Buy Better, Buy Less.... Astell&Kern HC 4 Headphone Amp / DAC

[@PL-ri3bz]

Hi Mike, Just got one of these yesterday and my mind is blown. The power of this tiny dongle is mindblowing , this surpases my current gold standard for power the IFI Go bar that dongle is a beast in itself. This dongle appears to fly under the recommended dongle radar and is overlooked in favour of high end dongles like Cayin RU7 , Questyle M15 , Hiby FC6 etc I love mine!

[@alfarantsavahashfi5524]

How's the sound ? Especially the low, mid, and high ? And how's the imaging and separation ?

[@UhrensohnGlobal]

@@alfarantsavahashfi5524 I bought the Astell&Kern HC4 at the same time as the Cayin RU7. Due to the many good reviews for the RU7 and the fact that I have tube amplifiers from Cayin, my bias was that I would keep the RU7 anyway. I was in love with the RU7 from the start. Material, shape, display, the good reviews and my favorite brand. According to tests, the RU7 should be even better than the RU6. The RU7 is a little bit warmer than the HC4, but that's about it. From the beginning, I was irritated by an audible difference in many places. Compared to the HC4, the RU7 simply lacks transparency. Both in smaller combos in jazz and especially in large orchestras, the HC4 completely outplays the RU7. When a swelling wave of instruments rolls in at the start of a piece, you can easily make out the individual instruments with the HC4. You can hear how the clarinets float up on top of the wave, as intended in the piece. Unfortunately, the RU7 lacks transparency. I would have liked to add the RU7 to the HC4 out of a certain sentimentality, simply because I like Cayin. But I would never have used it because the difference was just too big. The HC4 actually only has one really annoying disadvantage. The volume steps are really too big. Maybe I have very sensitive ears. But when I use the buttons, I often move between a little too quiet and a little too loud.

[@UhrensohnGlobal]

I bought the Astell&Kern HC4 at the same time as the Cayin RU7. Due to the many good reviews for the RU7 and the fact that I have tube amplifiers from Cayin, my bias was that I would keep the RU7 anyway. I was in love with the RU7 from the start. Material, shape, display, the good reviews and my favorite brand. According to tests, the RU7 should be even better than the RU6. The RU7 is a little bit warmer than the HC4, but that's about it. From the beginning, I was irritated by an audible difference in many places. Compared to the HC4, the RU7 simply lacks transparency. Both in smaller combos in jazz and especially in large orchestras, the HC4 completely outplays the RU7. When a swelling wave of instruments rolls in at the start of a piece, you can easily make out the individual instruments with the HC4. You can hear how the clarinets float up on top of the wave, as intended in the piece. Unfortunately, the RU7 lacks transparency. I would have liked to add the RU7 to the HC4 out of a certain sentimentality, simply because I like Cayin. But I would never have used it because the difference was just too big. The HC4 actually only has one really annoying disadvantage. The volume steps are really too big. Maybe I have very sensitive ears. But when I use the buttons, I often move between a little too quiet and a little too loud.

[@Novilicious]

Put us to listening to Anastasia soundtrack. Among all animated movies it is by far one of the best if not the best to ever take place my favorite is Aleeysha‘s recording. ❤

[@HiFiInsider]

I like both the movie soundtrack and the broadway play soundtrack.

[@hoangphamviet1592]

Every time I connect the hc4 to my tablet, the led light blinking, is it normal?

[@RicardoRodriguez-f6d]

Dumb newbie question here. I use a Etymotic ER3XR and a Denon d7200 with either my MacBook Pro (connected directly at the audio jack) or with an iPhone 15 pro using the apple usbc to audio jack dongle (small DAC). I stream from Apple Music and using as baseline a music that is labeled hi-res lossless 24bit 192kHz: would you believe I will benefit using the AK HC4 (or 3), or given my setup it would not make much difference?

[@HiFiInsider]

both your IEM and Denon can provide great resolution in the music. The HC4 will definitely be a benefit.

[@jaronefarrell3047]

What’s better this or the hb1 i currently have the btr7 but find it a bit to warm would these be a upgrade

[@TheMrgonzalo05]

I'm shocked you never made a video on the IE900. I love mine btw

[@HiFiInsider]

I should... :)

[@masterazlan6999]

Judge by brands??... Inside it pals contains akm4493, Have u tried old skol Q5S TC and inside it has dual akm4493 + worlds most linear amps..dual THX aaa as modular amps options,, yup cute like those korean ak.. Ha4..Welcome old timer noobs.. Peace!

[@beyonder6429]

Have you seen the crosstalk rating on these through the 3.5mm? I am yet to see a manufacturer reveal this info and match this.