Reality check - is this YouTube Noire X review total BS or not?

[Barry_G]

I'm semi-interested in the DCA Noire X and have read/watched a bunch of reviews. I'm still scratching my head over this one:

To cut to the chase, begin watching at 24:50 - I don't know what to make of his comments about the Noire X's lack of resolution and that it won't "scale" up as you scale up the DAC/amp like the E3 and Focal Radiance will.

All good faith comments, about such rendered judgments in general or Noire X-specific, are welcomed.

 

[oleg87]

Since "scaling" is meaningless nonsense, any conclusions about a headphone's ability to "scale" are meaningless nonsense.
Being a very low-impedance and low-sensitivity headphone, you definitely want to be mindful the amp you're driving it with can handle that at the highest listening volumes you need to throw at it.

 

[Chester]

I haven’t watched but if he is saying things like it won’t scale as you scale your DAC/Amp, I think you have your answer…..

 

[AaronJ]

I don't know what to make of his comments about the Noire X's lack of resolution and that it won't "scale" up

Neither does the reviewer. Scaling and scalability are modern buzzwords. The implication that a product reaches its limits when paired with products of a certain price point, and that it cannot be improved with “better” gear unless you replace it too, is insulting.

 

[Mr Swing King]

Top tip: when ‘reviewers’ start mentioning words like scalability, grain, plankton, synergy and prat, be sure to stuff that nonsense where the sun doesn’t shine.
It’s meaningless drivel that all falls apart once you inspect a little closer.
It’s the esoteric part of the hobby - the place where nothing can be proved and you pay through the teeth for magic beans.

 

[Barry_G]

Thanks guys. Are there any reviewers outside this site that provide consistently useful/informed opinions on headphones?

 

[Limopard]

Top tip: when ‘reviewers’ start mentioning words like scalability, grain, plankton, synergy and prat, be sure to stuff that nonsense where the sun doesn’t shine.
It’s meaningless drivel that all falls apart once you inspect a little closer.
It’s the esoteric part of the hobby - the place where nothing can be proved and you pay through the teeth for magic beans.

I take offense to "Plankton".

 

[JSmith]

Are there any reviewers outside this site that provide consistently useful/informed opinions on headphones?

With respect, you don't want opinions (we all know what people say about those) on performance... you want consistent measurement data like Amir has here and Crinacle had before he stopped testing. Opinions otherwise are fine for build quality, functions, aesthetics and pricing.


JSmith

 

[Limopard]

Thanks guys. Are there any reviewers outside this site that provide consistently useful/informed opinions on headphones?

After looking here for basic direction there is only trying out. The headphone has to fit your needs.

 

[Verig]

Thanks guys. Are there any reviewers outside this site that provide consistently useful/informed opinions on headphones?

If you want subjective reviews then it's the same as with movies and music. Find a writer whose taste seems to match yours.

Headphone fit and feel affects greatly both sound (objectively) and subjective analysis. A good reviewer should take a note of this and not bash cans that just don't work for them.

Here in ASR there's a certain set of measurements and a brief comment on sound before and after eq. I find the eq part absolutely great.
Measurements are not without problems if you try to directly think how you might like something. For example even if AKG 371 measures nicely and can be eq'd very well I'd never suggest it sounds better than Hifiman Arya for me, let alone feel. Another thing is the target curve. It's widely accepted as preference but perhaps you don't fit into the statistics so you need to listen and compare FR charts to see what is your own preference. Data is just data, perhaps you don't mind certain deviations or even prefer a deviation.

 

[Barry_G]

agreed, listening yourself is everything. I use the reviews and measurements to screen out the handful of phones I want to try out. And yes, need to find reviewers with matching taste even if that seems like a tall task.

 

[ilomaenkimi]

Since "scaling" is meaningless nonsense, any conclusions about a headphone's ability to "scale" are meaningless nonsense.
Being a very low-impedance and low-sensitivity headphone, you definitely want to be mindful the amp you're driving it with can handle that at the highest listening volumes you need to throw at it.

Oh my! Your text is meaninless nonsense and it tells only that you don't have any own experience about things that you just wrote.

 

[Doodski]

Oh my! Your text is meaninless nonsense and it tells only that you don't have any own experience about things that you just wrote.

What is incorrect about the comment?

Being a very low-impedance and low-sensitivity headphone, you definitely want to be mindful the amp you're driving it with can handle that at the highest listening volumes you need to throw at it.

 

[oleg87]

Oh my! Your text is meaninless nonsense and it tells only that you don't have any own experience about things that you just wrote.

So please explain "scaling" to me. What is being scaled? What aspect of an amp's performance is hidden or revealed by one headphone or another, assuming it clears the objective electrical demands a pair of headphone places upon the amp at a given volume? Clearly that's not what's being talked about by OP's Youtube man, since there's quite a few headphone jacks that would struggle with the Noire X. How does that work? Is it something distinct from lack of clipping and pleasant frequency changes caused by output impedance? (which I assume is responsible for the majority of cases of "scaling" referring to an actual audible phenomenon outside of the listener's imagination, but since it's not an unqualified positive "scale factor" and could just as likely affect other headphones negatively, calling this "scaling" would be bizarre and confused) And no vague hand-waving please, I want to know how it is something other than meaningless nonsense.

 

[ilomaenkimi]

What is incorrect about the comment?

Headphones DO scale. Everybody with experience with different amps and different headphones know that.

 

[Doodski]

Headphones DO scale. Everybody with experience with different amps and different headphones know that.

Explain scaling.

 

[ilomaenkimi]

Explain scaling.

Google tells you. And then you can test and learn about it by yourself.
That's how knowledge is aquired. Not by things that somebody else tells you.

 

[Doodski]

Google tells you. And then you can test and learn about it by yourself.
That's how knowledge is aquired. Not by things that somebody else tells you.

No, that's not how it works. You don't just come here demanding and expecting and then refer questions to google. Get a grip on reality. What is headphone scaling?

 

[ilomaenkimi]

No, that's not how it works. You don't just come here demanding and expecting and then refer questions to google. Get a grip on reality. What is headphone scaling?

There's no free lunch. You have to do something by yourself.
I'm not your servant.

 

[Doodski]

There's no free lunch. You have to do something by yourself.
I'm not your servant.

I never even mentioned scaling. It was you. If you read back in the comments I commented with no mention of scaling but you are so aggressive you went bent on this scaling rubbish stuff you preach. You are not here in good faith.

Reality check - is this YouTube Noire X review total BS or not?

I'm semi-interested in the DCA Noire X and have read/watched a bunch of reviews. I'm still scratching my head over this one: To cut to the chase, begin watching at 24:50 - I don't know what to make of his comments about the Noire X's lack of resolution and that it won't "scale" up as you...

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