Transform Your Sound Experience With The Game-changing Dan Clark Audio Expanse Headphones!
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- Опубліковано 20 лип 2024
- Dan Clark Audio re-defined the high-end closed-backed headphone with the Stealth a year ago. Now he has taken that technology to produce an amazing open-backed pair of headphones, the EXPANSE, which are easily one of the best pairs of high-end headphones of 2022. In this review, I go through the technology, and compare them to a number of other high-end headphones.
I will be making further videos with individual headphone comparisons.
Get the Dan Clark Audio Expanse via these links and support my channel at the same time:
Audio46: www.hear.audio/go/DCAExpanse
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00:00 Start
02:57 Design
06:25 AMTS System
11:47 Sound
16:33 Soundstage
23:16 With different gear
25:08 Conclusion
26:58 How to get my advice
27:20 End - Наука та технологія
I'll be making more videos comparing the EXPANSE to other headphones soon.
Compare against 1266 Phi TC, Elite, Susvara plz
Looking forward to comparison between Focal Utopia 2022 and EXPANSE.
I got to try these along with the Stealth, Aeon, last gen Utopia, and a few others.
The naturalness of the high end for the expanse was unbelievable. It sounded like what acoustic instruments sound like, which has always been not-quite-there with headphones.
Interested in hearing how they compare to the LCD-5 if possible
I gotta say, these two are insanely good looking headphones. I really like the organic, almost alien design.
Looks like an alien nest
Cups look amazing but the headband design is ugly imo. Although they are best in terms of functionality. They just don't do justice to this beauty.
I like the look too. The holes on the ear cups reminds me of the Abyss Diana's.
Love me some organic aliens 👌👽
Bravo! The most grown-up headphone review ever. "I'm not going to talk about cables."
Heard them at CanJam Socal and bought them on the spot. Even in a noisy environment I could tell these headphones were resolving and so well balanced with articulate and tight bass, the right amount of mid forward behavior, and great sparkling treble resolution that wasnt harsh. Soundstage and imaging were wide with instrument placement clear and distinct. Well done Dan Clark
when you people say "well balanced" it means weak bass in reality 🤢🤢
@@roverwaters3875 well sound are subjective there's no best headphone imo
False
I am the first consumer to pick one of these up, Ben running them directly against the Stealth in A/B.
Running Chord TT2 to Enleum 23R.
Only about 15 hours burned in but immediate impressions:
Sound stage increased 40-60% width and 20-30% depth from Stealth.
Bass is at least retained in open back form as DCA added bump to 100-250hz range. Strong and very fine quality bass throughout.
Detail and imaging are exceptional for open back and they do NOT have that stretched thin/TOO airy feel of the hd600 or hd800.
If you are keen on detail and laser precise imaging then actually Stealth is still king here. With its slightly more intimate closed setting much more audio information is retained and for exact imaging, and getting details out of the music that you simply will not be able to resolve in most other cans is your cup of tea, the Stealth takes the cake over Expanse.
The timbre and presentation of vocals and strings/acoustic instruments takes a big leap forward towards natural “I’m there live!” Feel with Expanse, while the Stealth gives you more of a treated small venue feel, expanse is a concert hall, but still inside a building feel.
I will only keep one of these and I love the lack of bleed in/bleed out on Stealth, but I love the enhanced SS and natural sound of the Expanse.
To be continued.
The Expanse has a slightly non-flat impedance curve, so that might result in a slight frequency response change using a current-mode amp. Did you notice much difference using the Enleum as a result?
Which of the two would be better for competitive gaming?
What an excellent review. Thanks.
Super super excited to hear this one!
The DEFINITIVE REVIEW by the master.
I would like to express my utmost thanks to Currawong for an informative, detailed, and objective review which I've learned a lot from. Watching your reviews is mind-opening for a layperson like me who simply aims to enjoy HiFi audio, and it puts things into perspective on what I should look for in audio gear whenever I get the pleasure of trying some.
From your description these might be the world's best headphones IMO. Among the comparisons I would really like to know about is how would they compare to the Meze Elite especially in portraying soundstage.
Wow. Coming from you these high remarks means this is a seriously good headphone. I can't wait to listen to one some day.
Listened to the Abyss Ab1266TC vs Susvara vs DCA Expanse amped by the GS-X mk2 fed by the Chord Hugo TT 2 at Headamp (thank you Headamp!). I could not agree more with Amos. The Expanse had greater detail, musicality and presentation in comparison to the other flagships. I was going-in expecting to determine which I preferred more, the Abyss or the HiFiMan and came out being really impressed with the Expanse.
