I tried out the Expanse at The Source AV on the Woo Audio WA22 tube amp, with my Walkman ZX707 as the DAC. I also listened to the Stealth on that same chain. Compared to the Stealth, the Expanse has more bass, particularly in the midbass, which helps counteract the softer impact/dynamics, particularly at lower listening volumes. The Expanse seems to suffer the least from the "Dan Clark timbre" that all of his headphones exhibit (I've heard the Aeon 2 Closed/Noire, the Stealth, the Ether 2, and the Corina too). I personally think the Expanse is the best of the 5 Dan Clark headphones I've tried.
It's possible that the tube amp was helping out the Expanse by adding some nice distortion. I didn't hear it on any other chain though. Somehow, the Stealth sounded a bit better on the WA22 compared to the Chord Hugo TT2, so I'm guessing the same relation would exist with the Expanse.
To be clear, I was just talking tonality. There are big differences between Empyrean & both DCAs — headstage & imaging as well as bass quality top that list.
I just received the aune s17 pro, I am convinced that it is a great value for the price,
Many say he is really surprising,
Out of the box, on a short initial listen, it sounds good with the Expanse,
I will report in detail later.
From a clarity standpoint, it's in the best of all class range. Tonality wise, it's so smooth without over smoothing detail. For me, and what I listen to, it is just really good.
Yeah, I love my Expanse. If I had to keep only one headphone it would probably be the Expanse.
CA-1a and X9000 are also in the running but Expanse gets bonus points for not needing any transformer boxes or EQ, it's the one I can just plug in and enjoy the most.
Yeah, I love my Expanse. If I had to keep only one headphone it would probably be the Expanse.
CA-1a and X9000 are also in the running but Expanse gets bonus points for not needing any transformer boxes or EQ, it's the one I can just plug in and enjoy the most.
I really like the CA-1a and have been on the fence with the two. They both check a lot of the same boxes and one has to go. But I think ultimately I'm giving the edge the Expanse. Same level of resolution, but with a bit better overall tonality and clarity in the Expanse's favor. I think the CA-1a has a slight advantage bass wise, but it still doesn't make up for just how good the Expanse sounds. Took a while to get to this point, but it's pretty clear to me now.
I really like the CA-1a and have been on the fence with the two. They both check a lot of the same boxes and one has to go. But I think ultimately I'm giving the edge the Expanse. Same level of resolution, but with a bit better overall tonality and clarity in the Expanse's favor. I think the CA-1a has a slight advantage bass wise, but it still doesn't make up for just how good the Expanse sounds. Took a while to get to this point, but it's pretty clear to me now.
I agree they're similar but the CA-1a does two important things for me which means I keep them around. The bass as you mention, specifically the way it impacts. And the openness as in the sensation of there actually being nothing on my ears.
The CA-1a has that openness because of the cups with literal holes in them but the Expanse does not thanks to the AMTS making it feel (not sound) more closed. The way the CA-1a both sounds/feels completely open yet hits hard in the bass is a combo I've yet to find elsewhere. The X9000 has the same openness but not quite as much impact. I've put on some EDM songs on the CA-1a and it gave the sensation that the bass was actually coming from my room, as if the walls were the cone of the subwoofer. It was impressive. Spatial audio effects from the Steelseries GG app aided this "room bass" effect as well, as I've mentioned around here before, that's a fun app to play with.
Oh and I'd only be able to sell the CA-1a for "just" $1500. When most of my headphones would sell for $2k plus, it seems like less motivation to sell the CA-1a.
By the way, have you written down your thoughts on Expanse vs Susvara anywhere? Would love to read that after I AB test with mine. I bought a Susvara recently specifically just to test against Expanse and then sell one. They both fight over that same neutral timbre all around good slot in my collection. I just had this irksome thought in the back of my mind that I might prefer the way Susvara does that over the Expanse so I had to get one and try. I've yet to come to a conclusion. Waiting to AB until my PSM156 arrives this week so I know I have the cleanest baseline. Electricity in my house has been getting worse.
Expanse has much better Bass and smoother treble.
Compared to the Susvara it feels slightly subdued. Susvara, while being neutral for a Hifiman still has a lot of treble.
Susvara sounds more spacious.
Love the Expanse with my R800i amp that's a similar 300B + 6SN7 layout. In fact I think that was the first amp I fully heard the potential of the Expanse on, I had the R800i before I had the Bliss (which also drives the Expanse to its fullest)
I just received the aune s17 pro, I am convinced that it is a great value for the price,
Many say he is really surprising,
Out of the box, on a short initial listen, it sounds good with the Expanse,
I will report in detail later.
I connected the Expanse to the s17 pro with the dac being crane song solaris,
Sublime sound, crazy detail and resolution, realism, a huge stage, it puts you right 'there' with the music,
I understand where you can take the Expanse,
These are headphones with huge potential,
I fear (cautiously) that I like this combination more than my favorite oor...
Oh and I'd only be able to sell the CA-1a for "just" $1500. When most of my headphones would sell for $2k plus, it seems like less motivation to sell the CA-1a.
Same level of resolution, but with a bit better overall tonality and clarity in the Expanse's favor. I think the CA-1a has a slight advantage bass wise, but it still doesn't make up for just how good the Expanse sounds. Took a while to get to this point, but it's pretty clear to me now.
I find both the Stealth and Expanse to be a significant step up in clarity, and with slightly better resolution. Even the bass I find better on Expanse, but this is only since getting the HM1. I actually found the Raal to hit harder and be slightly better on the Oor stack.
Can't tell if the Raal need more voltage than the HM1 has or if it was just that the DCA cans need more current than the Oor had.
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