ÆON 2 Noire: arguably the best closed-back planar magnetic headphones available under $1000.
- Exquisite design and build quality
- Definitive “hi-fi” sound characteristics
- Exceptionally light, small, and comfortable
- Premium accessories
- Dampening material offers physical tuning options
- Long “settling in” time
- The slight dip in the midrange and upper midrange can yield strange results
- The ear pads are affixed with glue and are not easy on/easy off swappable
- Require a substantial amount of power to sound their best
- The case is too tight to fit a cable without crushing or scratching the headphones
Dan Clark Audio (DCA) has cultivated a highly regarded reputation for engineering and producing high-quality headphones. The ÆON series models are their entry-level models. For many audiophiles, these are a gateway to increasingly more expensive gear. For others, the ÆON models deliver more than enough performance to cure upgrade-itis.
1-Minute Review
Design and Build
The bold metallic black paint and carbon fiber inlays of the ÆON 2 Noire (heretofore referred to as “Noire”) are far from the only things that make them so unique. DCA’s material choices and mechanical design are genius. Not only do they look different then all other headphones, they function in a distinctly DCA way.
Flexible metals and joints that articulate in the right places (folding gimbal design) equate to a proper fit and high comfort for most users. No squeaks or rattles, no strange microphonics, or a sense that mishandling will break them.
For full-sized closed-back headphones, they weigh a ‘barely there’ 328 grams, thanks in great part to the extensive use of premium lightweight materials. The headband is made of nickel-titanium (Nitinol) memory metal. The ear cups have a plastic perimeter with a flat carbon fiber surface. The ear pads are Japanese synthetic protein leather.
I celebrate the lack of creaking and squeaking every time I pick up and wear these headphones!
The earcups articulate widely and adapt well to most listeners’ heads to ensure a proper seal. Note that the Noire will not lay flat, as the cups do not freely rotate.
The ear pad opening is roomy enough for most medium-large ears, though not cavernous by any means. The clamp force is low. If you have a small head, it will be more challenging to get the Noire to stay in place.
Cable
Included is a detachable 2m DUMMER (Distinctly Un-Magical) dual-entry cable with an integrated dual 6.35mm (1/4″) and 3.5mm plug or 4-pin XLR termination. The rubbery black cable feels well-made. It is flexible, memory-free, and does not transmit microphonics. The cable attaches securely to the Noire’s cups with durable dual mini-XLR plugs.
Comfort
The Noire are one of the most comfortable premium closed back headphones available. They are super light and will fit most people well. My only nits are with the solid leather suspension headstrap.
The ends that secure the head strap slide up and down the thin metal guides. They cannot fix into position and move quite easily. This results in frequent manual adjustments, sometimes while wearing.
In addition, the solid leather head strap distributes the low weight with no issues, though it it is itchy after some time. I would prefer it to be perforated with large vent holes, allowing more air to pass.
The Noire do not cause serious ear overheating. I can wear them for a while without discomfort.
Under the Hood
All DCA planar magnetic headphones are powered by proprietary drivers hand-built and tested in San Diego, CA. The Noire use DCA’s proprietary and patented second-generation TrueFlow technology to improve airflow through the motor, which they claim improves detail retrieval, dynamics, bass extension, and soundstage.
DCA also uses their patented V-Planar driver processing is also applied, which textures the driver surface for superior low-frequency performance and improved diaphragm stability.
While high power is not necessarily required, it is appreciated. The Noire express their full potential with a lot of high-quality power. Underpowering them yields inconsistent performance, sounding especially flat.
How Do the ÆON 2 Noire Sound?
For evaluation, I listen to a wide variety of music through numerous sources, including DAPs (FiiO M15S), phones (LG V20, LG V60), portable DAC/amps (HELM Audio Bolt, DB12 AAAMP, TempoTec Sonata E44, Khadas Tea, Qudelix-5K) and desktop DAC/amps (xDuoo TA-22, HIFIMAN EF400, HIFIMAN EF600, FIIO K9 AKM).
For this review, I visited a fascinating collection of artists with diverse ethnic origins, musical styles, and explorations in audio.
