DAN CLARK AUDIO STEALTH CLOSED-BACK PLANAR HEADPHONES LAUNCHED
The new Dan Clark Audio Stealth headphones are a high-end, closed-back planar magnetic design.
Four years in the making, the new flagship Dan Clark Audio Stealth Headphones feature an all-new 4th generation planar magnetic driver and Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System, plus a redesigned headband to deliver a big step up in both ergonomics and comfort.
ACOUSTIC METAMATERIAL TUNING SYSTEM (AMTS)
Dan Clark told us that all headphones are subject to standing waves in the higher frequencies, and these can make the treble sound harsh, fatiguing, or synthetic. AMTS is DCA’s patent-pending solution to this problem. AMTS is an inline device placed between the transducer and ear. It integrates waveguides, diffusion control, quarter-wave, and Helmholtz resonators into one compact structure.
Diffusion elements system reduce some standing wave formation while resonators act as both precision and broad filters to smooth and shape the frequency response, reducing the amplitude of response peaks and troughs from the midrange through the highest frequencies. The brand says that the upshot is” AMTS greatly reduces standing waves so high frequencies are rendered with a refreshingly smooth, accurate, and detailed delivery across all genres. OK, bad recordings are still bad, we’re not magicians!”
4TH GEN PLANAR DRIVER
Stealth’s driver is 20% larger than the E2 driver and uses Dan Clark’s patented v-Planar technology to reduce THD and improve low-frequency extension. Diaphragm tension is set on an all-new system for a more uniform and consistent tension, lower distortion, and better driver matching, while FEA and CFD optimized motor structures increase driver force uniformity and smooth acoustic paths to reduce distortion.
STEALTH MECHANICAL DESIGN INNOVATIONS
“We set out to make Stealth a real design statement,” said Dan Clark, Founder and CEO. “Made of stylish matte-black leather, carbon fibre, and machined aluminium, Stealth design takes its cues from Stealth aircraft and is finished to levels you’d expect in the finest of luxury cars.”
The top grade Japanese synthetic black leather headband features fine red stitching to create a quilted head-strap that’s not only good looking but is also functional and comfortable. The embroidered Stealth logo adds a dash of colour to Stealth’s all-black aesthetic. The headphones also have new vegan suede and “leather” ear pads. Gone are the mechanical sliders for fit adjustment; they are replaced by a stable yet comfortable “self-adjusting suspension system” that seats the headphone just right, on the head. Dan Clark Audio makes some of the lightest headphones on the market and Stealth is no exception; at just 418g.
DAN CLARK AUDIO STEALTH HEADPHONES PRICE
Designed and hand made in San Diego, California, USA the headphones will retail at $3999 USD. The brand is distributed in the UK by Electromod and UK price will be £4100.