Which headphones, speakers and sources does Rob use himself, and which pair well with Chord DACs?
Short answer
Since March 2022 his own headphone has been the Dan Clark Audio Stealth, named again in a podcast recorded in October 2025 (published March 2026); he uses it with DAVE in his office and with a Hugo M Scaler plus Hugo 2 (TT2 in 2022) when flying article, Mar 2022Head-Fi, Jun 2023ecoustics 1:15:12. His B&W 803 D3 speakers run straight from a Hugo TT2 Head-Fi, Oct 2024. He reports DAVE, TT2, Hugo 2 and Mojo 2 drive the Stealth Head-Fi, Jan 2025Head-Fi, Mar 2023Head-Fi, Apr 2022. Earlier he used AudioQuest Nighthawks (2016 to 2017) and Aeons (2017 to early 2022) Head-Fi, Mar 2016Head-Fi, Feb 2017Head-Fi, Jul 2017Head-Fi, Feb 2022.
The practical answer
Since March 2022 the headphone Watts names as his own is the Dan Clark Audio (DCA) Stealth, and his main speakers are B&W 803 D3 driven directly by a Hugo TT2 article, Mar 2022Head-Fi, Oct 2024ecoustics 1:15:12. This is his own use, not a pairing chart; in January 2018 he said: "I am not a headphone designer, so take my comments with the proverbial pinch of salt." Head-Fi, Jan 2018
Headphones he uses now
In February 2022 he still wrote "I generally use DCA Aeon 2 closed" Head-Fi, Feb 2022. On March 22, 2022 he listed a Hugo M Scaler, Hugo TT2 and B&W 803 D3 as his main system; a Hugo M Scaler and DAVE with the Stealth in his office; and a Hugo M Scaler, Hugo TT2 and the Stealth for flying article, Mar 2022. In March 2023 he wrote: "It used to be only the speakers for serious listening, but now it's the DCA Stealth." Head-Fi, Mar 2023 By June 2023 his flight kit was a power bank, Hugo 2, Hugo M Scaler and the Stealth Head-Fi, Jun 2023, in November 2024 he wrote "I use a Hugo 2 with DCA Stealth" Head-Fi, Nov 2024, and in a podcast recorded in October 2025 (published March 2026) he again named the Stealth as the headphone he uses ecoustics 1:15:12 (check the recording).
The Stealth with each Chord DAC
- DAVE: in August 2021, before he had a pair, he wrote "Dave will drive the Stealth with ease" Head-Fi, Aug 2021Head-Fi, Nov 2021. In February 2023 he reported more than enough volume using the Stealth with Dave or Hugo 2 Head-Fi, Feb 2023, and in January 2025 said Dave drives the Stealth to ear damaging levels, so he would not add an amp Head-Fi, Jan 2025.
- Hugo 2 and Mojo 2: in April 2022: "for me, Mojo 2 and Hugo 2 give more than enough volume with the Stealth" Head-Fi, Apr 2022. On Mojo 2 he set the bass shelf to +3 or sometimes +4 with the Stealth (May 2023) and wrote that Mojo 2 "drives the Stealths perfectly" (July 2023) Head-Fi, May 2023Head-Fi, Jul 2023. In November 2024 he said Mojo 2 has almost the same output power as Hugo 2, so "Mojo 2 will be fine with Stealth" unless you play at ear damaging levels Head-Fi, Nov 2024.
- Hugo TT2: in March 2023 he told an owner to use the front 1/4 inch socket and said the balanced output was not needed; for the Stealth his own volume limit equates to TT2 at no more than -3H (0H with the M Scaler) Head-Fi, Mar 2023.
Headphones he used earlier
In March 2016 he wrote "my current favourite is the AQ Nighthawks", and in February 2017 he used them for serious listening Head-Fi, Mar 2016Head-Fi, Feb 2017. In July 2017 he called the MrSpeakers Aeon a "Good match for Mojo, Hugo 2 and Dave" Head-Fi, Jul 2017 and in December 2017 named it his current favorite, with the Nighthawks second article, Dec 2017. In December 2019 he wrote "I use the Aeon closed 2 generally" Head-Fi, Dec 2019, and in April 2021 called the Aeon 2 his travel headphone, fine with large-scale classical on Dave, Hugo 2 or TT2 Head-Fi, Apr 2021. In an April 2022 test the Aeon 2 "sounded flat (in soundstage depth)" next to the Stealth Head-Fi, Apr 2022.
Loudspeakers
In August 2017 he wrote that, after 20 years with Velour speakers, he had bought B&W 803 D3s after hearing them in Tokyo with DAVE Head-Fi, Aug 2017. From 2018 to 2024 he described driving them from the TT2's single-ended output Head-Fi, Jul 2018Head-Fi, Jan 2019Head-Fi, Oct 2024, writing in October 2024: "TT2 single ended drives my B&W 803 D3 directly - Dave can't do that." For TT2 with speakers he advised in February 2022: "do not use the balanced connection - as it will thermally trip if run loud" Head-Fi, Feb 2022.
Scalers and sources
In October 2024 he said he uses a Quartet with the TT2 on his main speaker system and takes it traveling, using it with a Hugo 2 in hotels Head-Fi, Oct 2024. In September 2025, asked about the M Scaler with headphones, he said "I always use the M Scaler whenever I'm listening" and that flying with just an M Scaler has been disappointing since he had the Quartet The Source AV 15:39The Source AV 15:46. In February 2023 he described his own source as his phone: "USB straight into the M Scaler. And then into Hugo." Soundnews 1:26Soundnews 1:40 In September 2022 he carried about 3000 albums on a 1TB card in his phone Head-Fi, Sep 2022. His general advice, from November 2024: "always send bit perfect data" Head-Fi, Nov 2024.
