Introducing NOIRE X

[Metalingus]

Hi Dan, i love your creations and i’m a customer since launch of Aeon RT. My only complaint about DCA headphones was drivability and to this date “portable headphones” still require strong amp.

Do you plan to introduce more efficent HP in the future? Else, open one or ANC like Bathys? Thank you.

 

[Zibi]

Thanks Dan.

I have a Chord Mojo 2/Poly and a Chord Hugo 2/2go and the NOIRE X sounds great on these units. I use the former Chord unit for mobile purposes and I currently use the latter Chord unit for bedside desktop duty with the NOIRE X.

The dealer had a RME ADI-2 DAC FS and a Chord Hugo TT2 which I didn't have a chance to audition.

I would be careful pairing RME ADI-2 DAC FS with Noire X. Actually my RME + A2 Noire pushed me to learn more about amp to HP pairing. I was not happy how RME drove Noire on it's single ended output. Anemic bass, no slam, shallow sound stage. So, to test it, I took my Noire on an audition journey to Mola Mola Tambaqui, Violectric V222, Ferrum OOR. On all of those it performed much better. I used "balanced" 4 pin HP outputs (V222 and OOR). ADI-2, while being a great DAC/DSP combo has current limitation implemented in the amp section. NX has the same 13 ohms impedance so it may suffer from power delivery limits on RME. At least this is my understanding.

 

[KeaneShadow]

My Noire X along with iFi Gryphon will be delivered today. Hope it will be a great pairing to go along with my Sony WM1AM2.

 

[mrspeakers]

Hi Dan, i love your creations and i’m a customer since launch of Aeon RT. My only complaint about DCA headphones was drivability and to this date “portable headphones” still require strong amp.

Do you plan to introduce more efficent HP in the future? Else, open one or ANC like Bathys? Thank you.

Sorry, we don't discuss futures.... That said the power requirements for NOIRE X are substantially lower than for E3, opening up a lot more choices. FiiO, Lotoo, iBasso, Chord, iFi, and others make portable options that are fine. Just look for ~250mW at 16 ohms.

 

[Hubert481]

I would be careful pairing RME ADI-2 DAC FS with Noire X. Actually my RME + A2 Noire pushed me to learn more about amp to HP pairing. I was not happy how RME drove Noire on it's single ended output. Anemic bass, no slam, shallow sound stage. So, to test it, I took my Noire on an audition journey to Mola Mola Tambaqui, Violectric V222, Ferrum OOR. On all of those it performed much better. I used "balanced" 4 pin HP outputs (V222 and OOR). ADI-2, while being a great DAC/DSP combo has current limitation implemented in the amp section. NX has the same 13 ohms impedance so it may suffer from power delivery limits on RME. At least this is my understanding.

RME has 940 mW at 16ohm per channel
Mrspeakers recommended ~250mW at 16 ohms.

 

[KeaneShadow]

Hi, just received my Noire X today along with the iFi Gryphon portable amp. This is my first pair of planar magnetics and I have a newbie question. I normally use an IEM connected via 4.4mm to my Sony WM1AM2 with volume set at 40%, and that’s plenty loud for me. Today with the NX connected to the Gryphon via 4.4mm and my Sony DAP as the source I find that I need to have my volume set to 75% on the Gryphon in order to achieve the same loudness as using my IEM connected directly to my DAP. Is this normal?

 

[BS5711]

Hi, just received my Noire X today along with the iFi Gryphon portable amp. This is my first pair of planar magnetics and I have a newbie question. I normally use an IEM connected via 4.4mm to my Sony WM1AM2 with volume set at 40%, and that’s plenty loud for me. Today with the NX connected to the Gryphon via 4.4mm and my Sony DAP as the source I find that I need to have my volume set to 75% on the Gryphon in order to achieve the same loudness as using my IEM connected directly to my DAP. Is this normal?

The Gryphon doesn't seem to ramp up in volume in a typical manner.

I listen to some IEM at around 55 - 75 out of the 4.4mm with the upper being loud.

With Aeon Noire and HD600 a setting of 75 out of the 4.4mm would be modest normal listening volume.

I have never used anything lower than 50 even with low to modest volume listening using IEM.

