[Ultron 5]

Everything you said

Enjoy, it is a killer headphone .

Thanks, Whirlwind. I am enjoying it a lot! 70s Rush (Signals, 2112) sounds amazing on the VC. My source gear/chain is: Headamp GSX-Mini; Topping D90SE and; I am using Roon Nucleus as a streaming device. Hopefully, I am using this terminology correctly.

 

[Wes S]

Thank you for the likes, everyone. I am new to forums, so I am learning how to navigate head-fi. I hope this response gets through to all of you. Let me know, please.

Like my man @whirlwind said, your response definitely gets through to me too. The VC's are just flat out awesome, and have such a unique and capable sound, that definitely checks all the boxes for me as well. They really make me feel like I am there with the musicians with their excellent speed, punch, texture, detail, and just the right amount of note weight and euphony. The staging is also fantastic, and with my HA300mk2 and WE300B's, they don't sound like closed back headphones at all.

 

[Ultron 5]

Hey Wes S, Yes, they do have an open, airy quality to them. It's weird the way we use some adjectives to describe our sonic experiences but, I have to say for the most part they work in giving definition to what we hear.

 

[Ultron 5]

Congratulations, beautiful piece of equipment!

They should make more of the equipment we use restorable. Awesome job, man!

 

[Frabera]

I own VC's since a few years now, but when I purchase the DCA E3 recently, it is definitely an upgrade, and at $ 2,000.- it cannot be competed an no way.
Better soundstage, more airy, sound even better than many open back, more detailed, more precision etc...the best closed back money can buy, just the wood is missing !

 

[WarrenS]

I own VC's since a few years now, but when I purchase the DCA E3 recently, it is definitely an upgrade, and at $ 2,000.- it cannot be competed an no way.
Better soundstage, more airy, sound even better than many open back, more detailed, more precision etc...the best closed back money can buy, just the wood is missing !

I borrowed a friend's DCA E3's for a couple of weeks with an option to buy and to compare to my VC's. To me the E3's were a little too mid forward and couldn't quite match the naturalness of the VC's vocals which is something very special. The treble on the E3's was pushing I felt a little bit too much emphasis.

The VC's win out and of course that is only my humble subjective opinion.

 

[Frabera]

I had exactly the same feeling in the beginning, as the E3 is very hard to drive properly with the right cable, it took me some time to obtain the right balance, but when it is done, it sounds more natural than the VC's and much more realistic and vivid.

 

[Frabera]

The only closed back's ZMF who could compete with the E3, might be the Caldera closed, but much much more expansive...

 

[tutetibiimperes]

I haven’t heard the E3 but I do own a couple of other DCA headphones, an Aeon Ooen RT and an Ether CX. I’ve also had the chance to demo the Expanse.

I’m guessing the E3 is going to be closest to the Expanse since it’s basically just a lower-cost version of the Expanse’s brother the Stealth.

DCA does make some very nicely tuned headphones, the only drawback I’ve found is that they aren’t the most dynamic, it’s as if they’re a bit overdamped.

One of the nice things about the VC is that it’s a very visceral headphone.

 

[robo24]

The only closed back's ZMF who could compete with the E3, might be the Caldera closed, but much much more expansive...

I mean I have the Stealth which is a step above the E3. I'd sell it before any of my ZMFs closed or open.

 

[Frabera]

In terms of dynamics the E3 has nothing to do with the Stealth and the Expanse as well as other DCA model, this is why its success is so interesting

 

[Ultron 5]

I own VC's since a few years now, but when I purchase the DCA E3 recently, it is definitely an upgrade, and at $ 2,000.- it cannot be competed an no way.
Better soundstage, more airy, sound even better than many open back, more detailed, more precision etc...the best closed back money can buy, just the wood is missing !

I have heard good things about the DCA E3. For me, the build/design is a deal breaker. I am not a fan of headphones that use proprietary cables. Also, the cup design is a little too futuristic for me. With the VC, I get the whole package. looks, sound, build. Of course, it's not perfect, but I have fewer trade-offs in the end.

 

[JerseyD]

I have heard good things about the DCA E3. For me, the build/design is a deal breaker. I am not a fan of headphones that use proprietary cables. Also, the cup design is a little too futuristic for me. With the VC, I get the whole package. looks, sound, build. Of course, it's not perfect, but I have fewer trade-offs in the end.

The HiRose connectors that DCA uses are not proprietary, but it’s true that not many other manufacturers use them. In my experience, DCA build quality and comfort is excellent. Whether or not one likes the sound is another matter, however.

 

[yrstruly]

I have heard good things about the DCA E3. For me, the build/design is a deal breaker. I am not a fan of headphones that use proprietary cables. Also, the cup design is a little too futuristic for me. With the VC, I get the whole package. looks, sound, build. Of course, it's not perfect, but I have fewer trade-offs in the end.

The VC isn’t perfect? News to me tbh…

 

[Ultron 5]

The HiRose connectors that DCA uses are not proprietary, but it’s true that not many other manufacturers use them. In my experience, DCA build quality and comfort is excellent. Whether or not one likes the sound is another matter, however.

Okay, thank you, for pointing out that the connectors are not proprietary; nevertheless, you sustain my position when you say that not many other manufacturers use the HiRose connector. Out of curiosity, other than DCA, what manufacturer uses these connectors?