Noble Audio Khan
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Noble Audio Khan is a 2399$ tribrid iem. It uses a dynamic driver for low frequencies, 4 balanced armatures for mids and a piezo electric for treble.
Sound quality for the price
Rating: 9 out of 10.
Build quality
Rating: 7 out of 10.
Value
Rating: 7 out of 10.
Packaging
I’ve received a demo unit of the Khan, which came with just a Pelican case and IEMs themselves. So, no photos of the box and accessories included this time unfortunately.
Nonetheless, the box contains the previously mentioned pelican case, a smaller plastic case, big set of eartips and a cleaning tool. Nothing special for this price, as the competitors come with a more luxorious and generous set.
Build quality
I want to put it pretty simple – i don’t know what Noble were thinking designing the Khan. Once their flagship (now replaced by Sultan) is the ugliest of their entire lineup and the build quality is a bit underwhelming. Compared to Final A8000, Sony IER-Z1r or even Campfire offerings which are way less expensive the Khan looks just ugly.
It wouldn’t have been that big of a deal if it wasn’t for the fact that Noble is making arguably some of the best looking IEMs on the market with their Prestige series. Browsing their website, looking at these astonishing pieces of art it’s dissapointing coming back to look at Khan. Im sorry Noble, i really adore your products, but in the build and design department the Khan is just not enough, especially for a 2399$ IEM.
Comfort
Khan’s shells are humongous, but still Noble somehow made them quite comfortable. Of course they’ll stick out of your ear. Of course you won’t be able to lay on your side with them inside your ear canal. But still, i’ve tried a lot of less comfortable IEMs in my life, and to see that they achieved this level of ergonomy with the shells that big is a very pleasant suprise. Compared to the Sony IER-Z1r these are super comfortable.
Sound
Noble Khan reminds me of “The Beauty and the Beast”. But this time both are the same person. The beast, because Khan is just plain ugly and looks more like 239$ IEM rather than 2399$. Beauty, because when it sings…you’re starting to just not give a damn about that.
The bass is bloody fast. Well, i could say that about the whole sound actually. But first things first. Low frequencies have a great punch, are very accurate and punchy. This dynamic driver is a joy to listen to, as it has a lot of head-boobing things going on. You wont skip any touch of string of a bass guitar, any double kick of a drum set. It is not a huge and thick bass but in terms of details and accuracy this is first class.
The midrange is quite forward, very, very accurate and airy. It has a decent amount of body, but don’t expect that full, thick and analog mids. It is incredible for female vocals and less so for male. Nonetheless, thanks to an absurd level of details you won’t miss anything in the record, as it is a true reference of resolution and detail retreival. Anyhow, for me personally it lacked a bit of timbre while listening to Jethro Tull or older Foreigner stuff.
The treble is like a supercar – bright, astonishingly precise and lightning fast. That piezo-electric driver is putting so much information of the music you’re listening to that you’re gonna have a sensation of hearing some things for the first time. It is not my favorite, since im not into that bright and edgy sound, but it surely is spectacular and very competitive. By the means of details and resolution, one of the best treble i’ve heard in my life.
The soundstage is again – very precise, airy and spacious, thanks to the overall sound signature and that great piezo-electric driver on top. It is very wide, quite deep and imaging is spot on. The Division Bell album by the immortal Pink Floyd sounds extraordinary thanks to those guitar and keyboard passages feeling endlessly suspended around your head.
Summary
Noble Audio Khan is a true monster of an IEM. Ugly with underwhelming build and accessories. Yet it sounds just like a monster indeed – crazy fast, precise and forward, with some of the best detail retrieval in an IEM ever. Nonetheless i can’t recommend them to everybody prior to the faults they have, as Sony IER-Z1r and the Final A8000 is a complete package compared to these, with SQ being on the same level, but everything else just blowing the Khan out of the water. Im sorry Noble, not this time. Just make the Khan v2 with the build quality and looks on the level of the Katana or Sultan, and you’ll end up with not a monster, but rather a monstrous IEM.
Gear used during this review for the sake of comparison and as an accompanying equipment:
Sound quality for the price
Rating: 9 out of 10.
Build quality
Rating: 7 out of 10.
Value
Rating: 7 out of 10.
Packaging
I’ve received a demo unit of the Khan, which came with just a Pelican case and IEMs themselves. So, no photos of the box and accessories included this time unfortunately.
Nonetheless, the box contains the previously mentioned pelican case, a smaller plastic case, big set of eartips and a cleaning tool. Nothing special for this price, as the competitors come with a more luxorious and generous set.
Build quality
I want to put it pretty simple – i don’t know what Noble were thinking designing the Khan. Once their flagship (now replaced by Sultan) is the ugliest of their entire lineup and the build quality is a bit underwhelming. Compared to Final A8000, Sony IER-Z1r or even Campfire offerings which are way less expensive the Khan looks just ugly.
It wouldn’t have been that big of a deal if it wasn’t for the fact that Noble is making arguably some of the best looking IEMs on the market with their Prestige series. Browsing their website, looking at these astonishing pieces of art it’s dissapointing coming back to look at Khan. Im sorry Noble, i really adore your products, but in the build and design department the Khan is just not enough, especially for a 2399$ IEM.
Comfort
Khan’s shells are humongous, but still Noble somehow made them quite comfortable. Of course they’ll stick out of your ear. Of course you won’t be able to lay on your side with them inside your ear canal. But still, i’ve tried a lot of less comfortable IEMs in my life, and to see that they achieved this level of ergonomy with the shells that big is a very pleasant suprise. Compared to the Sony IER-Z1r these are super comfortable.
SoundNoble Khan reminds me of “The Beauty and the Beast”. But this time both are the same person. The beast, because Khan is just plain ugly and looks more like 239$ IEM rather than 2399$. Beauty, because when it sings…you’re starting to just not give a damn about that.
The bass is bloody fast. Well, i could say that about the whole sound actually. But first things first. Low frequencies have a great punch, are very accurate and punchy. This dynamic driver is a joy to listen to, as it has a lot of head-boobing things going on. You wont skip any touch of string of a bass guitar, any double kick of a drum set. It is not a huge and thick bass but in terms of details and accuracy this is first class.
The midrange is quite forward, very, very accurate and airy. It has a decent amount of body, but don’t expect that full, thick and analog mids. It is incredible for female vocals and less so for male. Nonetheless, thanks to an absurd level of details you won’t miss anything in the record, as it is a true reference of resolution and detail retreival. Anyhow, for me personally it lacked a bit of timbre while listening to Jethro Tull or older Foreigner stuff.
The treble is like a supercar – bright, astonishingly precise and lightning fast. That piezo-electric driver is putting so much information of the music you’re listening to that you’re gonna have a sensation of hearing some things for the first time. It is not my favorite, since im not into that bright and edgy sound, but it surely is spectacular and very competitive. By the means of details and resolution, one of the best treble i’ve heard in my life.
The soundstage is again – very precise, airy and spacious, thanks to the overall sound signature and that great piezo-electric driver on top. It is very wide, quite deep and imaging is spot on. The Division Bell album by the immortal Pink Floyd sounds extraordinary thanks to those guitar and keyboard passages feeling endlessly suspended around your head.
Summary
Noble Audio Khan is a true monster of an IEM. Ugly with underwhelming build and accessories. Yet it sounds just like a monster indeed – crazy fast, precise and forward, with some of the best detail retrieval in an IEM ever. Nonetheless i can’t recommend them to everybody prior to the faults they have, as Sony IER-Z1r and the Final A8000 is a complete package compared to these, with SQ being on the same level, but everything else just blowing the Khan out of the water. Im sorry Noble, not this time. Just make the Khan v2 with the build quality and looks on the level of the Katana or Sultan, and you’ll end up with not a monster, but rather a monstrous IEM.
