Dan Clark Audio EXPANSE Review: Interview, Measurements, Impressions

[theveterans]

Also, I can't shake the feeling that the HE series sound kind of "plasticy" in mids. I especially hear this after switching between them and my speakers or Odin IEMs.

Get the Susvara and never hear plastiky mids again. Expanse is a more colored version of Susvara tonally and also has no plasticky mids either. Stealth OTOH is the drier version of Susvara with no plastiky mids as well

 

[PoSR77]

Get the Susvara and never hear plastiky mids again. Expanse is a more colored version of Susvara tonally and also has no plasticky mids either. Stealth OTOH is the drier version of Susvara with no plastiky mids as well

Thank you for this.

1: I refuse to spend that much on a headphone. I want to look in the $2k-4k range. I will not buy used either (B stock maybe).

2: I want to get away from the HiFi man "house" sound. Try a new brand.

3: What do you mean by the Expanse being more colored? How?

Thanks!

 

[theveterans]

Thank you for this.

1: I refuse to spend that much on a headphone. I want to look in the $2k-4k range. I will not buy used either (B stock maybe).

2: I want to get away from the HiFi man "house" sound. Try a new brand.

3: What do you mean by the Expanse being more colored? How?

Thanks!

No problem!

1) Modhouse Tungsten double magnets or DCA E3 would be the sweetspot for me in the 2K price range. But I'll have a feeling you'll love the Tunsgten since it has Susvara-like treble where it's the most refined treble you'll ever have at its price range.
2) DCA IMHO is the studio monitor version of the Hifiman house sound. If want something far away, I'd suggest Audeze or ZMF Caldera or Tungsten.
3) Expanse has thicker mids than Susvara while Stealth is close to Hifiman but drier. E3 is in between Stealth and Expanse with once again a sharper lower treble than Stealth, Expanse and Susvara similar to HE1000SE.

 

[PoSR77]

No problem!

1) Modhouse Tungsten double magnets or DCA E3 would be the sweetspot for me in the 2K price range. But I'll have a feeling you'll love the Tunsgten since it has Susvara-like treble where it's the most refined treble you'll ever have at its price range.
2) DCA IMHO is the studio monitor version of the Hifiman house sound. If want something far away, I'd suggest Audeze or ZMF Caldera or Tungsten.
3) Expanse has thicker mids than Susvara while Stealth is close to Hifiman but drier. E3 is in between Stealth and Expanse with once again a sharper lower treble than Stealth, Expanse and Susvara similar to HE1000SE.

Thanks for this, very helpful.

1. I barely know of the Modhouse; I'll look into it more so thanks for that! I like airy and extended treble, and I generally don't have trouble with too much treble.

2. Ah, so you're saying that DCA's "house" sound is more reference than Hifiman? Interesting, since what I've read about the Expanse seems to say that it's more fun/warm than others like Hifiman. Hence part of why I'm looking at it. But I'm not scared of a "reference" sound; the Odin is often criticized for being too neutral, clinical, or "boring" but I find it fun, musical, and yet very accurate. From what I know about Audeze they seem too dark for me, and ZMF seems too warm/unresolving/relaxed (I have the Auteur and am unimpressed, so I'm not looking to try them again).

3. Thicker, or warmer, mids sounds good, as I find the Hifiman mids kind of thin/hard or not as "natural" or rich as I'd like, though my Oor adds heft to them. Thanks for the short breakdown between the models! I'm primarily interesting in the Expanse from the bit of background research I've done on the different models. I'm really interested in the descriptions of its sub bass that is present, but refined. Sounds just like the bass of the Odin that I love.

Thanks so much again!

 

[steve468]

Personally, I hear the Expanse as quite a bit warmer than the Susvara. There is A LOT of midbass in the Expanse. And yet technically, it is on par...just such a different sound. Like 2 ends of the TOTL spectrum. To me, Caldera is in the middle of the two in terms of tonality.

 

[PoSR77]

Personally, I hear the Expanse as quite a bit warmer than the Susvara. There is A LOT of midbass in the Expanse. And yet technically, it is on par...just such a different sound. Like 2 ends of the TOTL spectrum. To me, Caldera is in the middle of the two in terms of tonality.

The more I research about the Expanse, the more I'm seeing midbass emphasis mentioned. For me, that's a good thing; at least for a contrast with my HE1000xxx cans.

It also seems the bass doesn't roll off sharply so you get some nice sub bass too. Love the sub bass on my Odins, and it'd be nice to have something similar in full sized open backs, but maybe that doesn't exist yet, at least with a full sized can that is also highly technical/resolving (that's much more important to me than just full sized bass canons; I like bass, but I'm not a bass head and I'll take tonal balance, resolution, clarity, etc. over bass).

