Dan Clark Audio Stealth Review, Interview, Measurements

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

Somebody at Dan Clark Audio has a bad days I mean somebody at charge of their webpage.

 

[newworld666]

A first review of the Expanse is available here ...
https://headphone.guru/dan-clark-audio-expanse-planar-magnetic-headphone-open-horizons/

https://webcache.googleusercontent....&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=ms-android-tmus-us-revc

There is already one answer for me.. it is still a rather demanding headphone concerning power drained from the amp to move this headphone fully !!!!
Unfortunately, as the reviewer doesn't have the Stealth, there is no sound quality comparison with the DCA Stealth (changes in stage width and depth ?)...

 

[ThanatosVI]

Somebody at Dan Clark Audio has a bad days I mean somebody at charge of their webpage.

Not necessarily, it did generate some major hype for the already emerging reviews

 

[801evan]

Expanse has the same sensitivity as the Stealth so Diablo low gain, Go Blu can happily give it the best sound necessary.

 

[newworld666]

Expanse has the same sensitivity as the Stealth so Diablo low gain, Go Blu can happily give it the best sound necessary.

I don't think sensitivity is a real issue, but due to a rather low impedance, it can sometimes drain a lot of juice from the amp at realistic sound pressure level and than the amp can be clipping.

 

[801evan]

I don't think sensitivity is a real issue, but due to a rather low impedance, it can sometimes drain a lot of juice from the amp at realistic sound pressure level and than the amp can be clipping.

Doesn't clip on the ones I mentioned. Even susvara doesn't clip on the Go Blu.

 

[OneEyedHito]

The reviewer says it’s still demanding. New stuff same as the old stuff here on that part but sounds like the bass concerns some had could be eradicated in this model.

“The upshoot is the Dan Clark Audio EXPANSE is the finest sounding open-back planar headphone I have heard, and I can’t imagine any open-back fan not loving it, in fact, most closed-back fans will love it as long as they don’t need the isolation. There is a caveat, the EXPANSE is very demanding of your amplifier but it is definitely worth listening to with the right electronics, don’t reject it based on a first listening if it doesn’t fully satisfy, try a different amp. You need an extremely clean, extremely resolute, extremely linear amplifier with excellent bass control (damping).”

https://webcache.googleusercontent....&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=ms-android-tmus-us-revc

 

[801evan]

Since he didn't mention transport and cables, we can assume he doesn't think there's importance in that and that led to his wrong assumption that the HP requires a lot of power to drive it.

 

[Kentajalli]

A first review of the Expanse is available here ...
https://headphone.guru/dan-clark-audio-expanse-planar-magnetic-headphone-open-horizons/

There is already one answer for me.. it is still a rather demanding headphone concerning power drained from the amp to move this headphone fully !!!!
Unfortunately, as the reviewer doesn't have the Stealth, there is no sound quality comparison with the DCA Stealth (changes in stage width and depth ?)...

You should have taken a screenshot.
They have taken it off!

Edit: I see @OneEyedHito has posted a cache version, good!
Did you know that DCA has trade-marked the name Expanse for themselves?!
I thought it wouldn't have been allowed! after all it is just a noun, applies to many things.

 

[newworld666]

The reviewer says it’s still demanding. New stuff same as the old stuff here on that part but sounds like the bass concerns some had could be eradicated in this model.

“The upshoot is the Dan Clark Audio EXPANSE is the finest sounding open-back planar headphone I have heard, and I can’t imagine any open-back fan not loving it, in fact, most closed-back fans will love it as long as they don’t need the isolation. There is a caveat, the EXPANSE is very demanding of your amplifier but it is definitely worth listening to with the right electronics, don’t reject it based on a first listening if it doesn’t fully satisfy, try a different amp. You need an extremely clean, extremely resolute, extremely linear amplifier with excellent bass control (damping).”

https://webcache.googleusercontent....&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=ms-android-tmus-us-revc

It is already many months we don't have the same perception of the situation with the DCA stealth.
But, last year, Centrance after testing their prototype of their Ampersand with the DCA Stealth and Aeon 2 Noire, they said, they had to delay the Ampersand, due to some change of the design because the 25oHms of such headphone drains a monstrous lot of juice to move properly such low impedance headphones...

I still own as portable DAP/amp and can compare almost in a A/B situation => the Less BX+2, Centrance M8V2 & Ampersand, A&K Kann Alpha, Fiio M17, iFi Go blu, Fiio BTR7 ... all with a balanced 4.4mm output, I would say that only the Fiio M17 (in DC mode) and nearly the Ampersand are able to fully move the DCA Stealth in almost any situations.
All of the other DAP/Amps can produce nice results, but at a significant less realistic volume pressure level.. though that's better for the ears .

 

[801evan]

M17 + DC power sounds much thinner and less resolving than Go Blu and Gryphon on my end.

 

[Kentajalli]

For anybody who has missed it.

From Specs. it only needs 500mW of power (86db for 1mW).
So even a Mojo can power it.

 

[801evan]

For anybody who has missed it.

From Specs. it only needs 500mW of power (86db for 1mW).
So even a Mojo can power it.

Preach

 

[PointyFox]

The earcups are flatter than the Stealth's.

 

[OneEyedHito]

For anybody who has missed it.

From Specs. it only needs 500mW of power (86db for 1mW).
So even a Mojo can power it.

When I used the Stealth with the ifi Diablo I felt like I was driving this (it got me from A to B but it sure could have been a lot more fun if it were a real Porsche):