Dan Clark Stealth Headphone Review & Measurements: Best in the World?
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- Review and detailed measurements of the Stealth state of the art planar magnetic closed back headphone from Dan Clark Audio. Detailed measurements including listening test evaluations are provided.
Review and discussion at: www.audioscien...
Hats off to Dan Clark Audio for following the science & producing a stellar product. Thanks for the review Amir.
Great review. Nice to see you so excited about a product such this.
I still own his original Mad Dog headphones - back when he was modifying the Fostex T50rp's. I think they were $250 or so back when I bought them. Love them so much, never gets old listening to those. Purchased them after meeting Dan at Axpona. Definitely one of the nicest guys at the show.
I've seen the headfi interview with dan clark as he explains the details and process of matching the drivers and how everything was made from scratch just for these. Makes me really appreciate the care and thought that goes into each DCA product and makes me appreciate my aeon 2 noire even more. Cant wait to see where the company continues to innovate from here!
Yeah, great to see how objective metrics based development can do for the final product quality.
Wow! Subjective assertions along with the objective measurements - is that really you Amir? Kidding of course - - but for once I didn't feel pushed away - - thank you for such a descriptive review of an obviously fine product - and - you actually reached out to me in that no, I'm not much of a "headphone" person but I'm already exploring getting a set of these wonders. IMHO, you've topped yourself with this one, and yes, I get that in this instance it's the product driving your review but very regardless, it was really great to get a sense of what you actually experienced (emotionally) via listening to them along with your carefully described and implemented measurements.
I am glad I didn't push you away. :) I hope people who try it have the similar revelation I had in testing it.
He's a human being after all and not just a measuring machine. #MindBlown
Headphones performing superbly at 114 dB like this need very disciplined users to avoid hearing damage.
The subbass can be 20db or more above the mid frequencies. Speakers are usually tested around 84-94db at 1 khrtz. So knowing what the bass performance is like at 114 db is pretty important.
As with anything, you wand to do everything in moderation. I crank up the volume for a track or two and then go back down. As also explained by Matt, the SPLs are required for bass where our hearing is so insensitive. Threshold of hearing there is as high as 70 dBSPL!
@@AudioScienceReview As early as 1986 when I bought my Stax SR-Lambda Professional headphones, I had to hold back because the playback at medium and high frequencies contained much less distortion than my ALTEC Valencia.
well, since the review is out and you had such great things to say about them, I think it's the least they could do is send ya a new pair :)
Great review as always. It's lovely to see people truly excited about, actually, whatever!!
Yeh, for once I don't mind a bribe like that!!! :D
They cant really afford to give these things away considering they are small company.
@@AudioScienceReview :D happy music!
Your review remind me of Tylls one where he was reviewing first Ether C... He was also amazed by them. Keep up the good work Dan!
The price is a bit of a joke though. Hopefully it's going to go down.
it's in line with other flagships at least. But for that kind of money I would go loudspeakers, which is what I did this year.
@@roundearthshill248Depending on your lifestyle, you need both though. I spend far more hours listening to headphones due to the need to multi-task at my desk and not disturb my wife.
I wonder if other brands will start using, and eventually mass producing, headphones that use meta material tuning like this.
5:25 numbers being the opposite direction of the headphones names
my neck
Reassuring to hear that these headphones are so well designed and made😎👍 Thank you
Have you published your playlist somewhere? Fellow salon 2 owners want to know 🤣
I have not. I try to keep it a secret :)
Wow we have ourselves an audio reference .. finally. Looking forward to the opinion of other reviewers
People who gripe about the price need to understand that running a small business in a niche market at a profit is no small task. Dan Clark Audio, Abyss Audio, ZMF, and companies like them don't enjoy the same scale of economy that a large company like Audio-Technica, Denon, or Sennheiser does. If you don't like the $4,000 price tag then take your money and go buy a Sennheiser. They will be very happy to sell you a mass produced headphone that is very good for less than $500. And to be fair Dan Clark Audio has products for people on a budget. But expecting a flagship product that is custom designed and built by hand for dirt cheap is absurdly unrealistic -- so don't hold your breath. Dan Clark isn't going to lose any sleep because you're pissed that you can't afford it and think for that reason that the Stealth should sell for what the AEON 2 Noire is selling for now.
