Dan Clark Audio Stealth Review, Interview, Measurements

[ufospls2]

Just in case anyone was wondering what it looks like and missed it earlier

 

[Tachyon88]

Oh wow, that is even more open than I thought. I thought it would be like the aeon open dimensions. This looks super cool !!

 

[801evan]

Wonder if it's a Dall-E image of "Dan Clark Audio open-back Stealth meta material"

 

[Ciggavelli]

I’m not really sure what the point of an opened back Stealth is to be honest. It sounds pretty open to begin with. I guess they could tune it differently. If it’s the exact same tuning with only a slight increase in sound stage, I think the Stealth wins, given it’s a closed back. The fact that the Stealth is a closed back was one of the main selling points for me.

 

[801evan]

I’m not really sure what the point of an opened back Stealth is to be honest. It sounds pretty open to begin with. I guess they could tune it differently. If it’s the exact same tuning with only a slight increase in sound stage, I think the Stealth wins, given it’s a closed back. The fact that the Stealth is a closed back was one of the main selling points for me.

100% and also because of entropy on why the Stealth mayyy be ahead. Stealth already has a more open sound than susvara, lcd4,lcd5,atrium, etc. Heck, it's even more open than a 800s when it's properly driven coz the 800s gets crowded in the midbass area and doesn't extend.

 

[PointyFox]

I think the Stealth is pretty close but slightly behind the Susvara in terms of overall sound quality, but the fact that it's a closed back with good isolation made it the clear winner to me (I went from Susvara to Stealth).
If the sound quality improvement is enough to justify making an open back Stealth, it could very well be better than the Susvara.

 

[DarginMahkum]

I’m not really sure what the point of an opened back Stealth is to be honest. It sounds pretty open to begin with. I guess they could tune it differently. If it’s the exact same tuning with only a slight increase in sound stage, I think the Stealth wins, given it’s a closed back. The fact that the Stealth is a closed back was one of the main selling points for me.

I sometimes prefer to use an open back if I need to hear what's happening around me. That's why I still keep the Susvara.

 

[801evan]

Lol. Someone give this guy a Stealth.

 

[PointyFox]

I listen to the Stealth for like 12 hours a day. Had mine a few months now and I still like it just as much. Usually I get bored or annoyed (mostly annoyed) with a headphone after a week or two. Usually a headphone has some annoyance like the pads wearing out fast, screws falling out, treble peak, lack of bass, lack of comfort, but I haven't found any with the Stealth.

 

[ra990]

The Expanse looks like it uses metamaterial on the other/outer side as well? I haven't seen those types of holes in a DCA headphone before.

 

[newworld666]

Just in case anyone was wondering what it looks like and missed it earlier

I am really waiting to hear what DCA manange to poduce with an "open" Stealth..
It will be interesting to listen to the sound differences with the Stealth ... for sure, the Stealth, as a closed headphone is really versatile, and for the 65% people concerned with a good Harman target frequency response, it will be difficult to surpass the Stealth signature too.
Maybe, there is some room for improvement concerning impedance and sensitivity to make the "Expanse" usable with less powered amps, I would hope even directly from a good "light & compact" DAP (like the WM1ZM2 ?).

 

[PointyFox]

 

[801evan]

Clearly friends and family has no trypophobia in that office.

 

[DarginMahkum]

I mentioned before that my original Stealth and the one that I bought had some slight difference especially in the mids. I am sceptical of any burn in effects but as I don't know much about the material engineering of the driver membrane, pads etc., so I stick with the manufacturer recommendations, which is 100 hours with Stealth.

I kept the Stealth I recenty got running and I can hardly hear any difference now. I of course didn't do the comparisons alone and always asked a second person without telling my opinion and which one is which, all 3 times we did a pair comparison, the opinions were the same. I probably would not have heard any difference if I didn't try them one after the other. This is one of the pieces I tried and now the vocals in the middle have about the same distance, weight, razer sharp focus and intensity.



I would recommend everyone that got the Stealth to let it run for a while (the recommended 100 hours). Not a big difference, but a favorable one, for sure.

 

[DarginMahkum]

I am really waiting to hear what DCA manange to poduce with an "open" Stealth..
It will be interesting to listen to the sound differences with the Stealth ... for sure, the Stealth, as a closed headphone is really versatile, and for the 65% people concerned with a good Harman target frequency response, it will be difficult to surpass the Stealth signature too.
Maybe, there is some room for improvement concerning impedance and sensitivity to make the "Expanse" usable with less powered amps, I would hope even directly from a good "light & compact" DAP (like the WM1ZM2 ?).

I believe Amir from ASR already has his review unit and we will expect more data soon:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...dphone-coming-from-dan-clark-audio-dca.37291/