As more and more smartphone manufacturers remove headphone jacks from the products a question arises. How do you listen to music on your smartphone with headphone and earphones you already own? Or how do you enjoy high-quality music playback and enjoy games with dynamic realistic sound on your computer without an expensive high-end sound card? To tackle these and other challenges the development team at Astell&Kern set ought to create a product that would provide an easily accessible solution. Years of experience and expertise in audio circuit design have allowed them to create a complex highly integrated circuit chip on a small six layer PCB using micro resistors and tantalum capacitors exclusively created for Astell&Kern. These same components are used in AK DAPs to deliver the superb audio performance you've come to expect from Astell&Kern.
The USB-C Dual DAC Cable from A&K pairs the dual CS43198 DACs to an independent analog amplifier that is able to sufficiently drive even high impedance headphones with a 2Vrms output level. This amp design is based on Astell&Kern's years of expertise in amplifier design and delivers audio playback that is truly warm and clear. Live sound as intended without distortion.
USB-C Dual DAC Cable supports both 3 and 4 pole 3.5mm plugs alongside native DSD 256 and 32bit/384kHz playback. Its custom-made 4-core cable has been designed to express the clear rich sound you want revealed with enhanced durability against disconnection. The silver-plated copper cable itself is reinforced to withstand up to 200N of tensile force and has a separate shielding treatment to block distortion and noise from digital and analog signals from the playback device. Allowing you to enjoy the famous signature sound of Astell&Kern right from your computer and mobile smartphone devices.
• Full metal housing
• USB-C Termination
• 3.5mm Jack with 3 and 4 pole support
• Draws power from playback device, no separate charger needed
Compatible Operating Systems• Android
• Windows 10 / Windows Tablet
• Dual Cirrus Logic CS43198
• Output Level of up to 2Vrms
• PCM sampling frequency up to 32-bit 384kHz
• DSD sampling up to DSD 256
Custom 4-Core Cable• Silver-Plated Copper around a center core made of Technora Aramid Fiber
• Reinforced to withstand up to 200N of tensile force
• Twice as thick as typical silver-plated wire (.3 vs .1~.15)