I've been through countless pairs of headphones over the last 15 years for production, mixing and music listening. The E3 are finally like home. End game, comfort and sound wise. I don't see myself ever changing headphones again.
Best or at least a decent dac/amp combo unit for the E3? I was looking at some of the Violectric units. I'd really love a capable AIO unit to drive a beast of a headphone like this.
@@Innocence44 jds element 3 mk 2, with or without boost,, will give you (at minimum) double what the E3 needs in terms of power, and with perfect channel balance and a ridiculously low noise floor.
Amazing review - thanks for the comparision to the Expanse & Stealth! Since you mentioned Hifiman in the video as more of an "open" openback, how would you say something like the HEKSE compares to the E3, given they are about the same price now. If I could only pick one at that price, what are the characteristics of each that I would have to be mindful of to make my choice other than the obvious closed back vs open back difference?
I've only heard the HE1000SE at CanJam, so it was pretty noisy and I'll have to lean on some generalizations. I think imaging, instrument separation, and bass quality are quite a bit further ahead on the HIfiman. The E3 does better with extracting texture and richness from vocals, while the Hifiman will be generally more exciting. Tough to compare, though personally I'm more or less satisfied with the Edition XS on the things that HE1K does well -- where the E3 excels at its own thing, so I'd personally prefer to own an E3.
Great review, thanks Mr. Ryan. Since it has glass on the outside of the cups, you should be able to improve the appearance by covering the glass with a nifty wallpaper of your own choice.
the stealth is kinda notorious for not sounding the same on different heads. so this could be why your experience with it could be worse than the FR would hint at. apparently DCA did a lot of work on the e3 to make it less susceptible to seal issues etc. this is also partly why some folks consider the stealth the best closed back ever, and others are like "eh this is %&@#"
My take on the E3: Yes, there is some top down technology taken from the higher ups but for me, I view it more as taking the Aeon 2 Noire and improving the one issue I had with it. That one issue was dynamics. It wasn’t a deal breaker on the Noire but just something to be noted. I still think that the Noire is the best value in the DCA line. To be honest, I have the E3 on my short list as my last headphone purchase (I really don’t need another one). But there are others one that list. All options are in the $2k price range.
Yeah... this is what I'm thinking about. Take the noire 2 or should I invest more in E3 😬 I've fallen in love with the noire 2 the first time I've heard it, but everyone is saying that the E3 is so much better... Waiting to hear it myself 😀
I’d love to know if you ever heard the MM 500. in so far as how it compares to the E3 I have the MM 500 for mixing in the studio but find it a little shy in the bottom end (don’t like to eq) and considering the E3. appreciate any thoughts!
Yes, I own an MM-500, E3 might have a touch more bass (more defined at least) but it's somewhat balanced out with a more forward lower treble. To me that stands out more than the bass.
What amp did you use for the review? I know that Stealth need a lot of power and E3 are easier to drive. I've tested both at Canjam 2024 on Mj3. To me E3 was a baby Stealth: smaller soundstage, a little less separation and resolution.
Most of my comparative listening was done on a JDS Element II. You're right that the Stealth and Expanse require quite a bit more power to get loud vs. most headphones, but TBH even my MacBook can get them to my normal listening volumes at about 70-80% output.
I have an E3 and it sounds noticeably better than the Aeon 2 Noire in every way except bass quantity, though E3 has better bass quality. Just as good detail as an Arya Stealth and close to Diana TC. If you've previously bought a headphone from DCA then you can get an E3 from them for $1700.
I have HE1000se on a Gustard R26 Dac and Violectric HPA 550 amp. It's super clear, spacious, awesome in all ways, but I have to EQ up it's low end a little bit and it's midrange a small tad (slightly recessed midrange). Perfect headphone except it could use a little bit more punch/dynamics. I'm wondering if the E3 would suit me better
If possible, do you mind giving a short comparison between E3 and Sennheiser hd600 in terms of technical performance? I know the senny is open back.. but it's also the only headphones I have 😅
I have heard both, and it's honestly not that big of a difference. The HD600 is that good. If you have the money to spare, then maybe there is a bit more detail retrieval and better imaging, but not much else is different.
Difficult to put my finger on it, but DCA has both appealing and repulsive aesthetics. Like they’re trying to smash two design languages into each other. Dated and best forgotten merged into the novel.