It's nice to finally see a pair of headphones to get excited about. So many mega-buck phones (Abyss etc) have turned out to be of questionable quality.
Sarcasm?
lol you're in for a dissapointment
I have a pair of Ether C Flow 1.1. and a pair of Abyss TC amongst other headphones (HD600, LCD4, LCD XC, Susvara, Focal Clear, Aeon Flow Open and Close). I have had a number of headphones that I have sold including a Stax 009, Stax 007 mk2, LCD 3, and TH900 - including hearing countless others at meets. I love DCA/Mr Speakers headphones. does that qualify me as having good taste? No. Only that I've experienced a lot of headphones. All that said, The Abyss is the most transformative headphone that I have listened to. It is what I keep coming back to, and which gets most of my listening time. I am not the only one. Remember, if something sounds good and measures bad - you are measuring the wrong thing.
"It doesn't measure well so it must sound bad muh" hahaha I get such a good laugh out of you Amir nuthugging idiots. You can't silence me because this isn't ASR
@@drewhendler158
"If it sounds good and measures bad, maybe your hearing isn't as good as you thought it was"
-- Archimago
Thank you very much Amir! Please make a video about PREFERRED HARMAN CURVE. It looks weird.
My pleasure and will do.
These headphones measure great and look cool. However, I disagree that just because they measure to adhere to a certain target curve that that makes them 'perfect'. EQ can achieve the same on many headphones with minimal distortion. The Group Delay and distortion graphs were a pleasure to look at, however other headphones had similarly good performance, like the Drop Ether CX, E-MU Teak or AEON RT. And those headphones are excellent at a price point of $500 and $900! My biggest grip with this is price, $4000 is just way too much, especially for most, and even harder to justify in general because of the aforementioned Headphones. Still, a masterclass in engineering and headphone design!
Exactly, I couldn't believe I was hearing him say that. We don't all have the "average head" that was used to determine the Harman target, there's always some individual variation (and it can get quite large actually, as shown in dr. Griesinger's research), and there is almost always a need to EQ further to get things "really flat" to your personal HRTF.
Certainly a lot of headphones can be made to sound excellent with EQ. I have reviewed a number of them and given top marks tot hem. As you note though, they will have more distortion and resonances. While I can't prove it, I think the extremely low distortion is key to that extra bit of fidelity that this headphone brings. For personally, I also need a closed back headphone as I sit next to my noisy analyzer for many hours. To have a closed back headphone with such fidelity is simply impossible to find.
But yes, I share the concern about the price. I wish it was $1,000 or less.
@@AudioScienceReview thank you for your reply! always a pleasure to read your reviews and watch your videos.
Hand crafting and prodigious attention to detail can yield this kind of consistency repeatability and, of course, quality of reproduced sound. This isn’t this company’s first rodeo. They’ve made headphones and communication gear in the aviation industry for decades. Ask a pilot. Fussing about the price with a result like this is indefensible. You don’t have to defend cost to customer when the result justifies it, it’s research and time spent tweaking the design to get the output to be as flawless as possible. If you have ever worked in audio where there is this type of effort is made, I was fortunate to be so, you can understand why it is justified. Opinions vary depending on preferences and budgets and that is no problem given the prolific list of headphones one can choose today. Find what makes your ears do the boogaloo in the street. This hobby is about fun and enjoyment. Analytics has it’s place, but pure joy is highly desirable! Stay safe my mates!😊👍🏻😷
Amir, thank you for amazing content! Both videos and in the website.
Please do continue to make impulse responses and waterfall plots if you can. 🙏🙂 (Also interesting to see impulse differences in DA/AD converters, preamps and other equipment)
Thank you
Nice one Amir, finally got around to seeing this. Late night enthusiasm in making this video, aye! Excellent, I wish I can afford and spend time with this in future :-)
I had a chance to try those headphones, they're quite nice.
Can't wait to try these
Looks great to me in terms of measurements and how you and others described the headphone.
