Thanks Lachlan. That was one of your finest reviews ever! As stated by a few others, these really need the right kind of amplification and sufficient current to shine fully. I have found a great pairing in the Burson Soloist 3X with stock V6 Classic op amps.
Glad you liked the review. I think the amount of power required is often greatly overstated, but the quality of power and system synergy is definitely true in that they scale extremely well with nice equipment like your Burson Soloist. 🙂
Great review. Whether a closed back is for you, or if the tuning of the Noire is for you there is no question one would be hard pressed to find a set of cans that have a more comfortable fit, especially for longer listening sessions than these.
Thoroughly enjoyed this review! I bought the focal Celestee as my closed back for work but the noir is certainly a great set. For my the VC are a special pair.. almost a piece of artwork if you get nice wood or stabilized. Imo the are the best closed backs as they surpass the Stellia. Can’t wait for you vc review!
Awesome review! I recently sold my VC after getting the Meze Elite ... My initial use case for the VC was listening on the go , outside of the house , and I loved the VC so much ... I just had some discomfort issues and no matter which way I bent the headband ,it didn't help me after about 20 minutes. The Noire sound like a great option too , but I Instead went the IEM route and got myself an Empire ears Legend Evo ... And boy oh boy ... The enjoyment this brings me is just tremendous.
@Vittoria ah that's awesome , im happy you found a good solution ! And I agree ,the extra gear can really become cumbersome on the go. I had the se180 as well , before the m17, it sounded quite nice and full. I also have stuck to iems on the go now , it's just so much easier
Great review. It does help me make decisions. "Enjoyability" vs. technical superiority is an important distinction for all your reviews because it helps consumers find that diminishing returns point. Focal headphones, to me, are too dynamic to be restful and enjoyable.
For weeks I was toying with getting the Drop Aeon X closed back. Now I watch this and I might start having to search the used market, be patient and see what I can find
Well, I have not heard the Noire and so I’ll accept that their greater expense than the Drop version is not just the fab headband system but also in some sonic benefit. But the sonic CHARACTER that’s described (wonderfully) here is spot on what I’ve enjoyed with the Drop closed version. When I can upgrade my open back, the choices will be among the Aeon, the Celestee and perhaps a ZMF for looks as well as sound.
@@pdcragin33 thank you for that. Funny thing is the Drop Aeon X closed were on sale for $399 over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. I had pesky rent to pay so I couldn’t get them. I am hoping they do the same for 4th of July. I only want to get a good pair of closed backs, because I live in Los Angeles, in an old building with wall and widow air conditioning. So it gets a little too noisy in the summer to enjoy my Anandas, which I love. @Paul Cragin thank you
They’re great for traveling, but I wish they had less clamp - that squeeze can be torture. They sound great but really why not 3.5 connectors? Great review.
I haven't noticed the clamp force, but that could be because I haven't used them for super long stretches at a time. As for connectors, I quite like the hi-rose, but I do understand that 3.5mm is more common and more simple
Great review. I have the OG Aeon closed. I think the Audeze Lcd2 closed would make a great comparison for the Noire. I own the Audeze and they are fantastic!
I wonder if these would be a worthy upgrade to my DT770(250ohm)'s. Supposedly, the DT770's are one of the few closed backs that actually sound almost semi-open and are without a doubt one of the best bangs for the buck in it's price range.
I've still never tried the 770s so I can't help on that one. The Aeon Noire are excellent, but I wouldn't say they sound semi open so much as sounding like an excellent closed back.
For me best value closed backs still are beyer DT770 250ohm, really cheap but with proper audio chain it is quality performer. It is strictly my opinion about price/performance otherwise of course I would pick something more expensive. Or based at my taste these days Focal Radiance is priced somewhere near Noir's so yea at that price those 2 are great.
Thinking about upgrading my DT770(250ohm) to another closed back, like the DT1770's. Supposedly these two cans are some of the few that actually retain a larger soundstage than the vast majority of closed backs that go for a more 'in your head' intimate sound.
