Dan Clark Aeon 2 Noire Amplifier?

[InvertedWorld]

Hi Everbody,

I'm new here. I've bought a Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire for using at work behind my desktop PC.
I've got a Hifiman Ananda-BT at home, and really like it. However that does mean I do not have an amp/dac (or combo) yet.

I was wondering if the Topping DX3 Pro+ is enough to power it? (200 euro's)
Or if not, if the Topping L30 + E30 would be a better choice (149,- each)

Trying to keep the budget down a bit though.

Thanks in advance!

 

[tifune]

For the vast majority of people, either of those solutions would be adequate. Do you apply significant bass boost or are hard of hearing/want to be hard of hearing?

 

[Jimbob54]

For the vast majority of people, either of those solutions would be adequate. Do you apply significant bass boost or are hard of hearing/want to be hard of hearing?

One of the benefits of the Noire is it has the bulk of the Harman levels of bass as stock tuning. Which as you know is what can cause amps to struggle when you eq it in.

I reckon the most sensible move the op can do is buy the great value dx3 Pro +. Worst case scenario they decide they need a bigger amp down the line and use the great dac in the topping to drive a new amp. But I agree, that shouldn't be needed.

 

[P007]

Or get the JDS Atom+, cheaper, and lots of power for the Noire.

 

[LordOishi]

Hi Everbody,

I'm new here. I've bought a Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire for using at work behind my desktop PC.
I've got a Hifiman Ananda-BT at home, and really like it. However that does mean I do not have an amp/dac (or combo) yet.

I was wondering if the Topping DX3 Pro+ is enough to power it? (200 euro's)
Or if not, if the Topping L30 + E30 would be a better choice (149,- each)

Trying to keep the budget down a bit though.

Thanks in advance!

Hi, very late to the party here so understand if there's no response but here goes. I wanted to ask if you went with the L30 E30 stack for your A2Ns? And if so how that pairing went? Thinking of doing the same.

 

[radix]

I used the DX3 Pro+ on the Aeon 2 Noire. It was OK, plenty loud for me, but I don't listen at high volume (any more). It's been over a year since I used the DX3 Pro+, so I can only provide some vague memory of it. I would not say it has abundant power for the Aeon 2 Noire, but it was sufficient.

I switched to an RME ADI-2 DAC FS and am very happy with that HPA. I wanted to get EQ in the DAC, as I switch between different sources and head phones, so this gives me a convenient place to handle EQ.

 

[LordOishi]

I used the DX3 Pro+ on the Aeon 2 Noire. It was OK, plenty loud for me, but I don't listen at high volume (any more). It's been over a year since I used the DX3 Pro+, so I can only provide some vague memory of it. I would not say it has abundant power for the Aeon 2 Noire, but it was sufficient.

I switched to an RME ADI-2 DAC FS and am very happy with that HPA. I wanted to get EQ in the DAC, as I switch between different sources and head phones, so this gives me a convenient place to handle EQ.

Understand, grateful for the response. Enjoy!

 

[Grobbelboy]

Until I traded them for the Expanse, I powered my Noire with a Qudelix 5K, unbalanced and with a 2dB boost applied to the <50Hz region (sub bass). This worked absolutely fine without me ever yearning for more volume.

 

[paudio]

Until I traded them for the Expanse, I powered my Noire with a Qudelix 5K, unbalanced and with a 2dB boost applied to the <50Hz region (sub bass). This worked absolutely fine without me ever yearning for more volume.

I have some in the mail. I'm planning on doing exactly this but balanced.

 

[symphara]

I use the iFi Gryphon with these headphones and max bass boost. Sadly, still not enough.

 

[paudio]

I use the iFi Gryphon with these headphones and max bass boost. Sadly, still not enough.

Not enough what exactly? Not loud enough or not enough juice for low end omph? Looks to be 1W @32ohm balanced and 320mw@32ohm single ended.

 

[symphara]

Not enough what exactly? Not loud enough or not enough juice for low end omph? Looks to be 1W @32ohm balanced and 320mw@32ohm single ended.

Loud enough, no problem here, but not enough bass (not deep and loud enough). I can play stuff where I don't hear all the sounds in the recording, as I would on full range speakers, because there's no capability to reproduce them on these headphones, at least with the amps I tried (THX Onyx and iFi Gryphon).

 

[paudio]

Loud enough, no problem here, but not enough bass (not deep and loud enough). I can play stuff where I don't hear all the sounds in the recording, as I would on full range speakers, because there's no capability to reproduce them on these headphones, at least with the amps I tried (THX Onyx and iFi Gryphon).

Sub bass? Like LORN? My ears are quite sensitive and I tend to listen at low volumes. On the Fiio I was maybe at 9 or 10 o'clock on the volume pot.

Are you using balanced on the Gryphon?

 

[LordOishi]

Until I traded them for the Expanse, I powered my Noire with a Qudelix 5K, unbalanced and with a 2dB boost applied to the <50Hz region (sub bass). This worked absolutely fine without me ever yearning for more volume.

