Quick Summary
The DCA Noire X planar headphones are now available in the UK for £999.
That's significantly less than the firm's other premium planar models.
Dan Clark Audio makes very impressive "artisan" headphones, but they're also very premium priced – and not always available in the UK. So it's good to see the acclaimed Noire X headphones make their way across the Atlantic, and for considerably less cash than some of DCA's other premium planars.
Where DCA's Stealth and Expanse headphones retail for around £4,100 / $3,999 (about AU$6,670), the Noire X are a more affordable £999 / $999 (about AU$1,666).
According to DCA, these are "the Johnny Cash of headphones", dressed in black and with "immense musical talent".
Dan Clark Audio Noire X headphones: key features
DCA specialises in open-back headphones with planar magnetic drivers, but the Noire X are closed-back. DCA says that they do a "remarkable" job of disproving the rule that open-back headphones are sonically superior to closed ones.
The driver here is an enhanced version of the firm's acclaimed Aeon planar driver, with a more rigid 62 x 34mm diaphragm delivering what DCA says is superior unit-to-unit consistency, reduced distortion, better reliability and a smoother frequency response. Manufacturing improvements deliver "levels of detail that were previously the reserve of DCA's top-tier headphones," DCA says.
The Noire X benefit from the same AMTS tuning system previously reserved for the firm's flagship headphones. It shapes the frequency response and eliminates high frequency standing waves for a more natural sound. The promise is a more nuanced, balanced and airy treble performance that's less fatiguing during long listening sessions.
The headband is self-tensioning and delivers pressure evenly across your head, preventing hot spots and pressure points, and the cups are finished in an unusual material: Gorilla Glass 3. The Alcantara synthetic suede earcups are replaceable and backwards compatible with DCA's Aeon 2 Noire, AEON RT Closed and AEON 2 Closed headphones.
Cable termination options include combo 6.3mm and 3.5mm tips, balanced 4.4mm and 4-pin XLR. And they're upgradeable to DCA's premium VIVO cables. More information and cable options are available online on the DCA website.
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