NOIRE XO

They are a bit different as the E3 is closed and the XO is an open headphone. If you don't need a closed headphone, get the XO. If you do and If fidelity to the Harman Curve and a large soundstage are critical to you, get the E3. I have the Noire 2 (not the X) and I really like it as a slightly more fun sound than the E3. But if I want reference sound in a closed headphone I go to the E3.

I'm going to say no based on the following selection of headphones that I own: Dynamic: Verite Open, Focal Elegia, Beyerdynamic T5/3rd generation and HD650, Planar: DCA E3, DCA Noire, Hifiman HE1000 Stealth, Audeze LCD-2f. IEMs: FiiO FH7s, Westone Mach 40; earbuds: Galaxy Buds Pro 2, Galaxy Buds Pro 3, Jabra Elite Active 8, Sennheiser True Momentum 4, Bose QC II, Bose QC Ultra and ANC headphones Bose NC700, Bose QC Ultra, Sony XM5 and B&W Px8.

1. DCA E3: To me nothing else is very close. Perfect tuning out of the box for what I like and very comfortable. I can wear these all day easily. 2. Focal Elegia: With Dekoni sheepskin pads and a bunch of EQ these sound incredibly better. Agree with build comments and not a great fan of microfiber. 3. DCA Noire: Very comfortable more fun oriented sound for me. Use these for certain types of rap, rock and hip-hop where they are quite effective. 4. Beyerdynamic T5/3rd Generation: Another puzzling stock sound choice that sounds much better with EQ. Perhaps my most comfortable headphone. ANC preferences Focal Bathys and B&W Px8 the latter with EQ to fix low frequencies.

The Meze 109 is a bright headphone with a strong bass presence and is not what I would consider a "natural sounding" headphone. For me it would be much closer to the HD660s2 than the 600 or 650. It is much better made than the Sennheiser headphones which are solid made but pretty much plastic all around. The wood earcups are a nice touch and the frame is manganese and not plastic. So clearly a premier looking open headphone. If you are interested in a closed headphone that is a bit more punchy than the HD600/650 the DCA Noire which comes with different pads to change tuning is one of my favorite headphones and the best closed headphone for me at that price. And really hard to compare to the 109 as the DCA is closed so starts a bit different. But of my closed headphones it isn't that far from the Meze 109 with a very solid bass and subtle V shaped sound presentation. To be clear, if you like the Meze 109 Pro (great headphone) with an AMP you are looking at \~$1000.

Different strokes for different folks. I own an LCD-X (originally a 2019 model, swapped to an LCD-4 carbon fiber headband and upgraded to a 2021 model), and yeah, the weight is bearable and I can wear them for hours, but that doesn't mean I enjoy it. It can be a bit distracting. It's not causing me pain or anything, but it does take away from the experience of long listening sessions a bit. As I've shifted more into using speakers for 90% of my listening, the less willing to deal with very noticeable headphones for extended listening sessions I've become. I work in product development for a gaming peripherals brand known for headsets (and headset comfort), and I can tell you that headphone ergonomics are a whole thing. There definitely isn't 1 size fits all with all sorts of variables like clamping force, weight, weight distribution, how the shape of the headband changes as its stretched, materials, ear cup depth, how much the ear cups can tilt/angle, thickness and firmness of padding, min and max size of the headband, and I could go on. Now you've got to try to tune those variables to work with as much of your market as possible. So considering how much heavier the LCD-X is compared to the majority of headphones on the market, it really shouldn't be the hard to understand that some people just don't like it.

You might like trying some of [Dan Clark Audio](https://danclarkaudio.com/)'s offerings. The triangular shapes aren't for everyone, but I personally find them very comfortable. I think the [Noire XO](https://danclarkaudio.com/noire-xo.html) is easily one of the best headphones on the market at its price point.