- United States: Fabric of Existence (Extended Mix) by Max and Dana
- Sweden: Dream Stealer by Arch Enemy
- Italy: Paul Position by Matteo Mancuso
- Hawaiʻi, United States: With This Kiss by Kamalei Kawa’a
I am treble-sensitive and do not favor overly bright treble. Straight out of the box, I found that the Noire’s treble frequencies were harsher than I expected. To compare sound impressions throughout my conditioning protocol, I listen for five minutes every 10-15 hours. The Noire changed more strikingly than most headphones and IEMs I’ve listened to.
After at least 50-70 hours, the treble began to settle down, sounding cleaner and smoother. In addition, the bass sounded more full with better note weight. I asked DCA about my observations, and they confirmed that this is normal and expected, hence the recommended burn-in time is at least 50- 100 hours.
While DCA does not share frequency response graphs, they confirmed consistent measurements of approximately +.5-1dB in bass output post-burn.
I recommend that you do not repeat my mistakes, cycling through the selection of damping baffles attempting to adjust the sound profile to my liking before the Noire were fully exercised according to DCA’s guidance. The black foam = -1dB above 4KHz, the one-notch white = -2dB above 3KHz, and the two-notch white = -2dB above about 1500Hz.
I find that I generally like the Noire with no damping or the black foam, as the others sound slightly too dulled for the incredible detail that the Noire can deliver.
The Noire have planar driver attributes, most notably speed, precision and lively detail. Every sound is controlled with no excess or lingering boominess or zing where there should not be. They are also relatively tolerant of EQ in the midrange and treble, should you choose.
The soundstage size is impressive for a closed-back headphone, with strong center imaging and precise imaging. Channel transitions are prominent, with a clear sense of sweeping sounds moving in space. Given their detail, the Noire are very sensitive to the source and mix. They are not particularly forgiving or poor recordings or harsh sounds.
Ear pads
Ear pad swapping requires care, as they are glued to the headphones. Replacing the pads periodically is not a problem (meaning, every few years depending on use). Swapping to test your preferences and changing them weekly for a different sound? Not simple, quick, or easy.
With new (especially nin-OEM) replacement pads, special glue or double-sided tape may be required to achieve the proper seal to ensure the sound signature and performance are at their best.
In contrast, Meze’s LIRIC II are also premium closed-back planar magnetic headphones, retailing for more than 200% of the Noire’s cost. The pads are magnetically attached and simply pull on and off. They are super nifty, incredibly convenient, and one of the best things to happen to headphones for audiophiles who like to experiment and compare.
Dekoni Audio makes a wide selection of pads for the ÆON series, though they were originally designed for the ÆON Flow and will change the frequency response (reference their measurement graphs). If you want to try these for your Noire, ensure that you are highly accurate with your selection and verify with Dekoni that the replacements will fit.
Bass
Bass performance will be adequate and satisfying for non-bassheads and general listeners of most genres, especially with natural instruments. If you are a EDM/dubstep/techno/trance/trap/drum’n bass fan, the Noire will definitely not transport you to your happy place.
Bass speed and quality are very good. Noire do better with music where bass is not the anchor of the music. Sub-bass is relatively light, mid-bass is adequate, and upper bass does a good job transitioning to the midrange. There is an audible bump in the mid-upper bass, providing good impact with kick drums.
The bass quantity is modest, especially for a closed-back headphone. When music is busy and full-spectrum, the perception of bass quantity and impact drops. This is exacerbated by the intensity of the upper midrange and treble. Increasing bass via EQ of more than +1-3 dB will quickly result in sloppiness and overwhelm the drivers.
The best example of this is The Waters Rising by Oceans of Slumber. In quiet sections, the bass is surprisingly present. When sounds get busier, bass sounds as if it recedes a bit and the upper frequencies are more demanding of my attention.
Midrange
The midrange is the star of the Noire show. Present, clear, accurate, and textured. Noire’s driver speed works well here, especially with violins and stringed instruments. Attack and decay are precise without excess resonance. The caveat is that this speed can lead to a slightly clinical sound that lacks warmth.
When they were new, I heard a more exaggerated scoop/recession in the mids-upper mids and a fairly sharp rise to the lower treble. This has smoothed out over time. Candidly, I do not believe that most listeners will be aware of it. Let alone be bothered by it.
