Dan Clark Audio Stealth Review, Interview, Measurements

[DarginMahkum]

Now you saying the Stealth is dry, is interesting as that is the opposite of what I would look for in a headphone. I was hoping for a closed back headphone that would have a similar tonality as susvara

Can you define what you mean by dry? For me dry is well separated sound sources without any reverberation. That is probably due to extremely low distortion and no elevation of highs. It is just clean. I don't know how else to put it.

 

[qboogie]

All these comparisons are super helpful. I own a VC LTD to which I have emotional attachment. It is hard to justify having both if the Stealth nails the tonality, soundstage, detail/separation, and comfort better. Low distortion and portability are a plus and also the high potential for Dan to release new iterations of his AMTS for this and other cans.

I think I can maybe live with the reduced bass slam. I'm coming from 1266 TC bass land so I am setting low expectations. I plan on driving my future pair via the TT2 rear XLRs, which usually increases the bass presence and improves the soundstage on every pair of cans I have tried this with. I recommend trying it.

Please keep the impressions coming.

 

[Sound Eq]

Can you define what you mean by dry? For me dry is well separated sound sources without any reverberation. That is probably due to extremely low distortion and no elevation of highs. It is just clean. I don't know how else to put it.

yep that is what dry is to me as well

 

[Nostoi]

All these comparisons are super helpful. I own a VC LTD to which I have emotional attachment. It is hard to justify having both if the Stealth nails the tonality, soundstage, detail/separation, and comfort better. Low distortion and portability are a plus and also the high potential for Dan to release new iterations of his AMTS for this and other cans.

I think I can maybe live with the reduced bass slam. I'm coming from 1266 TC bass land so I am setting low expectations. I plan on driving my future pair via the TT2 rear XLRs, which usually increases the bass presence and improves the soundstage on every pair of cans I have tried this with. I recommend trying it.

Please keep the impressions coming.

VC and Stealth are totally different headphones. You could own both and they'd be mutually edifying but the Stealth doesn't replicate what is novel about the VC. It would be a choice between razor flat refinement in the Stealth and a more lush musical presentation with the VC.

 

[slainte]

Sorry if I missed it, but how does the Stealth compare to the Meze Elite?

 

[xirxes]

Thanks for all the Summit-FI closed reviews!

Can you A/B the big three in this track? Thanks

 

[arijitroy2]

@DarginMahkum How would you compare these with D9200? I know it's been a while you had them, but any impressions along these lines would be great!

 

[DarginMahkum]

@DarginMahkum How would you compare these with D9200? I know it's been a while you had them, but any impressions along these lines would be great!

Stealth is a more open sounding HP with a nearly Harman flat response. D9200 is a slight U with bass emphasis on mid-bass. Treble is more energetic. Stealth has excellent seal, at least as good as D9200, possibly better. Interestingly, some recordings I thought to have similar bass sound different on Stealth, possibly due to extremely low distortion, you can better differentiate them. It is not less bass at all, it is just much more refined.

Can you A/B the big three in this track? Thanks

Going to sleep now, will check tomorrow vs Rögnir.

 

[MikeLa]

I feel compelled to contribute to the thread. I know how difficult it can be to purchase headphones without the opportunity to listen to them. The Head-Fi community has helped me navigate this decision process before, so hopefully, I can help a little bit here. I currently own the Susvara, ZMF VC, and Stealth. I'm in the 15 day return period with the Stealth.

My disclaimer, I'm not a reviewer or experienced audio engineer. I'm just an old guy that likes music and is fortunate to have the resources to build a nice headphone rig (speakers are a non-started in this household). Since I'm not a reviewer or audio engineer and don't have their vocabulary, I will ramble a bit on what I like and don't like in the hope that you have heard some of the same gear and can determine how your preferences align with mine. I will end with my current impressions, but because the Stealth is so good at what it does, I plan on spending more listening time this weekend before I make the keep or return decision.

