FiiO M17 vs KANN Alpha
January 20, 2022High-end DAPs are a fascinating value proposition. On the one hand, they’re often more expensive than a desktop system. On the other hand, they are a desktop system. And a portable system. And a streamer.
FiiO and Astell & Kern are two of the heaviest hitters in the DAP market, and so it’s likely that anyone entertaining the idea of buying a DAP is taking a close look at these brands. Two of their best offerings in the >$1,000 category are the FiiO M17 and Kann Alpha. How to choose! We know your pain. We created this guide to shed a little light on the dilemma and hopefully make things easier for you.
Putting it all on the table
Let’s put it all on the table (literally). Below is a comparison chart between the DAPs. We’ve highlighted the instances where one DAP has clearly bested the other.
| Category | FiiO M17 | Kann Alpha |
| Price | $1,799.99 | $1,099 |
| CPU | Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 | Quad core |
| DAC chip | ESS ES9038PRO x 2 | ESS ES9068AS x2 |
| Bluetooth version | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| MQA | Yes, 8x unfold | Yes, 8x unfold |
| Max sample rate | 32-bit/786kHz, DSD512 (Native) | 32-bit/384kHz, DSD256 |
| Screen size | 5.99” | 4.1” |
| USB port | USB Type-C 3.0, USB Type-C 2.0 | Type-C |
| Battery capacity | 9,200 mAh | 5,600mAh |
| Clock | NDK femtosecond crystal oscillator x2 | VCXO femtosecond clock |
| Max SNR | 123dB | 117dB |
| Max THD+N | <0.0007% | <0.0003% |
| Charging time | 4.5 hours | 3.5 hours |
| Total storage | 64GB | 64GB |
| Expansion storage | Up to 2TB | Up to 1TB |
| Gain modes | Low, medium, high | Low, medium, high |
| Outputs | 6.35mm headphone, 4.4mm balanced, 3.5mm headphone/line out, 2.5mm balanced, RCA coax | 3.5mm unbalanced, 3.5mm optical, 2.5mm balanced, 4.4mm balanced |
| Inputs | RCA coax, USB Type-C, USB 2.0 | USB Type-C |
| WiFi | 2.4GHz/5GHz | 2.4GHz |
As you’d expect, the FiiO M17, as the more expensive of the pair, claims the better specs and features. It has a larger screen, better decoding, faster processing, greater storage expansion, more outputs, bigger battery, and dual-band Wi-Fi. But those improvements cost more additional $700.
That said, the KANN Alpha isn’t a bad DAP. Far from it. Its dual ESS DAC chips boast great decoding performance, with low THD+N and high SNR. And although the Alpha has fewer outputs and inputs than the M17, it might have exactly the ones you need depending on your use case.
At the end of the day, the FiiO M17 does everything the Alpha does, just better. The question for you is: is that boost in performance worth the extra money? For many, the Kann Alpha will fulfill their DAP needs. But if you’re looking for a cost-no-object, sky-is-the-limit DAP, the FiiO M17 is the DAP you’re looking for.