Dan Clark Stealth Review (State of the Art Headphone)

[preload]

Preamp: -2.1 dB

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 108.23 Hz Gain -2.70 dB Q 1.13
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 282.93 Hz Gain -1.05 dB Q 2.63
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 540.35 Hz Gain 1.29 dB Q 2.57
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 981.29 Hz Gain -1.60 dB Q 1.82
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 3588.49 Hz Gain 2.06 dB Q 2.70

Has anyone tried this?
I have and wanted to share that I thought it was an overall improvement with the exception of Filter 5, which I ended up removing. I'm curious if anyone else had the same impression? If so, it might suggest that Amir's test rig has a tendency to read lower around 3.5khz compared to the Harman test rig. Another reason I suspect this is that when I measured the HD800 using my in-ear binaural mics, it happened to have lower output around 3.5khz compared to the Stealth. Either that, or I may be the weirdo that likes a little less 3.5khz.

P.S. Thanks @Maiky76 for creating these compensation filters.

 

[Wolvebain]

My current EQ setting is illustrated below, with -4 dB headroom adjustment, for the new "MØL" album: "Diorama"
Really enjoying the music!!!

 

[muslhead]

My current EQ setting is illustrated below, with -4 dB headroom adjustment, for the new "MØL" album: "Diorama"
Really enjoying the music!!!

View attachment 163362

Interesting. Before i sold mine, your correction is about what I needed to make it sound right to me.

 

[Bertel]

I hope this isn‘t too off topic - @JohnYang1997 and @amirm can you help me out here please - I‘m trying to compare and determine whether the Topping A90 or the Benchmark AHB2 would be best suited to drive the Stealth to best performance:

- While the A90 is measured at unity gain (4V in), the AHB2 is measured at 5W out. Is there a way to „convert“, and compare?
- The A90 has THD+N at 0.000094% and SINAD at 121dB there, whereas the AHB2 reaches 0.000225% and 113dB. Is this comparable?
- Signal to Noise Ratio of A90 at 4V is 126dB, whereas AHB2 at 22.5kHz BW is 130dB. Again, is there any way to relate this?

In short: based on the measurements made, is there a way to determine whether either the A90 or the AHB2 in measurememt terms would perform / measure better with the 23 ohm of the Stealth…?

 

[Firefly00]

I hope this isn‘t too off topic - @JohnYang1997 and @amirm can you help me out here please - I‘m trying to compare and determine whether the Topping A90 or the Benchmark AHB2 would be best suited to drive the Stealth to best performance:

- While the A90 is measured at unity gain (4V in), the AHB2 is measured at 5W out. Is there a way to „convert“, and compare?
- The A90 has THD+N at 0.000094% and SINAD at 121dB there, whereas the AHB2 reaches 0.000225% and 113dB. Is this comparable?
- Signal to Noise Ratio of A90 at 4V is 126dB, whereas AHB2 at 22.5kHz BW is 130dB. Again, is there any way to relate this?

In short: based on the measurements made, is there a way to determine whether either the A90 or the AHB2 in measurememt terms would perform / measure better with the 23 ohm of the Stealth…?

Sounds like either is totally transparent.…

 

[brandall10]

Sounds like either is totally transparent.…

Regardless, the AHB2 is a freakin' power amp, not a headphone amp.

 

[preload]

I hope this isn‘t too off topic - Is there a way to „convert“, and compare?

My, what unique punctuation you have.

 

[Firefly00]

My, what unique punctuation you have.

punctuation has high %THD?

 

[Bertel]

My, what unique punctuation you have.

Not a native English speaker.

Regardless, the AHB2 is a freakin' power amp, not a headphone amp.

I know of course. OTOH some planars like Susvara reportedly benefit when driven from a power amp, hence my question how to compare the measurements in this situation.

 

[Firefly00]

Not a native English speaker.

I know of course. OTOH some planars like Susvara reportedly benefit when driven from a power amp, hence my question how to compare the measurements in this situation.

there’s a good chance that the ABH2 with it’s 200W would completely melt the stealth. I feel like I’ve seen DCA recommend 0.5W for the Stealth, so A90 is much less risky.

 

[Bertel]

there’s a good chance that the ABH2 with it’s 200W would completely melt the stealth. I feel like I’ve seen DCA recommend 0.5W for the Stealth, so A90 is much less risky.

That's actually part of my question. The AHB2 surely won't produce 200W into the 23 ohms load of the Stealth, the specs say 190W into 4 ohms, 160W into 6 ohms and 100W into 8 ohms. I don't think I have seen values and measurements into higher loads?

 

[Doodski]

That's actually part of my question. The AHB2 surely won't produce 200W into the 23 ohms load of the Stealth, the specs say 190W into 4 ohms, 160W into 6 ohms and 100W into 8 ohms. I don't think I have seen values and measurements into higher loads?

The AHB2 rail voltages at 100 watt RMS, 8Ω are @+/- 40 volts peak, 5 amps peak output.
Using a slightly higher voltage because 23Ω will not load down the +/- rails as much I'm going to totally guess/estimate the rails would maybe be ~45 volts +/- (Will probably be more).
Using those figures @ 23Ω load the AHB2 will output 44 watts RMS @ 2 amps peak.

 

[Bertel]

Many thanks @Doodski !
Benchmark in their specs quote the AHB2's output voltage as 27.93 Vrms into 6 Ohms and 28.28 Vrms into 8 Ohms (< 0.0003 % THD+N, both channels driven), so in that ballpark. Plenty for sure!
Question now is how would THD+N and SINAD measure at that output and load...

 

[Doodski]

Question now is how would THD+N and SINAD measure at that output and load...

No idea but it's going to be good.

 

[Doodski]

Benchmark in their specs quote the AHB2's output voltage as 27.93 Vrms into 6 Ohms and 28.28 Vrms into 8 Ohms (< 0.0003 % THD+N, both channels driven), so in that ballpark. Plenty for sure!

Can you link me to that?

 

[Bertel]

No idea but it's going to be good.

Can you link me to that?

Sure, it's here: https://benchmarkmedia.com/products/benchmark-ahb2-power-amplifier#tab4 (a bit down on the page, under the Specifications tab)

 

[Doodski]

Sure, it's here: https://benchmarkmedia.com/products/benchmark-ahb2-power-amplifier#tab4 (a bit down on the page, under the Specifications tab)

Ahhh I see what you are looking at. Those RMS voltages are at when the THD + noise is <0.0003%.
They are not the peak output voltages at clipping.
The peak voltages at clipping are my figures.

 

[aandres_gm]

My, what unique punctuation you have.

Those quotation marks are the standard on written German, at least in Germany. I believe Switzerland may use different ones.

 

[brandall10]

No idea but it's going to be good.

Would it be? It seems SINAD is rather poor for many amps/DACS at very low load.

While there are a handful of headphones that seem to need a speaker amp, certainly nothing remotely this powerful, and the DCA Stealth ain't one of them. I'd be afraid to sneeze while touching the volume knob and watching $4k of headphoney goodness blow up in my hands.

 

[Doodski]

Would it be? It seems SINAD is rather poor for many amps/DACS at very low load.

Good point...

While there are a handful of headphones that seem to need a speaker amp, certainly nothing remotely this powerful, and the DCA Stealth ain't one of them. I'd be afraid to sneeze while touching the volume knob and watching $4k of headphoney goodness blow up in my hands.

I wouldn't do that either. It's nutZ.