Very exiting! Finally I see a headphone that tempts me despite the fact I already have the Focal Utopia.
Dan clark sure knows how to make headphones ive only got his Aeon x closed but it's sure as hell well built and well tuned, wake up other headphone manufacturers and take note, now off to work i go so i can get me one of these.....
Hi! Nice review as always! Your review got me intrigued to maybe replace my Meze Elites with the Expanse. I've been using the Elites for a few months now and even though most of the time I think they're great, sometimes I miss the extra details. I also usually hear sibilance with female vocals and sometimes it gets too hot for me. Since I know you like the Elites as well, how would you compare the Elites to the Expanse for female vocals or sibilance in general? And how would you compare their slam/punchiness? I also assume that the Expanse has more resolution than the Elites.
Very interested in your upcoming comparison video.
I own the 1266tc, Diana tc, Susvara and ZMF Vertie closed. I just purchased the Stealth and I’m very impressed by them. Your review is making me seriously consider the Expanse. If they’re better than the stealth, I might buy them and sell some of my other headphones.
Well?
damn man, u got money
Thanks for your excellent evaluation of these superb headphones - your insights are truly appreciated.
So far, I've managed to get myself into a situation of more-or-less permanent "analysis paralysis" over the decision to buy a new high-end TV. I'm also in analysis paralysis over the decision to buy new subwoofers. In addition to that, I'm in analysis paralysis over the decision to buy a new high-end computer monitor. Maybe I should just take that money I haven't spent on those other devices, and invest it in all Dan Clark Audio EXPANSE headphones, instead (though I'm not counting on my ability to make that decision, either). Hmm... 🤔
There seems to be a lot of price comments on the price of the Expanse but it is priced very similarly to it’s rivals though…
Utopia, Elite, LCD-5 & D8000 Pro.
The Expanse is also cheaper than the Susvara & 1266 Phi TC.
Thanks for this Amos, you’ve piqued my interest for sure.
Looking forward to your comparison video.
But the Utopia 2022 is much easier to drive right? My question is which headphone sounds better.
Das erste Video von Dir welches mir richtig gut gefällt 👍💯💥
These seem to be exactly what I'm looking for but, I'm a bit worried about it's power requirement. Would the Phonitor X be a good match for it?
Better Call Currawong, thx for the review.
Is there a cheapest amp you know of that can pull out all (or almost all) the details from the Dan Clark Audio Expanse?
at 24:00 you mention plugging an amp into the TT2, I've personally found that the TT2 really sounds best when using the built-in amp out of the XLR taps on the back, on high gain. When used as a standalone DAC it can sound somewhat boring, but when driving directly from the XLR taps on high gain it sounds phenomenal
edit: just bought an Expanse, will test it on the TT2 and report back
Interesting view on the back XLR outputs on TT2. I find front headphone ports more satisfying, surely you get a lot more power from the back but at the expense of dynamic range to my ears but that’s the fun of this hobby we all hear little differently. Please report back how you get on with expanse and TT2 in terms of synergy. Spoilt for choice with the launch of Caldera, expanse and the new Utopia at Socal Canjam. Just got my atrium and thought I am done for few months and now this, 😆
For more gain, the rear outputs definitely did that. I had to use them for one test against the Elite where I wanted to listen louder than usual.
Pretty Cool futuristic looking headphones. Don't love Expanse being written on the top of the headband though.
Would you think that the GSX-Mini is a strong enough amp for these and or pair well?
Gonna try to check these at CanJam tomorrow!
Thanks for the great review. How is the level of detail and bass response vs. the LCD-5?
Funny they are called Expanse, since they look like something the protomolecule would build :-) I dig this.
As I am an owner of a TT2-Mscaler, I was wondering if you have tried the Expanse with the Hugo TT2-Mscaler, and if you did did you used it as a HP amp using the 1/4 inch in high gain or the the XLRs on the back as more powerful Amp, and if so what were the results
I would love to have these. I can’t spend that much on a headphone at this time sadly. The look great though.
These are one of the first headphones I have seen that I find myself thinking... What can I sell to get these? :-)
From what I understand, most people criticize the Stealth (and AEON) for lacking dynamics. Has the Expanse remedied this problem, or would you say it is still similar to the Stealth in terms of dynamics?
Absolutely. Dynamics is one of their strongest points.
Stunning
Do you think these would still sounds as fantastic and a great as you say they are (Or lets say about 90% of the quality) when plugged into something like a A90D? Just curious on your perspective on that. Great review as always
I'm almost certain he mentioned that amp in particular in the review, and not in the most glowing terms.
@@dfiled_ no he was referring to a different model
There was a complaint regarding the Stealth that the cups were not deep enough causing the ears to touch the surface, is it the same with this one ?
That seems to be an issue with some people with quite a few headphones. In that regard, the EXPANSE is identical to the Stealth.
Thnx for the answer.
Is there an A90D review coming to the channel? Curious to see a measured impression amidst the sea of hype
Yes. I am due to shoot it. Editing other videos at the moment.
I currently have pro Ican signature as my amplifier for expanse. Do you think Chord Anni would be better?
Waiting for the Expanse demo unit from the dealer. Gonna compare it with my Stealths. If it's like stealth but with even better soundstage/imaging I'm all in.
Any updates please?
@@AdmajorsI switched for Expanse. The soundstage is better, it's has more layers. Tonality wise I prefer Stealth but it can be fixed with EQ.
If these are the same drivers as the ones in the stealth then I don’t see how they can be more detailed. Usually closed back variants have darker and blacker backgrounds and so can give better sense of small details. Would really like to hear your A/B comparison w/ the stealths
Good point. They may not be delivering more detail, but the soundstage and how the detail comes through is definitely different.
The closed back cups could introduce some resonances/distortions to muck up the sound compared to a fully open back. Not sure how exquisitely-damped the Stealth's cups are though.
Would MOJO 2 be fine for DCA EXPANSE?
How big of an upgrade would these be from the Arya Stealth? Would it be an eye opening experience?
The Arya Stealth is such an incredible headphone it's hard to imagine that any of these flagships would be an eye-opening experience. This is coming from someone who also owns a Susvara. The expanse is probably somewhat more detailed than the Arya (around the same ballpark as the Susvara), but in terms of presentation, you already have a planar with remarkable dynamic and textural qualities + a clear, 3d soundstage.
great review as always Amos :) You pointed out their impedance curve isn't flat, which is intriguing because planar impedance should basically resistive 🤔. Anyways, do you think the Expanse can be driven properly by the Singxer SA-1? Thanks!
Yes, you can use a Singxer SA-1 with good results.
I’m a big fan of this headphone. To start bass hits remind me of the dynamic drivers. I hear a very big sound stage more online if a dance hall. I’m using gsx mini and live it. I’d like to get a tube amp again as people have mentioned this is best with tubes.
I use it with ifi pro ican signature and tried switching between solid state and tubes. With tubes, the expanse really live up to its name expanse since the soundstage is so expansive with the tube mode and vocals are so much sweeter while retaining clarity.
Thanks!
Thank you very much!
Never been convinced to buy a Dan Clark but you may have convinced me. Question for me is will it work off a Dave Chord or will I need to go to a third party high end headphone amp?
I'll see if i can try that combination today at the Tokyo headphone show.
@@Currawong Thank you very much.
@@Currawong great! If you can try the Yamaha YH5000se please let us know (:
Interested to hear how these compare to IEMs like Monarch Mkii or high end custom fits etc as IEMs don't really suffer from resonance issues... 🤔
ALL headphones and IEMs have resonances. Physical materials resonate.
What is your criticism towards the Elite?
And how this new DCA open back compares to the Meze flagship?
Also need an answer to this!
I am planning to do separate comparison videos soon.
@@Currawong Another big round up for the new Focals and ZMF Caldera to be included too right? 🤣 I was just on the market for a pair of elites but now I might need to hold...
I'll see what I can do. I have a crazy backlog as it is.
@@Currawong Thanks! Super interested in an elite vs expanse comparison though... Still leaning towards elite which I believe will suit my preferences more but keen on learning more!
A very good review. Thanks!
Mr. Pete---------->
aging hippie
Having heard this and Mark Levinson 5909, Technics A800 and Edifier Stax S3… I can safely say if one looks beyond the brand sheen, the Technics and Edifier hold their own with great aplomb.
the audio experience is what matters not the extra stuff just to make it over price...
Sorry, how did you get this pair? Not sure if that was disclosed
Obviously Dan sent them to me for review, since they arrived a couple of weeks before their release.
Thanks
What's the name of the Song at 0:15 ?
the folding for me is a game changer, imaging you can fold your high-end closed headphone and walk down the road to have a sip of coffee outdoor while having a superior audio experience and sipping on a cup of Kenyan coffee.... The retirement life for me someday...
Could you please compare these headphones to the all-new Camerton Audio BINOM-ER Headphones ? They sound amazing with the Mal Valve Head Amp Five ! Maybe the world's very best headphones that very very few have heard yet ! Thanks ! 🙂
www.hear.audio/faq
Expanse vs LCD-5
I love this but a bit too costly to justify it worth the price. It’s around 4000 dollars?