Gear used during this review for the sake of comparison and as an accompanying equipment:
- Headphones – Sony IER-Z1r, Final A8000, Lime Ears Aether R, Meze Rai Penta, Campfire Audio Andromeda,
- Sources– Cayin N8, Cayin N5ii, Fiio M15, Astell&Kern SP1000, Cayin N3Pro
Noble's past IEM products have always been BA units design. But this time round with their latest flagship Khan, they adopted a more radical combination with three driver designs dynamic. Balanced Armature
and Piezo Electric. Its certainly a surprising and bold move but its a trend we are seeing lately for manufacturers to use more driver combinations with the introduction of new estat based driver from sonion.
Design
The iem housing, has been reduced much in size this time and is now closer to custom models in the market, maybe just slightly thicker overall. For the IEM faceplate they opted for Mokume Gane artwork which is also more eye-catching and beautiful compared to the past aluminium shell housings. The nozzle is made with stainless steel material.
These are the specs:
Equipment used for testing
AKSE100- Wide soundstage, a bit dry sounding due to less colored signature of SE100.
AKSP1000M- Wide soundstage with good technical and engaging presentation
chord Hugo2- Widest soundstage, holographic presentation with rather bright sound
Cayin N6II A01- Smoothest treble, mids has more body and overtones, deep reaching bass with good slam
Sound
From the noble previous models kaiser 10, katana, Encore I do notice a departure of sound from a warmer one towards a more neutral and less colored sound with each subsequent model. Khan's tuning seems to follow the progression of its previous flagship Kaiser Encore, it inherits and build on the strong technical capabilities of encore while bringing the balance of katana tuning into the mix.
Bass
Driven from a dynamic driver, this bass punches deep with a decay speed and definition close to a BA driver. Its a speed that is quite in line with its fast treble. The key to this is a control of the mid bass and attenuation of the upper bass. There is an emphasis on impact over fullness, which can be rather dry sounding for some. Extension is good and strikes are easily localized with good precision.
Mids:
These mids are slightly forward in positioning and stunningly clear, with absolutely no bass bleed detected. There is sufficient body and authority to these notes to integrate well with its powerful bass and treble response. Although these are not sweet or lush sounding mid , they dont sound harsh or plagued by odd coloration. Some might find the vocals to sound cold and lacking of emotions due to lack of carryover warmth from the bass.
Also there is a noticeable lack of note sustain after their initial release as given by the lack of reverb even though the notes have well defined edges. Instruments like piano, bowed strings, brass based also sound off due to lack of overtones.
Treble
The piezoelectric driver in khan has a soaring top end that goes harder and faster than most ba or estat driver(Sonion). Its more forward and prominent compared to the bass and mids presentation. and on the brighter end. Khan's treble is defined by a hump in the upper treble region, where are notes sharper and thinner sounding. This can easily lead an analytical etching sound but khan managed to strike a delicate balance in detailing without sounding clinical.
While its brightness impedes it from sounding accurate tonally, there is no denying that this is a high performing treble in terms of extension, speed and brilliance.
soundstage/imaging
Khan has a pretty even cube shaped soundstage. The stage feels spacious, not due to it having an extreme width but rather from the resulting cleanliness through its leaner notes and upper bass cut.
The images khan produces are very focused and stable, making it easier to depict and localize space in the soundstage. Layering of music is exceptional, there is ample spacing perpetuating each note and the subsequent one, so there is absolutely no congestion regardless of how busy the track gets.
Transients exhibit vividness in every tap, jab, slam. Small details such as a triangle tap or the swish of a chime are easily picked up in the recording when listening to khan.
Comparisons:
Tia Fourte (personal)
For sound signature, both are considered
Bass wise, both are atypical of a dynamic driver; exhibiting speed and definition rather than the usual slow diffused pulse. TF bass is airier, more natural with a deeper extension but does not have the tightness or impact of khan.
In khan, mids are more prominent with slightly better transparency. I hear upper mids sounding brighter than TF. Treble has more clarity in khan as a result of its faster speed. The treble in TF is airer treble and smoother in comparison to khan which has more hardness. Imaging is pretty much neck and neck, but khan is more precise in its layering while TF has better separation from a wider sound stage width.
UM Mason v3 (personal)
Mason v3 opts for a middle ground between technical and musicality with a neutral warm sound. It has an L shape signature rather than the U shape for khan.
There is not much in common with these 2 you can consider them polar opposites even.
Mason has a more linear bass that sounds smoother with more thickness. Despite its fullness, it is surprisingly dynamic and exhibits good definition. Khan's bass has more clarity with a tighter and stronger mid bass impact. In mids, khan has more transparency while mason sounds more organic with better linearity between female and male vocals.
There is also more body and weight in mason's instruments compared to khan which has leaner instruments and more body in the mids.
Treble in both are equally detailed, the difference is that khan provides more upfront detail retrieval due to its forward and brighter tuning while mason treble is laidback, smoother with a more accurate timbre. Imaging is sharper with khan while mason has the darker background.
Soundstage is wider deeper with mason while khan has more headspace.
Kse1200 (personal)
An interesting battle of tribrid with a monodriver.
The bass in khan has a deeper extension and a stronger punch while kse has more texture and tightness and a smoother transition to the mids.
Mids in both are quite similar in terms of definition and transparency. The difference i perceive is kse having more laid back, with denser vocals compared to khan being more forward and brighter in the upper mids. Khan has better note seperation due to a bigger soundstage. Imaging is more accurate with kse. For treble there are plenty of similarities in terms of speed and clarity. But i find the treble in kse to be airer, with higher definition and more control compared to the piezo driver in khan. Overall coherency and tonal balance is better in kse.
Hyla sarda (demo)
Some may remember the previous model ce-05 being one of the first model to adopt a configuration of ceramic/ba/dynamic driver. I wasnt a fan of it despite its strong bass performance due the the thin mids and treble. Thankfully the updated model of the ce05 has improved on these short comings. Even though the combination of drivers are similar there are some difference in sound between the 2. Both basses are close in terms of speed and tightness, but sarda manages a stronger impact in the mid bass. Its mids are also warmer due to some warmth carryover from the bass. Perspective wise, the mids are more laid back in comparison due to the stronger bass response making the overall signature more v shaped rather than u shape of khan. Both treble can be considered on the brighter end but overall sarda is smoother while khan has more crunch and bite. Imaging is slightly stronger in Khan. Sound stage is quite similar for both.
Pairing
I would suggest pairing with a warm source using foam tips to add more body and shift the balance towards lower mids and bass. My preferred pairing for performance is sp1000m, for longer listening sessions i think cayin n6ii a01 would be better.
Summary
Signature- slight U shaped, neutral bright
Bass- Sub to mid bass emphasis. Good impact, extension and tightness
Mids- neutral note body with brighter uppermids. Clear articulation and not much reverb.
Treble: Foward, Fast energetic and crisp
Soundstage- clean, precise, well separated with a taller, deeper dimension than width
Imaging- Focused, stable, holographic
Khan might not have the most balanced or natural tuning, but its strong technical capabilities imparts an effortlessness to its presentation which I dont find in many iems these days. Despite being tuned more towards a reference than a musical monitor, it plays well with modern genres like pop, rock and edm while only faltering in some like classical, acoustic pieces. In my opinion, noble had managed to distinguish itself with a unique and high performance flagship from the recent slew of e stat hybrids. A conqueror indeed..
Design
The iem housing, has been reduced much in size this time and is now closer to custom models in the market, maybe just slightly thicker overall. For the IEM faceplate they opted for Mokume Gane artwork which is also more eye-catching and beautiful compared to the past aluminium shell housings. The nozzle is made with stainless steel material.
These are the specs:
- 6 Drivers Configuration
- Tri-Level Hybrid Driver Technology
- 4 x Balanced Armature Drivers Tweeters and Mid Range
- 1 x 10mm Dynamic Driver for Low Frequency Bass
- 1 x 10mm Piezo Electric Super Tweeter
Equipment used for testing
AKSE100- Wide soundstage, a bit dry sounding due to less colored signature of SE100.
