Astell&Kern PD5 – Compact Powerhouse with Octa-DAC Performance

Compact in size. Serious about sound.

The Astell&Kern PD5 brings uncompromising high-resolution audio performance into a remarkably compact, hand-friendly design. Developed for listeners who want true audiophile sound without carrying a large DAP, the PD5 combines an advanced Octa-DAC architecture, powerful headphone amplification, intelligent sound optimisation and up to 28 hours of battery life.

At the heart of the PD5 are eight Cirrus Logic CS43198 DACs, giving Astell&Kern the freedom to implement a switchable Quad-DAC / Octa-DAC Dual Drive Mode. In Quad-DAC mode, the PD5 delivers a natural, smooth presentation while maximising battery life. Switch to Octa-DAC mode when you want maximum detail, dynamic range and channel separation – with up to 8 Vrms of balanced output power.

Key Features

• Eight Cirrus Logic CS43198 DACs
• Switchable Quad-DAC / Octa-DAC architecture
• Up to 8 Vrms balanced output
• Up to 28 hours of playback in Quad-DAC mode
• PCM playback up to 32-bit/384 kHz
• Native DSD256 support
• EnviroTune adaptive environmental sound optimisation
• ESA (Enhanced Signal Alignment) technology
• Astell&Kern TERATON ALPHA audio architecture
• Digital Audio Remaster (DAR)
• Four selectable DAC filters
• Configurable Crossfeed
• ReplayGain
• Roon Ready
• Qobuz Connect
• Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4/5 GHz)
• Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC, LHDC and aptX HD
• 64 GB internal storage
• microSD support up to 1.5 TB
• 4.1-inch 720 × 1280 touchscreen
• Compact aluminium body weighing approximately 198 g
• 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced headphone outputs
• USB-C for charging and PC/Mac connectivity

Eight DACs for Maximum Musical Fidelity

The PD5’s sophisticated Octa-DAC configuration uses eight CS43198 DAC chips to achieve exceptional channel separation, dynamic range and low distortion. With support for PCM up to 32-bit/384 kHz and native DSD256, the PD5 is designed to extract every last detail from high-resolution recordings.

The switchable DAC architecture makes the PD5 unusually versatile. Quad-DAC mode provides up to 28 hours of playback and a natural, smooth sound, while Octa-DAC mode unlocks the player’s maximum performance, delivering up to 8 Vrms through the balanced output.

Intelligent Sound with EnviroTune

One of the PD5’s most innovative features is EnviroTune, Astell&Kern’s intelligent environmental sound-tuning technology.

A built-in microphone continuously analyses ambient noise and identifies frequencies that are being masked by your surroundings. The PD5 then automatically compensates for those frequencies, helping to preserve musical detail without simply increasing the overall volume.

Whether you’re listening on a train, walking through a busy city or relaxing at home, EnviroTune adapts the sound to your environment.

ESA and TERATON ALPHA

Astell&Kern has also equipped the PD5 with its proprietary ESA (Enhanced Signal Alignment) technology. ESA is designed to minimise group delay by aligning frequency signals more precisely, helping to reduce timing-related distortion and produce a cleaner, more coherent presentation.

It works alongside TERATON ALPHA, Astell&Kern’s established audio architecture for reducing power noise, optimising power efficiency and maintaining a stable amplification and signal-conversion path.

Refine the Sound to Your Taste

The PD5 gives you plenty of control over the final sound. Its Digital Audio Remaster (DAR) technology can upsample PCM material to higher sample rates, while DSD material can be played in its native format. DAR can be switched on or off according to your preference.

Four selectable DAC filters provide additional options for shaping the sonic character, from enhanced bass response and a powerful, dynamic presentation to a more natural and relaxed acoustic character.

A configurable Crossfeed function is also available, creating a more speaker-like presentation by blending a small amount of each channel into the opposite channel. ReplayGain can automatically normalise volume between tracks for a more consistent listening experience.

Built for Everyday Audiophile Listening

Despite its extensive technology, the PD5 remains exceptionally compact. Its curved 4.1-inch 720 × 1280 touchscreen and aluminium body are designed around Astell&Kern’s “Grip Control” concept, making the player comfortable to hold and operate with one hand.

