Dan Clark Audio Stealth Review, Interview, Measurements

[Reverriie]

I hope this model has better dynamics than the aeon + ether series. I felt like those were much too compressed for my liking. Would be excellent if the Stealth had a bit more punch and dynamic range.

 

[Empyah]

I hope this model has better dynamics than the aeon + ether series. I felt like those were much too compressed for my liking. Would be excellent if the Stealth had a bit more punch and dynamic range.

The Ether 2 is really dynamic and has a hell of a punch.

 

[elira]

I hope this model has better dynamics than the aeon + ether series. I felt like those were much too compressed for my liking. Would be excellent if the Stealth had a bit more punch and dynamic range.

Have you tried the Aeon 2 and Noire? They improved a lot in that regard.

 

[Reverriie]

Have you tried the Aeon 2 and Noire? They improved a lot in that regard.

I have tried the Aeon 2, but not the Noire. I have heard it is an improvement, but it still lacked the dynamics that make music enjoyable and tactile for me. (Focal clear and Denon D5000 are much better in this regard, maybe even my HD600)

 

[Barone Birra]

If the Stealth is "Harman tuned", it can't be bass light.
I wonder more about that slightly lack of punch reported by someone...

 

[Reverriie]

The Ether 2 is really dynamic and has a hell of a punch.

I very much doubt that. When I heard it, despite only listening to it for a couple minutes, I immediately picked up on the fact it sounded very compressed, almost as if there was a blanket between you and the audio. Everything sounded similar volume, and it didn't sound "punchy" at all, more like "floppy", like a fish out of water. The Aeon 2 was an improvement for sure, but it wasn't even that much different.

 

[elira]

If the Stealth is "Harman tuned", it can't be bass light.
I wonder more about that slightly lack of punch reported by someone...

I feel like the Stealth are kind of fast and with low distortion which makes the bass feel light in many tracks. From my initial impressions the mixing/mastering has a lot of impact on how they sound, tracks can sound super flat and boring, or with tons of layering, dynamics and low end.

 

[paradoxper]

@dncnexus gives me the vibe these are the Empyrean equivalent from price to anticipatory FOTM. Maybe it reaches CRBN-dom. Or maybe all these 'future' phones will blow.

 

[Barone Birra]

I feel like the Stealth are kind of fast and with low distortion which makes the bass feel light in many tracks. From my initial impressions the mixing/mastering has a lot of impact on how they sound, tracks can sound super flat and boring, or with tons of layering, dynamics and low end.

This make sense.
Can you try the track AH BLOODY AH from SW's The Future Bites deluxe digital edition?
It has a very dynamic and deep drum kick.

 

[FYFL]

Jacques Loussier Trio - J.S.Bach Fugue in G minor is good track to test Stealth dynamics. Try it, you might like it.
Its a Jazzy spin on classical masterpieces.

 

[xirxes]

A little bit, but things don't get more bass light than the Hd800. I'd love a comparison to the Z1R or LCD-4 lol

I’ve got local shop that I can test vs LCD X maybe 4, as well as 1266 TC but need to set a few hours midweek to make it go

 

[FYFL]

I think it would be more appropriate to actually compare it against other flagship closed backs.

 

[xirxes]

I think it would be more appropriate to actually compare it against other flagship closed backs.

TOTALLY agree but best I can try locally is LCD-XC which us not considered TOTL.

planning on testing against ZMF VC, Rognir, Stellia at Can Jam assuming they are available

 

[tcellguy]

My Ether C Flow 1.0 originally sounded just right, with more bass and better bass extension than the ÆON 1 Closed (which I never owned). Then there was the 1.1 upgrade kit, which made it more resolving, but too bass light for me. Then I switched to the new, firmer earpads (which come with the 1.1) and got some bass back, and it was pretty nice, but still a bit wanting. Then I removed the bass port stickers from the 1.1 kit and man, dat bass is nice. Absolutely no desire to increase it more. I suspect it's slightly boosted now. I like bass, but things should still sound balanced, I care more about extension, texture and quality than amount.

So even for just this one DCA headphone it was correct and incorrect to call it bass light at times, in my opinion.

I tried without the stickers and it was too much bass. It was well controlled but so much bass! I love ETHER C flow 1.1 in it's current tuning.

 

[elira]

This make sense.
Can you try the track AH BLOODY AH from SW's The Future Bites deluxe digital edition?
It has a very dynamic and deep drum kick.

That specific track sounds better on my LCD-XC. The XC are more pronounced on that low end. You can hear it on the Stealth but with less strength.