Finally got my hands on an Aeon 2 Noire for commuting and office use and having the ZMF VC as well, I totally agree with your excellent review. The Aeon sounds great especially for EDM with that planar bass goodness. I don’t miss that holographic sound of the VC when using the Aeon which is a really good thing as can enjoy both in equal measure :)
Thanks for the review Lachlan, I find it interesting that you don't use EQ, not that the Noire in particular needs EQ, just generally speaking. The use of the those pads for example could be easily achieved and bettered with EQ. And btw the connector is not proprietary, it’s a Hirose Connector (HR10A-7P-4P(73)), I’ve made several DIY cables for my DCA Noire.
Hi John, I enjoy hearing each headphone for its own sound rather than tweaking it to a particular sound that I enjoy. I'm also a bit of a purist in the sense that I don't like to degrade the audio signal and all EQs do degrade the signal a couple of ways so I also like to avoid that. As for the connectors, I misspoke when saying proprietary. My point was that they're less common and therefore will require a lot of people to buy a different cable from the ones they already have. Sorry for the mis-speak
I understand your view point with not using EQ when reviewing headphones. But I don’t entirely agree with EQ degrading if done with care, where have your preconceptions arisen from? Using an Oratory 1990 EQ setting as a starter with a headphone that has excellent low distortion characteristics works fine. When the HD800 was introduced, there was an endless chase for an amp or dac that would elevate 4-8khz peak, loads of stupidity from the purists mob ensued, then the SuperDupont resonator mod came about, then finally Sennheiser bought out the HD800S to fix the issue. All this could have been avoided by using the Oratory HD800 parametric EQ setting in the first case. I think I’ve seen a HD800/S in your inventory, that is just begging… why don’t you try? If your using Roon which has DSP build in you have absolutely nothing to loose. HD800: www.dropbox.com/s/v999jbft39506ma/Sennheiser%20HD800.pdf?dl=0 HD800S www.dr.opbox.com/s/zsp3jucy5lsty0m/Sennheiser%20HD800S.pdf?dl=0 Remember to set the pre amp gain. Would love to get your thoughts on this.
Hi John, this is a purist perspective and I don't discourage the use of EQ by others, but any alterations to the frequency response add phase (timing) errors to the signal and thus distortion. Depending on how the adjustment is being done (analog or digital), the adjustments will also add regular (i.e. not timing) distortion too by adding extra analog components to the signal path or by chopping off low amplitude signals in the mathematical processing required for the frequency adjustment. The final thing to mention and why I don't dive into EQ for reviews is that I find the complexity of the adjustments too much. What I mean is that I'm not up for the contemplation of where to lift/cut and by how much, and with what Q factor. Again, not discouraging others, just sharing my reasoning. 🙂 Oh, and I don't have the HD800S anymore ☹️
Excellent review! But mostly because I agree with it 100% 😄. Though I do find the Noire to be a bit of pain when it comes to amp pairing. And I am of your philosophy that it's more a synergy than power thing, but I didn't really love the Noire till the Lyr. I do also agree that the white inserts are the way to go. Plus.. they're so comfy.
Yes, super comfy and I agree that amp sound signatures do matter with the Noires. I don't know the Lyr, but they seem to suit the little xDuoo Poke II quite well.
I own both! While I would agree that the Ether CX is more refined and neutral, it comes at a cost. The Ether CX comes across as more of a studio monitor. Very flat and transparent. It’s an excellent tool for mixing & analysis. But when it comes to straight up enjoyment, the Noire is the one to get IMHO. Some genres of music are just not going to sound enjoyable on the Ether CX like they do on the Noire.
@@skyline5555555 I would go with the Noire. It’s going to give you better bass performance. A lot is going to depend on personal preference as well. The best bet is to be able to try both before purchasing but if you’re buying blind, theNoire is probably the safer choice.
Have you tried the Audio-Technica AWKT? They are extremely wide, and airy for a closed back and definitely punch above their price range. Their resolution and detail retrieval is also better than the Focal Stellia’s at a cheaper price point. This headphone is definitely up there with the best and is certainly greatly underrated.
@@PassionforSound Yes and their little brother the WP900 too. The AWAS is warmer sounding than the AWKT which is more resolving but at the cost of lesser dynamics and bass. I personally prefer the AWKT because you can hear everything in a track while still being smooth and musical at the same time. All three are wonderfully underrated headphones and I’m not sure why more audiophiles do not talk about them. I think they definitely punch above their price range.