The Background Ramble
My preferences. My current rig is RME ADI-2 FS -> Flux FA10 (VOLOT on order, last stop before I resort to using speaker taps with the Susvara) -> Susvara, ZMF VC, Stealth (all balanced). My portable rig is Lotoo Paw S1 -> Thieaudio Clairvoyance. With the Susvara and Clairvoyance, I'm listening to some of the best music I've ever heard. My first love was the Ayre QB-9 -> Eddie Current Balancing Act - LCD-2 (original). My last love was the Ayre QB-9 DSD -> Simaudio 430ha -> Hifiman HE1000 (version 1). In the past, I found my preferences aligned with Tyll at Innerfidelity, so I bought what he liked. Between my last love and current setup, I took a break from the hobby. When I returned, Tyll was gone, and I was on my own. I discovered the Harmon Curve with Bass Shelf was my tonality preference. I prefer warmer versus brighter.

Know for what I don't like. The HD800's were too bright, and I returned them twice. The HD800S stayed a little longer, but I kicked it out too. Returning to the hobby, I felt I was missing something with the HE1000v1. I moved to the HE1000SE, but they had a little bright edge that bothered me. It was hard to return them because they were almost there, but moving to the Susvara, I hit my "just right" spot. I'm also very sensitive to resonance. My ears were picking something up with the Stellia, and I returned them after a weekend. Dan's Ether C's also didn't agree with me. If I remember right, they were too bright for me too. I've run through a lot of gear and can go on, but hopefully, this is enough for you to get a feel for my preferences.

The music I listen to; a lot of Classic Rock, Blues, and Funk. I guess everything but Country and Western.

Finally, what I think about the Stealth headphones, at $4,000 with all its new technology, I was hoping for a closed Susvara or something better, and to my ears - it's not. To my Son's younger ears, who liked the HD800, the difference is smaller. He also likes the Susvara better, but he would keep the Stealth too. I think the difference is the bass presentation which confuses the hell out of me considering the frequency curve. But like I said, I'm not an audio engineer or reviewer, so I can't explain what I'm hearing. I want more physicality in my music (if that's a thing). Maybe it's because the Stealth is so clean. My ears do not hear any distortion or resonance. You can crank these headphones, and they don't break up. And DCA clearly nailed Harman Curve with the Stealth.

So how does it compare to the ZMF Verite Closed? To my ears, it doesn't. It's different. If you love your ZMF VCs, I'm not sure you would want to replace them with the Stealth. You might want to add the Stealth to your collection. But before you do that, I would suggest listening to the HE1000se, and although I haven't heard the HE1000v2, I would give them a try too. Unfortunately, neither headphone is closed. On the other hand, if you hate your ZMF VCs, the Stealth may be what you're looking for.

For me, if making my imaginary closed Susvara is beyond the industry's engineering know-how, I would opt for Zack making a Verite Closed that hugs the Harman curve or Dan making a version of the Stealth with that "physicality thing" I can't explain.

I'm sorry for the long post, but hopefully, it helps someone make a $4,000 decision.

 

[arijitroy2]

The more I hear impressions of Stealth, more I am getting the Arya vibe on them which I had a year back. Loved the Arya but the planar bass didn't quite cut it for me although it was very transparent!

 

[Nostoi]

I feel compelled to contribute to the thread. I know how difficult it can be to purchase headphones without the opportunity to listen to them. The Head-Fi community has helped me navigate this decision process before, so hopefully, I can help a little bit here. I currently own the Susvara, ZMF VC, and Stealth. I'm in the 15 day return period with the Stealth.

My disclaimer, I'm not a reviewer or experienced audio engineer. I'm just an old guy that likes music and is fortunate to have the resources to build a nice headphone rig (speakers are a non-started in this household). Since I'm not a reviewer or audio engineer and don't have their vocabulary, I will ramble a bit on what I like and don't like in the hope that you have heard some of the same gear and can determine how your preferences align with mine. I will end with my current impressions, but because the Stealth is so good at what it does, I plan on spending more listening time this weekend before I make the keep or return decision.

The Background Ramble
My preferences. My current rig is RME ADI-2 FS -> Flux FA10 (VOLOT on order, last stop before I resort to using speaker taps with the Susvara) -> Susvara, ZMF VC, Stealth (all balanced). My portable rig is Lotoo Paw S1 -> Thieaudio Clairvoyance. With the Susvara and Clairvoyance, I'm listening to some of the best music I've ever heard. My first love was the Ayre QB-9 -> Eddie Current Balancing Act - LCD-2 (original). My last love was the Ayre QB-9 DSD -> Simaudio 430ha -> Hifiman HE1000 (version 1). In the past, I found my preferences aligned with Tyll at Innerfidelity, so I bought what he liked. Between my last love and current setup, I took a break from the hobby. When I returned, Tyll was gone, and I was on my own. I discovered the Harmon Curve with Bass Shelf was my tonality preference. I prefer warmer versus brighter.