I purchased the E3, absolutely amazing headphones, I'm using it with the RME ADI 2 DAC FS. Is it worth to get the Blue Dragon cable? Does it improve some sound quality ? I never bought custom cables for my previous headphones Any advices are welcome, thank you
@superreview I wanted to ask you, what desktop headphone amplifier do you recommend to get the most out of the E3’s? How much output power should the headphone amp have to run these? If you recommend a specific one to get the most out of these headphones, let me know.
I literally run these of my MacBook, IMO no need to overthink it. They are harder to drive than most headphones, but that doesn't mean you need a specialized source. They're just headphones.
Did you listen to these headphones with or without your glasses on? I know the stealth is very sensitive to seal breaches and I would assume the other two are similar.
Mostly without glasses, I only use the glasses for computer usage. And yeah I did experiment with seal, might need to shave my face to get a sufficient seal with these.
The 6k peak You need take a time to adjust it😢 But the longer you hear it The more you’ll be pleased with it Rock,Orchesta Imaging Layering Everything great in this
The E3 is moderately hungry, without comparing directly I'd guess around the same as a Sennheiser HD 600/6XX. The Expanse and Stealth require more juice, but still all of them run off my MacBook.
The Blue makes it look a bit cheep for some reason, and the glass looks like plastic that needs to be removed, shame as the other dan clark stuff looks great.
With the dca aeon x closed being 430 or even aeon 2 noire the jump in price is quite a bit
9 місяців тому+4
So, unfortunately, is the jump in quality. I have the Noire and was fully prepared to return the E3 if it did not represent a significant update, but the difference in clarity, separation and precision of soundstage makes a great difference for my listening (mainly symphonic music). YMMV depending on what you listen to, but I could not return the E3.
@@SuperReviewToo small. Other headphones can also be too small, but they're soft. The honeycomb plastic inside the Expanse is very hard. So when my ear touched it, it got uncomfortable very quickly.
Shoutouts to Scott!
SHOUTS OUT TO SCOTT 🎉🎉🎉
Or as some call him, Scotty2Hotty.
I've been through countless pairs of headphones over the last 15 years for production, mixing and music listening. The E3 are finally like home. End game, comfort and sound wise. I don't see myself ever changing headphones again.
Just saw your comment and appreciate the thought. I’m considering moving to the E3 from the MM 500. Curious if you’ve ever heard the mm.
I love my E3. It's the only over ear headphone I've heard where I don't need to EQ in a bass shelf because it already has one.
Best or at least a decent dac/amp combo unit for the E3? I was looking at some of the Violectric units. I'd really love a capable AIO unit to drive a beast of a headphone like this.
@@Innocence44 jds element 3 mk 2, with or without boost,, will give you (at minimum) double what the E3 needs in terms of power, and with perfect channel balance and a ridiculously low noise floor.
@@xblur17thanks for the suggestion. I've settled on a Violectric unit paired with a Bifrost 2
Absolutely love this headphone. Ive had it for a few months now and it is great.
It is a pleasure.
Glad to see you excited like this❗️😃 I tried for a moment ZMF Atrium closed really loved the sound…🙋♂️✌️
I want this, but I am poor...
Sell a kidney
No your are not poor.
Not being able to buy 2k!! Headphones doesn't make you poor.
@@IHearEverythingDude but somehow not being able to afford a 2k car does. America is a dystopia.
Buy Bitcoin
Felt that
I have had these for a few months now. I love them. Very comfortable. Sound is addicting. I bought them for my N7/C9 rig.
Favorite song on these?
Amazing review - thanks for the comparision to the Expanse & Stealth! Since you mentioned Hifiman in the video as more of an "open" openback, how would you say something like the HEKSE compares to the E3, given they are about the same price now. If I could only pick one at that price, what are the characteristics of each that I would have to be mindful of to make my choice other than the obvious closed back vs open back difference?
I've only heard the HE1000SE at CanJam, so it was pretty noisy and I'll have to lean on some generalizations. I think imaging, instrument separation, and bass quality are quite a bit further ahead on the HIfiman. The E3 does better with extracting texture and richness from vocals, while the Hifiman will be generally more exciting. Tough to compare, though personally I'm more or less satisfied with the Edition XS on the things that HE1K does well -- where the E3 excels at its own thing, so I'd personally prefer to own an E3.
