New Noire Headphones From Dan Clark Audio Deliver The X Factor
A particular Dan Clark Audio specialization is closed-back headphones that use planar magnetic drivers that have been engineered to deliver a more open sound. Closed-back headphones may produce less audio leakage and better noise isolation, but their acoustic characteristics tend to make them sound more closed in than a pair of open-back headphones.
It's for this reason that open-back headphones are often considered to sound better even if they are less practical to listen to in some environments, especially if there's external noise. However, Dan Clark Audio claims its closed-back headphones do a great job of disproving the rule thanks to unique engineering that produces a more open and spacious sound.
The new closed-back Noire X headphones use proprietary planar drivers and metamaterial tuning technologies developed for use in the brand's top-tier headphones like the closed-back Stealth and open-back Expanse, both of which cost more than $4k.
The high-end technology in the Noire X headphones is combined with a dramatic black-on-black aesthetic, improved ergonomics and high build quality, including ultra-tough Gorilla Glass 3 on the earcups and a self-tensioning headband.
The Noire X headphones have an RRP of $999.99 and their unique mix of attributes walks a line between performance and price. While most headphones use dynamic drivers with a stiff diaphragm and voice coil to produce sound through pistonic movement, the Noire X headphones have planar magnetic drivers. This technology uses a thin membrane in a magnetic field to create sonic vibrations. Among the advantages this technology is increased accuracy, less distortion and an improved soundstage.
For the Noire X, Dan Clark Audio has developed an enhanced version of its Aeon planar driver. The new driver has a diaphragm that measures 62 x 34mm and is significantly more rigid than its predecessor while offering superior unit-to-unit consistency, reduced distortion, improved reliability and a smoother frequency response.
Extensive R&D investments were made to upgrade other aspects of the driver. New manufacturing processes combined with highly optimized V-Planar knurling deliver a smooth frequency response with low distortion throughout the listening range. The makers claim the Noire X achieve levels of detail that were previously the reserve of the company's top-tier headphones.
A critical addition to the Noire X is Dan Clark Audio's proprietary AMTS tuning system, previously found only in the company's top-of-the-line Stealth, Expanse, E3 and Corina models. A significant advance in acoustic engineering for headphones, AMTS uses advanced metamaterial design concepts to shape frequency response and eliminate high-frequency standing waves which cause the synthetic-sounding high frequencies heard with many headphones.
By eliminating these standing waves, the Noire X headphones deliver a more balanced, nuanced and airy treble that the designers say is free of the fatiguing artifacts that can spoil the listening experience.
A self-tensioning headband on the Noire X reduces listening fatigue by distributing pressure evenly across the listener's head for a 'barely there' fit. Dan Clark Audio says this helps to prevent hot spots and pressure points, making the Noire X ideal for long hours of immersive listening.
Aesthetically, the Noire X has a black-on-black finish and detailing on the stitched headband and the new Gorilla Glass 3 finish of the earcups. Gorilla Glass 3 uses a thin sheet of alkali-aluminosilicate to make the glass more scratch and damage-resistant than conventional glass formulations. The headphones have a cool aesthetic completed by the tone-on-tone Noire X logo.
The Noire X headphones have newly designed ear pads for more comfortable listening. Formed from improved and ultra-stable memory foam, wrapped in high-quality synthetic leather, the ear pads eradicate foam rolling to ensure a more consistent fit and longer service life.
The use of Alcantara synthetic suede on the ear pad contact surface reduces heat and moisture build-up, providing a cool level of comfort during extended listening sessions. The Noire X ear pads are replaceable and backward compatible with Dan Clark Audio's Aeon 2 Noire, AEON RT Closed and AEON 2 Closed headphones.
The Noire X can have a comprehensive range of cable terminations, including combo 6.3mm and 3.5mm tips, balanced 4.4mm and 4-pin XLR. For even more flexibility in cable length and terminations, users can upgrade to Dan Clark Audio's premium VIVO cables, which are available in multiple lengths and termination options.
