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

Product Information

At a technical level, we have uniquely designed planar magnetic drivers that are lighter than most of the competition offers, by having more efficient transducers, and the TrueFlow technology, which basically allows for better airflow through the motor, increasing the overall detail retrieval of Aeon 2 Noire. The idea is similar to HIFIMAN’s Stealth Technology, but Dan Clark Audio has a special V-Planar Driver that’s patented which adds textures to the driver surface for better low frequency performance and improved overall stability (lower distortion).

The bass of Aeon 2 Noire is super fast, clean and clear. In fact, the best part about them is how distortion-free they are for the price range they’re being sold in. We have a deep, clean and fast bass that’s able to keep up with your music, even if you listen to technical death metal, punk or trancecore. The bass is slower, fuller and warmer if you put on acoustic dampeners. Aeon 2 Noire can softly vibrate on your head if the song calls for it, but it is not a diehard basshead headphone, having a quantity that I’d qualify as natural towards slightly emphasized. While the Aeon RT I reviewed in the past had a pretty clear U-shaped presentation, Aeon 2 Noire is more linear. Now, after a weeks break in how does this new iteration of the Aeon 2 sound? First of all, while the Noire is not what I'd call a direct sibling to the original I'd be comfortable calling them a 1st cousin. The pedigree from the original is certainly there, but the Noire ultimately comfortably carving out it's own unique sound signature. And it's a darn good one indeed. Compared to the Drop DCA Aeon Closed X, which are pleasing, the Noires are a dramatically better experience. 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.The Rupert Neve RHNP can also get a nice timbral match with the DX300 as the source. However, this setup turned a little on the clinical side with the Cayin N6ii/E02 as a source instead. The RNHP can be a fairly transparent amplifier but overall it should create a fairly punchy sound with the Noire. For those not totally up on this, 'the Harman curve' is a particular target frequency response for what a well-engineered set of headphones should demonstrate, as per Sean Olive and the Harman International team in 2013. Dan adds: “We did this for several reasons. The first was to offer a choice of voicing, as no curve, including Harman, is right for everyone. And by allowing any user to simply swap pads to get the voicing they want, it's also a way to offer a colour/style option, not just a tuning option.” THE LISTENING

A very precise rendering of bass when used with the white felt inserts, a little bright au natural. 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. You do get a bit more lateral pressure on the Noire which you can mitigate by adjusting the pressure strap. The HE-R10P is a little looser with the clamp but a little looser on the head overall so prone to a bit more movement.Soundstage: These may have the widest soundstage in closed planars I’ve ever heard. Yeah, that good. In terms of comfort, the HE-R10P and the Noire of similar weight, and both actually have a very nice pressure balance on the head so they are not going to fatigue that much.

One of the more immediate qualities of the Noire is its treble, which isn’t for everyone. This headphone loves its sibilance and presents it with confidence. The highs have a sizzling brightness that creates an enhanced reproduction of instruments and effects. Reverbs have perceivable tails that permeate through the sound field. The timbre is respectably clean and certain elements come through with a crisp tonality. If you’re not a fan of this extension, the dampening tuning pads will definitely help smooth out those frequencies. The new SPC wire seems to be an upgrade to the OFHC wiring in the original DUMMER but also it has a completely new external aesthetic.Though relatively forward to my ears, there is far less of an elevation on the AEON 2 from 1-5k compared to the Noire. If a high pitching vocal hits the 3k marker on the Noire it is going to sound very vivid, strong, and clean whereas the AEON 2 has a good presence but not quite as laser-focused. If you have a dime to spare, please donate, and help us! It would make the day brighter for me and my wife- 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