- Astell & Kern HC5 DAC is designed for phones, laptops and gaming
- Includes the DAC and processing from A&K’s flagship SP4000 music player.
- January 2026, £399 / $450 / €499 (around AU$800)
Astell & Kern has launched two new products: a tiny DAC and a new set of reference monitor in-ear headphones.
The AK HC5 is the size of a lighter, but its specifications are by no means small. It combines the AK4499EX DAC, previously used in the elite Astell & Kern SP4000 high-resolution audio player, with the AK4191EQ digital processor to separate the analog and digital paths. reduces noise and preserves even the smallest musical details.
The HC5 connects via USB-C to a wide range of devices, including phones, laptops and games consoles, and has been designed to work with what Astell & Kern describes as “less than perfect listening sources” by utilizing a very clean and stable amplifier stage that suppresses noise and maximizes DAC performance. It also has the same digital audio remastering technology as A&K’s most premium DACs, which is capable of upsampling to PCM 384kHz/DSD256.
It basically means you can plug it into your device, load up very high-quality music, and get similar audio performance to A&K’s much more expensive portable players.
It’s a very different (and, in my opinion, much better) design than its predecessor, the Astell & Kern HC4, which we reviewed in 2023. However, it’s also more expensive: where it launched at $220 / £219 / AU$399, the HC5 costs £399 / $450 (around AU$800). You will be able to buy it from January 2026.
Astell & Kern STELLA headphones: key features and prices
If you’re looking for a high-end pair of headphones for your new DAC, Astell & Kern has you covered: the new STELLA headphones have been created in partnership with VOLK Audio and in collaboration with multi-Grammy Award-winning engineer Michael Graves to create “a new pinnacle of precision IEMs.”
The headphones feature a newly designed 12-driver architecture with four different types of drivers (9mm dynamic drivers, balanced armatures, and planar magnetic drivers). and electrostatic tweeters), a custom 6-way crossover network and five tuned sound tubes, with each component created specifically for these headphones.
A&K says there is no artificial equalizer or forced compensation; the sound signature is “defined entirely by acoustic integrity.”
The STELLA are manufactured with a 6061-T6 aluminum housing with satin black anodizing; a stainless steel faceplate with integrated vents; a sapphire crystal panel; and an aluminum center plate with the Astell & Kern logo on one earpiece and the VOLK Audio on the other.
These are premium headphones with a premium price tag: £3,899/$3,900 (around AU$7,845). Like the HC5, they will be available from January 2026.
The best headphone DACs for every budget
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