[xirxes]

anybody try the stealth on cayin c9 transportable yet?

Didn't even know about this beast! I don't go mobile that often or i may have gone this way, but i do still like that the Diablo has 4.4 line out option separate from HP out

I'm sure it probably has the better sound between the two, even has a bit more power at 2.6W/channel @ 32ohm vs 2.48 on the diablo, might be close thouigh!

 

[Nomax]

What's the max power from a Dave? and is it enough?

No

NOMAX

 

[DarginMahkum]

What's the max power from a Dave? and is it enough?

https://chordelectronics.co.uk/product/dave

Hugo TT2:

 

[OneEyedHito]

I’ve gotten several hours in on the Stealth now and the last several on a Dave/Mscaler combo. My take on them hasn’t changed much that they are polite and articulate while being a bit underwhelming for the price but that brings me to the psychology of high end headphones. I believe I expect too much from them in general, I expect everything at a certain price point to sound like a Susvara with its overall perfect (not awe inducing but perfect) presentation for all genres I listen to, the Diana V2 (which is my current favorite for edm of all sorts) or like a 1266 with its ”holy cow this is an EXPERIENCE”. I ultimately think that for me expecting AAA video game like immersion or experiences from headphones for 2 channel music is a bit out of reality at this point.

I say all of this while listening to the Stealth (on the Chord combo versus my R2R Dac (spring 2 kte) with the Ferrum Oor) in direct comparison and I have to say that for me the Stealth offer great isolation and their sound bests the Empyrean to my ears but doesn’t come all that close to the other three for an experience. For a daily driver yes they’re a good fit on sound and isolation but not for the money garnered today. So I need to reset my sound expectations while also my wallet expectations that these prices are here to stay from all mfgrs for their TOTL cans.

This all takes me to the thought that what I really need to be doing is comparing headphones all within each manufactures line to determine if their top-of-the-line is truly the best sound per dollar for me. This might well be DCA’s best and TOTL and a better comparison going forward.

 

[DarginMahkum]

I’ve gotten several hours in on the stealth now and the last several on a Dave/Mscaler combo. My take on them hasn’t changed much that they are polite and articulate while being a bit underwhelming for the price but that brings me to the psychology of high end headphones. I believe I expect too much from them in general, I expect everything at a certain price point to sound like a Susvara with its overall perfect (not awe inducing but perfect) presentation for all genres I listen to, the Diana V2 (which is my current favorite for edm of all sorts) or like a 1266 with its ”holy cow this is an EXPERIENCE”. I ultimately think that for me expecting AAA video game like immersion or experiences from headphones for 2 channel music is a bit out of reality at this point.

I say all of this while listening to the Stealth (on the Chord combo versus my R2R Dac (spring 2 kte) with the Ferrum Oor) in direct comparison and I have to say that for me the Stealth offer great isolation and their sound bests the Empyrean to my ears but doesn’t come all that close to the other two for an experience. For a daily driver yes their a good fit on sound and isolation but not for the money garnered today. So I need to reset my sound expectations while also my wallet expectations that these prices are hear to stay and they are across the board from all mfgrs for their TOTL cans.

This all takes me to the thought that what I really need to do is be comparing headphones all within each manufactures line to determine if their top-of-the-line is truly the best sound per dollar for me. This might well be DCA’s best and TOTL and a better comparison going forward.

For what kind of music and what makes you go WOW in a HP experience?

 

[OneEyedHito]

For what kind of music and what makes you go WOW in a HP experience?

With the Susvara anything recorded well with great acoustic guitar and then also tracks with great vocals. For the 1266 a ton of Soundtrack stuff and EDM/Ambient, for the Diana V2 I don't know if there is so much of a wow as a I could listen to electronic based music through these all day and enjoy the bass and detail both. The Stealth are a good headphone, better to my ears than the Stellia but dollars to donuts I would say they are swimming in the deep end of the pool and not treading water for me. I also reserve the right to change my opinion on all headphones I comment on including the Stealth and if I could score these for $2500-3Kish on the secondary market I would add them to my stable.

 

[xirxes]

With the Susvara anything recorded well with great acoustic guitar and then also tracks with great vocals. For the 1266 a ton of Soundtrack stuff and EDM/Ambient, for the Diana V2 I don't know if there is so much of a wow as a I could listen to electronic based music through these all day and enjoy the bass and detail both. The Stealth are a good headphone, better to my ears than the Stellia but dollars to donuts I would say they are swimming in the deep end of the pool and not treading water for me. I also reserve the right to change my opinion on all headphones I comment on including the Stealth and if I could score these for $2500-3Kish on the secondary market I would add them to my stable.

And if you had a hard line requirement for Closed cans like some of us do? Does your experience with Stealth put them top of summit fi heap?

 

[jlbrach]

I've heard many, including Dan himself, make the case for M-scaler/TT2 over the Dave for pairing with the Stealth. Cannot recall why exactly.

only reason would be that the tt2 has more output power...otherwise dave is clearly better IMHO

 

[elira]

anybody try the stealth on cayin c9 transportable yet?

It's decent, but I think it struggles a bit, with other headphones it's on par of desktop amplifiers but with the Stealth it's somewhat lacking.

 

[OneEyedHito]

And if you had a hard line requirement for Closed cans like some of us do? Does your experience with Stealth put them top of summit fi heap?

Yes it does!

 

[DarginMahkum]

I wonder how many of that “not as good” comments are not actually about the treble extension. All of Rögnir, TC, Susvara and Diana have much more >10kHz energy. Diana has the least, TC has the most and Susvara has 5 to 10 dB more.

