A player that adapts sound to hearing and amplifier operation
Astell&Kern PD20 combines four ESS ES9027PRO DACs with Personal Sound, three selectable amplifier classes and a dedicated physical control for tonal adjustment.
It is not simply a successor to PD10. Its defining theme is personalisation: a hearing test creates a separate profile for the left and right ear, while the Sound Master Wheel adjusts bass, midrange and treble over 160 steps. Amplification can also be switched between Class A, Class AB and Hybrid operation.
Key features
- Quad ESS ES9027PRO DAC configuration.
- Audiodo Personal Sound with dedicated hearing test.
- Sound Master Wheel with 160-step EQ adjustment.
- Three amplifier modes: Class A, Class AB and Hybrid.
- Class A current adjustable through High, Mid and Low settings.
- 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm outputs, up to 10 Vrms balanced.
- PCM up to 32-bit/768 kHz, native DSD512 and Advanced DAR.
- 256 GB internal storage, microSD up to 2 TB and up to 14 hours stated playback.
Personal Sound measures before equalising
The Audiodo profile starts with a hearing test and compensates the two channels independently. The equaliser and Sound Master Wheel then operate on that foundation, with each band adjustable from -8 to +8 dB. This differs from a conventional preset because correction begins with the user's measured hearing characteristics.
Three AMP classes and adjustable current
Class A prioritises high-current operation, Class AB balances efficiency with dynamics, and Hybrid combines aspects of both. In Class A and Hybrid, current can be selected at three further levels: Low is useful with sensitive IEMs, while High provides greater energy for more demanding headphones.
More output than PD10, a different idea from KANN
With 5 Vrms unbalanced and 10 Vrms balanced, PD20 has substantial output reserve. KANN ULTRA goes further, reaching 16 Vrms, and is focused primarily on drive capability; PD20 instead adds hearing-based personalisation, selectable amplifier classes and physical controls intended for shaping sound while listening.