AKSP1000M- Wide soundstage with good technical and engaging presentation
chord Hugo2- Widest soundstage, holographic presentation with rather bright sound
Cayin N6II A01- Smoothest treble, mids has more body and overtones, deep reaching bass with good slam
Sound
From the noble previous models kaiser 10, katana, Encore I do notice a departure of sound from a warmer one towards a more neutral and less colored sound with each subsequent model. Khan's tuning seems to follow the progression of its previous flagship Kaiser Encore, it inherits and build on the strong technical capabilities of encore while bringing the balance of katana tuning into the mix.
Bass
Driven from a dynamic driver, this bass punches deep with a decay speed and definition close to a BA driver. Its a speed that is quite in line with its fast treble. The key to this is a control of the mid bass and attenuation of the upper bass. There is an emphasis on impact over fullness, which can be rather dry sounding for some. Extension is good and strikes are easily localized with good precision.
Mids:
These mids are slightly forward in positioning and stunningly clear, with absolutely no bass bleed detected. There is sufficient body and authority to these notes to integrate well with its powerful bass and treble response. Although these are not sweet or lush sounding mid , they dont sound harsh or plagued by odd coloration. Some might find the vocals to sound cold and lacking of emotions due to lack of carryover warmth from the bass.
Also there is a noticeable lack of note sustain after their initial release as given by the lack of reverb even though the notes have well defined edges. Instruments like piano, bowed strings, brass based also sound off due to lack of overtones.
Treble
The piezoelectric driver in khan has a soaring top end that goes harder and faster than most ba or estat driver(Sonion). Its more forward and prominent compared to the bass and mids presentation. and on the brighter end. Khan's treble is defined by a hump in the upper treble region, where are notes sharper and thinner sounding. This can easily lead an analytical etching sound but khan managed to strike a delicate balance in detailing without sounding clinical.
While its brightness impedes it from sounding accurate tonally, there is no denying that this is a high performing treble in terms of extension, speed and brilliance.
soundstage/imaging
Khan has a pretty even cube shaped soundstage. The stage feels spacious, not due to it having an extreme width but rather from the resulting cleanliness through its leaner notes and upper bass cut.
The images khan produces are very focused and stable, making it easier to depict and localize space in the soundstage. Layering of music is exceptional, there is ample spacing perpetuating each note and the subsequent one, so there is absolutely no congestion regardless of how busy the track gets.
Transients exhibit vividness in every tap, jab, slam. Small details such as a triangle tap or the swish of a chime are easily picked up in the recording when listening to khan.
Comparisons:
Tia Fourte (personal)
For sound signature, both are considered
Bass wise, both are atypical of a dynamic driver; exhibiting speed and definition rather than the usual slow diffused pulse. TF bass is airier, more natural with a deeper extension but does not have the tightness or impact of khan.
In khan, mids are more prominent with slightly better transparency. I hear upper mids sounding brighter than TF. Treble has more clarity in khan as a result of its faster speed. The treble in TF is airer treble and smoother in comparison to khan which has more hardness. Imaging is pretty much neck and neck, but khan is more precise in its layering while TF has better separation from a wider sound stage width.
UM Mason v3 (personal)
Mason v3 opts for a middle ground between technical and musicality with a neutral warm sound. It has an L shape signature rather than the U shape for khan.
There is not much in common with these 2 you can consider them polar opposites even.
Mason has a more linear bass that sounds smoother with more thickness. Despite its fullness, it is surprisingly dynamic and exhibits good definition. Khan's bass has more clarity with a tighter and stronger mid bass impact. In mids, khan has more transparency while mason sounds more organic with better linearity between female and male vocals.
There is also more body and weight in mason's instruments compared to khan which has leaner instruments and more body in the mids.
Treble in both are equally detailed, the difference is that khan provides more upfront detail retrieval due to its forward and brighter tuning while mason treble is laidback, smoother with a more accurate timbre. Imaging is sharper with khan while mason has the darker background.
Soundstage is wider deeper with mason while khan has more headspace.
Kse1200 (personal)
An interesting battle of tribrid with a monodriver.
The bass in khan has a deeper extension and a stronger punch while kse has more texture and tightness and a smoother transition to the mids.
Mids in both are quite similar in terms of definition and transparency. The difference i perceive is kse having more laid back, with denser vocals compared to khan being more forward and brighter in the upper mids. Khan has better note seperation due to a bigger soundstage. Imaging is more accurate with kse. For treble there are plenty of similarities in terms of speed and clarity. But i find the treble in kse to be airer, with higher definition and more control compared to the piezo driver in khan. Overall coherency and tonal balance is better in kse.
Hyla sarda (demo)
Some may remember the previous model ce-05 being one of the first model to adopt a configuration of ceramic/ba/dynamic driver. I wasnt a fan of it despite its strong bass performance due the the thin mids and treble. Thankfully the updated model of the ce05 has improved on these short comings. Even though the combination of drivers are similar there are some difference in sound between the 2. Both basses are close in terms of speed and tightness, but sarda manages a stronger impact in the mid bass. Its mids are also warmer due to some warmth carryover from the bass. Perspective wise, the mids are more laid back in comparison due to the stronger bass response making the overall signature more v shaped rather than u shape of khan. Both treble can be considered on the brighter end but overall sarda is smoother while khan has more crunch and bite. Imaging is slightly stronger in Khan. Sound stage is quite similar for both.
Pairing
I would suggest pairing with a warm source using foam tips to add more body and shift the balance towards lower mids and bass. My preferred pairing for performance is sp1000m, for longer listening sessions i think cayin n6ii a01 would be better.
Summary
Signature- slight U shaped, neutral bright
Bass- Sub to mid bass emphasis. Good impact, extension and tightness
Mids- neutral note body with brighter uppermids. Clear articulation and not much reverb.
Treble: Foward, Fast energetic and crisp
Soundstage- clean, precise, well separated with a taller, deeper dimension than width
Imaging- Focused, stable, holographic
Khan might not have the most balanced or natural tuning, but its strong technical capabilities imparts an effortlessness to its presentation which I dont find in many iems these days. Despite being tuned more towards a reference than a musical monitor, it plays well with modern genres like pop, rock and edm while only faltering in some like classical, acoustic pieces. In my opinion, noble had managed to distinguish itself with a unique and high performance flagship from the recent slew of e stat hybrids. A conqueror indeed..
Intro & Me: I am an audio enthusiast and have fallen pretty deep into the audio rabbit hole. Special thanks to @subguy812 for allowing me to also post this review on his awesome audio review site. For my audio journey, I started about five years ago when I wanted something better than the included earbuds with my Samsung Galaxy phone and my first “real” purchase was a Yamaha EPH-100. This rocked my world; the bass impact, the treble sparkle, the mids defining themselves as more than just what is in between the bass and treble – it was all there. That $99 felt so extravagant at the time and let me tell you friends, I wish I could go back to that price segment and be content. That’s where the Audio Rabbit Hole first bit me and has kept me in its grasp ever since. Only now, the grasp is tighter, more expensive, more serious and most of all, more controversial! This hobby has been a fun one and I have met some great folks over the years, but it has also become apparent that when you begin to own several different top-of-the-line models, audio life gets exponentially more complicated.
I am an IEM guy at heart. I am a cable believer. I drink 40oz bottles of snake oil and use unicorn dust to style my hair. I have never done a blind test because that might tell me something I do not wish to hear. I have published a few reviews over the years, have never made a “ranking list” and generally agree with at least 50% of the opinions I read on the internet. I do not know how to make audio graphs, describe certain frequency ranges or peaks and I couldn’t tell you why balanced sounds better than single-ended. But what I can say is this: I have owned over 20 top-of-the-line IEMs and I am here today to give you my thoughts about one of my very favorite ones, the Noble Khan.
