Main difference is that the Stealth feel more open. The Stealth have lower distortion and more detail, which makes differences on source material way more evident, I haven't heard another headphone as transparent as the Stealth.
Dan Clark Audio Stealth Review, Interview, Measurements
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Understood. Thank you
ra990
Headphoneus Supremus
Stealth is the REAL OPEN Experience in comparison to Expanse
NOMAX
Nomax, you're a man of few, but choice, words!
I will elaborate my thoughts on this. I prefer open back headphones. Their biggest advantage is actually having the sound of the room you're in penetrate the headphones and make it feel like the music is being played in the room and not headphones.
The Expanse, being semi-open (like all of DCA's "open" headphones), actually block out quite a bit of ambient noise and so it pretty much feels like you're wearing closed headphones that don't isolate too well. For someone that is sensitive to that claustrophobic feeling that closed headphones can cause, I get the same feeling with the Expanse after a while. The Stealth gives all the advantages of a closed back (really great isolation), and sounds more open, with pinpoint imaging, and a more balanced bass/mids/treble (to me)! Because of that, I don't see myself preferring Expanse to Stealth.
If the Expanse were true open backs, there would be a benefit to me. Therefore I am still firmly in camp Stealth!
Unless 200 hours of burn is where Expanse really changes and opens up...it's going to be tough for me to change my opinion.
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Cross post from Expanse thread since my thoughts are also about the Stealth:
I have had Stealth for about 4 months and Expanse a couple weeks.
Expanse has a couple hundred hours on it most likely.
Some raw notes on some differences between Expanse and Stealth that I am noticing:
Expanse:
Mid bass is more visceral and textural
thicker notes leaning on warmer notes.
There is an extra ethereal addition to the notes. It is like a tiny bit of reverb/musicality/fun added to each note.
Intimate but wider stage than Stealth. The sound is focused throughout the stage (intimate stage for an open back)
Stealth:
Sub bass is more visceral
leaner notes
timbre is very exact on everything. Instruments and vocals.
Detail retrieval is unprecedented.
More intimate sound. The sound is brought focused in the middle and then spreads out from there (intimate stage with more openness than any closed back I have heard.
They are different enough to justify keeping both. Justifications are needed with any addiction!
Best comments I have read about the two:
Stealth is the most open back of a closed back HP and Expanse is the most closed back of any open back HP
Stealth is like being in a recording studio and Expanse is like being at an intimate live concert with great sound.
I have had Stealth for about 4 months and Expanse a couple weeks.
Expanse has a couple hundred hours on it most likely.
Some raw notes on some differences between Expanse and Stealth that I am noticing:
Expanse:
Mid bass is more visceral and textural
thicker notes leaning on warmer notes.
There is an extra ethereal addition to the notes. It is like a tiny bit of reverb/musicality/fun added to each note.
Intimate but wider stage than Stealth. The sound is focused throughout the stage (intimate stage for an open back)
Stealth:
Sub bass is more visceral
leaner notes
timbre is very exact on everything. Instruments and vocals.
Detail retrieval is unprecedented.
More intimate sound. The sound is brought focused in the middle and then spreads out from there (intimate stage with more openness than any closed back I have heard.
They are different enough to justify keeping both. Justifications are needed with any addiction!
Best comments I have read about the two:
Stealth is the most open back of a closed back HP and Expanse is the most closed back of any open back HP
Stealth is like being in a recording studio and Expanse is like being at an intimate live concert with great sound.
newworld666
Headphoneus Supremus
Nice idea .. I forgot a little bit this old surprising album from 1976.
The only difference with you is that, for two weeks now, I am in powerful HEDDphone One mood
... and sound quality from Qobuz is really good for such old recording !! it suits very well the HEDDphoneFor sure in a week or two, I will listen again this full album with a lot of pleasure, when I will be back in a more quite and precise "Stealth mood"
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My god!
Simple math tells me you listened to the expanse more than 14 hours a day, everyday for two weeks (14 days , 200 hours).
You must have lost sleep.
Between eating, and going to toilet, you didn't have time for it, take a week off please.
or you let them burn around the clock when not listening...
you mean burn-in.
Didn't think of that! a few hours should have been enough, though.
I love this album and also the live recording "what need have I for this...". All Shakti albums are good actually but this these two legendary. Hard to find this kind of extraordinary musicianship these days.Nice idea .. I forgot a little bit this old surprising album from 1976.
The only difference with you is that, for two weeks now, I am in powerful HEDDphone One mood
For sure in a week or two, I will listen again this full album with a lot of pleasure, when I will be back in a more quite and precise "Stealth mood"
Enjoy your HEDDphone!
I have listened to the Expanse a ton but yes a buddy had them for a week and burnt them in while not listening before I had them and then I had them on burn in while not listening for a number of days. Hence the 200 hour guesstimate.
I usually do not do the burn-in thing but this time I did for whatever reason.
dude120
100+ Head-Fier
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So, anyone tried the Stealth on a CFA-3?
I’ve tried/own both Stealth and Expanse and use a CFA3. Both are good pairings. Caveat, I’ve found very few headphones that don’t sound really good with the CFA3.
jlbrach
Headphoneus Supremus
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I had the stealth before I owned the cfa3...I concur with the post above...most everything sounds great on the cfa3 and the expanse is no exception
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