Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Noire Closed Back Headphones 3.5mm 1/4 Inch 2m (Black)

I purchased both the Aeon 2 Noire and the Noire X about six months apart, but for some reason I’m able to post just this one review under the Aeon 2 Noire. Continue reading for the Noire X review. (Aeon 2 Noire) I’ll make this short & sweet. They sounded marginally better than my Sennheiser HD 600s which, I realize are open back. The problem is they fit so poorly. I couldn’t turn my head without the ear cups sliding. I did buy them used “like new,” so maybe that has something to do with how they fit. I found they have absolutely no clamp force. Please don’t misunderstand me, they sounded amazing. But audio quality means nothing if they’re not wearable. As far as the sound goes, I heard deep, yet controlled bass with punchy (where appropriate) percussion. Very accurate mids. They were a little too bright, but three different sets of dampening pads are included, which help counter the brightness. I settled on the thickest pads. I was also able to EQ them (they required minimal tinkering). I’ve looked over other comments and haven’t noticed other complaints about clamp force, so it may have just been a defective unit, which could explain why the original owner was unhappy with them as well. Ultimately, I returned them. Hope that helps. (Noire X) I got a brand new pair of Noire X. I paired them with an IPhone 14 Pro Max and a FiiO BTR17 DAC/Amp The BTR17 puts out 300 mw per channel when using a 4.4 mm balanced cable. The Noire X needs that power. Dan Clark Audio recommends a minimum of 250 mw per channel. Anything less and they won’t reach their potential and you’ll likely be disappointed. If you don’t already have an amp or a DAP that has sufficient power, then suck it up, do the research, and buy one. You’ll be happy you did. COMFORT They are the second-most comfortable headphones I’ve ever worn (first are the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro, which I nearly prefer to wearing nothing!). The gigantic headband on the Noire X easily distributes the 385 grams over such a massive area that you never feel the weight. I also own a pair of Sony MDR-M1, which I believe weigh a feather-like 216 grams. The Noire X feel just about as light on my head. The ear pads, which are glued on, are very soft and supple. They conform gently and nicely to your head. My ears fit completely inside without touching the cups. There is minimal, yet sufficient clamp force. It honestly feels like you’re not wearing anything. I’ve worn them for hours and never once felt fatigued or warm. SOUND I was blown away from the moment I put them on. I used the BTR17’s preset EQ and tuned them to the Harman curve. I have flip flopped between that setting and an EQ bypass, but the upper treble needed some taming. So I used preset Harman settings and then went in with a scalpel and made some minor adjustments. The upper trebleI is not nearly as out of control as it is on the Aeon 2, but it is still a little spicy. I find the sound to be razor sharp, faster and more accurate than the Aeon 2’s sound, which already sounded excellent. I’d like to address the reviewer who complained about a lack of bass. First, did you give the cans sufficient power to drive them? Next, are you used to a dynamic driver? Planars won’t hit like a dynamic driver, but they will punch when the music calls for it, and the bass you do get will be faster, sharper and not at all muddy. It’s blissfully more accurate. But if you’re used to Bose or Sony’s latest Bluetooth offering, then it will take some getting used to before you realize that what you had been listening to had bloated, turbid bass. I used Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own” to do an A/B test between my Bose QC Ultra and the Noire X. No comparison. I also used a song off of Katy Perry’s Unplugged album. If I try and post the title, which includes the word “kissed”, the review may not get published. Anyway, the song begins with a very deep string instrument. It’s a great song to test your gear. The Noire X got very low, yet handled it like a champ. I also sampled “Oh, Me” by Nirvana (Unplugged album). The Noire X resolved the very low frequencies without ever sounding muddy. The Bose, with a flat signal, sounded bloated and muddy, but, yes, they may make the Noire X initially seem like they lack bass. If you’re used to a dynamic driver, then be a little patient and give your ears some time to adjust to the Noire X and you’ll appreciate their accuracy. My daily drivers had been divided between my Sennheiser HD 490 Pro and the HD 600, neither of which are tuned bass-heavy. There’s no comparison: the Noire X sound so much better than either. The Noire X have better instrument separation, are more detailed, and just sound more refined. Going from those two Sennheiser to the Noire X is like going from a TV with 1080 resolution to 4K. I don’t know how else to describe it. BUILD QUALITY They are built like a tank. Yes, the cups are fingerprint magnets. Either use the provided microfiber cloth to clean the cups, or try to avoid touching them. My only complaint about their build is that sometimes I get frustrated trying to fold them just right so they fit into their case…I’m quibbling. If that’s the worst thing I can say about these, then what are you waiting for, get a pair while they’re still available. Seriously, if you already own the Aeon 2 Noire, then I do not think the Noire X provide enough of an upgrade to justify the expense, unless the $800-$1100 means little to you. If, however, you have neither and are undecided, then buy the Noire X—you’ll be happy you did. Happy listening! Incidentally, I’m parting with both pair of my Sennheiser headphones…I can’t think of a reason to keep them. UPDATE: 02/16/26: I was attempting to put the folded headphones into the case the wrong way, which is why I was struggling. They are meant to go in upside down, and I was putting them in right side up. Still loving them. I think I’ve reached my endgame.