The way you describe the tuning reminds me of the DCA Aeon Open X tuning
Hi Currawong, you speak a lot about the high resolution of the Expanse. However, at a special headphone listening and comparing event, I had the chance to directly compare head-to-head the Expanse to the X9k by Stax (both driven by very potent amplifiers. I could change between both systems within a second and the quite different music material/tracks and SPL were always equal and thus comparable), and I must admit, the X9k literally blew away the Expanse, when it came to resolution, separation and authentic music instrument reproduction. The X9k was a class of its own, a class well (far well) above the Expanse. Cheers and my 2 Cents only, of course :-)
Thanks for that feedback. The Stax are on my list of headphones to review.
I bought a Camry, an entire vehicle, last summer for $3,100. I've used it for over a year straight and it's been great. That's a thousand less than this piece of plastic with magnets. Wtf are we even doing lol?
A new Camry more than 10x that though, and is mass-produced by the world's biggest car company (IIRC). DCA is a tiny company doing things nobody ever has before. Huge difference.
Amos, you are an absolute credit to this hobby and I wish you nothing but the best.
But to claim that $4000 is a reasonable price for some thing solely because economies of scale simply does not hold water.
People are free to charge whatever they want for something they worked hard on, and given our capitalist system, they should try to get as much money as they can.
However, people are equally free to point out that “flagship“ prices of headphones have skyrocketed and spiraled in a disturbing manner.
We’ve gone from the HD 800 being state of the art and controversial because it leap frogged $1000, to seemingly suddenly the 2 and $3000 price point being “Mid-fi”.
This is an exponential and disturbing increase that is pushing many average people out of the hobby, and it is totally legitimate to criticize it.
yup, and 5K for an headphone is plain robbery even if those are the best in the entire world. I am pretty sure they need money to work on more projects and they invested on research but is way too much and 90% of the people can’t afford it anyway.
@@Guerilla_law3516 lol, HD800s as state of the art...
People also spend 80000 dollars on a car....
24:02 so the A90D is not enough to power the Expanse?
I didn't say that. It'll *power* them fine, but you wont get the full resolution they are capable of.
@@Currawong ty. that was what i wanted to ask.
What is the minimum requirements to drive these satisfactory? I’m concerned if you think that the Topping A90d is not adequate. I ask for I was hoping to buy the Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition as an end game all-in-one (1.5W, 250mA, voltage gain +20dB)
The A90D is adequate, as are any of the amps around that kind of price range, but they wont give you the resolution that the headphones are capable of in my experience.
@@CurrawongIf 6.7W@32 Ohms power isn't enough to truly bring out the detail then what is?
The *amount* of power does not say anything about how well an amp will deliver detail. The A90D uses a couple of switching power supplies (ie: the same as what is in a cheap wall wart). There's a reason more capable amps use linear or other power supplies in them.
" A little obsessed " ha.
Are you hearing colouration with those cans?
Depends what you call "uncoloured" or "neutral". That's why I talked about speakers first, and "speaker flat" and "headphone flat".
@@Currawong Flat is unachievable strictly speaking. What I meant by colouration; something added or taken away/altered by a path of electronics. Sorry, I should have explained better.
Good review BTW.
The aesthetic is quite alien, but I don't hate it.
Ah dude those cost like a million dollars tho. Lol
Are the other more affordable Dan Clark ones great as well?
Thank you
I would love to listen to these with DCS Lina ... I'm just saying. But before that I need to win the lotto.😂
looks like 3D print, it is sound decent? Best headphones it's BOLD statement..
I worry about what this hobby has done to your hairline Amos. I love the video however, thank you (again) for taking the time to explain the particulars so succinctly.
Ha! No, it's just that I cut my hair short during the summer.
@@Currawong considering you live in Japan, that's 1000% understandable lol
More resolving than Susvara is a wild claim. But I know you are not prone to exaggeration, so I am intrigued.
Yeah, there are some other comments about this. I think it will be very system-dependant, in that one optimised for the Susvaras can give it an edge, whereas the Stealth and Expanse will have the edge being very drivable out of more gear. The pads on my pair have worn out, so I need to replace them and do a more thorough test with what I have here like I did vs. the LCD-5.
I think LCD-5 are probably more detailed than Susvara as well. I have not heard Susvara on a speaker amp, however.
@@Currawong Are the pads glued on? This a huge turnoff for me after attempting a pad roll on my LCD4z.
ZMF about to release their planar as well.... another battle royale coming soon
The Stealth and Expance you call his flagship headphones are both $4000.00 but went to his site to find he had another the Corina $4500.00 so isn't that the flagship and have you heard them?
The Corina is an electrostat. To review those, I need a special amp for them.
