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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The FiiO M15 was a little too bright in the treble when paired with the Noire without the white tuning pads. It is already quite a clean sound signature and though I loved the separation and definition on the low-end the sibilance and harmonic dissonance on percussion timbre and soprano vocals sounded unnatural to me. The 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. The Noire is somewhat closer to the AEON 2 Open than the AEON 2 Closed in terms of energy with both brighter and further forward in imaging on the upper mids top-end. You can argue that both have a tendency to sound more vivid than relaxed in that regard. My final tip? Grab the Vivo cable or go balanced if you can and pair it with the DX300 from iBasso. The beautiful articulation and lightweight design of the Noire are begging to be a high-end portable headphone solution. This combo is just perfect for my tastes. Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Noire Specifications

For those of you coming to the AEON 2 for the first time then there is a fair bit to talk about regarding what is going on inside the AEON 2 Noire. I tested the Noire with 5 different amplifiers and DAC sources including the Chord TT2,the Rupert Neve RNHP, the Violectric V590, and the Bakoon’s current mode HPA-01. The innovative gimbal design also folds just as easily and smoothly as before which is one of the highlights of the build. Over the years I have precisely level matched, blind A/B-tested dozens of headphone amplifiers (and DACs).Kraftwerk's Techno Pop played to the Noire's strengths, as it imparted the music's energy and vitality. The talented upper midband and lower treble region gave the classic synths real character and delivered the vocals in a less flat and robotic way than many rivals I've heard. However, while I enjoyed the snappy, driving bass, the Harman Curve's low-end treatment does mean that other similarly-priced headphones offer richer, more sumptuous extreme bass frequencies. Initially Dan focused on a specific problem: how to make closed headphones sound more "open" while delivering the isolation many headphone users required. The result was the world’s first 3D printed headphone, the Alpha Dog, a lively and fun headphone. The Alpha Dog revenues funded the development of MrSpeakers’ first in-house headphone, ETHER, and from there MrSpeakers became a leading manufacturer of planar magnetic headphones, winning awards and accolades from all around the globe.

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 The AEON 2 Noire, like the original AEON 2, is one of the most comfortable circumaural planar magnetic headphones in the market right now, period. Weighing in at 327g with those elongated cups and lovely pressure balance you will be hard-pressed to find a comfier fit than the Noire.

The FLOW elements and drivers are now much more integrated and simplified as a result of a single construction rather than the older pieced together design. Noire listening feels like having your brain and music fused together in a honey waterfall and laid on a candy cane bed adorned with marshmallow pillows. We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each! The original AEON 2 garnered a lot of praise when it was initially released. Not only from us here at MajorHiFi but around the audiophile community as well. It was the first headphone to be branded as a Dan Clark product, as they were transitioning from Mr Speakers. Their planar and electrostatic models have each impressed me with their clean, crisp sound signatures, and simple, compact builds. However, I personally don’t believe they have yet to have their ace headphone. Dan Clark has now released a brand new version of their acclaimed AEON 2, called the AEON 2 Noire. This isn’t just a new coloration of the AEON 2, but a new tuning as well. The Noire looks to update the renowned experience of the AEON 2 and reintroduce it to a wider array of listeners.

It makes the soundfield inside the cup very uniform, so positional variations do very minor of a sound change.For the hobbyist: Dan Clark Audio supplies three pairs of inserts so you can tune the cans to your preference. I use the white inserts, which for me, give me the most enjoyable listening experience. If you like things a bit brighter, use no inserts. So yeah, one more thing to tweak in your chain. In terms of specifications, the HE-R10D is rated at 32Ω and 103dB which is a little more efficient or easier to drive on paper compared to the Noire’s 13Ω and 94dB SPL rating. The HE-R10D can also go wireless with Hifiman’s balanced amp Bluemini module. 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.

The AEON 2 Noire now comes with Japanese synthetic protein leather pads that have a perforated internal wall. That perforation is a big factor in the new tuning but in regards to comfort and isolation not much has changed from the previous non-perforated version on the red AEON 2. Had this little bastard for exactly a year now. Mostly used it for production and mixing (on the pro side). Once your brain gets adjusted to its slightly sub-elevated sound it has proven to be an extremely analytical pair of cans. In case you want to use it for the same purpose, please note that there is a smear on the mid low, essentially turning the mud into a smoother brown puddle. For this and the coloring I would say is more of an audiophile piece.

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The HE-R10D bumps the lower-mids bringing in a bit more warmth but also that relative softness in the timbre. It has this dip also around 2k that takes a little bit of presence out and more of a subtle 3-4k rise for vocal presence. This is a smooth delivery, excellent for breathy higher pitching female vocals without a hint of sibilance. I knew in about 45 seconds of donning the Noires that by a long shot these were most effective anti-fatigue headphones I had ever had on my dome.