The Astell and Kern Kann is an award-winning digital audio player loaded with useful features and delivers exceptional sonic performance. This Series has garnered plenty of success over the years and recently even pushed out another player, the Kann Alpha. To fully enjoy the sonic prowess provided by this high-end portable DAP, we will require a headphone of equal caliber to match.
The headphones chosen must be compatible and can be efficiently driven by the Astell and Kern Kann. These matching headphones should also provide complementary effects when paired with the Kann digital audio player. To find such headphones, we will need to first learn more about the Astell and Kern Kann sonic strengths and characteristics. With that knowledge, we can then start listing out the best headphones which can be matched with this Astell and Kern digital audio player.
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Sonic Characteristics and Important Specifications of Astell and Kern Kann
Astell and Kern Kann is a rather bulky digital audio player and you probably need a bag or carry it by hand since you can’t really fit it into your pocket. Still, it does give us a 4″ screen with four control buttons below and easy-to-use volume control located at the side which is pretty neat. Holding the Kann DAP gives you that premium and sturdy feel, and also gave us the confidence it will last. The Astell and Kern Kann is a beautiful and stylish-looking DAP, the one where it will give you bragging rights and feel proud to bring them outdoors. Its long battery life (6200mAH) of 14 hours of music playback further supports this notion.
As mentioned earlier, the Kann digital audio player is loaded with features, and here are some of the notable ones. There is a built-in D/A converter, AKM AK4490 DAC, which enables the DAP to support up to 32-bit/384kHz resolution and decodes up to DSD256 high-res audio files. For high-quality wireless music playbacks, it uses a Bluetooth HD aptX connection. The Astell and Kern Kann has high storage space as well, allowing us to store up a high number of CD-quality audio files. Another notable feature will be the DAP rather powerful amplifier and this gives us more headphone choices to go for.
More Details at Amazon – Astell and Kern KANN, Astro Silver
This is a musical-sounding digital audio player made for entertaining its listeners and providing memorable music listening experiences. Is not really meant for analytical listening though, even so, Astell and Kern Kann is still capable of producing plenty of music details. You can keep pushing it and the Kann DAP won’t sound clinical. It won’t sound harsh or overly bright either which is amazing for long hours of music listening, up to 14 hours to be exact. The treble is smooth and doesn’t sound hard or shrill. The easy on the ears sound quality also makes listening to the Kann digital audio player quite relaxing.
There is enough rhythm and drive to keep us going, there are times the Astell and Kern Kann can deliver really engaging music presentations. They are well-controlled and organized too, doesn’t sound congested or confused. The stereo imaging is top-notch and is able to precisely project each musician on an open and airy soundstage. Stereo separation of the Kann is equally impressive and enables us to pinpoint the musicians on stage. The bass output is high but it is agile enough and has ample speed to not allow the low ends to overstay their welcome. Bass fanatics would probably like the overall bass performance of the Astell and Kern Kann DAP.
The Astell and Kern Kann has neutral sonic characteristics and lean towards the warm side. It has pleasing sound quality and would be ideal for a relaxing listening session. Furthermore, you wouldn’t need to worry about listeners’ fatigue. This is a well-balanced digital audio player and will work nicely with most music genres, allowing listeners to simply enjoy their music. Kann is also lenient with bad recordings or low-res audio files but it will excel when been fed with higher quality music sources. We have prepared a list of the best headphones that you can choose and match with your Astell and Kern Kann digital audio player.
Astell and Kern Kann Specifications
- Display: 4″ (101.6mm) Touchscreen (480×800)
- Frequency response: 20Hz-70kHz
- DAC: AKM AK4490
- Wireless: WiFi, Bluetooth HD (aptX)
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 2.8″ x 4.6″ x 1″ | 71mm x 116mm x 26mm
- Weight: 279g (0.62lbs)
Best Headphones to match with Astell and Kern Kann
Grado Alessandro MS1 is an excellent pair of headphones to match with the Astell and Kern Kann DAP. It is rather easy to drive and this allows the digital audio player to power them efficiently. The bass performance of the Alessandro MS1 has similar characteristics but with more speed and a tighter delivery which will complement the Astell and Kern Kann low-end prowess very well. The smooth and pleasing sound quality of the digital audio player also helps to ease down the harshness of the Grado Alessandro MS1. The added clarity provided by the headphone will help produce a clearer sound reproduction.
Audio Technica ATH-M70X is a pair of professional monitor headphones and is ideal for listeners who want more music details. This is an analytical headphone and will retrieve plenty of details including subtle ones. The ATH-M70X may have richly detailed bass performance but it does lack the weight and output. This is where the Astell and Kern Kann comes into play using its abundant bass reproduction to support the professional monitor headphones. Other than adding warmth into low-end delivery, the Astell and Kern Kann also helps to smoothen the edges and reduces listeners’ fatigue.
More Details at Amazon – Audio-Technica ATH-M70X Studio Headphones
The Beyerdynamic T1 3rd Generation is a high-end award-winning Tesla headphone and it is a worthy match for your Astell and Kern Kann digital audio player. The third generation of T1 has lowered its impedance all the way down to only 32 Ohms which is good news for us as this enables the Kann to drive them efficiently. The T1 3rd Generation has a high level of transparency and clarity, providing us with clean and clear music presentations of our favorite tunes. Astell and Kern Kann’s warm sonic characteristic adds warmth to the overall sound reproduction and also brings out the Beyerdynamic T1 headphone mids a little more.
More Details at Amazon – Beyerdynamic T1 Headphones (3rd Generation)
Meze Audio 99 NEO is one of the best headphones to pair with the Astell and Kern Kann. It has a modest price tag and can be easily driven. This is a closed-back design and we certainly can expect better bass performance coming from this type of headphones and the Meze Audio 99 NEO didn’t disappoint. It is a headphone made for bass fanatics especially when matched with the Astell and Kern Kann DAP. There is plenty of midbass punch and the 99 NEO provides a more extended subsonic bass delivery. The bass slam and low rumbles provide an entertaining music delivery. Kann’s bass control and handling complement the headphone as well.
More Details at Amazon – Meze 99 Neo
The clarity and details retrieval of a high-quality studio headphone is pretty hard to beat and the Shure SRH840 is one such model. Furthermore, the Shure SRH840 doesn’t sound harsh when pushed, and the Astell and Kern Kann musicality makes it less clinical sounding. SH840 is capable of reaching deep into the bass extension and this works really well with the Kann DAP. The high bass output and rhythmic drive of the Astell and Kern Kann help to add some fun and punch into the overall sound reproduction so that it won’t sound flat or cold. The Shure SRH840 is definitely worth your time to have a look.
More Details at Amazon – Shure SRH840 Professional Headphones
Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro the 32 Ohms version is a highly rated pair of studio headphones with very modest pricing. The Astell and Kern Kann bass performance will help to add a bit more weight and body to the low-end delivery of the DT770 Pro. The digital audio player also helps to ease the treble and enables its users to listen to their music without worrying about fatigue or sounding too cringe. Astell and Kern Kann provide a smoother and more fluid midrange reproduction. The stereo imaging and separation of the DAP will help organize the music delivery, making it more cohesive and controlled.
More Details at Amazon – Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 32 Ohm
To Sum It Up
The listed headphones are all well worth your time to check them out and also worthy of your effort to arrange an audition with them. You can shortlist some of the headphones here based on your requirements/budget. Bring along your Astell and Kern Kann and start playing your favorite music or songs you have heard hundreds of times. From there, you should be able to tell which headphone sounds the best to you. You should audition the headphones a few more rounds if you are still unsure.