@@Currawong Well you'll just to begging around to get one won't you, take it you can't run from anything by SMSL Blue Hawaii Special Edition Electrostatic Amplifier is only £6000.00+
You're off by a zero. It's US$6,995.
@@Currawongtypo, click happy with the on-screen keyboard not very good these viewing from bed
Are the Expanse good for poor recordings? I don't think the Susvara is good with these recordings ...
Want
I love the serious but not serious Vibe going on Subtle cliche jokes And what not good job
Funny, DMS just reviwed these and his impressions where an almost complete opposite
He said, around the 5 minute mark: "If I'm using this on ... amps that measure as good as this headphone .. it just sounds very dead." In other words, running them out of mid-range amps, they don't sound as impressive. That's not a surprise, because mid-range, SINAD-chasing, nested feedback amplifiers don't actually have high-end performance. He's hearing his amplifier's capability, or lack thereof, and is blaming the headphones.
@@Currawong Thanks for the response.
I believe he mentions in his video that DCA's booth had some exotic gear that according to him, would add some coloration or its own sound signature to them to make them sound good or simply as intended.
Sounds then like he has been caught in that narrative that it's all about THD and SINAD. If you test these amps in the *time domain* they will show poorer performance than high-end amps.
$4,000.
And ofc it has to cost 4k usd.
are they as detailed and dynamic as the Susvara?
Edit: the video is very wishy-washy about this
Watch the video lol. Around 18:30
@@AKL764 he didn’t specifically say
DCA Stealth already out resolves the Susvara actually. So if he is this impressed with the Expanse, on micro detail then I reckon it is more detailed than the Susvara
@@honeyboyseabjackson5328 i don’t think Stealth out resolves the Susvara and I own both.
It depends on the set-up I think. If you're testing between both on the same equipment, I think it'll be in the Expanse or Stealth's favour, because they are easier to drive well. However, if you have optimised set-ups for both, it'll be a closer competition I reckon.
I think Dan should have listened to the community and should have retuned the Stealth instead of making them open Expanse. Stealth are not selling and price is not right comparatively.
Stealth gave them the best sales up to date...
DSP is way too good these days and high end headphone manufacturers need to start implementing it more
Warwick Acoustics use DSP in some of their headphone systems
You mean digital headphones?
Are you referring to DSP used in ANC headphones?
Lol you take those out in public eveybody think your an alien with them on🤣
Expanse, short for expansive. $$$$ 😂
Dan needs to go back to $1K designs and sell x4 in volume
Wait for trickle down tech. It will come eventually. I, however, am old. I may need to go into debt, let my kids worry about the financial pieces after I’m gone. 🤗
Why would he? Clearly the current formula works better for him.
Theres no point. You send some to "reviewers", build up the hype for the new flagship, explain why its so much better than the last, repeat. Disappointing how it's like this for so many products now. "But I didnt get paid to do this review!" Getting a product for free allowing you to make exclusive content, often before consumers even have access to the product, getting engagement is payment. Whats the incentive to say anything negative? If they say something bad, they wont get products from that company in the future. It is a conflict of interest
Psst... to my fellow headphone weirdos... go to timestamp ~3:35 to witness our host (with sadistic [?!] glee) illustrate how flexible the headband is on this model. Cringe...
I was surprised how many people that freaked out, but they really are that well built, and Nitinol wire so flexible that I really wasn't putting them in any danger of damage.
Expanse? More like EXPENSE.
That's what my brain automatically jumps to whenever I read the name. Kind oh unfortunate!
Those 3D printed parts look pretty garbage for a headphone at this price point… Should be printed on a high quality resin or carbon fibre printer… I look forward to demoing them but comon… I work in the 3D industry and they can do much better than this.
Have you seen the headphones in person?
@@Currawong So you’re saying a store will let me dismantle their headphones? I think not. I can clearly see the layer lines in these printed parts which shows they’re done on a cheap printer. While there is nothing inherently wrong with the parts.. On headphones at this flagship price point its just not on, they look like prototypes not finished products… I like Dan Clark btw but I would personally expect perfection at these prices.
The headphones are mostly metal. The grill is printed as far as I know, and there are no layer lines at all visible to the naked eye. The AMTS is likely using a material specially chosen for its acoustic properties, so it doesn't matter what you can see. If you have an issue with headphones you clearly haven't even seen, take it up with Dan.
Listening to you describe these while listening on a cheap set of TWS 🫡
I have to admit, I watched the first 3 minutes and was intrigued, but I told myself before I watched anymore I wanted to search via Google and see how much money we are talking about...
You just have to drop a zero on the price when your significant other asks. 😆