Test Equipment: during my ownership of the Noble Khan, I have had several different sources. Most of my listening has been done on a desktop DAC and amp combo in the form of a Sony TA-ZH1ES, with numerous other sessions spanning across a recently-acquired (and LOVED) Astell & Kern Kann Cube (known as “Kube” by the cool kids, and let me tell you what a pain in the ass it is spewing out words between a source called the Kann and an IEM also called the Khan), a wonderful Cayin N6ii and a Sony PHA-2A which I use at work. There are different sound signatures with these sources and I will touch on that a bit later. You will notice that all of these sources are balanced, so I opted to use the Noble 8-wire balanced cable rather than the “stock” cable that came with the Khan. Also more on that later. Finally, my music all comes from the same place: Tidal Hi-Fi streaming using master quality where available and the rest Hi-Fi. The only other accessories used in this review were my ears, several (okay, several hundred) cans of beer and maybe a glass of wine or ten when music called for a slightly fancier listen. Oh, and my tried-and-true Spiral Dot tips. Speaking of tips…
Ordering, Accessories, Tips, Packaging: for buyers mostly anywhere in the world, Noble has you covered. Ordering from their own site is straight forward, several distributors exist around the world with equally-seamless options and if you are so inclined, you can even PM the Wizard himself on Head-Fi with any questions. I have found Noble’s customer service and support to be a cut above the rest and they operate as a stand-up and honest business. This is something you are not always guaranteed in the boutique IEM world and Noble is a breath of fresh air in that sense. So, once you receive your Khan, what’s in the package?
First, you’ll see the familiar packaging to include a Pelican 1010 hard case that probably could have stopped Chernobyl from melting down, a nice assortment of high-quality Noble tips, a cleaning tool, the IEMs/cable and some cool Noble-branded straps to keep your portable rig sandwiched together. Fairly typical of any high-end offering. No complaints here. I will mention that the tips are not an off-the-shelf variant like Spinfits or Comply, but Noble-branded and fit exceptionally well on the IEMs. They also offer numerous size/shape options and I cannot imagine many folks will have to venture out for other tips. Personal preference really, but that is my take on the tip situation here. Still, I prefer JVC’s Spiral Dots for familiarity and known-fit.
A quick note on price: this is not a cheap IEM. At $2,399, it’s probably a few months’ rent, a mortgage payment, a semester of college, a minor service on that second-hand Mercedes you wish you didn’t buy…but guess what? It’s actually cheaper than many other flagships of 2018/2019/2020. Perceived value and within-reason pricing sadly stirs up too much controversy in this industry, so all I will say is that if you are in the market and looking within this segment, you would do yourself a great disservice to not strongly consider the Noble Khan.
Fit and Cable: the Khan is a stark departure from the universal IEMs Noble has created in the past, and I think it is great. While we all know (and some love) the egg-shaped aluminum shell of nearly every recent universal Noble IEM prior, these are quite different. While large, they’re very ergonomic and I immediately got a good seal with my preferred size of tips. The nozzle is on the longer side, so the IEMs stick out of my ears a bit, but this hasn’t caused any issues. Though I will say, I am not one of those folks who sleeps on the size of my head with IEMs in my ears. I do not imagine this shape would lend well to that sort of use. Besides, the sound is way too exciting to sleep through! But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Overall, fit works extremely well for me and the nozzle design lends itself to accepting a wide variety of tips. While the IEMs are on the larger side and will likely not sit flush in your ear like, say, the Earsonics Grace, they do provide extended comfort over long listening sessions and I am of the belief that many users will find them quite comfortable. I cannot say the same for the Dita Dream XLS, but there I go getting ahead of myself again (comparisons!).
The cable included with the Khan is a nice looking four-wire black and white braided design, terminated in 3.5mm TRS. Nothing super special here, but I found the cable to be light, comfortable and did not get in the way. The Khan has recessed 2-pin sockets, so the sky is the limit as far as third party cable options go. As I said before, I’m a cable believer so this cable did not spend much time on the IEM if I’m being totally honest.
Sound Signature: thank you for bearing with me thus far while I babble about things that are all completely irrelevant to what you came here for: the sound! The Khan is a highly refined, highly technical IEM with an overall balanced sound. I do not think this IEM fits into any categories such as “bass-head” or “timbre-licious,” but instead it is a carefully thought out tuning that portrays music in a manner that is slightly enhanced in all areas. The dynamic driver provides that impactful and air-moving bass we all crave, the mids ringing through balanced armatures provide a level playing field for all types of vocals and the highs are drenched in clarity and sparkle from that piezo-electric tweeter. I have heard a few IEMs with similar “tri-brid” configurations, but none have matched the Khan’s refinement and targeted sound reproduction. What we have here is an IEM that responds well to a wide array of musical genres, provides a sense of excitement and most importantly, does it with a technical prowess that is up there with the best (and warrants its price IMHO, but there I go getting ahead of myself again). This is not an IEM that I would classify as warm, uber-natural or overly-musical and I mean that in a good way. While it’s not unnatural, per se, the treble energy separates it from the likes of the Empire Phantom as one example. It is a chiseled tri-athlete rather than the current dad-bod I am sporting…
Bass: let’s start with the dynamic driver’s opening act, that sweet and impactful bass. Noble’s prior flagships have been all based on balanced armature drivers and I believe this is their first hybrid. There have been dynamic driver implementations in Noble’s past, but none at this level. Starting with sub-bass, I hear a textured and extended rumble that digs down deep for those subwoofer-like air feelings. Quantity is slightly north of neutral, way off from something like the Empire Ears Legend X, but extension, texture and impact are incredibly well placed and fit into the scope of Khan’s overall sound signature. Skip to about three and a quarter minutes in to “Why so Serious?” by Hans Zimmer and you will be blessed with a deep, solid rumble that may even startle you at first. In the quality vs. quantity debate, Khan takes the quality home easily.
Moving into the mid-bass, things are fairly tame here. While I’ve heard numerous IEMs that have mid-bass bleeding into mids, there is no such outcome here. I would venture to say the sub-bass is at the center of the Khan’s bass focus and the mid-bass, in order to preserve a clean canvas for the mids and vocals to be painted, is neutral. No issues here as I am not a fan at all of bloated mid-bass and despite being on the neutral side, I still hear nice warmth and texture in bass guitar, kick drums and this frequency range still has a solid kick when called upon. Bass in general is very fast for a dynamic driver and never feels bloated or slow. It’s a bass that kicks in when it needs to and retreats equally fast into the enveloping surroundings. Controlled, textured and delicious!
Mids: I have owned many Noble IEMs in the past and have always been impressed with their mid-range tuning, allowing vocals to sing in a clear atmosphere and guitars to ring through with a feeling of realism. A song I think that shows this is Eric Clapton’s “Change the World” because the stringed instruments and vocals are a great test of mids. Here, the Khan provides an incredible sense of realism within instruments and vocals are layered and defined through the complex passages. While this tuning does not offer “thick” or “meaty” enhancements around the mids, the dynamics are so engaging because the music just seems to form an atmosphere around the vocals which stay at the forefront despite not being “forward.” At the same time, the sub-bass focus and neutral mid-bass give the mids a precise sound as you would expect from a highly-technical and refined neutralish monitor. I am simply addicted to band-based music with these, especially songs with a crunchy electric guitar and toe-tapping bass guitar.
