacies.
Tonal Balance Musicality
90/100
The presentation is described as balanced and engaging, with tight, solid bass, clean midrange and treble, and cymbals that retain their metallic character without becoming harsh. What Hi-Fi? similarly heard deep bass, extended treble and an attentive midrange, but considers the KANN CUBE less subtle than the finest alternatives.
Dynamics
95/100
Dynamics are a standout: Home Theater Review heard cannon effects with exceptional detail and impact, and says the player never appeared to run out of headroom. What Hi-Fi? likewise found it able to muscle effortlessly through percussion, while the balanced output brought further control and dynamic improvement.
Noise Floor
89/100
Home Theater Review specifically reports an even lower noise floor than the SA700, helping small details emerge more clearly. Neither review directly evaluates hiss with extremely sensitive IEMs, so its behavior with the most demanding noise-sensitive earphones is less fully documented.
Headphone Compatibility
92/100
Reviewers found the KANN CUBE notably more authoritative and controlled with Audeze headphones than the SA700, and its generous headroom was never presented as strained or artificial. Variable output settings, high voltage swing and both balanced and unbalanced outputs support a broad range of headphones; What Hi-Fi? also found it works especially well with open-back Grados.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
88/100
What Hi-Fi? describes the aluminum player as almost indestructible-looking, with a solid, brick-like body. The sharp, angular styling is distinctive but may not suit everyone, and the reviews offer limited evidence about long-term durability of controls and connectors.
Features Usability
93/100
The KANN CUBE is unusually complete for a portable high-power player, offering 3.5mm and 2.5mm headphone connections, optical output, mini-XLR line output, USB-C computer input, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi streaming and expandable storage. It supports PCM to 32-bit/384kHz, DSD256 and MQA, while its selectable power levels make the substantial output more practical across different headphones.
Value for Money
85/100
At $1,499, the KANN CUBE is positioned as a premium portable player with a powerful dual-DAC design and extensive format support. The reviews focus on performance and capability rather than making a clear case for or against its value relative to direct rivals.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
Forum Mentions
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Specifications
- Model
- KANN CUBE
- Body Color
- Wolf Gray
- Body Material
- Aluminum
- Display
- 5inch (720 x 1,280) Touch display
- Supported Audio Formats
- WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, MQA
- MQA playback
- Services(Tidal Masters), Local files, External USB, MQA-CD(ripped)
- Sample rate
- PCM: 8kHz ~ 384kHz (8/16/24/32bits per Sample) / DSD Native: DSD64(1bit 2.8MHz), Stereo / DSD128(1bit 5.6MHz), Stereo / DSD256(1bit 11.2MHz), Stereo
- Output Level
- [Phone Out] High: Unbalanced 6Vrms / Balanced 12Vrms (Condition No Load) Mid: Unbalanced 4Vrms / Balanced 8Vrms (Condition No Load) Low: Unbalanced 2Vrms / Balanced 4Vrms (Condition No Load) [XLR Out] 4Vrms (Condition No Load)
- DAC
- ESS ES9038PRO SABRE 8channel x2 (Dual DAC)
- Decoding
- Support up to 32bit / 384kHz Bit-to-Bit Playback
- Input
- USB Type-C input (for PC & MAC)
- Outputs
- Unbalanced Out (3.5mm) / Optical Out (3.5mm) / Balanced Out (2.5mm, only 4-pole supported) / XLR Out (Mini 5pin)
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz)
- Dimensions
- 3.45 ”(87.75 mm) [W] x 5.51 ”(140 mm) [H] x 1.24 ”(31.5 mm) [D]
- Weight
- 17.3 oz (493 g)
- Feature Enhancements
- Firmware upgrades supported (OTA)
- Frequency Response
- [Phone Out] ±0.027dB (Condition : 20Hz~20kHz) Unbalanced / ±0.025dB (Condition : 20Hz~20kHz) Balanced ±0.07dB (Condition : 10Hz~70kHz) Unbalanced / ±0.087dB (Condition : 10Hz~70kHz) Balanced [XLR Out] ±0.025dB (Condition : 20Hz~20kHz) / ±0.032dB (Condition : 10Hz~70kHz)
- Signal to Noise Ratio
- [Phone Out] 117dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / 117dB @ 1kHz, Balanced [XLR Out] 128dB @ 1kHz
- Crosstalk
