Dan Clark NOIRE X Headphone Review

[anchan]

I just picked up a pair of these second hand in mint condition for $700 or so. These are truly phenomenal headphones. Very wide open and spacious. So natural sounding. They feel like open backs. Unreal - I've never had a pair of headphones this good before.

 

[TheGoldRush]

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.

Hi Dan,

a few days ago i bought the noire x at Kopfhörerboutique in Vienna (i think you know this store). Also bought an relatively cheap dongle amp/dac- the questyle m15c.

These are my first ever headphones.

At the store i compared them to a few other DCA (Aeon Core, Nxo) and some meze and aune. Nailed it down to the Aune SR7000 vs the NoireX. Both sounded equally to me. Alltough the Aune costs just 50% of the NoireX i bought the noires, because the soundstage was a bit wider.

I am pretty bad at subjectively judging different audio products at stores anyway so i just bought the Noire because double the price(="better")/well known/science/"endgame for most" and so on...


To be honest at the moment i dont like it very much.
Last week i also bought some cheap 20€ inears (truthear gate) and to me the inears sound even better, as they just dont sound unpleasent when brought up to my desired listening level.

I use the noire with my iphone and spotify lossless and with the questyle m15c.

The thing is its either to quiet ("no attack, impact" etc) and when i turn the volume up by just one click where bass and drums are really nicely present, the treble is becoming really unpleasent.

And i have listened to all of my current heavy rotation and there wasnt a single song, where i felt i made a good purchase. I dont understand.

Maybe the questyle is such a bad device to pair with the noireX?


Questyle:
" Audioleistung

• Auflösung: 32 Bit, 384 kHz, DSD 256
• Frequenzgang:
  • ± 0,1 dB (20 Hz - 20 kHz)
  • ± 1 dB (20 Hz - 80 kHz)
• Gesamte harmonische Verzerrung und Rauschen (THD+N): 0,00028 %

Ausgangsleistung​

• Unsymmetrischer 3,5-mm-Ausgang:
  • Lastimpedanz = 300 Ω
  • Ausgangsleistung = 10,72 mW
  • THD+N = 0,0003 %
• Symmetrischer 4,4-mm-Ausgang:
  • Lastimpedanz = 300 Ω
  • Ausgangsleistung = 42,79 mW
  • THD+N = 0,0003 %"

 

[NTK]

Maybe the questyle is such a bad device to pair with the noireX?

Questyle:
" Audioleistung

• Auflösung: 32 Bit, 384 kHz, DSD 256
• Frequenzgang:
  • ± 0,1 dB (20 Hz - 20 kHz)
  • ± 1 dB (20 Hz - 80 kHz)
• Gesamte harmonische Verzerrung und Rauschen (THD+N): 0,00028 %

Ausgangsleistung​

• Unsymmetrischer 3,5-mm-Ausgang:
  • Lastimpedanz = 300 Ω
  • Ausgangsleistung = 10,72 mW
  • THD+N = 0,0003 %
• Symmetrischer 4,4-mm-Ausgang:
  • Lastimpedanz = 300 Ω
  • Ausgangsleistung = 42,79 mW
  • THD+N = 0,0003 %"

Questyle does not provide any output spec for low impedance headphones, and is probably not very good at it. The Noire X has very low impedance and low sensitivity, and therefore requires powerful headphone amplifiers capable of driving low impedance headphones. The Questyle M15C doesn't look like it has sufficient output capacity for the Noire X.

The Aune SR7000 is a much easier load than the Noire X and shouldn't be a problem for the Questyle.

 

[TheGoldRush]

Ok, thank you. But is this just a question of listening volume (max spl) or can this also explain the either boring or too spicy problem?

edit:

In this review the m15c dongle got recommended, so i thought its ok.

 

[Mort]

the inears sound even better, as they just dont sound unpleasent when brought up to my desired listening level.

It's easy to make IEMs loud so they often sound better. It takes a lot more juice to run headphones, especially the Noire X. I use an A70Pro with mine and IEMs still get louder.

 

[TheGoldRush]

Maybe ill try to explain better. (Not a native english speaker).

I dont try to listen loud. Its just when i increase the volume until the music becomes alive, impactful etc.- so more like my minimum listening volume, the Noire starts becoming unpleasant in the treble region.