Treble: ah, the treble. If there is any area that might cause a bit of controversy with the Khan, this will be it. It’s not the level of controversy of, say, should we impeach Trump or is the Popeyes chicken sandwich better than Chick-Fil-A’s, but it may cause a slight riff amongst the outspoken audiophiles. For me, I find the treble wonderfully sparkly, highly-extended and energetic. I do not like to use the term bright because it suggests a more unpleasant treble in my view, but to my ears these are not going to be the “everyone can listen for eight hours straight” side of the treble fence. I personally love a sparkly treble, so I am addicted to the higher registers of the Khan’s sound reproduction. The piezo-electric tweeter reproduces high notes with an ultra-high dose of clarity and detail, which may offend some treble-sensitive listeners. But once you’ve heard it, it’s hard to go back to a “normal” treble and I find myself craving the Khan any time I need some sparkle in my life (or ears really). Upper treble especially provides an injection of energy and rockets the perceived clarity through the roof. No, it’s not a boosted treble to enhance details, it’s a highly extended treble that responds when the music calls for it. I will not conclude it to be warm, lush or smooth like some of the estat IEMs I have heard, but rather a sparkly energy that will soar to the highest registers. On that note, and without referencing or creating any graphs that are not worth the HTML they are printed on, I will venture to guess that these fare very well when comparing to other TOTL offerings whose treble falls off sharply into the upper regions. In my opinion, the treble is the star of the show on the Khan IEMs, but it still fits coherently into the rest of the spectrum and allows all frequencies to shine.
Vocals: I touched on the vocals a bit when discussion the mids, but they deserve their own section. Accurately describing vocal reproduction is a challenge for me because, well, I’m a cheap date. I hear lovely female vocals and get taken pretty quickly, no matter the IEM. My wife says the same about me when I shop at Bed Bath and Beyond. I have not heard an IEM in all my years that ever made a stunning vocalist sound not-stunning. That said, after digging deep and critiquing my own hearing more than anything, I am ready to confidently say that the Khan is a class act at reproducing vocals. Like I mentioned prior, the Khan is not going to add thickness or warmth to the vocals, but instead will keep things true-to-form per the voice of the singer. The Khan will not make Avril Lavigne sound like Nora Jones and going the other way, they will not make Eva Cassidy sound like an anemic squirrel. During critical listening, I detect a nuanced separation of vocals from the rest of the pack that highlights the singer while not recessing instruments or other sounds to the back of the stage. This is all a fancy way of saying the vocals are natural, ever-so-slightly forward and to my ears, emotionally stimulating. I have not been left wanting for more warmth or thickness, but instead have marveled at just how awesome a crystal clear vocal presentation can sound. I will say that compared to other more musically-enhanced monitors (Legend X for example), the vocals may seem slightly lean in comparison. But that clean stage really allows the listener to be captivated by the Khan’s vocal presentation.
Soundstage, Separation & Timbre: I don’t make it a secret that I have difficulty reviewing, let alone describing soundstage dimensions. Instead, I am just a simpleton that can tell you the Khan has an expansive and vast soundstage, most of which I will assume is derived by the cleanliness of the background and balanced tuning. I tested a few tracks (notably Amber Rubarth’s stuff) and can pinpoint exactly where each instrument is placed and where she is standing in the stage. Musical sounds expand very wide and give the “out of head” impression on many live recordings. I am highly impressed with the large, enveloping soundstage on these.
The clarity-driven focus of these IEMs works in favor of separation and imaging and I am not left wanting anything else in technicality. There is an effortless presentation of detail and separation where the Khan gives the impression that it is not even breaking a sweat with highly complex and specifically-placed instrumental tracks. Again, an incredibly impressive technical showing on this front. As for timbre, I have seen these monitors referred to as lean and while I agree to a certain extent, the clarity and neutrality are what I believe to be intentional tuning by Noble. These are a little too energetic and technical to be considered absolutely “natural” in my opinion, but at the same time I would not change the tuning one bit.
Comparisons: comparisons are always fun and I have chosen a few IEMs in my collection to compare the Khan with that I feel are in a similar price and performance bracket.
Empire Ears Legend X: while both are hybrid configurations containing a dynamic driver (actually two in the Legend X), handling the bass, the similarities sort of end there. The Legend X contrasts the Khan’s tuning and heads more into the L-shaped tuning with massively impactful and large doses of bass slam. I love, love, love the bass on the Legend X, but it is not the monitor I would choose for every genre of music like I would the Khan. While the Legend X reaches deeper, rumbles harder and thumps right up into the mid-bass, the Khan is clean, controlled, slightly softer and rolls off into the mid-bass sooner. The Legend X provides a bass track whether you want it there or not and while I do not mean this in a bad way at all, the Khan is the most “daily driver” of the two for my ears. Moving up into the mid-range, the Legend X provides a more lush and thick experience with the vocals sounding intimate and emotional where Khan is more believable that you are actually at the show. Khan is dryer and airier in the mids, where Legend X is enhanced, sweetened and will probably leave a little bit of residual lipstick around your ear lobes if you’re not careful. Khan is refined, clean, marriage material. Treble is another area of departure for the Legend X and Khan with Khan having more sparkle and perceived clarity and Legend X being smoother, more relaxed, but still quite extended. I would venture to guess that actual extension and technicality of the treble is similar on both monitors, but the Khan brings the quantity of sparkle out in highest doses in comparison to Legend X. Overall, it’s really a question of tuning and your preferences with Legend X being warm and lush with monstrous bass and Khan being more neutral, sparkly and clean. This is why I own both!
Dita Dream XLS: here is an interesting comparison where we have the latest single dynamic driver from Dita in a gorgeous titanium shell (which is not nearly as comfortable as the Khan) and an accessory package befitting of a king (despite Khan’s slogan of “The King of Kings”). These two monitors really only share the fact that they have a dynamic driver and cost around the same price. Dita’s tuning of the Dream XLS is all about natural, emotional and musical listening, but still with a high dose of technicality. Starting with the bass, Khan extends deeper with similar quantities of rumble, but the Dream XLS focuses a tad more on mid-bass whereas Khan focuses on clean and textured sub-bass with a dryer mid-bass. Both thump appropriately hard and provide that dynamic driver sweetness, but the Dream XLS is an awfully engaging sound given the balance between mid and sub-bass, with slight enhancements to quantity and a pleasing texture. It’s the rounder bass of the two while Khan is the sharper and faster bass. Mids on the Dream XLS are natural and slightly warmer than Khan, where Khan focuses on cleanliness and accurate reproduction. Female vocals just melt into your ears with the XLS, where as Khan delivers them on a silver platter. Khan feels airer whereas Dream XLS gives a warmer and thicker touch. Treble is again quite different with Khan being more sparkly, though Dream XLS’s full-range dynamic driver is capable of very impressive extension and sparkle where the track calls for it. I would call the Dream XLS the more balanced of the two, though with a feeling of warmth sprinkled across the frequency range. Did I mention the much prefer the fit of the Khan?
Noble Katana: Noble’s prior flagship was something I went back and forth on as far as which to purchase for several months and I ended up buying both because I am clinically insane and addicted. That said, the prior monitor that shared the flagship monitor with the Encore definitely can still hold its own. The Katana is all balanced armatures, though has a surprisingly impactful and pleasing sub-bass and mid-bass. Dare I say, the mid-bass is even punchier on the Katana because of it’s overall speed and cleanliness, hence the name Katana. Bass digs deeper on the Khan of course, but there was less of a difference here than I thought. Into the mids, the Katana sounds slightly warmer, though still very neutral and airy. Mid-range is quite similar until you really A/B between these and I find the Noble “house sound” is alive and well in the vocal reproduction of both. Into the treble, Khan sounds a little more sparkly and more extended, but Katana has a little more warmth in the lower treble that causes a more “fatigue-free” listen in my opinion. I am honestly very happy with both monitors and plan to keep both, but overall the bass extension and treble extension are superior on the Khan, for better or worse in accordance with your tolerances and preference. Oh, Katana is tiny, I love the fit, and mine is the “Wizard” version with a unique acrylic shell.
