Slowly learning how to play with lighting better lol
Since I know you’re in Seattle, you should sign up for a Basic Lighting Control class at Photo Center NW once they’re open again. I took that class years ago and found it really useful. Then again, Strobist didn’t exist back then 
I’ll check it out! Thank you!
Thanks Martin! I also am particular to that one lol… but agree with Torq on his opinion of the second shot really showing off what it is 
photography, audio gear and whiskey… turning into my rabbit holes lol
They’re all lovely as art.
If we’re trying to use a single shot to convey the essence of the unit, I still say the 2nd shot.
I picked up on that Torq =) I completely agree with you! You have never guided me wrong! Oh, I will DM/email you some news later by an by!
Thank you for the reply and for taking the time to listen to the pairing and write up your impressions, I’m really grateful. And great photos, they are truly excellent (and you do especially well with the lighting, given the way the Kann stands out so well from the dark background).
Yes, absolutely! The Kann Cube is half brutalist architecture, half sci-fi marvel.
Very nice pictures Tyler. I shall have to take some pictures of my Cayiin N6ii. I know you all love my skills with the camera. 
LOL.
photography like art and audio chains is Subjective 
lol I would love to see your interpretations of your Cayin in photo form =)
I may well try. We shall see.
Astell & Kern is a South Korean company that is part of the iRiver family of audio products. 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. 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. (SR25 review is in the SR25 thread)
Both of these units were loaned to me by the fine folks at Headphones.com and will be returned to them shortly.
The Kann Cube is massive. It’s quite intimidating and it’s very industrial looking. 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. (what?)
The Kann Cube also has a beautifully large screen that is very vibrant and looks sharp. Next to it is a large volume wheel that is quite nice to use, though the clickiness of it can be annoying. The back of it has a glass exterior which makes it shiny, but just something that’s prone to crack.
On the top side are 3.5mm and 2.5mm jacks for using single ended and balanced outputs, respectively. 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. There’s also USB-C connectivity on the bottom.
This thing isn’t as heavy as it looks, however it is still heavy. 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. That said, you can put this in a bag to carry around, however using it on the go could be challenging.
A 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. It’s not the best look for me, but it is functional. The weight does make it feel very awkward to use however, but hey, if you can do it, more power to you!
The A&K Kann Cube also features this extra output on the left side. It’s a unique mini-XLR male 5-pin output that one can use as legitimate line-out feature to an external amplifier. 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.
The XLR does have significantly high impedance. 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. That said, plugging it into a desktop amp makes this Kann Cube a really slick Transport/DAC unit for a desktop.
Speaking of that, I did find that this is really well suited as a desktop player. 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.
Unlike other A&K DAPS I’ve tried, this one does not have as much lag issues despite the larger screen. 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.
The Kann Cube is a very clean, transparent, and neutral DAP with a slightly musical sound to it. Switching back and forth between this, the SR25, and my normal ZX507 from Sony – it’s very easy to tell which is less colored. This quite unusual for the A&K lineup, as most are heavily colored warm.
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).
forgot to self doxx myself wearing the kann cube belt clip case courtesy of Rush.
The best pic! I only did it on video… =(
oh this is a possibiltiy? - I´m sold on it!
Kann Cube found in remote part of Utah!