Dan Clark Audio
Headphones
Best Known For
Headphones
/
Used Products
22
 Available
Average Price
$1,001-$2,500
Brand Popularity
122
 of 900+
Products Listed
11
Review Count
88
Founding Year
2012
Headquarters
United States
Dan Clark Audio
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What's unique about the brand

Dan Clark Audio sets itself apart with its patented Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System, which uses waveguides and resonators to shape frequency response to uniquely close adherence to various targets, and a unique tensioning system that ensures consistent performance across their headphone units. Their summit-tier headphones feature an uncommon folding design for portability, and their self-adjusting headbands offer extended comfort during long listening sessions.

What reviewers are saying

We read all the reviews. Here's what reviewers feel most strongly about:

  • Dan Clark Audio headphones utilize a unique folding gimbal design, using Nitinol memory metal, which enables the headphones to fold to half their size for enhanced portability.
  • DCA incorporates a proprietary Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System (AMTS) into their headphones, which integrates waveguides, diffusion control, and resonators to eliminate standing waves and precisely shape the high-frequency response.
  • The brand uses V-Planar technology in their planar magnetic drivers, molding textures on the driver surface to optimize low-frequency performance and improve diaphragm stability.
  • Dan Clark Audio designs its products with a focus on comfort for extended listening sessions, evident in features like ergonomic head straps, lightweight construction, and carefully chosen earpad materials.

Our favorite reviewer quotes:

  • "I don't think I have heard violin so sweet and lamenting in a vast soundstage with excellent depth of field. The piano was dynamic, rich, delicate, and precise." (https://headphone.guru/dan-clark-audio-expanse-planar-magnetic-headphone-open-horizons)
  • "The wide soundstage of the Expanse makes music sound airy and expressive. Resolution is phenomenal; I feel like I'm hearing layers within layers, all placed precisely on that virtual soundstage." (https://www.moon-audio.com/blogs/expert-advice/dan-clark-audio-expanse-headphone-review)
  • "This combination gave me a perfect tonal balance coupled with layers of resolution and liquid midrange creating as realistic an experience as I have heard. Dusty Springfield's vocal on "The Look Of Love" from Burt Bachrach's "Casino Royale" (24-bit/192kHz) soundtrack was spine-tingling and Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass' horns were lively, dynamic, and smooth without a hint of harshness in a vast soundstage." (https://headphone.guru/dan-clark-audio-expanse-planar-magnetic-headphone-open-horizons)
  • "The midrange is where the Ether 2 really separates from the pack, offering a liquidity and realism that neither the Clear nor the HD800S can match. On "At Least That's What You Said" from the hifi version of Wilco's A Ghost Is Born, Jeff Tweedy's vocals have a natural, in-the-room quality on the Ether 2." (https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/reviews/mrspeakers-ether-2-review-r823)
  • "The hardest part about doing this review was getting sucked into the music, I found myself listening to albums I had no intention of doing so, but it was like hearing my music for the first time. The E3 gave me the sound I was always looking for, both the good and the bad unfiltered, the hums and buzzes of the musical equipment, the pops and clicks of the tracks being brought in and out." (https://headphone.guru/dan-clark-audio-e3-closed-back-planar-magnetic-headphone-the-bar-raised)
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Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

From Julian's interview with
.

Lineup comparison

We think it's helpful to understand how their products compare. To learn more about each, scroll to the section above to click through to individual product pages.

ÆON RT

  • Positioning: Entry-level line, designed for affordability and compactness.
  • Description: Offers a vibrant sound with a lightweight, all-metal headband, making it ideal for travel and everyday use. Features a proprietary planar magnetic driver that enhances detail retrieval and bass response, distinguishing it from the more advanced ÆON 2 which offers a newer driver technology for improved dynamics and soundstage.

Noire X

  • Positioning: Midrange line, balancing performance and value.
  • Description: Uses the Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System (AMTS) for a refined treble and improved driver for better sound consistency. Compared to the ÆON RT, it offers enhanced comfort and a more sophisticated sound profile, while still being more affordable than the E3.

Ether

  • Positioning: High-end planar headphones, designed for ultimate comfort and sound quality.
  • Description: Uses TrueFlow technology and a lightweight design for a natural and detailed sound. They offer larger drivers and more refined construction compared to the E3, providing a more nuanced and organic sound experience.

Expanse

  • Positioning: Flagship open-back headphone, setting new standards in soundstage and detail.
  • Description: Features a 4th generation planar-magnetic driver and AMTS, providing an expansive soundstage and smooth presentation, perfect for critical listening in quiet environments. It offers a more open and detailed sound compared to the Stealth, with a focus on musicality and comfort.

Corina

  • Positioning: Reference electrostatic headphone, designed for ultimate resolution and natural tone.
  • Description: Uses the AMTS to deliver electrostatic resolution with a natural tone. It provides a unique electrostatic experience compared to the planar magnetic models like Expanse, with a focus on delivering a lifelike and immersive sound.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer

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Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

Our strongest differentiator is adding the comfort element to the equation. Most headphone models are focused only on technological advancements, forgetting that comfort and ease of wear are also very important factors when choosing an object that you intend to wear for hours on end.

That is why our headphones are specifically designed to be lightweight and to combat any pressure points that can occur when wearing them for long periods of time. 

What's your approach to customer support?

Our clients have the possibility to contact either the dealers/distributors or our support department directly, through our support page: https://mezeaudio.com/pages/contact.

Our headphones are designed to be fully serviceable, so every part is easy to change, in case there’s an issue. There is no glue, just nuts and bolts, so anyone can change any part of the headphone with just a screwdriver.

We are quick to solve any problem as soon as it occurs and in some instances, we do go above and beyond to help our customers. One time, I remember someone was actually wondering if our 109 PRO model's ear cups are really made of wood, so we disassembled a unit, removed the ear cups, broke them into pieces and sent him pictures with the wood pulp, to show that we do use real wood, haha!

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

My favourites would be (not necessarily in this order): Sevdaliza - Bluecid, Isaac Gracie - Silhouette of you, and lately, Sleep Token - Damocles or Caramel.

What other products pair best with yours?

Thankfully, there are a lot of good products on the market that have strong synergy with our products, and we are fortunate enough to have great partners in the industry to pair our headphones with.

We also received very good feedback from our customers testing the pairings at different trade shows, and they prefer the following: Chord Dave, Feliks Envy, Ferrum Wandla + Oor + Hypsos combo, the DCS Lina stack, Auris Headonia, Linear Tube Audio Aero + Velo combo, and many many more, these is just top of the mind.

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What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

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What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

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What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

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