- [Phone Out] -129dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / -136dB @ 1kHz, Balanced [XLR Out] -146dB @ 1kHz
- THD+N
- [Phone Out] 0.0004% @ 1kHz, Unbalanced / 0.0005% @ 1kHz, Balanced [XLR Out] 0.0004% @ 1kHz
- IMD SMPTE
- [Phone Out] 0.0005% 800Hz 10kHz(4:1) Unbalanced / 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz(4:1) Balanced [XLR Out] 0.0006% 800Hz 10kHz(4:1)
- Output Impedance
- Unbalanced Out 3.5mm (1.2ohm) / Balanced Out 2.5mm (1.6ohm)
- Clock Jitter
- 250 Femto Seconds
- Capacity
- 7,400mAh 3.8V Li-Polymer Battery
- Continuous Playback Time
- up to 9 hours (Standard - MUSIC: FLAC, 16-bit/44.1kHz, Unbalance, Volume 80, EQ OFF, LCD OFF, LOW GAIN)
- Charge Time
- About 4 hours (Standard - 9V/1.67A Fast charging) About 5.5 hours (Standard - 5V/2A General charging)
- Built-in Memory
- 128GB [NAND]
- External Memory
- microSD (Max. 1TB) x1
- Supported OS
- Windows 7,8,10 (32/64bit), MAC OS X 10.7 and up
- Specification
- - Audio was NOT muted during the measurement. - The image/specification may be changed without notice to improve product performance and quality.
Manufacturer's Description — Astell & Kern
Extreme POWER, KANN CUBE
KANN CUBE is the second model from the KANN line, which focuses on high fidelity with powerful output and
low noise. This player is designed to offer a very low noise floor, even with its massive power output.
Introducing the Astell&Kern KANN CUBE, which achieves more powerful output and lower noise.
- High performance, low-noise amp makes KANN Cube an Absolute Audio Powerhouse
- Dual ES9038PRO DACs, the current flagship SABRE DAC chips from ESS designed for Pro Audio Equipment
- 5-pin Mini XLR output for even less noise
- 32bit/384kHz, Native DSD256 support
ESS ES9038PRO SABRE Dual DAC
KANN CUBE uses two 8-channel DACs, the ES9038PRO, one for the left and one for the right channel. As each DAC chip sends out 8 channels of audio signal through the Astell&Kern Analog AMP Block, you experience unlimited sound stage and the full depth of the original performance.
The ESS SABRE PRO series of Digital-to-Analog Converters (DAC) is targeted for premium audiophile and professional recording studio equipment. The SABRE PRO series sets a new benchmark in high-end audio by offering the industry's highest dynamic range (DNR) with impressively low levels of total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) in a 32-bit, 8-channel DAC. All PRO SABRE DACs feature ESS's patented 32-bit HyperStream DAC technology which delivers outstanding sound quality and industry leading performance.
ESS has two major lines of DAC chips – the 'SABER PRO' for audiophile systems and 'SABER HIFI' for mobile devices, such as the LG V10, V20, V30 smartphones or low-priced DAPs. The SABER PRO DACs are seldomly used for DAPs and are primarily used with Pro-Audio systems or traditional Hi-Fi products. The ES9038PRO is the latest DAC from ESS and the SABER PRO line. KANN CUBE is the first DAP device to adopt the SABER PRO DACs in a dual DAC configuration, dedicating 8-channels for the left and 8-channels for the right side.
5-pin Mini XLR output for even less noise
KANN CUBE offers a 5-pin mini XLR connector for the first time in an Astell&Kern player. Thanks to the
even lower noise floor and higher audio output through the XLR connection, you can enjoy pure, clear audio
playback.
It offers easier connection to your home audio systems and active speakers with balanced
connections.
DESIGN
The isolated sides of the rectangles on KANN CUBE are not simply for looks.
They emphasize the role of the device by placing the player's functions in the correct place for a more
intuitive interface and better usability, while also providing a sense of aesthetic stability.
The pursuit of connectivity and consistency of form and function is at the core of Astell&Kern's design philosophy.
Combining Astell&Kern's player performance with the high-powered AMP, KANN Cube can
produce the most powerful performance in the Astell&Kern player lineup and is designed
to deliver a heavy and solid impression.
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- Addicted to Audio — online and in-store — Epping, Victoria, Australia (website)
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