To each their own! What kind of electronics are you running your headphones with? I agree that the E3 is a great headphone. I just have no interest in using closed-back headphones (I'm primarily a speakers guy with headphones being used as a backup when speakers aren't available or practical). I still primarily use an old Ether Flow 1.1. It's definitely not the best can out there, but right now, my priorities are on building my listening room, and speaker setups are expensive lol. I own an LCD-X as well (originally a 2019 model that I put an LCD-4 headband on and eventually had upgraded to the 2021 spec). It's definitely a great headphone, though I rarely use it these days. I've found it easier to get good results out of than the Ether Flow, especially the bass department (the LCD-X has better bass period, but it's also less picky about amps as my Ether Flow can sometimes sound a bit loose an uncontrolled). That said, I find it interesting that you found the bass anemic with the Noire XO. It's definitely not the best bass around, but I wouldn't go as far as to say anemic. That makes me wonder if you didn't have a good amp for it or if your bass preference is quite far above neutral.

DCA Noire XO. Better build than the both, balanced soundstage, the best imaging out of all of those and just better build quality. Better bass than those as well.

It’s a very large change from that sound signature. You will get actual bass shelf and a cleaner more precise.

I just went through pretty much the exact same thought process as you, with the same limitation on that I couldn't demo either headphone. In the end I went with the Noire XO, as at heart I'm just an open-back fanboy. I've had the Noire XO's for about a month now, and I honestly think they're brilliant. Even out of the box they're punchy. I tried DMS's tip of putting a high shelf on 10k and it definitely tames the highs, but I've never been sensitive to treble so I've since removed the high shelf. Currently I'm rocking them with a 4db low shelf at 105hz and it really adds some heft to those low notes. But yeah, the XO's are super detailed with a super smooth stock tuning, but they also respond super well to EQ, so you can really dial them in to your preferred sound signature if you want. Can't recommend the XO enough!

You can’t head bang with the HD800S - they have nearly zero clamp force and will go flying off :) For comfort, looks, and all-round musicality without being overly bright m, Meze is hard to beat; I’d strongly suggest the 109 Pro (open back) or the new Strada (closed back). If “brighter” or more bass heavy sound is more important to you, then the Hifiman HE-1000 is the way to go. With your $1000 budget, a number of great alternatives could be the DCA Noire XO (comfortable as heck, but darker), Focal Clear OG (clampy but energetic), or the new Hedd D1.

Do you want wireless (Bluetooth) ANC headphones, or are you OK with wired headphones? If it’s the former, there are a few options to consider. You say you’re willing to sacrifice sound quality for good noise cancellation- if so, then Sony XM6 or Bose QC Ultra v2 are excellent. But I would strongly suggest looking at a Sennheiser Momentum 4 - way better sound quality, and double the battery life (literally), very rugged - at a fraction of the price of a Sony or Bose. If it’s the latter, you should shop around. There’s no one size fits all answer; people have very different preferences in sound profiles and use case. Some like Audeze and Hifiman are “bright” headphones, Sennheisers are neutral, and Meze or DCA are “relaxed” or “dark.” Audeze’s Maxwell and Sennheiser HD___ series are amazing closed backs for gaming. I love Meze’s 99 Classics v2, or if you want to splurge $800, their new Strada headphones look and sound great. Dan Clark Audio’s Aeon Noire are probably the most comfortable closed backs in the sub 500 range. Hifiman makes amazing open-back headphones but their closed backs are a bit iffy. So if you’re getting into wired headphones, come with a mindset of exploring and trading to find your “endgame” set.

Great collection, OP! Where do you feel the Audeze and the Abyss rank among your headphones? Do they bring something new that the others don’t have? p.s. On a second look, the Abyss is on a custom Midwinter stand - I suppose that means they’re your favorite? :)

+1, the Noire X is fantastic. I rate them slightly less enjoyable than my Bokeh closed; but they’re far more portable, which means I end up listening to the Noire a lot more because it’s so easy to carry in my backpack with a Questyle M15i. Overall though, I have come to realize that I prefer open backs; so might eventually end up trading them for a Noire XO.