Know for what I don't like. The HD800's were too bright, and I returned them twice. The HD800S stayed a little longer, but I kicked it out too. Returning to the hobby, I felt I was missing something with the HE1000v1. I moved to the HE1000SE, but they had a little bright edge that bothered me. It was hard to return them because they were almost there, but moving to the Susvara, I hit my "just right" spot. I'm also very sensitive to resonance. My ears were picking something up with the Stellia, and I returned them after a weekend. Dan's Ether C's also didn't agree with me. If I remember right, they were too bright for me too. I've run through a lot of gear and can go on, but hopefully, this is enough for you to get a feel for my preferences.

The music I listen to; a lot of Classic Rock, Blues, and Funk. I guess everything but Country and Western.

Finally, what I think about the Stealth headphones, at $4,000 with all its new technology, I was hoping for a closed Susvara or something better, and to my ears - it's not. To my Son's younger ears, who liked the HD800, the difference is smaller. He also likes the Susvara better, but he would keep the Stealth too. I think the difference is the bass presentation which confuses the hell out of me considering the frequency curve. But like I said, I'm not an audio engineer or reviewer, so I can't explain what I'm hearing. I want more physicality in my music (if that's a thing). Maybe it's because the Stealth is so clean. My ears do not hear any distortion or resonance. You can crank these headphones, and they don't break up. And DCA clearly nailed Harman Curve with the Stealth.

So how does it compare to the ZMF Verite Closed? To my ears, it doesn't. It's different. If you love your ZMF VCs, I'm not sure you would want to replace them with the Stealth. You might want to add the Stealth to your collection. But before you do that, I would suggest listening to the HE1000se, and although I haven't heard the HE1000v2, I would give them a try too. Unfortunately, neither headphone is closed. On the other hand, if you hate your ZMF VCs, the Stealth may be what you're looking for.

For me, if making my imaginary closed Susvara is beyond the industry's engineering know-how, I would opt for Zack making a Verite Closed that hugs the Harman curve or Dan making a version of the Stealth with that "physicality thing" I can't explain.

I'm sorry for the long post, but hopefully, it helps someone make a $4,000 decision.

Good reflections. And yes, a ZMF with the Harman curve would be great!

 

[xirxes]

I feel compelled to contribute to the thread. I know how difficult it can be to purchase headphones without the opportunity to listen to them. The Head-Fi community has helped me navigate this decision process before, so hopefully, I can help a little bit here. I currently own the Susvara, ZMF VC, and Stealth. I'm in the 15 day return period with the Stealth.

My disclaimer, I'm not a reviewer or experienced audio engineer. I'm just an old guy that likes music and is fortunate to have the resources to build a nice headphone rig (speakers are a non-started in this household). Since I'm not a reviewer or audio engineer and don't have their vocabulary, I will ramble a bit on what I like and don't like in the hope that you have heard some of the same gear and can determine how your preferences align with mine. I will end with my current impressions, but because the Stealth is so good at what it does, I plan on spending more listening time this weekend before I make the keep or return decision.

The Background Ramble
My preferences. My current rig is RME ADI-2 FS -> Flux FA10 (VOLOT on order, last stop before I resort to using speaker taps with the Susvara) -> Susvara, ZMF VC, Stealth (all balanced). My portable rig is Lotoo Paw S1 -> Thieaudio Clairvoyance. With the Susvara and Clairvoyance, I'm listening to some of the best music I've ever heard. My first love was the Ayre QB-9 -> Eddie Current Balancing Act - LCD-2 (original). My last love was the Ayre QB-9 DSD -> Simaudio 430ha -> Hifiman HE1000 (version 1). In the past, I found my preferences aligned with Tyll at Innerfidelity, so I bought what he liked. Between my last love and current setup, I took a break from the hobby. When I returned, Tyll was gone, and I was on my own. I discovered the Harmon Curve with Bass Shelf was my tonality preference. I prefer warmer versus brighter.