That's super helpful! Thanks for getting back on this! 🙂
Great review, thanks Mr. Ryan. Since it has glass on the outside of the cups, you should be able to improve the appearance by covering the glass with a nifty wallpaper of your own choice.
Oh no. This gives me ideas.
We talking like downloadable wallpapers, or Dbrand skins?
@@SuperReview Anything that will stick which which Scott can remove without submerging in water. BTW: Got the MIRAI; Good call!👍🏻
the stealth is kinda notorious for not sounding the same on different heads. so this could be why your experience with it could be worse than the FR would hint at. apparently DCA did a lot of work on the e3 to make it less susceptible to seal issues etc.
this is also partly why some folks consider the stealth the best closed back ever, and others are like "eh this is %&@#"
I knew that 5 stars was comin. DAMN, I'm boutta look for a new job lmao
Thanks for the review. I was expecting a comparison with Liric or Liric2.
Here you go: ua-cam.com/video/912kiUMzuIY/v-deo.html#t=19m30s
@@SuperReviewThanks.
My take on the E3:
Yes, there is some top down technology taken from the higher ups but for me, I view it more as taking the Aeon 2 Noire and improving the one issue I had with it. That one issue was dynamics. It wasn’t a deal breaker on the Noire but just something to be noted. I still think that the Noire is the best value in the DCA line.
To be honest, I have the E3 on my short list as my last headphone purchase (I really don’t need another one). But there are others one that list. All options are in the $2k price range.
Yeah... this is what I'm thinking about. Take the noire 2 or should I invest more in E3 😬 I've fallen in love with the noire 2 the first time I've heard it, but everyone is saying that the E3 is so much better... Waiting to hear it myself 😀
Will you try the new Noire X ? Seems like a good alternative with the same AMTS tech for half the price
I wanna check it out, but I haven't been in contact with DCA before.
If I get the chance I'll these at CanJam in London in July.
I’d love to know if you ever heard the MM 500. in so far as how it compares to the E3 I have the MM 500 for mixing in the studio but find it a little shy in the bottom end (don’t like to eq) and considering the E3. appreciate any thoughts!
Yes, I own an MM-500, E3 might have a touch more bass (more defined at least) but it's somewhat balanced out with a more forward lower treble. To me that stands out more than the bass.
What amp did you use for the review? I know that Stealth need a lot of power and E3 are easier to drive. I've tested both at Canjam 2024 on Mj3. To me E3 was a baby Stealth: smaller soundstage, a little less separation and resolution.
Most of my comparative listening was done on a JDS Element II. You're right that the Stealth and Expanse require quite a bit more power to get loud vs. most headphones, but TBH even my MacBook can get them to my normal listening volumes at about 70-80% output.
@@SuperReview according to many Stealth owners you'll need a really powerful amp to run them properly.
Memes.
I'm looking forward to your review of five star rated closeback headphones that cost below $1K. 😅
I have an E3 and it sounds noticeably better than the Aeon 2 Noire in every way except bass quantity, though E3 has better bass quality. Just as good detail as an Arya Stealth and close to Diana TC. If you've previously bought a headphone from DCA then you can get an E3 from them for $1700.
Thanks for the great review. Could you please describe the word congested when describing sound of these headphones.
Thank you
Not well-separated / instruments sound like they come from a single source (or muddied blob of sources) rather than distinct separation and placement.
@@SuperReview Thank you
I have HE1000se on a Gustard R26 Dac and Violectric HPA 550 amp. It's super clear, spacious, awesome in all ways, but I have to EQ up it's low end a little bit and it's midrange a small tad (slightly recessed midrange). Perfect headphone except it could use a little bit more punch/dynamics. I'm wondering if the E3 would suit me better
If possible, do you mind giving a short comparison between E3 and Sennheiser hd600 in terms of technical performance? I know the senny is open back.. but it's also the only headphones I have 😅
I have heard both, and it's honestly not that big of a difference. The HD600 is that good. If you have the money to spare, then maybe there is a bit more detail retrieval and better imaging, but not much else is different.
I am such a noob when it comes to HPs lol the Expanse absolutely blew me away when I heard them haha
Doesn't mean you're a noob, lots of people with the same or more experience than me disagree with me as well. I love that audio is so personal.
