[ra990]

I wouldn't do that if I was you, you don't want to make the drivers try and produce a signature they were not designed to.
Check with the manufacturer if its safe for you to boost the low end to match your bassy headphones on the bass department.

I don't know about this... I think Dan has mentioned previously that the AMTS actually makes EQ more effective. Of course, your warning about pushing the low end way beyond it's limits is valid. As long as you're not detecting any distortion with your EQ, I think it should be perfectly fine. Although, what I like about the DCA Stealth is that they're tuned so perfectly that EQ is not needed at all, imo.

 

[JLoud]

If you like alectronic music, check out the new Swedish House Mafia album. Pardise Again. One of those top to bottom enjoyable albums.

 

[duranxv]

I don't know about this... I think Dan has mentioned previously that the AMTS actually makes EQ more effective. Of course, your warning about pushing the low end way beyond it's limits is valid. As long as you're not detecting any distortion with your EQ, I think it should be perfectly fine. Although, what I like about the DCA Stealth is that they're tuned so perfectly that EQ is not needed at all, imo.

I EQ everything, lol. I have very particular ears (fortunately or unfortunately). I never owned a pair of headphones I didn't EQ, no matter what my chain has been.

There's no distortion from what I can tell, so I'm definitely not pushing it way beyond its limits. It's hands down the best headphone I've ever owned in terms of how it handles EQ.

 

[mrspeakers]

Damn listening to electronica/trance like music is fun again.
"Make electronica great again" - are these Dan's words?

ps. I missed days when I used to listen that kind of music. But with almost all high end headphones something was missing. Not anymore.

I love electronica, and acoustic. I really like the work of Zen Baboon, nice production!

I don't know about this... I think Dan has mentioned previously that the AMTS actually makes EQ more effective. Of course, your warning about pushing the low end way beyond it's limits is valid. As long as you're not detecting any distortion with your EQ, I think it should be perfectly fine. Although, what I like about the DCA Stealth is that they're tuned so perfectly that EQ is not needed at all, imo.

Yes, AMTS makes high-frequency EQ much easier. EQ can't solve the problem of nulls caused by standing waves, so no matter how much you adjust to cover these voids in the response curve a null stays a null. AMTS reduces the nulls considerably, and makes them shallower and lower-Q so EQ actually has a more predictable effect.

 

[benjamind2012]

This headphone has even less distortion than some amps.

 

[dougq]

Just got a pair. I probably am not going to be able to add much that other people have not already said but here are some initial notes:

• Hardest to drive headphones I own. Though still nothing that requires me to go into Hi-Power mode on my RME ADI-2 Dac FS. At the same time if I just want super clean and clear music on at a lower volume I like that I still get all the details. That is not the case with some of my other headphones.
• Overall comfort is great. Getting an optimal fit is finicky. Trying to get it to align and not break the seal on my lower jaw. Still trying to find the sweet spot.
• This is not unusual for headphones, especially closed back.. but glasses are not friendly to these. I actually had a similar problem with my VC. I solved this by going through different types of glasses (thin wireframe, etc etc). The biggest problem is how the arm creates space between your temple / ear area... regardless of thickness of the arm it still created excessive space to damage bass / sub bass. The best solution I found (which My wife makes fun of me for to this day) are glasses like these: Most Comfortable Gaming Glasses | Lightning Bolt Base - GUNNAR. It is basically like athletic glasses I used to wear as a kid. The nylon string or whatever hugs flush against my temple and along my ear and the pads meet little resistance to seal around it.
• I'm curious about what specific eq settings others have used. I bought and use my RME because I like to EQ all of my headphones to taste. On these I noticed on some other reviews that below 300hz you lose the bass I was talking about before.... and so I've added a basic shelf of +5db for that. I don't notice any negative impact but I'm curious if anyone has any feedback or specific corrections they have done. The bass on these headphones I find really detailed and I just wanted to bring more out of it.
• With my above solutions for the seal issues and I get it in my preferred spot I do not find these headphones to lack dynamics. I can admit up front "dynamics" aren't at the top of my priority for headphones, detail and imaging and depth are my top priorities. I have used all of Focal headphones (minus the Utopia) which are generally considered top of the list for dynamics.... I don't hear that much if any of a difference. Admittedly my auditory memory is not great and I don't have any focal headphones to direct compare. Basically a non issue for me these are what I would consider 'reference' level dynamics.
• I have to add a final note on how great the imaging is on these. I didn't buy these for gaming purposes but playing some FPS games and it was razer sharp. The only other headphone that has given me the same type of 'wow' reaction in imaging were the Clear MG and HD8XX(eq'd) which I would rank slightly under this.

 

[Nomax]

What i can not really understand is.....have so many users not enough clamping force?seal?contact pressure?

I can't imagine to add 1/2/3 db to my ears between 100-200 hz
That obscures a lot of the performance


NOMAX

PS.or to many bassheads here

 

[dougq]

What i can not really understand is.....have most of the users not enough clamping force?seal?contact pressure?

I can't imagine 1/2/3 db or more to add to my ears between 100-200 hz

NOMAX

A mixture of preference and seal. I bet if you'd ask Dan or any other headphone designer it is probably difficult to optimally make a headphone that can fit or is adaptable to fit a good portion of the population. People have different head shapes, jaw line differences that can impact where the bottom can rest.... I can't even begin to imagine all the thought that goes into just the ergonomic requirements of a headphone. It's likely a lot of R&D.

 

[alxw0w]

Stealth is extremely sensitive to the seal.
It's really extreme, it's like IEM level, even small leakage can vastly influence the sound in a bad way - at least that's my experience.
In some time I'll try to write a post about this with my particular smallish head.

And as for all this talk about lack in dynamics its really a bit overblown thing.
I'll also try to write some of my thoughts on that matter sometime in the future.

 

[Nomax]

So if I increase between 100 and 200 hz then I get really sick

NOMAX

Ps.then you would have to increase the New Stax X9000 by 10 db

 

[Nomax]

A mixture of preference and seal. I bet if you'd ask Dan or any other headphone designer it is probably difficult to optimally make a headphone that can fit or is adaptable to fit a good portion of the population. People have different head shapes, jaw line differences that can impact where the bottom can rest.... I can't even begin to imagine all the thought that goes into just the ergonomic requirements of a headphone. It's likely a lot of R&D.

You can easily reach the seal if you have enough contact pressure from the right and left side

NOMAX

Ps.and better a little too much than too little because the ear pads give way anyway with the time

 

[dougq]

You can easily reach the seal if you have enough contact pressure from the right and left side

NOMAX

Ps.And better a little too much than too little because the ear pads give way anyway with the time

Yep but not all heads allow for that.

 

[Nomax]

On my head the stealth fits

NOMAX

 

[Trance_Gott]

So if I increase between 100 and 200 hz then I get really sick

NOMAX

Ps.then you would have to increase the New Stax X9000 by 10 db

Yes yes the crappy Stax X9000 they don't can build good sounding headphones lol

 

[Nomax]

I am strict but fair....

Not everything is bad with the new Stax X 9000

The representation of the mids and highs are very very well done
Also the Buildquality of this headphone

NOMAX

PS.But the bottom end lacks richness/substance/body and moving air pressure

Is what you are offered enough for the asking price? (7000 Euros......that's over 70 percent more than stealth!!! )
Even if I look like a bad boy now and make me unpopular with it.....In my opinion....a clear no