ASTELL&KERN INTRODUCES AN ALL-NEW USB DAC & AMP - THE AK HC3

Astell&Kern has been at the forefront when it comes to designing some of the game-changing audio devices. With their continuous pursuit of perfection, Astell&Kern has always amazed audio enthusiasts worldwide. Driven by a passion for music and a quest for innovation, Astell&Kern products have proved to be the finest in the audio industry. Astell&Kern takes great pleasure in introducing their all-new USB DAC & Amp - the AK HC3. The AK HC3 delivers music that is true to the original sound when it was recorded or performed to touch your hearts and revive them. It is a promising DAC & Amp with dual DACs from ESS Sabre. It supports PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) 32bit/384kHz, Native DSD256 (Direct Stream Digital). Hear the difference in sound quality with the all-new AK HC3 USB DAC & Amp and delve into pure sonic bliss!

EXPERIENCE ULTRA HIGH-RESOLUTION SOUND WITH DUAL ESS SABRE DAC CHIPS AND 8X MQA SUPPORT

To take the performance level of the HC3 to new levels, a team of engineers designed it to be extremely powerful & clean in its delivery. Astell&Kern has incorporated ES9219MQ dual DAC from ESS Sabre for true Hi-Fi sound quality. The AK HC3 is the result of; years of effort and design expertise that provides all the benefits of its predecessor, HC1 (PEE51), while enabling high-quality sound across various settings. The dual DACs enable playback of Hi-Fi sounds in ultra-high quality, excellent noise control, and low power consumption. In addition, it supports Native DSD256 and 32-bit/384 kHz, supporting any high-resolution sound. The Atell&Kern AK HC3 is a renderer that supports MQA 8X playback in ultra-high quality to deliver sound that's much closer to the original sound. With its compact size and uncompromising performance, the AK HC3 makes it easy to enjoy "real" Hi-Fi sound anytime, anywhere.

EXCEPTIONAL POWER MANAGEMENT AND OPTIMAL AUDIO CIRCUITRY FOR UNRIVALLED PERFORMANCE

The AK HC3 is the result of Astell&Kern's ultra-fine audio design technology. Astell&Kern is adored by countless music lovers thanks to their dedication and meticulous delivery of the original sound with their signature portable high-resolution audio players. The team of engineers at Astell&Kern have included cutting-edge technology and know-how accumulated from their DAP designs over the years in the all-new AK HC3. Astell&Kern has used micro resistors and capacitor parts to achieve the small dimensions without compromising performance. Custom ultra-small tantalum capacitors used in AK player products to create a stable system and audio performance by controlling power fluctuations are incorporated in the AK HC3. In addition, the output and audio performance are "enhanced" with Astell&Kern's unique power management technology by minimising power consumption with the connected device.

DUAL NOISE-SHIELDED CABLE WITH NOISE-FREE REAR OUTPUT STRUCTURE DELIVERS DISTORTION-FREE AUDIO

The AK HC3 incorporates a rear audio output design to minimise noise. Most USB DAC products have the DAC positioned in the USB terminal connected directly to the device to process and output audio. The DAC of the AK HC3 transforms digital signals from the device into analogue signals after passing through the dual-shielded cable and the audio circuit. In comparison to other USB DAC products, the outcome of post-processing the digital signal is better and noise-free. The AK HC3 features a dual shielded cable to minimise noise and deliver a more vivid, original sound. The copper core wire is coated with tin to prevent corrosion and strengthen tensile force for enhanced durability. In addition, the entire cable is wrapped in an aluminium film to block noise then the tin-coated copper wire is woven to minimise noise interference.

EASY AND CONVENIENT PLUG & PLAY DESIGN WITH SUPPORT FOR COMPANION APP

Connect directly to a Windows PC, Mac, smartphone or tablet with a USB-C port that supports plug & play without needing a separate conversion adapter, and enjoy high-quality sound. The AK HC3 utilises power from the connected playback device, so it does not need to be charged or connected to a separate external sound card, AMP or DAC. Just plug in the HC3 to experience high-fidelity sound from a computer or mobile device. As common with many USB DACs, compatibility issues arise as different connected devices are set automatically to maximum volume output or playback at too low volume. To resolve this and offer greater control over the "volume" and function of the HC3, Astell&Kern has developed a companion app for Android OS devices. Additionally, Roon examined the AK HC3 to improve its performance and ensure ease of setup and daily use. Roon-tested devices provide the best audio performance, and the AK HC3 is no different.

EXQUISITELY CRAFTED FROM ALUMINIUM FUSED WITH MICROPHONE AND CONTROLLER SUPPORT AND LED INDICATOR

AK HC3 is super light with a full aluminium housing and weighs only 20g. The compact and lightweight body embodies Astell&Kern’s design philosophy, emphasising their fundamental ethos toward the music. The design inherits the light and shadow concept, which is the identity of Astell&Kern. All four sides centred around the traversing centerline are positioned proportionally and converge on a single point, making them uniquely reflective and iridescent. The high-quality finish hides everything except for design factors such as the contours and the logo, preventing any visual distractions for a more immersive music experience. The AK HC3 is compatible with 3, or 4-pole 3.5mm plug earphones and headsets, as well as in-line controller and microphone features of 4-pole earphones and headsets. The direct USB connection provides lower latency enabling a sound performance perfect for gaming. The voice chat features enhance your gaming experiences so you can play with others, and the microphone input makes it even more convenient for professional web conferencing. Plus, the rich sound capability adds to the utility of AK HC3 by making your video experiences more realistic and immersive. The AK HC3 also has an LED indicator that displays sampling rates (Standby: White / PCM: Red / DSD: Blue / MQA: Magenta).

The Ultimate Hi-Fi Audio System

The word Astell means Stars in Latin while the word Kern means Centre and together Astell&Kern means the centre of music. Astell&Kern products are the perfect pick for Hi-Fi audio aficionados. Due to the advancement in recording technology, music can be recorded digitally while sounding as true as a live performance. But most of the time, these high-quality recordings are heard in inferior audio formats such as MP3 which compromises with the sound quality. Additionally, the soundstage aspect of the sound is completely lost in the MP3 formats. Therefore Astell&Kern came into existence to address this issue to revive the amazing sound quality for musicians and audio professionals.

The brand has core values such as: High-Resolution studio quality sound in
audio device, Audio quality without compromise, Design & Engineering Excellence, Craftsmanship & High Quality Materials, State of the art Technology and Innovation at every release.

Specialist Hi-Fi Brand in Digital Audio Player Market

Astell&Kern dedicatedly works on providing naturalistic sound without any kind of distortion so that listeners can hear even the minutest details of a song which they would have otherwise missed. Furthermore, Astell&Kern prides itself on using only the absolute best DAC chips from AKM, ESS or Cirrus Logic. Each DAP is unique and crafted to the highest quality standards.

A Popular Choice for Hi-Res Audio

AstellKern believes in playing Hi-Res music matching the quality of the recording. This ability to deliver a sound which is close to the live performance is the highlight of Astell&Kern. This standard of sound quality has been used in audio exhibitions around the world and is appreciated by audio lovers across the world including the USA, China, Japan, UK, France among others.

All Astell&Kern DAPs employ high quality materials from Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Copper, and Brass. Made in South Korea, all their DAPs provide an overwhelming Power Output based on BAL 2Vrms~12Vrms.