Earsonics Grace: I have a soft spot for Earsonics, but I will try to remain as unbiased here as I can. I love the Grace. It’s a highly-musical, 10 balanced armature monitor that pretty much has zero in common with the Khan other than my large amount of unconditional love for both. Starting with bass, Grace has a soft, but oh-so-pleasing bass response that provides smooth and solid impact, as well as nuanced notes of something like a bass guitar. Khan digs deeper once again, provides more slam in the sub-bass, but the mid-bass from Grace is deliciously musical, warm and pleasing. Khan is noticeably more neutral in the bass tone, while Grace provides emotion. Into the mids, Grace is again warmer, but still manages a large and holographic stage for vocals to arise from in a crystal clear manner. Khan is more neutral, but also more accurate in my opinion. Khan gives that feeling of a “correctness” whereas Grace puts you in the same venue but adds a few glasses of wine to the perception. It’s neutral vs. natural here in my book. Treble is softer, though still highly extended on the Grace where Khan is the more sparkly and energetic. Khan feels more technical, higher resolution and more open in its sound, but Grace is a lesson in deliberate tuning that creates one of the most pleasing sounds I have ever heard in a monitor. Also, Grace is remarkably ergonomic and much smaller than Khan, though Khan is still extremely comfortable for me.
More on Cables: if you’re still with me thus far, you have probably gathered that the Khan might be a little too spritely for some. Queue the cable rolling! In my opinion, Khan performs best with a high-quality copper cable or a silver-based cable with some mixture of gold or other alloys. Sticking a pure silver cable, while acknowledging that not all silver cables are not created equal, did not provide the best results for me. Well, that is unless you want to take the highs from energetic to holy-mother-of-God. The Noble 8-wire OCC copper cable is actually a terrific match for the Khan, slightly thickening the highs and adding a wonderfully round texture to the bass. But I couldn’t stop there, I had to try others in my collection…
With a cable made by Triton Audio using Cardas Clear Light copper wires (very similar composition to the PW Audio 1960 4-wire), the Khan was at its best. Bass notes had a firm, powerful, growly texture and highs were still remarkably sparkly. Some feel that copper wires subdue the highs in a sense and this cable betrays that notion quite handily. Mids were largely unchanged, but soundstage expanded in all directions by a small margin to really take the technical abilities of the Khan to the max. What an amazing listen with all strong points of the Khan punching through to world-class levels.
Strapping an Effect Audio Leonidas II & Cleopatra bespoke cable on to the Khan provided interesting results as well. This cable provided a very clean and controlled bass response, kept the mid-range pretty similar to the above copper cables, but added a dose of sparkle to the treble that may or may not be needed by most listeners. Technicality left nothing wanting, though I cannot help but feel the Khan is more at home with copper cables.
Final Thoughts: I have had the Khan for a while now, but it was a fun journey to put all of my accumulated thoughts into the form of a review. I have been an advocate of Noble IEMs, especially the Khan, for a while now and was excited to see Noble come out with a highly-engineered and refined “tri-brid” in this race of technology. Many of these “tri-brids” missed the mark for me from either a tuning perspective or coherency, but I have found my life partner in the Khan. It’s a highly refined and technical sound, but it’s also an all-day enjoyment piece depending on your preference, musical tastes and cable selection. I have seen that since my ownership of the Khan, the “Tux 5” has been released and has been penned a slightly more relaxed Khan, so perhaps that may suit some folks who are sensitive to treble. For me, however, what makes the Khan most remarkable is its unwillingness to compromise and intentionally energetic sound. Every time I put these IEMs on, they bring a smile to my face no matter the music or source. While I do think these benefit from a slightly-warmer source and a high-quality copper cable, I am happy to report that I consider these a five star showing in all regards. If you enjoy clean, textured and fast dynamic bass, crystal clear mids and vocals with an energetic treble sparkle and large soundstage, I honestly believe these should be at the top of your list. That is, of course, if you have reached the level of Audio Rabbit Hole where two and a half grand is an acceptable hole in your wallet. I would personally forgo quite a few meals and months’ worth of rent for the Noble Khans.
I am an IEM guy at heart. I am a cable believer. I drink 40oz bottles of snake oil and use unicorn dust to style my hair. I have never done a blind test because that might tell me something I do not wish to hear. I have published a few reviews over the years, have never made a “ranking list” and generally agree with at least 50% of the opinions I read on the internet. I do not know how to make audio graphs, describe certain frequency ranges or peaks and I couldn’t tell you why balanced sounds better than single-ended. But what I can say is this: I have owned over 20 top-of-the-line IEMs and I am here today to give you my thoughts about one of my very favorite ones, the Noble Khan.
Test Equipment: during my ownership of the Noble Khan, I have had several different sources. Most of my listening has been done on a desktop DAC and amp combo in the form of a Sony TA-ZH1ES, with numerous other sessions spanning across a recently-acquired (and LOVED) Astell & Kern Kann Cube (known as “Kube” by the cool kids, and let me tell you what a pain in the ass it is spewing out words between a source called the Kann and an IEM also called the Khan), a wonderful Cayin N6ii and a Sony PHA-2A which I use at work. There are different sound signatures with these sources and I will touch on that a bit later. You will notice that all of these sources are balanced, so I opted to use the Noble 8-wire balanced cable rather than the “stock” cable that came with the Khan. Also more on that later. Finally, my music all comes from the same place: Tidal Hi-Fi streaming using master quality where available and the rest Hi-Fi. The only other accessories used in this review were my ears, several (okay, several hundred) cans of beer and maybe a glass of wine or ten when music called for a slightly fancier listen. Oh, and my tried-and-true Spiral Dot tips. Speaking of tips…
Ordering, Accessories, Tips, Packaging: for buyers mostly anywhere in the world, Noble has you covered. Ordering from their own site is straight forward, several distributors exist around the world with equally-seamless options and if you are so inclined, you can even PM the Wizard himself on Head-Fi with any questions. I have found Noble’s customer service and support to be a cut above the rest and they operate as a stand-up and honest business. This is something you are not always guaranteed in the boutique IEM world and Noble is a breath of fresh air in that sense. So, once you receive your Khan, what’s in the package?
First, you’ll see the familiar packaging to include a Pelican 1010 hard case that probably could have stopped Chernobyl from melting down, a nice assortment of high-quality Noble tips, a cleaning tool, the IEMs/cable and some cool Noble-branded straps to keep your portable rig sandwiched together. Fairly typical of any high-end offering. No complaints here. I will mention that the tips are not an off-the-shelf variant like Spinfits or Comply, but Noble-branded and fit exceptionally well on the IEMs. They also offer numerous size/shape options and I cannot imagine many folks will have to venture out for other tips. Personal preference really, but that is my take on the tip situation here. Still, I prefer JVC’s Spiral Dots for familiarity and known-fit.
A quick note on price: this is not a cheap IEM. At $2,399, it’s probably a few months’ rent, a mortgage payment, a semester of college, a minor service on that second-hand Mercedes you wish you didn’t buy…but guess what? It’s actually cheaper than many other flagships of 2018/2019/2020. Perceived value and within-reason pricing sadly stirs up too much controversy in this industry, so all I will say is that if you are in the market and looking within this segment, you would do yourself a great disservice to not strongly consider the Noble Khan.
Fit and Cable: the Khan is a stark departure from the universal IEMs Noble has created in the past, and I think it is great. While we all know (and some love) the egg-shaped aluminum shell of nearly every recent universal Noble IEM prior, these are quite different. While large, they’re very ergonomic and I immediately got a good seal with my preferred size of tips. The nozzle is on the longer side, so the IEMs stick out of my ears a bit, but this hasn’t caused any issues. Though I will say, I am not one of those folks who sleeps on the size of my head with IEMs in my ears. I do not imagine this shape would lend well to that sort of use. Besides, the sound is way too exciting to sleep through! But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Overall, fit works extremely well for me and the nozzle design lends itself to accepting a wide variety of tips. While the IEMs are on the larger side and will likely not sit flush in your ear like, say, the Earsonics Grace, they do provide extended comfort over long listening sessions and I am of the belief that many users will find them quite comfortable. I cannot say the same for the Dita Dream XLS, but there I go getting ahead of myself again (comparisons!).
The cable included with the Khan is a nice looking four-wire black and white braided design, terminated in 3.5mm TRS. Nothing super special here, but I found the cable to be light, comfortable and did not get in the way. The Khan has recessed 2-pin sockets, so the sky is the limit as far as third party cable options go. As I said before, I’m a cable believer so this cable did not spend much time on the IEM if I’m being totally honest.
