- 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 (around AU$800)
Astell & Kern has launched two new products: a small DAC and a new set of reference in-ear headphones.
The AK HC5 is the size of a lighter, but there’s nothing small about its specs. It combines the AK4499EX DAC, previously used in the Astell & Kern SP4000 high-resolution audio player, with the AK4191EQ digital processor to separate analog and digital channels. 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 games consoles, and has been designed to work with what Astell & Kern describes as “less than perfect listening sources” using a very clean and stable amplifier stage that suppresses noise and maximizes DAC 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 connect it to your device, load up some very high-end music, and get a similar type of audio performance to A&K’s much more expensive portable players.
It’s a very different design (and to my eye, much better looking) 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: main features and prices
If you’re looking for a premium set of headphones to accompany your new DAC, Astell & Kern has you covered: the new STELLA headphones were created in partnership with VOLK Audio and in collaboration with multi-Grammy Award-winning engineer Michael Graves to create “a new pinnacle of IEM precision.”
The headphones feature a new 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 claims there is no artificial equalization or forced compensation; the sound signature is “entirely defined by acoustic integrity”.
The STELLA are made from a 6061-T6 aluminum shell with satin black anodizing; a stainless steel facade with integrated vents; a sapphire crystal panel; and a central aluminum plate with the Astell & Kern logo in one earpiece and VOLK Audio in the other.
These are high-end headphones with a premium price: £3,899 / $3,900 (around AU$7,845). Like the HC5, they will be available from January 2026.
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