Astell&Kern Stella IEM Earphones

Astell&Kern Stella IEM Earphones

The Astell&Kern STELLA IEMs are the result of a collaboration between Astell&Kern, VOLK Audio and Grammy-winning mastering engineer Michael Graves, created with a single goal: truthful sound reproduction. Built around a sophisticated 12-driver quadbrid architecture, STELLA combines a dynamic driver, balanced armatures, planar magnetic drivers and electrostatic tweeters into one coherent system. A dedicated six-way crossover carefully manages timing and phase alignment so each driver operates within its ideal range, delivering seamless integration from deep bass through to ultra-high frequencies.

This carefully tuned system produces a presentation that feels balanced, spacious and highly revealing. The hybrid low-frequency stage delivers weight and control, the tri-armature midrange brings natural vocal presence and detail, and the planar-electrostatic high-frequency system extends clarity and air well beyond the limits of traditional designs. The result is an immersive listening experience that reveals micro-detail and spatial cues while preserving musical coherence and realism.

The housings are engineered from aerospace-grade aluminium with stainless steel and sapphire crystal elements to maximise structural rigidity and minimise resonance. A premium 4.4mm balanced cable using a hybrid copper, silver and gold conductor blend completes the package, ensuring signal integrity and durability for long-term high-end listening.

Here is what Astell&Kern say about the Stella IEMs

VOLK Audio X Astell&Kern - A CONSTELLATION OF PURPOSE

STELLA is the result of three disciplines guided by a single pursuit of truth in sound. Astell&Kern represents the precision of modern engineering. VOLK Audio defines the architecture of design and acoustic form. Michael Graves brings the mastery of a five-time GRAMMY Award-winning engineer who understands the line between control and emotion.

Led by VOLK founder Jack Vang, whose decade of experience helped shape a generation of in-ear design, the project evolved through exchange and refinement. Each discipline strengthened the others, creating an instrument defined by proportion, balance, and restraint. Throughout development, the VOLK engineering team worked closely with Astell&Kern to advance both process and performance. New acoustic architectures and driver assemblies were created specifically for STELLA to achieve the precision and tonal balance defined in its target response. These innovations were refined and calibrated through extensive sessions with Michael Graves at Osiris Studio in Los Angeles. Each evaluation focused on tonal accuracy, phase alignment, and spatial coherence, ensuring that every decision served the music itself.

STELLA is built on a 12-driver quadbrid architecture that unites four transducer technologies within a single, coherent system. Each element was developed for its distinct role and tuned through precise control of phase, pressure, and motion. Its design reflects the same discipline that governs its form. Every contour, cavity, and circuit exists to serve acoustic integrity. The structure is shaped by performance, the performance defined by structure. Nothing is decorative, nothing is redundant. Every driver operates within its natural range, contributing its character without interference. No forced equalization. No artificial enhancement. Only precision through purpose.

Features

• Low Frequency Hybrid System (LF-H): VOLK M9-R Dynamic Driver + Sonion Dual Balanced Armatures
• Tri-Armature Midrange
• High Frequency Hybrid System (HF-H): Dual Planar Magnetic VOLK MP-2 Drivers + Sonion Quad Electrostatic Tweeters
• 6-Way Crossover Network with multi-stage internal damping and tuned chassis venting

LF-H – VOLK Low Frequency Hybrid System

The VOLK Low-Frequency Hybrid System (LF-H) serves as the starting point of STELLA’s multi-stage architecture, combining VOLK’s M9-R 9 mm subwoofer and dual balanced armatures within a dual-stage chamber designed to regulate phase and resonance. The chamber’s geometry, alignment, and crossover were co-developed to maintain phase accuracy and pressure balance between both stages. This coordination allows the dynamic driver to deliver depth and force while the armatures add speed, texture, and tonal structure across the lower band.

Operating from 20 to 600 Hz, the LF-H establishes a foundation of weight and control that defines STELLA’s composure and balance.

MID-RANGE ARCHITECTURE

STELLA’s midrange is formed around a tri-armature array tuned for tonal balance and natural presence. The dual balanced-armature drivers operate from 600 Hz to 7 kHz, voiced for energy and density in the 1–5 kHz range. They deliver warmth, articulation, and a vocal character that connects the low and high ranges with quiet precision.

Above them, a single armature extends from 6 to 15 kHz, overlapping to reinforce upper-mid harmonics and refine vocal and instrumental overtones. Its lightweight diaphragm and quick transient response preserve clarity and texture while integrating precisely with the planar and electrostatic systems above, maintaining linearity across the spectrum.

HF-H – High Frequency Hybrid System

The VOLK High-Frequency Hybrid System (HF-H) defines the upper range of STELLA’s architecture, combining VOLK’s MP-2 dual planar magnetic drivers with four electrostatic tweeters in a unified system. The crossover and acoustic topology were co-engineered to preserve phase accuracy and tonal stability across the transition between the planar and electrostatic assemblies. This balance allows the planars to shape upper harmonics with precision and control while the electrostatics extend bandwidth and atmosphere with speed and composure.

Operating from 9 to 45 kHz, the HF-H maintains coherence and clarity at the limits of extension, completing STELLA’s spectrum with authority and refinement.

