Though, how much better can they get, really. It would be more an academic "improvement" than anything else. Good choice. I am also thinking of getting the HPA4, once I sell my HA200.
Dan Clark Audio Stealth Review, Interview, Measurements
- Thread starter jude
- Start date
riverground
Headphoneus Supremus
Don’t say that… now I really gotta get itSo....let me get this straight...i say it once again....the Stealth comes very close to my HE1
NOMAX
PS.To all Head Fi Members...have fun and a nice day
So I’m guessing the TT2+Stealth combo is what’s making you say that?
I loved the Senny HE-1 that gave me weird feelings and I pretty much teared up
But yeah, it wasn’t until I heard the Stealth that I got excited about headphones once again.
Jimthecoffeeguy
100+ Head-Fier
If I was a guessing man, I'd say they'd bump the audio specs to match adi2 and slap a screen on it.
But people have been waiting for dac4 for a couple of years now and no rumors I can see of one appearing soon.
So short of emailing or calling benchmark and asking, it's do you wait and hope or enjoy now. I choose to step up now and be content.
Besides..... You can always upgrade again later if the new one was considerably better
Don’t say that… now I really gotta get it
So I’m guessing the TT2+Stealth combo is what’s making you say that?
I loved the Senny HE-1 that gave me weird feelings and I pretty much teared up
But yeah, it wasn’t until I heard the Stealth that I got excited about headphones once again.
No the Woo Topaz
....much better Synergie 
NOMAX
Barone Birra
100+ Head-Fier
I already have a DAC 3 HGC, and recently Rory Rall said to me there isn't no DAC4 imminent.
Jimthecoffeeguy
100+ Head-Fier
Ok. So after a short but thorough listening session here are my impressions of stealth compared to aeon2 open (no filters installed) - from a noob/non audiophile perspective.
Firstly a big shout out to Geoff from Hey Now HiFi in Melbourne Australia - top bloke highly recommend him.
PC to schiit modius to schiit magnius-to HP
Build quality - crazy good. Feels super sturdy and firm, yet flexible in the hand. Weight is slightly more than aeon2 in hand but barely noticable.
Ear pads feel the same on exterior but the interior is incredible compared to aeon2 both in hand and on head. Definately a superbly comfortable headphone. The auto-adjustment mech also works perfectly for me.
Ear cup depth is aprox 1/3 shallower than aeon 2 due to the AMTS element, can feel my ears touch it lightly when I put them on/move cans around but it isn't uncomfortable at all once settled in. The earcup is also physically larger and more accomodating.
Vivo cable vs dummer is like moving from a corolla to a bently.
Sound: so A/Bing the headphones there are clear and immediate differences even to me.
Soundstage can be significantly wider, and placement is furthur out from my head compared to the aeons - this depends on the track I've found.
Bass is sharp, tight and deep -but I can see why people comment on Stealth's "lack of bass" it's not a lack of bass to my ears but the bass is...quieter - crank the volume up a bit and it's there! But compared to aeon2 the bass is more ACCURATE and less bloaty and boom boomy.
Midrange on stealth is clearer than aeon by a long shot, and higher ranges are smoother and more accurate (aeon 2 tends to be sharper and harsher)
I could hear more detail and nuances in every song I played with stealth and it sounds more life-like accurate and articulate than aeon. I also heard things in songs I'd not heard before.
There were no tears of joy moments BUT there were a few times I felt a little close. also several hair raising on the back of my arms/neck moments - a good thing for me.
The real noticable differences I found were that stealth does indeed pick apart a poor recording, and also I noted that when I played a selection of tracks from the red hot chilli peppers, californication the bass guitar was a lot more accurate, but didn't feel as lively or punchy as it normally would. However playing other bassy songs stealth was fantastic. Still chewing why this was the case over in my head.
Basically all songs sounded better with stealth with the RHCP selection being the only outlier so far. It's like taking a little bit of cotton wool out of my ears.
And oddly stealth sounds more open than the Aeon2 opens do.
I listened to these tracks among others:
-M83 midnight city
-2cellos thunderstruck, technical difficulty's, mombasa
-amy winehouse rehab
-Lorde still sane
Avengers endgame ost portals
-deadmau5 SoFi needs a ladder
-daft punk harder better faster stronger
-michael Jackson thriller
-RHCP parallel universe, californication, around the world
-cristina Perri jar of hearts
-dire straits sultans of swing
-genesis mama
-eskimo joe falling for you
-Bruce faulkoner DBZ ssj3 powerup
-Janine Jansen four seasons (several tracks)
So.... After all this what do I think from my initial impressions? Is this headphone worth $4,000???
I'm going to say I love it and yes. To me and some others yes it's worth every cent.
Will I sell my aeon2's? Not yet, but mabey - I'll wait to see how the stealth changes with burn in and decide after 200 hours.
Oh I also forgot one important fact:
I ordered stealth with balanced xlr but recieved it with a 1/4' trs (contacted my guy to rectify already)
So, I was comparing aeon2 open BALANCED vs stealth SE.