At approximately 198 grams, the PD5 is light enough for everyday portable use while retaining the solid feel expected from an Astell&Kern DAP.

The player includes 64 GB of internal storage and supports microSD cards up to 1.5 TB, making it suitable for even extensive high-resolution music libraries.

Streaming, Roon and Wireless Connectivity

Dual-band Wi-Fi enables high-resolution streaming and Roon Ready network functionality. The PD5 also supports Qobuz Connect, allowing you to control playback directly from the Qobuz app while maintaining high-resolution audio quality.

Bluetooth 5.3 provides wireless connectivity with support for LDAC, LHDC, aptX HD, SBC and AAC. The PD5 can also operate as a Bluetooth Sink, allowing music from an external Bluetooth source to be streamed to the player for playback through its high-quality DAC and amplifier section.

Up to 28 Hours of Music

With its 4,000 mAh battery, the PD5 is designed for genuinely long listening sessions. In Quad-DAC mode, Astell&Kern specifies up to 28 hours of playbackunder its standard test conditions. Charging via USB-C with PD 3.0 takes approximately 2.5 hours.

Specifications

 

General Specifications
Model	PD5
Body Color	Silver
Body Material	Aluminum
Display	4.1-inch 720 × 1280 touchscreen
Supported Audio Formats	WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF
Sample Rate	PCM: 8 kHz – 384 kHz (8/16/24/32-bit per sample) DSD Native: DSD64 (1-bit / 2.8 MHz), DSD128 (1-bit / 5.6 MHz), DSD256 (1-bit / 11.2 MHz), Stereo
Decoding	Up to 32-bit / 384 kHz Bit-to-Bit playback
CPU	Octa-Core
DAC	8 × Cirrus Logic CS43198 (Octa-DAC)
DAC Mode	Switchable Quad-DAC / Octa-DAC
Input	USB Type-C input (Charging & PC/Mac)
Outputs	Unbalanced Out (3.5 mm) Balanced Out (4.4 mm, 5-pole only)
Output Level	Quad-DAC: Unbalanced 3 Vrms / Balanced 6 Vrms (no load) Octa-DAC: Unbalanced 4 Vrms / Balanced 8 Vrms (no load)
Wi-Fi	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3 (A2DP, AVRCP, Qualcomm aptX HD, LDAC, LHDC, SBC, AAC)
Dimensions	69.7 × 119.7 × 16.1 mm (W × H × D)
Weight	Approx. 198 g
Firmware Upgrade	Supported (OTA)
Operating Temperature	0 °C – 40 °C (32 °F – 104 °F)
Audio Specifications
Frequency Response	±0.011 dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz), Unbalanced ±0.011 dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz), Balanced ±0.130 dB (20 Hz – 70 kHz), Unbalanced ±0.143 dB (20 Hz – 70 kHz), Balanced
S/N Ratio	125 dB @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced 129 dB @ 1 kHz, Balanced
Crosstalk	-145 dB @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced -147 dB @ 1 kHz, Balanced
THD+N	0.0006% @ 1 kHz, Unbalanced 0.0006% @ 1 kHz, Balanced
IMD SMPTE	0.0003% (800 Hz / 10 kHz, 4:1), Unbalanced 0.0001% (800 Hz / 10 kHz, 4:1), Balanced
Output Impedance	3.5 mm Unbalanced: 0.6 Ω 4.4 mm Balanced: 1.2 Ω
Clock Source
Clock Jitter	25 ps (Typ.)
Reference Clock Jitter	250 femtoseconds
Storage Capacity
Built-in Memory	64 GB (NAND)
External Memory	microSD × 1 (up to 1.5 TB)
Battery
Battery Capacity	4,000 mAh / 3.8 V Li-Polymer
Charge Time	Approx. 2.5 hours (PD 3.0 charging)
Playback Time	Approx. 28 hours (FLAC, 16-bit / 44.1 kHz, Volume 50, Quad-DAC, LCD off)
Supported Operating Systems
Windows	Windows 8, 10, 11 (32/64-bit)
Mac	Mac OS X 10.7