Dan Clark Expanse Headphone Review

[solderdude]

Every few years or so... soooo ... kind of 'regular'

 

[phoenixsong]

Every few years or so... soooo ... kind of 'regular'

Yup I've been checking his page every couple weeks so can attest to this XD

On that note, Solderdude, any reviews of the HD505 or HD550 incoming? Yknow, given how you have been consistently measuring the main lines of Sennheiser headphones Although given their similarity to the HD560S and each other, I'd understand if you decide to skip any of them

 

[solderdude]

Only HD550.. Planning to buy one on Wednesday.

 

[Robbo99999]

Only HD550.. Planning to buy one on Wednesday.

I think there was a discussion in different thread somewhere here on ASR about HD550, it prompted me to look up HD550 on Oratory's reddit and to me it looked like HD550 might measure quite close to New Version HD560s except the New Version HD560s having better bass extension. Would be interesting to see what you see when you measure it.

 

[Jimster480]

You can view/download the updated and corrected (220kB size) pdf containing data of over 1000 on- and over-ear wired headphones here:

https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/headphone-power-table-2025.pdf

or from here:

https://www.mediafire.com/file/dzwe1g73q6pbhnx/headphone_power_table.pdf/file

Sir the link already died lol. I remember you said you only change the link every couple of years ;x

 

[solderdude]

The mediafire link should still be O.K. as I can update that link.

There was an error in the PDF so the more permanent link for the fixed pdf to my website is now :

https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/headphone-power-table-2025-1.pdf

I can't edit my posts here after a day or so thus cannot mend the links and don't want to bother Rick about this.

 

[Jimster480]

The mediafire link should still be O.K. as I can update that link.

There was an error in the PDF so the more permanent link for the fixed pdf to my website is now :

https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/headphone-power-table-2025-1.pdf

I can't edit my posts here after a day or so thus cannot mend the links and don't want to bother Rick about this.

Thanks! I shared the mediafire link around now in the telegram groups I'm in. Originally I shared the one from your website ;x

 

[Reconstruct]

So I got a pair of expanse. It sounds good except for top end which I found weak. I think i am missing lots of details in the high frequencies.

 

[Chagall]

So I got a pair of expanse. It sounds good except for top end which I found weak. I think i am missing lots of details in the high frequencies.

What is your reference? Other headphones, if so which one?

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

A lot of the times (like 99,9% of the time) so called details are just FR peaks and dips combined with elevated treble and our hrtf and how headphones act with out ears.

 

[staticV3]

So I got a pair of expanse. It sounds good except for top end which I found weak. I think i am missing lots of details in the high frequencies.

Both the 5128 and GRAS 43/45 show a relative trough at 7-11k:

Dan Clark Audio EXPANSE - Flagship Open-Back Planar Headphones - Official Discussion Thread

Here’s the DCA Expanse measurements on the B&K 5128. For those who haven’t seen it yet, we’re using a DF + 8dB slope for our target. Raw Compensated Interestingly, it measures reasonably flat throughout the mids, but I definitely hear this one differently (it sounds much more shouty to...

forum.headphones.com

I'd try filling that with EQ.

 

[Blockader]

Both the 5128 and GRAS 43/45 show a relative trough at 7-11k:

Dan Clark Audio EXPANSE - Flagship Open-Back Planar Headphones - Official Discussion Thread

Here’s the DCA Expanse measurements on the B&K 5128. For those who haven’t seen it yet, we’re using a DF + 8dB slope for our target. Raw Compensated Interestingly, it measures reasonably flat throughout the mids, but I definitely hear this one differently (it sounds much more shouty to...

forum.headphones.com

I'd try filling that with EQ.

We don't know how Expanse is acoustically coupling with his ear canal.(which is a problem especially above 5khz) Anything but high shelf filters is risky.

 

[staticV3]

We don't know how Expanse is acoustically coupling with his ear canal.(which is a problem especially above 5khz) Anything but high shelf filters is risky.

Risky how?

Measurements show a ~4-6dB trough.
Filling that with PEQ (even erroneously) won't spontaneously cause hearing damage or anything.

If the correction doesn't fit, @Reconstruct would likely notice an unpleasant sibilance and that's it.

Nothing of value would be lost.

 

[Blockader]

Risky how?

Measurements show a ~4-6dB trough.
Filling that with PEQ (even erroneously) won't spontaneously cause hearing damage or anything.

If the correction doesn't fit, @Reconstruct would likely notice an unpleasant sibilance and that's it.

Nothing of value would be lost.

you do not know how expanse measures next to his eardrum. Especially above 7kz, the response variance from ear canal to another ear canal can be 3-5 db different. in other words, the gap you in the response may be different for him.

 

[staticV3]

Sure. The correction may fill a trough that isn't even present on @Reconstruct's head. I get that.

But they did mention a lack of treble, so what's the harm in trying?

 

[Jimster480]

So I got a pair of expanse. It sounds good except for top end which I found weak. I think i am missing lots of details in the high frequencies.

What Amp are you using? Or what is your entire stack?

 

[Reconstruct]

I am coming from AKG 812. Windows pc to exogal comet dac to simaudio moon 230HAD. The upper treble issue of the expanse has been discussed in various reviews and I just experienced this myself. From what I understood this was done by dan clarke intentionally to provide fatigue free listening