[x RELIC x]

So if the Dave doesn’t have enough power for these, what amp pairing is recommended with a Dave?

The DAVE has enough power to drive the Stealth from a engineering perspective, but that doesn’t mean you’ll enjoy the synergy for your preference. All of Rob’s designs output ample amounts of Current and it won’t run out. It’s not just about the total Wattage (Current x Voltage= Power), but the design of the system that will determine if the source gear is up to snuff.

As Dan has said already, 400mW @ 22 Ohms would be enough for an average safe listening level. The DAVE will give 1.4W @ 33 Ohms so will be plenty if you like to listen loud, according to Dan (see the quote below).

THat's kind of dependent upon how loud you listen and what you listen to... For general use I'd recommend at least 400mW at 22 ohms. If you like it loud go 1W+ at 16 or 32 ohms for desktop. For myself and how I listen I don't think I'd ever hit 400mW but I err on the side of protecting my hearing, given my job that's just a wee-bit important.

 

[newworld666]

As Dan has said already, 400mW @ 22 Ohms would be enough for an average safe listening level. The DAVE will give 1.4W @ 33 Ohms so will be plenty if you like to listen loud, according to Dan (see the quote below).

There is no guarantee 1.4W@33ohms will provide 400mW@22ohms unless Chord does announce it somewhere ..
My Centrance M8V2 can't ! On the paper, it's written 1.6W@75 ohms => so it should be around 5.4W@22ohms, but in real life, it's probably far less than 400mW as it can't follow some music in low and ultra low frequencies without clipping and distortion even at a reasonable level.
I have the same type of issue with the A&K Kann Alpha, which should provide until 12V (no charge), It's clipping and distorted too on some "classical" tracks.

I use such calculator => https://www.rapidtables.com/calc/electric/watt-volt-amp-calculator.html
And such terrific test track => Max Richter Cradle To The Grave from Hostiles

 

[x RELIC x]

There is no guarantee 1.4W@33ohms will provide 400mW@22ohms unless Chord does announce it somewhere ..
My Centrance M8V2 can't ! On the paper, it's written 1.6W@75 ohms => so it should be around 5.4W@22ohms, but in real life, it's probably far less than 400mW as it can't follow some music in low and ultra low frequencies without clipping and distortion even at a reasonable level.
I have the same type of issue with the A&K Kann Alpha, which should provide until 12V (no charge), It's clipping and distorted too on some "classical" tracks.

I use such calculator => https://www.rapidtables.com/calc/electric/watt-volt-amp-calculator.html
And such terrific test track => Max Richter Cradle To The Grave from Hostiles

I don’t know the specs of the Centrance, but I suspect it is Current limited at lower Ohms. Chord gear isn’t. I can’t remember exactly, but I believe the DAVE delivers 2W @ 8 Ohms. So no, the power delivery doesn’t decrease with lower impedance load like the Centrance M8v2. Not all audio gear is designed the same.

As for your clipping issues, as I mentioned earlier, it may be an issue delivering enough Current at lower impedances as the lower you go then the less Voltage is required vs Current.

 

[newworld666]

Less than a week of using the 4100€ DCA Stealth and already a real problem with the 4.4mm plug .. I have since yesterday lots of cuts when the cable moves a little, as if some welds were faulty inside the plug.
No fun at all, as I don't have any spare DCA cable and ther is only one in the box...I didn't expect a brand new TOTL headphone would have a weak cable... all of my formers headphones had 2 cables, one balanced and one SE (Sony, Ultrasone, HEDD, Beyerdynamic, Sennheiser, ...) ..

 

[newworld666]

Pfeuuuuu !! I didn't expect that the cable would be a typical Chinese made from aliexpress parts !!!!

I opened it .. to see if I could fix it by myself, but when I saw which type of plug they use and what cable it is.. I have no mind to try to fix such 20$ cable and even don't want to get such thing from DCA again !!!.
I will buy a new one from a more serious firm than DCA .. Luckily I didn't even try to pay DHL to send such cable back to the reseller, I will never use such type of cable and connectors.

Now I quite regret, I didn't buy a German or French made as I am used to. I wonder what type of parts are inside this 4100€ headphone.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

It is not unusual for high end boutique headphone/earphone to use "generic" cable, or you may call as cheap cable. Cable quality/material totally not a reflection of the technology inside the headphone itself. Far from it.

Yes, as customer, I hope they use exotic cable from the start, but that's not what currently happening in the market (very few already done this though.)

 

[Jimthecoffeeguy]

Pfeuuuuu !! I didn't expect that the cable would be a typical Chinese made from aliexpress parts !!!!

I opened it .. to see if I could fix it by myself, but when I saw which type of plug they use and what cable it is.. I have no mind to try to fix such 20$ cable and even don't want to get such thing from DCA again !!!.
I will buy a new one from a more serious firm than DCA .. Luckily I didn't even try to pay DHL to send such cable back to the reseller, I will never use such type of cable and connectors.

