[FullBright1]

9-16-2022
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What is the DCA EXPANSE ?


A.) IMO....This is Dan achieving His (Stealth Sound) High Tech Version of the : Susvara


The DCA EXPANSE is a analytical balanced sound with a slightly forward midrange and a touch of lower treble emphasis.
The EXPANSE offers nice instrument separation, solid detail retrieval, and a wider soundstage then the original Stealth.
The "DAN" sound is recognizable inside the Expanse's Engineering, as its a lightly clinical, textured, and nicely resolving.

Do you like the DCA House Sound?

Well, this is the Penultimate DCA Headphone sound. It is the best sounding DCA gear to date and the comfort is outstanding.
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Box : Slightly Impressive in the tradition of DCA boxes. See the photos.


Headband : Its Comfy. and the Blue stitching is prettier than the Red that is found on the original Stealth Headband.


Cups: I find the Expanse cups to be more comfortable than the Cups on the Stealth Original.


Comfort : I find the Expanse to be more comfortable on the Head than the Closed back Twin Stealth..


Cable: I chose the XLR, but i ordered a DCA 4.4mm as most of my Amps prefer this Cable.

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Tone

The Expanse has a mostly balanced and natural sound.

Treble :

Its extended yet engineered to offer a full treble, vs a airy or thin treble.
The Expanse Treble is quite detailed. There is a touch of lower treble emphasis.

Upper Treble :

Is revealing and not etched. Its extended but not etched.

Lower Treble : is very present, and somewhat forward.


Midrange :

Low Mids are controlled and balanced.. Middle Mids are a half+ a step forward. Upper mids are forward and if you are sensitive in this area, they might fatigue you.
Its the DCA Midrange sound... its quite forward, has warmth and lots of detail... The Expanse's sound is built around the midrange, most of all.

Bass :

The Expanse has more and better bass, (both Sub and Upper) than the Original Stealth.
I hear it to be nicely balance with the Mids and Treble.
its a clear and precise bass, textured, revealing, and can be nuanced and can be impactful when the music demands it.

Instrument Separation : Very good.


SoundStage :

Its good. Better then the original Stealth.
It extends nicely out in front , and is of significant width that allows you to experience intimacy with the music and medium immersion into the sound.

Dynamics : The Expanse offers nice Dynamics overall, similar to the HE1000 series with a more balanced low end.


Resolution : Impressivw.



Final Analysis : Dan's Best sound A nice listening experience.... very expensive, has some upper midrange forwardness that can at times be fatiguing.

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[Art Garfunkel]

Another perfect headphone

 

[FullBright1]

Another perfect headphone

Dan has created a very nice gear.
I headed into this one very skeptical, as i didn't really enjoy the Stealth Original.

One of the things ive noticed about it, as ive continued to listen to if for now, my 2nd day......

You know how it is, when a headphone has a FR issue......and you have to try to give it more volume to get some balance?
It can be that the bass is really neutral until you crank the volume too loud and then its just right.
The EXPANSE does not have that issue, which for me is great, as i like to listen to a medium low volume, as my MAXX...and that works well with the Expanse.

 

[Andrewteee]

Love the character of your review!

One thing to add is that I've found the Expanse to be good at all volume levels. I pay attention to that with speakers, but tbh it never occurred to me with headphones because I generally listen pretty loud. But last night on the Expense, I was in a quieter mood and they sounded as good, just quieter (dynamics, clarity). I'm also using Ferrum (the Oor+Hypsos).

(I just noticed that you added that same sentiment in your second post )

 

[FullBright1]

Love the character of your review!

One thing to add is that I've found the Expanse to be good at all volume levels. I pay attention to that with speakers, but tbh it never occurred to me with headphones because I generally listen pretty loud. But last night on the Expense, I was in a quieter mood and they sounded as good, just quieter (dynamics, clarity). I'm also using Ferrum (the Oor+Hypsos).

(I just noticed that you added that same sentiment in your second post )

Yes. we are agreed

Up or Down on the Volume knob and the Expanse makes the music sound good.

And as i was careful to point out......DCA has a STEALTH SOUND, and i never agreed that the Noire, sounds like the Stealth.
Headphones.com stated that it did, but i didnt hear that on my ears.
I found the Noire to be V shaped and far too treble spiked.
The new STEALTH is not like that at all, regarding its REFERENCE CLASS sound profile.
So, buying the Steath is to buy the Stealth FR, Sonics, and Dan's idea regarding what the best sound is all about, inside a set of Cups.
So, its HIS BEST SOUND, refined to the MAXX, and i think its very very good.

 

[Andrewteee]

I also have the DCA A2N which I use with a Chord Mojo 2. Love the A2N too (but Stealth and Expanse are better, as they should be). And yes there is something about the DAC sound that I'm drawn to in every pair. That's just me, knowing others can be drawn to different things.

Right now the Expanse is just so enjoyable!

 

[FullBright1]

I also have the DCA A2N which I use with a Chord Mojo 2. Love the A2N too (but Stealth and Expanse are better, as they should be). And yes there is something about the DAC sound that I'm drawn to in every pair. That's just me, knowing others can be drawn to different things.
Right now the Expanse is just so enjoyable!

My 2 favorite headphones this year, are the RaaL C1-1A and the DCA Expanse.

 

[Hiker816]

My 2 favorite headphones this year, are the RaaL C1-1A and the DCA Expanse.

Would love to hear your comparison of the two.

 

[FullBright1]

Would love to hear your comparison of the two.

They are Similar, in the sense, or related to the context or aspect...... that BOTH produce a Reference Class Sound, in their own way.

Both are detailed and full sounding but not agressive.

How to understand that term.. "Reference Class".

