Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Noire Planar Closed Back Portable Audiophile Headphones with 2m Dummer 3.5mm/1/4-inch Cable (Black)

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Previously, a lot of top-tier DAPs might have struggled with that but with recent releases capable of hitting that 1W and above such as the balanced output of the iBasso DX300 and the HiBy R8 balanced Turbo mode then going portable with the Noire is within reach. Granted, that’s a fairly big jump in total ownership costs for the AEON 2 Noire but the performance of the VIVO is actually a significant upgrade. With the VIVO, the Noire is far snappier, with better dynamic range, and more resolving than the DUMMER. Primarily, the pads seem to target the upper mids and treble presence which in turn alters the midrange timbre from clean and cool to somewhat warm and smooth sounding. You can instantly tell the change when you swap them around after a few minutes of listening to each one. The white pads I find to be the most dramatic in terms of how they change the sound. White Pads

With the comfort issue I ran into, I can say however, the sound these headphones produce is good. It isn’t a neutral sound at all. There is noticable bass and treble response. Mids seems to be recessed slightly, which gives the noire’s a much more relaxing sound. I believe if it weren’t for the comfort issues, I could listen to these for multiple hours at a time. I must qualify that while I labelled the Aeon 2 Noire as ‘slightly bright’, they’re not bright headphones in the traditional sense. There’s no troublesome energy in the sibilance area at all – actually I rather like their mid-range to treble transition. Rather, they have a lot of energy right up-top above 10Khz – there’s a lot of air and sizzle happening up there. And this is where the tuning inserts come into play: they can both tame, and hinder the standout characteristics of the Aeon 2 Noire, depending on what it is that you’re after. There really are four separate mechanical options with the Aeon 2 Noire – in addition to the three inserts, you can also listen to them without any damping at all. Effect of tuning filters. The final element is a new damping driver design using new materials that are purported to improve resolution and subsequently enhance the frequency response of the AEON 2. in the real world at this price you aren't going to find anything as close to enjoyable, comfortable, and convenient as the finished product you get with the Noire. enhanced some of my favourite intensity-soaked recordings by finally enabling me to at last add more volume.In our test scenario with the Violectric V590 using its internal delta-sigma dual AK4490 DAC the performance tended to emphasize those upper mids on the Noire with the tone a little on the hard and clean side. Still, they have surgical precision and dynamics and are definitely part of a balanced audiophile diet.

Overall, I think the Aeon 2 Noire looks absolutely killer in the flesh and handily beats its red stablemate in the looks department. Sure, ‘red goes faster’ and all that, but I think the Noire edition of the Aeon 2 looks a little more grown-up and a little less conspicuous – both great things in my book that make it a compelling choice over the standard Aeon 2. Compared to the Drop DCA Aeon Closed X, which are pleasing, the Noires are a dramatically better experience. All other areas are largely unchanged with the very lightweight NiTinol headband design, leather headband strap, and elongated or vertically tall ear cups with matching pleather pads. The subtle reposition of the venting position and new filter material found on the AEON 2 also remains the same. Articulated Folding Design In terms of comfort and balance well at half the weight with the elongated cups, the AEON 2 Noire has an advantage. Both have a great balance to be fair but the Noire has better long-term comfort. PerformanceThe size reduction does not seem to come at a cost of construction either. Its hills and valleys inside and outside perfectly form around the folded AEON 2 Noire with just enough space for a cable in a mesh canopy above and the flat mod pads below.

In terms of DAPs, the likes of the new DX300 4.4mm balanced output and the HiBy R8 Turbo Mode equivalent should provide enough power to drive them but if you happen to have a dedicated desktop with more then they will scale even more. A very precise rendering of bass when used with the white felt inserts, a little bright au natural.

That is one of the key differences normally between a dynamic driver and a planar, the level of distortion is normally a lot lower on a planar driver such as the one inside the AEON 2 Noire. Of course, personal audio also provides a potentially less expensive and more compact route for those seeking excellent performance from their music replay equipment. It also assists with our all-around immersion in high fidelity, thus improving mental health. Over time I realised I’d be better served with something closed and settled on the Noire for two reasons. Compliance to the Harman target is almost as good as the recently reviewed Stealth (on the go EQ options for iOS users are limited to the Qudelix 5k and it’s PEQ and that would mean yet another battery to charge) and their low weight and folding design makes them more useful than anything comparable. The design and comfort of the previous Aeon models have been written about at length, and the Aeon 2 Noire is identical in terms of user comfort and wearability. I must remark that while the shape of the Aeon 2 Noire’s earcup design might look a little unusual at a first glance, it just makes sense when you place them over your ears – that leaf shape really does follow the contour of this reviewer’s ears and jaw absolutely perfectly. The 328-gram weight of the Aeon 2 Noire is fairly negligible on the head, with the weight being evenly distributed between the suspension headband as well as the rather enveloping clamp of the earcups. The Aeon 2 Noire has rather generous, plush earpads and their Japanese protein leather material feels supple and of the highest quality. There’s plenty of room in every direction for my ears inside the earcups, but the sense of grip courtesy of the Aeon 2 Noire’s clamping force is ever so slightly tight. On one hand, this does make them remarkable secure and helps to create a perfect airtight seal on my head, but I do need to give my ears a slight break from time to time. I’m certain they’ll break in with more wear, but it really isn’t a deal-breaker – these are remarkably comfortable headphones (as are all designs from Dan Clark Audio, for that matter).

There are not many boutique firms with a headphone model that covers as many different preferences as DCA has with the AEON. Also, a model that is thankfully unchanged in price and a welcome trait in today’s audiophile market. Both headphones have a 13Ω impedance rating, however, with the SPL well below 100dB both headphones do like a bit of power and current. Despite their portable form factor, I do find these to perform best with 1W or above in terms of output power.

Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back

The HE-R10D has a very mild bump from 50-100Hz and then a very slow drop to around 400Hz whereas the Noire drops a lot faster to 200hz and stays relatively neutral right up to 1k. I get a bit more warmth from the Hifiman low-end but not quite the same impact, in fact, it sounds a little bit soft in comparison.