Now I quite regret, I didn't buy a German or French made as I am used to. I wonder what type of parts are inside this 4100€ headphone.

Is that the oem vivo cable? Pretty sure mine looks different externally

Any others able to confirm?

 

[elira]

4.4mm from DCA have had issues in the past, it’s a tricky connector. I haven’t had issues with 4 pin XLR nor 1/4 inch.

 

[mrspeakers]

Will the pads be sold separately and do they fit the Aeon 2’s?

Seems nobody in the Aeon 2 thread have tried it so wondering if anyone here knows about it.

Yes and no…

@mrspeakers
Couple questions for you.
1)I'm burning in my stealth atm, is there any particular method you recommend to optimise this?
2)I notice the gimbal is a lot looser than my aeon2's is this normal or do I need to tighten it up a tad?
3) due to the AMTS element I notice the earcup depth is "shallower" than my aeons. Although it's totally comfortable I notice my ears lightly touch the AMTS element. Is there a reason you chose not to increase the earpads depth slightly to offset the AMTS element?

Congrats on a stellar product. It's leaps and bounds over aeon2's.

Ps please don't bring out another flagship for a couple of years, I don't think my wallet can handle it haha!

The gimbal is se a litttle looser but if you have actual play contact Us.

So if the Dave doesn’t have enough power for these, what amp pairing is recommended with a Dave?

Dave has plenty of power.

There is no guarantee 1.4W@33ohms will provide 400mW@22ohms unless Chord does announce it somewhere ..
My Centrance M8V2 can't ! On the paper, it's written 1.6W@75 ohms => so it should be around 5.4W@22ohms, but in real life, it's probably far less than 400mW as it can't follow some music in low and ultra low frequencies without clipping and distortion even at a reasonable level.
I have the same type of issue with the A&K Kann Alpha, which should provide until 12V (no charge), It's clipping and distorted too on some "classical" tracks.

I use such calculator => https://www.rapidtables.com/calc/electric/watt-volt-amp-calculator.html
And such terrific test track => Max Richter Cradle To The Grave from Hostiles

Because of the way current limiting works even if Dave doesn’t current double when impedance falls to 16 ohms you would still have a minimum of 1w at 22 ohms.

 

[newworld666]

Is that the oem vivo cable? Pretty sure mine looks different externally

Any others able to confirm?

It was protected under a common heat shrink protection. After I have cut this protection I could see the connector was a typical low-cost 4.4mm connector available from aliexpress... Cable looks so simple and fragile, that I am not surprised after less than one week of daily use (Hotel room, Train, Home, office) it's already unsoldered/cut.

 

[mrspeakers]

Pfeuuuuu !! I didn't expect that the cable would be a typical Chinese made from aliexpress parts !!!!

I opened it .. to see if I could fix it by myself, but when I saw which type of plug they use and what cable it is.. I have no mind to try to fix such 20$ cable and even don't want to get such thing from DCA again !!!.
I will buy a new one from a more serious firm than DCA .. Luckily I didn't even try to pay DHL to send such cable back to the reseller, I will never use such type of cable and connectors.

Now I quite regret, I didn't buy a German or French made as I am used to. I wonder what type of parts are inside this 4100€ headphone.

This one’s not great soldering, sorry about that. However that is am Eidolic plug and is well mad. We will be happy to get a replacement cable to you just contacted our info email. FWIW getting 4.4 plugs in particular has been really hard during the pandemic.

 

[elira]

Pfeuuuuu !! I didn't expect that the cable would be a typical Chinese made from aliexpress parts !!!!

There are not many sources for 4.4mm connectors, there’s furutech and the pentaconn ones that are very expensive, I like the furutech ones those are in my opinion the best. All the others seem to come from China or Taiwan. What I have noticed is that there are many levels of quality on those AliExpress ones, some come close to furutech quality while others are crap. I don’t think there are many factories producing those given the niche market, my guess is that all come from the same place but with different levels of quality standards.

 

[Alcophone]

This one’s not great soldering, sorry about that. However that is am Eidolic plug and is well mad. We will be happy to get a replacement cable to you just contacted our info email. FWIW getting 4.4 plugs in particular has been really hard during the pandemic.

I have an unopened 4.4 mm 3.5 ft VIVO cable that I'm happy to pass on to @newworld666 if needed, I'd rather have a 6.35 mm 6 ft VIVO cable, it turns out.

 

[Nomax]

@newworld666

Why amazed?
You Remember my words about the cable?

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dan...ew-measurements.959214/page-120#post-16590135

Nomax

Ps.I am the only one who not only listens carefully but also looks very acurate every model in my Hand,from the Ear Pads,Headband etc etc....and also the cable
But from the headphones themselves and also from the acoustic side.....a masterpiece

I am sure Dan will find a solution

 

[Icenine2]

So if the Dave doesn’t have enough power for these, what amp pairing is recommended with a Dave?

Hugo TT2