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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 32.6%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 142 62.6%

  • Total voters
    227
Surprised to see so many "Fine" ratings. I get that this isn't a perfect headphone, but the only reason I'd consider any rating other than "Great" would be in comparison to other (much more expensive) Dan Clark headphones.
What are you basing your vote of "great" on? This costs a thousand dollars and if we're just looking at Amir's measurements I'm not sure they look all that exceptional. It may sound excellent of course, but that's neither here nor there; we should vote on the data at hand.
 
we should vote on the data at hand.

That’s what I did and the data, portability, design and build quality all backed up by Dan himself being available to answer any and all questions adds up to a “great” to myself otherwise we’d only be allowed to vote on a product if we own or have direct long term experience of it.

The rating system will never satisfy all, nor cover every aspect, but as a general guide it’s the best we have.
 
I will miss the carbon fiber from the Aeons, I think it looked great, glass is a bit sterile.
 
You mean external noise isolation?
Actually @amirm I meant for the other person in the room. Closed back are usually quieter but they vary.
 
@amirm why didn't you do a teardown? Is it serviceable? All glued inside?
Check these E3 Images. Tape not glue
 
Except the pads no glue on the older Aeons models just screws. But I dont think DCA sells any parts for them, you have to send them in for service.
 
This is a review, listening tests, detailed measurements and optional EQ of Dan Clark Audio (DCA) NOIRE X closed back headphone. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $999.99.
View attachment 409634
This is one high quality and gorgeous headphone. It is more compact and lighter than my daily driver, the DCA E3 which I appreciate. It comes with a very flexible and nice (silicone?) cable with just the right length for desktop use.

As with the last few reference quality headphones from DCA, the NOIRE X uses "meta material" to tune the response of the headphone. Development process included evaluation with both GRAS 45CA (same fixture I have) and B&K 5128 (one that I evaluated). Some of the tuning is informed because of this dual testing. I will comment on this in the measurement section.

I received the headphone about a week ago and have been listening to it and only measured it tonight. I found the headphones very comfortable to wear for many hours on end. The automatic fitment works well. I believe work has been done to make sure the headphone is more resilient to how one wears the headphone.

DCA NOIRE X Measurements
As usual, we start with our headphone frequency response measurements. Fitment on the fixture was easily achieved:
View attachment 409635
On my 45CA fixture, high level compliance is good but we have localized areas of deviations. 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. I will address this when I EQ the headphone in the listening test section.

Here is the differential relative to our target:
View attachment 409636
Other than the peak at 4.7 kHz to the tune of 3.7 dB, the rest are quite minor and would easily fall in the "error bars" of the research for target curve.

There is more distortion than previous reference level headphones from DCA:
View attachment 409637
View attachment 409638
As noted though, at 94 dBSPL, distortion remains quite low in the rest of the spectrum. Specifically, it hugs on "0%" line quite closely from 2 to 5 kHz where our hearing is most sensitive.

Of note, DCA found that the GRAS 45CA measurements show less distortion than that of 5128, indicating the microphones in the fixture itself has lower distortion.

We see a couple of reflections causing non-minimum-phase response in Group Delay but otherwise, we have the typical clean response from DCA:
View attachment 409640

Impedance is very low at just 13 Ohms:
View attachment 409641

It is flat though as you see so source impedance won't change frequency response.

It is more sensitive than other DCA reference headphones which is nice:
View attachment 409642
Quickly switching from E3 to NOIRE X resulted in noticeably higher volume. This will open up a lot more headphone amplifiers that can drive the NOIRE X.

NOIRE X Headphone Listening Tests
As I noted in the introduction, due to being overwhelmed with work, I just listened to the NOIRE X and did not measure it. Immediate impression going from E3 to it was total familiarity with perhaps, the high frequencies standing out just a bit. Post this measurement, I brought out the EQ to examine the audible effect of deviations I see in the frequency response:
View attachment 409643
I had to dial down the bass filter at 111 Hz as the predicated deviation while nice on some tracks, took the impact away from bass heavy tracks. With the reduced amount, you have a tighter bass response while still having 80% of the impact. The sum total of the rest of the filters gave me the impression of more separation of instruments though the effect is very subtle.

Above was sighted. In ad-hoc blind testing, I guessed correctly only 1 out of 3 as to which was stock and which was the EQ! So the effect is quite small and subtle. In that sense, I don't think I can make a strong case that these deviations are real. At the same time, I can't say they are not either. To wit, I am listening with the EQ on.

Listening to music is a delight with performance that is both familiar and superbly high fidelity.