Sound Signature: thank you for bearing with me thus far while I babble about things that are all completely irrelevant to what you came here for: the sound! The Khan is a highly refined, highly technical IEM with an overall balanced sound. I do not think this IEM fits into any categories such as “bass-head” or “timbre-licious,” but instead it is a carefully thought out tuning that portrays music in a manner that is slightly enhanced in all areas. The dynamic driver provides that impactful and air-moving bass we all crave, the mids ringing through balanced armatures provide a level playing field for all types of vocals and the highs are drenched in clarity and sparkle from that piezo-electric tweeter. I have heard a few IEMs with similar “tri-brid” configurations, but none have matched the Khan’s refinement and targeted sound reproduction. What we have here is an IEM that responds well to a wide array of musical genres, provides a sense of excitement and most importantly, does it with a technical prowess that is up there with the best (and warrants its price IMHO, but there I go getting ahead of myself again). This is not an IEM that I would classify as warm, uber-natural or overly-musical and I mean that in a good way. While it’s not unnatural, per se, the treble energy separates it from the likes of the Empire Phantom as one example. It is a chiseled tri-athlete rather than the current dad-bod I am sporting…
Bass: let’s start with the dynamic driver’s opening act, that sweet and impactful bass. Noble’s prior flagships have been all based on balanced armature drivers and I believe this is their first hybrid. There have been dynamic driver implementations in Noble’s past, but none at this level. Starting with sub-bass, I hear a textured and extended rumble that digs down deep for those subwoofer-like air feelings. Quantity is slightly north of neutral, way off from something like the Empire Ears Legend X, but extension, texture and impact are incredibly well placed and fit into the scope of Khan’s overall sound signature. Skip to about three and a quarter minutes in to “Why so Serious?” by Hans Zimmer and you will be blessed with a deep, solid rumble that may even startle you at first. In the quality vs. quantity debate, Khan takes the quality home easily.
Moving into the mid-bass, things are fairly tame here. While I’ve heard numerous IEMs that have mid-bass bleeding into mids, there is no such outcome here. I would venture to say the sub-bass is at the center of the Khan’s bass focus and the mid-bass, in order to preserve a clean canvas for the mids and vocals to be painted, is neutral. No issues here as I am not a fan at all of bloated mid-bass and despite being on the neutral side, I still hear nice warmth and texture in bass guitar, kick drums and this frequency range still has a solid kick when called upon. Bass in general is very fast for a dynamic driver and never feels bloated or slow. It’s a bass that kicks in when it needs to and retreats equally fast into the enveloping surroundings. Controlled, textured and delicious!
Mids: I have owned many Noble IEMs in the past and have always been impressed with their mid-range tuning, allowing vocals to sing in a clear atmosphere and guitars to ring through with a feeling of realism. A song I think that shows this is Eric Clapton’s “Change the World” because the stringed instruments and vocals are a great test of mids. Here, the Khan provides an incredible sense of realism within instruments and vocals are layered and defined through the complex passages. While this tuning does not offer “thick” or “meaty” enhancements around the mids, the dynamics are so engaging because the music just seems to form an atmosphere around the vocals which stay at the forefront despite not being “forward.” At the same time, the sub-bass focus and neutral mid-bass give the mids a precise sound as you would expect from a highly-technical and refined neutralish monitor. I am simply addicted to band-based music with these, especially songs with a crunchy electric guitar and toe-tapping bass guitar.
Treble: ah, the treble. If there is any area that might cause a bit of controversy with the Khan, this will be it. It’s not the level of controversy of, say, should we impeach Trump or is the Popeyes chicken sandwich better than Chick-Fil-A’s, but it may cause a slight riff amongst the outspoken audiophiles. For me, I find the treble wonderfully sparkly, highly-extended and energetic. I do not like to use the term bright because it suggests a more unpleasant treble in my view, but to my ears these are not going to be the “everyone can listen for eight hours straight” side of the treble fence. I personally love a sparkly treble, so I am addicted to the higher registers of the Khan’s sound reproduction. The piezo-electric tweeter reproduces high notes with an ultra-high dose of clarity and detail, which may offend some treble-sensitive listeners. But once you’ve heard it, it’s hard to go back to a “normal” treble and I find myself craving the Khan any time I need some sparkle in my life (or ears really). Upper treble especially provides an injection of energy and rockets the perceived clarity through the roof. No, it’s not a boosted treble to enhance details, it’s a highly extended treble that responds when the music calls for it. I will not conclude it to be warm, lush or smooth like some of the estat IEMs I have heard, but rather a sparkly energy that will soar to the highest registers. On that note, and without referencing or creating any graphs that are not worth the HTML they are printed on, I will venture to guess that these fare very well when comparing to other TOTL offerings whose treble falls off sharply into the upper regions. In my opinion, the treble is the star of the show on the Khan IEMs, but it still fits coherently into the rest of the spectrum and allows all frequencies to shine.
Vocals: I touched on the vocals a bit when discussion the mids, but they deserve their own section. Accurately describing vocal reproduction is a challenge for me because, well, I’m a cheap date. I hear lovely female vocals and get taken pretty quickly, no matter the IEM. My wife says the same about me when I shop at Bed Bath and Beyond. I have not heard an IEM in all my years that ever made a stunning vocalist sound not-stunning. That said, after digging deep and critiquing my own hearing more than anything, I am ready to confidently say that the Khan is a class act at reproducing vocals. Like I mentioned prior, the Khan is not going to add thickness or warmth to the vocals, but instead will keep things true-to-form per the voice of the singer. The Khan will not make Avril Lavigne sound like Nora Jones and going the other way, they will not make Eva Cassidy sound like an anemic squirrel. During critical listening, I detect a nuanced separation of vocals from the rest of the pack that highlights the singer while not recessing instruments or other sounds to the back of the stage. This is all a fancy way of saying the vocals are natural, ever-so-slightly forward and to my ears, emotionally stimulating. I have not been left wanting for more warmth or thickness, but instead have marveled at just how awesome a crystal clear vocal presentation can sound. I will say that compared to other more musically-enhanced monitors (Legend X for example), the vocals may seem slightly lean in comparison. But that clean stage really allows the listener to be captivated by the Khan’s vocal presentation.
Soundstage, Separation & Timbre: I don’t make it a secret that I have difficulty reviewing, let alone describing soundstage dimensions. Instead, I am just a simpleton that can tell you the Khan has an expansive and vast soundstage, most of which I will assume is derived by the cleanliness of the background and balanced tuning. I tested a few tracks (notably Amber Rubarth’s stuff) and can pinpoint exactly where each instrument is placed and where she is standing in the stage. Musical sounds expand very wide and give the “out of head” impression on many live recordings. I am highly impressed with the large, enveloping soundstage on these.
The clarity-driven focus of these IEMs works in favor of separation and imaging and I am not left wanting anything else in technicality. There is an effortless presentation of detail and separation where the Khan gives the impression that it is not even breaking a sweat with highly complex and specifically-placed instrumental tracks. Again, an incredibly impressive technical showing on this front. As for timbre, I have seen these monitors referred to as lean and while I agree to a certain extent, the clarity and neutrality are what I believe to be intentional tuning by Noble. These are a little too energetic and technical to be considered absolutely “natural” in my opinion, but at the same time I would not change the tuning one bit.
Comparisons: comparisons are always fun and I have chosen a few IEMs in my collection to compare the Khan with that I feel are in a similar price and performance bracket.
