Dan Clark Stealth Review (State of the Art Headphone)

[Doodski]

I found a GIFF that demonstrates the folding mechanism they incorporate into their headphones.

 

[richard12511]

Wow! That's definitely the best we've seen so far. Price is still too high though, imo, but at least performance is SOTA.

 

[amirm]

Would it be possible to place the cans on the measuring unit and play music at about 80-90db and detail how much sound leaks, when you stand back a few steps?

I can just say that as the sweep was going on at 94 dBSPL, it was barely audible. The pads are ultra soft and mold well against the fixture. You can even slide them forward and back and they hold their shape and hence seal.

 

[Doodski]

So... What is Dan Clark about as a company? Is it a boutique business or large corporation?

 

[Eskamobob1]

I'm trying to calculate a rough sensitivity in db/mw for these, would anyone mind helping me out? When I try i get roughly 82 db/mw but when I do the same for 1266 (using 1030 mV @ 94 dB SPL) I am off of the actual figure by quite a bit. Wouod anyone mind pointing out what I'm missing?

Fwiw, im just plugging sensitivities into a calculator using 94dB desired SLP and 23 ohm (for the stealth). I figure I'm just missing some piece of info here as to why this won't work, so help would be awesome if yall don't mind

 

[Eskamobob1]

So... What is Dan Clark about as a company? Is it a boutique business or large corporation?

Small company for sure but im not positive quite how small (aka, ZMF vs Shiit)

 

[diddley]

I read this review with open mouth, just wow!
this will sell well and sets the bar for others to follow or stay left behind.
Congrats on this new product

 

[MRC01]

I'm trying to calculate a rough sensitivity in db/mw for these, would anyone mind helping me out? When I try i get roughly 82 db/mw but when I do the same for 1266 (using 1030 mV @ 94 dB SPL) I am off of the actual figure by quite a bit. Wouod anyone mind pointing out what I'm missing?

Fwiw, im just plugging sensitivities into a calculator using 94dB desired SLP and 23 ohm (for the stealth). I figure I'm just missing some piece of info here as to why this won't work, so help would be awesome if yall don't mind

It's an easy calculation cuz these are orthos, having flat impedance vs. frequency, 23 ohm.
The short answer: 13.1 mW for 94 dB SPL
The long answer:
If 549 mV makes 94 dB, and R = 23, and V=IR, then i must be about 0.0239 A.
P = i^2*R = .0131 which is 13.1 mW
OR
P = iV = .0239*.549 = 13.1 mW, the same thing.

PS: I see you asked for db/mW. If 13.1 mW makes 94 dB, then what does 1 mW make?
10 * log(.001/.0131) = -11.1 dB
94 - 11.1 = 82.9 dB.
Your first figure is about right.

 

[Doodski]

It is rare in audio for a very expensive component to actually be the very best in its category.

Congrats, Dan Clark!

View attachment 148495​

I checked the Dan Clark website and there are accolades galore for various models of headphones. I heard of Dan Clark but never investigated the stuff till now.

 

[Eskamobob1]

It's an easy calculation cuz these are orthos, having flat impedance vs. frequency, 23 ohm.
The short answer: 13.1 mW for 94 dB SPL
The long answer:
If 549 mV makes 94 dB, and R = 23, and V=IR, then i must be about 0.0239 A.
P = i^2*R = .0131 which is 13.1 mW
OR
P = iV = .0239*.549 = 13.1 mW, the same thing.

PS: I see you asked for db/mW. If 13.1 mW makes 94 dB, then what does 1 mW make?
10 * log(.001/.0131) = -11.1 dB
94 - 11.1 = 82.9 dB.
Your first figure is about right.

Wonder why some other cans are so so far off the posted specs if my math was good

 

[MRC01]

I've seen manufacturer specs for voltage sensitivity & efficiency vary from reality quite a bit. I dunno why.

 

[KeithPhantom]

I'm impressed honestly. Pretty much at the level I expect at that price level except bass distortion (one of my personal pet peeves with headphones, the other being extreme sample variability). Even if audibility is questionable, I like to see both the 94 and 104 dB SPL distortion completely under 1% THD with the 114 dB SPL not more than 3% THD. That is the only fault I can find to it.

 

[doug2761]

Well I did ask for headphones that don't need EQ several reviews ago and here it is. Money and mouth will be having a discussion.

 

[noel_fs]

that much bass has to be annoying after 30 minutes, the only part i cant stand about the harman target

 

[PeteL]

Very inspiring.
For those who don't know, Dan Clark started by purchasing Fostex T50 RPs Planars and experimenting in mechanically tuning them with various damping materials, small mods at a time, sticking stuff at specific places to craft the frequency responses, crazy iterative process, add something, listen, measure, remove something measure, move this little patch 1cm, measure, etc, and then selling modded versions. He was the master at that and this hard work and deep knowledge pays off.

Now yes this is expensive, but it is not the MOST expensive, far from it actually. and the performance to back it up. It is worth it.

 

[KeithPhantom]

that much bass has to be annoying after 30 minutes, the only part i cant stand about the harman target

You see, if the Harman target had less bass, I could not enjoy my hip-hop and rap library. I tried with both diffuse field and the estimated in-room response, and it just is bright and lacks bass.

 

[trashken]

Sell all your mediocre stuff and get this! End game is here.

 

[phoenixsong]

Omg it's great down to the impulse response. Why was I unaware of this model?

 

[MRC01]

that much bass has to be annoying after 30 minutes, the only part i cant stand about the harman target

I agree. The Harman curve is too much bass for me. And a bit too much treble too. It's a population weighted average, with a lot of individual variation. We all hear differently.
That said, the Harman curve is a respectable engineering target for frequency response. It's not the only one, but it's a decent one.

 

[garbulky]

Very interesting that their best headphones are closed headphones. Did they give a reason for it?