[Currawong]

I just confirmed that Hostiles: Cradle to the Grave, which contains a lot of very low-frequency bass, will cause the Diablo to clip at not a particularly loud volume (from the balanced output). That definitely lends severe doubt as to its actual output figure. It's fine with non-movie-theatre music though.

 

[Kentajalli]

BT ldac from 'optimized via crippling' Samsung phone mqa to gryphon ldac to stealth is upsettingly close to my main rig with CDT + ocxo. And I was about the chuck away my ldac chain when I haven't considered optimizing it. Let's put it that way.

I still don't get that. Optimizing? via crippling?

Most sonic issues of BT is due to the BG services of the transport than the bandwidth of ldac.

I hardly think so, any background services may interrupt BT connection, but not create sonic issues. For as long as it plays smoothly.

 

[801evan]

I just confirmed that Hostiles: Cradle to the Grave, which contains a lot of very low-frequency bass, will cause the Diablo to clip at not a particularly loud volume (from the balanced output). That definitely lends severe doubt as to its actual output figure. It's fine with non-movie-theatre music though.

It really doesn't. It will if your signal chain has a fair amount of interference. That's all. I've used that track on the diablo low gain and go Blu and go bar with stealth and susvara and there's no clipping.

I hardly think so, any background services may interrupt BT connection, but not create sonic issues. For as long as it plays smoothly.

Well that's why I post about such because like curra, people are making the wrong assumptions as shown above where they think transport quality doesn't make a difference... By 'crippling' it is like a dedicated DAP. I've uninstalled and disabled, put to deep sleep as much apps as possible. Turn off all scanning. Took out the sim card. Have it on power saver whilst keeping CPU at 100%, and this one may uniquely be a Samsung thing and makes it a game changer vs other phone options...etc.

 

[Kentajalli]

add an external battery pack for the DCA Stealth... then battery playing time is not enough for overseas flights

Well, I fly to LA from London twice a year (12hrs). My Hugo2 lasts about 5-6 hours, my phone, a bit longer, and I do take a battery pack with me too.
But frankly, between getting onboard, putting my stuff away, taking off, meals, bathroom visits, landing . . . I don't usually have more time that 5-6 hours or so to listen to music! Even if I did (ever) there is the battery pack. Not to mention, most long haul flights have power sockets installed.

. . . and the Smartphone connected to an usb-c SSD or a Streaming . . .

I had the need for external storage for my phone, as my Huawei phone only takes NM cards which are limited to 256GB max.
So I made this:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...ing-on-page-95-of-thread.885405/post-17092579

 

[MPCK1967]

I just confirmed that Hostiles: Cradle to the Grave, which contains a lot of very low-frequency bass, will cause the Diablo to clip at not a particularly loud volume (from the balanced output). That definitely lends severe doubt as to its actual output figure. It's fine with non-movie-theatre music though.

You've set him off again about signal chains

 

[801evan]

Well I don't want to be rude and say he doesn't know how loud to play high dynamic music...but, that's the only thing he confirmed.

 

[MPCK1967]

Well I don't want to be rude and say he doesn't know how loud to play high dynamic music...but, that's the only thing he confirmed.

Lol, no worries, just fun to read through

 

[Daniel Johnston]

I just confirmed that Hostiles: Cradle to the Grave, which contains a lot of very low-frequency bass, will cause the Diablo to clip at not a particularly loud volume (from the balanced output). That definitely lends severe doubt as to its actual output figure. It's fine with non-movie-theatre music though.

I read that it’s current limited to something like 130 ma. So aggravating that power specs are so misleading.

Cradle to grave is a torture test for amps and the Stealth for sure.

 

[Currawong]

One unexpected Stealth/Expanse surprise was that a BTR7 can drive them, just. It doesn't fall apart at max volume listening to the Black Keys latest album either, nor sound excessively shouty, which <$1k DAPs often will at high volumes. Not my first choice of gear by far, but I thought I'd see how well it could hold it together.

 

[Daniel Johnston]

It really doesn't. It will if your signal chain has a fair amount of interference. That's all. I've used that track on the diablo low gain and go Blu and go bar with stealth and susvara and there's no clipping.




Well that's why I post about such because like curra, people are making the wrong assumptions as shown above where they think transport quality doesn't make a difference... By 'crippling' it is like a dedicated DAP. I've uninstalled and disabled, put to deep sleep as much apps as possible. Turn off all scanning. Took out the sim card. Have it on power saver whilst keeping CPU at 100%, and this one may uniquely be a Samsung thing and makes it a game changer vs other phone options...etc.

Are you perchance the one posting the Go Blu driving the Susvara on “the headphone experience” on Facebook?

 

[alxw0w]

One unexpected Stealth/Expanse surprise was that a BTR7 can drive them, just. It doesn't fall apart at max volume listening to the Black Keys latest album either, nor sound excessively shouty, which <$1k DAPs often will at high volumes. Not my first choice of gear by far, but I thought I'd see how well it could hold it together.

I tried Stealth with Hiby R5g2 using single ended output (as I don't have balanced cable with hirose connectors) and to my surprise it was decent.
As you said it wouldn't be my first choice but it was really listenable, not shouty or distorted alas I did not try any crazy tracks like Cradle etc...
On some classical recordings volume was above ~80/100 with high gain and class A operation mode.

 

[801evan]

It's more likely one has hearing loss than the Diablo lacking current...or dunno how to listen to high dynamic music. Low gain balanced gives 112dB in one was to complain about lack of current.

 

[newworld666]

Well, I fly to LA from London twice a year (12hrs). My Hugo2 lasts about 5-6 hours, my phone, a bit longer, and I do take a battery pack with me too.

For decades, I have at least once a year a 24 to 30 hours oversea family trip (3 planes and a train from my town in France to the town of my family in South Japan ) and some other trips around 15 hours (2 planes from france to africa, Martinique or French Guyana) .. unless it's for business or we are only 2 in premimum économy, we don't have any chance to charge anything like an amp with any USB planes available (just the smartphone, that's all). For such trip having 12 to 15 hours playing time is a real comfort.

 

[VandyMan]

Well, I fly to LA from London twice a year (12hrs). My Hugo2 lasts about 5-6 hours, my phone, a bit longer, and I do take a battery pack with me too.

I'm taking a long flight next week which will be my first flight since getting the Stealth. Does the Stealth provide enough isolation to be enjoyable on a plane or should I stick with my noise canceling Sonys?

 

[Currawong]

I'm taking a long flight next week which will be my first flight since getting the Stealth. Does the Stealth provide enough isolation to be enjoyable on a plane or should I stick with my noise canceling Sonys?

Not enough IMO. I never bother trying to use nice gear on planes. I'm just grateful to have less airplane noise, so I take a pair of Sonys with me.