Dan Clark NOIRE XO Headphone Review

[a5ehren]

Do the Noire XOs leak much? I do most of my listening with my wife either reading or sleeping by my side; she says that my old HD518s don't bother her, but I can't really make it worse for her.
How do they sound at lower volume? I find that headphones tend to sound better at a volume that unfortunately I can't bear for long, so I'm looking for a pair that doesn't loose too much when I lower the volume.

They're open, so a decent amount of leakage. They sound OK at low volume, but I probably wouldn't get $1300 cans for that.

 

[a5ehren]

So what do you all do about the Dummer cable twisting up on itself? The jacket has just enough "stick" to where it won't freely slide off itself and it makes a ball every couple days...

 

[seattlerocks]

So what do you all do about the Dummer cable twisting up on itself? The jacket has just enough "stick" to where it won't freely slide off itself and it makes a ball every couple days...

I haven't had that problem with my cable. If it bugs you, get an aftermarket cable with a different sheathing.

 

[theBoomer]

They're open, so a decent amount of leakage. They sound OK at low volume, but I probably wouldn't get $1300 cans for that.

Thank you. In terms of getting value out of such an investment, you're absolutely right. At least in theory it might make sense to shop for the best experience I can get given my requirements, but I suspect that the law of diminishing returns would hit even harder than usual.

 

[JohnnyBG]

Thank you. In terms of getting value out of such an investment, you're absolutely right. At least in theory it might make sense to shop for the best experience I can get given my requirements, but I suspect that the law of diminishing returns would hit even harder than usual.

Wouldn't it be better to get a closed-back headphone in your use case (that was the main reason why I got my E3)? You can go with DCA Noire X for example.

 

[theBoomer]

Wouldn't it be better to get a closed-back headphone in your use case (that was the main reason why I got my E3)? You can go with DCA Noire X for example.

In the end I did get a pair of closed-backs. I bought the Aune SR7000 and I must say that I really like them. At moderate volume they sound well, when I allow myself to go a bit above they sound great. My wife hasn't complained so far
In the future I might consider buying a set of planar open backs, to try something different, but I consider myself satisfied as it is.

 

[MRC01]

What's the difference between the Dummer and VIVO cables? Build quality / durability? Microphonics? Flexibility?

 

[Phos]

Curious how heavy these are and how much ear relief there is. Cross shopping these with the Meze Poet, between the cable and case I think they're closer to being price competitive than the MSRP would indicate

What's the difference between the Dummer and VIVO cables? Build quality / durability? Microphonics? Flexibility?

Looks like flexibility is the major one, the vivo looks like a custom sheathed cable of some description whereas the DUMMER looks like an instrument cable that they've just terminated for the headphones.

 

[Ventfull]

Why does Amir's measurements of the Dan Clark Noire X Open not show the mid bass bump that Oratory and Unheard Lab's measurement show?

 

[b73i57dc3f]

@Ventfull That's a different headphone. Drop + DCA Aeon Open X =/= DCA Noire XO.

 

[milosz]

There are many variables that affect headphone frequency response measurement, many of them related to the acoustic coupler used and how the headphones are mounted to the coupler. Because of this, it is really pretty impossible to validly compare one set of measurements conducted by a given lab / engineer to measurements done elsewhere. It is much more useful to look at the series of measurements taken of various headphone models by the same lab / engineer and use those measurements to compare one pair of headphones to another brand.

 

[Robbo99999]

@Ventfull That's a different headphone. Drop + DCA Aeon Open X =/= DCA Noire XO.

Ha!

 

[Ventfull]

@Ventfull That's a different headphone. Drop + DCA Aeon Open X =/= DCA Noire XO.

Oh! Thank you. My apologies. Theres too many X's in this naming scheme for me lol

 

[xanalog]

Oh! Thank you. My apologies. Theres too many X's in this naming scheme for me lol

You know, you just pulled a Roseanne Roseannadanna on all of us?
I pulled one, last week!