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Astell&Kern AK HC4 Portable USB DAC
£219.00
✓ 2 Year Warranty included
✓ Authorised UK Dealer
The Astell&Kern AK HC4 is a compact USB DAC and headphone amplifier that brings high-quality audio to compatible smartphones, computers and gaming devices. Its AKM AK4493S DAC supports PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz and native DSD256, while Digital Audio Remaster technology offers an additional way to process your music. With both 3.5mm unbalanced and 4.4mm balanced outputs, interchangeable USB-C and Lightning cables, and a lightweight aluminium body, the HC4 is an easy way to upgrade your everyday headphone setup.
Discover the Detail in Your Music
At the heart of the AK HC4 is the AKM AK4493S DAC, supported by carefully designed amplification and power management circuitry. This combination is built to deliver clean, detailed audio while keeping power consumption low for portable use. With support for PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz and native DSD256, the HC4 can handle a wide range of high-resolution music files when used with compatible playback software.
Connect Your Preferred Headphones
The AK HC4 includes both a 3.5mm unbalanced output and a 4.4mm balanced output, so you can connect a wide range of compatible headphones and in-ear monitors. The 3.5mm output delivers up to 2Vrms, while the balanced connection provides up to 3Vrms under no-load conditions. This flexibility makes it easier to get the most from different headphones without relying on additional adapters.
One Compact Upgrade for Multiple Devices
With support for USB Audio Class 1.0 and 2.0, the AK HC4 can work with a broad range of compatible devices, including smartphones, computers and selected gaming systems. Digital Audio Remaster technology can upsample compatible audio to higher playback rates, with selectable settings to suit your preferences. Supplied USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to Lightning cables make it straightforward to connect to compatible devices, while the built-in LED indicates the current operating status.
General Specifications
Model: AK HC4
Body Colour: Moon Silver
Body Material: Aluminium
DAC: AKM AK4493S
Dimensions (W × H × D): 29.5 × 64.5 × 14.5mm
Weight: Approx. 31g
Supported Audio Formats
PCM Sample Rate: 8kHz–384kHz (8/16/24/32 bits per sample)
DSD Native: DSD64 (1-bit, 2.8MHz, stereo); DSD128 (1-bit, 5.6MHz, stereo); DSD256 (1-bit, 11.2MHz, stereo)
Connectivity
Input: USB Type-C (supports UAC 1.0 and UAC 2.0)
Unbalanced Output: 3.5mm
Balanced Output: 4.4mm (5-pole only)
Output Level: Unbalanced: 2Vrms; balanced: 3Vrms (no-load condition)
Audio Performance
Frequency Response (20Hz–20kHz): ±0.062dB unbalanced; ±0.063dB balanced
Frequency Response (20Hz–70kHz): ±0.066dB unbalanced; ±0.067dB balanced
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (1kHz): 118dB unbalanced; 118dB balanced
Crosstalk (1kHz): −134dB unbalanced; −136dB balanced
THD+N (1kHz): 0.0005% unbalanced; 0.0009% balanced
IMD SMPTE: 0.0005% at 800Hz/10kHz (4:1) unbalanced; 0.0004% at 800Hz/10kHz (4:1) balanced
Output Impedance: 3.5mm unbalanced: 0.9Ω; 4.4mm balanced: 1.6Ω
How will you send my item?
We ship to addresses within the UK using Royal Mail and DPD couriers.
How much does delivery cost?
Standard 2–3 working day delivery is FREE on orders over £50. Next working day delivery is available from £5.99, and is FREE on orders over £200.
For orders to UK non-mainland and international destinations, additional charges will apply at checkout. Please see below for more information.
How long does delivery take?
Depending on the delivery service you choose, delivery usually takes between 1-4 working days to mainland UK from the moment we despatch your order. Orders to UK non-mainland and international destinations can take longer.
When will you despatch my order?
Orders placed before 3pm are processed and despatched the same day (excluding bank holidays and weekends). Orders placed on weekends will be processed and despatched the following working day.
*Please note that international orders may require extra checks before we are able to despatch your order so timescales may vary.
Can I track my delivery?
Yes - Order tracking is offered as standard on all items, whether they are shipped via DPD or Royal Mail. You will receive your tracking information via email once we have despatched your order.
UK Non-mainland and International destinations.
Post Brexit some of our delivery partners have changed the way we ship to international and offshore destinations. This means that the cost of shipping to some locations has increased significantly and additional paperwork may need to be completed for some international orders.
Shipping for all items to UK Non-Mainland and International destinations will incur a charge at checkout. This charge is not final and additional postage may be required. Furthermore, this may incur additional delivery delays and also local customs charges which the buyer is responsible to pay.
Shipping to international destinations may require further security checks and I.D. to be provided by the cardholder. We reserve the right to cancel any orders where an order does not pass our security checks or the additional postage is not paid.
To avoid any confusion we would advise that you contact us before making your order.
What do you class as UK Non-mainland?
Rep. Ireland, N. Ireland, Channel Islands, Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Wight, Isle of Man and Scottish Highlands. If you are unsure whether your address is classed as UK Non-mainland please feel free to contact us and an advisor will be happy to help.
For any further enquiries with regards to your delivery please contact us on 020 8561 9845 and one of our adviser's will be happy to help.
If you're not happy with your item or you've changed your mind.
Even though we're sure you'll be happy with your purchase, it's important that you are aware of how we deal with returns in the event that you need to send something back.
We understand how inconvenient it can be when you buy a product and aren't 100% satisfied with it. For this reason we have designed our returns policy to prevent any further inconvenience to you in these instances.
Under 30 days
- You can return your goods for a full refund or exchange as long as you inform us of your intention to return the goods within 30 days of receipt, starting from the day after you receive your goods (Exclusions apply, see below.)
- All return costs are down to the buyer and it is recommended that you return your items using a trackable method with appropriate insurance (if required).
- Once we have confirmed your return, please ensure that you return the item within 14 days.
- If a returns number is provided then please ensure that the parcel has this clearly marked.
- Items need to be returned in "as new" condition in their original packaging. We don't mind if you open the product to check it, however any used or damaged products will be subject to a 25% handling fee so please take care when opening your items.
After 30 days
- We will not offer a refund after 30 days of you receiving your delivery unless your product is faulty.
Exclusions from our returns policy
As we're sure you'll understand, there are some products that we can't offer returns on due to their nature. These include:
- Special order items and cables cut from a reel (priced per metre). These items will be clearly identifiable.
- In-Ear headphones due to health and hygiene reasons.
- Products that include software which require activation.
Please note : that these exclusions do not apply to items that become faulty.
If your product becomes faulty
We endeavour to get your items to you in fully working order, however in the event that your items do become faulty, please read below on what you should do next.
In a lot of cases with some products, faults can be fixed by performing some basic troubleshooting, so to prevent any further inconvenience to you we advise that you contact our Customer Service team who can guide you through some basic troubleshooting before sending items back.
Under 30 days
- If your items become faulty within 30 days of delivery you are entitled to a full refund or exchange. Please contact our customer service centre who will provide necessary returns details.
- Please send the items back with a cover note including a description of the fault and your original order number.
- Once we have fully tested the item and confirmed the fault, we will process the refund or exchange including cost of carriage back to us (within reason).
- If during our testing we cannot find a fault, no refund will be given and you will be charged for delivery of the item back to you.
After 30 days
- After 30 days you will still be able to get your faulty items repaired or replaced within the manufacturers warranty and we will be happy to assist you with this. Please contact our customer service team to find out the best way to get your items repaired or replaced. Please be aware that after 30 days we will not cover you for any carriage costs.
