Dan Clark Audio has built a strong reputation among headphone enthusiasts with their innovative designs and commitment to measurably strong performance. While in the past, Dan Clark Audio’s open back headphones haven’t been as well received as their closed-back designs, with the introduction of the Noire XO, a new open-back planar magnetic headphone priced at $1299, the company aims to achieve that same level of greatness in an open-back as they’ve achieved with closed-backs.
Build and Design
The Noire XO carries familiar Dan Clark Audio design DNA that fans will immediately recognize. Its visual language combines elements from the E3, Noire X, and Expanse, showcasing a sleek, contemporary look. If you've appreciated Dan Clark’s aesthetics in the past, you'll likely feel right at home with the XO. If not, this design probably won’t change your mind.
Weighing 408 grams – about 14.4 ounces – XO strikes a balance between robust build quality and comfort. The suspension strap system, inherited from the E3 and Noire X, makes for a secure yet comfortable fit that “melts on your head.” The earcups measure 80 mm tall and 46 mm wide, which should be spacious enough for most listeners, though it might be a bit tight for those with large earlobes. The pads use a new Alcantara suede material designed to reduce foam movement – a small but welcome refinement.
The unboxing experience is very similar to the Noire X and past Aeon models. In the box you’ll find a travel case, a cable (choice of 4-pin XLR or 6.3mm), and a cleaning cloth. Since Noire XO uses Dan Clark Audio’s Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System (AMTS) there’s no longer a need for the filters included with the older Aeon Series Headphones.
Sound
Noire XO isn’t the sort of headphone that’s going to “wow” you as soon as you put it on your head. Instead it slowly wins you over with a combination of a strong tuning, great fundamentals, and solid technical characteristics, where each piece of the whole works together in balance, subtly elevating the whole experience in a way that you appreciate more and more with each song.
For an open-back headphone, the Noire XO delivers an impressively full and dynamic bass response. You’ll hear a deep, controlled sub-bass presence with a defined mid-bass punch. Unlike many planar headphones that tend to sound lean, the XO brings warmth and weight, especially in the lower registers – making it a standout in this area.
The midrange is where opinions diverge. It’s clear and smooth, particularly beneficial for female vocals and softer acoustic arrangements. However, it may lack the bite and grit needed for rock or more aggressive genres. Instruments like electric guitars can come off as somewhat soft or lacking impact, which may leave some listeners wanting more engagement.
The treble is one of the XO’s strongest aspects. Thanks to Dan Clark’s focus on precision tuning, the XO delivers detailed highs without sibilance. Even with demanding tracks from Marvin Gaye or Michael Jackson, the XO remains smooth and non-fatiguing. Users who enjoy EQ may find room to add brilliance, but the stock treble tuning is already refined and versatile.
Perhaps the most surprising feature of the XO is its realistic spatial presentation. The soundstage is wide yet intimate, giving a convincing sense of placement and depth. Live tracks reveal the headphone’s ability to place the listener "in the room" with the artist – a rare quality even among high-end headphones.
Power needs are always a concern with Dan Clark Headphones, as their low impedance often hides the low sensitivity which ultimately makes them less efficient than you’d expect. While there’s definitely a little extra soundstage and dynamics to be found when you pair Noire XO with desktop power, I found it to perform quite well with most portable sources like DAPs. In particular, I listened a good bit with the Astell&Kern SP3000M and Chord Mojo 2 and found that both were great for general listening. The SP3000M might come up short if you like to listen at deafening loud levels though, as I found 110-120 (out of 150) to be my typical “comfortable” volume.
The slightly warbly stereo guitars that start “Perth” by Bon Iver set the width of the stage at the start of the song. XO’s slight warmth, and Bon Iver’s layered falsetto vocals makes the song feel like a soft bed you can just sink into, but as you sink into it, the complex layers of vocal harmonies, guitars, and other instruments are slowly revealed before the climax of the song, where XO gets to demonstrate its punch and impact, along with its engaging dynamics.
With a modern soul jazz track like Charlie Hunter Trio’s “Speakers Built In” XO gets to demonstrate its bass prowess, providing deep bass you can feel from the punch of the kick, all the way down into the subbass range on the lowest notes. The bass – and other instruments – are impressively textured throughout, and while guitars aren’t XO’s strongest suit, Charlie Hunter’s fuzzzed out sounds come through with a highly detailed delivery.
“Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac is one of my favorite female vocal showcase tracks, and XO proves to be a perfect choice for listening to it. Stevie Nicks vocals seem perfectly placed between the interwoven acoustic guitars, and close your eyes and you’ll find yourself right there in the room. The warmth and texture of the vocals are astonishing, with XO providing insane clarity, delivering every detail of the whole performance.
Comparisons: Dan Clark Audio Noire X, HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled
Probably the closest comparison for Noire XO is Dan Clark’s other new headphone in this price range, Noire X. Noire X is closed back, and a few hundred dollars cheaper, but the two are quite close in many aspects. Of course, if you’re looking for open-back planar magnetic headphones in the $1000 range, it’s hard to have the conversation without bringing our second comparison, HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled, into the discussion as well.
The most direct comparison is with Dan Clark’s own Noire X, a closed-back counterpart. The Noire X has a crisper, edgier presentation, with more treble bite and slightly sharper S-tones – attributes some listeners may prefer, especially for genres like rock or pop. The closed-back design also contributes to a richer bass, but the XO’s open-back bass performance is impressively competitive. While the XO offers warmer and smoother tuning, it sacrifices a bit of excitement and edge. Those who found the Noire X too sharp may appreciate the XO's more relaxed and balanced character.
HIFIMAN Arya Organic is a similarly priced open-back planar headphone. Both have treble responses that require little to no EQ, but the Arya leans slightly more brilliant and airy, while the XO opts for smoothness and refinement. The XO may edge out the Arya in vocal intimacy and warmth, offering more engaging low-end impact, but fans of a more energetic, brighter tuning will likely lean toward the Arya. Ultimately, both are excellent choices and differ more in flavor than in quality.
The Bottom Line
While it may not satisfy listeners seeking edge and aggression in their sound, Noire X excels in delivering a warm, spacious, and articulate listening experience. Its realistic imaging, engaging bass, and refined treble make it a strong contender in its price range. Although the midrange might not have the thickness some listeners are looking for, it contributes to a smoother and more universally appealing sound profile. With its combination of price and performance, Noire XO is Dan Clark Audio’s most compelling open-back offering yet.
