DAN CLARK AUDIO NOIRE X HEADPHONES REVIEW

Dan Clark Audio’s latest headphones are called Noire X and cost £1000. In this review for HiFi PiG, Oscar Stewart takes a listen.

Founded back in 2012, Dan Clark Audio has been steadily releasing headphones for quite some time now, gaining quite a name in the headphone industry with unique driver and tuning technologies. The newly released NOIRE X builds upon the AEON 2 NOIRE by integrating their new AMTS (Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System) tech’ alongside an improved driver.

BUILD QUALITY AND FEATURES OF THE DAN CLARK AUDIO NOIRE X

Starting off with the build quality, we get very similar materials found in higher-end models such as the E3 (reviewed here). Gorilla glass 3 on the outside of the cups for scratch resistance, strong self-tensioning headband, and all-new earpads that use Alcantara on the contact surfaces for improved comfort during long listening sessions. The main housings are made of aluminium and they come with the DUMMER cable included (in this case, with a 4-pin XLR connector). Also included is a travel case (these fold down nice and small) along with a storage pouch should you not wish to fold them away after each use. 

As with any Dan Clark Headphone, you can be assured they have been built to last – you can replace the consumables with ease and there are no weak points on the chassis so these will last you many, many years if taken care of. My only gripe is that the super glossy finish on the cups is a fingerprint magnet, and it’s really difficult to avoid touching them when folding them away, for example. So you do end up with a lot of smudges on the lovely gorilla glass faces – at least they wipe off easily. 

One of the biggest new features here is the use of AMTS – Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System – something that was reserved for their more expensive models. This tuning system is used to shape the frequency response whilst eliminating high-frequency standing waves at the same time, this results in an airier and more detailed high-frequency response without harshness.

The other main difference is the use of Dan Clark Audio’s latest driver technology – the planar magnetic film is now more rigid which means better unit-to-unit consistency, improved reliability, and a smoother frequency response. This new driver has a highly optimized V-Planar diaphragm which results in lower distortion too. All these features come together to offer improved detail and lower distortion. 

The new NOIRE X have an estimated sensitivity of 94dB/mW which is quite an improvement over some of the previous models, and around 3dB better than the E3. This means they are quite a bit easier to drive and will work with a wider range of electronics. They will work with some of the more powerful DAPs out there, as well as some of the portable DAC/amps too, whilst being right at home on desktop devices. 

SOUND QUALITY

These have been used with my main setup which uses the S.M.S.L D6S into the iFi iCAN Phantom headphone amplifier, driving the NOIRE X via its 4-pin XLR output. At 0dB gain, these didn’t require much power at all, with volume levels between 5-20 (out of 100) depending on the track playing. 

Starting with some brutal deathcore, Suicide Silence – Hands of a Killer, the NOIRE X do a brilliant job at picking apart this complex wall of sound with relative ease. The lead and rhythm guitars are easily distinguished from each other, thick bass lines, heavy-hitting drum beats, and clear vocals are all perfectly positioned within the mix. These are a remarkably clean sounding headphone, they don’t have gobs of punch and lack a bit of visceral impact, however, they do a brilliant job at delivering a dense mix with clarity and precision. 

The slower Jimmy Eat World – Your House is delivered with intimacy and you can hear every pluck of the bass guitar strings, every little cymbal tap, the left-panned guitar is well placed, and the vocals are nicely centred. These are not a particularly exciting headphone, though and whilst there is enough body when needed, they never seem to hit particularly hard and seem to play it a little safe. The promise of detailed and airy treble is accurate, though and they do present the higher frequencies in a very smooth yet detailed manner. 

Put on some EDM, for example, Eat Static – Uforic Undulance and everything is in its right place, with an impressive amount of space in terms of sound staging, yet you really have to crank them up a little to feel the groove. They dig deep without any issue, and that crystal clear treble works wonders with the subtle details here, yet they have such a distortion-free sound that I am left wanting just a little more impact. 

On the flip side, Eminem – Stan (ft Dido), sounds brilliant as you can hear every detail in the mix – Dido’s vocals coming from well outside the cups. They still sound controlled, yet the undulating bass line is engaging and this song is delivered in such a natural and effortless manner that draws you into paying attention to it. 

City and Colour – Friends (Live) is rendered with nuance and emotion; they give you the feeling of being in the room with the musician. These work exceptionally well with live acoustic tracks; they sound hauntingly real, and the echo from the room adds ambience to the recording. If you want to showcase what these are capable of, this is the kind of track to use. There is plenty of body from the acoustic guitar and huge amounts of detail in the vocals, all delivered in a smooth and open presentation.

On a side note about matching these with sources, I have always found iFi’s XBass circuitry to work well and that is no exception with the iCAN Phantom and NOIRE X. Setting XBass to 20Hz, these now have an extra helping of impact and body down low that just enhances EDM and certain other songs and genres. Audio Bullys – Shot You Down with XBass on is an experience with thunderous bass impact and depth without a hint of strain from the headphones…incredibly fun. 

QUIBBLES

Whilst these have plenty of body when needed and are impeccably controlled, they do lack a little bit of “fun” factor during songs that need a bit of energy. 

Fingerprints on the gorilla glass is another minor quibble.

CONCLUSION

The NOIRE X gives you a taste of what the E3 can do at a lower price point and, similarly, they also require a little bit of head-time to appreciate what they deliver. They still have that linear presentation but with a little added texture. They are great at picking apart complex mixes, yet deliver songs in a coherent way that makes you want to listen to the music. From a technical perspective, the NOIRE X offer a lot of sound for the money! They are clear, detailed and snappy, with excellent transient response. 

They also offer a much more spacious sound stage than their closed-back nature would lead you to believe, all in a relatively easy-to-drive package. My small gripes pale in comparison compared to what these do well, which is presenting your music in a tonally correct and engaging way – for that I can forgive that little bit of missing impact during certain tracks. I wouldn’t call them quite studio-neutral, but they do get close and you can tailor the sound a little with your source, too.

Overall, these are a superb headphone for the price and give a lot of high-quality sound for the money – I would gladly have a pair of these in my collection for everyday listening. They are a brilliant all-rounder and do give you a taste of more expensive top-of-the-line models at a far more accessible price. 

AT A GLANCE

Build Quality And Features:

As always, solid build quality from Dan Clark Audio

Easily detachable cable, foldable design and replaceable earpads

Sound Quality:

Takes time to appreciate just how good these sound which is very natural, well-balanced, and detailed

Value For Money:

Considering you get close to the E3 at a fraction of the price, they are very good value

We Loved:

Excellent comfort

Wide soundstage for a closed-back headphone

Linear yet textured presentation

We Didn’t Love So Much:

They may lack a tiny bit of impact for some tastes

Fingerprints on the outers

Elevator Pitch Review:

The NOIRE X are a truly superb headphone for the money once you give them some time to appreciate their qualities. They don’t have huge amounts of punch; they instead opt for a more refined presentation with a well-balanced sound signature that works well with most genres. There is plenty of detail and they take EQ very well, so you can bring out a little more fun in them should you need to for certain, more upbeat, tracks. This is a £1000 headphone that gives you a lot of sound for your money, there is no doubt about that. 

Price: £1000

Oscar Stewart

SUPPLIED BY ELECTROMOD

SUPPLIED SPECIFICATION

• Weight: 385gr
• Efficiency: ~94dB/mW
• THD at 85dB @1KHz: <0.1% 100Hz-8KHz 
• Recommended minimum power at 16 ohms: 250mW