Short answer, yes 75 with the Noire X would be pretty typical for the Gryphon unless you are a very quiet listener.

Note that I don't have the Noire X but the specs indicate very similar power requirements to the OG Noire.

 

[KeaneShadow]

The Gryphon doesn't seem to ramp up in volume in a typical manner.

I listen to some IEM at around 55 - 75 out of the 4.4mm with the upper being loud.

With Aeon Noire and HD600 a setting of 75 out of the 4.4mm would be modest normal listening volume.

I have never used anything lower than 50 even with low to modest volume listening using IEM.

Short answer, yes 75 with the Noire X would be pretty typical for the Gryphon unless you are a very quiet listener.

Note that I don't have the Noire X but the specs indicate very similar power requirements to the OG Noire.

Thanks so much for your input! Before buying the NX my daily pairing has been 64 Audio U4s with WM1AM2. At 40% and high gain I found it to be plenty loud with that pairing.

I also noticed when using Amazon Music HD from my Sony DAP and connected to the Gryphon I could barely hear the music at 75% volume with the NX, but listening to music stored on my DAP thru the Gryphon is plenty loud at 75%. I hope the Gryphon I purchased isn’t a faulty unit.

 

[BS5711]

Thanks so much for your input! Before buying the NX my daily pairing has been 64 Audio U4s with WM1AM2. At 40% and high gain I found it to be plenty loud with that pairing.

I also noticed when using Amazon Music HD from my Sony DAP and connected to the Gryphon I could barely hear the music at 75% volume with the NX, but listening to music stored on my DAP thru the Gryphon is plenty loud at 75%. I hope the Gryphon I purchased isn’t a faulty unit.

It unlikely faulty, 75% volume is about right for normal volume with the DCA, I suggest your digital volume is probably down using the streaming app and what you are experiencing with SD card music is normal for the Gryphon.

Are you using digital into the Gryphon or line out-in ?

 

[TRHH]

Sorry, we don't discuss futures.... That said the power requirements for NOIRE X are substantially lower than for E3, opening up a lot more choices. FiiO, Lotoo, iBasso, Chord, iFi, and others make portable options that are fine. Just look for ~250mW at 16 ohms.

@mrspeakers - Thanks for all your support here. Highly appreciated.

I am the lucky owner of the Noire X that I use with iBasso D16 - just great.

I totally understand that you can't comment on future products. But it gives me a small challange When a new high-end open-back from DCA is coming out I will order. So I need to be sure that the next DAC/AMP that I buy have enough power to drive the new open-back.

It would be great if you could give some guidance how much is required? @32 Ohm

Thanks

Torben

 

[KeaneShadow]

It unlikely faulty, 75% volume is about right for normal volume with the DCA, I suggest your digital volume is probably down using the streaming app and what you are experiencing with SD card music is normal for the Gryphon.

Are you using digital into the Gryphon or line out-in ?

I’m using USB-C to connect Gryphon to my DAP.

 

[JaquesGelee]

Anybody here, who could compare the Noire to Noire X? And how close is the NX to the Stealth?

 

[Hubert481]

I would be careful pairing RME ADI-2 DAC FS with Noire X. Actually my RME + A2 Noire pushed me to learn more about amp to HP pairing. I was not happy how RME drove Noire on it's single ended output. Anemic bass, no slam, shallow sound stage. So, to test it, I took my Noire on an audition journey to Mola Mola Tambaqui, Violectric V222, Ferrum OOR. On all of those it performed much better. I used "balanced" 4 pin HP outputs (V222 and OOR). ADI-2, while being a great DAC/DSP combo has current limitation implemented in the amp section. NX has the same 13 ohms impedance so it may suffer from power delivery limits on RME. At least this is my understanding.

What volume level were you using on RME with X

 

[Zibi]

What volume level were you using on RME with X

No, I have only used Aeon2 Noire. I have not used Noire X on my RME FS. But both have the same impedance of only 13 ohms so was my concern about current delivery.
On A2 Noire I usually listened around -35 dB on High Power.

 

[Hubert481]

So your statement: Anemic bass, no slam, shallow sound stage.
was for NOIRE and not NOIRE X - correct?