Portable Class A amplification without an integrated DAC
Astell&Kern AK PA10 is a portable analogue Class A headphone amplifier designed to sit between a source and a pair of headphones or IEMs.
It performs no digital conversion and does not replace a DAP: an analogue signal enters through 3.5 mm or 4.4 mm and is then amplified. Its distinctive feature is separate control over current, gain and Crossfeed, allowing the amplifier behaviour to be adapted to headphones with different sensitivities and demands.
Key features
- Analogue Class A headphone amplification.
- Class-A Current Control with High, Mid and Low settings.
- Two gain levels: High Gain and Low Gain.
- 4.4 mm True Balanced input and output.
- 3.5 mm unbalanced input and output.
- Adjustable Crossfeed for a presentation closer to loudspeaker listening.
- TERATON ALPHA technology applied to power and amplifier design.
- Internal battery for portable use with DAPs and analogue sources.
Adjustable current rather than gain alone
The Current control changes the amount of bias current used by the Class A stage through three settings. Low is useful with sensitive IEMs and reduces consumption, while Mid and High increase available current for headphones that need greater energy. Gain remains an independent adjustment.
True Balanced from input to output
The 4.4 mm connection preserves a fully balanced signal path when the source also provides balanced output. A 3.5 mm input and output are provided as well, allowing PA10 to work in portable systems based on conventional unbalanced cabling.
When to choose it over HB1 and the HC models
HB1, HC2, HC3 and HC4 include a DAC and accept digital audio directly. PA10 instead makes sense when the source already has a strong conversion stage but more analogue drive control is needed, particularly with headphones that benefit from Class A operation and additional current reserve.
