Astell & Kern HC5 Evaluation: Transportable Hello-Fi Simply Received Classier

Astell & Kern, recognized for making top-of-the-line digital audio gamers, additionally has fairly the lineup of transportable DACs that folks can use for his or her headphones and IEMs. Their newest launch, the HC5 USB DAC/Amp, is a superb addition that audiophiles have been loving as a compact improve with nice sound high quality. What does this $450 gadget do in your sound? On this assessment, we check out all of the options that make the A&Okay HC5 an excellent improve. 

The HC5 follows Astell & Kern’s earlier pattern of protecting their equipment smooth and classy. The satin silver physique is made from aluminum and is light-weight in your pocket. With the spin dial on the facet, it type of resembles a lighter, curving inwards for a extra ergonomic really feel in your hand. It sits properly on a desk, and with the mushy leather-based case, you’ll be able to take it on the go with out concern of it being scratched or broken. Astell & Kern consists of two cables for wired listening: one USB-C to USB-C and the opposite USB-C to Lightning. This ensures high-fidelity listening, whatever the gadget you may have, whether or not it is an old-generation iPhone or the newest Samsung. 

As a substitute of simply plugging within the DAC and trusting that it is on, the HC5 comes with a small display screen that lets you see the controls and filters you placed on the DAC. The dial lets you see the changes you make and ensure you are listening precisely how you want. There’s a small button on the facet as properly, permitting you to entry and alter a number of the options which are included on the HC5. 

By way of options, the HC5 does not have too many extravagant options to make it stand out amongst the remainder. Its energy and slim form are nice options for individuals who like ultra-portability, making it simple to take with you wherever you could be listening. The HC5 does not have any Bluetooth capabilities, so you could discover the necessity for a wire to be cumbersome in case you want compact setups. Nonetheless, the best way the form suits in opposition to units on a desk could be very smooth and classy, and it does not take up a lot area as a simple addition. 

The HC5 lets you hearken to music in two totally different modes with DAR expertise. This Digital Audio Remaster expertise makes use of upsampling to wash up your music and get essentially the most readability out of your music. You may hear in PCM or DSD, permitting you to get essentially the most out of your music and adapt to your supply materials. Each modes are simple to activate and off, and paired with one of many six DAC filters, you might be set to hear on the highest decision. The six DAC filters you get with the HC5 are as follows: 

• Tremendous Sluggish Roll-Off: Pure sounding, produces no echo, and has a really sharp edge
• Brief Delay Sluggish Roll-Off: Extra acoustic sound that has a small echo that imitates a better unique sound
• Sluggish Roll-Off: Conventional sound that has a small echo as properly, good for pure and clear sound
• Low Dispersion: Harmonic sound with a brief echo, reproducing pure sound with readability
• Brief Delay Sharp Roll-Off: Acoustic sound, put up echo makes the bass pop with sharp edges
• Sharp Roll-Off: Conventional sound with pre and put up echo, enhancing bass and general energy by the signature

These filters could be accessed by the primary settings menu, which you get by holding down the one button on the facet. It is simple to cycle by these filters and see which one is finest in your listening and the kind of music you hearken to. With a 150-step quantity ladder, you are in a position to get to fairly excessive volumes and push a good quantity of energy by even the hardest to drive headphones. 

When listening to the HC5, I used a big assortment of headphones and in-ear displays to check out the sound you get from the DAC. The totally different filters and listening modes have been fascinating to make use of. For my testing, I used the next: 

• Hifiman HE600
• Sennheiser IE 600
• 64 Audio U4s
• Dan Clark Noire X
• Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Professional MKII
• ThieAudio Monarch MKIV

In all of those sound profiles, you can hear how the HC5 stored sound signatures trustworthy and pure. I wasn’t met with a totally different-sounding headphone or IEM once I added the HC5 to the sign move. I preferred how the HC5 was completely adaptable to headphones or IEMs, matching in energy necessities with ease. When pairing it with some 64 Audio IEMs or the ThieAudio Monarch MKIV, I used to be in a position to get a very good picture. Profiles have been sharpened and made to be a 

With headphones, I appreciated how the sound signatures have been stored trustworthy however nonetheless given some pure shade. Bass responses have been made punchier and extra direct, and the brightness opened up the profile and soundstage to be extra open and spacious. Headphones that had a extra pure sound replica, just like the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Professional MKII, obtained a bit of extra dynamic aptitude, however they nonetheless stayed trustworthy and might be used for reference listening. Particulars have been sharpened throughout the sound signatures to make listening extra exact and immersive. The HC5 was nice as a complement to the host of units I paired with it. 

What competes with the HC5? Astell & Kern has made fairly just a few DACs already, together with the HC4 wired DAC and the HB1 Bluetooth-enabled gadget. The HC5 takes the graceful sound that you’re going to get with these earlier units and cleans it up, creating a fair smoother profile that makes shade and readability the highest priorities. The display screen on the HC5 makes it simpler to make use of than its predecessors, in addition to pushing extra energy to be suitable with extra widespread headphones and IEMs. If you happen to’re somebody who makes use of Astell & Kern DACs and is searching for an influence improve, the HC5 will certainly show to be a worthy addition to your assortment.

A few of the hottest transportable DACs are made by FiiO and iFi, with some standouts by Chord Electronics on the upper finish. How does the HC5 stack in opposition to them? The HC5, being a strictly wired gadget, has its limitations that the FiiO BTR17 or the iFi Gryphon do not face. Its functionality solely places it extra in step with the FiiO QX13 or the iFi GO Bar Kensei. Not like the wired competitors, the HC5 excels in its adaptability between headphones and IEMs. The GO Bar Kensei is healthier as a strictly IEM DAC, and the QX13 nonetheless has it spower limitations with harder to drive headphones. If you happen to have a look at the CHord MOJO 2, you will discover it matches the HC5 in energy output and gadget adaptability. The MOJO 2 has extra sound customization choices with the 6-band EQ, which the HC5 doesn’t have. Relying on what sort of options you search for in a DAC, you could discover higher use for the MOJO 2 or the HC5. 

The Astell & Kern HC5 USB DAC is available in as an excellent improve for audiophiles who hear all over the place. Its ultra-portable construct makes it perfect for individuals who prefer to preserve their pockets gentle, and the protecting case offers you consolation figuring out the DAC is protected. The HC5 is nice for each headphones and IEMs, so you’ll pair this with a big number of audio gear you could have already got. Though it does not have customizable options and wi-fi capabilities that another transportable DACs have, you continue to have nice energy in a small bundle that could be a excellent complement to any setup. The HC5 provides premium worth for $450, and it’s good competitors for some higher-end DACs. 

You may get the Astell & Kern HC5 at Audio46.