On an amp that dosent measure particularly well on SE and measures superbly on balanced.
Make of that one what you will...
Firstly a big shout out to Geoff from Hey Now HiFi in Melbourne Australia - top bloke highly recommend him.
PC to schiit modius to schiit magnius-to HP
Build quality - crazy good. Feels super sturdy and firm, yet flexible in the hand. Weight is slightly more than aeon2 in hand but barely noticable.
Ear pads feel the same on exterior but the interior is incredible compared to aeon2 both in hand and on head. Definately a superbly comfortable headphone. The auto-adjustment mech also works perfectly for me.
Ear cup depth is aprox 1/3 shallower than aeon 2 due to the AMTS element, can feel my ears touch it lightly when I put them on/move cans around but it isn't uncomfortable at all once settled in. The earcup is also physically larger and more accomodating.
Vivo cable vs dummer is like moving from a corolla to a bently.
Sound: so A/Bing the headphones there are clear and immediate differences even to me.
Soundstage can be significantly wider, and placement is furthur out from my head compared to the aeons - this depends on the track I've found.
Bass is sharp, tight and deep -but I can see why people comment on Stealth's "lack of bass" it's not a lack of bass to my ears but the bass is...quieter - crank the volume up a bit and it's there! But compared to aeon2 the bass is more ACCURATE and less bloaty and boom boomy.
Midrange on stealth is clearer than aeon by a long shot, and higher ranges are smoother and more accurate (aeon 2 tends to be sharper and harsher)
I could hear more detail and nuances in every song I played with stealth and it sounds more life-like accurate and articulate than aeon. I also heard things in songs I'd not heard before.
There were no tears of joy moments BUT there were a few times I felt a little close. also several hair raising on the back of my arms/neck moments - a good thing for me.
The real noticable differences I found were that stealth does indeed pick apart a poor recording, and also I noted that when I played a selection of tracks from the red hot chilli peppers, californication the bass guitar was a lot more accurate, but didn't feel as lively or punchy as it normally would. However playing other bassy songs stealth was fantastic. Still chewing why this was the case over in my head.
Basically all songs sounded better with stealth with the RHCP selection being the only outlier so far. It's like taking a little bit of cotton wool out of my ears.
And oddly stealth sounds more open than the Aeon2 opens do.
I listened to these tracks among others:
-M83 midnight city
-2cellos thunderstruck, technical difficulty's, mombasa
-amy winehouse rehab
-Lorde still sane
Avengers endgame ost portals
-deadmau5 SoFi needs a ladder
-daft punk harder better faster stronger
-michael Jackson thriller
-RHCP parallel universe, californication, around the world
-cristina Perri jar of hearts
-dire straits sultans of swing
-genesis mama
-eskimo joe falling for you
-Bruce faulkoner DBZ ssj3 powerup
-Janine Jansen four seasons (several tracks)
So.... After all this what do I think from my initial impressions? Is this headphone worth $4,000???
I'm going to say I love it and yes. To me and some others yes it's worth every cent.
Will I sell my aeon2's? Not yet, but mabey - I'll wait to see how the stealth changes with burn in and decide after 200 hours.
Oh I also forgot one important fact:
I ordered stealth with balanced xlr but recieved it with a 1/4' trs (contacted my guy to rectify already)
So, I was comparing aeon2 open BALANCED vs stealth SE.
On an amp that dosent measure particularly well on SE and measures superbly on balanced.
Make of that one what you will...
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
The Stealth looks so much more refined
Congrats and welcome!
As I mentioned before, Stealth for me has a larger palette of bass. Like, it maps an earlier 8 shades / level of bass to 256, and you suddenly have two different sounding bass, which were similar sounding on other headphones. I played around with DSP and how large sounding you can make is unreal for a closed back. Though, it is already very open (or accurate) sounding...
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Jimthecoffeeguy
100+ Head-Fier
It is. Looks and sounds phenomenal. Even on my schiit stack.
Hopefully it'll really shine on the benchmark system in a months time!
Jimthecoffeeguy
100+ Head-Fier
Thanks imreally happy (except for the cable. In secretly fuming lol)Congrats and welcome!
Agreed. Bass is more technical sounding. Not flatter but more er.... dimensions to it?
If you listen casually it sounds like it's recessed or lighter, but if you LISTEN to it, not only is it all there but it is more accurate and detailed from my observations.
It'll be interesting to see how it opens up as it burns in too. The aeons did this so I expect these will be similar
newworld666
Headphoneus Supremus
It is a pity I couldn't test it on DX300MAX - I sent it to its new owner yesterday only about an hour before your post.
... I have no idea what power can provide the Dx300MAX at 22ohms.I just discovered that available power could be much lower at 22ohms than 75ohms. I was expecting it would be more Watts at 22ohms than at 75ohms.
The fact is that clearly the M8 V2 does the opposite ... and Centrance said that at 9ohms with DCA Noire it was draining a lot of juice, much more than the Ampersand with 3Wx2 at 32ohms could provide...
skootb
100+ Head-Fier
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What's the max power from a Dave? and is it enough?
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