Conclusions
When DAN Clark brought the "meta material" innovation to headphones with the Stealth, the improved performance was real but so was the $4,000 price tag. We all wished for lower cost headphone which they delivered with E3. But at $2K, still quite expensive. Now we have an under $1,000 headphone that delivers all that technology in a compact packaging. It has a bit more distortion but perhaps with a tuning that some like better. I know the comfort is there as I prefer to wear it for long hour listening sessions.

Subjective experience of NOIRE X is stellar: every reference track I played put a smile on my face. It feels like I am wearing super high quality, full range studio monitors strapped to each ear! Objective data backs that, pleasing both sides of my brain!!

It is my pleasure to recommend the DCA NOIRE X.

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As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/

Here are some thoughts about the EQ.
Please report your findings, positive or negative!

Notes about the EQ design:
  • The average L/R is used to calculate the score.
  • The resolution is 12 points per octave interpolated from the raw data (provided by @amirm)
  • A Genetic Algorithm is used to optimize the EQ.
  • The EQ Score is designed to MAXIMIZE the Score WHILE fitting the Harman target curve (and other constrains) with a fixed complexity.
    This will avoid weird results if one only optimizes for the Score, start your journey here or there.
    There is a presentation by S. Olive here.
    It will probably flatten the Error regression doing so, the tonal balance should be therefore more neutral.
  • The EQs are starting point and may require tuning (certainly at LF and maybe at HF).
  • The range around and above 10kHz is usually not EQed unless smooth enough to do so.
  • I am using PEQ (PK) as from my experience the definition is more consistent across different DSP/platform implementations than shelves.
  • With some HP/amp combo, the boosts and preamp gain (loss of Dynamic range) need to be carefully considered to avoid issues with, amongst other things, too low a Max SPL or damaging your device. You have beed warned.
  • Not all units of the same product are made equal. The EQ is based on the measurements of a single unit. YMMV with regard to the very unit you are trying this EQ on.
  • I sometimes use variations of the Harman curve for some reasons. See rational here and here
  • NOTE: the score then calculated is not comparable to the scores derived from the default Harman target curve if not otherwise noted.

Good L/R match.

I have generated one EQ, the APO config file is attached.

Score no EQ: 88.1
Score Amirm: 91.9
Score with EQ: 97.7

Dan Clark NOIRE X APO EQ Flat@HF 96000Hz.png
 

Attachments

  • Dan Clark NOIRE X APO EQ Flat@HF 96000Hz.txt
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Really significant and well done review of a product the entire community is highly interested in, Amir. A lot more people are going to be able to afford this one than previous DCA offerings. Personally, I wish they'd do this one in an open back, because closed backs simply don't work well with the Smyth A16, but I'd love to try one of his open backs with it.

I also wonder if there's any data regarding its sensitivity to frequency vaiance based on how it's positioned on head as that seemed to be an issue with some of this company's earlier designs?
 
Yes, the pads are compatible. The new pads are in the store now.


Nope. Gimbals are incompatible.
Very good to hear. My only gripe with my Noires is the pad. Mine is long due for replacement.
 
Thanks for a great review. What would be needed to drive them? ???? mW@32 Ω

I find my Aeon 2 Noirs need a strong amp after EQ bass boost, a lot of amps struggle at 13ohm. I had good luck with Topping L30 II and recently upgraded to Topping A70 Pro. Unfortunately the figure at 32ohm wont tell you if the amp will struggle at 13ohm or not. These new Noir X seem to be a bit more efficient looking at the figures, but will still need a stout amp for loud volume if you use EQ to boost the bass.
 
These new Noir X seem to be a bit more efficient looking at the figures, but will still need a stout amp for loud volume if you use EQ to boost the bass.
While I highly recommend a proper hp amp, I see no need to boost the bass in these.
 
We all like different things right? Im a bit of a bass head for my house music. My main reason for the purchase of the Aeon Noirs was the low distortion numbers so I could boost the bass.
 
We all like different things right? Im a bit of a bass head for my house music. My main reason for the purchase of the Aeon Noirs was the low distortion numbers so I could boost the bass.
I add a +4dB bass shelf to my E3 so you're not the only one.

I actually think I like the blacked out, stealthy look more than the E3's.
 
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I add a +4dB bass shelf to my E3 so you're not the only one.

I actually think I like the blacked out, strealthy look more than the E3's.
Yes I add about +5dB on the original Noirs, glad to hear im not the only one! (Looking at you Amir! LOL)

I prefer the older Carbon Fiber look, the glass looks like a fingerprint magnet.
 
... so SOTA Price/Performance Headphone?
 
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