ASTELL&KERN LAUNCHES AK HC5 USB DAC AND STELLA IEMS
Astell&Kern has announced two new additions to its portable audio line-up: the AK HC5 USB DAC and the Astell&Kern Stella IEMs, created in collaboration with VOLK Audio and mastering engineer Michael Graves.
Both products mark the end of a busy year for the company and introduce new engineering approaches intended for portable, high-performance listening.
ASTELL&KERN AK HC5 USB DAC
The Astell&Kern AK HC5 USB DAC is a compact device designed to provide improved audio performance from everyday sources, including mobile phones, laptops and gaming consoles. It aims to offer higher-quality digital-to-analogue conversion and stable amplification in a format suitable for use on the move.
At the core of the AK HC5 is the AK4499EX DAC chip paired with the AK4191EQ digital processor. This combination separates digital and analogue stages, a layout more commonly found in Astell&Kern’s flagship players. The intention is to minimise noise within the signal chain and maintain detail from digital sources.
The HC5 uses a revised amplifier stage derived from the company’s SP4000 player. Its design focuses on stability when powered by devices that may introduce noise, such as smartphones or computers. High PSRR and CMRR values are employed to help maintain clean output, while a dual-shield cable structure is used to reduce electromagnetic interference.
FEATURES AND INTERFACE OF THE ASTELL&KERN AK HC5
The Astell&Kern AK HC5 USB DAC includes several usability features not often seen in devices of this size. These include a 150-step physical volume control wheel and a 1.62-inch OLED screen providing system information. The DAC supports Astell&Kern’s DAR upsampling (up to PCM 384 kHz / DSD256), six filter options and compatibility with UAC 2.0 and UAC 1.0 for use with consoles such as PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. A protective case by Synt3 is supplied.
ASTELL&KERN STELLA IEMS
The Astell&Kern STELLA IEMs were created in partnership with VOLK Audio, with final voicing informed by mastering engineer Michael Graves. The project involved joint engineering and tuning sessions across both companies, including work carried out at Osiris Studio in Los Angeles.
DRIVER SYSTEM AND INTERNAL ARCHITECTURE
STELLA uses a newly developed 12-driver quadbrid configuration with a proprietary six-way crossover. Four driver types are combined: a hybrid low-frequency system, a trio of armatures for midrange duties, a dual planar magnetic driver pair and four electrostatic tweeters. Each is allocated to operate within its natural range to avoid the need for corrective EQ.
The Astell&Kern STELLA earpieces are built from 6061-T6 aluminium with a satin-black anodised finish. A stainless-steel faceplate frame incorporates ventilation, while the outer surface is made from sapphire crystal glass rated at 9H hardness. The centre plate carries branding from both Astell&Kern and VOLK.
A hybrid cable is supplied, constructed from 5N LCOFC copper, 4N silver and 24K gold-plated conductors in a 12-strand Litz structure with fibre reinforcement. The cable terminates in a 4.4 mm balanced connection.
ASTELL&KERN AK HC5 AND ASTELL&KERN STELLA IEMS RICING AND AVAILABILITY
Both the Astell&Kern AK HC5 USB DAC and Astell&Kern STELLA IEMs will be shown publicly at Potafes Akihabara in Japan and the 2025 Guangzhou Headphone Show in China from 13–14 December. Retail availability is planned for January 2026.
UK pricing: AK HC5 £399; STELLA £3,899.
US pricing: AK HC5 $450; STELLA $3,900.
EU pricing: AK HC5 €499; STELLA €4,400.
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