However, then there is Oluv's gadgets. He stated the following about the Stealth:
"adds way to much coloration"
"not as pleasent as focal elex"
"cannot imagine that someone perceive it great"
"wierd peak ressonances"
"not a single position where it sounded smooth"
He says quite often, that the Anker sound core q30 with eq the best headphone someone can buy.
Would love to "see" a review about this Anker with the eq.
I think he has some really weird standards and is arrogant about it.
Best headphone review ever! This Amir guy really knows his shiit. A lot of other guys like j velour just gush over every single headphone on their channels . I cant believe this wasn’t recommended to me until watching headphone reviews for a couple weeks. This should have been first because I already bought an Audeze LCD 4 damnit now I need some of these stealth 🥷
Fantastic Review!
Very cool to see Dan Clark creating something new and exciting and potentially a game changer.
I’ve been pulling for these headphones (AEON, AEON2, and NOIRE) for years only to have those not quite do it for me despite great looks and comfort.
I’m looking forward to hearing these when I can.
Measurements don’t interest me in the slightest but nice overview 👍🏻
Excellent review. I'm so impressed, I did order a pair.
Super. Would love to hear how you like them.
Have you done the Focal Utopias? I was pleasantly surprised to see that analysis. Thank you for taking the time!
Yes. It is an excellent headphone *with* EQ. See my review here: www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/focal-utopia-review-headphone.22103/
The DC Stealth doesn't need EQ and has lower distortion. So a step above.
Nice review! It would be very interesting to see how the Aeon 2 Noire compare to these. The tuing seems relatively similar and distortion should be low as in all Aeons :)
I should be getting one to test in the future. I have so much to test that they I have not pushed them to send me one.
Incredible.
I think he likes it !
Hey Amir! LOVE the reviews! I was wondering if you could do a study/review on the effects of how length of hair on the side of the head changes how we hear headphones. I've had longer hair before and The headphones I own always sounded different with the longer hair. I don't know if this has to do with driver distance to my ear or seal or if it's all just placebo, but no one better to ask than Mr. Audio Science man himself?
An interesting idea. I need to find a way to simulate the effect of hair. Let me think about it....
@@AudioScienceReview I would guess wigs?
yes an long hair here. I just trim around the ear or a area. I add on a second spring at the back lower for a better seal. or cut the pad near driver add in 1/2" filler and mount for the shape of my head. grado ps500
the drivers aren't deep enough it just bents ear loop
Nice. Thank you.
Wow they measure really well
Thanks, Amir! Your take holds a lot of weight as you’re not known to gush about your subjective experience of audio gear 😌
It’s as hard to drive as Susvara. I listen to music loudly . My amp is Niimbus us 5 pro and still need a preamp to drive stealth at high volume
Very interesting technology.
finally! a headphone that passes with flying colours. A bit out of my price range !
And I thought DCA had hit peak headphone with the Noire. The Stealth might be the best headphone, objectively.
Maybe you can convince them that you can keep it until they have a new model, maybe in a couple of years. Enjoy!
Now there is a good thought. It is between that excuse and saying our dogs took it for a toy and chewed it up.....
I have been watching amir's reviews for the last couple days. I have to say, seeing such a positive review (based BOTH on measurements and listening) is both uplifting and sad.
Uplifting because - believe it or not - some audio gear is, in fact, state of the art and worth shelling out for. Sad because the industry is so full of gear that is very much the reverse (I don't like to be more impolite than that), that it makes the good stuff very very difficult to identify reliably. It is an utter minefield. We need a thousand Amirs.
Oh man, I can't wait for this tech to trickle down to $1000 headphones in 10 years lol
They already exist...buy the AKG K371 by Harman
@@jasonw6993 While the K371 are insane for the money and I love their FR, the seal dependency ruined them for me. One slight head tilt and the bass says good bye.
Wow Amir, for you to gosh over anything it must be incredible :) What are your test tracks?
If I publish my tracks, there won't be any part of my life you all don't know about!!! :)
@@AudioScienceReview hehe no worries, can understand. Thanks for your great work :)
how is the isolation?
At that price I think I’ll stay with the earphone that came with my first two transistor radio in 1959. It lacks a bit on the low end but it’s still usable.
