I've got a V222 and a BF 2/64 on the way to me, so will post my impressions sometime next week.
Dan Clark Audio E3 Review: Interview, Measurements, Impressions
- Thread starter jude
- Start date
Thanks, looking forward to it
geometrikz
New Head-Fier
Just got the E3 and loving it so far. The isolation you get from a closed-back is so refreshing coming from open-back headphones, I might be a closed back convert.
Need some assistance...
The E3 is now the third pair of DCA cans I've auditioned (Stealth and Expanse being the others).
Chain: Qobuz / Roon -->USB-->Gustard R26-->RCA-->iFi Pro iCAN Signature
For the life of me, I am unable to get a good seal with any of these headphones.
Using Dan's "simple test" (https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s/dan-clark-e3-headphone-review.50062/page-17), I can hear the rubbing of my fingertips together along the front part of my ear but not along the back. If I press the headphones tight to my head, the sound profile changes considerably. If I shift the cans on my head, the sound changes drastically. Taking off my very thin glasses had little/no impact. I do not have thick hair or a beard. I have never experienced such a "fitment" dependence with any other headphone.
I hear the amazing clarity and resolution everyone praises. But the treble is thin and harsh (though not necessarily sibilant, per se), especially in rock and metal tracks. Instruments lack body. Bass is present and well-controlled but is severely lacking, even compared to my Susvara, a headphone known to be a little deficient in bass.
Dialing in a 20-40 Hz bass boost on my iFi Pro helps considerably, but I don't feel I should have to resort to a such a substantial bass boost for the E3, especially given the frequency response graphs I've seen. And the bass boost has deleterious consequences for the upper mids. I could certainly resort to EQ, but I have limited experience and would rather not spend many hours dialing things in, especially when the sound could change depending on the fitment. And then back to EQ...
I want to love the E3 - that clarity is simply astonishing.
Is there something I can do to help? Or is my head/jawline simply not DCA-friendly?
The E3 is now the third pair of DCA cans I've auditioned (Stealth and Expanse being the others).
Chain: Qobuz / Roon -->USB-->Gustard R26-->RCA-->iFi Pro iCAN Signature
For the life of me, I am unable to get a good seal with any of these headphones.
Using Dan's "simple test" (https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s/dan-clark-e3-headphone-review.50062/page-17), I can hear the rubbing of my fingertips together along the front part of my ear but not along the back. If I press the headphones tight to my head, the sound profile changes considerably. If I shift the cans on my head, the sound changes drastically. Taking off my very thin glasses had little/no impact. I do not have thick hair or a beard. I have never experienced such a "fitment" dependence with any other headphone.
I hear the amazing clarity and resolution everyone praises. But the treble is thin and harsh (though not necessarily sibilant, per se), especially in rock and metal tracks. Instruments lack body. Bass is present and well-controlled but is severely lacking, even compared to my Susvara, a headphone known to be a little deficient in bass.
Dialing in a 20-40 Hz bass boost on my iFi Pro helps considerably, but I don't feel I should have to resort to a such a substantial bass boost for the E3, especially given the frequency response graphs I've seen. And the bass boost has deleterious consequences for the upper mids. I could certainly resort to EQ, but I have limited experience and would rather not spend many hours dialing things in, especially when the sound could change depending on the fitment. And then back to EQ...
I want to love the E3 - that clarity is simply astonishing.
Is there something I can do to help? Or is my head/jawline simply not DCA-friendly?
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hanumanbob
100+ Head-Fier
The E3 is not bass deficient and needs no eq but like many headphones it all depends what the chain is.Need some assistance...
The E3 is now the third pair of DCA cans I've auditioned (Stealth and Expanse being the others).
Chain: Qobuz / Roon -->USB-->Gustard R26-->RCA-->iFi Pro iCAN Signature
For the life of me, I am unable to get a good seal with any of these headphones.
Using Dan's "simple test" (https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s/dan-clark-e3-headphone-review.50062/page-17), I can hear the rubbing of my fingertips together along the front part of my ear but not along the back. If I press the headphones tight to my head, the sound profile changes considerably. If I shift the cans on my head, the sound changes drastically. Taking off my very thin glasses had little/no impact. I do not have thick hair or a beard. I have never experienced such a "fitment" dependence with any other headphone.
I hear the amazing clarity and resolution everyone praises. But the treble is thin and harsh (though not necessarily sibilant, per se), especially in rock and metal tracks. Instruments lack body. Bass is present and well-controlled but is severely lacking, even compared to my Susvara, a headphone known to be a little deficient in bass.
Dialing in a 20-40 Hz bass boost on my iFi Pro helps considerably, but I don't feel I should have to resort to a such a substantial bass boost for the E3, especially given the frequency response graphs I've seen. And the bass boost has deleterious consequences for the upper mids. I could certainly resort to EQ, but I have limited experience and would rather not spend many hours dialing things in, especially when the sound could change depending on the fitment. And then back to EQ...
I want to love the E3 - that clarity is simply astonishing.
Is there something I can do to help? Or is my head/jawline simply not DCA-friendly?
Lucikun
100+ Head-Fier
Order placed. E3 incoming! Can’t wait to try em out.
listen4joy
500+ Head-Fier
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Dragonmilenario
100+ Head-Fier
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EDIT: posting error.
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thelittletaffia
Head-Fier
Got to agree with some extent to Joshua's summary of the Meze. I've just taken delivery of my Lirics after having an audition set at home for fourteen days and I really do like it. In the hand it oozes build quality and is very comfortable. I would have loved to have had both headphones at home for audition but I just couldn't source the E3s. I didn't want to buy blind, not at this price point. My main concern with the E3 would have been build quality and after care. My experience with the Ether C Flow somewhat tainted my view of the build quality of DCA products.
thelittletaffia
Head-Fier
Dan has had the good grace to enquire about my problems and misgivings for his products. I appreciate that very much.
This is kind of hard understand, but the midrange peakiness I experienced with these headphones largely went away after like 200+ hours. It was still there at 100+ hours. I don't think this is just me getting used to them as they now sound like the pair I heard at Can Jam. I had initially thought the differences I heard were due to DAC and amp differences. They still sound very midrange forward/emphasized but it's not fatiguing anymore.
I can now confidently recommend these for metal. I've also found they respond very well to EQ in the midbass region with enhanced impact for poorly recorded metal tracks with insufficient bass.
I can now confidently recommend these for metal. I've also found they respond very well to EQ in the midbass region with enhanced impact for poorly recorded metal tracks with insufficient bass.
Lucikun
100+ Head-Fier
Just got my pair of E3s in and I have to say that these look a lot cooler in person and they feel super premium!
