Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Noire Review

[icey.seri]

Got an RMA today, the new version has a different logo on the box, softer head pad (feels like real leather rather than the hard thing before) and the case no longer has the net for cables (which was pointless since it could barely fit)

 

[Deleted member 79113]

Would it be feasible to implement Amirm's eq with a wiim mini? I mean connecting it via optical to the JDS-dac/amp
Would that work or is Wiim's PEQ somehow not good enough for this task?
Apologies if the question is silly, newby here

 

[rarewolf]

Would it be feasible to implement Amirm's eq with a wiim mini? I mean connecting it via optical to the JDS-dac/amp
Would that work or is Wiim's PEQ somehow not good enough for this task?
Apologies if the question is silly, newby here

Any possibility your source could apply the EQ to the original data before streaming it to your WiiM?

Regarding the WiiM’s implementation of PEQ, I’m no technical expert, but I would be comparing Mini’s precision and processing with the better WiiM’s, as well as with the source…

 

[Deleted member 79113]

@amirm thank you so much for the thorough review! With no eq, would you recommen the Aeon RT over the Aeon 2 noire?

 

[maruko]

Hi everyone, I ordered these headphones.

As they arrive at home ,Any suggestions on what I have to check in a new pair of headphones?

A channel balance test is enough?

 

[AVKS]

Hi everyone, I ordered these headphones.

As they arrive at home ,Any suggestions on what I have to check in a new pair of headphones?

A channel balance test is enough?

Just listen and enjoy, make sure it sounds clean and clear. Maybe some spirited volumes to make sure that doesn't reveal anything and some head movement to check for loose connections.

 

[staticV3]

Hi everyone, I ordered these headphones.

As they arrive at home ,Any suggestions on what I have to check in a new pair of headphones?

A channel balance test is enough?

The Aeon series uses dodgy JST connectors internally that tend to break loose over time, resulting in channel imbalance and an increased driver impedance on one side which can be measured with a basic multimeter.

Here are details:

Aeon 2 Noire channel imbalance, crackling, and passive electronics

So I got an Aeon 2 Noire at canjam a couple months back, and recently, I've been noticing some channel imbalance with the right cup, where it'd be about 4, 5 decibels softer than the right. But I decided against going with an RMA immediately since I'd already RMA'd the original unit for...

www.audiosciencereview.com

You can send the pair back to DCA for repairs every few years or so when the issue resurfaces, or solve it once by just soldering the connector onto the solder pads, however voiding your warranty.

Of course, it's totally possible that on your pair, the connector holds strong and does not cause issues.

 

[Jimster480]

The Aeon series uses dodgy JST connectors internally that tend to break loose over time, resulting in channel imbalance and an increased driver impedance on one side which can be measured with a basic multimeter.

Here are details:

Aeon 2 Noire channel imbalance, crackling, and passive electronics

So I got an Aeon 2 Noire at canjam a couple months back, and recently, I've been noticing some channel imbalance with the right cup, where it'd be about 4, 5 decibels softer than the right. But I decided against going with an RMA immediately since I'd already RMA'd the original unit for...

www.audiosciencereview.com

You can send the pair back to DCA for repairs every few years or so when the issue resurfaces, or solve it once by just soldering the connector onto the solder pads, however voiding your warranty.

Of course, it's totally possible that on your pair, the connector holds strong and does not cause issues.

I will test mine since I'm pretty sure that it has no problems and it is about seven years old now.

 

[maruko]

The Aeon series uses dodgy JST connectors internally that tend to break loose over time, resulting in channel imbalance and an increased driver impedance on one side which can be measured with a basic multimeter.

If this problem should appear in the future, could I simply tell by the fact that the connectors are yielding if I try to pull them?

Regarding the channel imbalance, can i easily notice it by occasionally using one of those test CDs where a voice appears in both channels individually and then simultaneously, therefore from the fact that the voice must be right in the center?

 

[staticV3]

If this problem should appear in the future, could I simply tell by the fact that the connectors are yielding if I try to pull them?

Not the LEMO headphone cable connectors in the ear cups.

The culprit is the internal JST connector that connects to the planar driver.

Regarding the channel imbalance, can i easily notice it by occasionally using one of those test CDs where a voice appears in both channels individually and then simultaneously, therefore from the fact that the voice must be right in the center?

Channel imbalance will be obvious during regular use as all sounds will be panned slightly to one side.

 

[maruko]

The following shows the effect of various filters on frequency response. For myself I generally use 1 notch white + 1 black as shown in the blue line.

Another question.
I've already had these headphones in the past and I remember that I preferred the combination of black felt + black foam because with the one suggested by Dan Clark it seemed to me that the sound lost "speed, dynamics, punchy effect" (sorry for using audiophilic terms).

Since Dan Clark provided the equalization settings for that combination, how do I figure out how I should change the equalization provided by Dan Clark based on my preferred combination?

 

[staticV3]

Since Dan Clark provided the equalization settings for that combination, how do I figure out how I should change the equalization provided by Dan Clark based on my preferred combination?

You would need a measurement of the two tuning configs (Dan Cark's preferred "1 notch white + 1 black" and your preferred setup), on the same headphone and headphone measurement rig.

From what I can tell, Dan Cark's graph does not qualify.

 

[Dan Clark]

Another question.
I've already had these headphones in the past and I remember that I preferred the combination of black felt + black foam because with the one suggested by Dan Clark it seemed to me that the sound lost "speed, dynamics, punchy effect" (sorry for using audiophilic terms).

Since Dan Clark provided the equalization settings for that combination, how do I figure out how I should change the equalization provided by Dan Clark based on my preferred combination?

If you are using PEQ I'd start with Q=2 F=3000 -2dB high shelf. Season to taste by changing the frequency and amplitude.

 

[maruko]

If you are using PEQ I'd start with Q=2 F=3000 -2dB high shelf. Season to taste by changing the frequency and amplitude.

I use Apple Music on Mac. Any suggestion for dsp/eq app?

 

[staticV3]

I use Apple Music on Mac. Any suggestion for dsp/eq app?

SoundSource or eqMac.

SoundSource supports importing presets from .txt, which is convenient.

 

[maruko]

How can we estimate approximately the insulation of a closed headphone compared to ambient noise?

 

[staticV3]

How can we estimate approximately the insulation of a closed headphone compared to ambient noise?

Set up a HATS (GRAS 45CB, ideally) with speakers surrounding it.

Play noise on the speakers and measure the SPL using the HATS, once bare and once with the headphones on.

Plot the difference between these two values and you get the noise isolation value.

You can combine that with ambient noise measurements in your listening environment to predict the noise levels reaching your ears with the headphone on.

 

[maruko]

Set up a HATS (GRAS 45CB, ideally) with speakers surrounding it.

An average value, so, indicative, what could it be? Just out of curiosity

 

[staticV3]

An average value, so, indicative, what could it be? Just out of curiosity

Here's the data for closed-back, over-ear headphones without ANC: https://www.rtings.com/headphones/tools/table/163091

"Full range" uses uniform, static noise while "Common scenarios" uses actual recordings of noisy environments as stimulus.

 

[maruko]

Here's the data for closed-back, over-ear headphones without ANC: https://www.rtings.com/headphones/tools/table/163091

"Full range" uses uniform, static noise while "Common scenarios" uses actual recordings of noisy environments as stimulus.

Ok, so we can listen to wider dynamic range in comparison to speakers.
I noticed worse isolation on lower frequencies, maybe because low frequencies are harder to block.