Once known as “Mr. Speakers,” Dan Clark has built a reputation for creating amazing headphones, and, in particular, some of the best closed-back planar magnetic headphones on the market. Dan Clark Audio has won acclaim both from their flagship multi-kilobuck sets like Stealth and E3 and their more affordable Aeon Series. Their latest, Noire X enters the market at $999, following up on the $899 Aeon 2 Noire, but does Noire X bring enough improvements over Aeon 2 Noire to justify the higher price?
Build and Design
The Aeon Series was known for both the compact foldable design and class-leading comfort. Noire X keeps the foldable design and portable size while upgrading the comfort even further by borrowing the headband, chassis, and pads from the $1999 DCA E3. The earcups look like the classic Aeon headphones, but now use a mirrored glossy black, rather than the carbon fiber look of the Aeon 2 Noire. Noire X includes a DCA “DUMMER” cable and a compact carrying case that the headphones fold neatly into, along with the user manual, certificate of authenticity, and a cleaning cloth.
Another thing that Aeon X borrows from E3 is the Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System (AMTS) originally introduced by Stealth. AMTS is a filter that’s designed to physically filter reflections that can impact the tuning integrity of closed-back headphones. The build and comfort certainly impress, but does the new driver design coupled with DCA’s flagship tech give Noire X performance to match its impressive build?
Sound
Noire X delivers a well balanced tuning that builds on previous generations of Dan Clark Audio headphones, and brings the refinement of headphones like E3 and Stealth down to a more affordable level. The tuning is very close to a Harman curve, with perhaps a little extra air at the top of the treble added in. The result is a versatile sounding headphone, with strong technical performance, and an excellent soundstage.
Noire X’s bass excels in the extension and texture. The low end hits deep with good rumble, and provides a great sense of texture and detail in the instruments. The midbass is pull back just a little from the more prominent subbass, removing some of the sense of weight and warmth in the mids.
The midrange is solid, offering good detail and layering with strong vocals. The vocals are well positioned in the mix and Noire X, and balanced nicely, and the vocal imaging is excellent. The timbre is good, but sometimes things sound a little too crisp rather than fully natural.
Noire X has a strong treble presentation with a largely transparent, nonfatiguing upper range that adds just a little bit of extra spice at the top. That extra bump at the top delivers strong air and balances out the strong low bass, preventing Noire X from landing in more “dark” tonal territory.
Imaging and soundstage are definitely among Noire X’s highlights. The soundstage is wide and three-dimensional, with a surprisingly “open” feel for closed-back headphones. The stereo image provides strong separation and positioning. Likely due to the somewhat recessed midrange, the image feels more diffuse, presenting separation and space rather than a more tactile weight.
In terms of efficiency, Noire X performs very similarly to the Aeon 2 series of headphones. It can work with a variety of gear and sounds good with low power sources. Adding in the balanced 4.4mm connection will get you further with most portable sources, and something on the order of the iBasso DC-Elite or iFi GO Bar should be plenty of power. However, like most planars, there’s a little something extra that’s unlocked with higher current desktop amplifiers.
Electro-pop track “Poisonous” by Aviva starts with a contrast between low bass plucks and staccato bells in the top. Noire X presents the extension and texture of the bass with a tight impact, and the high elements leave a lifelike sort of resonance. The lead vocal has a piercing quality that could easily feel harsh, but Noire X presents it with clarity and intimacy without feeling sibilant or fatiguing.
With a solo piano piece like “Glassworks: Opening” Noire X presents a warm, natural sound. There’s a nice sense of the resonance of the piano in the room, and you can clearly hear – and feel – Phillip Glass’s playing dynamics. There’s a physical sensation with the attack of notes played with a heavier hand, while other feel more soft and rounded. It’s quite tempting to just leave this sort of piece of repeat, close your eyes, and just melt into the music with Noire X.
On “My Generation” by The Who, Noire X spreads the band out clearly across the stage, cleanly separating each instrument and the vocals. You can catch some of the flaws in the recording particularly the distortion as Keith Moon goes a little too hard on the cymbals, but the overall presentation is clear, with great articulation in the John Entwhistle’s bass solo, and when Pete Townsend kicks on the distortion, Noire X gives you all the energy of his screaming guitar.
Comparison - Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire
Probably the most important comparison for Noire X is its predecessor in DCA’s lineup, the Aeon 2 Noire, which was considered by many to be the best headphone to come out of the Aeon series. Noire X shares a number of similarities with Aeon 2 Noire, but are the distinctions enough to make up the difference in price?
In terms of the build and design, Noire X provides a clear upgrade over Aeon 2 Noire. While I always considered the Aeon headband and suspension to be comfortable, Noire X provides much better tension and security, while being just as comfortable as the original. The new pads also feel better than the original Aeon pads. While Noire X has a clear advantage in the build, the difference in the sound and tuning of the headphones is much more subtle.
On your first quick comparison, you might not notice much sonic difference between Noire X and Aeon 2 Noire. The first thing you’ll probably notice is that Aeon 2 Noire has a little more midbass than Noire X, but continued listening reveals some real refinement in the upper end of Noire X’s tuning. First of all, the upper regions in Noire X are less peaky – you won’t find those odd harsh tones or overly-crispy sizzle in the upper treble. Along with that, where Aeon 2 Noire had a tendency for shouty vocals with some tracks, Noire X cleans up the shoutiness. Extended listening reveals that there’s a lot of small refinements that add up to a big difference, especially if you plan on listening for hours at a time.
The Bottom Line
Unless you want to spend twice as much for the DCA E3, Noire X is the best all-around closed back for combining portability, sound quality, tuning, and comfortability. If you’re not willing to compromise on sound, this makes Noire X the perfect companion for travel, the office, or anywhere else that you want to enjoy your music without having to worry about your surroundings.