As for an example that most here will know: Eagles-Hotel California MTV live. When i turn the volume up until the kickdrum at the beginning has an impressive weight to it, the guitars and voices are allready becoming unpleasent.

For reference on my stereo system i listen at 65db average, 250cm (8feet) away from the speakers. So im not seeking really loud sound.

 

[NTK]

Ok, thank you. But is this just a question of listening volume (max spl) or can this also explain the either boring or too spicy problem?

edit:

In this review the m15c dongle got recommended, so i thought its ok.

I couldn't find (but I didn't search very hard) any reliable measurements of the M15C, but found L7Audiolab's measurement of the original M15. Amir's measured impedance of the Noire X was 13 Ω and it required 0.333 V to produce 94 dBSPL.

The M15C, from what I can tell, does not have much improvement in its max output. In my opinion, the M15C is not sufficient for the Noire X.

M15 unbalanced output:

M15 balanced output:

 

[TheGoldRush]

What portable dac/amp (+EQ) combos would be appropriate for the NoireX?

Max. 500€ (if this high € is really neccessary though- no need to forcefully max the budget)

 

[Dan Clark]

Hi Dan,

a few days ago i bought the noire x at Kopfhörerboutique in Vienna (i think you know this store). Also bought an relatively cheap dongle amp/dac- the questyle m15c.

These are my first ever headphones.

At the store i compared them to a few other DCA (Aeon Core, Nxo) and some meze and aune. Nailed it down to the Aune SR7000 vs the NoireX. Both sounded equally to me. Alltough the Aune costs just 50% of the NoireX i bought the noires, because the soundstage was a bit wider.

I am pretty bad at subjectively judging different audio products at stores anyway so i just bought the Noire because double the price(="better")/well known/science/"endgame for most" and so on...


To be honest at the moment i dont like it very much.
Last week i also bought some cheap 20€ inears (truthear gate) and to me the inears sound even better, as they just dont sound unpleasent when brought up to my desired listening level.

I use the noire with my iphone and spotify lossless and with the questyle m15c.

The thing is its either to quiet ("no attack, impact" etc) and when i turn the volume up by just one click where bass and drums are really nicely present, the treble is becoming really unpleasent.

And i have listened to all of my current heavy rotation and there wasnt a single song, where i felt i made a good purchase. I dont understand.

Maybe the questyle is such a bad device to pair with the noireX?


Questyle:
" Audioleistung

• Auflösung: 32 Bit, 384 kHz, DSD 256
• Frequenzgang:
  • ± 0,1 dB (20 Hz - 20 kHz)
  • ± 1 dB (20 Hz - 80 kHz)
• Gesamte harmonische Verzerrung und Rauschen (THD+N): 0,00028 %

Ausgangsleistung​

• Unsymmetrischer 3,5-mm-Ausgang:
  • Lastimpedanz = 300 Ω
  • Ausgangsleistung = 10,72 mW
  • THD+N = 0,0003 %
• Symmetrischer 4,4-mm-Ausgang:
  • Lastimpedanz = 300 Ω
  • Ausgangsleistung = 42,79 mW
  • THD+N = 0,0003 %"

A phone is totally underpowered and will deliver a mediocre to awful experience. The Questyle is totally underpowered as well.

In general tiny USB-powered devices won't cut it for anything other than low-level listening. The FiiO DS2 has decent power for a tiny device, I think it's about 128mW at 32ohm, if you're not into thumping dance music at higher SPL that will suffice, otherwise you should like at upgrading to a good DAP or desktop setup.

I would look for an absolute minimum of 128mW at 16 ohms, but higher is better.

That should address your concern.

 

[Dan Clark]

Ok, thank you. But is this just a question of listening volume (max spl) or can this also explain the either boring or too spicy problem?

edit:

In this review the m15c dongle got recommended, so i thought its ok.

DSM

Maybe ill try to explain better. (Not a native english speaker).

I dont try to listen loud. Its just when i increase the volume until the music becomes alive, impactful etc.- so more like my minimum listening volume, the Noire starts becoming unpleasant in the treble region.

As for an example that most here will know: Eagles-Hotel California MTV live. When i turn the volume up until the kickdrum at the beginning has an impressive weight to it, the guitars and voices are allready becoming unpleasent.

