Balanced audio for mobile devices
Despite measuring just 17mm x 50mm x 10mm, the AK HC2 USB-C Dual DAC is packed with cutting-edge features, carefully designed to deliver high-quality, low-noise sonics via its 4.4mm balanced headphone output. Ultra-fine audio technology means Astell&Kern has been able to incorporate circuitry, components and power management in a supremely portable device without concession.
Superior dual DAC
At the heart of the AK HC2 Dual DAC Cable are two Cirrus Logic CS43198 MasterHiFi DACs - high-performance DACs that feature in Astell&Kern’s award-winning A&norma range of digital audio players, and support hi-res playback up to native 32bit/384kHz and DSD256.
DAC smarts
Most USB DAC products have the DAC positioned in the USB terminal connected directly to the device to process and output audio. However, with the AK HC2, digital signals from the device pass through the dual-shielded cable to the audio circuit before being converted to an analogue signal by the DAC. By processing the digital signal at a later stage, the sound performance is superior and noise-free sound compared to other USB DAC products.
Drives any headphones
The dual DACs are paired with a high-performance analogue amplifier, powerful enough to drive even high-impedance headphones without difficulty - and the 4.4mm balanced output means lower noise, higher output and clearer channel-separation every time.
Noise-free cable
A dual-shielded cable is designed to minimize noise interference and deliver a transparent sound as possible. The copper core wire is coated with tin to prevent corrosion and strengthen tensile force for enhanced durability, while the woven cable is wrapped in an aluminum film to help block unwanted noise.