- Meet Dan Clark Audio's latest elite planar magnetic wired over-ears
- Noire X feature proprietary tech used in headphones nearer $5,000 / £4,100
- They're cheaper than that – although hardly entry-level
Dark, brooding, black-on-black Nickel-Titanium alloy with Gorilla Glass 3 and a leather-wrapped headband, Dan Clark Audio’s Noire X would be the ideal gothic-inspired cans for Vince Noir (of UK early-noughties classic The Mighty Boosh fame) or of course for the man in black himself, JR Cash.
They'd also be fantastic for me and my devotion to wired, leave-me-alone listening.
What you're looking at is a pair of closed-back planar magnetic headphones of the highest order. They also promise to bring Dan Clark Audio – a company that holds six tech innovation patents to date – to a "more accessible" price.
Okay, that price is still an eye-watering £1,000 (so around $1,280 or AU$2,135), but you're getting the San Diego-based headphone maker's proprietary planar driver and "metamaterial tuning tech" that went into its top-tier, closed-back Stealth and open-back Expanse, both of which retail at £4,100 – so, you know… bargain.
DCA describes Noire X as the Johnny Cash of headphones, and I don't mind it. (*Sings If they were mine, I'd walk the line… )
Why planar is better than dynamic in the ring of fire
Noire X feature DCA's upgraded Aeon planar driver – but let us backtrack just a second. Most headphones use dynamic drivers, which combine a stiff cone-shaped diaphragm with a voice coil around a magnet, to produce sound waves via pistonic movement. Noire X uses a thin membrane that is immersed in a magnetic field, causing it to vibrate – aka a planar magnetic driver. This is often considered a superior headphone solution for detail, timing and an expansive soundstage – when it is done well.
The Noire X's new 62x34mm driver diaphragm is significantly more rigid than its predecessor, following "extensive R&D investments" and "new manufacturing processes" to make the upgrade.
The Noire X’s self-tensioning headband promises to reduce listening fatigue by distributing pressure evenly across the head for a ‘barely there’ fit. You're also getting newly designed ear pads featuring ultra-stable, memory foam-wrapped synthetic leather (do note though, real leather is used for the headband).
Finally, a comprehensive range of cable terminations comes with your purchase, including combo 6.3mm and 3.5mm tips, balanced 4.4mm and 4-pin XLR. If you're seeking greater flexibility in cable length and termination, you could always upgrade to DCA’s premium VIVO cables, available in multiple lengths and options.
Given the Noire X's quoted Impedance (13Ω) and recommended minimum power of 250mW @ 16Ω, it would be advisable to supply them with one of the best headphone DACs that include a jolt of extra oomph to get the best out of them – but I have a couple of those. What I don't have is these headphones…
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- See our pick of the best wired headphones
- Considering wireless? Consult our roundup of the best over-ear headphones
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