Today, Marcus reviews the Dan Clark Audio NOIRE X, a next-generation set of AEON series closed-back planar magnetic driver headphones with AMTS. They are priced at $999.
Disclaimer: This sample was sent to me in exchange for our honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or status. I thank Dan Clark Audio for their support.
Click here to read more about Dan Clark Audio products we have previously reviewed on Headfonics.
This article follows our latest scoring guidelines, which you can read in more detail here.
The Dan Clark Audio AEON series is perhaps the company’s most enduring line of planar headphones thus far.
Combined with their AMTS technology, it has also provided a solid engineering platform that allows the company to push up with high-end variants such as Stealth and EXPANSE and the flexibility to trickle down those creations to lower-tier creations such as the new $999 NOIRE X.
The original AEON 2 NOIRE from 2021 was a popular closed-back planar headphone among the community. It was also the last non-AMTS headphones in the AEON series.
The NOIRE X retains all the AEON series features, such as the awesome foldable frame and lightweight design, but also brings several tangible improvements, including comfier, deeper earpads, the Stealth headband, and a new lick of paint.
More critically, it delivers a vastly improved treble response that I did not think possible based on my experience with the previous AEON headphone iterations.
This is an exciting-sounding headphone, but how does it compare to established players, such as the Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back, and new kids in town, such as the ZMF Headphones BOKEH? I find out in my full review below.
Features
The NOIRE X is a mid-tier closed-back planar driver headphone with some identifiable features pulled from the previous AEON series line.
Shareable constants include the 62 x 34 mm planar driver dimension, the matching ovoid cup and pad design, Hirose connectors, and a very lightweight Nitinol headband frame with an underlying pressure strap.
However, on every other level, the NOIRE X can be considered a real bridge between what DCA is doing at the entry-level and its higher-end products, such as the E3.
AMTS
This includes being the first AEON series headphone with DCA’s programmable AMTS or Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System. So, no more NOIRE tuning pads with this iteration.
AMTS is primarily engineered to manipulate the sound waveguides and diffusion control from the driver to the ear to create what the company describes as a natural, immersive soundstage within a closed-back design.
The waveguides in the AMTS design are ‘programmable.’ That means by blocking one or more guides in the structure along a certain axis, you can adjust the level of damping you want to target specific high-frequencies as well as broader ranges without sacrificing detail.
When correctly configured, you also have a programmable Helmholtz or quarter-wave resonator to control high-frequency standing waves and resonance via a ‘ramped’ shaped design.
If you look closely at the inside cup, you will now see an angled driver enclosure to accommodate the signature honeycomb-like AMTS wedge on top. I assume it is also one factor for the new earpads having a deeper cavity.
Enhanced Driver
The second major change is the driver design itself. This is an ‘upgraded’ version of what was in the original AEON NOIRE with a specific focus on its rigidity as well as quality control at a high level.
Some aspects discussed also seem to mimic the E3 driver design in terms of an improved engineering process for the company’s long-standing patented V-Planar knurling design (diaphragm creasing).
The NOIRE X is rated at 13Ω impedance with an SPL of 94 dB/mW. As such, it’s more sensitive than the AEON NOIRE (92 dB/mW) on paper, though the impedance value is unchanged.
I still think this headphone needs good power to shine, but quality portable devices are not out of the question.
Design
The NOIRE X form factor is unchanged from almost any AEON series lineup that has come before it. That is a good thing.
The heavily articulated folding system combined with the thin Nitinol headband, mid-sized ovoid cups, and pads make for a lightweight and transportable design. No other high-end headphones can ‘scrunch’ up to this diminutive size when moving them around.
However, it’s not a clone of what has come before. I will get to the changes in aesthetics in a bit, but before that, I wanted to draw your attention to the subtle stuff, like the improved half-gimbal headband joint block, which is thicker and stronger than the older NOIRE version.
