Hey there! I have a stealth and Hugo 2 and I Bluetooth to the Hugo 2 from my iPhone and play tidal but the sound is weak especially in the bass areas. Can you tell me how you did this setup and how you connected everything and what you use to play music through all this and is it a great set up? I want to use it on my plane so it doesn’t have to be super portable but not massive either. Thanks so much for any help! I tried buying a ak KANN max to drive the stealth alone and it sounds horrible. My focal headphone amp that I use to drive my utopias actually makes the stealth sound pretty good but it’s a bit bulky for the plane and I wonder if your set up may actually sound even better.
That’s strange. I can run my Stealths with just the H2. I have done this with 6.33mm but most of the time I’m using the RCA outs to PW Audio 4.4 female to RCA male adapter from MTMT audio.
The setup I’m using right now is Chord 2 Go/Hugo 2/Cayin C9 connecting the C9 with a Black Dragon RCA to 3.5mm and using the 4.4mm balanced out the DCA Stealths. I don’t know about most Hugo2/2 Go users. But i find if I’m not using a network the Hugo 2s own bluetooth works better for me. I also use my iPhone or 12.9” iPad Pro to play music. But I also aren’t using Tidal. I’m using Apple Music. I plan to get another player. But i want if to use my Apple Music library I just haven’t researched which one is best yet.
I like that Raal is a newish idea but as you said, looks like its tuning is not generic enough, especially if you value the mids where most of the vocal and acoustic instrument data resides. Secondly, it needs ton of power and it is a static system, whereas you can take any of Stealth / Expanse, even Susvara etc. and enjoy them with a fine portable. I think what Raal should do in the first step is to introduce a passive EQ that can be engaged / disengaged, in the box they are deliver with the HP so that it could have a more generic tuning. Then it will appeal to more.
I had the stealth and expanse and have the sr1a and ca-1a....to me the raal products are head and shoulders better ,more detailed and transparent and the soundstage is night and day...the caveats are that yes the power requirements are extreme but that is solved by the new adapter box that works with most any headphone amp...clearly there will be people who find the sr1a to sound bass shy but the CA version solves that issue...if you listen to vocals,jazz,classical there is iMHO nothing better....
I had the stealth and expanse and have the sr1a and ca-1a....to me the raal products are head and shoulders better ,more detailed and transparent and the soundstage is night and day...the caveats are that yes the power requirements are extreme but that is solved by the new adapter box that works with most any headphone amp...clearly there will be people who find the sr1a to sound bass shy but the CA version solves that issue...if you listen to vocals,jazz,classical there is iMHO nothing better....
I cant speak to stats other than my brief listening at canjam where it is tough to pass judgment but I dont think anything is as transparent or detailed as the sr1a
I listen to electronic (edm - ambient especially) on the CA1A and I’d rate them better than the Solitaire P with EDM and Sol P was my previous best listen/fit on EDM. 1266-TC would be my 1st choice from sound only but the fit is too much out of bounds for me on them.
I also agree with @jlbrach that vocals and I’d add stringed instruments on CA1A are second only to the Susvara based on my hearing and listening.
I had the stealth and expanse and have the sr1a and ca-1a....to me the raal products are head and shoulders better ,more detailed and transparent and the soundstage is night and day...the caveats are that yes the power requirements are extreme but that is solved by the new adapter box that works with most any headphone amp...clearly there will be people who find the sr1a to sound bass shy but the CA version solves that issue...if you listen to vocals,jazz,classical there is iMHO nothing better....
Maybe, DCA Steath and Expanse are just concerning the 65%/70% of listeners who enjoy music quality based on a Harman Target frequency response .. and it seems you are not at all in this range of listeners and prefer other types of response => flatter or more fancy ? which is perfectly understandable !! On my side, I even use some little PEQ to adjust ultra low frequencies response to my taste (my target is a bit some more lower ultra lows target, while a bit less muddy at the same time in lows)
On my side, though I am intrigued by the Raal Requiste headphones for while, like I was with the HEDDPhone One. But, as for me, headphones are mostly used to be free in my home or office to listen to the best available sound quality music (Sleeping Room, Office, Living Room, even Garden), I can't even give a try to the SR1a and Ca-1a concept => so it's an "absolute no-go" until you are no free to be sticked to a single place in your own home.
Hey there! I have a stealth and Hugo 2 and I Bluetooth to the Hugo 2 from my iPhone and play tidal but the sound is weak especially in the bass areas. Can you tell me how you did this setup and how you connected everything and what you use to play music through all this and is it a great set up? I want to use it on my plane so it doesn’t have to be super portable but not massive either. Thanks so much for any help! I tried buying a ak KANN max to drive the stealth alone and it sounds horrible. My focal headphone amp that I use to drive my utopias actually makes the stealth sound pretty good but it’s a bit bulky for the plane and I wonder if your set up may actually sound even better.
We all know cabled is better. But if find that the Hugo 2s Bluetooth still works really well. Also like i said earlier the Stealth needs more power/current then most think. I get better performance at home when using my Riviera AIC-10 or portably when connected to my Cayin C9. Although advertised as a portable headphone you need something with chops to make this sing not just a DAC or DAP.
We all know cabled is better. But if find that the Hugo 2s Bluetooth still works really well. Also like i said earlier the Stealth needs more power/current then most think. I get better performance at home when using my Riviera AIC-10 or portably when connected to my Cayin C9. Although advertised as a portable headphone you need something with chops to make this sing not just a DAC or DAP.
The power requirements of both the Stealth and the Expanse are well documented here by those of common sense and experience. Like the Susvara they sing with ample power and current as you state!!
We all know cabled is better. But if find that the Hugo 2s Bluetooth still works really well. Also like i said earlier the Stealth needs more power/current then most think. I get better performance at home when using my Riviera AIC-10 or portably when connected to my Cayin C9. Although advertised as a portable headphone you need something with chops to make this sing not just a DAC or DAP.
I had to run Hugo 2 near full output in many cases. It’s the current delivery that the Stealths need to shine. Surprisingly, the Mojo 2 does a very admirable job (better than H2) driving Stealths.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