My guess is that the lack of awareness could be due to AT not having the same approach to marketing and seeking reviews as other brands, but hopefully I can help (at least a little) with some reviews over the coming months.
Lovely review. I have had my Noire for 12 months now and love them. That said, I don't love them as much as my Hifiman Sundara. The soundstage of the Noire just isn't quite able to compete with the open-back Hifiman. However, if your circumstances require a closed-back solution then it is hard to fault them. That said, I am not listening to bass heavy music. I mainly listen to classical, electronica, jazz. For a live jazz quartet (e.g. Wes Montgomery - Smokin' at the Half Note) the Noire are perfect. Personally I don't use any of the filter pads (my old ears filter out the HF already) but will go back and listen to the white pads after your assessment - thanks for that!.
That makes total sense, David. Open backs are always preferable when possible IME. Hope the trial of the white pads yields some new experiences of your music!
I don't know if that reputation is still accurate. HiFiMan have come a long way since the early days. They're still not the prettiest or best looking and feeling headphones, but I've owned every model except the HE1k and not had a single issue
They aren't the most sensitive headphone around, but I've been running them off the xDuoo Poke II with no troubles at all (and they sounded great). Don't be put off by some of the misinformation out there about power.
Lachlan, I have been watching everything I can find on the Noire as I'm considering making a purchase. Of course, as a patreon, I started with your content. I know this video is 6 months old but do you still think the Noire's are worth the money as a first planar headphone? Thanks for any insights you can share, 6 months later.
Do you mean the pads in front of the drivers? I actually don't find that. They definitely reduce treble and some people equate treble quantity with detail, but the thickest pads are almost more detailed in some ways because you get to hear more of the midrange info.
@@PassionforSound I did, sorry for not being clear, the tuning inserts were what I was referring to, anyway mine are at customs so I'll find out soon. Of course if I hate them it will be all your fault 😁
Haha. I think I'm safe on that one and that you'll be pretty happy. Drop back in and let me know once you've had a listen and tried the different filter options 🙂
That's a tough one. I think I'd take the Aryas for the greater sense of space (being open backs) and you can use the Mojo 2 EQ to pull back the treble/boost the bass if you want a warmer aound
I'm not sure how the MacBook will go with the Noires, but the idea of starting with headphones and then adding other pieces to upgrade the source chain makes a lot of sense.
They're a great headphone and both of those options will drive them adequately. You can get even more out of them with better sources, but they'll be plenty enjoyable with either of those
There are a few types of headphone drivers. The two most common are planar magnetic drivers (or planar for short) and dynamic drivers which are more like what you see in most speakers. Planars use a flat diaphragm rather than a speaker cone style driver and have some benefits in terms of how they produce sounds. Dynamic drivers have some other benefits of their own.
Totally agree with this review. I wasn't a fan of the Stealth myself but love the Noire. Very engaging presentation that's also pleasingly baalnced in the timbre. I also had Liric and VC. The Liric to me had a very metallic treble that was fatiguing. VC is of course wonderful (tho too mid centric for me). Also agree on the case - no way enough space for the cable! I have the Vivo cable (which I recommend) and I'm pretty sure it was damaged by being stuffed in the case (currently being repaired/replaced). Otherwise, great headphones!
I mentioned few days back that I purchased xduoo link 2 bal and letshuoer s12 and I will buy DCA Noire in a couple of months . Do you think xduoo link 2 bal will be sufficient to run DCA Noire well or do you think mojo 2 or cayin ru6 or tube amp dac or some high end amp dac will be needed to get the best sound from noire?
I think you might get away with the Link v2 balanced, but you won't be hearing maximum quality from the Noires. The Mojo 2 will definitely be the best option of those you mentioned.
They will still have some warmth, particularly with the white filters. The Mojo 2 is very neutral so it won't colour the sound in any way, but the Link might be a little warmer sounding so if you want to match that you'd just add 1-2 clicks of the bass shelf EQ on the Mojo 2
The Aeon 2 Noire are great, but their closed design means they present quite differently compared to the Sundara so it's hard to say if you'd be happy with them as a direct replacement. I'd say the Ananda is a better next step and the Ananda Stealth might be better still. I hope to have some in for review soon.