For reference on my stereo system i listen at 65db average, 250cm (8feet) away from the speakers. So im not seeking really loud sound.

DSM listens at VERY low levels, he once told me 75dB. That's about 10dB lower than a lot of people, and takes no power at all. That said, anytime you hear "the highs get unpleasant" with our headphones, that is your electronics clipping, which manifests as sharp, hard, irritating highs.

 

[Music707]

DSM


DSM listens at VERY low levels, he once told me 75dB. That's about 10dB lower than a lot of people, and takes no power at all. That said, anytime you hear "the highs get unpleasant" with our headphones, that is your electronics clipping, which manifests as sharp, hard, irritating highs.

Isn't he known as DMS?

 

[Dan Clark]

Isn't he known as DMS?

When you don't produce prolific typos like I apparently do, then yes.

 

[TheGoldRush]

Thank you.

I gave back the questyle and bought an Luxsin X8 for stationary use.
And tomorrow i receive a Mojo2 4.4 for on the go, which you recommended somewhere here.

Besides probable clipping, i think at first listening it was a bit much of an experience, i guess. Never owned over the ear headphones before, and at first it was a bit overwhelming, this kind of detail and separation. Im getting used to its sound and start to recognize the Noires quality more and more. Gonna keep it.

 

[anchan]

I’ve read a few “reviews” of these headphones with people using phones and underpowered devices to power them. It’s a little annoying reading these, and knowing that the setup is completely at fault.

These are 13 ohm headphones - not that far off from a regular speaker you’d put on your shelf. Please do some research, or learn ohms law before dropping a grand on headphones. They are phenomenal headphones when used with the right headphone amp.

 

[LGD_]

I’ve read a few “reviews” of these headphones with people using phones and underpowered devices to power them. It’s a little annoying reading these, and knowing that the setup is completely at fault.

These are 13 ohm headphones - not that far off from a regular speaker you’d put on your shelf. Please do some research, or learn ohms law before dropping a grand on headphones. They are phenomenal headphones when used with the right headphone amp.

Yes !
Driven properly, with a little EQ, the sound from these is simply stunning.
I'm using the Topping L30 ll headphone amplifier, and HQPlayer, fed from my old DAC (SMSL D6) - and could not be more pleased. I've never heard such incredible detail and clarity before, certainly not from my speakers.
I bought all three based on their reviews here - thanks Amir .

 

[Dk33145]

I’ve read a few “reviews” of these headphones with people using phones and underpowered devices to power them. It’s a little annoying reading these, and knowing that the setup is completely at fault.

These are 13 ohm headphones - not that far off from a regular speaker you’d put on your shelf. Please do some research, or learn ohms law before dropping a grand on headphones. They are phenomenal headphones when used with the right headphone amp.

I get what you are saying but it's a strawman argument. People buying these cans are mostly enthusiasts looking to get high performance so they would know about things like amp output and impedance. BUT the core principle you raised is sound. A dac amp and even a highly quality one is only transparent if it can adequately power your cans and performance issues can come come up in insidious non-obvious ways...most people think underpowered means not loud enough but it can also be too bright because the low end takes more power and isn't adequately driven. If anyone finds these Noire X too bright for instance, that may precisely be the reason why. As far as, portable goes for these high power cans, dx1 ii has been a game changer for me ...

 

[Ruediger]

Excuse my blunt question, but I have a hard time deciding between Noire X and Aeon Core.

There won't be a Noire Core anytime soon?

 

[Dk33145]

Excuse my blunt question, but I have a hard time deciding between Noire X and Aeon Core.

There won't be a Noire Core anytime soon?

Noire X is lighter and foldable, has amts and is better tuned out of the box, Core is cheaper, heavier and not foldable, no amts (diff just that one higher freq delay), but has better drivers that EQ with less distortion. All things being equal, for my application, I would go for the Noire X all over again, just having an issue now with PEQ on the DX1 II. For a portable application, you can't always expect to have good PEQ on hand, having something ready tuned up and ready to go is worth something.

 

[Ruediger]

Got an offer for a Noire X that I couldn't refuse.

Using iBasso DX180 / Poweramp with Oratory1990 PEQ profile.

Damn good sound..