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Dan Clark NOIRE X Headphone Review

Rate this headphone:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 3 1.3%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 8 3.5%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 74 32.5%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 143 62.7%

  • Total voters
    228
For those still on the fence about whether or not to get these, I cannot say how much better they are than anything outside of $15 logitech speakers (used for way too long), bundled-with-PSP on-ear Sony Units (lasted less than a quarter year), Sony MDR7506s (used for over a decade) and Austrian AudioHi-X60s (used for a little over a year, and not-at-all recommended),but I am not even being slightly hyperbolic when I state these things are "absolutely life-changing in several fields".

I just got mine yesterday, and was only able to unpack and test them out just now, but even before I put them on, everything about the package, from the care used in storing things, to the case, to the delightful parple™ cleaning cloth packed within the fancy, frame-worthy certificate of authenticity delighted, and exuded quality.

After wearing them, though, the first impression was that they do not even feel like they're present,by-far being the lightest, most comfortable pair of said technology I've ever used, with neither "pressy", nor "Squeezy"able to even be thought when describing them, and while I've not worn them for even half an hour, much less for the period I started to feel the soreness of my glasses arms pressing into my skull with myHi-X60-s, I cannot imagine they'd at-all become fatiguing, much less unbearable.

How do they sound, though?

I went right into my usual pair of headphone tests, and while it was completely absent on my Hi-X60s$500 phones...no bass response.), I am very pleased to report Colin Moulding's bass-work in XTC's "Mayor of Simpleton" is not only audible, but every note crystal clear.

Moving onto the same band's "King For a Day" I have never been able to so clearly hear the lower-octave vocals Andy contributes to the song as well as I do with these things, everything sounding completely full, present, and detailed, be this lyrics, vocals, or other instruments.

The one that really surprised me,though, was the song I thought was the least well-produced of the lot, specifically "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" off their Nonsvch album.

The song isn't poorer produced than the other two, I just didn't have headphones good enough to accurately portray the insane amounts of depth and nuance found within.

Case in point, not only is some fumbling about present in the gap before the instrumentation starts in, but at least 4 other layers are present to said non-vocal accompaniment than I previously realised, and upon being able to hear for the first time just how drastically - and imperceptibly on anything I've heard it on before - the atmosphere of the song changes on the penultimate verse, I absolutely exploded into an array of tingles and goosebumps that are present just from typing about it.

I'm going to be diving into Talk Talk's"It's My Life" (or maybe just the entirety of The Colour of Spring) after typing this, but to address some other things:

- The user guide does something not seen before and warns of the permanently-damaging dangers of high volumes, something I was very pleased to see, and saddened more companies don't do. I wish it were in a different colour than the rest of the texts to draw attention to it, though.

- I have a feeling these will be of a tolerable volume when plugged into my phone and other 3.5MM jack devices, because, while I needed my interface to be cranked up until things were just audible on both sides, then system volume reduced to6/100, these are still comfortable to my autistic ears at 40 –50/100.

- the 1/4in adapter still screws on, but has a much shorter thread/twist-time, making swapping between plug sizes much faster.

- The cable does not have any perceptible issues, much less sound being present when moved while listening, but can make a sort of ringy thoonk when accidentally bapped, or moved, however the cable is long enough that you can position it so this doesn't happen.

- The cable's also long enough that it doesn't touch the ground, but also doesn't get yanked when turning in my dodgily-designed Ikea budget chair.

- the non-sound-based injury(still-unidentified cause stemming from jaw moving weirdly and crack heard in left side) tinnitus I've been afflicted with for almost 3years at this point is much less perceptible with these on, somehow.

- This may be the result of having 2 intact pads, as opposed to the crumbling ones of my Hi-X60s (I think I've provided enough testimony to illustrate the reasoning for my dissatisfaction with these), but the sound of out-of-headphone things is much quieter.

To conclude, I would absolutely say these are worth the $100 already, but given how much other potential exists for "YEEBUS!" experiences along the lines of the third song, they will absolutely be justifying their cost even more in-time

I may update this, or make a separate post when I get my new audio interface (Going from a UA Volt 176 to SSL 2+ Mk.II), and do some gaming on these, but the first impressions are overwhelmingly positive in every aspect, and I thank both Sir Clark and the employees for being one of the few US companies I'm aware of that genuinely want to make what's best, as opposed to what's most profitable.
For a moment there I thought we were on headfi
 
For a moment there I thought we were on headfi
Having had minimal interaction with audio-equipment-focused sites, I'm not sure what is meant by it, or if that's a positive, or negative, but I nonetheless wanted to share my thoughts and corroborate what was said by the review, hence the size of the post.
 
is getting the vivo cable worth extra 200$? their site says it maximizes sound quality etc, I thought that's considered snake oil around here, can a cable actually help?
 
is getting the vivo cable worth extra 200$? their site says it maximizes sound quality etc, I thought that's considered snake oil around here, can a cable actually help?
A cable may help with micro phonics in the cable. If your cable is not making noise when you tap on it or rub it across fabric then you are good to go with that cable.
 