I prefer the piezo earpiece from my 1985 DIY crystal radio set
hi. i enjoyed your video and time. great experience.
I read and hear a lot of comments about some iem's having a great soundstage. Soundstage an is imaginary three-dimensional space created by the high-fidelity reproduction of sound in a stereo speaker or headphone. I'm not sure how IEM's can produce hight and depth. Are there any IEMs that are particularly good at producing depth.
No they cannot. People are just writing crap all over the internet. So called reviewers are deluded.
I recently purchased the Aeon 2 Noire and they have blown me away… I’m curious how much better the stealth truly is over the Noire? I’d really love to see a video on the Noire if you get the chance :) 🙏🏽 thank you!
I will see if i can get one for testing.
@@AudioScienceReview I’m from Canada, not sure where your located… if you’re close and it’s not too costly I’ll send mine in for evaluation, but shipping can be silly sometimes.
I too bought Dan Clark Aeon 2 Noire, and am so happy with them! Replaced B & W PX7 headphones. Wow! The Noire is so much better. Might buy DCA Stealth even if they are just slightly better. Drive my Noire headphones with Topping DX5. Awesome!
@@elevationmoto6208 I’ve been told Noire is 90% as good as stealth and that Stealth is slightly more shouty… but Noire is insanely good… I love it!
The new E3 is amazing.
I wonder if this will be a good closed back compliment to my he1000se , seems like it could be
Nice video. How do you compare it to Focal stellia ?
hey amir! thanks for doing this✌🏼 I have question though, what is that watch you're wearing? Casio 2 hand ani-digi?
No one has ever asked me about my watch! Yes it is a Casio. I bought it at Tokyo Airport about 15 years ago. My then current watch had broken and needed something. There is no direct US version unfortunately and I forget the model. It says "Lineage" below Casio if that helps. It is a world watch with RF synchronization and forever charging of the battery.
I was gonna say great frequency response but 4k for these headphones? What exactly is worth 4k in these. This is just like buying 100k speakers that cost 10k to build.
Will you be making a video for DCA Expanse as well? :)
I'ld love to buy a pair of these, but I would have to eat hot dog and tortilla soup 3 meals a day. I'm checking out recipes right now. What spices should I use?
I can wait for your review of the sennheiser Hd560s!
imma start saving money
clearly a lot of r&d went into this. now let's pray and be patient and wait for trickle down eventually hopefully :(
Indeed.
You can't deny the kidney massaging experience from speakers :D
I'd like to see some more time domain plots of these. Anyone has a link?
Huch, und ich Depp dachte, dass der SR-007MKI mit Serienummer 70XXX der beste KH der Welt ist, wenn er von einem Blue Hawaii angetrieben wird. Juchhu, wir haben einen neuen König. Hoch lebe Dan Clark.
interesting
I thought it was crazy to spend just over $3k on a ZMF Verite (that's still in finishing), but now I'm considering buying this. As an engineer and avid 3d-printing enthusiast, this seems to be truly impressive.
I’ve seen only a couple of reviews of the DCA Ether C Flow 1.1, but both were very positive. Given its price point ($1,800), I would think it might offer a good compromise between the Aeon Closed and this impressive but prohibitively (for most) priced flagship. The Ether C Flow 1.1 has a nice FR, too, and one wonders why more reviewers don’t test it.
Did amir test it at all? If not he should i always thought that headphones was beautifully simplistic.
@@Jordonater Not to my knowledge, but I agree that he should, especially in light of the results of the Stealth test.
@@noself1028 Hopefully someone will send one in
Thank you for this. Will you be reviewing the Audeze CRBN?
At some point, yes. I have asked for a review sample and they say it will be a while. For now, I am told the bass will not fit the target so you would need to EQ them.
@@AudioScienceReview Thank you. What are you thoughts on using a Subpac to get the tactile "feeling" ?
Wow, I always knew of Dave Clark headphones for high noise environments but there is a Dan Clark too? What is it about Clarks and headphones?
I would love to see you review DCA Ether 2.
Nice video, can you suggest a portable amp/dac for the stealth (and desktop amp/dac too)?