(Aeon 2 Noire) These are honestly the best headphones I've ever owned. They do require an amp, and they are neutral sounding enough that your source probably matters a lot more than you're used to. Any reviewer who says they are bad likely have them hooked up directly to a PC output or phone with less than powerful output. While they are portable, I suspect most phones can't really provide the necessary quality or power without a dac/amp. Trying it with a Galaxy S10+, the sound quality was OK, but the volume had to basically be cranked up to max to get anything useful out of them. This is not a detractor to me, it was expected before purchasing, but it's worth noting that you will need to spend some money on a source, they can't magically make your bad sound output or recording sound good. And the technology they are based on requires more power than regular drivers. I've been driving them with a Schiit Fulla E (listen at my PC mostly, EDIT: now a Schiit Hel 2E, the Fulla E is in the low range of power for these*), which is modestly priced and do a decent job. Finally if you are trying to decide between the Aeon 2 vs the Noire, the only difference is the color and ear pads. The pads make a big difference in sound, but they are interchangeable and can be purchased from Dan Clark audio if you wish to change the sound. The Aeon 2 pads make the performance more up close and intimate, while the perforated Noire pads give you more clarity with a somewhat more clinical sound and wider sound stage. Finally I'm no audio expert with Golden ears, so keep that in mind, just a guy with an opinion. * Since you are thinking of spending close to $1000 on headphones, you should probably invest in a good headphone amp regardless. My gaming DAC/amps are good but I'm sure you could spend a little more and get even better sound out of the Dan Clark Aeon Noire.

not what I expected

I've ordered these headphones in "used like new" condition from Gramophone. They arrived, as promised, in perfect condition. These headphones are amazing for their price. I've tested dozens of closed headphones in $4000 budget and these beat all their competitors in the $900 budget. They still lose to the top open models (like, obviously, my HIFIMAN HE1000 v2, or even lose a little to Beyerdynamic DT 990 Premium, although I'd say they are close), but again, this is the best closed-back model I've heard in $900 budget. Balanced, reference sound, amazing, naturally sounding, detailed highs with clear separation. Not fatiguing. The bass is maybe 1db higher than reference value, which is ideal to my taste. Very highly recommended.

These headphones are incredible to listen to. Incredibly balanced, immersive sound that offers whatever you could ask for. I will say that I used the lightest level of dampening foam to take the edge off of the treble, but everyone has their personal tastes, and I know that I am very treble sensitive. Two things to consider when you buy this headphone though. Number one being the music you listen to. These are exceptionally revealing and reward you for having well-recorded music. Number two being the 13 ohm resistance rating. This is very low, but don't take that to mean that they are easy to drive. These can screw with lower end and less powerful amplifiers. I honestly forget why I love these cans on small, low power portable amplifiers, but hook it to something with a couple of watts and these things shine. Overall, if you have the source and music choice, these could easily mean you don't have to spend any more on headphones.