A cable may help with micro phonics in the cable. If your cable is not making noise when you tap on it or rub it across fabric then you are good to go with that cable.
so i googled that word and i found another one of your comments https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/least-microphonic-cable.27237/post-1352770 , is balanced worse for noise? I assumed the opposite, isn't single ended unbalanced so it causes noise too? Do I have to choose between this microphonics noise and unbalanced noise? Also do you know how does the DUMMER cable compare noise-wise? For the record I was planning to pair the 4.4mm one with a used rme adi-2/4 pro SE to my pc since balanced output has more power (and noise free?) It is my first setup sorry for my ignorance
 
so i googled that word and i found another one of your comments https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/least-microphonic-cable.27237/post-1352770 , is balanced worse for noise? I assumed the opposite, isn't single ended unbalanced so it causes noise too? Do I have to choose between this microphonics noise and unbalanced noise? Also do you know how does the DUMMER cable compare noise-wise? For the record I was planning to pair the 4.4mm one with a used rme adi-2/4 pro SE to my pc since balanced output has more power (and noise free?) It is my first setup sorry for my ignorance
Single ended can be as clean as balanced in low level interconnects so it is not always a given that balanced is better but balanced usually has more power to the headphones. Micro-phonics in cables can affect balanced cables too and cause rubbing crackling bump noises in the headphones. You don't have to choose a micro phonic cable for your headphones. I don't know anything about the DUMMER cable. Use balanced if you want more power to the headphones. If you purchase a cable and it makes rubbing noises and crackling bump sounds when you hit it with your fingers then return it. So be careful who you buy from. Does DCA have a balanced cable for your headphones that he warranties?
RME's developed Extreme Power headphone stage is now further improved and delivers incredible more powerful headphone outputs (2.1 Watts unbalanced, 3.4 Watts balanced at 32 Ohms, per channel).
 
So be careful who you buy from. Does DCA have a balanced cable for your headphones that he warranties?

idk if there's a misunderstanding but I was referring to the 2 cable options they offer with the noire x, dummer and vivo, I was just wondering if vivo is worth the 200$ premium. I noticed unbalanced output should be enough for the noire x but I assumed balanced has less headaches like noise and sturdier connector, thanks for the info :)
 
idk if there's a misunderstanding but I was referring to the 2 cable options they offer with the noire x, dummer and vivo, I was just wondering if vivo is worth the 200$ premium. I noticed unbalanced output should be enough for the noire x but I assumed balanced has less headaches like noise and sturdier connector, thanks for the info :)
The VIVO cables offer a nice flexible and non-microphonic housing with any common termination, 1.1m, 2m, 3m and custom length options. Depending on the device a "balanced" output may or may not have up to 2x the power (some "balanced outputs" are just single ended amps with XLR or 4.4mm for convenience, for example). If the basic DUMMER meets your needs great but if you would benefit from specific lengths or terminations VIVO gives you the options without the often higher prices of 3rd party options.
 
so i googled that word and i found another one of your comments https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/least-microphonic-cable.27237/post-1352770 , is balanced worse for noise? I assumed the opposite, isn't single ended unbalanced so it causes noise too? Do I have to choose between this microphonics noise and unbalanced noise? Also do you know how does the DUMMER cable compare noise-wise? For the record I was planning to pair the 4.4mm one with a used rme adi-2/4 pro SE to my pc since balanced output has more power (and noise free?) It is my first setup sorry for my ignorance
Generally "noise" in the context of balanced connections is more of a line-level consideration due to hum pickup or RFI, for example in long microphone wires used in pro recording. Balanced lines allow external noise sources to "cancel out" in the circuit, keeping the issue minimal. By the time you are at headphone power levels not line level, noise pickup is far less of an issue, so you get down to "is this balanced amp topology performing better or worse than a single-ended."

I generally say a good single-ended amp is just as good as a good balanced amp, but on balanced amps the single-ended output is often inferior to the balanced because the amp was really optimized to be balanced. In the case of the RME you probably won't reduce noise, that's just not a major concern, but I do believe you get about 1.5x the power and headroom doesn't hurt.

So you'll be fine either way but the 4.4 is probably the better output, at least from a power perspective.
 
I agree that no-fuss and a wider band are both improvements! Maybe there's a way to combine those improvements with the flexibility of the older band?

I purchased some E3s locally just so I could design a strap for the DCA models that use the newer strap design (Aeon X, E3, Stealth, Expanse, Corina). You lose the wider range of adjustability as it has to be sized, although it does have some stretch and should fit most heads even after sizing. You do get better support for the headphones as the strap will carry the weight and spread it over your head, unlike the stock one where the elastics expand and you have to mostly rely on the clamp pressure to support them.

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1841513182

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I do believe you get about 1.5x the power and headroom doesn't hurt.