Topping G5 for portable
@@zapador Thx!
would you say this is head set is better than McIntosh speaker?
♥
Aeon 2 noire review?
I don't have one for test. I have a ton of headphones to review. Once I get through them, I will ask for a sample.
Exciting product! How are the cable microphonics?
Edit: in case anyone was curious, the cable microphonics are god awful.
What would be the ideal amplifier for these headphones?
Go to ASR Forum and pick any desktop amp I have recommended. Choices are JDS Labs, Schiit, Topping, SMSL, Drop THX, etc.
@@AudioScienceReview thanks
@@AudioScienceReview Would a portable amp/dac, for example the Chord Mojo, be able to drive these reasonably well? I only ask because, if these could also be used portably, that adds a new dynamic to these headphone.
Well well, looks I found a replacement for my HE1000SE...once they pop up for sale used.
Will you review some phono preamps at some point.
I have reviewed a number of them on ASR Forum.
@@AudioScienceReview thanks I will check them out.
I wonder how close the cheaper aeon 2 models can get to this. Looking at crinacles graphs it seems the bass would be at the right level but the hump is increased more than this stealth so it would be a bit muddy.
It really isn't muddy. With the increased energy in the 1 to 5 kHz, it works to balance things out.
@@AudioScienceReview Oh nice. I want to clarify if you are talking about the aeon 2 or stealth. Forgive my misunderstanding if I didn't word my own paragraph correctly. Great review as always you are the voice of reason.
Did you have any issues with microphonics with the cables?
Generally no. But if you pluck them just the right away it causes a resonance in the headband which is actually kind of cool. It is a decaying "ding" but very muted and subtle. Otherwise the cord is both substantial and soft.
It's too bad these can't be driven portably I would snag some if they could be driven off a portable device
Dan’s products has left a rather bad impression on me. I used to own an Aeon flow closed as my first pair of headphone. While technically it was “okay”, when I compared it to some much cheaper headphones, the Aeon was barely any better both in terms of technicality (detail retrieval, airiness, soundstage, etc) or tuning. Later I tried the Aeon at a head fi show at Dan Clark’s (back then still called Mr Speakers I believe), I was even angrier: the Aeon flow closed at their table sounds completely different from (and quite a lot better than) my copy ! Although, even this “improved” version is obviously worse than headphones only slightly more expensive. His Ether flow, for example, are just not competitive at that price. Many people I talked to have the same experiences. Lesson for me: never to buy from Dan Clark Audio again.
Hats off to Dan Clark for tuning for and adhering to the best possible measurements and creating a pair of cans that almost nobody would recommend at the price they are asking - a bit like a Toyota; gets you safely and properly from A to B in a shit boring manner. But great stuff, Amir; you are a shining light in a world full of uncertainty. A well EQ'ed pair of XC's sounds better subjectively, of course :) Do you do your math and then form your opinion, or is it the other way around?
Literally reference quality ..... Not that expensive when you consider these will last you a lifetime
Does is block a lot of noise?
I need the ultimate pair of headphones, but with total silence and wireless capabilities.
1000xm4. This isn't intended for noise cancelling nor wireless.
@@anafabulakz696 Correct, these are wireless and don't use active noise cancellation.
I'm curious how well these passively block noise, and any headphone can be plugged into a Bluetooth receiver.
It blocks enough of my very noisy Audio Precision analyzer while playing music. If nothing is playing, then no, it doesn't fully block sound. I would rate it as "good." To get great it would need to clamp harder or be noise cancelling. I like the comfort as is so don't want to give that up. All of this is subjective of course. :)
Greetings Sir Amir!! message to the company make the headphone cheaper. me want. =D
Greetings Sir MisterMax. :) I gave that message to the company loud and clear before the review. We need this type of sound in lower cost headphones.
Oh I stopped at "$4000 do..."
This is might be the first fully verified and legitimate use of a click bait video title.
I thought hard about putting that line in there. I though the product deserved it so went with it.
The only problem I have with over ear headphones is they get too hot summer.
At $4k I’m sure you have the money to turn the AC on.
Yeh, I switch to IEMs for that reason. Fortunately I live in a place where it is only that warm for 3 months out of the year so not a major issue.