 

[newworld666]

Yesterday, I could use the Stealth in 4hours time trains and basically Isolation is rather consistent, so it makes possible to enjoy a high SQ though a high ambient noise without being obliged to push the volume to a dangerous sound pressure for the ears. I got some discomfort after a rather long time keeping the Stealth on my head, but not worse than my Sony Z7M2, Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas or even HEDDphone One(at home). My ears don't touch any parts of the pads (like Ultrasone Ed15) or somtimes the cups (like my Z7M2). Weight is definitely not an issue (but the 700g of the HEDDphone one is not an issue either for me).

I tried also some other chifi portable amps like Xduoo XD-05+ (2x1W@32ohms SE), Hifi MQ1S(2W@32ohms Balanced) and none could provide a clean sound on most low and ultra low frequencies in a track from Max Richter "Cradle To The Grave" like the M8V2 can't do too (Of Course Sony WM1A, Fiio M11 and A&K Kann Alpha can't manage to offer clean low frequencies too in many other cases).
Till now, the only portable amp which managed to be clean and powerful enough (when needed with some DSD in bit perfect mode) on all tracks is the Less BX2+ (2x3W @32ohms). I have still some hopes with Fiio M17 or Ampersand before Christmas to be powerful enough and still with a decent battery life with the Stealth

I would say, it's the first time I can use a headphone which doesn't need any EQ and can be used everywhere I want with a top end SQ !!!!
The A&K Kann Alpha manage to be usable most of the time at a comfortable sound level, but it is lost when power is really needed (clipping, hisses and distortion). The Less BX2+ has almost no fail in any situations, but it is definitely bulky, not attractive at all, with a really short battery life (3hours with the Stealth), but can be plugged to an external power bank like Samsung EB-U3300 10000mha while playing.

It's pity, but I have no mind to try the WOO WA11, as I still doubt it has a real chance to be powerful enough like the BX2+ is, and probably, in such small box, the battery life must be rather anorexic too when drained by a DCA Stealth.

It's less than one week I am using the DCA Stealth (more or less 15 hours) ... I am already nearly sure it's a keeper, though it seems to be overpriced, but it will probably replace my Ultrasone Ed15 Veritas though it's bulkier, heavier, hard to drive on the way (but not impossible). The Stealth has a really high SQ without any EQ and it is still a real closed headphone which is compatible with using it on the way (Planes, Trains, Hotel) or at home when we are not alone in a living room. There is probably no alternative on the market that can be as versatile as the DCA Stealth in such a range of SQ. That's pity, it's a 4100€ ticket to acquire such toy (though it's not worse than acquiring a good bicycle, a motorbike, a quad bike, a jet-ski, aski-doo, an 8K Oled TV, etc etc ....)

 

[tunes]

It's okay to not like the Stealth, it's a matter of preferences. You don't have to confirm your purchase or dislike by the number of people whom returned them.

My friends returned Susvaras, Utopias, 1266 TCs, Verities and more. That doesn't mean they're bad headphones, but that their signatures and qualities did not align with the listener's preferences. Me, I don't return stuff, I collect instead. Yes, I have a problem.

Has anyone compared the two closed backs DCS Stealth vs ZMF Verite Closed? I am a female vocals and Jazz person. I am not a bass head. I like the most expansive stage with best micro-detail and treble shimmer without sibilance. Any thoughts of $ not an issue. Need isolation from wife factor. How do they compare to Susvara?

 

[DarginMahkum]

With the Susvara anything recorded well with great acoustic guitar and then also tracks with great vocals. For the 1266 a ton of Soundtrack stuff and EDM/Ambient, for the Diana V2 I don't know if there is so much of a wow as a I could listen to electronic based music through these all day and enjoy the bass and detail both. The Stealth are a good headphone, better to my ears than the Stellia but dollars to donuts I would say they are swimming in the deep end of the pool and not treading water for me. I also reserve the right to change my opinion on all headphones I comment on including the Stealth and if I could score these for $2500-3Kish on the secondary market I would add them to my stable.

This is a closed back headphone, and it is a well damped / tuned closed back to avoid distortions and resonances. I agree that Susvara is a well tuned and good sounding HP, but it has up to 8-9 dB bump compared to HT in the >10 kHz region:

It sound very nice and enjoyable for sure. Gives a more fresh, sparkly perception with depth and I sometimes add that to Stealth with EQ. But that is the tuning of it. Similar with HEKse. I would be careful comparing a treble bright headphone with a pretty HT neutral tuned one. For such a comparison, ignoring the closed and damped nature, I would always boost the >10 kHz to be a fair comparison.

Another thing is the stage. I compared it to HEKse, which has quite a big stage and good instrument separation, Stealth with its closed nature (though huge for a closed back) has a narower stage. But also that makes it possible to hear some instruments much clearer that fall very much in the background with HEKse.

But, I don’t listen to any electronic music, I don't need a slammy bass, I pretty much always use EQ to tune my own sound so I value tuning consistency that is without dips and spikes, more than out of the package average match for my liking.

I don't find it fair to compare a closed back neutral tuned headphone to an open back bright tuning. It is currently the best closed back in the market (I have or had Rögnir, Stellia, D9200 etc. ZMFs are something I would never consider buying).

 

[xirxes]

Has anyone compared the two closed backs DCS Stealth vs ZMF Verite Closed? I am a female vocals and Jazz person. I am not a bass head. I like the most expansive stage with best micro-detail and treble shimmer without sibilance. Any thoughts of $ not an issue. Need isolation from wife factor. How do they compare to Susvara?

All the comparisons you are looking for are here. Look back through the pages almost every A/B is there.