So you'll be fine either way but the 4.4 is probably the better output, at least from a power perspective.
very informative thanks :) Is the 3W@32ohm balanced output actually welcome headroom here, because I read they have very low impedance/medium? efficiency so I assumed I'd lose volume control, like be stuck at 20% range . I was ready to accept that to avoid noise but since that isn't really an issue, would the 2W unbalanced output be better instead? I have no experience sorry if that's not how it works
 
very informative thanks :) Is the 3W@32ohm balanced output actually welcome headroom here, because I read they have very low impedance/medium? efficiency so I assumed I'd lose volume control, like be stuck at 20% range . I was ready to accept that to avoid noise but since that isn't really an issue, would the 2W unbalanced output be better instead? I have no experience sorry if that's not how it works
I can't tell you what the volume would be but the difference in gain between single-ended and balanced is usually 6dB. Where you are on the volume scale is a function of amp gain, but either way you'll likely have plenty of travel on the dial. I can't speak to which is "better," you would likely need measurements to confirm that, but the difference is likely small regardless, other than power. I don't think you need to overthink this, the easiest thing is to just go balanced, and maybe pick up a single-ended cable as well so you can use whatever amp/outlet you wish...
 
@Dan Clark would you make a specific recommendation to somebody who listens at a very low volume?
I happen to be such person
 
@Dan Clark would you make a specific recommendation to somebody who listens at a very low volume?
I happen to be such person
Actually that makes recommendations easier because so many more units would be able to drive with adequate levels. Remember every 3dB of volume doubles the required power, so if you listen at low levels you could probably get by with 100mW at 32 or 16 ohms. Just be aware if you ever do want to turn it up that will run out of gas. And as always, avoid OTL tube gear which is never going to be a good match.
 
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I purchased some E3s locally just so I could design a strap for the DCA models that use the newer strap design (Aeon X, E3, Stealth, Expanse, Corina). You lose the wider range of adjustability as it has to be sized, although it does have some stretch and should fit most heads even after sizing. You do get better support for the headphones as the strap will carry the weight and spread it over your head, unlike the stock one where the elastics expand and you have to mostly rely on the clamp pressure to support them.

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1841513182

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@Dan Clark could this be a viable solution for the few of us struggling with the fit of the Noire X's? I absolutely love them, but find myself constantly fidgeting with the self adjusting elastic headband.
 
@Dan Clark could this be a viable solution for the few of us struggling with the fit of the Noire X's? I absolutely love them, but find myself constantly fidgeting with the self adjusting elastic headband.
I just sold my first one to a fellow ASR member, I asked them to post their impressions and I'm sure they will love it as I do. If any ASR member orders one and are not happy with it, I will provide a full refund to them. Im very confident of my products and stand behind them 100%. If you take a look at the reviews for my other straps they are all 5 star ratings, not one lower than perfect so far.
 
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I purchased some E3s locally just so I could design a strap for the DCA models that use the newer strap design (Aeon X, E3, Stealth, Expanse, Corina). You lose the wider range of adjustability as it has to be sized, although it does have some stretch and should fit most heads even after sizing. You do get better support for the headphones as the strap will carry the weight and spread it over your head, unlike the stock one where the elastics expand and you have to mostly rely on the clamp pressure to support them.

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1841513182

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Your store is awesome. Was glad to see you sell a replacement insert. For some reason mine(e3) came with just a piece of foam and no insert.
 
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Your store is awesome. Was glad to see you sell a replacement insert. For some reason mine came with just a piece of foam and no insert.
Thanks! Im a huge fan of DCA (own 3 of them) and I love making products for them. I mainly make stuff for myself for my personal headphones and test it thoroughly so I know it works well, Im not making stuff just to sell. When I listen to my E3s I always have the stock spacer in front of me and as I do additive manufacturing I wanted to make a replacement. No criticism of DCA but I wanted mine to look great and not just function great as i always stare at it. I also designed one for the lowly AEON (non-AMTS) series as they do not come with one included to help all the #padgate people on headfi.
 
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Earphones Archive have measured this on the 5128 for those interested, and to cross-reference with Amir's initial comment ("As some of you know, there is no official target response for 5128 fixture. DCA has adopted its own (based on Oratory DF?) and using that, they don't see the two deviations I have marked. They performed sweep listening tests and feel that the 5128 response is closer to what they hear.")

As you can see compliance with Harman Beta (2024) target is better than DF with 2018 filters applied.
 
Earphones Archive have measured this on the 5128 for those interested, and to cross-reference with Amir's initial comment ("As some of you know, there is no official target response for 5128 fixture. DCA has adopted its own (based on Oratory DF?) and using that, they don't see the two deviations I have marked. They performed sweep listening tests and feel that the 5128 response is closer to what they hear.")

As you can see compliance with Harman Beta (2024) target is better than DF with 2018 filters applied.
Thanks for posting, I've been watching that site, it seems to be getting more traction... Convenient for people to use.

I have to say it was interesting clicking through a lot of other headphones to see how manufacturers approach the common targets, or internal consistency to a house curve...
 
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