Other enhancements include changing the slimmer AEON series pressure strap and slider adjustment system to the newer self-tensioning pressure strap from the E3 and the Stealth.
This strap is bolder, with a wider design and a contoured memory foam lower with a branded stitched finish on the upper. It feels firmer on the head than the older design and requires no manual adjustment to correct the fitting.
The NOIRE X also ‘borrows’ the Gorilla Glass cup finish from the E3, which, combined with the very black aesthetic, gives it a much sleeker, ‘racier’ look than the ‘fendered’ carbon fiber finish for the AEON NOIRE.
The cup rings have been dramatically reduced in girth to accommodate it, giving the NOIRE X a lower-profile enclosure that enhances the design coherency significantly over the original.
The NOIRE X finish comes with a few cons, though not deal breakers. Fingerprints are more of a problem with the new Gorilla Glass enclosure due to the black background and some additional weight at 385g compared to the older NOIRE’s 327g rating.
Comfort & Isolation
The NOIRE X continues the excellent pressure balance and high levels of isolation from the previous iterations, but this time it provides a slightly different wearing experience.
For one thing, the self-tensioning pressure strap introduces a firmer feel on the top of my head. Yet, at the same time, it seems to have reduced any potential for downward drag on the cups that can sometimes happen with the AEON NOIRE headband system.
The NOIRE X also has some new, substantially deeper earpads than the older version though some of that internal depth to the front is gobbled up by the AMTS wedge.
They are very similar in construction to the E3 pads but slightly smaller in dimension with a hybrid mix of Alcantara synthetic suede and Japanese protein leather.
The contact surface area is also a little wider on the pads than the AEON NOIRE pads, providing a firmer feel on the side of your head but feeling more comfortable at the same time.
Combined with the new pressure strap, the fit feels marginally tighter but in a positive manner, with the deeper ear pads creating a nice clearance between my ear and driver and without any noticeable loss in isolation from the synthetic Alcantara.
My 4-year-old AEON NOIRE pads have the foam rolling effect, so the edges are slightly uneven in certain areas. The new NOIRE X pads are designed to prevent this roll, but only time will tell if that is accurate as it’s not a “right away” effect.
Stock Cable(s)
You have a choice of DUMMER or VIVO cables when you buy the NOIRE X, with my sample coming with the 2 DUMMER variants terminated in SE 3.5mm with a 6.35mm adaptor and a balanced 4.4mm alternative.
The VIVO cables produce a more dynamic performance over the DUMMER alternatives, but they will come with an additional $200 cost and upward depending on the length you choose to buy.
The NOIRE X stock DUMMER cable is a 6-foot silver-plated OFHC with Kevlar shielding and terminated with hirose connectors. The older twist-prone nylon jackets are gone years ago. The newer black rubber sheath has been DCA’s stock in trade for years.
It is not as flashy as the nylon jacket was, but it’s much more durable, with better control and zero twisting or microphonics. These relatively lightweight lower-profile cables handle very well during regular use.
Packaging & Accessories
The NOIRE X packaging is similar to the NOIRE and E3 box designs and not as grandiose as the leather-clad initial Stealth packaging, which I believe is no longer used for cost reasons.
That makes sense, given the folding form factor makes the NOIRE X a compact, small box-friendly design.
Aside from some necessary foam layering on the inside, the NOIRE X unboxing is relatively frugal, but it is nice to see the cable finally get a pouch rather than just a plastic bag.
Carry Case
The NOIRE X headphones are stored in a compact zipped carry case with NOIRE branding (no X?) and with just enough space and no more to keep the folder headphones securely in place.
It’s one of the few high-end headphones that can ‘origami’ its way to this size, making it very transportable in a pouch, bag, or similar crossbody affair.
It does mean, however, there is little to no room for anything else, including the cable, which is something I would like DCA to consider for any potential case redesign. Aside from the case and cable, you also get your warranty leaflet at the base of the box.
Click on page 2 below for my sound impressions and recommended pairings.
