This isn’t really seen if you just use the normal player and play only offline files, but when you start to use the app service and load up a streaming app, in my case Quboz, it becomes slower. The SR25 still suffers from lag that I experienced with the SR15. The latter of these are all shrunken down in size to fit the smaller form factor.
Like the Cube, above, the SR25 has USB-C, 3.5mm and 2.5mm balanced, 3 unknown marked buttons, and a clicky volume knob. It does have some square edges all around that may be annoying to hold, but a case can fix that up from my experience. It’s unique look of the titled screen is very polarizing, but I really dig it, because it looks correct when you’re holding it in your hand.Īnd this is small enough to do so unlike the Cube, and that makes this one very easily transported in your pocket or by hand. This model is a slightly larger version of the SR15 with a silver colorway instead of the darker tone of the older sibling. This one, instead, has good extension, clear highs, and an airy soundstage which is a little sterile in nature, but lacks the sharp one-note sound that some sterile DAPs have (I’m thinking stuff based on ESS Sabre DACs in my experience). This quite unusual for the A&K lineup, as most are heavily colored warm. Switching back and forth between this, the SR25, and my normal ZX507 from Sony – it’s very easy to tell which is less colored. The Kann Cube is a very clean, transparent, and neutral DAP with a slightly musical sound to it.
It runs quite smoothly, and even works well with the Android-based streaming apps, which lag badly on some of the other A&K players. Unlike other A&K DAPS I’ve tried, this one does not have as much lag issues despite the larger screen. It’s not great for traveling but if you can just leave it at your office or on a desk, this is a very nice player indeed. Speaking of that, I did find that this is really well suited as a desktop player. That said, plugging it into a desktop amp makes this Kann Cube a really slick Transport/DAC unit for a desktop. I didn’t actually measure the impedance value, but I did measure frequency responses of various iems and saw major fluctuation in their curve when using the XLR output. The XLR does have significantly high impedance. This is better than using the typical 3.5mm or 2.5mm jacks as they are not true line-outs, and instead are just maxed out in volume when active. It’s a unique mini-XLR male 5-pin output that one can use as legitimate line-out feature to an external amplifier. The A&K Kann Cube also features this extra output on the left side. The weight does make it feel very awkward to use however, but hey, if you can do it, more power to you! Features It’s not the best look for me, but it is functional. That said, you can put this in a bag to carry around, however using it on the go could be challenging.Ī fellow hobbyist, Rush, sent a carrying pouch that can be attached to your belt made by Van Nuys, which can securely hold it on your hip. There’s no way this will be pocketable unless you put it in a very large coat pocket and hope it doesn’t rip or sag. This thing isn’t as heavy as it looks, however it is still heavy. There’s also USB-C connectivity on the bottom. The buttons are below the volume wheel on the right side, and control forward, play/pause and back, however they are unlabeled, which makes it minimalist, but also confusing at first. On the top side are 3.5mm and 2.5mm jacks for using single ended and balanced outputs, respectively. The back of it has a glass exterior which makes it shiny, but just something that’s prone to crack. Next to it is a large volume wheel that is quite nice to use, though the clickiness of it can be annoying.
The Kann Cube also has a beautifully large screen that is very vibrant and looks sharp. It has a very boxy look that is made from aluminum metal, and has ridges milled in that make it fit with the very odd looking A&K CD Ripper thing they made for their DAPs. It’s quite intimidating and it’s very industrial looking. (SR25 review is in the SR25 thread)īoth of these units were loaned to me by the fine folks at and will be returned to them shortly.
Clicky cube review update#
This quick set of impressions will take a look at two of their devices, the very large Kann Cube, which was released in 2019, and their newest model, the small SR25, which is an update to the SR15.
Clicky cube review portable#
The A&K branding has been around for several years now and is well-known in the portable audio world for making high-end and unique designs for music on-the-go. Review written by Anthony Nguyen & Kern is a South Korean company that is part of the iRiver family of audio products.