About the Astell&Kern USB-C Dual DAC Cable
A potent and portable audio companion
A potent and portable audio companion
I got really excited when I heard Astell&Kern were dipping their toes into the world of digital-to-analog converters. The company has been making digital audio players since its founding in 2013. In that time, A&K's engineers have created a detailed, accurate signature sound that can be found across all their offerings, including this one.
The Dual DAC Cable makes a high-res experience truly portable with its compact size, two 32-bit digital-to-analog converter chips, custom-made cables and electronics, and a clean, powerful headphone amplifier. It's also an eye-catcher — it uses the same "light and shadow" design concept their digital audio players employ, with striking, smooth edges and a polished finish.
What makes it tick?
The twin Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chips inside are real workhorses. They independently process the left and right channels to keep soundstage spacious and detailed. Astell&Kern chose them because they deliver an efficient audiophile-grade sound, meaning they don't sacrifice a lot of your phone's battery life for performance. The chips have a warm sound that helps to give life and energy to the music pumping through them. A&K's engineers also tweaked the chips' digital-interpolation filters to get the sound just right.
A deeper look at what's inside
The company is a master of circuit design. You'll not only find the two DAC chips I mentioned on the small, six-layer PCB (printed circuit board), but also Astell&Kern-exclusive micro resistors and tantalum capacitors. Those help to optimize the audio circuit and suppress power fluctuations, giving you stable operation and superb sonic performance.
A durable, noise-killing cable
A DAC like this is only as good as its cable. A&K ran with that idea and made this DAC's cable top-shelf. The custom-made, durable, four-core cable was built to block out noise. The cable is made by wrapping thicker-than-usual silver-plated copper wire and regular copper wire around a Technora Aramid fiber center core. Afterwards, a separate shielding treatment is applied to the cable. Both of those steps keep the noise floor excitingly low while providing a rich sound.
Hook it up and enjoy
The Dual DAC Cable can tie into any device that uses a USB-C connection. Most Android™ smartphones have them nowadays, so if you're an Android user, you can take this DAC with you anywhere you go. If you'd rather use it as more of a stationary piece, you can plug it into your USB-C-equipped Windows® or Mac® computer and have it handle the audio conversion before it reaches your headphone rig or your stereo system.
Listening impressions
My testing session with the USB-C Dual DAC was in-depth. I wanted to get a good performance baseline before I ever hooked the Astell&Kern up, so I brought out a couple of other USB DACs I own. I pulled up my "audiophile listening" playlist on TIDAL, which consists of songs that are extremely well-recorded, and got to work. I started by listening to my Focal Elegias just plugged into my phone. I then moved onto the other two DACs I had before satisfyingly plugging the Astell&Kern in for the final test.
The first track I played on the Astell&Kern was "Bloodshot" by Albin Lee Meldau. The realistic sound I heard put a smile on my face. The subtle resonance of the guitar's body and the little string buzzes and slides that were interwoven with Meldau's soulful voice gave the track a new life. I could tell I was hearing details that my other DACs didn't bring out. Impressively enough, the soundstage was also wider than I was expecting, considering my Elegias are closed-back headphones. I had to hear more.
The next song on the list was "Ready or Not" by Fugees. It's a classic hip-hop track with female vocal harmonies, crisp snare hits, and some punchy bass. The Astell&Kern helped make the vocals come through more clearly and coherently, and sit better in the mix. There was a great deal of separation across the board, especially in the harmonies. The bass had some extra kick to it, too — it was clean, precise, and helped give the music some extra momentum.
Finishing things off, I played Devin Townsend's live rendition of "Deadhead." On the USB-C Dual DAC, it was one of the most captivating performances I'd ever heard. His acoustic/electric guitar sounded fantastic, especially considering all the odd chords Devin likes to play. I got a good sense of how large of a venue he was playing in, and I could feel the crowd's energy reverberating through it. The thing that impressed me the most is how textured Devin's voice was, particularly in his higher register. There was so much emotion and pent-up angst, which my other DACs didn't quite manage to get across. The Astell&Kern made me feel like I was listening to the song for the first time all over again (goosebumps included).
Product highlights:
- twin Cirrus Logic CS43198 MasterHIFI™ 32-bit digital-to-analog converter chips
- supports any headphones or earbuds with a 3.5mm connector
- uses Astell&Kern-specific micro resistors and tantalum capacitors to suppress power fluctuations
- works with most USB-C devices, including Android smartphones and Windows and Mac computers
- custom 4-core cable helps to block out external noise
- silver-plated copper is wrapped around copper wire in a spiral form around a center core made of Technora Aramid fiber
- separate shielding treatment is applied to the cable to block distortion and noise from the playback device
- supported sample rates:
- PCM: up to 32-bit/384kHz
- DSD: up to 11.2 MHz
Other specs:
- zinc alloy chassis
- 2-volt RMS output
- frequency response: 20-20,000 Hz
- signal-to-noise ratio: 118dB
- total harmonic distortion: 0.0004% @ 1kHz
- output impedance: 2 ohms
Dimensions and warranty:
- 3.5mm headphone module:7/16"W x 3/4"H x 5/16" D
- USB plug: 5/8"W x 1-15/16"H x 7/16" D
- weight: 0.05 lbs.