Know for what I don't like. The HD800's were too bright, and I returned them twice. The HD800S stayed a little longer, but I kicked it out too. Returning to the hobby, I felt I was missing something with the HE1000v1. I moved to the HE1000SE, but they had a little bright edge that bothered me. It was hard to return them because they were almost there, but moving to the Susvara, I hit my "just right" spot. I'm also very sensitive to resonance. My ears were picking something up with the Stellia, and I returned them after a weekend. Dan's Ether C's also didn't agree with me. If I remember right, they were too bright for me too. I've run through a lot of gear and can go on, but hopefully, this is enough for you to get a feel for my preferences.

The music I listen to; a lot of Classic Rock, Blues, and Funk. I guess everything but Country and Western.

Finally, what I think about the Stealth headphones, at $4,000 with all its new technology, I was hoping for a closed Susvara or something better, and to my ears - it's not. To my Son's younger ears, who liked the HD800, the difference is smaller. He also likes the Susvara better, but he would keep the Stealth too. I think the difference is the bass presentation which confuses the hell out of me considering the frequency curve. But like I said, I'm not an audio engineer or reviewer, so I can't explain what I'm hearing. I want more physicality in my music (if that's a thing). Maybe it's because the Stealth is so clean. My ears do not hear any distortion or resonance. You can crank these headphones, and they don't break up. And DCA clearly nailed Harman Curve with the Stealth.

So how does it compare to the ZMF Verite Closed? To my ears, it doesn't. It's different. If you love your ZMF VCs, I'm not sure you would want to replace them with the Stealth. You might want to add the Stealth to your collection. But before you do that, I would suggest listening to the HE1000se, and although I haven't heard the HE1000v2, I would give them a try too. Unfortunately, neither headphone is closed. On the other hand, if you hate your ZMF VCs, the Stealth may be what you're looking for.

For me, if making my imaginary closed Susvara is beyond the industry's engineering know-how, I would opt for Zack making a Verite Closed that hugs the Harman curve or Dan making a version of the Stealth with that "physicality thing" I can't explain.

I'm sorry for the long post, but hopefully, it helps someone make a $4,000 decision.

Other than unfamiliar bass response, and the potentially “macrodynamics” difference, Do you enjoy them in their own rite, without any reference to Susvara?

and are you keeping them to full burn in period (200 hours) or returning?

 

[DarginMahkum]

These are my first DCA headphones, so it might be something normal for others using the brand for a long time, but I find the cable fantastic. Firstly, the cable is inside a protective sleeve. Second, the 1.8m length option is a brilliant idea. 3m is often too long, especially for portable usage. On the other hand 1.2m is often short for desktop usage. I find 1.8m a perfect compromise for using a single cable for both scenarios.

 

[DarginMahkum]

Thanks for all the Summit-FI closed reviews!

Can you A/B the big three in this track? Thanks

I am not really an EDM listener, so can't say what is the perfect right sound, but I think this track deserves a more down and top elevated tuning, which Rögnir is closer to. Because there is not too much of a complex mid-range sound, the recessed mids of Rögnir don't take anything from the sound - even helps the V sound which I think this track benefits from.

But just reduce the low mids by 3 dB bell, add some 3 dB sparkle via 10 kHz high shelf, you have a fun sounding Stealth.

 

[paradoxper]

Stealth: $4k with a somewhat flimsy build quality, although pictures don't quite match how fairly nondescript they look in person which is actually, well, nice.
The fitment is interesting as they can fit as loose as an TC which everyone always seems to bitch about. I do find these rather comfortable, very comfortable.
These may be more comfortable than an Empyrean. They fit extremely light, the coupling clamp is soft, the seal is efficient as is isolation and leakage.

These do not compete with a TC. At all. They also don't compete with a Rognir.

They sound slightly more closed in than a VC, tonal balance feels incomplete. They have a barely competent low-end (especially with a qualifier of being closed, you may argue bloom, excessive bleed would be welcomed none here just patter) with poor extension and subdued texture and detail.
Mids feel mostly neutral, lacking harmonic saturation: no recession, slightly dry, mostly inept. Treble extension is lacking so is resolution. Imaging seems perhaps its strong-est characteristic that helps bolster a clarity.

The Stealth is very inoffensive, very passive, very mediocre. They parallel the technicalities of an Empyrean in context.

Not even close to the 1%.