@@PassionforSound Based off your review of the Arya Stealth, which I saw after this one, it sounded more to my liking so I placed an order for them instead. Thanks for all your work and efforts.
Is it true that the Vivo cable is much better than the standard dummer cables? I also was thinking about upgrading my amp. I'm currently using a JDS atom amp. Does a higher end amp make a significant difference with these headphones?
Yes on both counts. I think the Vivo cable is a nice upgrade and the Noires have more to give with a better amp for sure. The Atom is nice bought, but you will hear even better sound if you upgrade
@@PassionforSound Thanks for your reply :). Could you please describe specifically how the Vivo cable improves the sound? And as for amps, is there anything in particular you would recommend up to around £1000 price range?
The Vivo is a silver plated cable and of higher quality metal than the stock cable I believe. Sonically, it provides a little more bite in the sound - not more treble, but more sense of clarity and separation of sounds. As for amps, I'd look at something like the Schiit Lyr+, Singxer SA-1 or a Burson Soloist 3XP (depending on how much you want to spend)
@@PassionforSound Okay, I will look into the Vivo cable. I also looked into those amps you've recommended and I'm leaning towards the Singxer SA-1. My only other question is regarding a DAC. I don't have one currently and just use my computer's sound card. Are there any DACs that you might recommend? I've heard they don't contribute so much to improvements in sound quality, but I'm not so familiar.
I wouldn't believe whoever told you that DACs don't influence the sound. They are equally as important as the headphones and amp (up to a level). I think the Bifrost 2 from Schiit is the best DAC I've heard under USD $1000. Depending on your budget though, even something like a Geshelli Labs J2 will make a BIG upgrade from your soundcard
@@PassionforSound damn, I’ll keep looking for info. I want something that can make good contrast with my u12t, a different sound with similar same level of quality/detail in the form of a headphone.
To match the U12t for quality and detail in a closed back, you're probably looking for something like the Meze Liric, maybe the Aeon Noire with no damping installed, or the ZMF Verité Closed.
@@PassionforSound That is a really good insight, I appreciate it. I might just have to look into the open backs instead, maybe something hifiman, though the Arya is a bit outside my range and the focal clear og is also tempting under that 1k mark.. Thank you for the suggestions!
$1000 is a good value for headphones? Headphones? I got my Volvo V50 used for $1700 to put in perspective. Fostex T50Rp planar headphones at $100 used on ebay will have 75 percent the sound quality for a tenth the price with a pad change. These Dan Clarks aren't a good value. Furthermore, their Aeon RT series is $399 and even then I would take the Fostex new or used for the price. Both need an amplifier on top of their prices so it definitely rules out the Dan Clark unless someone is a sound professional. Take the used car or a gift for your wife and save the cash for some Fostex. Gas is $5 a gallon people.
I've owned the T50RP and recently reviewed the Argon Mk3 version. I can't agree with this because the T50RP lack dynamics, separation and soundstage. Some DCA models do too, but not the Noires which are one of the best closed back headphones I've tried under $2000
You’re kidding right? I bought these headphones and all I can say is they were absolutely painful to listen to. I have a set of Sony headphones I bought over twenty years ago for $40.00 that sound just as good. These reviews are very deceiving.
I tested it in comparison to focal celestee and audeze lcd-2 closed back, and in my hears, the LCD-2 closed is way better than the aeon 2 noire. It has way more beef in the very low ends and still is very precise. The aeon is simply not. blind tested by 4 people on 3 different preamps and studio equip. So, my advice, never ever buy anything blindly after a good review..
Thanks for sharing your experiences! I haven't tried the LCD-2 Closed and that's definitely where things get tricky because no reviewer is likely to be able to compare and rank all headphones. In other words, I agree that it's always best to listen first when you can.
@@PassionforSound oh, don't get me wrong. I am 100% thankful for all the reviews and good videos! I just wanna point out that headphones are quite komplex and very dependent on almost everything. In the end Videos help to find products and get things sorted. Finally you have to listen, A/B testing, with the songs you love the most, with the hardware you prefere and even the shape of your head or if you were glasses, might have an impact.With my AVM CS2.3, Aeon 2 had the best and biggest stage. The lcd-2 had the best bass, anander by hifiman was exceptional good at voices. That are the results in my environment with my hardware.