The Dan Clark Audio Noire X planar magnetic headphones are available in the U.K. from Electromod while in the U.S. you can buy directly from Dan Clark Audio website. The price is $999.99 / £1,000 inc. VAT.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Certain households in England face £567 rise in council tax
The areas facing £500 council tax rises have been revealed - with Labour Party Chancellor Rachel Reeves accused of "ultimate stealth tax" after allowing increases of 5 per cent a year. The analysis by the TaxPayers' Alliance reveals that Gateshead faces the largest rise, with typical bills expected to be £567 higher there in 2028/29. With maximum increases imposed, the bill for a Band D home would rise from £2,578 to £3,145. Nottingham (up £563 for Band D and £1,126 for Band H) Rutland (£550 and £1,100) and Bristol (£549 and £1,108) are also namechecked. Taxpayers in Dorset, Hastings, Oxford and Newark and Sherwood will also see increases of more than £500. READ MORE: Major UK bank set to transfer all five million customers to rival READ MORE: HMRC warns UK households to 'declare it' or face fines and prison sentence READ MORE State pensioners 'caught off guard' after becoming 'casualty' of HMRC The highest council tax bills will be in Rutland, where charges will increase from £2,671 this year to £3,221. Elliot Keck, head of campaigns at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Council tax is the ultimate stealth tax, given the way in which successive governments have piled on responsibilities to town halls without the resources to pay for them but with the permission to hike bills for residents. 'And this Government clearly intends to continue this trend by allowing years of above-inflation council tax rises, further increasing the crippling tax burden on British families and workers. 'By the end of this Parliament, the grim milestone of the first £3,000 Band D council tax bill will have been reached. 'Labour should impose lower, inflation-linked referendum caps on councils and aim for national solutions to crises such as that around social care.' It comes as Rachel Reeves has 'one hand tied behind her back' as she considers how to balance the books next month in her first budget, according to experts. The IFS said Labour entered office faced with 'unenviable arithmetic'. 'Merely avoiding spending cuts would – if debt is to fall – likely require raising tens of billions of additional revenue by 2028-29,' the report said.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Are Investors Undervaluing Aeon Co. (M) Bhd. (KLSE:AEON) By 39%?
Key Insights Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, Aeon (M) Bhd fair value estimate is RM2.18 Current share price of RM1.32 suggests Aeon (M) Bhd is potentially 39% undervalued The RM1.76 analyst price target for AEON is 19% less than our estimate of fair value Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of Aeon Co. (M) Bhd. (KLSE:AEON) as an investment opportunity by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. This will be done using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Before you think you won't be able to understand it, just read on! It's actually much less complex than you'd imagine. Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model. AI is about to change healthcare. These 20 stocks are working on everything from early diagnostics to drug discovery. The best part - they are all under $10bn in marketcap - there is still time to get in early. Is Aeon (M) Bhd Fairly Valued? We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value: 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 Levered FCF (MYR, Millions) RM317.2m RM299.4m RM229.0m RM277.0m RM266.9m RM262.9m RM263.1m RM266.2m RM271.3m RM277.9m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x4 Analyst x3 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ -3.66% Est @ -1.46% Est @ 0.08% Est @ 1.15% Est @ 1.91% Est @ 2.44% Present Value (MYR, Millions) Discounted @ 11% RM286 RM244 RM168 RM183 RM159 RM142 RM128 RM117 RM107 RM99.0 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = RM1.6b We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (3.7%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 11%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF2035 × (1 + g) ÷ (r – g) = RM278m× (1 + 3.7%) ÷ (11%– 3.7%) = RM4.0b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= RM4.0b÷ ( 1 + 11%)10= RM1.4b The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is RM3.1b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of RM1.3, the company appears quite undervalued at a 39% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out. Important Assumptions Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Aeon (M) Bhd as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 11%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.205. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. See our latest analysis for Aeon (M) Bhd SWOT Analysis for Aeon (M) Bhd Strength Debt is not viewed as a risk. Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows. Weakness Earnings growth over the past year underperformed the Consumer Retailing industry. Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Consumer Retailing market. Opportunity Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the Malaysian market. Good value based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value. Threat Annual revenue is forecast to grow slower than the Malaysian market. Moving On: Although the valuation of a company is important, it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. Can we work out why the company is trading at a discount to intrinsic value? For Aeon (M) Bhd, there are three pertinent elements you should assess: Risks: For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Aeon (M) Bhd that you should be aware of before investing here. Future Earnings: How does AEON's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Malaysian stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