Material-Design Engineering

	Shell Machined from aerospace-grade 6061-T6 aluminum and anodized in satin black, the shell forms the structural core of STELLA. It holds every acoustic element in precise alignment, maintaining stability between the driver assemblies and the enclosure. Its geometry is engineered for stiffness and resonance control. Internal mass and surface continuity stabilize the structure, reducing vibration and preserving acoustic accuracy. The alloy’s low density provides comfort while preserving strength and balance.
	Central Plate Machined from 6061-T6 aluminum and finished in satin black, the central plate forms the visual and structural centerpiece of STELLA. Positioned between the shell and the frame, it maintains geometric balance across the assembly. The VOLK and Astell&Kern insignias rest in opposition, each centered within its own field. The constellations surrounding them trace independent paths yet follow the same proportion and order. It is both ornament and structure — the expression of balance and craftsmanship that defines STELLA.
	Sapphire Crystal Glass Cut from a single block of optical-grade 9H sapphire crystal glass, the panel completes STELLA’s faceplate assembly, uniting the stainless-steel frame and central plate into a single, sealed structure. The surface is then diamond-polished to eliminate micro-distortion, achieving complete transparency and visual purity. The result is a structural lens of pure sapphire, engineered for rigidity, precision, and continuity of form
	Faceplate Frame The frame defines the structural boundary between the sapphire glass and the aluminum chassis, machined to micron precision from stainless steel. Each surface is polished to a mirror finish, reflecting the precision of its form and the materials it unites. Beyond structure, it regulates the interface between air and material. The venting architecture built into the frame equalizes internal pressure and suppresses resonance, maintaining balance across the entire acoustic system. Every edge, radius, and transition was modeled to direct light and form as one continuous surface.

VENT ARCHITECTURE

Machined into the aluminum shell and stainless-steel frame, the vent system regulates airflow throughout the enclosure. Its geometry equalizes internal pressure, stabilizing diaphragm motion and maintaining linear driver response. Each aperture is defined by depth, diameter, and damping profile to balance pressure relief and isolation. This prevents standing waves and suppresses low-frequency bloom while preserving the integrity of the acoustic chamber. The vents function as a unified pressure-control system, ensuring consistency between both channels and completing STELLA’s structural and acoustic equilibrium.

CROSSOVER DESIGN

Stella features a proprietary six-way network that preserves phase integrity and synergy across all driver groups. Each acoustic path is filtered and time-aligned to maintain spatial coherence and tonal stability through the full frequency spectrum.

Crafted Cable for Perfection

Designed as an integral part of STELLA’s acoustic system, the cable preserves signal integrity and linearity across the full range, maintaining equilibrium between structure and sound.

• 23.7 AWG, 4 Core Configuration
• Hybrid Conductor Array: 5N LCOFC Copper, 4N Silver and 24K Gold
• 12-Strand Litz Type 4S Geometry
• 500D Macro-Molecular Fiber Reinforcement Core
• SoftFlex PVC Insulation
• Midnight Black Braided Nylon Outer Jacket
• 6061-T6 Anodized Black Hardware with 316 Stainless Steel Mirror Polished Accents
• 4.4 AEC Balanced Termination

Components

• STELLA Earbud L/R
• Hybrid Conductor Array : 5N LCOFC Copper, 4N Silver and 24K Gold (2pin, 4.4mm)
• 3 Pairs of Silicone Ear Tips (S/M/L)
• 3 Pairs of Foam Ear Tips (S/M/L)
• IEM Pouch
• Cable Holder
• Leather Carrying Case x1

Specifications

• Model: STELLA
• Driver :
  • 1 × VOLK M9-R 9 mm Dynamic Driver
  • 5 × Sonion Balanced Armature Drivers
  • 2 × VOLK MP-2 Planar Magnetic Drivers
  • 4 × Sonion Electrostatic Tweeters
• Cable:
  • 23.7 AWG, 4 Core Configuration
  • Hybrid Conductor Array: 5N LCOFC Copper, 4N Silver and 24K Gold
  • 4.4 AEC Balanced Termination
• Materials & Finish:
  • 6061-T6 Aluminum Chassis, Bead-Blasted and Anodized Satin Black
  • 6061-T6 Aluminum Central Plate, Anodized Satin Black with a Diamond-Cut Mirror Finish Face
  • Sapphire Crystal Glass Panel, 9H
  • 316 Stainless-Steel Faceplate Frame, Mirror Polished
• CROSSOVER DESIGN: six-way
• Components: STELLA Earbud, 4.4mm Balanced Cable, Silicone Ear Tips, Foam Ear Tips, IEM Pouch, Cable Holder, Leather Carrying Case
• Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 45 kHz
• Sensitivity: 103.8 dB @ 1 kHz
• Impedance: 7.17 Ω @ 1 kHz

About Astell&Kern

Astell&Kern is the ultimate digital music source that brings you Mastering Quality Sound or MQS. Astell means ‘Stars’ in Latin and Kern means ‘Center’ in German. We believe Astell&Kern is the center of music.

Today, original music performances can be captured in digital almost exactly as they were performed due to new, advanced recording technology currently available. However, these high quality recordings are mainly listened to through inferior sound formats, such as MP3 or through streaming services. With the debut of the MP3 format, music lovers sacrificed sound quality for the convenience of being able to carry their music collection wherever they went. Because the MP3 format heavily compresses files for the sake of convenience, the vocals and instruments you hear are only an inferior version of the original. The soundstage and the ambience of the original performance often disappears when listening to compressed MP3 music. After pondering these issues, Astell&Kern was our solution to poor sound quality for the sake of portability, and our way in reviving the original sound quality of music, MQS, for music artists, recording engineers, and professionals.

Astell&Kern's pursuit is to provide natural and original sound without distortion. It showcases the presence of the original recording with miniscule details you may not have noticed from other music systems, while playing back high-resolution music bit by bit, exactly as it was recorded. The ability to play back the exact recording of any live performance is what Astell&Kern is known for.

The power of true sound from Astell&Kern can now be experienced and has been part of many famous audio exhibitions around the world. Astell&Kern is now admired by music lovers from many countries, including the USA, China, Japan, UK, France, and many more around the world.