- The Astell & Kern HC5 DAC is designed for phones, laptops and gaming
- Includes DAC and processing from A&K’s flagship SP4000 music player
- January 2026, £399 / $450 / €499 (approx AU$800)
Astell & Kern has launched two new products: a diminutive DAC and a new set of in-ear reference earphones.
The AK HC5 is the size of a lighter, but there is nothing small about its specification. It pairs the AK4499EX DAC, previously used in the elite Astell & Kern SP4000 Hi-Res Audio player, with the AK4191EQ digital processor to separate analog and digital paths. reduce noise and preserve even the smallest musical details.
The HC5 connects via USB-C to a wide range of devices, including phones, laptops and game consoles, and is designed to work with what Astell & Kern describes as “less than perfect listening sources” by using a very clean, stable amplifier stage that suppresses noise and maximizes the DAC’s performance. It also features the same digital audio remastering technology as A&K’s more premium DACs, capable of upsampling to PCM 384kHz / DSD256.
This basically means you can attach this to your device, load some really high-end music and get a similar kind of audio performance to A&K’s far more expensive portable players.
It’s a very different (and, in my eyes, much nicer) design to its predecessor, the Astell & Kern HC4, which we reviewed in 2023. But it’s also more expensive: where it launched at $220 / £219 / AU$399, the HC5 costs £399 / $450 (approx. AU$). You can buy it from January 2026.
Astell & Kern STELLA headphones: key features and prices
If you’re looking for a set of high-end headphones for your new DAC, Astell & Kern has you covered: The new STELLA headphones have been created in collaboration with VOLK Audio and in collaboration with multi-Grammy award-winning engineer Michael Graves to create “a new pinnacle of IEM precision”.
The headphones have a newly designed 12-driver architecture with four different types of transducers (9mm dynamic drivers, balanced armatures, 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 say there is no artificial EQ or forced compensation; the sound signature is “defined entirely by acoustic integrity.”
STELLA is made from a 6061-T6 aluminum shell with satin-black anodization; a stainless steel faceplate with integrated vents; a panel of sapphire glass; and a central aluminum plate with the Astell & Kern logo in one earpiece and VOLK Audio in the other.
These are premium earphones with a premium price: £3,899 / $3,900 (approx. AU$7,845). Like the HC5, they will be available from January 2026.
The best headphone DACs for every budget
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