But, for certain music, I miss that tactile rumble. For instance, I'm listening to some late 80's Andy Summer's tracks that have some nice generally subtle synth bass with the HE1000 stealths, and though there is some bass impact or tactility, I can tell I'm missing a lot. When I switch to the Odins, then the bass is fully satisfying (without being overly done).

But, at least to me, IEMs just can't compete with full sized cans in so many categories, so I tend to only use them for more "portable" use (outside on the patio/gazebo, in bed when there can be no sound leakage due to my partner, etc).

Maybe I should just mess with EQ for my HE1000 stealths (I'm not one who has messed with EQ much yet; when I have I have just tended to get wonky results) to up their sub bass and call it a day. Still, there are other issues with their tonality/presentation (including things you can't EQ away like dynamics) that I'm curious about other cans addressing.

Anyway, sorry for the semi thread hijack and thanks for listening.

 

[steve468]

Subjectively, I love the bass presentation of the Expanse. The best electric bass I ever heard in real life was at a medium-sized venue, hosting the Steven Wilson band with Nick Beggs on bass. Not only the tactility of the bass, but how clear, detailed, deep, fat and HUGE it was. The only headphone that's come close to reproducing that type of sound was the Expanse.

Mind you, my ears seem to be fortuitously getting more sensitive as I get older, so that sounds even from headphones have more "impact" to me. I can't say everyone will have the same experience of the Expanse, and it seems a lot don't.

I'll listen to some Andy Summers and report back (as if I need a reason to listen to Andy Summers!)

 

[PoSR77]

That sounds like just what I'm looking for!

No need to listen on my behalf (but yea, good stuff!); it was just an example.

In any case, I'm very much just researching, or even just kind of contemplating, and months (or longer) away from any purchase of any new headphone. I may very well just stick to what I have anyway. I finally messed with the EQ on my RME and that did improve things noticeably (more bass/excitement/impact/dynamics) with the HE1000 stealth.


EDIT: Fwiw, here's a few of the tracks from Summer's that I noticed, or should notice, good sub bass on. I know these are hardly "bass head" tracks (especially the LOUDLY mastered stuff from the 90's on with a low DR), but they have surprising rumbling and extended bass that should be easy to notice with the right transducers (and amps), even at low/modest volumes. With more "bass restrained" transducers, you'll hear this bass, but not feel it (yes, I think in a certain way you can feel bass with IEMs/headphones), and it will also sound somewhat light and just overall less satisfying. Obviously bass heavy tracks will make about any decent transducer sound at least "fake powerful" in the bass category; but it takes more subtle bassy tracks like these to test the true bass capability of transducers imo.

 

[LCMusicLover]

Anyone compare these with the HE1000 Stealth?

I did compare vs HEK.SE which is a different animal. Is that useful info?

 

[PoSR77]

I did compare vs HEK.SE which is a different animal. Is that useful info?

Sure, as they have the same house or brand sound as others in the HE series.

 

[LCMusicLover]

Sure, as they have the same house or brand sound as others in the HE series.

I still own both, so I'll refresh my brain and let you know tonight.

 

[PoSR77]

I still own both, so I'll refresh my brain and let you know tonight.

Thanks! That will be helpful.

You can PM me if you don't want to post here, but perhaps others could benefit from a comparison as well (you never know who's lurking or will read something in the future).

 

[speCD]

I like the combination of the minitube with the Expanse, using a balanced output, it's much better, the bass is also great, with a realistic texture,
With the power base it's even better,
I'm not saying it's better than a 'full' desktop amp, but it's a great and addicting combo,
Now I can listen to Expanse in different places and even in bed...

Got a balanced cable with 4.4mm termination. I can confirm that the woo tube mini drives the Expanse pretty well using the balanced output. Surprisingly resolving, dynamic, yet forgiving.

 

[rsbrsvp]

I bought a used expanse- and I LOVE it. THe owner before seemingly had a bigger head than me and the headphone is slightly stretched out. I feel it is slightly loose due to this and I need pressure on the ears for a more snug fit. I tried to bend the hedband wires inward- but doesnt seem to do much. Any ideas on how I can increase that pressure a bit on the ears by tightening the headband?

THanks........ any advice appreciated

 

[dougq]

I bought a used expanse- and I LOVE it. THe owner before seemingly had a bigger head than me and the headphone is slightly stretched out. I feel it is slightly loose due to this and I need pressure on the ears for a more snug fit. I tried to bend the hedband wires inward- but doesnt seem to do much. Any ideas on how I can increase that pressure a bit on the ears by tightening the headband?

THanks........ any advice appreciated

The expanse is pretty loose to begin with. I doubt it was stretched. Contact DCA and they will send you a kit to add more clamp to it.