Sound Impressions
The sound impressions of the NOIRE X were completed using a mix of the Ferrum OOR/WANDLA GSE system with HYPSOS, and the Cayin HA-2A/Topping DX9 combo.
Summary
The NOIRE X is an exciting sounding planar sound for several reasons. People will speak about the smoother low-end, the improved bass-to-mids separation, and the refined treble extension that was not present in the NOIRE.
I hear all of that but I want to speak about the outstanding midrange response and the improved control the NOIRE X has on its treble overtones, an area where I felt the NOIRE doesn’t exhibit quite the same finesse.
This is still a neutral, cleaning-sounding headphone, however, the midrange ‘fill’ from 1-4k is just so much better on the NOIRE X compared to the Noire. That ‘fill’ changes everything for me.
I am a vocal fan, so the stronger, more consistent elevation that brings vocals front and center is much more enjoyable to my ear.
There is also less of a upper-mids ‘suck out’ which often left the equivalent NOIRE range dangling a bit and more prone to metallic overtones on natural vocal sibilance.
At the same time, the NOIRE X’s mid-bass hump seems slightly less prominent but with improved texture and body and a clearer sub-bass response over the original.
As a result, the fundamental frequencies in instrumental harmonics sound firmer, vocal notes are fuller, and sibilance, whilst still present where recorded, sounds under control.
I was half expecting the new stronger upper-treble tuning from the NOIRE X to fatigue but surprisingly, it doesn’t for me. It adds plenty of sparkle and energy to percussion harmonics but with the right setup, it is a bonus rather than a distraction.
Speaking of setups, the NOIRE X can sound quite good on portable sources but the real dynamics happen on desktop systems with my vote for the Ferrum OOR/HYPSOS/WANDLA GSE combo. You can read about that in more detail further down this page.
Frequency Response
The biggest tweak in the NOIRE X tuning over the original NOIRE is subjectively more noticeable post-1k.
The heightened midrange presence from 1-4k combined with the AMTS control over the airier highs beyond 5-6k provided a much bolder and more immersive presentation than before.
Below 1k, whilst subtler in their differences is no less important. To my ears, the 20hz to 200hz region FR sounds more balanced. The mid-bass hump seems slightly reduced but with less of a suck-out and a more gradual drop into the upper-bass compared to the original.
I am not hearing a huge difference between old and new in sub-50Hz presence but subjectively the sub-bass response sounds clearer and more defined than the NOIRE. A more neutral and linear tuning from 200hz up to 1k may be a factor.
On the older NOIRE, the same region is a little more elevated providing a little less bass to mids mid-separation. Whereas the NOIRE X tuning improves that substantially allowing the heightened 2-4k midrange more space to command a much better level of presence without killing the excellent low-end clarity.
The big surprise for me is the elevated treble response from 5-6k upwards. I was expecting the NOIRE X to sound brighter and harder to love than the NOIRE purely from the measurements.
Nothing could be further from the case. Whatever AMTS is doing it is doing really well to bring up a brilliant and sparkling performance without sounding overly harsh and jarring.
Put it this way, there may well be anywhere from 2 dB to 5dB increase in treble presence from 7-10k but it is the original NOIRE that sounds comparatively less balanced in its upper-order harmonics and more prone to metallic overtones in its mids and lower-treble timbre.
Staging & Dynamics
The NOIRE X is like the NOIRE ‘coming out of the closet’ with that midrange lift and airier treble extension, sounding deeper and taller in the process.
It is still not the widest of soundstages out there and arguably some will put this in the slightly intimate category courtesy of its closer vocal imaging experience.
However, the superior perception of layering and enhanced clarity compared to the original’s staging performance is palatable. Subjectively, every instrument and singer sounds like they have a clear and well-defined position with plenty of space around, above, and behind to shine.
If there is a bias in the staging presence on the NOIRE X, then it’s to the upper-mids and how influential the treble is in its coloration. With weaker sources, the staging depth can lose a bit of emphasis and inadvertently push upper-register percussion notes too much to the fore.
