Dan Clark Audio E3 | Closed-Back Planar Magnetic Headphones

Dan Clark Audio E3 Brings New Innovations to Closed-Back Headphones An exciting new Closed-back headphone following the footsteps of Stealth Uses DCA's Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning to achieve maximum closed-back performance New tech such as Dual-Mode Bass Port and Gorilla Glass Same lightweight frame as DCA's Stealth and Expanse for incredible comfort Bloom's Take For some time now, there’s been a strong demand for a new top-tier closed-back headphone that doesn't wipe out your bank account. We’re often asked for a recommendation, and our de facto response is typically a short list: the Meze Liric, Focal Stellia, or we send them over to ZMF for their Vérité closed-back. But with Dan Clark’s new E3, we finally have a new recommendation to throw into the arsenal of favorite closed-backs. E3 aims to take the innovative tech from DCA’s flagship Stealth and Expanse and make it more accessible with a closed-back for half their price. It features a refined version of DCA’s Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System, and it’s lightweight and extremely comfortable with the same “melt onto your head” build that’s made DCA a go-to brand for comfort. Particularly noteworthy are the visually striking Gorilla Glass ear cups developed to relieve pressure and decrease fatigue. E3 follows in the footsteps of its older siblings with a classic Harman tuning. There’s tastefully elevated bass with linear extension into the lows, an extra midbass bump and solid fundamentals in the treble. E3 is also surprisingly open-sounding and surpasses expectations for a closed-back with its width and height in the soundstage achieving a "legendary open-back listening experience in a closed headphone." Like most DCA cans, E3 is a bit tougher to drive than most headphones, and seems to sing sweeter with an amp that provides a lot of juice. With its driver tech and AMTS, E3 delivers great performance and a well-balanced sound. In some ways, it delivers a livelier, more musical feeling than the Stealth at half the price making E3 one of the best closed-backs on the market and extremely competitive. Read our full review here. Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System (AMTS) A critical feature of E3 is the enhanced AMTS tuning system, previously found only in their TOTL multi-award-winning Stealth, Expanse, and Corina headphones. E3 not only brings this ground-breaking technology to a more affordable headphone, it does so with a new mode of implementation. All headphones are subject to HF standing waves which can make treble sound harsh, fatiguing, or synthetic. AMTS is a patent pending inline device placed between the transducer and ear that integrates waveguides, diffusion control, and resonators into one compact structure that eliminates standing waves while giving us complete control of the high frequency response profile. AMTS isn't a "one size fits all" technology. It's custom tuned for each headphone to deliver an optimized experience for each transducer. For E3, DCA developed a new mode of deployment that delivers an absolutely superbly rendered top-end that will surprise and delight, with a tone that is remarkably lifelike. Planar Driver Performance Revisited E3’s all-new 5th gen planar-magnetic driver incorporates innovative diaphragms made on an all-new tensioning system for a more uniform and consistent performance. New diaphragm materials combined with highly optimized "V-Planar knurling" deliver a remarkably smooth frequency response with low distortion throughout the listening range for levels of detail more often found in TOTL electrostatics. E3’s new drivers coupled with AMTS deliver exceptionally high resolution without the fatiguing distortions and rough frequency response users may be used to. What are Those Holes in the Glass? That would be the Dual-Mode Bass Port, another DCA innovation. While it’s not unusual to find a bass port on a closed headphone, our ingenious dual-mode port delivers unrivaled control of the bass frequency response, creating a superbly balanced, impactful bass experience that is full of power yet free of bloat or midrange creep. Why Gorilla Glass? Gorilla Glass 3 is a thin sheet of alkali-aluminosilicate that makes the glass stiffer and more scratch and break resistant. The styling of the pattern under the glass evokes the mesh of an open-back headphone, a design cue to highlight the exceptionally open-back listening experience E3 delivers. Enough Geek Talk - How Does it Sound? E3’s 5th-Gen driver and AMTS deliver an amazing balance of delicacy, nuance, and explosive dynamics that will have you reaching for all your favorite recordings. And it’s not just about the tone and timbre: E3's soundstage is stunningly expansive, all-enveloping, and can compete with even the finest open headphones in depth, width, and imaging. Comfort is Still King At DCA, ergonomic design is of paramount importance. What good is a great sounding headphone if you can only wear it for 30 minutes? E3 takes advantage of every ergonomic trick DCA developed, including the acclaimed self-adjusting headband suspension system from Stealth and Expanse, and the convenient and stylish folding gimbals that make E3 a conveniently compact travel headphone. Specifications Model: E3 Driver: Planar Magnetic Sensitivity: -90 dB/mW Impedance: 27Ω Distortion: < 0.1% ref 80dB White Noise Weight: 1 lb In the Box DCA E3 Headphones VIVO Cable Compact Carrying Case Cloth Headphone Bag Headphone Information Guide Certificate of Authenticity