Astell&Kern HC5 | Portable DAC and Amp

Great sound!

Fantastic little DAC. I’m using it with an iPhone 15 Pro Max, Shure SE846, and Onkyo HF Player playing a library of ALAC files. The sound quality is outstanding with excellent detail, a wide soundstage, and a smooth, natural presentation. The DAR feature is a nice bonus, especially in DSD mode. Build quality is excellent and the interface is simple to use. My only complaint is that it draws power directly from the phone, so it does have a noticeable impact on battery life during longer listening sessions. Other than that, it’s an excellent portable DAC and an easy recommendation.

I’ve been using the HC5 for a while now and the sound quality is quite remarkable. It has that flagship depth and air you would usually expect from a much larger set-up. The sound stage is wide and holographic, making everything feel much more immersive than you would expect with a DAC dongle. The OLED screen and physical volume wheel are game changers for usability… It’s so much better to have that precise hardware control at your fingertips. I’m also a big fan of the DAR upsampling. It has a nice organic smoothness to the tracks that makes the whole experience feel more refined. If you’re looking for a serious portable DAC that doesn’t compromise power and detail hitting flagship level performance. This is definitely the one to get! On top of that, the service from Bloom Audio was top-notch. The shipping was incredibly fast and the personal touch they put in the packaging shows they really care about their customers. It’s easily my favorite place to pick up high-end gear.

Handy sound upgrade

Great enhancement to portable audio.