DCA verified the slight dip in the upper mids, noting a small deviance from the Harman curve. This can be easily fixed with EQ. DCA’s newest patent-pending Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System (AMTS), incorporated into higher-end models such as the E3 and Stealth, has virtually eliminated this.
Treble
Treble will likely be the most controversial for listeners. If you’re a treble fan, or need more treble to compensate for age-related hearing loss, you will love these. Treble from the planar drivers is extraordinarily detailed, incisive, and crispy by default. The aforementioned treble harshness and hotspots have largely disappeared.
If you find the treble excessive, the baffles will help reduce the sharpness to a point that’s tolerable at reasonable volumes without muting detail. It’s possible that an alternate source, such as an OTL tube amp, may also round off the notes nicely (I do not have one on hand to test that theory).
Comparisons
The Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back planar magnetic headphones are a direct competitor to the Noire. Audeze and DCA could not have taken more different approaches to design and execution. This is good news for us, as these headphones are similar only in fundamental ways. Both are fantastic in different ways.
The LCD-2 Closed Back headphones look and feel premium. They are large and heavy, do not come with a convenient carry case, and are not easily portable. With lots of earcup space, the Audeze create an even wider and more open soundstage than the Noire, which is already impressive.
The tuning is significantly colored and less accurate compared to the Noire. That said, the tuning of the LCD-2 headphones (open and closed) creates an almost mysterious presentation of music, warm and engulfing, despite creating a perception of being in a large space.
Where to Buy
Who Should Buy This?
The Noire are unique in their category with no true competitors if you want closed-back planar headphones that are light and portable with almost no compromises. With adequate power, the Noire are brilliantly balanced and a model example of how a TOTL headphone can be purchased for a moderate price compared to other examples.
Final Thoughts
The Noire are masterpieces of engineering, design, and portability. Unlike most audiophile gear, the Noire are incredibly light and small and come with an ultra-compact fitted carrying case.
Despite near-Harman tuning, the Noire clearly sound like audiophile-centric headphones with many of the qualities that audiophiles appreciate. If you have not heard many higher-end headphones, especially planar magnetic, the Noire will blow you away.
Until you adjust, you may be overwhelmed with information, details, and dynamics you’ve never heard in your music before. They are eye and ear-opening. If you are treble-sensitive, the Noire’s dampening pads are an easy and effective solution.
DCA did something extraordinary with the Noire that helps explain their best-selling status and their longevity as a model. The small improvements made in more recent technology that DCA developed is implemented in newer and more expensive models. If you want that small performance gain, you’ll need to invest more.
If you want a true bargain for performance and unique headphones that stand out from the crowd in every way, the Noire must be in your future. The Noire’s phenomenal build quality and timeless design will likely ensure that they will be yours, happily, for a very long time.
Company Overview
Dan Clark founded MrSpeakers in 2012 and became Dan Clark Audio in 2019. Dan Clark Audio is an industry leader in open and closed-back planar headphones. The company has secured six patents for the technology and design incorporated into its proprietary headphones.
Dan Clark Audio’s emphasis on balancing sonic performance, comfort, and value with Made In USA quality has resulted in dozens of industry honors for top quality.
What’s in the Box?
- ÆON 2 Noire headphones
- 2m detachable cable
- Carrying case
- Protein leather storage/carrying case
- Japanese synthetic protein leather earpads (one pair, pre-attached)
- Certificate of Authenticity
- User manual
- Tuning kit (three types of felt and foam baffles)
Technical Specifications
- Form: Over-ear closed-back headphones
- Driver: 62mm x 34mm single-ended planar magnetic
- THD: less than 0.3% 20-20KHz, 0.1% 100-8KHz
- Body Material: Plastic, carbon fiber, aluminum, and nickel-titanium (Nitinol) memory metal
- Impedance (Ohm): 13 ohms
- Sensitivity (dB): 92dB/mW@1kHz
- Frequency Response (Hz): Beyond the audible range, not specified by DCA
- Removable Cable: Y
- Cable Type: Detachable 2m premium dual-entry cable
- Cup/Shell Jack: 4-pin mini-XLR
- Source Jack: 3.5mm, 6.35mm, and 4-pin XLR straight plug termination
- Weight (g): 328 grams (excluding cable)