[BS5711]

Dan's comments on underdamping vs overdamping sound very interesting in light of something I discovered recently, which is dynamic EQ. As opposed to normal parametric EQ changing a frequency range all of the time, dynamic EQ detects transients, and boosts (or cuts) a frequency range only when a sufficiently large transient is detected. It thus "overdrives"/"underdrives" the headphone for those transients. I have found that I could reproduce the same sensation of slam that I get from high-dynamic headphones like the Focal Elex on my electrostatic headphones, which would otherwise be lesser in that department. I'll try it out on my red Noire soon.

It seems that headphones with high macro-dynamics are "overdriving" their drivers during transients in a way that isn't properly captured in the Farina sweeps we normally use to characterize FR. From what Dan says, it should be visible in the impulse response, but discerning those properties from impulse responses is difficult.

And for anyone wondering about amps, I'll throw in my two cents: at a recent meet, I thought the Singxer SA-1 amp gave my red Noire a bit more slam than I was used to. I didn't have my normal gear to A/B test with and it was a meet with people listening and talking nearby, so I might have just been listening louder than normal, but something about the SA-1, maybe its Class A design, seemed to bring out a bit more punch and slam into the Noire.

The technicalities are above my pay grade but I am with you in principle, sounds very reasonable from the gist I took from Dan's comments.

 

[David A Silva]

Shenzen Audio website notes the following about the Singxer SA-1:
5.The final output circuit uses multi-stage current amplification, similar to the architecture of a high-power amplifier.

Stable current at low impedance is reported to enliven DCA planars.

 

[kennyb123]

I wonder if the lack of bass "slam" is a result of that damping, a somewhat intentional design if perhaps a bit of a trade off overall so that other frequencies are handled more naturally. I am not personally against the Noire bass, it might not punch but the overall tonality is very pleasing to me and they are a lovely all day listen while I work.

This reminds me of my impression of Magneplanar speakers. Those enamored with them will argue that they produce bass. As I've spent time listening to a friend's 3.7's, I agree that the bass notes are there, but the way that it is reproduced makes kick drums sound like tap drums. There just isn't enough KICK to it. I think the same could be argued to some degree about the Noires, but like you, I find them lovely to listen to.

 

[gonzalo1004es]

Thank you all for the replies, much appreciated. It really is the headphones, not the amp, not the music. Having said that, I find them superb, but there is definitely something unusual going on with them and how they are perceived despite the measurements.

 

[rudbeard]

Something I've started thinking about RE: DCA lack of slam is that I still hear fantastic detail and don't find them flat, just not very gigantic. It's like a color accurate and infinite contrast OLED with lower brightness versus a showroom floor TV set to max brightness and saturation mode. I don't mean to diminish the value of punchy macro-dynamics as part of perceived detail – I do miss the physicality of Audeze or Focal – but pure detail is good too. I think I have IEMs that feel like they displace more air and have more slam. The sound of the Aeon Noire is definitely detailed without being as present as a bright TV, and I think that's especially valuable.

 

[YungOmbat]

are these and improvement over the drop collaboration?

 

[David A Silva]

are these and improvement over the drop collaboration?

Definitely! Tuning adheres closely to the Harmon curve, no eq needed. Better microdynamics. They also fold up for compact storage.

 

[SolarCetacean]

Definitely! Tuning adheres closely to the Harmon curve, no eq needed. Better microdynamics. They also fold up for compact storage.

I think the Noire is significantly brighter in the upper treble beyond 10KHz than the Harman target calls for (though there is some recent research done by Knowles - the BA IEM driver manufacturer - claiming that people like a brighter upper treble than what's in the Harman target). I thought that it was a bit too bright, but I use the black foam inserts to tame it a bit, just enough to be bright without being "zingy".

 

[gonzalo1004es]

So, after a couple of weeks, with the white inserts and a couple of eq points the Noires are really growing on me, fantastic headphones! I’m currently on my second pair, as the first one had one driver conpletely dead after 10 days. I read in ASR another case like that, has anybody have a similar issue? I’m a bit worried after the first pair…

 

[v1rooz]

Hey guys, what is your eq preset on mojo 2 for noire?
For me +2db at "yellow" shelf and thats it. Really really nice that lack of midrange is filled now and much more pleasant overall without changing hp signature at all. (no tuning pads, at first i've been using black foam but after one week i come back to the stock setting )

 

[gonzalo1004es]

Anybody has one of the adjusters getting loose after a few seconds of putting the headphones on? Hopefully there’s a solution

 

[rudbeard]

Anybody has one of the adjusters getting loose after a few seconds of putting the headphones on? Hopefully there’s a solution

This is a really common problem with all the DCA headphones that have sliders. Carefully try tightening the screws until they just gently move up and down when you press.

 

[ahmonge]

This is a really common problem with all the DCA headphones that have sliders. Carefully try tightening the screws until they just gently move up and down when you press.

This is what i did to solve the same problem.

 

[gonzalo1004es]

This is a really common problem with all the DCA headphones that have sliders. Carefully try tightening the screws until they just gently move up and down when you press.

Thank you! That was an easy fix

 

[v1rooz]

DIY 7n occ litz kryo