- warranty: 1 year
- Our 60-day money-back guarantee
- MFR # 3PEE510C-CMTIN1
What's in the box:
Astell&Kern USB-C Dual DAC Cable owner's manual
- Digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with attached 3" cable (USB-C plug)
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty card
Featured video:
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More details on the Astell&Kern USB-C Dual DAC Cable
Features & specs
| Design | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Portable | |
| Built-in Rechargable Battery | No | |
| Built-in Headphone Amplifier | ||
| Output Power | 2V | |
| Output Impedance (Unbalanced) | 2 ohms | |
| Output Impedance (Balanced) | N/A | |
| Audio Specs | ||
| Bit Depth (USB) | 32 | |
| Max Sampling Rate (USB) | 384 kHz | |
| Bit Depth (S/PDIF) | 0 | |
| Max Sampling Rate S/PDIF | N/A | |
| S/N Ratio (Unbalanced, in dB) | 118 | |
| S/N Ratio (Balanced, in dB) | 0 | |
| THD (Unbalanced) | 0.0004% | |
| THD (Balanced) | N/A | |
| Supported File Types | ||
| PCM | Up to 384kHz | |
| DSD | DSD 256 | |
| DXD | N/A | |
| MQA | No | |
| Inputs | ||
| Total Inputs | 1 | |
| USB | USB-C | |
| Optical Digital | None | |
| Coaxial Digital | None | |
| 3.5mm Digital | None | |
| Stereo RCA Analog | None | |
| Stereo 3.5mm Analog | None | |
| Stereo XLR Analog | None | |
| Headphone Outputs | ||
| 3.5mm Unbalanced | 1 | |
| 1/4-inch Unbalanced | None | |
| 4.4mm Balanced | None | |
| XLR4 Balanced | None | |
| Other Headphone Outs | None | |
| Line Level & Digital Outs | ||
| RCA Line Out | None | |
| 3.5mm Line Out | None | |
| XLR Line Out | None | |
| Subwoofer Out | None | |
| Optical Digital Out | None | |
| Coaxial Digital Out | None | |
| Wireless Connectivity | ||
| Bluetooth | No | |
| Wi-Fi | No | |
| Apple-compatible | No | |
| Android-compatible | No | |
| General Info | ||
| Width (inches) | 0-11/16 | |
| Height (inches) | 0-7/16 | |
| Depth (inches) | 2 | |
| Weight | 0.0625 lbs. | |
| Parts Warranty | 90 Days | |
| Labor Warranty | 90 Days | |
Product Research
Features
Overview: The Astell & Kern USB-C Dual DAC Cable (PEE51) is a small, but powerful Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) that is designed to extend the high quality sound of A&K digital audio players (DAPs) to smartphones and computers with USB-C ports. The dual DACs pair with an independent analog amplifier to provide true audio playback the way it was intended, without distortion. The cable features a USB-C input and a 3.5mm output with a 2-1/4" connecting cable. DAC Dimensions: Width 0.678" x Height 0.405" x Length 1.977"; Weight 1 ounce.
Construction: The USB-C Dual DAC Cable features full metal construction of Titan-colored Zinc Alloy. The main body and the USB-C plug are designed to match the angles and lines, and "light and shadow" of Astell&Kern DAPs. The body and USB plug are connected by a shielded silver-plated copper cable to provide some flexibility. The cable is made by wrapping silver-plated copper wire and copper wire in a spiral form around a center core made of Technora Aramid fiber to block external noise. A separate shielding treatment is applied to the cable to block distortion and noise of digital and analog signals from the playback device.
Digital-to-Analog Converters: The A&K USB-C Dual DAC Cable is equipped with two Cirrus Logic CS43198 Master HIFI™ DACs -- one for the left channel, and one for the right. The DACs support playback resolution of up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256. You can listen to premium, high-resolution audio files stored on your computer or smartphone. In addition, the small, six-layer PCB features the same micro resistors and tantalum capacitors created for and used in A&K DAPs. The cable brings Astell & Kern's famous signature sound to your devices.
Headphone Amp: The years of expertise in AMP design helped in developing a headphone amplifier that can sufficiently drive high-impedance headphones. The tiny USB-C Dual DAC Cable has an output of 2Vrms (Condition No Load).
Compatibility: USB-C connections can be found on the latest Android-based smartphones, as well as Windows (Windows 10) and Mac (macOS) computers. iOS devices (iPhone/iPad) are currently not supported. You should check the volume level on your connected device before listening because the Dual DAC Cable has no volume control of its own. The device has no internal battery, and draws its power from the connected playback device, so you don't need a separate charger. The headphone output supports any headphone or earphone with a 3.5mm connector. The unit supports both 3-pole and 4-pole 3.5mm plugs, but the functions of the in-line controller and microphone built-into the 4-pole headphones are not supported.
Note: The cable is not recommended for use with Astell & Kern digital audio players as an external DAC, because the output volume of the player will be fixed at the maximum setting and cannot be adjusted.
Specifications:
- Sample Rate:
- PCM: Support up to 32-bit/384kHz
- DSD Native: DSD64 (1-bit/2.8MHz), DSD128 (1-bit/5.6MHz), DSD256 (1-bit/11.2MHz)
- Frequency Response: ±0.030 (Condition: 20Hz - 20kHz)
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 118dB (@ 1kHz, Unbalanced)
- THD+N: 0.0004% (@ 1kHz, Unbalanced)
- IMD SMPTE: 0.0003% 800Hz 10kHz (4:1) Unbalanced
- Output Impedance: 2Ω
- Output Level: 2 Vrms (Condition No Load)
- Input: USB Type-C (for Windows 10, Android smartphone/tablet, macOS)
- Output: 3.5mm headphone
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This is an absolute no brainer at this price point. Amazing product, designed to last. Make sure you turn it way down!
Andrew from Andover