Do you know if the either the Fiio K7 or E30 l30 ii stack be a safe pairing with the Noire?

 

[symphara]

Sub bass? Like LORN? My ears are quite sensitive and I tend to listen at low volumes. On the Fiio I was maybe at 9 or 10 o'clock on the volume pot.

Are you using balanced on the Gryphon?

Yes, using balanced. Don't know what LORN is, sorry. Some of the stuff I listen to has low electronic bass and it is not reproduced by these headphones, not even with all the bass boost the Gryphon can do. The easiest track to try is The Expert from Touch by Yello.

 

[paudio]

Do you know if the either the Fiio K7 or E30 l30 ii stack be a safe pairing with the Noire?

K7 has tons of power. That's what I auditioned them on. It's like 2w per channel balanced.

 

[paudio]

Yes, using balanced. Don't know what LORN is, sorry. Some of the stuff I listen to has low electronic bass and it is not reproduced by these headphones, not even with all the bass boost the Gryphon can do. The easiest track to try is The Expert from Touch by Yello.

Gryphon balanced is a whole 1watt. Thx Onyx is only 130mw. Maybe the gryphon struggles with 16ohm?

LORN is about the lowest electronic I know of. Perhaps Dolor as well. On the K7 sub bass was very present for me testing LORN which goes down <35hz.

A/D, by LORN

8 track album

lorn.bandcamp.com

 

[symphara]

Gryphon balanced is a whole 1watt. Thx Onyx is only 130mw. Maybe the gryphon struggles with 16ohm?

LORN is about the lowest electronic I know of. Perhaps Dolor as well. On the K7 sub bass was very present for me testing LORN which goes down <35hz.

A/D, by LORN

8 track album

lorn.bandcamp.com

The Gryhon has some tone controls (XSpace I think, not sure what it does and XBass), XBass does make a difference, it clearly boosts the bass, but if you don't use it, the headphones sound identical compared to using the THX Onyx, which is not balanced and has no tone control whatsoever, it's just a dongle. So I wouldn't have a lot of hope that a new amp will make a difference, I don't think that power is the problem.

I could be of course completely wrong but at this stage it doesn't really matter, it's not like I will buy one more amplifier for these headphones. I cannot warm up to the Noires no matter what I do. They have low distortion and an expansive sound, which I like, but also a (very) loose headband and a crappy bass, which I hate much more.

 

[paudio]

The Gryhon has some tone controls (XSpace I think, not sure what it does and XBass), XBass does make a difference, it clearly boosts the bass, but if you don't use it, the headphones sound identical compared to using the THX Onyx, which is not balanced and has no tone control whatsoever, it's just a dongle. So I wouldn't have a lot of hope that a new amp will make a difference, I don't think that power is the problem.

I could be of course completely wrong but at this stage it doesn't really matter, it's not like I will buy one more amplifier for these headphones. I cannot warm up to the Noires no matter what I do. They have low distortion and an expansive sound, which I like, but also a (very) loose headband and a crappy bass, which I hate much more.

Loose headband? You mean not holding on tight enough when moving? The demo one needed tightening on the adjuster as the left side was loose. The coupler didn't have enough friction on the nitinol headband. Do you get better sub bass when pressing the ear cups to your ear harder?

DCA recommends minimum 600mw. I only auditioned on a K7 which is like 2000mw per channel.

What headphones have bass you like?

 

[symphara]

Loose headband? You mean not holding on tight enough when moving? The demo one needed tightening on the adjuster as the left side was loose. The coupler didn't have enough friction on the nitinol headband. Do you get better sub bass when pressing the ear cups to your ear harder?

The headband has two screws, which I tighten periodically and they just loosen up. I don't walk with them, headphones are for me a work (desk)/bed thing. If I'm outside I use Airpod-type objects.

I do not get sub bass when pressing the ear cups harder, I just tried it, being intrigued by your question. In fact it's the opposite, the bass gets worse and the highs get overpowering.

I tried all the pads they give (each for at least a month, just to try to get rid of habituation). Subjectively, my impression of bass improves if I use the most absorbent pads. Of course they cannot improve the bass, they just cut the highs, it's all in my head, but there you go. Still, I remain of the opinion that it cannot do very low bass, basically at all. There's like a cut-off there, it goes off a cliff.

DCA recommends minimum 600mw. I only auditioned on a K7 which is like 2000mw per channel.

What headphones have bass you like?

Very tough question. I think all my other headphones do more satisfying bass, but in terms of "liking", I feel stumped. I guess the closest would be between the ATH50xBT (which is very strong but too much) and the ATH-DSR9BT (which is a little lean but very controlled). For sure, I "like" the bass of my Paradigm 95F speakers, through RoomPerfect. It's really good.

But look, to a large extent I'm sure it's my misshapen head. I don't fret it too much. Headphone nirvana is hard to get into.