Empire Ears Legend X: while both are hybrid configurations containing a dynamic driver (actually two in the Legend X), handling the bass, the similarities sort of end there. The Legend X contrasts the Khan’s tuning and heads more into the L-shaped tuning with massively impactful and large doses of bass slam. I love, love, love the bass on the Legend X, but it is not the monitor I would choose for every genre of music like I would the Khan. While the Legend X reaches deeper, rumbles harder and thumps right up into the mid-bass, the Khan is clean, controlled, slightly softer and rolls off into the mid-bass sooner. The Legend X provides a bass track whether you want it there or not and while I do not mean this in a bad way at all, the Khan is the most “daily driver” of the two for my ears. Moving up into the mid-range, the Legend X provides a more lush and thick experience with the vocals sounding intimate and emotional where Khan is more believable that you are actually at the show. Khan is dryer and airier in the mids, where Legend X is enhanced, sweetened and will probably leave a little bit of residual lipstick around your ear lobes if you’re not careful. Khan is refined, clean, marriage material. Treble is another area of departure for the Legend X and Khan with Khan having more sparkle and perceived clarity and Legend X being smoother, more relaxed, but still quite extended. I would venture to guess that actual extension and technicality of the treble is similar on both monitors, but the Khan brings the quantity of sparkle out in highest doses in comparison to Legend X. Overall, it’s really a question of tuning and your preferences with Legend X being warm and lush with monstrous bass and Khan being more neutral, sparkly and clean. This is why I own both!
Dita Dream XLS: here is an interesting comparison where we have the latest single dynamic driver from Dita in a gorgeous titanium shell (which is not nearly as comfortable as the Khan) and an accessory package befitting of a king (despite Khan’s slogan of “The King of Kings”). These two monitors really only share the fact that they have a dynamic driver and cost around the same price. Dita’s tuning of the Dream XLS is all about natural, emotional and musical listening, but still with a high dose of technicality. Starting with the bass, Khan extends deeper with similar quantities of rumble, but the Dream XLS focuses a tad more on mid-bass whereas Khan focuses on clean and textured sub-bass with a dryer mid-bass. Both thump appropriately hard and provide that dynamic driver sweetness, but the Dream XLS is an awfully engaging sound given the balance between mid and sub-bass, with slight enhancements to quantity and a pleasing texture. It’s the rounder bass of the two while Khan is the sharper and faster bass. Mids on the Dream XLS are natural and slightly warmer than Khan, where Khan focuses on cleanliness and accurate reproduction. Female vocals just melt into your ears with the XLS, where as Khan delivers them on a silver platter. Khan feels airer whereas Dream XLS gives a warmer and thicker touch. Treble is again quite different with Khan being more sparkly, though Dream XLS’s full-range dynamic driver is capable of very impressive extension and sparkle where the track calls for it. I would call the Dream XLS the more balanced of the two, though with a feeling of warmth sprinkled across the frequency range. Did I mention the much prefer the fit of the Khan?
Noble Katana: Noble’s prior flagship was something I went back and forth on as far as which to purchase for several months and I ended up buying both because I am clinically insane and addicted. That said, the prior monitor that shared the flagship monitor with the Encore definitely can still hold its own. The Katana is all balanced armatures, though has a surprisingly impactful and pleasing sub-bass and mid-bass. Dare I say, the mid-bass is even punchier on the Katana because of it’s overall speed and cleanliness, hence the name Katana. Bass digs deeper on the Khan of course, but there was less of a difference here than I thought. Into the mids, the Katana sounds slightly warmer, though still very neutral and airy. Mid-range is quite similar until you really A/B between these and I find the Noble “house sound” is alive and well in the vocal reproduction of both. Into the treble, Khan sounds a little more sparkly and more extended, but Katana has a little more warmth in the lower treble that causes a more “fatigue-free” listen in my opinion. I am honestly very happy with both monitors and plan to keep both, but overall the bass extension and treble extension are superior on the Khan, for better or worse in accordance with your tolerances and preference. Oh, Katana is tiny, I love the fit, and mine is the “Wizard” version with a unique acrylic shell.
Earsonics Grace: I have a soft spot for Earsonics, but I will try to remain as unbiased here as I can. I love the Grace. It’s a highly-musical, 10 balanced armature monitor that pretty much has zero in common with the Khan other than my large amount of unconditional love for both. Starting with bass, Grace has a soft, but oh-so-pleasing bass response that provides smooth and solid impact, as well as nuanced notes of something like a bass guitar. Khan digs deeper once again, provides more slam in the sub-bass, but the mid-bass from Grace is deliciously musical, warm and pleasing. Khan is noticeably more neutral in the bass tone, while Grace provides emotion. Into the mids, Grace is again warmer, but still manages a large and holographic stage for vocals to arise from in a crystal clear manner. Khan is more neutral, but also more accurate in my opinion. Khan gives that feeling of a “correctness” whereas Grace puts you in the same venue but adds a few glasses of wine to the perception. It’s neutral vs. natural here in my book. Treble is softer, though still highly extended on the Grace where Khan is the more sparkly and energetic. Khan feels more technical, higher resolution and more open in its sound, but Grace is a lesson in deliberate tuning that creates one of the most pleasing sounds I have ever heard in a monitor. Also, Grace is remarkably ergonomic and much smaller than Khan, though Khan is still extremely comfortable for me.
More on Cables: if you’re still with me thus far, you have probably gathered that the Khan might be a little too spritely for some. Queue the cable rolling! In my opinion, Khan performs best with a high-quality copper cable or a silver-based cable with some mixture of gold or other alloys. Sticking a pure silver cable, while acknowledging that not all silver cables are not created equal, did not provide the best results for me. Well, that is unless you want to take the highs from energetic to holy-mother-of-God. The Noble 8-wire OCC copper cable is actually a terrific match for the Khan, slightly thickening the highs and adding a wonderfully round texture to the bass. But I couldn’t stop there, I had to try others in my collection…
With a cable made by Triton Audio using Cardas Clear Light copper wires (very similar composition to the PW Audio 1960 4-wire), the Khan was at its best. Bass notes had a firm, powerful, growly texture and highs were still remarkably sparkly. Some feel that copper wires subdue the highs in a sense and this cable betrays that notion quite handily. Mids were largely unchanged, but soundstage expanded in all directions by a small margin to really take the technical abilities of the Khan to the max. What an amazing listen with all strong points of the Khan punching through to world-class levels.
Strapping an Effect Audio Leonidas II & Cleopatra bespoke cable on to the Khan provided interesting results as well. This cable provided a very clean and controlled bass response, kept the mid-range pretty similar to the above copper cables, but added a dose of sparkle to the treble that may or may not be needed by most listeners. Technicality left nothing wanting, though I cannot help but feel the Khan is more at home with copper cables.
Final Thoughts: I have had the Khan for a while now, but it was a fun journey to put all of my accumulated thoughts into the form of a review. I have been an advocate of Noble IEMs, especially the Khan, for a while now and was excited to see Noble come out with a highly-engineered and refined “tri-brid” in this race of technology. Many of these “tri-brids” missed the mark for me from either a tuning perspective or coherency, but I have found my life partner in the Khan. It’s a highly refined and technical sound, but it’s also an all-day enjoyment piece depending on your preference, musical tastes and cable selection. I have seen that since my ownership of the Khan, the “Tux 5” has been released and has been penned a slightly more relaxed Khan, so perhaps that may suit some folks who are sensitive to treble. For me, however, what makes the Khan most remarkable is its unwillingness to compromise and intentionally energetic sound. Every time I put these IEMs on, they bring a smile to my face no matter the music or source. While I do think these benefit from a slightly-warmer source and a high-quality copper cable, I am happy to report that I consider these a five star showing in all regards. If you enjoy clean, textured and fast dynamic bass, crystal clear mids and vocals with an energetic treble sparkle and large soundstage, I honestly believe these should be at the top of your list. That is, of course, if you have reached the level of Audio Rabbit Hole where two and a half grand is an acceptable hole in your wallet. I would personally forgo quite a few meals and months’ worth of rent for the Noble Khans.
Missha1981
noble audio khan has the best treble I have ever heard in an iem it has the maximum microdialization but at the same time the sound is natural with a long decay of each note, clean and has good weight
rantng
Pictures would be greatly appreciated