South Korea's KF-21 Fighter To Get Stealthier With Internal Weapons Bays
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has provided us with a look at the future, stealthier version of its KF-21 fighter, which is now known as the KF-21EX. Concept artwork of the refined version of the jet has been released, with internal weapons carriage being its distinguishing feature. This is part of an effort to make the KF-21 more survivable in the face of ever more capable air defense systems, although the resulting aircraft will not offer the same level of low observability as the F-35, which is also operated by South Korea. The officially released computer-generated rendering from KAI shows the KF-21EX with its new, twin internal weapons bays open. The KF-21EX is shown carrying what looks like a pair of 2,000-pound-class guided bombs internally. However, there are differing reports on whether the total payload amounts to 2,000 pounds or if two such weapons can actually be accommodated. Other visible changes to the aircraft include a sensor below the nose that performs the same kinds of functions as the Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) found on the F-35, as well as on various other fifth-generation fighters. The F-35's EOTS is primarily a sensor for air-to-ground targeting, but has an infrared search and track function, as well. In this case, the new EOTS may well replace the original IRST sensor mounted ahead of the KF-21's cockpit. Less obvious changes in the KF-21EX will include a reprofiled canopy, a radome with reduced radar cross-section, an upgraded electronic warfare suite, and new conformal antennas. KAI also says the jet will feature advanced situational awareness systems and undisclosed 'survivability technologies.' Possible additional options under study by KAI for the KF-21EX include an artificial intelligence-enabled mission computer and expendable digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) decoys. It's unclear to what degree the internal layout of the aircraft will have to be revised to accommodate the internal weapons bays, although a center fuselage that is deeper would seem to be a minimum requirement, and it may also be broader, too. Whatever the degree of structural changes, internal weapons carriage of this kind will provide the KF-21EX with the ability to strike targets, including hardened ones, while maintaining low observability. As we have explained previously, the original KF-21, also known as the Block 1, was not designed with a high degree of stealthiness in mind: '…The KF-21 takes a more measured approach to low-observable design and is intended to bridge the gap between the F-35 and the fourth-generation F-16, in terms of capabilities. At first, the KF-21's weapons will be carried externally, on six underwing and four under-fuselage hardpoints, unlike in the F-35 and most other next-generation fighters, which incorporate internal weapons carriage primarily to reduce their overall radar signature. Ultimately, once in service, work is expected to begin on a more advanced derivative that will have an internal weapons bay, among other new low-observable features. In this way, the initial KF-21 will likely have around the same radar cross-section as the Eurofighter Typhoon, before later enhancements reduce this significantly.' There were always plans to refine the KF-21, with the so-called Block 3 configuration expected to include a broader application of low-observable characteristics, including internal weapons carriage and a wider range of air-to-ground missions. The more advanced derivative of the aircraft is now named KF-21EX, an apparent nod to the F-15EX Eagle II, a much-modernized version of the original F-15 for the U.S. Air Force, albeit not one that has a provision for internal weapons carriage. According to KAI, the KF-21EX is primarily intended to penetrate advanced air defenses and then engage hardened ground targets, including reinforced bunkers. This is a particularly important requirement for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), the wartime targets of which would very likely include deeply buried North Korean targets, including regime and command and control infrastructure, air defense nodes, and nuclear facilities. At the same time, the problem of penetrating North Korean ground-based air defenses has increased as of late, with the arrival of advanced Russian systems. The 2,000-pound-class guided bombs that the KF-21EX will carry internally will likely be GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), which can be fitted with BLU-109 penetrating bomb bodies. Other weapons that KAI plans for internal carriage include the company's Air-Launched Effects (ALE) and the U.S.