@@SuperReview audio has to be one of most subjective hobbies out there. I appreciate you giving me some words of cope, mark haha
Difficult to put my finger on it, but DCA has both appealing and repulsive aesthetics. Like they’re trying to smash two design languages into each other. Dated and best forgotten merged into the novel.
I purchased the E3, absolutely amazing headphones, I'm using it with the RME ADI 2 DAC FS.
Is it worth to get the Blue Dragon cable?
Does it improve some sound quality ?
I never bought custom cables for my previous headphones
Any advices are welcome, thank you
Cables do not improve sound quality.
@@SuperReview Thank you
So, why is the price so high ( 375 USD ) for the Blue Dragon cable?
@@levinste2750 ‘Cause people will pay it and it’s worth it for them to make it.
I am aware it’s comparing open backs with close backs, but does anyone have a view on Arya Organic and E3 side by side?
Really surprising review considering how close all three are in their FR
Agreed, TBH it was partly because of my experience with Stealth and Expanse that I assumed I didn't like the Harman target.
Ooo, another video! Where's the Glacier review at 😂 lol
Tomorrow.
@superreview I wanted to ask you, what desktop headphone amplifier do you recommend to get the most out of the E3’s? How much output power should the headphone amp have to run these? If you recommend a specific one to get the most out of these headphones, let me know.
I literally run these of my MacBook, IMO no need to overthink it. They are harder to drive than most headphones, but that doesn't mean you need a specialized source. They're just headphones.
Are they easy to drive? How are they with a low-powered dongle dac/amp?
Did you listen to these headphones with or without your glasses on? I know the stealth is very sensitive to seal breaches and I would assume the other two are similar.
Mostly without glasses, I only use the glasses for computer usage. And yeah I did experiment with seal, might need to shave my face to get a sufficient seal with these.
The 6k peak
You need take a time to adjust it😢
But the longer you hear it
The more you’ll be pleased with it
Rock,Orchesta
Imaging
Layering
Everything great in this
Wow been eyeing these pair and as you said 2k is a steep price but who knows maybe Drop will chip in and sell their version for 1.3 or 1.4k :)
Second-hand is a good way to save.
I was going to pull the trigger on the Audeze MM-500. Should o get this instead?
Hard for me to pick. MM-500 is a bit more engaging all around.
@@SuperReview thanks for responding! Did you end up buying the E3? Also, do you still have your MM-500?
@@tanachip I have both yeah.
@@SuperReview If you had to keep one, which would you keep and why?
What are you using to drive it? Is it a power hungry headphone?
The E3 is moderately hungry, without comparing directly I'd guess around the same as a Sennheiser HD 600/6XX. The Expanse and Stealth require more juice, but still all of them run off my MacBook.
Very nice
The Blue makes it look a bit cheep for some reason, and the glass looks like plastic that needs to be removed, shame as the other dan clark stuff looks great.
Is it better than Audio Liric 2? They are the same price
I compare them in this video, and short answer is yes: ua-cam.com/video/912kiUMzuIY/v-deo.html
@@SuperReview Thanks
We need Dan Clark Audio to come to Brazil 😶
Or Scott :P
@@SuperReview 🤣
I will buy Dan Clark Audio Aeon Planar.. I can't afford more 😅
With the dca aeon x closed being 430 or even aeon 2 noire the jump in price is quite a bit
So, unfortunately, is the jump in quality. I have the Noire and was fully prepared to return the E3 if it did not represent a significant update, but the difference in clarity, separation and precision of soundstage makes a great difference for my listening (mainly symphonic music). YMMV depending on what you listen to, but I could not return the E3.
@ How are you driving them? Whats a good amp/dac for them?
It is probably the one if you have to get a closed one.
Ahhhh now i want it. This hobby and my wallet don't get along
I'm not gonna help: It's really good.
The Expanse didn't fit me, so I don't see myself even considering these.
Too big or too small?
@@SuperReviewToo small. Other headphones can also be too small, but they're soft. The honeycomb plastic inside the Expanse is very hard. So when my ear touched it, it got uncomfortable very quickly.
its a shame the price has one too many zeroes
This guy would probably complain about a sunset.
Are you suggesting the E3 is as beautiful as a sunset? 🤔
@@SuperReview No
The coloured stitching is so ugly
Think of it like the interior of a hot-rodded Volkswagen.
I wish these were not so difficult to drive…..very disappointing….
I mean, I run them off my MacBook.