A higher quality or more powerful amplifier will enhance the NOIRE X’s dynamic range and ensure that the delicate but important balance at both ends of the spectrum does not upset the midrange performance.
Synergy
Efficiency & Sensitivity
The Dan Clark Audio NOIRE X is rated at 13Ω which is the same as previous AEON series headphones including the NOIRE but does seem to be a little more sensitive than the older range at 94 dB/mW.
That’s a 2 dB/mW increase over the NOIRE and the AEON 2 Closed and whilst it may not seem huge it does mean more amplification headroom and a doorway for decent portable setups to enter.
I still think desktop setups with at least 1W of power upwards sound optimal with the NOIRE X for dynamic range. Amplifiers such as the Ferrum OOR and the more affordable Cayin HA-2A tube amp drive the NOIRE X beautifully with tons of headroom.
If you are going with a portable setup I advise grabbing the DUMMER 4.4mm balanced stock cable version to ensure you deliver maximum power and channel separation to the NOIRE X.
Portable Pairings
I tested four DAPs and two dongles with the NOIRE X and ultimately which one is right for you depends on how much urgency or smoothness you want in the presentation.
For example, on the dongle side, I A/B’ed the iBasso DC-Elite and Cayin’s RU7. Neither sounded disappointing, perhaps a slightly flatter soundstage and not quite as dynamic as more powerful systems but the NOIRE X did not sound anemic either.
The RU7 will take away some of the NOIRE X’s edge and push-back vocals more. If you want a smoother tone then it’s a decent dongle pairing but I much prefer the DC-Elite’s more vibrant and dynamic sound.
Yes, it is brighter, if you are more sensitive to treble this pairing is less forgiving but the vibrancy and bass extension are worth it.
For the DAPs, the HiBy R8 II pairing delivers the most open and neutral timbre with the NOIRE X. There was something about this pairing that kept drawing me back in. Not too much trailing decay, not too heavy on the highs, excellent separation, and strong vocal imaging.
The iBasso DX320 MAX Ti is more resolving than the HiBy R8 II with superior dynamic range, especially on the NOIRE X lows. However, the odd time I felt the upper-harmonics in some bright vocal recordings to have a little too much emphasis.
The final two were the Cayin N8ii and N7. I preferred the N7’s relaxed analog tone which creates a nice balance to the energetic tuning of the NOIRE X. It is more forgiving for longer listening sessions with good dynamic range.
The N8ii’s solid-state mode is sharper than the N7 but sweeter in tube mode with better vocal presence. However, some trailing decay in upper register notes felt overemphasized on the NOIRE X.
Desktop Pairings
I tested the NOIRE X on the ZMF Headphones Aegis and Cayin HA-2A tube amps backed by the Holo Audio Spring DAC 2 and the Topping DX9 DAC lineout.
On the solid-state side, I used the Ferrum OOR and dCS Bartok Apex backed by the WANDLA GSE and dCS’s Ring DAC.
All four delivered excellent dynamic range and headroom to the NOIRE X, so unlike the DAPs, I preferred a slightly warmer smoother sound with good extension rather than a very clean high-energy system.
And yet, it was a solid-state setup that sounded nailed-on perfect with the NOIRE X, even when compared to the tube amp performance. With spatial and Tube modes activated on the WANDLA, the Ferrum OOR/NOIRE X pairing combo sounded magical to my ears.
Anyone with concerns about the NOIRE X having a potentially narrow soundstage needs to hear how good the depth and layering are with this pairing. It sounds natural in tone, especially on the highs, yet retains the hallmark solid-state speed and clarity traits.
The Bartok Apex sounds deeper than the Ferrum combo, with better texture on the lows but does not quite convey the same immersive feel, at least to my ears.
The only amplifier that came up short in headroom was the Aegis’s 4.4mm output. However, its power is toned down to target IEM users and is not suited to driving planar headphones.
The XLR output is much stronger injecting a very rich even-harmonic tone into the NOIRE X performance, especially through the mids.
The NOIRE X is probably at its most soothing with this combination but perhaps not the liveliest, at least compared to the sweeter and more bombastic tone of the HA-2A backed by the dynamic DX9 DAC.