What he has not said
He gives no ranked pairing list. Asked at CanJam SoCal on 30 September 2023 (livestream published 1 October) which headphones stand out with Mojo 2, he answered "I'm a big fan of Dan Clark" and of the Stealth The Source AV 24:45The Source AV 24:59. In this archive he does not say which headphone he uses with the Quartet, and no later item names a different headphone as his own Head-Fi, Oct 2024ecoustics 1:15:12.
Quotes
“It used to be only the speakers for serious listening, but now it's the DCA Stealth.”2023-03-23 Head-Fi, Mar 2023
“So for me, Mojo 2 and Hugo 2 give more than enough volume with the Stealth.”2022-04-27 Head-Fi, Apr 2022
“For flying, it's a Hugo M Scaler, Hugo TT 2 and the Stealths again.”2022-03-22 article, Mar 2022
“TT2 single ended drives my B&W 803 D3 directly - Dave can't do that.”2024-10-05 Head-Fi, Oct 2024
Dated positions
| When | Products | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2016-03 to 2017-02 | AudioQuest NightHawk | He named the AudioQuest Nighthawks his current favorite in March 2016 and used them for serious listening in February 2017. Head-Fi, Mar 2016Head-Fi, Feb 2017 |
| 2017-07 to 2022-02 | MrSpeakers / Dan Clark Aeon and Ether, Mojo (original), Hugo 2, DAVE, Hugo TT2 | He called the Aeon a good match for Mojo, Hugo 2 and Dave, named it his favorite in December 2017, used the Aeon 2 as his travel headphone with Dave, Hugo 2 or TT2, and still generally used the Aeon 2 in February 2022. Head-Fi, Jul 2017article, Dec 2017Head-Fi, Dec 2019Head-Fi, Apr 2021Head-Fi, Feb 2022 |
| 2022-03 to 2025-10 | Dan Clark Audio Stealth, Hugo M Scaler, Hugo 2, Hugo TT2, DAVE | The Dan Clark Audio Stealth is the headphone he reports using in the office, for flying and for serious listening; he preferred it to the Aeon 2 in an April 2022 comparison. article, Mar 2022Head-Fi, Apr 2022Head-Fi, Mar 2023Head-Fi, Jun 2023Head-Fi, Nov 2024ecoustics 1:15:12 |
| 2021-08 to 2025-01 | Dan Clark Audio Stealth, DAVE, Hugo 2, Mojo 2, Hugo TT2 | He reports Dave, Hugo 2 and Mojo 2 give enough volume for the Stealth, tells TT2 owners to use the front single-ended socket, and would not add an amp to Dave. Head-Fi, Aug 2021Head-Fi, Apr 2022Head-Fi, Feb 2023Head-Fi, Jul 2023Head-Fi, Mar 2023Head-Fi, Nov 2024Head-Fi, Jan 2025 |
| 2017-08 to 2024-10 | B&W 802 D3 / 803 D3 loudspeakers, Hugo TT2 | His main loudspeakers are B&W 803 D3, bought in 2017 and driven from the single-ended output of a Hugo TT2; he advises against TT2's balanced output for speakers. Head-Fi, Aug 2017Head-Fi, Jul 2018Head-Fi, Jan 2019Head-Fi, Feb 2022Head-Fi, Oct 2024 |
| 2022-09 to 2025-09 | Hugo M Scaler, Hugo 2 | He plays from a phone over USB into an M Scaler and Hugo, and says he always uses the M Scaler when listening. Head-Fi, Sep 2022Soundnews 1:40The Source AV 15:39 |
| 2024-10 to 2025-09 | Quartet M Scaler, Hugo TT2, Hugo 2, Hugo M Scaler | He uses a Quartet with the TT2 on his main loudspeaker system and with a Hugo 2 in hotels, and finds flying with only a Hugo M Scaler disappointing since having the Quartet. Head-Fi, Oct 2024The Source AV 15:46 |
Caveats and open points
- These are Watts's own choices over time, not tested pairing recommendations; in January 2018 he said to take his headphone comments with a pinch of salt.
- Two posts from 2018 and 2019 describe his speakers as 802 D3 or 802s, while most others say 803 D3; he does not explain the difference Head-Fi, Oct 2018Head-Fi, Mar 2019.
- His August 2021 statement that Dave drives the Stealth with ease came before he owned a pair (he asked DCA to send one in November 2021) Head-Fi, Aug 2021Head-Fi, Nov 2021.
- His March 2023 post giving calculated Stealth volume figures has words dropped for the TT2 entries, so those TT2 figures are not repeated Head-Fi, Mar 2023. Two posts give different calculated SPL figures for Stealth on Dave (125 dB in August 2021, 100 dB in January 2022), so no figure is repeated Head-Fi, Aug 2021Head-Fi, Jan 2022.
- In March 2022 he felt no need for EQ with the Stealth on Hugo 2, while on Mojo 2 he set a +3 or +4 bass shelf; these apply to different devices Head-Fi, Mar 2022Head-Fi, May 2023.
Topics: Watts's own systems, Headphone, IEM and speaker pairing