4/29/25 update. I replaced the cheesy stock Dan Clark (DCA) head band with a custom version from Understated Montreal. You can Google their website. The new strap is perfect - looks great, far more comfortable and is a big improvement over the POS OEM DCA head strap. DCA should source all their headbands from Understated Montreal. It would improve their quality instantly. See the photos of the new headband with the yellow piping around the perimeter of the band. In the interest of clarity and balance, this review of the Dan Clark Aeon 2 Noire (DCA) headphones will offer a detailed outline of the amplifiers, sources, comparative headphone and DAC equipment used to write this DCA performance overview. I used 2 headphone specific amps. The Rupert Neve RNHP solid state amp and the xDuoo TA-20A plus hybrid/tube amp. The xDuoo uses the upgraded Ray 12AU7 tubes. The music sources were a Bluesound Node X with a Schiit audio Modi Multibit DAC connected via RCA to the Neve and a "vintage" (circa 2006) refurbished McIntosh MVP 861 CD player connected via XLS. Personally, I would never buy the DCA's or any $900 - $1000 headphone for use with a cell phone or laptop because those devices lack the power and DAC quality for this level of headphone and the audio quality will be poor compared to a dedicated headphone amp and upgrade DAC. I plugged the DCA's into my iPhone 15 Pro Max with a dongle DAC and I get better sound from my Sony XM4 wireless earbuds. When a reviewer does not specify what gear they listening to with the DCA headphone, you have NO idea if the review in meaningful to you. And despite the clarity attempt on the gear on my part, your opinion may vary from mine. I listened to the DCA's on both amps and used a pair of Focal Celestee headphones for comparison though I will not dwell on the Focal phones because this is a DCA review. Photos of both headphones and amps are included so you can trust that this equipment was actually used. I bought the DCA's from Gramophone via Amazon from Amazon Sales (formerly warehouse) in "like-new" condition - thanks to Gramophone and Amazon! That saved me $200 over the list price. The DCA's were in fine condition on arrival. The DCA box was not in good shape but I'm not listening to the box. DCA Pro/Con: Pro: - excellent detail and clarity - limber and flexible cable - expansive sound stage - The DCA required between 30% and 50% more amp power from both the Neve and xDuoo amps than my Focal Celestee - very light weight, low pressure head clamping force. The DCA's weigh 328 grams and Focal are 430 grams, a difference of about 3 1/2 ounces lighter than the Focal. The head clamp force of the Focal is higher than the DCA. - The DCA fold down very small and tight, a better travel choice than the Focal but not by much. - I won't bore you with the genre of music in the tests, but the DCA performed exquisitely with a wide array of high-quality audio sources from CD quality to high resolution streaming audio. -The DCA are cleaner, more detailed and have better bass than the Focal. The DCA are more comfortable than the Focal but the build quality on the Focal is FAR superior to the DCA. Con: -The cheesy leather head strap and the case with the DCA are both junk. For an $899 retail headphone this is nearly unforgiveable. The Focal head padding is top quality, and the case is very well made. I located an aftermarket leather strap for the DCA headphones the cheap OEM one will be gone shortly. -Not a fan of the ear pad attachment system. 2-sided glue seems barbaric to me compared to the twist and click setup on the Focal. - I preferred the tighter clamping force of the Focal. The DCA's tended to "wander" a bit around my head with the cheesy leather strap provided. Sonically the DCA sound is 5 stars for me using the aforementioned audio gear The Celestee are extraordinarily close but just a touch less detailed. The Focal overall build quality is far superior to the DCA and that's why I knocked the DCA from 5 star to 4 star. It's actually 4.5 stars for the DCA but I can't give that rating, and I cannot get over the cheesy leather strap and case and the far less robust build quality of the DCA compared to the Focal. I can replace the leather strap on the DCA but even when that is complete, they do not come close to the Focal build quality. Overall, despite the bit of audio advantage for clarity with the DCA's, the Focal are better due to the far better build quality - if you can tolerate their larger size and extra 3 ounces of weight. The choice is yours.

Best closed back headphones I ever owned. Nice precised and full sound.

Excellent sound. Essentially perfect.