- 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 (about AU$800)
Astell & Kern has launched two new products: a diminutive DAC and a new set of reference in-ear monitor earbuds.
The AK HC5 is the size of a lighter but there’s 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 pathways. 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 gaming consoles, and has been designed to work with what Astell & Kern describes as “less than perfect listening sources” by utilizing a very clean, stable amplifier stage that suppresses noise and maximizes the performance of the DAC. It also has the same digital audio remastering tech as A&K’s more premium DACs, which is capable of upsampling to PCM 384kHz / DSD256.
It basically means that you can attach this to your device, load up 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 to my eyes, much better-looking) design than its predecessor, the Astell & Kern HC4, which we reviewed in 2023. However it’s also more expensive: where that launched at $220 / £219 / AU$399, the HC5 is £399 / $450 (about AU$800). You’ll be able to buy it from January 2026.
Astell & Kern STELLA earphones: key features and pricing
If you’re looking for a set of high-end earphones to go with your new DAC, Astell & Kern has you covered: the new STELLA earphones have been created in partnership with VOLK Audio and in collaboration with multiple Grammy award-winning engineer Michael Graves to create “a new pinnacle of IEM precision”.
The earphones feature a newly designed 12-driver architecture with four different kinds of transducer (9mm dynamic drivers, balanced armatures, planar magnetic drivers and electrostatic tweeters), a custom 6-way crossover network and five tuned sound tubes, with every component created specifically for these headphones.
A&K says that there’s no artificial EQ or forced compensation; the sound signature is “defined entirely by acoustic integrity.”
The STELLA are made from a 6061-T6 aluminum shell with satin-black anodising; a stainless steel faceplate with integrated vents; a sapphire crystal glass panel; and a central aluminum plate with the Astell & Kern logo in one earphone and the VOLK Audio one in the other.
These are premium earphones with a premium price: £3,899 / $3,900 (about AU$7,845). Like the HC5, they’ll be available from January 2026.
The best headphone DACs for all budgets
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