@@AudioScienceReview yes I use IEMs or KSC 75 if I want some nice soundstage and don't care about sub-bass.
@@kyron42 might need to shelve the $4000 headphone idea as well then. Can’t worry about something that you can’t afford 🤷♂️ yes, I’m aware that I’m being a dick, but I completely enjoyed fact-checking your little fantasy 🧐😂❤️
@@cryptoclyps5049 I agree with everything you said for now (especially the part about you being a dick). Anyway I've got too many headphones to wear out before I upgrade.
Do these sound as lifeless and anemic as my Guantanamo bay torture device known as the Ether C flow?
You're most likely not getting a proper seal with the pads
I was ready to buy them but they ask 200$ for a shipping of a fucking headphones... What company even asks you to pay shipping costs when you pay 4000$ for a product lol
UPS next hour air protected max ultra signature plus
-I don't need this, i don't need this.. -Yeah sure (mouse goes over order button by itself, i guess mouse knows better haha ) -Damn, i do NOT need this.. Crap too late...
$4000. Can’t even consider them. Catch y’all later.
Amazingly, edifier Stax S3 comes pretty close at 1/10th the price. Also planar.
is there a useful review of them somewhere that would allow you to make that comparison
@@technology4617 I heard these all in the same store with the same music I know - Mark Levinson 5909, Technics A800, Dan Clark Stealth and Aeon 2 Noire, and the Edifier.
The ML and DC are very nice and plush looking. Sound quality wise my ears prefer the ML.
But the Technics and Edifier are jaw droppingly good, for a fraction of the price. Technics has everything a modern earphone needs. Edifier is a touch better in SQ.
@@morespinach9832 utterly delusional.
@@technology4617 I’ve heard both myself. Next to each other.
@@enjoshi-godrez8775 sure. I trust my ears. You’re welcome to trust online reviews 😇
I guess it doesn’t matter that it sounds muffled so long as it measures well.
Srsly though, it’s not that good and I hope people can listen to it first.
I mean, yeah, wow, but... $3999.
Do you think that fella over at no theme reviews would somehow find a way to shit all over this, take price out of the equation because that will be what drives him mad right from the jump, so other than the price, or will he say something along the line that it sounds fine NEUTRAL! that it sounded no different than his fucking avatone planar, ABing the units produces absolutely no discernable difference...
I am waiting for the reaction from the rest of the online reviewer world. It will be interesting to see if they take a contrarian position just to not look like they are agreeing with me. :) Then again the opposite happened when I gave glowing reviews to massdrop THX AAA amp and the rest of the world followed just the same. If they disagree, I hope they come armed with objective proof of why.
what a pity, you didn't mention a word of the sound but to repeat what the manual said.
There is a manual? I had not read it but good to know they think like me. :D
worth upgrade from Stellia?
I have one for testing. :) Ask me again after I have reviewed it.
Nice but I'm gonna stick with my $200 M570s.
Oops. They dropped to $175.
$ 4000 Headphones,....You got to be Kidding !! .....Stuff like this Doesn't Exist as I will Never pay over$ 200 for a pair (Would have to be Deriliously Drunk over $ 100).....My current Faves are Koss Pro4AA & Pro4AAA I've owned New which both Sound Extremely Good with the 4AAA having a tad welcomed more Bass & Top end sizzle.....What ever house 'Reference" Brand/Model phones you have, Doing a Measured & Listen Comparison to Reasonably Priced (Well < $ 500) phones Would be more Helpful to regular folk's Budget.....
Do I really need more than one kidney? 😂
4 thousand dollars!.... sounds like a bargain.
Obviously the smart thing to do is buy the HD600 or Sundara and EQ it so you get virtually the same sound quality for a tenth the price. But _so many_ kilo-buck headphones turn out to be utter junk that it's quite exciting to see an expensive headphone that actually goes some way towards justifying the increased price.
@@charleskingReal I have a 4XX and with my EQ it is incredibly enjoyable. Without EQ it is a bit mediocre. Sundara would be another step up and again with EQ. Dan Clark would be probably the ultimate but probably wouldn't benefit much from EQ because it's already so good.