-made GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB). Air-to-air weapons are planned to include the locally made LIG Nex1 Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile (LRAAM) and the MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. The Meteor is already provided as armament for the Block 1 KF-21, as an externally mounted weapon, including examples semi-recessed under the fuselage, as seen in the graphic below. A KAI official told Aviation Week that internal weapons carriage for the KF-21EX is especially important since the 'loyal wingman'-type drone that is being developed to operate alongside it will not be able to carry munitions in the 2,000-pound class. For the KF-21EX to operate alongside 'loyal wingman' drones, KAI is developing the Performance Improvement and Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) Combat System. This will include sensor fusion and secure datalinks to allow the crewed fighter to collaborate with the drones. One option might be to include this in a two-seat version of the KF-21EX, which would have the advantage of a second crewmember who could be more dedicated to the 'drone-controller' mission. The Block 1 KF-21 is already being built in two-seat form. Collectively, these jets are also known by the name Boramae, meaning 'hawk' in Korean. KAI has also outlined a particular mission scenario in which the KF-21EX will operate closely with 'loyal wingman' drones, specifically suppression or destruction of enemy air defenses. In this mission, the crewed fighter would serve as an escort jammer, presumably fitted with external jamming pods, while the drones act as stand-in jammers. The crewed and uncrewed aircraft will share real-time sensor tracks, providing for distributed targeting and threat analysis. Once again, a KF-21EX configured as an escort jammer would also benefit from having two crew members to handle such a demanding mission. As for the 'loyal wingman' drone, South Korea earlier this year unveiled the stealthy Low Observable Unmanned Wingman System, or LOWUS, which is tailored to operate alongside the KF-21. There are other options for the 'loyal wingman' as well, with Seoul working on a growing fleet of low-observable drones as the country seeks to introduce new uncrewed technologies for a range of Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and Korean Air held a rollout ceremony on the 25th at the Korean Air Tech Center in Busan for the first prototype of the "Low Observable Unmanned Wingman System (LOWUS)," a core platform of the manned-unmanned teaming unmanned… — kf21_military (@fa50_defense) February 25, 2025 As we pointed out in the past, having a stealth drone available to work alongside the KF-21 would make a lot of sense, especially since the initial Block 1 iteration of the fighters lacks high-end stealth attributes. As TWZ wrote in the past: 'More generally, a stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) carrying internal weapons would be an enormous advantage to the KF-21 Block 1 or Block 2 when penetrating heavily contested airspace. This would allow the manned fighter to remain at a safer standoff distance and use its highly capable Meteor missiles and AESA radar, and infrared search and track (IRST) to pick off aerial targets. This could be done, perhaps, by targeting data received from the UCAV's own sensors without the need to use the KF-21's onboard radar at all. This concept is increasingly attractive as it could allow manned fighters to remain largely electromagnetically silent, increasing their survivability, with the drone taking on the higher-risk role as a forward sensing platform.' However, South Korea now appears to have recognized the shortcomings of drones of this kind, at least as they are currently projected, in terms of the kinds of armament they can carry. Therefore, adding internal weapons carriage to the KF-21 is seen as a prerequisite when it comes to having the ability to combine survivability with hard-hitting 'bunker-buster'-type weapons. South Korea is developing the KF-21 to replace the ROKAF's now-retired F-4E Phantom II and still-active F-5E/F Tiger II fighters. Currently, it's planned for the ROKAF to introduce 40 KF-21s by 2028 and have a full fleet of 120 aircraft deployed by 2032. It's not clear, at this stage, whether the ROKAF wants to order the KF-21EX on top of these numbers, or if it would rather switch some of the previously planned buy to the more advanced model. Aside from domestic orders, the KF-21EX could be a tempting prospect for various export customers. The possibility of offering it with a complementary 'loyal wingman' drone could make it even more attractive, provided that Seoul releases these technologies for sale to foreign customers. South Korea is an increasingly major player on the global arms market and, with its FA-50 light combat aircraft, has already won several high-profile orders. With the KF-21, South Korea has taken a different approach to developing a new-generation fighter than some other nations. With the F-35 already in ROKAF service as a high-end stealth platform, the KF-21 has always been seen as a lower-end option when it comes to low observability. At the same time, the concept has always stressed the ability to insert incremental upgrades in terms of weapons, sensors, and now, with the KF-21, an enhanced degree of stealth. Although the aircraft will still fall short of the F-35 in this respect, it offers the advantages of domestic production, a considerable degree of control over further enhancements, and the possibility of lucrative exports. Contact the author: thomas@ Solve the daily Crossword
