Budget 🥰 Portable Amps &DACs Astell&Kern – AK XB10 😀

For an Audiophile looking to listen to music on the go with the convenience of their mobile phones, this is an absolutely priceless DAC. For me, the 2.5mm balanced output is what makes this a serious audiophile essential you can’t go wrong with.

RAGHAV SOMANI

Headphone Guru

About Raghav Somani

Raghav Somani is the Founder & CEO of Headphone Zone. An avid audiophile and musician since 2008, his choice of headphones include STAX Electrostats, Audeze LCD 3, and for music on the go, the JH Audio Roxanne + Astell&Kern SP1000 is never too far away. On his playlist, you’ll find A.R. Rahman, Michael Jackson, and the Eagles.

DESCRIPTION

SPECS

COMPARISONS

	Astell&Kern – AK XB10 ₹ 5,999/- ₹ 14,999/- SEE MORE	Shanling – UP2 ₹ 5,999/- ₹ 7,999/- SEE MORE	FiiO – BTR3K ₹ 6,999/- ₹ 7,490/- SEE MORE	FiiO – BTR5 ₹ 8,990/- ₹ 9,990/- SEE MORE
Warranty
Ideal For	Smartphone	Smartphone	Smartphone & Desktop	Smartphone & Desktop
Weight	23g	26g	23.5g	43.7g
DAC Chip	Cirrus Logic CS4350	ESS Sabre ES9218P	Dual AK4377A	ESS SABRE ES9218P
Sample Rate	24-bit/48 kHz	24bit/96kHz	48kHz/16bit	384kHz/32bit
Inbuilt Battery
Battery Life	5 Hours	11 Hours	11 Hours	9 Hours
Balanced Outputs
Outputs	2.5mm & 3.5mm	3.5mm	2.5mm & 3.5mm	2.5mm & 3.5mm
Digital Inputs		USB Type-C	USB Type-C	USB Type-C
Output level		67mW@32 Ohms	PO About 25mW（32Ω Loaded） PO About 50mW（16Ω Loaded） BAL About 78mW（32Ω Loaded） BAL About 40mW（16Ω Loaded)	PO About 80mW（32Ω Loaded） PO About 90mW（16Ω Loaded） BAL About 240mW（32Ω Loaded） BAL About 240mW（16Ω Loaded）
Signal to Noise Ratio		116dB	PO≥119dB (32Ω A-Weighted) BAL≥122dB(32Ω A-Weighted)	PO≥118dB (32Ω A-Weighted) BAL≥122dB(32Ω A-Weighted)
Bluetooth Version	V4.1	V5.0	V5.0	V5.0
Bluetooth Codecs	aptX HD, aptX, AAC & SBC	LDAC, LHDC, aptX HD,AAC & SBC	AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD, and LDAC	AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD, and LDAC
MQA Support
Volume Control
Expert Verdict	“This little device can transform your favorite wired headphones wireless and capable of high-resolution audio streaming thanks to its aptX HD support.” Tech Hive	“UP2 is lovely. It’s a smart answer to the search for a small and portable Bluetooth source. Size does not always matter, the UP2 is diminutive in size, yet its a compelling device for audiophiles.” Soundphile	“The trick with FiiO BTR3K is that it is affordable, mini-sized, and most probable to be paired with a Chifi IEM, all of which are known for their fairly strong treble and bright signatures.” Headfonia	“The FiiO BTR5 is the best Bluetooth receiver I have tried up to date, it offers pretty much everything I imagined on a 2020 Bluetooth device.” Headfonics
	SEE MORE	SEE MORE	SEE MORE	SEE MORE

FAQs

Whats the warranty period? How to claim warranty?

The warranty period on all Astell&Kern products is 1 year. Read more information on Astelle&Kern warranty.

What is the battery life of the Astell&Kern AK XB10?

The battery life lasts a good 5 hours of continuous music playback with a recharge time of 2 hours.

Could It be used with iOS devices as well?

Yes, the Astell&Kern AK XB10 is compatible with iOS devices using AAC codec as well with Android devices using aptX™ HD codecs.

What is AptX?

In Bluetooth some of the data is inaudible and it simply doesn’t sound as good as audio transmitted over other wireless methods or a wired connection. But, in AptX there is a lossless transmission as it provides CD-like quality. AptX is good. Be like AptX!

What do you mean by aptX and AAC? Do they really make my music sound different?

AAC and aptX are Bluetooth codecs that improve the quality of audio that is being transferred wirelessly. To know more, check out this article on Bluetooth codecs.

Does this Bluetooth Amplifier come with any balanced outputs?

Yes, the Astell&Kern AK XB10 does come with a 2.5mm balanced output.

Can it be used with my headphones?

Yes, you connect your earphones and headphones through the 2.5mm and 3.5mm audio jack slots provided by Astell&Kern.

What Bluetooth version does Astell&Kern AK XB10 support?

The Astell&Kern AK XB10 comes with the Bluetooth version 4.1.

What is so great about the AK XB10?

Apart from it working as an amplifier it eliminates ground noise around you which in turn provides a better listening experience.

DOWNLOADS

Warranty & Media Reviews

1 Year Warranty

Don’t sweat it, this Astell&Kern AK XB10 comes with a 1 year warranty from Astell&Kern that covers manufacturing defects. All products featured on Headphone Zone are backed by an original manufacturer’s warranty.

Read more about Astell&Kern’s warranty in India.

PRODUCT DESIGN WINNER

Reddot Design
Apr, 2017

PRODUCT DESIGN AWARD

iF Design
Jan, 2017

HEADFONIA AWARD

Headfonia
Dec, 2016

WIRELESS ACCESSORIES

CES
Nov, 2016

“All things considered, the XB10 is impressive. Connection distances with wireless-loving devices are good. Haptics are good. Battery life is decent.”

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“This impressive bite-size Bluetooth amp delivers excellent sound quality, decent battery life and plenty of useful features.”

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“This little device can transform your favorite wired headphones wireless and capable of high-resolution audio streaming thanks to its aptX HD support.”

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“If sound quality is something that really matters to you and you only want the very best from your smartphone, the XB10 is an incredibly worthwhile upgrade.”

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“With gorgeous sound in an ultra-portable package, Astell & Kern’s XB10 Bluetooth amp is the best way to make your wired headphones wireless.”

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” If you need something to walk around with that is exclusively designed as a Bluetooth device, I can confidently say that you won’t find anything smaller or better in quality than the AK XB10.”

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