Exquisite Acoustic Performance, Improved Comfort, and a Breakthrough Value!

NOIRE XO™ updates our iconic AEON 2 open by integrating DCA’s state-of-the-art Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System™ (AMTS™) with an improved driver, all carefully wrapped in a gorgeous ergonomically-enhanced design.

NOIRE XO’s dramatic black-on-black aesthetic, improved ear pads, self-adjusting headband, and beautiful open cups sumptuously hint at the numerous exciting upgrades within, all designed to maximise your listening pleasure.

With NOIRE XO, DCA sets a new standard in midrange headphone performance, comfort, and value!

No Open Headphone Compares

NOIRE XO is a unique open headphone in that it is one of very few designs that can actually track the industry standard Harman target curve. What does this mean for the listener? For starters, this is one of the very few planar magnetic headphone designs that can actually produce a truly balanced sound signature, with the powerful bass more typically associated with closed back designs. But that bass doesn’t come at the expense of soundstage and clarity!

NOIRE XO is designed around our new, updated, and improved NOIRE audio driver. The new driver is significantly more rigid than its predecessor, with superior unit-to-unit consistency, reduced distortion, improved reliability, and smoothed frequency response.

Extensive R&D investments were made to optimise other aspects of NOIRE XO’s planar driver. New manufacturing processes combined with highly optimised V-Planar knurling deliver a remarkably smooth frequency response with low distortion throughout the listening range, achieving levels of detail heretofore found primarily in our top-of-the-line headphones.

Leveraging our state-of-the-art Audio Precision 555B and B&K 5128 measurement system, we’ve carefully integrated NOIRE XO’s new driver with our patent-pending AMTS and redesigned ear pads to create an experience we’re sure you’ll never forget.

Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System (AMTS)

Perhaps the most important feature of NOIRE XO is the addition of DCA’s critically-acclaimed AMTS tuning system, previously found only in our top-of-the-line Stealth, Expanse, E3 and Corina headphones.

Truly a revolution in acoustic engineering, AMTS uses advanced metamaterial design concepts to shape system frequency response while simultaneously eliminating high-frequency standing waves, which are responsible for the synthetic-sounding high frequencies found in all too many headphones.

By eliminating these standing waves, NOIRE XO with AMTS delivers remarkably balanced, nuanced, and airy treble free of the fatiguing artifacts that diminish your listening experience.

Luxurious Comfort with Upgraded Ear Pads

NOIRE XO includes all-new ear pads to ensure an exceptionally comfortable experience. Using Alcantara synthetic suede on the contact surface reduces heat and moisture buildup, ensuring cool comfort during extended listening sessions, even in warmer or more humid environments.

In addition, the NOIRE XO Ear Pads are designed to reduce “foam rolling,” so the pads will have a longer usable life, and a more consistent fit and operation. NOIRE XO Ear Pads are backward compatible with our AEON 2 NOIRE, AEON RT Closed, and AEON 2 Closed headphones.

Self-Tensioning Headband

Our self-tensioning headband reduces listening fatigue by distributing pressure evenly across your head for a balanced, barely-there fit.

The uniform pressure distribution helps prevent hot spots and pressure points, making NOIRE XO ideal for long hours of immersive listening, free from adjustments or strain. NOIRE XO’s striking minimalist aesthetic is completed with the tone-on-tone understated colour-scheme.

Enhanced Connectivity with Versatile Cable Options

NOIRE XO offers a comprehensive range of cable terminations, including combo 1/4" and 3.5mm, 4-pin XLR, and 4.4mm. For those seeking additional flexibility in cable length and termination, it’s easy to upgrade to our ultra-premium VIVO cables for more choices, including custom cable lengths.

With these versatile cable options, you can pair your headphones with any amplifier, eliminating the need for costly third-party cables and ensuring you get the most out of your audio setup.

So You Ask: How Does NOIRE XO Sound?

We’ve gone all-in with NOIRE XO to deliver the most exciting possible sonic experience, regardless of price. As is our custom, we never de-feature a headphone at lower price points, instead, we try to take the technology, comfort, and performance of our flagship headphones and cost-reduce them to realise superior performance at lower prices. Combining our no-compromise audio performance ethic with an exciting new look and great ergonomics establishes NOIRE XO among the greatest value/performance ratio headphones in the market.

Equally satisfying with all genres of music, NOIRE XO’s expansive soundstage, punchy bass, silky midrange, vibrantly smooth highs, and layers of detail will keep you engaged with your favourite music for days on end. Never fatiguing, NOIRE XO will have you revisiting your entire music library to experience your music like never before.

Dan Clark Audio

Dan Clark Audio Noire XO Open-back Planar Magnetic Headphone