= Its the Anti-Consumer sound, and the Anti-Audeze Sound, and the Anti-Hifiman sound., if you want a comparison.

Reference = natural, balanced, in the pursuit of life-likeness, and eq'ing ruins it.

Having said that.... No headphones sounds like live music SOUNDS. No headphones sound like the group sounds LIVE in the Studio.

Reference Headphone sound is a headphone designer's facsimile, a R&D engineered attempt to create inside small cups, something that attempts to sound like what your ears would perceive listening to something in a live room.

Most headphones fail to even approach Reference Sound , because they are designed to re-EQ the music according to their companies house sound, or regarding their TARGET Audience.

The RaaL is the companies only closed back, so it has no context to try to copy.........it just sounds like the original
The EXPANSE, is Dan's Reference Class sound, His best,.... His most floor standing speakerish sound that he has been able to try to simulate inside headphone cups.

Notice that he does not give you pads to play with, regarding the 2 Stealth's. So that lets us know that what he has designed does not need it.
He has created a statement sound, and its a very fine headphone sound, but its Dan's Sound.
I dont believe he can "update" the Expanse, as it is a Classic. Perhaps he can offer it in Bronze, and Gold, and Turquoise, and Piano Gloss... in a year or 2.

or the Stealth JR......that is plastic and much less money.

The Raal's, are more immersive and have a more lush tone, because of the Ribbons. The EXPANSE sound is leaning that way, regarding the way it portrays midrange and treble.
The Raal" have more low end.

Dan has also created a "look", a FUTURE TECH aesthetic quality to the Stealth's that the Raal's do not equal.

 

[Hiker816]

They are Similar, in the sense, or related to the context or aspect...... that BOTH produce a Reference Class Sound, in their own way.

Both are detailed and full sounding but not agressive.

How to understand that term.. "Reference Class".

= Its the Anti-Consumer sound, and the Anti-Audeze Sound, and the Anti-Hifiman sound., if you want a comparison.

Reference = natural, balanced, in the pursuit of life-likeness, and eq'ing ruins it.

Having said that.... No headphones sounds like live music SOUNDS. No headphones sound like the group sounds LIVE in the Studio.

Reference Headphone sound is a headphone designer's facsimile, a R&D engineered attempt to create inside small cups, something that attempts to sound like what your ears would perceive listening to something in a live room.

Most headphones fail to even approach Reference Sound , because they are designed to re-EQ the music according to their companies house sound, or regarding their TARGET Audience.

The RaaL is the companies only closed back, so it has no context to try to copy.........it just sounds like the original
The EXPANSE, is Dan's Reference Class sound, His best,.... His most floor standing speakerish sound that he has been able to try to simulate inside headphone cups.

Notice that he does not give you pads to play with, regarding the 2 Stealth's. So that lets us know that what he has designed does not need it.
He has created a statement sound, and its a very fine headphone sound, but its Dan's Sound.
I dont believe he can "update" the Expanse, as it is a Classic. Perhaps he can offer it in Bronze, and Gold, and Turquoise, and Piano Gloss... in a year or 2.

or the Stealth JR......that is plastic and much less money.

The Raal's, are more immersive and have a more lush tone, because of the Ribbons. The EXPANSE sound is leaning that way, regarding the way it portrays midrange and treble.
The Raal" have more low end.

Dan has also created a "look", a FUTURE TECH aesthetic quality to the Stealth's that the Raal's do not equal.

Thanks! The dreaded question: if you could only keep one, which would it be?

 

[kckfor]

Thank you for the great review and follow up!

 

[Jluftig]

Just a note that "penultimate" means second to last. Is something coming after the Expanse that I'm not aware of? With gear like this, please pay attention to your words. People are making decisions based on them, and this is a lot of money. I appreciate your effort.

 

[moriez]

Just a note that "penultimate" means second to last. Is something coming after the Expanse that I'm not aware of? With gear like this, please pay attention to your words. People are making decisions based on them, and this is a lot of money. I appreciate your effort.

Good catch. However, people should think twice before making decisions based on what someone is saying, whatever they're saying. Right?

 

[FullBright1]

Just a note that "penultimate" means second to last. Is something coming after the Expanse that I'm not aware of? With gear like this, please pay attention to your words. People are making decisions based on them, and this is a lot of money. I appreciate your effort.

Well, kinda.......as the word means.... where it exists in a series...
So, with headphone makers, there always has to be the next one....
Think of it like this...
Im sure that DCA will create another Flagship, and that will be the next penultimate....,same as this one,...

Its a great gear. If you dont already own it, i hope you get to hear it.

It has no obvious deficiencies regarding workmanship, aesthetics, or SQ.
However, it has its own voice, and no single voice is going to appeal to all sets of ears.
Its not designed to be a Treble Head Headphone.
Its not designed to be a Bass Head Headphone.

Its is designed to be an Audiophile Headphone and its a great one.

Not everyone likes Adele's voice, but her voice is a world class voice.

This DCA is a Classic, in my opinion.

 

[FullBright1]

How does "Reference Class" play the song in the video posted below. ?

How does the EXPANSE reproduce this song that has a very large low end, synth part.

Well, a none Reference gear will produce a Bass that is louder then the mids and Treble. You'll notice that it hits LOUDER, then the Midrange or the Treble.
A Reference Class set of Headphones like the EXPANSE, produce an incredible synth sound... Its like U are right there in the room with the artist who is playing it into the recorder, but, the balance of the Bass, is not louder then the Midrange and Treble = REFERENCE.
Im not speaking about Linear, as the bass is not flat or rolled back.....its all there, but its not reproduced LOUDER in the EXPANSES's cups with regard to the the Mids and Treble.
Its produced as BALANCED within the FR.
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