The Stealth - Dan Clark Audio's endgame headphones

QuadDiffuser

VIP/Donor
Apr 2, 2017
373
338
340
Hong Kong
Folks, I've placed an order for these extraordinary closed-back planar-magnetic driver headphones, a novel and patented "world's first" design, engineered with a carefully tuned metamaterial chamber to equalize and shape the drivers' frequency response to correlate superbly in the amplitude domain to the Harman Curve. Its group delay / impulse response is also stellar, given the relative absence of internal cavity resonances. Astonishingly, even at 111dB SPL, its distortion is between 0.1 - 0.2% (from 100Hz upwards), and at 94dB SPL, THD at 2kHz is below 0.01%.

For many of us who have been chasing the proverbial never-ending asymptotic endgame system, for merely US$4k (plus associated source and amplification components), the Stealth is a way to cheat your way into hearing a "perfect" reproduction of music from 30Hz - 10kHz (implied from its frequency response measurements), with the advantageous absence of huge bass (and room) anomalies present in the vast majority of listening rooms, but of course mostly devoid of the spatial and tactile qualities unique to two-channel stereo.

A cheesy analogy, but the Stealth promises to deliver 16K resolution "sound" for US$4k. :p

Delivery will be within a month's time (to Singapore) - I'm psyched ! My current (and only other) headphone is the US$3k Meze Empyrean, which may be looking for a new home... well, let's see. In any case, both headphones are *merely* the price of a single high-end AC power cable in the crazily expensive two-channel high end audio world, so the value proposition is extremely compelling.

Manufacturer's website page URL:
Dan Clark Audio Stealth Planar Closed-Back Headphones

Audio Science Review's Amir (who's hard to impress) giggles with delight and gushes his praises:

HeadFi's Jude is declares the Stealth to be at the top of the heap:
 
Last edited:

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
Yes, have recently read the article and this review. Very very interesting indeed. That said, perfectly happy to focus on getting the 800S settled in. Hoping the headphone amp will arrive next week and the cable probably more like 4 weeks.

Meanwhile, how hard does anything think it will be to drive this Stealth headphone really well?
 

iaxel

Well-Known Member
Oct 25, 2016
390
185
173
There are a few interesting TOTL headphones coming out this Summer/Fall.
Audeze CRBN
Audeze LCD-5
DCA Stealth
New headphones from Focal
Meze Empyrean Elite
 
  • Like
Reactions: Addicted to hifi

iaxel

Well-Known Member
Oct 25, 2016
390
185
173
  • Like
Reactions: Addicted to hifi

iaxel

Well-Known Member
Oct 25, 2016
390
185
173
  • Like
Reactions: Addicted to hifi

QuadDiffuser

VIP/Donor
Apr 2, 2017
373
338
340
Hong Kong
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Addicted to hifi

iaxel

Well-Known Member
Oct 25, 2016
390
185
173
And, check out Andrew's puzzled / surprised facial expressions!
Seems like he’s trying not to disclose anything before the official full review.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
I believe so, along with the CRBN which is Audeze's first venture into electrostats.
Which headphone amp are you going for? I see in your signature block, it is listed as 'coming soon'. I just found a 2nd hand EAR Yoshino HP4...and it is currently on the bench with EAR who are checking it out. Hope to have it this week or next week. Very excited to hear it.
 

iaxel

Well-Known Member
Oct 25, 2016
390
185
173
Which headphone amp are you going for? I see in your signature block, it is listed as 'coming soon'. I just found a 2nd hand EAR Yoshino HP4...and it is currently on the bench with EAR who are checking it out. Hope to have it this week or next week. Very excited to hear it.
The HP4 was my dream headphones amp.
There’s a few options on the table, before I decide I need to know if I go for the CRBN or stay with planars. Electrostats require totally different amps.
Haven’t decided yet…
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
The HP4 was my dream headphones amp.
There’s a few options on the table, before I decide I need to know if I go for the CRBN or stay with planars. Electrostats require totally different amps.
Haven’t decided yet…
Wow! That is really good to know, and now it makes me even more excited to hear it! I have spoken with loads of people, read every review I could get my hands on, spoke with the guys who sold it to me who are premier headphone shop and were super-good. And the price was definitely right since it was 2nd hand and in good working condition. Plus, by many accounts it is the preferred headphone amp for the 800S which we just got (also on special though new).

And yes, the one thing that I thought about on the HP4 was electrostats...but decided while I was really enjoying my first foray into headphones...I did not see it as more than really enjoying ONLY when it was not going to work for others in the house to play the main system. Thus, 800S + HP4 was a plenty-great reference system and 'be done'.
 

iaxel

Well-Known Member
Oct 25, 2016
390
185
173

iaxel

Well-Known Member
Oct 25, 2016
390
185
173

iaxel

Well-Known Member
Oct 25, 2016
390
185
173
  • Like
Reactions: Addicted to hifi

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing